Men’s basketball loses at home 68-58, 1B
Friday, Jan. 28, 2011
EDITORIAL | Obama’s shift to center step in right direction, 6A
Senior gymnast Cheryl Conlin, 8A
Central Michigan Life
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
[cm-life.com]
‘ D o n ’ t a s k , d o n ’ t t e l l’
ROTC waits for repeal’s changes By Mike Nichols Senior Reporter
CMU’s ROTC is waiting for orders in the wake of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal. DADT is a government policy that previously banned open homosexuality in the military. The bill to repeal the policy passed the Senate in December as mentioned by President Barack Obama in his State of the Union address. 1st Lt. Rodney Williams, CMU ROTC’s Recruitment Operations Officer, said DADT only affects cadets who are officially signed up for military service. Williams said he expects the section in the contract that contains the elements of DADT will be changed. Until then, he said the military is advising everyone to hold off on taking action until a new policy is enacted. “It’s an appeal, so now we’re still waiting for another policy to come out,” Williams said. “The only thing we know is we’re going to support it.” Lt. Col. Aaron Kalloch is a Professor of Military Science and Head of the CMU Batallion. Kalloch said he was a
photos by Ashley miller/staff photographer
Third grade student Jasmine Dortch, 9, smiles while talking about her lunch buddy Clio, sophomore Ellaine Ursuy, left, Friday afternoon during lunchtime at Vowles Elementary School, 1560 Watson Road, in Mount Pleasant. “I like playing with her and talking with her,” Jasmine said about Ellaine. “She’s nice and happy.”
Mentoring Memories CMU students find escape in ‘Lunch Buddies’ program
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“I get to see how I grow through the program and (how Jasmine) grows,” she said. “I think that I grow more than her.” Maya Gibson, a third grader at Vowles Elementary School, 1560 Watson St., said she thinks the Lunch Buddies program is fun. It is her first year in the program and she said her teacher introduced her to it. “Mrs. Nowicki asked me if I wanted a lunch buddy and I said, ‘Yeah!’” Gibson said. Her favorite things about
[inside] NEWS w Students prepare, audition for semester at News Central 34, 3A w About 1,270 transfer students enrolled at CMU, 5A
SPORTS w CMU senior guard Amir Rashid leaves basketball team, 1B
Photo contest w Submit your winter-related photos to photo@cm-life.com by 11 a.m. Sunday for a chance to be published
weather w Mostly Cloudy High 29/ Low 22
the program are playing four square, talking and playing rock-paper-scissors with her mentor. Ursuy said she most enjoys playing four square with her buddy. “It’s Jasmine’s favorite thing to do and to see her face light up when she gets to square one, it’s so great,” Ursuy said. The program was one of five finalists for the Governor Service Award in the category of the Mentoring Program of the Year in 2010. The award is sponsored by the state of
A ROTC | 2A
Students feel little impact with health care reform
By Sarah Zalewski | Staff Reporter
llaine Ursuy, like many others from the CMU Volunteer Center’s Lunch Buddies program, participates because she loves elementary kids. Lunch Buddies lets students spend time mentoring an elementary kid and escape from the stresses of college life for a few hours every Friday. “It’s a great experience for me and Jasmine, my lunch buddy,” said Ursuy, a Clio sophomore. She said the program is effective and the only thing it is missing is more kids. She said she would love to have six lunch buddies instead of one.
Lieutenant when DADT was put in place and is now a Lieutenant Colonel. Society has changed in the past 20 years, Kalloch said, which is why the policies are changing. The Department of Defense sent out a survey to military units in 2010 asking how they would feel about the repeal. According to the results, a majority said the repeal would either have a positive, mixed or no effect on aspects of task cohesion or social cohesion. Kalloch said he was part of the percentage that supported it. Kalloch said he hopes the policy change will increase their enrollment, but other than that, he doesn’t see the ROTC program itself looking very different any time soon. “I can pretty much assure, in my personal opinion, this will be enacted within this calender year,” he said. “But on a college campus, this isn’t going to have a major impact for us.” DADT came under fire on campus last September when a protest was led by Sarah Winchester, political chair-
By Josh Simmet Staff Reporter
With the help of their lunch buddy, Clio sophomore Ellaine Ursuy, third grade students Jasmine Dortch, left, Georgia Humphrey and Madisyn Auker make a “cheese man” during lunch time on Friday at Vowles Elementary School, 1560 Watson Road, in Mount Pleasant. “(The best part of being a lunch buddy is) getting to re-experience elementary school and how simple everything is,” Ursuy said.
Michigan and was presented by former Gov. Jennifer Granholm and her husband. Saginaw junior Justin Mack, Lunch Buddies’ student coordinator, was presented with the award by University President George Ross at the Dec. 2 CMU Board of Trustees meeting. In an e-mail, he called it “truly an honor.” He said the award was based on several criteria ranging from the students’ academic performance to the program’s organizational structure. “We are excited to apply
again for the award later this semester,” Mack said. Ursuy is a Leader Advancement Scholar and getting volunteer hours through the Lunch Buddies program are integral to her eligibility. Above all else, the program brings back memories of her time in elementary school and lets her relive the simple life. “It’s so great to remember,” Ursuy said. “To grow up and remember the simple things.” photo@cm-life.com
Many students have yet to feel the effects of health care reform since it was signed into law last March. Proponents of the law, however, have said many changes have already implemented and are helping people right now. “I haven’t really noticed any differences,” said Byron sophomore Andrea Paulin. “I mean, I guess I haven’t had any medical situations, but yeah, I haven’t noticed.” Paulin receives her health insurance through her work. The Affordable Health Care Act grants protections and safeguards to the clients of health insurance companies. It eliminates the possibility of a company denying a child with pre-existing conditions coverage and halts the company’s ability to eliminate or limit coverage in the face of serious conditions. It also pre-
vents companies from limiting the choice of doctors for a patient. “Various portions of the law will affect people differently, but by and large every constituent will feel the benefits, said Bryan Thomas, spokesman for U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan. Matt Williams, spokesman for U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, said the senator supported the bill in addition to Levin. The act extends coverage of children on their parents’ plan to the age of 26. “That will be huge for many young adults either going into college or graduating ... that first job might not offer insurance,” Williams said. “It will help a lot of people.” Some students were not even aware the changes had occurred. “I never really heard about it,” said Durand junior Brett A health | 2A
local business
Tanning salons so far not affected by tax By Melissa Beauchamp Staff Reporter
The bronzed glow many Americans crave may cost more, but Mount Pleasant tanning salons have not yet seen a hit on their income statements. A 10-percent excise tax on indoor ultraviolet tanning services was imposed by the IRS on July 1. The tax was a part of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul bill. The money goes toward public awareness and health care costs associated with skin cancer. Cherri Kuhns, owner of B Tan, 1620 S. Mission St., said she hasn’t noticed a drop in customers. “I’ve never had a customer say, ‘I choose not to tan now because of the 10-percent tax,’” Kuhns said. “Although we do
have economic issues ... tanning is something people cut out of their budget.” Kuhns said it is an issue because customers don’t know where the tax tacked on comes from and why — all they know is they are being taxed. She said it seems unfair one industry is being targeted. Jessie Hug, a New Hudson senior, is a regular customer at B Tan. “The tax ticked me off, but I’m still going to pay for tanning,” Hug said. “I still tan as frequently as I did last winter, regardless of the tax.” Milford alumna Joanna Cibrario said she tanned more before the tax was implemented. “I wouldn’t be tanning unless I was going somewhere warm for spring break,” she said.
Liz Mead, manager of Maui Tan, 2108 S. Mission St., said there is no correlation between a decrease in business and an increase in tanning taxes. “I don’t think it would cause a customer not to tan, but they are just unhappy,” Mead said. “It gives a bad name for tanning, which ... can be bad for you if used unwisely. But it can actually be good for your health if used in moderation.” Grand Blanc freshman Kayla Nelson still shells out for some extra ultraviolet rays. “People are going to do what they want. An extra couple of dollars isn’t going to change my mind on tanning,” she said. “The government is just trying Paige Calamari/staff photographer to do their job and enforce limi- Grand Blanc freshman Kayla Nelson relaxes in a tanning bed Monday night at B Tan, 1620 tations for health reasons.” S. Mission St. Nelson, who has used tanning beds since age 16, now has a membership at metro@cm-life.com
the local tanning salon, B Tan, despite the 10-percent excise tax placed on indoor tanning in July of 2010.
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