COAL CRISIS: Energy shortage shuts down IU by Tom Charlier As if t weren't enough to have to suf fer through the worst winter an record, a Vi0-day coal strike coused 0 serious energy shortage to make things even ‘more Unpleasant for Hoosiers. ‘The strike came as no surprise to ony: cone, though; disgruntled miners had bean threatening the walkout as soon ds thelr contracts expired. Anticipating the strike, IU stockailed a 38,000-ton coal supply in hopes of averting a crisis. University off clals wete told that this would be enough to last 95 days in normal winter weather IU also took further measures to obtain coal from non-union mines In the area, So, when 160,000 United Mine Workers (GMW) walked off thelr jobs on Dec. 6, University officials saw lite need for im imadiate alarm, Even these elforts were to prove futile, however, as no one could foresee the de- termination of the miners to hold out for a favorable contract or the bitter wecther thot most af the nation was to endure. “Throughout December, below-average temperatures forced the physieal plant to burn nearly 500 tons of coal dally. In January, the winter weather turned \rom bod to worse, Fright temperatures were mode even more uncomfortable by an alltime monthly record of 29 Inches of snow —'T4 of which fell in 0 two-doy blizzard with below zero temperatures 2 (TOP Att siking riers resid works cool caravan crept in Bloomington to replenish 1U's ‘dwindled coal supplies, (ABOVE) & workman chisels coo! out of the hop ‘As coal supplies begon to dwindle in mid-January, Public Service Inclana (PSI), Which supplies most of IU's power, began asking customers to conserve fuel by 15 percent. 1U responded by turning down the heat in some campus buildings and elling many extracurricular ac- tivities, These measures amounted to a cutback of only eight percent; the univer- sity planned a stricter set of guidelines for energy conservation, Faced with the "virtual inevitability" of ‘an upcoming PSI mandate ordering 0 25 percent reduction of electrical use, 1U ice-President Robert O'Neil announced 4 series of more drestic steps to blunt the impending crisis. This new plan, called "Phase Two," consisted of six major foa- tures: many elevators cround campus were shut down, including three af the main library; all Campus escalators were tumed off; Coolers which refrigerated the hundreds of water fountains on campus were also shut off; outside lighting was reduced wherever safety was not seri ously impaired; electric hand dryers in the bathrooms were shut off, and the ventilating fons for campus buildings were tumed off for longer periods of time. Further steps taken after this action called for the heat in many campus bulld- ings to be lowered to 60-65 degrees — ‘and in some cases lower. The lights many classrooms were turned off when windows could provide the necessary lighting,1978 was the winter the impossible happened . . . the Blizzard of '78 canceled classes for two days, and the coal miner's strike threatened to shut down the power plant and succeeded in closing IU for three weeks. Nobody would have believed it — or believed the mountainous work load that awaited students returning from spring break. After th s semester, nothing could surprise us. Dan Dornbrook, IU junior Te On Feb. 6, the conservation drive was dealt o serious blow. A tentetive ogre: rent between mine owners and the strik ing miner's bargaining council caused the public to relax their willingness to con. Serve energy, The jubilation was short lived as the ronk-ond-file union members rejected the pact by 0 2-1 margin the fol lowing week, The crisis became immi- rent Further steps to cut power usage brought home. the reality of the emergency to IU students. The HPER building was closed ot night, curtailing intramural activities; the Spit of Sport All-Nighter, a charity sporting event ‘hich annully rases money for the Spe Gal Olympics, was called off, and even ing varsity basketball games were played in-the afternoons, The strike continued, and the coal shortoge grew worse. As IU and PS! Supplies became critically low, university tfieais contemplated closing classes in order jo overt an emergency. Any hopes thot classes could remain In session were doshed when the Public Service Commis: 4 sion ordered pawer companies with less than @ 40-day coal supply to mandate o 50 percent reduction of elecirical cor: sumption. Since PSI conceded that it Would soon reach that level, IU President John Ryan approved on order for an emergency recess; the campus could nat operate on a 50 percent reduction level The emergency led to an extended three-week spring break from March 4-27, Instead of the official recess scheduled from March 18-27, The two weeks of lost class time were made up by having classes on Saturdays. Also, final exams were delayed nearly a week to allow for the necessary extension of classes. When students returned to campus from break, the crisis had waned. The break had been successful in allowing the university to cutback electrical usage by nearly 55 percent daily, an effort helped Significantly by warmer weather. Also, the UMW had approved a new contract and began returning to work in late Morch. PSI lifted its restrictions. The crisis was over BUSIN OUT OF iN