Feb. 22, 2012

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LIFE CENTRAL MICHIGAN

‘American Pie’ actor brings musical talent to CMU, 3A

Central Michigan University

| Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012

Phi Sigma Sigma adviser one of 100 Pillsbury Bake-Off finalists, 1B

[cm-life.com]

Presidential candidate Ron Paul to speak in Plachta Saturday By Ben Harris Senior Reporter

With the Michigan primaries fast approaching, Central Michigan University will see one of the contenders for the Republican nomination speaking on its campus. Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul will speak at 6 p.m. Saturday in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium. Doors will open to those

who sign up for vouchers beforehand at ronpaulatcmich. eventbrite.com/ at 5 p.m., and remaining general admission will begin at 5:30 p.m. Paul was invited to speak by CMU Campus Conservatives. Campus Conservatives President and Mount Pleasant senior Taylor Jackson said the registered student organization is honored to bring Paul to speak at CMU. “This is an opportunity to

engage the community in a critical discussion on solutions to the challenges facing our country. Campus Con- Ron Paul servatives has always been about bringing together the extended conservative family for thoughtful discussions,” Jackson said

in an email. “This promises to be a great opportunity for students and the broader community to hear from a major voice at such a critical time in our country’s history.” Jackson said the event is designed to engage the community, including students, in discussions about possible solutions to problems facing America but that the event does not constitute an en-

dorsement by himself or the RSO. “(Campus Conservatives) do not endorse any single candidate,” Jackson said. “I’m an advocate of promoting that critical discussion and would host any candidate who wanted to come.” In January, Paul won CMU College Republicans’ primary straw poll. Keith Voeks, assistant director in University Events, said

University Events offered a number of different venue choices to Paul’s campaign managers, who decided on Plachta Auditorium. He said a sound system with technicians was ordered, along with custodians to clean the building, costing $933. Jackson said the cost will eventually be borne by the Campus Conservatives.

A paul | 2a

A c a d e m i c P r i o r i t i z at i o n

Science, Technology, HP colleges slated to receive most funds By David Oltean Senior Reporter

The Science and Technology and Health Professions colleges will receive the most in academic prioritization funding tabbed for Central Michigan University’s six colleges and Prof Ed program. According to funding documents provided by Provost Gary Shapiro, the Science and Technology College is tabbed to receive $880,296, while Health Professions will get $857,000. Combined, the two colleges will get more than 47 percent (24 and 23 percent, respectively) of the more than $3.6 million University President George Ross authorized to Central Michigan University’s six colleges and Prof Ed program. Criteria for ranking programs included room for enhancement, enrollment rates, employment oppor-

photos by jeff smith/staff photographer

Highland senior Alex Chouinard asks the audience to discuss three “road blocks” Monday evening during “New Year, New Life” in Pearce 128. The program, created by Chouinard, is designed to help students reach true fulfillment in their lives.

New

tunities and expected future enrollment demand. Out of the 401 programs, there were 34 Priority 1 programs and 88 Priority 2 programs. The prioritization, based off recommendations from deans and their advisory councils, along with Shapiro, ranked academic programs from Priority 1 through 5. All Priority 1 and some Priority 2 programs received portions of the funding. The College of Business Administration will receive $780,000, about 21 percent of the available amount. After that, the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences, Communication and Fine Arts and Education and Human Services have been allocated less than 20 percent combined. Prof Ed will receive $116,000, or about three percent of the A FUNDING | 2A

Proposed legislation may prevent grad. students unions

life

Motivational event draws 250 students

By David Oltean Senior Reporter

A recently proposed bill that may prevent graduate student research assistants from unionizing was discussed in a Michigan Senate Government Operations committee Tuesday. The proposed bill, Senate Bill 0971, would remove the collective bargaining rights and entitlement to representation of the more than 2,000 GSRAs in Michigan. State Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, proposed the bill Feb. 15 and chaired Tuesday’s committee meeting. The proposed bill comes on the heels of a group of graduate students’ efforts to overturn a Michigan Employment

By Ryan Fitzmaurice | Staff Reporter Two hundred and fifty students absorbed personal revelations Monday at the motivational program New Year, New Life. The event’s creator and host, Milford junior Alexander Chouinard, said he has been working on the program extensively since his freshman year. The event, held from 8 to 9:30 p.m. in Pearce Hall 128, featured an introduction from Leadership Institute Director Dan Gaken. The program, according to its mission statement, aimed to be the most “successful and influential motivational program in the history of Central Michigan (University).” Chouinard said he doesn’t know if the program lived up to that goal, but he is confident it had a powerful effect on its participants.

Midland juniors Lauren Butler laughs with her fiance Ben Puckett as the two discuss “road blocks” in their life Monday evening during “New Year, New Life” in Pearce 128. “New Year, New Life” is a program created by Highland senior Alex Chouinard to help students reach true fulfillment in their lives.

“I haven’t been here for the history of Central Michigan; I haven’t seen every single motivational program that has happened on campus,” Chouinard said. “What I do know is that when you can get a group of students dedicated to making others lives better to bring in a group of over 200 people, you have a very successful program.” Chouinard said the most

powerful part of the evening came halfway through when he had students take part in what he called “the pointing exercise.” In it, he directed students to try and point crosswise against their body as far as they could. Then he had students close their eyes, and imagine pointing even farther. A NEW YEAR | 2a

black history month

Dick Gregory talks comedy, civil rights in keynote By Jessica Fecteau Senior Reporter

kaitlin thoresen/assistant photo editor

Comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory speaks in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium Tuesday night to a full audience as part of Black History Month.

You don’t go to school to learn how to make a living; you go to school to learn how to live, civil rights activist and comedian Dick Gregory told a crowd of about 800 people at his Black History Month keynote speech. “The No. 1 cause of death in America today is sleep deprivation, and I learned that when I went to college,” Gregory said Tuesday night in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium. “Take care of yourself. If you don’t have no money tonight, you’re not going to die. If you didn’t eat today, you’re not going to die. If I hold your nose

and mouth for 30 seconds, you’re dead; why? The most important thing on this planet is oxygen — and it’s free.” Multicultural Academic Student Services hosted the event as part of their celebration of Black History Month. University President George Ross introduced Gregory, calling attention to the comedian’s legacy as a civil rights activist. Gregory focused his speech around thanking Martin Luther King Jr. for his accomplishments. In 12 years, one person organized a movement based on a universal God and changed the entire planet, Gregory said. Instead of attending their usual Tuesday night meetings,

the Organization for Black Unity met in the auditorium for Gregory’s speech. “It’s important for us to come to as many black history events that we can,” said OBU President and Ypsilanti senior Jenee Graham. “It’s the month we can celebrate our heritage.” Although Gregory’s speech focused on serious topics, humor was prominent throughout his speech as well. “I was there when we used to call it Negro History Week,” he said. “And now it’s a month. We didn’t know any better that you guys give us a month — and it’s February with all those damn days missing.” studentlife@cm-life.com

93 Years of Serving as Central Michigan University’s Independent Voice

Relations Committee ruling in 1981, which declared GSRAs as students. “An individual serving as a graduate student research assistant or in an equivalent position and any individual whose position does not have sufficient indicia of an employment relationship is not a public employee entitled to representation or collective bargaining rights under this act,” the proposed bill stated. Amber McCann, Richardville’s press secretary, said the proposed bill stemmed from conversations Richardville had with research assistants from the University of Michigan who did not wish to be unionized. A grad | 2a

[ I N S I D E] w Romney, Santorum in dead heat heading into Mich. primary, 3A w CMU looks to step up recycling in nationwide competition, 3A

[CM-LIFE.COM] w Join your co-hosts for this week’s VIBEcast, also on iTunes


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Feb. 22, 2012 by Central Michigan Life - Issuu