CMU Orientation 2019

e f i L @CMU YOUR GUIDE TO LIFE ON CAMPUS WRITTEN BY STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS

•••

ORIENTATION 2019

• CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

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cm-life.com

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Central MichiganCentral Life | Orientation 2019 Michigan Life

INDEX ___________________ 2

Welcome

3

Declaring a major

5 Counseling Center 7 Student Employment Services 10

Find where you fit: A Freshman’s guide to Residence Life

13

Making Central your home

15

Thriving your Freshman year

16

The Leadership Institute

18

Dining hacks

21

International community serves as a global bridge

23

Gaming: CMU students invest in future of esports on campus

27

How to get the most out of your college meal plans

29

Ombudsperson helps students advocate for themselves

31

Working up a sweat with URec

33

Connect with Student Media

34

Honoring Chippewa Pride

35 The new face of Leadership Safari ___________________

Welcome to

Central Welcome to life at Central Michigan University! Being a Chippewa doesn’t disappoint.

You’ll hear time and time again that college is the place to make mistakes, which is very true, but we Chippewas like to help each other out. This publication was created by the students at Central Michigan Life, one of the nation’s top student media companies, to help you navigate your first year here. In this publication, you’ll find everything from our personal stories to tips and tricks we wish we would have known as new students.

So here’s to you. Welcome to life at CMU! Trust us, the best is yet to come!

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Orientation 2019 | Central Michigan Life

Declaring A Major What to do while you’re still deciding If you’re coming to Central Michigan University Davis said that students must set up an undecided on your major, don’t fret. A lot of people do. appointment with the center in order to see I came to CMU undecided, with just a vague the results of the paid assessments. This usually idea of what I wanted to do. Eventually, I found the results in a follow-up appointment, giving major I wanted to pursue. While I was able to make students time to reflect on the results. this decision on my own, other students may need From there, students can begin to narrow down some help with deciding before they reach the 56 possible career and major choices. An online tool credit margin. That’s where the Career Development students can access through the center is called Center can help. One of the center’s main functions “What Can I Do with This Major?” is to help students find their major or career path.

Schwemmin said the website can help narrow Associate Director down possible career options Kevin Schwemmin said the center for a major. provides many services for this, Schwemmin said that a such as career assessments. He major does not ultimately said when a student first comes determine what career a into the center looking for advice student will get, meaning a about picking a major, coaches student does not have to major communicate that it’s a process in business to work in business. and start asking them general “For a lot of students, one of questions about their interests and the things they have to do is passions. disconnect (the idea of) ‘major equals “If you want to be successful career,’” Schwemmin said. in your major, you have to be He also said there is no rush interested in it,” Schwemmin said. to picking a major, but instead a Kevin Schwemmin “Otherwise, you’re not going Associate Director student should have a general focus to put much effort into it. But Career Development Center area early in their college career. if it’s interesting to you, you’re Both Schwemmin and Davis said going to love it. Finding ways to the student should take their time to help connect those two areas – choose a major that’s right for them. your career interests and personal interests – is This advice also applies to changing a major. Davis important.” said a large portion of the student body changes a Students may be asked to take a career major, so it’s certainly common. He said as long as the assessment. Assistant Director Eric Davis said the student is finding a career path they will be happy with center uses four different career assessments and it’s for the rest of their lives, they shouldn’t worry about up to the student which one they do (some even do being “behind” their peers. more than one).

I had no clue what I was going to do for my major.

This was a huge concern of mine going into Central These four assessments are: Michigan University. I stumbled across the idea of • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (A $15 cost) studying journalism after taking an introductory • Focus 2 career assessment journalism class. I thought that this is something I • Strong Interest Inventory (A $16.50 cost) wanted to try and off I went.

• Awato assessment You will also find something you will love doing for the rest of your life here.

“If you want to be successful in your major, you have to be interested in it.”

By Andrew Mullin Staff Writer

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Central MichiganCentral Life | Orientation 2019 Michigan Life

PERSONALIZE YOUR

Career Plan!

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The Career Development Center facilitates discussion and strategic decision-making for our students and alumni to promote life-long student success through:

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ACTION

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Jobs, Internships, Involvements

SELF Awareness

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Exploring Career OPTIONS

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Empowering ACTION Through Personal and Professional Experiences

We’re always here to help you reach your chosen career goals.

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OPTIONS Academics, Training, Career Fields, Industries, Occupations

SELF Values, Interests, Skills, Goals

Increased time and effort with the process above develops CLARITY, COMPETENCIES, COMFORT, AND CONFIDEN CLARITY, COMPETENCIES, COMFORT, AND CONFIDENCE STEPS TO DEVELOP THE PROCESS:

Career Development Center RONAN HALL 240 • 989-774-3068 • M-F 8AM-5PM

www.cmich.edu/ess/careers/

STEPSREAD TO DEVELOP THE PYRAMID: LISTEN/OBSERVE READTEST/TRY through information TEST/TRY a variety of a variety of experiences (ex. internships, jobs, volunteering) focused on career fields and experiences (ex. internships, TEACH about your profession professional conferences) occupations (ex.others LinkedIn) jobs,(ex. volunteering) LISTEN/OBSERVE TEACH others about your to professionals in your fields and profession (ex. professional occupations of interest (ex. info, conferences) interviews, job shadowing)

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IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO

The Counseling Center is here for you

By Andrew Mullin Staff Writer

College is stressful. That’s the case for almost everyone who attends a university, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have resources to help you.

At Central Michigan University, the main resource students can use to get help with their mental health is the Counseling Center.

Located in Foust Hall, Room 102, the center recently changed how it operates to get rid of waiting lists and allow more access to students, said Melissa Hutchison, interim director of counseling services. All counselors are licensed by the State of Michigan and have a lot experience working with college-age students. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with 12-1 closed for lunch).

If a student needs immediate attention outside these hours, the center is partnered with a 24-hour crisis line that students can call.

“We have changed the way we are doing things so that more students can have access to services,” Hutchison said.

The center can help with a variety of issues that students may face during their time at school. These issues include anxiety, relationship issues, depression, stress and managing emotions. She said if anything is getting in the way of a student’s daily routine, that’s when it’s time to see a counselor.

“We like to encourage students to think about their mental health the same way they think about their physical health,” Hutchison said. “If you felt sick, you would go see a doctor without thinking twice about it. So, if you feel like you want to talk to somebody, come and check it out.”

Located near the Library on Preston Street, the Counseling Center is open 8am - 5pm and welcomes both scheduled and walk-in requests.

The center provides many different services for students: Individual and group sessions. These are standard meetings where a student can schedule an appointment to speak with a counselor over any issue they might have. These can also be group sessions if there are any issues multiple students want to work on.

Drop-in workshops. These sessions are held in the center and provide activities for students to destress. Activities include playing with therapy dogs and art classes. These do not need appointments and can be attended by a student as often as necessary.

Urgent appointments. When a student is

in danger or needs immediate attention from a counselor, they can request an urgent appointment.

These are available daily.

Online assistance. If you don’t have time for regular sessions, then this might be a good alternative.

Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) is an online behavioral health platform that can help students learn about mental health. The topics include mindfulness, depression and managing relationships. CMU students can sign up for TAO with their school email.

Walk-in Wednesdays. Another option if time is an issue, students can walk in to the center during Wednesdays for shorter appointments. These might be for students who are unsure about counseling and just want to try it out.

Everything discussed with a counselor remains confidential, Hutchison emphasized. That means anything discussed will be between the student and the counselor. She said the only time they will break confidentiality is if the student faces immediate harm, which will be explained to the student.

The main reason students struggle with chronic stress, she said, is a lack of good coping mechanisms.

Students should be engaging in “good and ongoing self-care.” While she said not all stress is bad, leaving long-term stress unattended can lead to some long-term health concerns. Self-care includes good nutrition, exercise, time management skills and sleep.

With illnesses like depression, Hutchison said avoidance is not a good way of coping. This can exacerbate the problem further if left untreated.

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SUMMER & FALL Registration are NOW OPEN!

Helping students find on-campus jobs Located in the Bovee University Center, Room 121, Student Employment Services has a full staff and many resources to help you find a job on campus.

By Courtney Petersen Staff Writer

Central Michigan University students worked more than 1.4 million hours at campus jobs during the 2017-18 school year – the equivilant of 164 years.

Student Employment Services helps about 5,700 students get jobs in over 180 different departments on campus each year. On-campus departments with student employees include Campus Dining, Central Michigan Life, University Events, University Recreation, MEDIAGraphix, Charles V. Park Library and many others.

SES has a variety of job postings allowing students to find and apply to jobs that best fit their interests and schedules.

Most on-campus student jobs pay students $9.45 and have employees working about 20 hours a week, said SES Student Employment Manager Amy Thering.

Munising senior Alexis Downing works 13 to 20 hours per week at the Charles V. Park Library in security and building operations.

“My job entails many things such as shelving books, taking inventory, helping students find necessary materials for their schoolwork, and closing the library at night,” Downing said. “Additionally, we are always working on new projects to improve the library, including shifting books and other materials to different areas of the library to make more room for study spaces.”

Downing said she loves how friendly her work environment is. That allows her to interact with people outside of her area of study that she wouldn’t otherwise.

“I never have to worry about my job adding more stress into my life, so it’s not so hard to manage being a full-time student and part-time employee, among other academic involvements,” Downing said.

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Office of Global Engagement Enrich your time at CMU with international experiences, here and abroad Ronan Hall 330 | (989) 774-4308 BENVENTO!

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STUDENT EMPLOYMENT - CONTINUED

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In good humor, the staff at Student Employment Services “strikes a pose” for the camera. Pictured (L-R) are: Amy Thering, Manager; Andrew Dattilo, Executive Office Specialist; Lindsay Ranck, Senior Office Specialist; and Corby Blem, Senior Office Specialist.

Livonia freshman Rebekka Zawisza are going to be eligible for every position works 20 hours a week at the College of posted,” Thering said. “If you’re not work Education and Human Services Technology study eligible, you can only apply for the Operations Office as a receptionist. Her job positions that say GSA.” includes answering phones and helping out Postings are marked with GSA (General with administrative tasks needed by the office. Student Assistance) and Work Study.

“I get along well with everyone I work Students are only eligible to apply for Work with,” Zawisza said. “They are used to Study jobs if it is awarded on their Financial students and that relationship, so it’s a lot Aid award letter. easier to get along with In order to officially begin my bosses.” work, students must get a Zawisza said that Hire Authorization Card sometimes it gets “My supervisors (Red Card) and give it to slow and gives her the their employer. Students opportunity to work are extremely must take a photo ID and on homework. physical Social Security Both Downing accommodating card to the SES office in and Zawisza said their supervisors the Bovee University Center of my educational Room 121, which is open are accommodating with their schedules 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, Monday and extra curricular through Friday. involvements” involvements.

Job openings for “My supervisors the academic year can Alexis Downing are extremely be found online and can CMU Senior from Munising accommodating be applied for either by a of my educational provided form or by email. involvements, as well “I think on campus as all of my coworkers,” jobs are easier to schedule Downing said. “Everyone is willing to help because they expect their employees to each other out with shifts, even on a short be students, they know you have a class notice.” schedule and a life, so they are ready to In addition to working around schedules work around both of those things,” Zawisza and being student friendly, on-campus jobs said. “I highly recommend getting a job on have the option of being a Work Study. campus over a job off of campus.”

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Central MichiganCentral Life | Orientation 2019 Michigan Life

By Michael Livingston Staff Writer

Living in a residence hall increases your GPA and offers students a higher chance of graduation according to university administrators.

In fact, Central Michigan University’s Board of Trustees approved a new 30 percent discount for students who opt to live with three other roommates, instead of two, in the Towers residential halls, at its April 11 meeting.

There are some benefits to living in the Residence Halls for at least the first year at CMU. However, adapting to living on campus can be a challenge. Residence halls are divided into four communities each with their own unique culture and lifestyle.

In this guide you’ll learn the big differences between the halls and pick up some helpful tips about life at Central.

North Campus: “The small town”

The closest community to Warriner Hall and the University Center is also the oldest and quietest part of campus. North Campus consists of: Calkins, Larzelere, Trout, Robinson and formerly Barnes. This summer the university will begin the demolition process of the oldest residence hall on campus, as stated in their recent $13 million-dollar residence improvement project.

“We are the one-stop town on campus,” said Luanne Goffnett, residence hall director of Robinson Hall. “You’ll notice when you walk in here, you were greeted. After a while they’ll greet you by name. If you want to be seen and known, the North Campus is really good for that.”

Find where you fit: A The RHD is your personal guide to adapting to campus. They enforce rules, oversee procedures and guide students to their place at CMU. They are knowledgeable about Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and work to socially connect their halls by approving events or competitions.

RHDs live in the halls with their residents. Some of them have raised families in the halls. Goffnett raised all six of her children in Barnes hall and has great sentiment for the historic residence hall.

According to Goffnett, North Campus is extremely involved in homecoming and other school spirit events. She said the Maroon Cup has resided in North more years than any other community. Many North halls hold competitions like “Floor Olympics” and fashion shows with recyclable materials.

Robinson Resident Assistant Connor Thatcher said even while the old buildings have the occasional maintenance problem, there’s a form of community that cannot be emulated anywhere else.

Every floor of a residence hall has at least one RA. They’re responsible for enforcing rules, organizing fun floor events and are the first step to resolving conflicts between roommates. If/when conflicts do arise, Thatcher claims they mostly arise from miscommunication.

“A lot of issues can be solved right away by just addressing the issue and having someone say, ‘Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that was a problem,” said Thatcher, of Alpena, “and if it doesn’t always work out, the RAs and other staff members are here to help you.”

East Campus: “The melting pot” Perfectly situated between the academic buildings and the Student Activities Center, East Campus is a melting pot of different people based on their major, social standing, favorite activities and more.

East Campus is home to more residential colleges than any other community with science and engineering in Woldt Hall, health professions in Emmons, and the School of Music and Public-Spirited Scholars both occupying Herrig. East also claims Saxe Hall and the two upper-classmen dorms Celani and Fabiano.

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freshman’s guide to Residence Life Floors or halls for residential colleges consist of students that are majoring in that area of study and often adopt different rules compared to other halls. For example, the health professions college in Emmons is much less tolerant of drugs or alcohol compared to other halls.

“We have such a diverse range of things that students are interested in that I describe our area as a melting pot that’s always lively,” said Drew Mason, RHD of Emmons Hall. “A lot of our students are passionate in leadership, volunteering, and charity work so there is always something going on in East.”

A lot of events, activities or competitions put on by the residence halls are organized by the Hall Council or Executive Board. Every residence hall has one of these committees and with democratic vote of the residents, they work to bring the community closer together.

Besides the occasional roommate conflict, obtaining a social circle is another big fear for incoming residents. Luckily, there are many ways to make friends in the residence halls.

“Definitely leave that door open, just when people walk by say, ‘hey,’” said Grant senior and former Woldt resident David Dixon. “Also go to the hall meetings, you can change things that go on in your hall and it’s just another way to be involved.”

In East Campus the mixture of personalities and interests create a breeding ground for leadership opportunities and ways to settle into a group.

South Campus: “The suburbs” East’s nextdoor neighbor is the central

hub of the entire university. South Campus consists The Towers: “The big city” of Beddow, Merrill, Sweeney and Thorpe Halls and The Towers is a massive complex of buildings is the closest walk to the new Education and Human that can be spotted from various points across campus. The whole community is made up of seven Services building and some of the other academic residence halls: Carey, Cobb, Wheeler, Troutman, buildings.

Campbell, Kesseler and Kulhavi. As a resident in the Sweeney Hall RHD Tim Popma equates South Towers, you’ll see a new face in the lobby every day.

Campus to a suburban lifestyle in that you’re close In addition, the Towers usually holds the largest enough to the main campus to know what’s going on, population of freshmen distributed amongst its four but far away enough to have your own community. underclassmen dorms, with the In addition, every hall addition of upperclassmen in in South Campus has the three others. their own Help Desk “We have that first-year which is often shared by energy,” said Wheeler RHD Li multiple residence halls in Harper. “I think because we other communities. You have so many communities, are likely to see the same we have a lot of events that desk worker throughout go on constantly, especially in your daily routine and Wheeler.” become acquainted with While Harper spearheads other residents easier.

Wheeler Hall specifically, a The room setup in couple of RHDs are assigned to East and South halls two residence halls due to The are usually favored by Towers’ enormous population. incoming freshmen.

While it may be hard to stand There are no bunk beds out as an individual, the Towers are a perfect place for those and the four residents are Drew Mason who love hustle and bustle and split into rooms of two Residence Hall Director blending in with the crowd. beds and enough space Emmons Hall The R.F.O.C. dining hall is for desks. This leaves commonly regarded as the space to customize the biggest and best dining hall living room. on campus with the Mongolian BBQ station. The A new addition to South Campus is Merrill Towers also has its own convenience store called the Residential Restaurant’s late-night hours. It is the P.O.D., complete with a Subway that stays open until only place you can get food on campus with a meal midnight for any late-night cravings. swipe between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.

The Towers also holds a fitness center, a CMU Above roommate conflicts or finding social police office, and academic advising offices. The circles, a new resident’s biggest fear is homesickness.

Towers is a prime example of why residence life is Everyone goes through it, but there are ways to fight beneficial to students. Everything is at a convenient it and adapt more quickly to your new environment. distance, likely a few minutes away.

“I would tell people who are homesick to make It’s hard not to go to class when it’s right across an effort to get to know people in their area,” said the street. It’s hard to give up when there are people Merrill resident and Flint senior, Jacob Knox. “They around you going through the same struggle. It’s will know your situation and how you’re feeling. these reasons that make residence life worth living.

Going home every month is a good idea but not To learn more about CMU campus life visit the every weekend.”

Residence Life website.

“We have such a diverse range of things that students are interested in that I describe our area as a melting pot that’s always lively.”

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HOW I MADE CENTRAL

My Home Away From Home

Beginning my freshman year at Central Michigan University was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I was moving two-and-a-half hours away from home to surround myself with complete strangers.

My first semester at Central Michigan University was probably the most isolating experience of my life. I felt so far away from familiarity and I felt a constant fear that I made the wrong choice leaving home. This fear resulted in me considering moving to a closer college for my sophomore year.

However, as time went on, I soon realized that this feeling of homesickness was temporary. I eventually found myself gaining more friends and involving myself in organizations that I truly loved.

I started to get out of my comfort zone to talk to new people and strengthened the friendship with my roommate. Becoming

better friends with my roommate was one of the best things that I could have possibly done.

She has helped me through some stressful nights and just being able to talk to her every day about nonsense has made me feel less alone.

Also, I started following my passion and began writing for Central Michigan Life.

Through event coverage, I started exploring campus more and attending events that I would have never thought to go to. By taking on event coverage for CM-Life, I was not only getting writing experience, but I was also filling my time by learning different things around campus.

The start of the Spring Semester was when I started feeling like I truly belonged here at CMU. This took me some time to realize though.

There were plenty of sad phone calls made home and nights where I questioned

everything. However, I was able to stick through it and realize that I made the right choice coming here to Central.

Now I’m not saying there aren’t times where I don’t miss my boyfriend or my family, because that still happens. I’m just saying I have found ways to make time away from the ones I love easier.

A big thing that got me through the school year has been Facetime. Seeing a friend or a family member’s face is so much more personal than just hearing their voice on the phone.

Also, having plenty of pictures of friends and family helps motivate me to keep pushing on. Being the first person in my family going to college, I want to make my family proud of my accomplishments. Seeing their faces on my walls offers reassurance that I will be okay and that regardless of what

By Makayla Coffee Staff Writer

happens, they’re always proud of me.

One of the biggest things I struggled with first semester was feeling like my dorm wasn’t a home. I think that’s where a majority of my homesickness came from.

I remember calling home to my dad and telling him how much I missed just having a couch and how cold the room always was.

However, these were easy fixes. Getting a futon for second semester, some extra blankets and some Christmas lights made the cold dorm room feel more like a place I could call home.

Coming to a new place knowing no one can be a scary experience. At first I didn’t know how to make my time at Central the best it could be.

With a little patience, understanding and reminders of life back home, I was able to find my place at CMU.

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On average, 1 in 3 college students experience food insecurity.

The pantry will be open beginning in the Fall to any currently enrolled CMU student. Located on North Campus - find us on Apple or Google Maps.

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Tuesdays 5-7 p.m., Wednesdays 3-5 p.m. and Fridays 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Questions?

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With America Counts & Reads, Lunch Buddies, Adopt-A-Grandparent, David Garcia Project, Safer Sex Patrol and Service Ambassadors,there is something for everyone. Visit us today!

Follow us on social media @CMUVolunteers Visit us in UC 106 I volunteer.center@cmich.edu I 989-774-7685

CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity for all individuals, irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation and including but not limited to minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities. 18-232 MGX 4/19

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Orientation 2019 | Central Michigan Life

Advice on how to thrive your freshman year

By Carlie Wilson Staff Writer

College is where you will change the most in life. It is where you will fully come into your own skin.

I want to share with each of you some wisdom I have picked up throughout the course of my freshman year. The first lesson that I learned in college is that the people you start out your year with are not necessarily the people you will finish your year with. Not all of the people you come to college with will last, either.

When I mentioned that people grow and change throughout college, what I really mean is that some people will grow with you while others will grow out of you.

Trust your gut. Your gut becomes your

biggest ally and your best friend. If someone make you uncomfortable, and you’re not sure if they’re trustworthy, distance yourself.

The best way to do this is to find new friends or reach out to others.

Try new things . I don’t just mean in

terms of people, foods and classes. Branch out and try new activities. Participate in activities outside of your comfort zone. The sports and activities you did in high school aren’t always the things you continue to do post high school. You are not the same person post high school. Try something new.

wall, join an intermural team, get a group together and go for a run. Find opportunities to get out and do things. It helps so much with both physical and emotional health. Instead of taking the elevator, try to take the stairs when available.

Ask for help. Teachers in high school instill this fear in students that professors will never help you and that they will not go out of their way to help students. This is completely false. Professors want you to succeed as much as you do, and sometimes they want it more than you do. Speak up, ask for help. Professors won’t know there is a problem if you don’t tell them that there is one in the first place.

Troubleshoot. Don’t assume you can’t solve a problem yourself. Think outside the box and try something else when the first solution doesn’t work. Ask a friend, seek help from an adult if you run out of ideas. Get creative, and don’t be afraid to get down and dirty to solve any problem you may come across in the next four years.

Take Care. Take charge of your mental and physical health and ask for help when you need it. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of campus resources, that is what the counselors are there for. College can sometimes be overwhelming, but you are never Attend Hall Council Meetings. alone. Remember that.

Show up, eat the pizza or cookies, attend the meeting, and get involved in your community. Finally, the most important bit of wisdom I have to offer you is to call your parents.

Participate in Sibs Weekend.

They miss you too. They wonder how It’s one of the best weekends all year. You get you’re feeling and they miss seeing your face to spend the weekend with your sibling and every day. So check in with them. Call them show them around the university. There are once or twice a week, or, if you’re like me, call plenty of activities. Make the best of the time them once or twice a day. you get with them and make the weekend These pieces of advice are lessons I learned special and packed full of memories. Who throughout my first year at Central Michigan. knows, maybe a future Chippewa will come I hope this advice is as helpful to you as the out of it. advice I received before coming to CMU. Exercise! Don’t be afraid to sweat a little bit. And I’d like to be one of the first to tell you: Go to the gym, go swimming, go to the rock welcome to the rest of your life.

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Central MichiganCentral Life | Orientation 2019 Michigan Life

Central graduates leaders

By Austin Chastain Staff Writer

Congratulations, you made it. You are a Chippewa!

Whether you’re an incoming freshman or a transfer student, getting involved on campus is essential.

The Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute is the place to start to involve yourself on campus. Located in Powers Hall, the Leadership Institute provides opportunities for students to find themselves and become leaders at Central Michigan University.

You may have heard of events like Impact, LeaderShape or Leadership Safari–all of these are conducted by the Leadership Institute.

Dan Gaken is the Director of the Leadership Institute and has been since 2010. A CMU graduate in 2004 and 2016, Gaken said that the institute is available to all students and they should take advantage of what it has to offer.

“Every student has different entry points, but I think the most important thing is that they try something,” Gaken said. “Very often students are wondering ‘should I sign up for this,’ and I would want those students to know that this department wants them here, that it’s welcoming.

“This is for every student on campus to get connected and to find someone that they want to work with and help them think about who they want to be.”

There are two different divisions of the institute, the academic side and the co-curricular side. The academic side features an 80-student cohort which go through four years of coursework together. That cohort is the Leader Advancement Scholarship and it sees roughly 3,000 applicants of high school seniors.

On the co-curricular side, the program series the institute is best known for resides is Leadership Safari. The flagship program completed its 20th campaign last fall. It provides new students, both

freshmen and transfer, the opportunity to move to campus early and acclimate to Mt. Pleasant and college life.

I’m a transfer student and I completed Safari last fall. That opportunity to make new friends before the school year started played a significant factor in my easy transition to CMU. I lived in an apartment this past school year and I was afraid that I would not be able to invest myself into the campus community. With Safari, I was provided that opportunity to connect with my new fellow Chippewas and the Mount Pleasant community.

Gaken said it is important for students to take the extra five days of Safari. Those extra days put new

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Leadership Institute empowers students to promote change with integrity, conviction students at a significant advantage.

“Many students will move in on that Thursday. They have a couple sessions of our campus community life orientation, they’ve got to figure out where their classes are, buy their books and Monday they’re expected to be in a college classroom and ready to learn,” Gaken explained. “Those students in Leadership Safari have been here for five days, they’re comfortable with campus, they’ve already made some friends. Because of the ‘peer to professionals’ portion of the program, they know faculty or staff member, they’ve got a business card so if they have questions, those students have those connections.”

Further information can be found on the Leadership Institute’s website. I

would suggest doing so and checking out the information booths when available.

Safari is one of the best ways to acclimate yourself to campus and it can help you find your way as you begin your new journey here at CMU. There are a wide variety of events that the LI hosts and these events can be found on the website as well.

Should you elect to not participate in Safari, Gaken explained that you can still gain a valuable experience.

“It’s never too late to join the Leadership Institute,” Gaken said.

“Anytime a student wants to explore leadership, we’d love to have them.”

For more information, email cmulead@ cmich.edu

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Central MichiganCentral Life | Orientation 2019 Michigan Life

G N I N DI CKS A H M A ST E R OF THE BUFFET TABLE

The Spice Rack

Fruit Salads

A useful, but overlooked, resource in dining halls is the spice and sauce rack. These offer many flavorful seasonings like barbeque rub, tandoori and seasoned salt. Try adding these to your prepared dining hall meals to give them some more additional flavor. For example, adding some barbeque rub to a hamburger and some A1 sauce transform those boring burgers into something tangy and more interesting. Add seasoned salt and Frank’s Red Hot sauce to steamed broccoli to spice up a side. It’s a trial and error process to find what you like, but once you do it makes dinner time a lot more interesting.

The produce section of the dining hall may provide plenty of fruit choices, depending on which one you eat at. Utilize these to make a colorful, sweet fruit salad. Apples, bananas and oranges are staples at pretty much all of them. Add some cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes and pineapple, too. Usually, dining halls have a fruit that varies each day just to keep your options fresh. These include strawberries, pears, peaches and watermelon. Sometimes these will be premade fruit salads that you can add to. It’s a simple side dish with many different combinations that especially hits the spot as the weather turns cold and Spring Break seems far away.

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ADD A LITTLE CREATIVITY AND SPICE,

Make it feel like gourmet!

By Andrew Mullin Staff Writer

Meal plans don’t have to be boring. If you look around almost any campus eatery you can find the supplies for some resourceful dining hall hacks. Our dining halls provide many helpful tools and ingredients for you to experiment with. If you feel like taking a pass on the prepared meals awaiting you, here are some ideas to try out.

Caesar Chicken

Bagel Sandwiches

Fajitas

Waffle Desserts

A quick and simple dish can be made from the dining hall’s robust salad bar: a classic Caesar salad. Put some romaine lettuce in a salad bowl, then top it with chicken, parmesan cheese, croutons and Caesar dressing.

If you want more than just a salad though, you can expand on this idea.

Go to the sandwich station and get a toasted sub sandwich with chicken and lettuce. Then go to the salad station, open the sub and put Caesar dressing and parmesan cheese onto it to make a chicken-Caesar sub. You could also swap the bread with a tortilla to make a chicken-Caesar wrap.

Try this tip in Robinson Residential Restaurant, since they have a DIY sandwich station. Take a bagel of your choosing, cut it in half and toast it.

If you want meat on your sandwich, warm it on the panini press while the bagel is toasting. Once the bagel is toasted, add any meats, vegetables and spreads to the bagel. In the example below, the sandwich has turkey, bacon, provolone cheese, tomato, lettuce and avocado spread. Fear not: There are several things that you add to it in the sandwich and salad stations to make it fit your own taste.

If you’re in the mood for Mexican food, then this one might fulfill your craving. At the salad bar, there are always chicken slices or cubes.

Take some chicken, heat it up in the microwave and add various fajita staples to the plate: cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and avocado. Get a tortilla from the sandwich station for it too.

These are best made when the dining hall is serving other fajita staples like steak, shrimp, sour cream and refried beans.

This is a great one to try during weekend brunch on Saturday and Sunday. During this time, the waffle makers and frozen yogurt machines are operating in all dining halls. You have everything you need to make the ultimate dessert sandwich.

First, make a waffle and cut it in half when is done cooking. Then, put your favorite flavor of frozen yogurt on one of the waffle halves and put the other half on top. Finally, drizzle with syrups of your choice (they have chocolate, maple and caramel) and other toppings like sprinkles, strawberries, chocolate chips and powdered sugar.

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Central MichiganCentral Life | Orientation 2019 Michigan Life

OFFICE OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES & INVOLVEMENT

f /SAI

@SAI

SAI@CMICH.EDU

BOVEE UC ROOM 101 CALL: 989-774-3016

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International community serves as a global bridge for domestic students and different cultures

File Photo | University Communications International Student Organization President Sara Shalabi poses in front of CMU’s seal outside Warriner Hall.

By Teresa Homsi Staff Writer

In some ways, senior Sara Shalabi shares many experiences with the typical college student. She’s had to adjust to a new home and lifestyle, find her place on a campus full of fresh faces and build strong friendships.

In other ways, Shalabi’s experiences have been unique. She is adjusting to life in a new country with different cultural norms, has learned a foreign language and has fought homesickness, knowing that her home is separated by an ocean.

Shalabi, who is from Saudi Arabia, is among the nearly 700 international students at CMU. These students originate from 64 different countries. China, Saudi Arabia and India are the three nations that send the most students to Mount Pleasant.

The diversity of the international community is what attracted her to come to CMU in the first place, Shalabi said. She compares the international community and the Office of Global Engagement

(formerly the Office of International Affairs) to a friendly, interconnected family.

The office, which also organizes study abroad programs, offers relevant immigration and resource services to help international students navigate campus.

The OGE also hosts events to expose international students to American culture, but the office’s programming budget limits the amount of events that are offered.

The International Student Organization, a registered student organization which Shalabi is the president of, makes up for what the OGE can’t do by hosting events such as the annual International Expo and Cultural Coffee Corner, which encourage cultural exchange between domestic and international students.

“We have a lot of (international) students who don’t socialize and are in a very new place, thousands of miles from home,” Shalabi said. “When I see their faces when they (interact with) other people and socialize (at ISO events), I think being the president of ISO is the greatest job of all.”

To further promote global citizenship and help international students develop language skills, the OGE also offers the Global Ambassador Program, which allows people from the community to directly connect with international students.

“I think it’s a beautiful thing that we have all of these different cultures within one university, and it’s benefiting both the international students to experience American culture and American students to see what else is out there,” said Megan Hofer, International Student Advisor and Global Ambassador Program creator.

International student enrollment has been stable with undergraduate enrollment, but the overall enrollment has faced a nearly 40 percent decline in the past four years, a trend Hofer attributes to the current political climate.

“I hope that we as a campus community show the international students that do come here enough of a welcoming presence so they can refer that back to their family that CMU, Michigan, the US want international students to visit and study,” Hofer said.

While the OGE does not deal with recruitment, Hofer and Director of International Student/Scholar Services Tracy Nakajima hope the university continues to attract international students with a community-oriented environment.

“CMU’s location can be an advantage for students hoping to focus on their

academics without the distractions that large metropolitan campuses provide,” Nakajima said. “The campus is small enough that students can quickly meet people and become connected to the community while pursuing a wide variety of academic interests.”

Shalabi said international students tend to interact more amongst themselves.

Self-separation is something the ISO tries to address by bringing international and domestic students together.

“Part of our experience in studying abroad is to (learn) about American culture, but if we are separated, we aren’t going to know much,” Shalabi said. “I would just tell everyone not to be afraid of approaching international students - they want to talk to you just as much as you want to talk to them.”

Shalabi, Hofer and Nakajima agree that having an international community and building bridges between cultures is important. To them, reaching out to international students and getting involved in international events is the first step in creating a truly global community.

“The community helps enrich our learning, helps us to understand those viewpoints and experiences that are different from our own and helps connect us all to the world beyond Mount Pleasant,” Nakajima said. “ I encourage everyone to take advantage of opportunities to connect with the community.”

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Central MichiganCentral Life | Orientation 2019 Michigan Life

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GAMING ON A NEW LEVEL University, students invest in future of esports on campus

By Isaac Ritchey Staff Writer

Six members of Central Michigan University Gold — the League of Legends Club’s most prestigious team — huddle around a laptop in Pearce Hall to review film of a previous competition. The team, which includes several internationally ranked players, is preparing to face varsity esports teams from universities from around the nation.

Many of those opponents receive more support than the Chippewas. To say that CMU Gold often competes as the underdogs while players move down enemy lanes to destroy an opponent’s Nexus is an understatement, said Saline senior Drew Giffin, a computer science major.

“Everything’s becoming more technologically advanced, and sports will too, eventually,” said Giffin who is the senior adviser to the eSports Club, which includes several teams.

Esports (short for electronic sports) can be defined as individuals or teams of professional or collegiate gamers competing in video game tournaments. Newzoo, the global leader in esports analytics, estimates esports revenues will reach $1.1 billion in 2019, which is a yearon-year increase of 26.7 percent.

“If (CMU) wants to keep up with the other programs, winning big tournaments and getting recognition for it, the only way to get your foot in the door is to (become an official esports university),” Giffin said.

CMU Gold has competed in national tournaments like Collegiate Star League. Giffin said the team wins more matches than it loses and are often serious contenders in tournament playoffs. This fall CMU Gold beat the University of Michigan in League of Legends play.

The team includes Giffin, who has been ranked among

eSports Explosion is an annual e-games tournament hosted by the Office of Student Activities & Involvement. The event is free and players can participate in tournaments for games such Overwatch, League of Legends, Smash Ultimate and Rocket League or join in the open play and bring their own devices. Participants also have the chance to win door prizes and more.

the top .1 percent of players in the world. Other team members, like Waterford freshman Zack Saffron and Macomb sophomore Aleksander Smith, are ranked among the top 5 percent of players in North America.

Giffin, 21, was first introduced to League of Legends by his brother, Adam, in 2011. After his family moved to Saline in the summer, living in a new community unfamiliar to him, Giffin decided to give the game another try. He said playing the game helped him get through the lonely summer until school started and he was able to make new friends.

The social aspect of gaming is one of the reasons Giffin and others would like to see the esports culture at CMU supported and encouraged to grow. Today, members of the teams must compete from their dorm rooms or apartments due to difficulty using on-campus computers and running the risk of disturbing classes near their competition space in Pearce Hall during

afternoon tournaments. That could soon change.

Director of Student Activities and Involvement Damon Brown has personally spoken with gamers who have used esports to find their connection to CMU. Brown said the university is exploring student interest in esports and trying to find the right “next step.”

By offering greater support to its esports teams, CMU would convey the school is invested in what the community of gamers are doing, Giffin said, as he gestured toward his fellow gamers.

“I think students who enjoy gaming should feel more comfortable playing video games and have more of a social life for it,” Giffin said.

CMU Director of esports Tony Morelli said one way the university can support esports is by becoming an “official esports university” and establishing a varsity – (continued on page 25) –

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Central MichiganCentral Life | Orientation 2019 Michigan Life

College students may experience a variety of difficult situations from depression and anxiety to substance abuse and thoughts of self-harm. CMU Cares includes helpful resources for students, families, faculty and staff to provide the necessary resources to support students during their time of need. The CMU Care Team is comprised of professionals dents at CMU and across the nation face many difficult and personally challenging situations fromare across campus such as the Counseling Center, Student oughout their college career. Depression, suicide, substance abuse, sexual assault a few the situations students will have to deal with during their time on campus. CMUDisability Cares Services is a and Sexual Aggression Services.

prehensive website that includes helpful resources for faculty, staff, parents and students to ovide tools and campus resources to support and refer students during these times of need.

ARE eport

CARE eam

TAKE CARE

When someone has a concern for a student’s health or well-being, they can submit a CARE Report. CARE Reports can be submitted online at: www.cmich.edu/cmucares or by calling the CARE Line at 989-774-2273. The CARE Team Coordinator reviews each CARE Report and initiates intervention and support plans as necessary. Reporters will receive a follow up call from the Coordinator to review the report.

If an immediate or imminent threat or an emergency exists, call 911 or contact CMU Police at 989-774-3081.

The CARE Team is a small group of CMU staff and faculty who develop individualized plans to support students who are having a difficult time. The team holds weekly meetings during the academic year and when pressing matters occur.

See a student in need?

Currently, this team consists of professionals from campus offices including: Residence Life, CMU Police, Office of Student Conduct, Student Disability Ser- individuals can submit a Care Concerned vices, Counseling Center, Veterans Resource Center, Sexual Aggression Services, report at cmich.edu/cmucares and the Office of Student Affairs.

A follow-up with the reporter is made to confirm

The information shared within this group is confidential and used for the pur- of the report & discuss a Care Team receipt pose of determining the best approach to reach out to the student in distress. response.

CARE Report information is shared in the meetings along with selected Once the student in need has been indentified, information from the CARE Team members’ respective offices. Confidential the Care Team can reach out to the student Counseling Center information is NOT shared in these meetings.

with an inclusive individualized response to provide support.

Central Michigan University’s Take Care initiative strives to strengthen and further develop a community of caring individuals who look out for and take care of each other.Through CMU’s Take Care initiative, you are encouraged to observe what is going on around you, notice potentially dangerous or serious situations, and respond to the best of your ability to influence a better outcome.

cmich.edu cmucares

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GAMING (continued)

eSports Explosion is an annual e-games tournament hosted by the Office of Student Activities & Involvement. This year, President Bob Davies (far right) attended the event for the first time.

team. Giffin said investing in esports will make CMU more attractive to prospective students. Having four or five esports teams can increase enrollment by 20 to 30 students alone, Morelli said.

“In 10 or 12 years, (children who are) preschoolers now – who know all the Fortnite dances – are going to want to attend a school with a good esports program,” Giffin said.

Morelli supervises each esports club. He described the community of student gamers on campus as, “friendly and welcoming to new players.” Morelli said he wants to see that attitude continue as the university’s exposure to, and understanding of, esports grows.

Becoming an official esports university The university is considering joining an esports conference, such as the National Association of Collegiate Esports. NACE helps collegiate esports teams legitimize themselves, provides a collaborative network for university administrators and establishes a way for schools to recruit esports athletes to join their teams.

Sponsored by streaming service Twitch and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, NACE already has 109 universities as members. That’s 91 percent of all varsity programs in North America, including Alma College, Davenport University, University of Oklahoma and Boise State University.

In an analysis of the potential impact esports could have at a university, NACE lists additional streams of revenue through hosting tournaments, opportunities to generate interest and involvement among alumni and an increase in media coverage.

“Once a university joins NACE, they are regarded as a true varsity program,” said Victoria Horsley, NACE marketing manager. “Institutions under NACE are part of the only major governing body in collegiate esports, so the programs become official varsity programs as recognized by institutions, players, publishers and tournament holders.”

NACE requires an annual $2,500 membership fee, Horsley said. It also recommends universities provide a “startup, year one budget” of $38,000 to $42,000. That cost includes the membership, gaming computers, jerseys, room security, chairs, desks, mouses, decals and other supplies.

Before CMU can become an official esports university, it must meet certain requirements or show active plans to bring programs in line with the conference’s standards.

Morelli said there are three pressing needs at CMU: Space, support and a head coach.

CMU Gold is not the only esports club in Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) seeking university support. Miami University of Ohio esports program began as a studentrun club. In Fall 2016, the university became the first toptier United States university to launch a varsity esports program. Miami’s varsity Overwatch team took first place in the 2017 NACE Overwatch Tournament.

University of Akron launched its varsity program in Fall 2018 and is now offering scholarships for varsity gamers while encouraging all gamers to try out, according to its esports website.

Once the university becomes an official esports university, Morelli will become the full-time director of esports and have student coaches leading each team. “(Myself and the esports teams) are doing that too — trying to figure out where we fit in the whole scheme of things and what we bring to the table,” Morelli said.

Giffin and Morelli said a space would increase awareness of a varsity program and be a factor in recruiting prospective students who may watch CMU teams compete in online tournament streams.

Perhaps even more important than a facility or NACE membership, Morelli said, is the university making a public commitment of support promoting esports.

As the university organizes its varsity program, Morelli said he does not want to switch his focus to just a few teams of three or five players. He wants all CMU gamers to feel supported.

Morelli would also love to see the esports program cater to and support local high school and middle school players in the future.

While it is inevitable the university would need to provide new space and additional funding for its esports varsity teams, administrators are still discussing how much CMU is planning to invest.

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Central MichiganCentral Life | Orientation 2019 Michigan Life

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STRETCH YOU R

How to get the most out of your college meal plans There are many perks when you choose to attend Central Michigan University.

One of the great things about being a Chippewa living on campus is FLEX Dollars!

This FLEX-ibility is a great part of your meal plan that allows you to purchase food at campus restaurants.

How do FLEX Dollars work?

Think of FLEX Dollars as a gift card you can use for food on campus. Your account funds are loaded onto your CentralCard ID and are accepted at all 15 dining locations on campus. If your FLEX Dollars are running low, you can refill your account throughout the semester to reload your FLEX Pass or meal plan. Unused FLEX Dollars roll from fall to spring semester and spring to summer. At the end of summer, all FLEX Dollars expire – those funds are not refundable or transferable to the next academic year.

What’s the difference between a meal plan and FLEX Pass?

Students who are living on campus are required to purchase a meal plan. FLEX Passes are designed for commuters, graduates, faculty and staff to serve their busy schedules and dining preferences.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO STRETCH YOUR FLEX Make a budget In the first month of a new semester it’s easy to wildly spend your FLEX, from buying late night snacks to the everyday coffee stops, it all adds up. Before you know it, those FLEX Dollars are gone. To prevent this, make a budget! A simple way to do this is to figure out how many weeks are in a semester. (I’ll do the math for you) there are roughly 16. Take your total amount of FLEX Dollars and divide it by 16. The number you get is the max you can spend per week. For example, if you have the 10 meals a week meal plan, you are given $250 in FLEX. This gives you a little over $15 to spend each week.

Buy in bulk When buying snacks from The Market make sure you buy in bulk. Instead of stopping to get coffee on campus every day, buy instant coffee or coffee beans from the market.

These last much longer than single serving goods. Try buying snacks such as tortilla chips and hummus. Snacks like these will last longer (unless you have no self-control) saving you trips to the market.

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Keep snacks within your reach Keep a granola bar or whatever your favorite snack is with you at all times. If you get hungry in between classes, you won’t need to use FLEX on something small. This helps you save your time and FLEX Dollars.

Using these tips will insure that you will FLEX throughout the semester, and hopefully have some to spare. If you ever find yourself in need of more FLEX or you’re running low early in the semester, there are options to add more to your account. You can do that by going to cmu.campusdish.com or the kiosks in various dorm halls that allow you add more FLEX to your Central Card.

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Ombudsperson Erica Peters helps students advocate for themselves

By Teresa Homsi Staff Writer

Photo by Savannah Glasscock | Staff Photographer Ombudsperson Erica Peters speaks to the Student Government Association in the Bovee University Center

Ombudsperson Erica Peters has learned firsthand what it means to be a “third party.”

The Ombuds office is an informational resource available on Central Michigan University’s campus that provides impartial, confidential and informal support for student-related matters. Peters works as a neutral thirdparty to provide an outside perspective when students need clarification on academic-related issues.

“It’s tricky for me personally because I have to try really hard to be that neutral presence and give objective feedback,” Peters said. “People come in with really terrible stories and high emotions, and

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it’s very difficult to not feel that with them. I can emphasize and hear you out, but that’s where I have to draw the line.”

Peters has worked as an ombudsperson since the CMU Student Ombuds Office became a full-time office in December 2016. The office is located in Ronan 220.

The office is available to online, global and main campus students. It deals in mediation and encouraging equitable treatment across the university community.

Before becoming the official and only ombudsperson at CMU, Peters was an online program administrator. She dealt with similar concerns then, but became a member of the International Ombudsperson Association and helped further establish the office.

Peters said that people mainly want to discuss faculty and staff behavior, service quality and university procedures on academic integrity, grade grievances and course drop and withdrawal policy.

“I’ll hear anyone out, and I’ll leave it up to the visitor as to how far they want to pursue it,” Peters said. “If you want to come in and tell me how frustrated you are in this class and that’s all you want to do, that’s fine, that’s all we have to do. But if you want someone to know how frustrated you are and prevent other students from having the same experience, I let the student drive as much as possible.”

Although Ombuds can notify students of their rights within the university, the office does not provide legal advice and cannot change administrative decisions.

Peters spoke during the March 25 Student Government Association meeting to promote the Ombuds office.

SGA Senator and Indiana junior Yvon Bergner knew of the office prior to the meeting, but he was happy to see the office being promoted.

As a transfer and first-generation

college student, Bergner was curious to learn about the resources that CMU offers.

“I went to as many offices as I could on campus and (asked), ‘hey, what do you guys do, who are you and how do you affect me as a student?’” he said.

In his search, Bergner found out about the ombuds office. He said he knew that an office like it existed but never knew the name that went with its role.

“Some students know about Ombuds, and if they do, it’s likely because they’ve used it,” Bergner said. “Ombuds is an informational resource - they’re a middle man and they stick with that.

They’re a neutral ground. When you go to somebody, you look for (neutrality) so you can get information about what’s what and how to approach a situation.”

Although Bergner has not personally used the office, he recommends Ombuds as a resource and wants more students to be aware of the office.

Assistant Director of Student Success Jeff Hyames has seen the Ombuds transition from a part-time to full-time position as the backup ombudsperson.

He attributes that change to there being a higher need and more student use of the office.

“Your job is to be a student, not try to figure out policy and procedures,” Hyames said. “(The office) can help you navigate – not tell you what to do, not make it all better, not give you the answer you’re looking for – but give you clarification and additional resources you may not know about.”

The majority of Peters’ visitors are main-campus, domestic students, but she hopes to expand the office to staff and faculty beyond policy consultation.

In this past academic year, Peters has worked with 200 people. That number varies, but Peters hopes to make the office more known and available to the university community.

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The journey to your own

Pulitzer Prize can start here, too!

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For almost 100 years our organization has set a standard of excellence for student media.

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Work up a sweat and work on your well-being with URec

By Rachael Yadlowsky Staff Writer

Central Michigan University’s Recreation Department and Student Activity Center offer a wide array of fitness and wellness programs for students.

Students and community members have fun and take care of their well-being according to the Director of Facility Operations Kristen Kosuda-Suhr. The services available include: • Court spaces for activities including basketball, volleyball and badminton • Multi-purpose spaces for a variety of activities such as indoor soccer • An aquatic center with leisure activities, such as lap pool, spa and two saunas • Fitness spaces for cardio or weight training • An indoor track, Bowling Center, Cycling Studio, and racquetball courts “University Recreation offers both selfdirected and organized opportunists,” said Director of Programming and Administration Jen Nottingham. “Selfdirected opportunities are when students can come and work out or participate on their own schedule. Our organized opportunities include intramural sports, group fitness classes, personal training sessions, learn-to-swim lessons.”

Some organized opportunities that URec offers include over 40 intramural sports like basketball, football volleyball and wellness classes including yoga, Zumba and cycling classes.

All of these programs and classes are offered throughout the academic year.

A select few are offered in the summer.

Students interested in signing up for intramural sports can sign up through the CMU intramural sports webpage.

Most weekly fitness and wellness classes including yoga, Zumba and cycling are free to students, however, there are some group classes that can be purchased with a small fee. Learn more about fitness

classes by visiting the fitness and wellness webpage.

“We have a long history of providing opportunities to the campus community, which precedes when University Recreation was recognized as a CMU department in 1963,” Nottingham said.

“The Student Activity Center opened in 1990 and we were able to enhance the outdoor opportunities by opening the Outdoor Sports Complex in 1998 and the Disc Golf course in 2002.”

Kosuda-Suhr said student feedback about the SAC and URec has been positive.

“We continue to see an increase in our participation in Club Sports,” she said. “Our students who participate in intramural sports enjoy the ability to build strong relationships with their teammates, who become life-long friends.”

CMU student Diana Sparks, 21, is a frequent visitor of the SAC and uses the exercise and weight lifting rooms often.

“It’s a great and inclusive place where I can get a good workout in and get a break from work or homework,” she said. “I don’t feel like I have to be at a certain level of fitness or look a certain way when I come here and have made a few friends while here. It’s clean and the equipment is good and the staff is nice.”

Employees of the SAC are also comprised of many CMU students who are passionate about fitness and are studying health-related majors.

“Our student employees consistently report high satisfaction as they develop the competencies they need to have successful careers,” Nottingham said.

Kosuda-Suhr and Nottingham say that they are always looking for new ways to improve the SAC and the recreation department.

“We are constantly striving to improve facilities, programs, and services that are desired by our student population,” Kosuda-Suhr said.

File Photo | CM Life

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Connect with Student Media As a new student, you are going to want to stay connected to all things happening at Central Michigan University. Lucky for you, CMU has a wide variety student media you can follow to fulfill this need. Whether you’re a radio listener, newspaper reader, online reader or television viewer, there is always a way to stay connected.

Central Michigan Life www.cm-life.com Twitter: @CMLIFE editor@cm-life.com

Facebook: Central Michigan Life Instagram: centralmichiganlife Podcasts: Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud

Central Michigan Life is CMU’s student-run media company. Print editions are distributed Thursday in newsracks throughout campus. Stories are published daily on cm-life.com. Be sure to follow them on all social media so you can up to date on stories as they are released. In 2019, CM Life was named

“College Media Company of the Year” for the sixth-consecutive year by College Media Business and Advertising Managers. It is the Michigan College Press Association’s 2017 Div. 1 Newspaper of the Year. It also has earned numerous Associated Collegiate Press “Pacemaker” awards – one of the most important awards in college media.

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gcmag.org Twitter: @gcmagcmu Facebook: Grand Central Magazine Instagram: gcmag Grand Central Magazine is CMU’s online student magazine.

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centralmichigan living.com

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www.newscentral34.com Twitter: @newscentral34 Facebook: News Central 34 Instagram: newscentral34 News Central 34 is CMU’s student-run news program. This news program airs live at 5 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. You can even watch the broadcasts live through their website, so be sure to check it out.

WMHW-FM www.wmhw.org Instagram: wmhw_radio_cmu Station: Mountain 91.5 Facebook: Mountain 91.5 Twitter: @Mountain915 Station: The Beat 101.1 Facebook: The Beat 101.1 Twitter: 101_TheBeat WMHW-FM is home to two CMU studentrun radio stations. Mountain 91.5 plays adult contemporary rock. The Beat 101.1 plays R&B and hip hop. These stations will not only fulfill your music listening needs, but they will keep you updated on the latest news and sports coverage.

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Central Michigan Life

2019 CentralOrientation Michigan Life

Wearing eye paint is fine, as are faces that are half maroon and half gold.

But wearing multiple stripes, either vertically, horizontally or as zig-zag lines, is inappropriate.

Cloutier said honoring his people comes from recognizing they are a competitive people. He said students choosing higher education are making positive choices that support their school, connects to values of the tribe.

“When (students) go to those these events, what is best for the many is best for the few,” Cloutier said. “That’s what being a Chippewa is all about, knowing those values and being proud of them.”

Students can find these rules online at the CMU athletics website and in the student handbook.

Freshmen orientation also addresses what constitutes appropriate behavior.

In August 2005, the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) put CMU and 18 other schools on a list of institutions that “display hostile or abusive, racial, ethnic, national origin mascots, nicknames or imagery.”

The university appealed this decision and was exonerated after proving the strength of the relationship with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe through their written approval.

“If (students) want to show school sprit, look at the protocols the university put in place to show it appropriately and educate what is being a flying C and what a Chippewa native American is,” Cloutier said.

HONORING

By CM Life Staff Reports

OK Half & Half Face

OK

Single or Double Eye Paint

“That’s what being a Chippewa is all about, knowing those values and being proud of them.”

Frank Cloutier

Executive Tribe Council Member Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe

NO

Multiple vertical stripes

Each year at Central Michigan University football games, a few students wear face painting and eye black that, regardless of their intentions, can be insensitive and demeaning to members of the Anishnaabeg people, known more commonly as the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.

The issue can be confusing: how does an institution directly tied to the Tribe honor a proud community with a rich history while reconciling the fact that portrayals of that Tribe come with pain?

To help solve the issue, CMU and the Tribe have been working together for decades to educate students on what is acceptable and what is not.

“The relationship between the tribe and university is as strong as it ever has been,” said Frank Cloutier, a member of the Executive Tribe Council.

NO Multiple Zig Zags

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Meet Jonathan Glenn, the new face of Leadership Safari

By Farhan Coleman Staff Writer

A two-time graduate of Central Michigan University who used to work in the Multicultural Academic Student Services office, Jonathan Glenn will lead Leadership Safari as the assistant director of the Leadership Institute.

Glenn's undergraduate education degree allowed him to teach in Saginaw and eventually in Santo Domingo, a city in the Dominican Republic. He received his Master's Degree in History with a focus on Native American History. After graduation, Glenn earned an Advanced Diploma in Theology and a Bachelor’s of Theology from Life Christian University.

Formerly, Glenn was in charge of the Multicultural Advancement and Lloyd Cofer Scholarships.

Central Michigan Life spoke with Glenn to discuss his plans for the program and how he will make the transition to the Leadership Institute.

What about the Leadership Institute position was appealing to you?

Why do you feel that now is the right time to make this change?

Glenn: My dream is to be a Dean of Students. If you’re a Dean of Students at a university, you should be able to have something on your resume that shows you can lead different types of students. I have proven that I can assist students of color or multicultural-thinking students.

I believe that I can help bring a little bit more diversity to certain programs and hopefully I can also serve the majority students as I’ve served the students of color here on campus.

When the job opportunity came up I just felt the push to do it. After finishing this year, it would’ve been close to four years as a professional.

It’s time for a new challenge. I preach to my students all the time that they need to reach for the stars and reach their highest potential. If I don’t do that, then I’m a hypocrite.

What will you miss most about running the MAC Scholarship?

I’m going to miss students the most. Relationships and consistency is everything to me, so being able to have complete access to my students and them having complete access to me is going to be the most difficult part.

What changes do you plan on making to Leadership Safari?

The change is my personality and my presence. I’m going to bring a new flavor and a new set of eyes. Just because I’m African-American doesn’t mean that it’s going to be more diverse there. It’s the way I live, it’s the way I operate, it’s the way I love my students and being a diverse person just happens to be a part of that.

File Photo

Jonathan Glenn will be the new face of Leadership Safari at Central.

What are you looking forward to most about Leadership Safari?

The thing I’m looking forward to the most is access to more students.

When I officially move into my

new job, I’m not going to stop the relationships I already have. I get to meet new students that otherwise probably wouldn’t have come to my office to see me and I look forward to that.

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