LIFE CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Student guitarist, singer focuses on performing her music, 3A
Central Michigan University
| Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012
Students spend financial aid refund checks; professionals offer advice, 1B
[cm-life.com]
Foreign language dept. endorses no confidence vote Several others to discuss action By David Oltean Senior Reporter
PHOTOS BY VICTORIA ZEGLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Royal Oak junior Ron Sulewski, known as DJ Pigpen, spins his vinyl during his set Wednesday night at Wayside Central, 2000 S. Mission St. Sulewski began experimenting with mash-ups after seeing one of his favorite music groups Girl Talk perform live at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival back in 2008. “They inspired me to starting experimenting with music myself,” Sulewski said. “To play music I’ve created and produced on a high stage, like in Vegas or Spain, is a goal of mine.”
hit the beat
Student DJ embarks on first tour, aims for career in audio production By Paulina Lee | Staff Reporter
R
on Sulewski said his career goal is working in audio production, and he’s helping advance toward that on a weekly basis — as “DJ Pigpen.” The Royal Oak senior, who started DJing about four years ago, is preparing for his first tour. This weekend, he will spend three days traveling and performing in Michigan, with shows in Ann Arbor and Pontiac before returning to Mount Pleasant for his last performance. “I went to a big electronic music festival in Detroit and saw this guy named Girl Talk,” he said. “After that, I just started messing around on my laptop, taking a capella tracks and mashing them with instrumentals.” Though Girl Talk, a DJ from Pittsburgh who makes tracks entirely using mashups, was Sulewski’s first inspiration, he said his top
two influences are “Fedde le Grand,” known for “Put Your Hands up For Detroit” and Steve Angello, a member of Swedish House Mafia. Sulewski said he decided on the name DJ Pigpen after prodding from friends. “It actually started when Michael Jackson died. At the time my name was ‘DJ RO’ — for Royal Oak,” he said. “All my friends hated that
C O L L E G E O F E D U C AT I O N AND HUMAN SERVICES
Three dean finalists named By Catey Traylor Senior Reporter
The College of Education and Human Services has narrowed its search for a new dean down to three. Finalists include Charles Howell, chairman of the College of Education’s leadership, educational psychology and foundations department at Northern Illinois University; Henry Clark, current senior associate dean for academic affairs at the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University and Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, associate dean of the College of Education at the University of Ne-
vada- Las Vegas. Kathryn Koch has been serving as interim dean, following the unexpected death of former dean Karen Adams in April 2009. Each candidate will visit CMU and take part in an interview and hour-long open forum held in the Lake Superior Room of the Bovee University Center. Howell’s forum will take place from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Monday. Clark and Pehrsson will each hold their forums from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 and 7, respectively. Candidate forums will be open to the public. university@cm-life.com
[ INSIDE] w SAPA to address stalking dangers today, 3A w SGA putting proposal for unicameral system on general elections ballot, 3A w Third city commissioner in two years resigns, 5A
Half the departments of the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences have now endorsed the Academic Senate’s vote of no confidence against University President George Ross and Provost Gary Shapiro. The department of foreign language, literatures and cultures endorsed the resolution during its departmental staff meeting on Friday. The endorsement marks the fourth academic department to agree with the Academic Senate’s vote, which was held on Dec. 7 and passed by a 52-percent majority. Other departments are expected to discuss the matter at future meetings, including the department of psycholo-
(and) said it was terrible.” Sulewski and his friends were listening to Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” and when the bass line came on, one of his friends shouted out, “DJ Pigpen keeping it filthy.” “We all just laughed,” he said. “I didn’t really like it at first, and I thought it sounded dirty, but it just keep on sticking.” Sulewski said at first his parents thought his inter-
est in making music would just be a fad but have since jumped on board. “My mom loved my first song,” he said. “My parents are just really good about supporting me.” As a full-time student who spends a lot of his weekends out of town doing different shows, his mom, Sue, worries about him. A DJ | 2A
A VOTE | 2A
Former CMU Police officer Jeffrey Card pleads guilty to charge of misconduct By Andrew Dooley Student Life Editor
Royal Oak junior Ron Sulewski, known as DJ Pigpen, grabs a vinyl record to place on his turntable before his set Wednesday night at Wayside Central, 2000 S. Mission St. “The feel of using records is so different,” Sulewski said. “I’ve been doing it for so long now that I’ve adapted to the style of it all.”
gy, department of chemistry, department of English and school of accounting. Some departments have no intentions of discussing the matter at all, including the department of management. Christi Brookes, the foreign language, literatures and cultures department chairwoman, said the department expressed similar concerns to those that have already endorsed the resolution. Academic Prioritization, shared governance and academic transformation were among department members’ worries as no one opposed the endorsement. “(The concerns) are more or less what other departments have expressed as well,” Brookes said. “Budget cuts that have happened with a very uneven hand across the colleges depending on which college you are in.”
Former Central Michigan University Police officer Jeffrey Card pleaded guilty to misconduct Monday morning in Isabella County Trial Court. As Central Michigan Life previously reported, Card was charged after an incident that took place Sept. 11, 2011. Card, who was on duty, offered two female CMU students a ride home. He drove the two 21-yearold women from O’Kelly’s Sports Bar & Grill, 2000 S. Mission St., to a remote dirt road. Card told the two girls he was going to give them portable breath tests, and if the
test results were higher than a certain limit, the two girls would have to expose their bare chests. The two girls agreed, and exposed their bare chests after the test results proved higher than Card’s set limit. After the two girls put their clothes on, they agreed to pose for a photograph on the back of Card’s patrol car, which investigators later found on Card’s cell phone. CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley said they have not and will not be changing any policies for their officers because of the incident. He said the department already has the right safeguards in place.
A POLICE | 2A
Clothing store City Closet now open Owner hopes to cater to students By Stephanie Titsworth Staff Reporter
Sherry Ruckman decided to combine her love of clothes with her love of family by opening and running a secondhand clothing store. City Closet opened two weeks ago at 888 S. Mission St. The new store sells new and gently used clothing from brand names like Hollister, American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, Pink and Lucky. “It’s definitely more of a variety than what we’re used to,” Hastings senior Stephanie Lukas said. “The clothes are cheap and in great quality. Plus, I’m always up for some new stores coming into Mount Pleasant. It gives us more options and places to shop.” Houghton Lake resident and owner Ruckman runs the store alongside her sister, Gloria Winowiecki and mother, Carrie Goedecke. Ruckman said she decided to open the store with her family because of their mutual love for
clothes and to be closer to one another. Even though it is familyowned and Ruckman is her own boss, she said it’s still hard work, especially the hour drive to and from work. The family decided to open the business in Mount Pleasant because of their love for the community, but they did not make the decision before visiting nearby cities. “We visited Big Rapids, Houghton Lake and Clare before we picked here,” Ruckman said. “We fell in love with Mount Pleasant. It’s such a nice town; the store idea just seemed to fit.” Both men’s and women’s clothes can be found throughout the store, as well as accessories, scarves, shoes and hats. “I haven’t been in there yet, but I think it’s a great idea,” Saginaw junior Matt Weigl said. “Most of us college students are on a budget. It will be nice to find good clothes at a reasonable price for both men and women.” Students will also have the chance to make money by selling their gently used clothes they no longer wear. Ruckman said she and her co-owners are hoping to work with the community to make
ADAM NIEMI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mount Pleasant resident Lauren Marvin, left, tries on a leather jacket in front of her boyfriend, Mount Pleasant resident Mike Joslin Sunday at the City Closet, 888 S. Mission St. “I’ve always wanted a leather jacket,” Marvin said.
the business a success and a team effort by buying and selling from one another. “I haven’t sold here yet, but I’ve sold my clothes to Plato’s Closet numerous times, and I loved it,” Livonia junior Elizabeth Murphy said. “All you have to do is walk in with the clothes you no longer wear and walk out with a wallet full of cash. Plus, if you go in often enough, you get to see exactly what new items have been brought in.”
After two weeks, Ruckman said she already feels the store has been a rewarding experience for her. She said she loves the feeling of helping people get the best value and price possible. “It’s so much fun,” Ruckman said. “Just the other day, some young women left the store excited that they no longer had to go downstate to shop. I love hearing that.” metro@cm-life.com