Western Kentucky University - Talisman Yearbook (Bowling Green, KY)

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Waiting and wondering The major news events often caused students to await their outcomes in anticipation. mericans waited 444 days for the American hostages to return from Iran. They waited to learn who would be elected their next president. And later, after the president was shot in an assassination attempt, they waited for news of his condition. They waited for a new era in space discovery to begin. And on the lighter side, they wondered who shot J.R. Waiting and wondering. The hostage crisis was an inherited pro- blem. This situation began in November 1979, and seemed to have no end. By day 343 of the captivity, the American spirit seemed to have ebbed, even though Bowl- ing Green had a yellow ribbon rally that day. Negotiations had been fruitless, and at times American diplomats weren't sure who to negotiate with. In Bowling Green, 11 people showed up for the ceremony in support of the hostages. But interest revived as reports announced the hostages were coming home, followed by disappointment in reports that said they werent. Finally, with the help of Algerian diplomats, they came. The waiting was over, but not the wondering. What were these people going to be like after 444 days in confinement. Would they be able to readjust to their home, friends and family? A CAMPAIGN SWING through Louisville gives former governor Ronald Reagan a chance to ride the Belle of Louisville. Reagan was on a campaign tour of Ohio, In- diana and Kentucky before the election. — Todd Buchanan After several days of initial horror stories, the wondering ceased. Many former hostages went on tour, one — Victor Tomseth — came to Western. Tomseth, who spoke to a 900-member au- dience in Van Meter Auditorium, was philosophical about the ordeal, although as a senior political officer he was generally treated better than the average hostage. He described himself and the other former hostages as ‘‘victims of the past.’’ He said the U.S. had had an expensive relationship with Iran, involving trade, fuel and our na tional security. “We couldn't give it up over night.” In the midst of the crisis, the American people elected a new president. Ronald Reagan never had to deal with the hostage crisis; the hostages began their trip home as Reagan took the oath of office. Their tele- vised release overshadowed the inaugural balls in Washington, D.C. The next day, Reagan began concen: trating on the national budget. By February he proposed budget cuts totaling $41.4 billion, which would include the largest tax cut in history. Reagan told the country on a nationally televised broad- cast that no programs, except national defense, would be spared. As a result of pro- posed higher-education cutbacks, Western students could expect to pay as much as one-third more of their educational expenses next year. Western's financial officials — Jim Gensheimer NATIONAL PRIDE was stirred when the space shuttle Columbia returned from its maiden voyage. Louisville sophomore Jeff Offutt watches television on the second floor of Pearce-Ford Tower as the astronauts prepared to leave the shuttle. predicted students would get about $5 million less of the estimated $15.7 million they received in aid the previous year. But the year wasn't entirely depressing. Americans marveled at the first U.S. space launch in six years. The space shuttle Columbia lifted off from Kennedy Space Center at 7 a.m. onan April Sunday. The shuttle had been hobbled by delays all through the planning stages, and when a lastminute computer breakdown delayed the trip two more days, space experts feared the entire space program would eventually be ditched. (Reagan's proposed budget recommended severe cuts to the space pro- gram, which had been criticized as frivolous in recent years.) More financial problems came after then ‘President Carter signed an educational amendment that also affected Western students’ pocketbooks. The retroactive law, part of several education amendments, re- quired universities to pay students in work- study programs the federal minimum wage. But instead of helping students, the law caused working hours to be cut. Western and other Kentucky universities didn’t have the money to pay extra wages, so students ended up earning the same amount. Western's problems with the new wage were compounded when university officials decid- ed all students on the payroll (not just those on work-study) should be paid the same. continued on page 28 — Steve Lowry YELLOW RIBBONS became symbols of support for the American hostages in Iran during their 444-day ordeal. Jayceette Karen Munson ties one of the ribbons to a tree in Fountain Square Park during. an October ceremony honoring the hostages. 27 News

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28 News THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION Jan. 21 drew not only Reagan supporters but dissenters. Reagan defeated President Jimmy Carter in a landslide victory in November. Waiting and wondering cont. In still another aspect of education, the hand of the federal government reached down to touch Western and most other southern schools. The U.S. Department of Education notified Gov. John Y. Brown Jr. that Ken- tucky’s university system contained “vestiges of segregation,”’ in violation of the Civil Rights Acts of 1954 and 1964. Many other southern schools were told the same thing. The state's Council on Higher Education requested an extension of the 60-day deadline. It was given. If the federal govern: ment’s demands were not eventually met, Kentucky schools risked losing up to $60 million in federal aid. But those were not the only figures Brown and the state universities had to reckon with. Revenue shortfalls caused the governor to cut back many state programs, particularly higher education. Western took a $2.2 million cut in 1980-81 and braced itself for an additional 5.5 per- cent cut in 1981-82. Western President Donald Zacharias thought the cuts were handled unfairly and began a campaign to in- form the state of higher education's plight. UNSEASONABLY COLD WEATHER didn't dampen the spirits of about 250 “Back Zack ’ ralliers. After mar- ching up College Street, the group stopped at the ad- ministration building to listen to President Donald Zacharias speak against higher education budget cuts. aT jf SEX ” DRU GS BoC K- ROU ' IMMORAy, . eas MINORITy — Jim Gensheimer In a speech to the Bowling Green-Warren County Chamber of Commerce, he charged Brown with playing a dangerous game of “Let's pretend.” ‘‘Let’s pretend that the universities are fat with resources and are over funded. ‘Let's pretend that you can dismiss university personnel with 15 to 20 years ex- perience, and they and their families won't feel it. “Let's pretend that the public does not really like universities and would just as soon they were closed. “Let's pretend that there is really only one university in the state, and it is located in Lexington. (Brown is a graduate of the University of Kentucky.) “Let's pretend that the people at the state’s comprehensive universities — called regional universities by those who are fond of categories — are incapable of recognizing when they are robbed of their resources.” Zacharias cited figures which showed that Western's funds were being cut dispropor- tionately, while the universities of Kentucky and Louisville were being spared. Brown's cabinet secretary James O. King later wrote Zacharias a letter informing him of “glaring omissions” in his remarks. But Zacharias bounded back with more rhetoric, and students backed him. In 11-degree February weather, about 200 students gathered for a “Back Zack”’ rally. The group marched up College Street to the a bg! alt eed x Bi Pee a administration building. Zacharias spoke to the flag-waving demonstrators, but his remarks were restrained. More criticism came when Brown called higher education the ‘‘biggest cry baby’’ on budget cuts. Budget worries were somewhat relieved later in the year when the Council on Higher Education approved a tuition increase, but Western also began to look for ways to cut costs. The College of Applied Arts and Health was eliminated and its programs were placed in the remaining colleges; student’ services were combined with the ad- ministrative affairs office; the admissions of- fice was combined with university-school relations; industrial education and engineer- ing technology departments were merged;