TAKING A PUNCH TOMMY CHAMBERLAIN uses fighting to STAY CLEAN , 1B
Friday, Oct. 22, 2010
Central Michigan Life
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
[cm-life.com]
Events Center facility pegged McGuirk Arena By Aaron McMann Sports Editor
Editor’s note: A version of this story first appeared on cm-life. com Wednesday night. The athletics facility inside the renovated CMU Events Center will be named McGuirk Arena, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to Central Michigan Life Wednesday. The source, who asked to remain anonymous because the decision is not official, said the name has been determined for about a week. Director of Public Relations Steve Smith said the university will make an an-
nouncement on Monday. The new arena, which will be home to the CMU men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling, volleyball and gymnastics teams, will be named after the McGuirk family of Mount Pleasant. A $2.5 million donation was required to obtain naming rights to the arena. Well known in the community, the McGuirk family owns McGuirk Sand and Gravel and United Apartments, among other real estate properties around Mount Pleasant. A call made to Rick McGuirk Thursday was unreturned. In addition, the basketball court inside the new arena will be named Kulhavi Court, in
honor of former CMU Board of Trustees John Kulhavi, who made a donation of $50,000. Kulhavi, a 1965 CMU graduate, is the senior vice president at Merril Lynch in Farmington Hills. Naming rights for the entire Events Center complex remain up for grabs for $5 million. Renovation update Steve Lawrence, vice president of Facilities Management, said renovations to the Events Center are 90 percent complete. Remaining work includes the installation of furniture and equipment, pull-out bleachers and epoxy flooring throughout
the building. Work to the practice gym floor and north side restrooms also still needs to be completed. Construction on the $22.5 million renovation began in Sept. 2009. A redesigned 5,300-seat arena, 12,000square foot practice facility, and 10,000-square foot lobby and reception area are among the highlights of the construction. The Student Activity Center also will see a renovation in 2011. CMU men’s basketball team will play the first game in the new arena on Dec. 1 against Temple. sports@cm-life.com
jeff smith/staff photographer
Foreman Shane Rowley, a Greenville resident, looks over blueprints Sept. 23 in the CMU Events Center as he and his crew examine the stands for the continued expansion and renovation of the former Rose Arena.
Digital directories cost $100,000
31
percent of college students meet the criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and
Seven units to be installed across campus
6
By Theresa Clift Staff Reporter
New touch-screen directories are being installed with a total price tag of $100,000 in several buildings across campus. Seven units are planned to be in the Education and Human Services Building, but not all have been installed yet. One also is planned for Wightman Hall and another in Finch Fieldhouse, said Marcus Jackson, specialized technology coordinator. Another unit is portable and will be primarily housed in the EHS dean’s office. “While the price tag is typical of a technologically advanced solution, like any good implementation we have designed it with the intent of future-proofing it,” Jackson said. “If we find that we need funding to update or support them, we have a built-in advertising mechanism that would allow us to sell ‘idle’ time to advertisers.”
percent for alcohol dependence.
The displays will inform students about events happening on campus and also provide a directory, Jackson said. “I’ve tried it and think it will be great for students because of the touch screen,” said Naomi Munn, EHS coordinator of outreach and marketing. “Even those with disabilities, because there is a button at the bottom to lower the keyboard so people in wheelchairs can reach it.” Funding for the digital displays was built into the original design of the EHS Building and was incorporated as part of the overall project, he said. People can type in the names of faculty members and the screen will display a map showing where they are located in the building. The displays were manufactured and designed by a company called Innovative Computers based out of Belleville. The newly constructed EHS building was chosen to have seven displays for a few reasons, Jackson said. “Our job is to implement technology in the building,” he said. “It seemed like some-
A digital | 2A
Tax credit could save college parents $2,500 illustration by chelsea kleven/lead designer
drinking drain Alcohol dependence in college students may be more common than you think
By Ryan Taljonick Senior Reporter
Editor’s note: Every Friday, CM Life will publish an indepth piece, examining different issues. Is consuming alcohol part of the average student’s college experience? Cassopolis junior Ryan Kealy thinks so. “I think it’s just more of a social thing, it’s just to have fun with your friends after a tough week,” he said. “A lot of kids are working and going to school and their plates are pretty full, so it’s nice to
go out and have fun on the weekends.” According to www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov, 31 percent of college students meet the criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for alcohol dependence. Additionally, alcohol consumption is responsible for a variety of adverse side effects, including an increase in injury, assault, sexual abuse and suicide attempts, according to the website. “Anybody who consumes alcohol for too long is going to become an addict,” said Katie Ballinger, owner and
executive director of Addiction Solutions Counseling Center, 218 S. Washington St. “It’s unrealistic to think that kids aren’t going to drink, but you have to monitor. That’s what our society doesn’t do, we don’t monitor at all. At least do it responsibly and, hopefully, don’t harm yourself or others.” Please drink responsibly Kealy said he and his friends enjoy drinking fairly regularly, in some cases up to three or four nights in a week. But he does not let his party habits affect his
class work. Most students are responsible with alcohol, Kealy said, and still go to classes after a hard night of drinking. “I have not seen a lot of kids fail out because of drinking, but I see a lot of kids that don’t do well because they’re lazy and blame it on drinking,” he said. “I think it’s just part of college life.” According to the website, 25 percent of college students report academic consequences from their drinking habits, including missing A drinking | 2A
Obama recommends program’s extension permanently By Maria Amante Staff Reporter
The American Opportunity Tax Credit may not be well known, but it could save parents paying for college $2,500 a year. AOTC was first signed into law February 2009, and President Barack Obama recommended it be made permanent last week. If it is not continued, it will expire at the end of this year. For the past two years, families were eligible for up to $2,500 in credits. Up to $1,000 of that sum is refundable due to the credit. Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, wrote the AOTC with former Rep. and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. “It was their idea,” said
Lauren Phillips, spokeswoman for the congressman. “He definitely thinks making college tax credits simpler and larger is a good idea.” AOTC is an expansion of the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Tax Credit, Phillips said. It is possible to make it permanent, she said, because it already was approved by Congress once. “If we can, we will definitely move it forward,” Phillips said. Jill Bourland, a certified public accountant and principal at Blystone & Bailey CPA’s, 619 S. Mission St., said AOTC should be continued. “People were happy if they were able to get it and qualify for it,” Bourland said. Bourland said, for example, if a household owed $6,500 income tax and qualified for the full $2,500 credit, the credit would reduce their
A tax | 5A
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