. .
. .
B.INDEilir
1 - W 2C2 I'ATTEE
* . .
111
. .
i' ...4 • 4 , ' . ,
. . •
1 .: 14
I
the
h r, 1 daily
, ti
PSU pensions
have quadrupled
By COLLEEN GALLAGHER
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
The University estimates it will spend
$2O million this year for retirement fund
contributions, or nearly four times what
it spent eight years ago, according to
Chalmers G. Norris, director of the
office of budget and planning.
:; Most of that amount which is about
:10 percent of the general budget will
he paid to the state retirement plan,
which is both more generous and more
costly than retirement plans of private
:businesses, according to the Penn
sylvania Economy' League.
• A University retiree under the state
plan could receive $11,437 a year in
benefits if his highest average salary
was $15,000 and he retired at age 65 or
'after 40 years of service.
His counterpart in private business
:would probably receive $5,942 under the
same conditions, according to the
league, which is a non-profit • group
'funded by private corporations and does
- governmental studies at the request of
:State and local governments.
• • Norris said his "rough guess" is that
the average annual salary of University
employees is between $12,000 and
$15,000. Mandatory retirement age is 65.
The University "really doesn't have
any control," however, over the per
centage of employee salaries and wages
it must contribute to its two retirement
plans, according to William F. Bat
cheler, manager of employee benefits.
Because the University is a land-grant
institution, the state legislature controls
which- retirement systems • the
University will use. The legislature,
along with agents of the State
Employees' Retirement System, also
decides what percentage of its :em
ployees' pay the University must con
tribute to the fund.
Costs to the University have
skyrocketed, since both the rate of
contribution to the state retirement plan
and the salaries and wages to which the
rate applies have climbed, according to
budget and planning figures.
To reduce retirement costs, the
University, would have to reduce the
number of people it employs or reduce
their average pay.
According to Norris, retirement ex
penditures will continue to increase as a
percentage of the general funds budget,
"but not as dramatically," he said.
Since 1970, salaries and wages have
gone up by about 75 percent, while the
employers' contribution rate to the state
plan has more than doubled. Norris said
he expects salaries and wages to level
off in coming years.
The employers' contribution rate to
Israel bombs Lebanese hamlet
Be United Press International
Israeli warplanes bombed Lebanon
yesterday for the first time in nearly
two years, killing nearly 70 Lebanese
and Palestinians near the biblical port
of Tyre. The bombing was guerrilla
rocket attacks.
Despite eyewitness reports that
civilian targets bore the brunt of the
al tack, Israel's chief of staff said only
terrorist bases were hit. He added:
"The results ',pf the bombing were
good."
UPI Correspondent David Pearce,
who traveled to a hamlet annihilated
by the bombs, saw many women,
111 (DITIOR
We just hope
he's perma-press
At the end of final exam period next
week, Norman Albert . (7th
meteorology) is going to look like a
prune. And it won't be because of his
tests.
Norman ( known as Abb, for ab
normal, to his friends, plans to spend
final exam period treading water at
the diving pool of the Natatorium.
The Guinness Book of World Records
says that the water treading record is
50 hours. Norman is planning on
keeping his head above water for 72.
At 8 a.m. next Wednesday, Norman
has his last final. Then, at noon,
wearing only a bathing suit, he'll
jump into the water and start
treading. If Norman makes it, he
won't come out until noon on Satur
day.
Norman is doing all of this because
he hypes to swim the English Channel
(France to England) this summer
and he wants to prove to himself that
he's got the endurance. He'd also like
to sign up a sponsor and figures the
water treading stunt is as good a way
of attracting attention as any.
Norman said he thinks one of his
toughest problems in breaking the
record will be contending with
boredom.
"I want to plug in a TV set at the
edge of the pool," he said. He is also
the retirement fund has been increasing
yearly, according to Lawrence Barbour,
chief of the accounting division of the
State Employees' Retirement System,
because, "our actuaries have seen the
need for more money to fund the an
nuities," or benefits being paid to
retirees.
The employers' contribution rate for
the state plan is 13.7 percent of employee
pay. Next year, the rate will drop to 13
percent, Barbour said.
Employees pay 5 percent of their pay
to either of the University's plans.
More than 8,000 of the University's
9,800 employees belong to the state plan,
which is also more expensive per em
ployee for the University.
As a result of bargaining by unionized
college faculty, the state legislature in
1974 permitted the University and the
state colleges to include an optional
retirement plan, the Teachers Insurance
and Annuity Association ( TIAA). The
plan is designed especially for faculty
members who are likely to change jobs
more frequently than regular public
em ployees. ,-
The University contributes only 6.64
i percent of TIAA members' pay to the
fund.
Although TIAA is a better bargain for
the University, Batcheler said personnel
officials do not recommend one plan
over the other, but only inform new
employees of the characteristics and
expected benefits of each.
"Taking everything into con
sideration, an employee with 10 years of
service here is probably better protected
under the state plan," Batcheler said.
Most new faculty members have been
choosing TIAA, however, since "you can
usually take it with you" from institution
to institution without a loss in benefits,
Batcheler said.
Benefits from TIAA are much more
likely to vary with individual cir
cumstances.
Ironically,. "state-related college
employees in TIAA are disadvantaged
relative to Penn State members" in how
their retirement contributions are Made,
even, though "we're the ones who
bargained for it," according to Daniel
Dorrottie of the Association of Penn
sylvania State College University
Faculties.
A University employee in TIAA can
defer paying federal income taxes on his
contribution, since his pay can be
reduced by 5 percent of retirement fund
purposes.
State-related college members must
pay taxes on their TIAA contributions,
which are deductions rather than
reductions of their pay.
children and old men among the
victims. Hospital officials told him at
least 68 persons died and 101 others
were wounded within a seven-mile
radius around Tyre.
Lebanon's official national news
agency, which rarely comments on
fighting in the Israeli border region,
said the death toll was expected to
surpass 110.
Destruction of a village called
Flazziyeh was so complete that it was
impossible to count how many homes
once stood there, Pearce reported. A
Red Cross official said many of the
estimated 50 people who lay dead
signing up friends to come visit him
for three hour stints and is hoping to
attract curious students as well.
Norman said he puts his chances at
succeeding at this stunt at 95 per cent.
Norman also said that he would be
eating soup, crackers, cereal and
cheese while treading water. It will
be put on a kickboard and pushed out
to him. In addition, he'll be drinking a
quart of protein supplement daily.
When it. comes to the problem of
eliminating wastes, Norman is
hoping it won't be a problem.
"The cheese is supposed to block
you up. I can piss my brains out, but
that'll be it," he said.
What does Norman plan to do if he's
successful in breaking the world's
record for treading water? "Break
the record for sleeping."
Eat, drink and
stop studying
At last, someone has discovered a
cure for the "middle-of-the-week
burn-out syndrome," a psychological
phenomenon which affects students
who, by Thursday night, have studied
too long and too hard than can
possibly be good for them.
The cure, available now only in
Centre Halls, is known as "Monday
Night Munch-Out" and has been held
Beaver campus prof fighting to regain job
By STAN ELLIS
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
A professor at the University's Beaver campus is
fighting to get his job back, but all persons close to the
case refuse to say much about it.
Several sources have confirmed that Walter An
derson, who was arrested for possession of marijuana
earlier this year, is appearing before a joint committee
on tenure Nov. 21 in an effort to be reinstated.
Those persons closest to the case, however, are
refusing to comment on the story because they say they
beneath the rubble of Hazziyeh were
refugees who fled earlier battles
closer to the Israeli border.
Lt. Gen. Mordechai Gur, Israel's
chief of staff, scoffed at the reports of
heavy civili f an casualties and said:
"These were purely terrorist bases.
The results of the bombing were good.
We did not hit civilian places."
Gur said Israel broke the U.S.-
mediated cease-fire that was sup
posed to bring peace to south Lebanon
to stop Palestinian rocket attacks on
border settlements in the Jewish
state..
every Thursday (yes, Thursday)
since the third week of the term.
_ .
"Monday Night Munch-Out" is just
a big dorm party, inspired and
coordinated by student Mark Sherron
and funded by the Centre Reside . nce
Association.
Free food, drinks (non-alcoholic)
and music are provided for anyone
who wants to stop by. The party, the
night we were there, attracted about
100 people.
"Monday Night Munch-Out" was
first held on a Monday night, hence its
name even though it is now held on
Thursdays. .
But then, with logic like that,
shouldn't "Monday Night Football"
be called "Sunday Afternoon Foot
ball" instead?
Skateboards fun
or rolling death?
In a story run early in the term, we
reported that there had been some
problem with skateboarding in the
dorms. Residence officials were
cracking down on the practice
because of its great potential for
injury to the skateboarder.
In a recent story by the Associated
Press, it was reported that
skateboard injuries are expected to
double this year as compared to last.
Forty per cent of those injuries will
require hospital treatment. There
Richard M. Sharp
David E. Grine
Bus negotiations begin Nov. 15
By JIM ZARROLI
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
The next session of contract
negotiations between the Centre Area
Transportation Authority and Local
12038 of the American Federation of
State, County and Municipal Employees,
the State College bus drivers, will be
held Nov. 15 and the mood of union
members is described by Local
President Jeff Zinser as "surly."
According to Zinser, a mediator will
be called in to attend the session, the
first since Sept. 29. At the past meeting a
stalemate was reached.
"Certainly, there's a possibility that
the workers will withhold their labor if
they don't get a contract," John Strand,
steward of Local 12038, said. The
will be an estimated 375,000 accidents
in all.
Lucky for us. M. Lee Uperaft and
Residential Life have dealt with the
problem at Penn State. Can you
imagine a 375,000 skateboard pile-up
on Pollock Road?
Now it's time
to say good-bye
Hello, I must be going.
I cannot stay, I've come to say,
I must be going.
I'm glad I came but just the same,
I must be going.
Today's is the last Collegian of the
term, not just for our readers, but for
several Collegian staffers who will be
missed. Goodbye to Jerry Lucci, Ina
Kliger, Pat Little, Ivy Goldberg, Tom
Erdner, Leah Rozen, and Julie
Cipolla.
We're gonna miss you when you go.
Written by Mark Van Dine. Con
tributing writer: Leah Rozen
More of the same
As usual, today will be mostly
cloudy with some showers likely and
a high of 62. Partly cloudy and cooler
tonight with a low of 38. Cool weather
will continue tomorrow under partly
sunny skies, high 48.
Photos by Rick Ta
do not want to jeopardize Anderson's chances before
the committee.
Paul H. Stevenson, staff director for the Centre Coun
ty American Civil Liberties Union, said he was "asked
by a friend to do research" for Anderson. ,
"I haven't heard from the professor himself," Steven
son said. "I've heard from friends of the professor and,
until I get clearance from them, I am not at liberty to
say anything."
Stevenson said his research indicated that "as long as
(the University) gives Anderson a hearing, (they) can
do anything they want."
—Groucho Marx
Only 16% turnout
at student precincts
By PETE BARNES
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
Only one in seven student voters
turned out for yesterday's county and
municipal elections.
Ballot tabulations for the seven
student dominated precincts in State
College show that 1,052 out of 6,652
registered voters only 15.7 percent
showed up at the polls.
"I'm disappointed that more
students didn't vote," one local
Democratic party head said
yesterday. "I'm disappointed
because this is their government, and
they don't even give a damn about
going out to vote."
State College East I had the lowest
turnout with 120 residents voting out
of 1059 registered, or a 11.3 percent
turnout. East 1 is predominantly East
Halls.
'Highest turnout of the student
precincts was East Central 3, with 176
out of 714 voting, or 27 per cent turn
out.
In the county district attorney race,
Democrat David Grine made a strong
showing over Republican Robert
Mitinger, 14,839 to 10,122.
The Bellefonte attorney said later
that he had only expected to win by
several hundred votes, not several
thousand.
Locally, Republican Arnold
Addison defeated Democrat Gregory
J. Stewart for the State College
mayoral spot. Though Stewart led in
early returns from predominately
student districts, Addison won with
2,814 votes to Stewart's 2,387.
Addison said yesterday that he
intends to set up one-to-one meetings
with student leaders and
organizations. ,
"I want to develop one-on-one
contacts with the leaders who ap-
current contract between the union and
CATA expires Jan. 1.
According to Zinser, wages remain the
most important issue. Currently, the
drivers, maintenance crew and
mechanics that make up the local
receive $3.45 an hour— the lowest, union
officials said, of any workers in similar
occupations in the state.
At the Sept. 29 session, union
representatiaves brought their demands
down from $4.70 to $4.45, while
management representatives went from
$3.63 to $3.67. .
"Working for anything less than $4.45
is an insult," Zinser said.
"We've gone down as far as we can
go," Strand said. "Taking $.15 out of our
pay is a lot of money.
(0 '
NORML contest real joint effort
Tomorrow night's the night for you
to pit your "high" standards in joint
rolling against other area contenders.
The Penn State chapter of NORML
( National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws) 'is
holding its second annual Joint
Rolling Contest tomorrow night, not
in some cheap joint full of roaches,
but in the HUB ballroom from 9 p.m.
to midnight.
The contest has three events this
year: Most
,joints rolled in five
15 0
Thursday, Nov. 10, 1977
Vol. 78, No. 78 24 pages University Park, Pa. 18802
Published by Students of The Pennsylvania State University
at the county courthouse last night
that Sharp, thinking he would lose the
contest to Brown, had gone to bed
early.
When ballot returns, however,
showed that Sharp had a small but
steady edge over the 40-year-old
county district attorney, the
Democrat had to be routed from bed
in the early morning hours.
In the State College Municipal
Council contest, with three council
seats at stake, Democrats Ronald
Abler received :3,896 votes, Ingrid P.
Holtzman got 3,233 votes and Dorothy
J. Lennig got 2,641 votes. Republicans
Joseph Wakeley, Jr. ( 2,481 votes) and
Franklin Cook (2,333 votes) were
defeated.
The key thing in the hearing, he said, will be if the
committee understands the marijuana situation today.
Stevenson said if Anderson loses the case he can ap
peal the decision to University President John W. Os
wald. but "from what I've heard, Oswald will typically
uphold the hearing board's decision."
Joseph Guisti, director of the Beaver campus, also
refused to comment on the case.
"I really don't know that much. And if I did, I
wouldn't be at liberty to say," George Palahunik, a
student government representative at the campus,,
said.
"Let them open their books to us. 'lf
they say they don't have the money (for—
the pay hike), let them prove it. I'm
convinced that they're not willing to
bargain in good faith."
One factor in negotiations, Strand,:
said, might be the drivers' recent
tempts to circulate petitions to'
passengers in an effort to alert CATA to
problems of overcrowding on certain
routes. .
According to Strand both he and
Zinser were told by former transit
manager William C. Barrett that the
drivers' action "might have
,political
overtones."
Thomas Kurtz, interim transit
manager, was unavailable for comment.
minutes, best joint rolled, and skill at
rolling a joint with a newspaper, a
Collegian unless the contestants don't
like the Collegian ( sniff).
Tobacco, not grass, will be used in
all joints rolled tomorrow evening
since, they tell us, marijuana is
illegal.
Prizes will be awarded for all
events, with all admission proceeds
being used "to change the Penn
sylvania marijuana law."
4 :: COPIES
peared concerned, then go from
there," Addison said.
Stewart said although he lost the
mayorship, it is not the end of his
political career.
"There will be definite future
political tries," he said.
Results from other student
dominated precincts:
East 2, 113 out of 966 voting, or
11.7 percent.
East 3, 231 out of 966 voting, or 24
percent.
East 4, 183 out of 1,357 voting, or
13.5 percent.
East
,'Central 1, 122 out of 935
voting, or 13 percent.
East Central 2, 101 out of 714
voting,'or 14.1 percent.
-
County wide, turnout was about 53
percent, with 25,631 out of 48,302
voting.
In the race for county judge of the
court of common pleas, Democrat
Richard Sharp narrowly defeated
favored candidate Republican
Charles C. Brown, Jr., by 339 votes.
Sharp had 12,821 votes to Brown's
12,482.
A campaign worker for Sharp said
vrkWAl' l / 4 .-