Feb. 3, 2010

Page 1

budget | Math, writing centers wary of cuts, 3A What does quarterback Dan LeFevour’s draft stock look like? 5A

Find out how the foreclosure trend affects Isabella County, 1B

Central Michigan Life

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

[cm-life.com]

Opinion surveys move closer to going online

‘I FEEL LIKE MY COMING-OUT PROCESS IS NEVER-ENDING’

Professors argue students will ‘shop’ for A’s By Emily Pfund Staff Reporter

The Academic Senate voted 26-19 Tuesday to support publishing the Student Opinion Surveys on the Central Michigan University Portal. The issue now is in the hands of Provost Gary Shapiro, who will review the minutes from the meeting and a request by the Student Government Association for publication of the scores. Shapiro is expected to make a decision on the issue in the next few weeks. “Our goal is to put the information online in the General Academics section (of the Portal) under a sublink,” said Jason Nichol, Student Govern-

Shannon Jolliff, director of Gay and Lesbian Programs, came out to her best friend when she was 15 years old. Jolliff’s parents are both pastors, so when she told them a few years ago, it “made everything interesting, that’s for sure,” she said.

ment Association president and Mount Pleasant senior, in a presentation to the A-Senate. The results of the SOS are available in CD form upon request at the reserve desk in the Charles V. Park Library. Nichol said the information already exists, but the format has to be changed. He said it is not accessible to “our generation,” which has a much easier time accessing information electron- Jason Nichol ically. Some Senate members were concerned students would use the SOS data in combination with the grade distributions to pick only professors that appeared to give “easy A’s.” “I would love to get an A, but I’m not going to shop around

for one,” said Killian Richeson, an SGA representative in the Senate and a Hesperia sophomore. Donna Ericksen, professor of mathematics, and Orlando Perez, professor of political science, gave a presentation at Tuesday’s meeting against the online publication of SOS data. “These are just a snapshot of what happens in the classroom. They only tell part of the story,” Ericksen said. Ericksen argued SOS results can be influenced by various factors including the race, gender, ethnicity, personality and accent of the teacher or the time the class is held. “If they were reliable, I would get the same scores in my 8 and 9:30 classes because I’m the same person in both classes,” Ericksen said. “Just

A Senate | 2A

s tat e o f t h e s tat e

libby march/ staff photographer

Students ready to protest Arms of support over elimination of ‘Promise’ Gay/lesbian programs director promotes ‘comfortable’ campus By Amelia Eramya Senior Reporter

N

ervous. Anxious. Excited. Those were the emotions rushing through Shannon Jolliff before she came out to her friends and family. “I started questioning if I was a lesbian around the age 14,” Jolliff said. Since meeting her partner almost three years ago, Jolliff, the director of Gay and Lesbian programs at Central Michigan University, has become more comfortable talking about her feelings with those close to her. Her biggest fear was coming out to her parents because of their religious beliefs and because they are pastors. Religiously, Jolliff’s parents disagreed with her lifestyle, but still loved her for who she was. “I feel like my coming-out process is never-ending,” she said. “It is a continual process.” Jolliff’s coming-out process led to the creation of several programs for the LGBT community at CMU since she accepted her position in October 2008. “I think she has made a huge

impact,” said Stasi Russell, a Howell graduate student. Russell, also the Pride CoChair for Gay Straight Alliance, said it has been a complete joy to work with Jolliff. LGBT programs Started in January 2009, the coming-out support group has been a successful program for those involved. Jolliff holds meetings once a week for ten weeks. “We talk about coming out to family,” she said. Jolliff said from research, students trying to come out without support have high risks of alcohol abuse, suicide and dropping out of college. “I don’t want any student at CMU to face those types of issues,” she said. Jolliff also created a safe zone program. Resident assistants, multicultural assistants and several volunteer students have gone through training and signed a contract to be a “safe zone” for those in need of a goto person. In addition, she started a running group and a lunch group in August 2009. It gave those part of

Straight Ally Week events w Today: Showing of a film, 8 p.m. in the Multicultural Education Center. w Thursday: Presentation of "Here is Your Inspiration... You’re Gay... Action" at 7 p.m. in the Calkins Terrace Lounge. the LGBT community a chance to network with those who can relate to each other’s situations. Russell especially enjoys the running group. “It’s such a comfortable environment,” she said. Jolliff said it is these new programs and the students they have supported over the last few months that are most memorable of her first year. “The majority of my time is dedicated to the LGBT community,” she said. Jolliff said her office, in the Bovee University Center, is open to anyone, even those outside the LGBT community. university@cm-life.com

By Darnell Gardner Staff Reporter

A group of about 1,800 students expect to protest Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s final State of the State address at 6:30 p.m. today at the State Capitol in Lansing. The students are led by Warren freshman Ben Lazarus, who said the group is protesting the drop of Gov. Jennifer the Michi- Granholm gan Promise Scholarship and a government unresponsive to the needs of its people. “We think it’s going to be one of the largest student protests in Michigan history — at least on the Capitol lawn,” he said. The state-sponsored scholarship provided $4,000 to students attending at least a two-year institution, but was cut from the state budget this fiscal year. Granholm visited CMU’s Charles V. Park Library Auditorium on Nov. 19, pledging to restore funding for the scholarship. Lazarus organized today’s

event through NoBrokenPromise.com, a site dedicated to issues surrounding the Promise. He used the Web site to gather students from schools across the state. Lazarus organized the event with the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance and Common Sense in Government, an organization led by Central Michigan University alumna Wendy Day. The two groups are expected to bring an additional 2,600 people to join the students in protesting. Day said her organization’s reasons for protesting reach beyond the Michigan Promise Scholarship. “It’s about our general discontent with our government and the political elite,” Day said. “The students epitomize what’s wrong with our government in that the government is making promises that they probably shouldn’t make and not keeping the promises they should keep.” Sean House, a member of Common Sense in Government, will speak during the protest. He said unrestrained government taxation has affected him personally.

On television w w w

What: Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s State of the State Address When: 7 p.m. today Channel: CMU Public Television

“They’re spending a lot of money and, every time they run out, they try to tax us more to supplement their budget,” House said. “Government never shrinks. It just keeps growing and growing until it’s out of control, which is where we’re at right now.” Liz Boyd, the Governor’s press secretary, said Granholm’s State of the State address, which begins at 7 p.m., will focus on issues that matter most to citizens. “Diversifying the economy, creating jobs, educating our citizens, protecting them during these very difficult times— these are the priorities that are important to Michigan citizens, and these are the priorities that the governor will focus on in her eighth and final state of the state address,” she said. metro@cm-life.com

Relief for ‘a completely different Haiti’ Student puts together fundraiser for orphanages By Sherri Keaton Senior Reporter

Maggie Spleet remembers holding fragile Haitian orphans who would use her lap as a resting place. The East Tawas senior had to put one crying child down to hold the next. “You fall in love instantly with all of the faces,” Spleet said. That memory of a trip to Haiti in December is one of many that

emerged from the recesses of Spleet’s memory when she heard of a catastrophic 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the country Jan. 12, just weeks after she returned to the U.S. Missions trip Spleet ventured to the capital of Port-au-Prince for a week-long mission trip in December with the Haiti Care Mission of East Tawas, an organization that helps with necessities such as food and medical care in Haiti. “It was life-changing and mindaltering,” Spleet said of her experience in the country. “To think that it is only an hour-and-a-half plane ride from Miami, it is literally an-

cm-life.com Visit our site for more information on donating to Haiti through Heart Cry International. other world away.” Throughout the trip, the group visited orphanages, where they distributed Christmas gifts and fed and offered clothing to children. The guesthouse Spleet stayed in now lays in shambles, as does the streets she walked, the schools she saw and businesses she visited. During her stay, three Haitians would come and sit in the driveway every morning and try to sell their A haiti | 2A

Haiti Care Mission of East Tawas w

Who they are: Haiti Care Missions was founded one year ago by Jon and Anne Obermeyer. The Obermeyer family began the project as a way to reach out to children in Haiti.

w

Donate: Kaya Coffee & Tea Company, 1029 S. Univer - sity Ave., is hosting a benefit concert at 7 p.m. Friday. It is $5 for CMU students at the door and $10 for non- CMU students.

Glk Pfli =8MFI@K<

:DL @dX^\j fe 8EPK?@E>

]iie/$$gZeg^cih#Xb"a^[Z#Xdb

East Tawas senior Maggie Spleet was in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in December and was distributing Christmas gifts to the orphanage Three Angels. “She is an adorable baby who just wanted to be held so I held her,” Spleet said about a baby from the orphanage. courtesy photo

2A || Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010 || Central Michigan Life

cm-life.com

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

EVENTS CALENDAR

WEATHER FORECAST Today

30 percent chance of precipitation

High 33/Low 13 Snow Showers

Today

Thursday

w A watermedia exhibition titled "Beckwith Paints" is on display from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the North Wing of the EHS building.

Friday

w The movie "Pickpocket" will play at 7 p.m. in Pearce Hall Room 332.

w The Office of International Affairs and Study Abroad will host a Passport Fai r from 12:30 to 4 p.m. in the Bovee UC Fi reside room. w The movie "Seven Samuri" will be shown at 7:30 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation, 1400 S. Washington St.

Corrections Central Michigan Life has a long-standing commitment to fair and accurate reporting. It is our policy to correct factual errors. Please e-mail news@cm-life.com. Š Central Michigan Life 2010 Volume 91, Number 52

haiti | continued from 1A

handmade or painted items. “They were so proud of what they have, even if it was so little,� Spleet said. “It was heartbreaking that you couldn’t buy everything to help them because you knew that was the only money they were going to make for the day.� When Spleet first heard about the earthquake, she was devastated. “To see a country that is already in such a horrible shape and to think of how many

senate | continued from 1A

because they are published in one place doesn’t mean we want to endorse them.�

Join us at 8 p.m. Thursday for our second Digital Roundtable with CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley! Yeagley will talk with

paige calamari/staff photographer

URec Swim urges students to ‘swim the Great Lakes’ Each mile scaled to 100 yards to make goals realistic By Ryan Taljonick Staff Reporter

Amy Hill hopes to swim the distance of the Great Lakes over the next few months. But to accomplish the feat, the Reese junior will not commute to a Michigan shoreline. She will not even leave Central Michigan University’s campus. Hill is participating in “URec Swim the Great Lakes 2010,� a program hosted by the University Recreation office in the Student Activity Center. From February through May, participating students will attempt to swim enough laps in the SAC pool to equal the width of the Great Lakes in miles. “I try and swim at least twice a week. I enjoy it and it’s good exercise,� Hill said. “I want this to be a good goal to shoot for.� Each month represents a different lake. February’s goal is Lake Michigan, which equals about 118 miles.

people have lost their lives ... it breaks my heart,� she said. But each time she sees a picture of one of the babies she held, her heart mends a little. Spleet said she saw poverty stare her down and could not look away. “Some babies didn’t even have diapers on,� she said. Receiving assistance There are multi-colored pillow cases in a brown box in the corner of Kaya Coffee & Tea, 1029 S. University. The material is being collected so it can one day be made into dresses for girls living in Haiti. Elly Cotton, a Remus senior Perez presented information claiming the SOS data is an inaccurate measure of a teacher’s abilities and correlates closely to how well the student feels they have done in the class. Physics professor Joseph Finck suggested that putting the

URec employees will use a spreadsheet to keep track of the number of laps each student logs. Prizes, including T-shirts and water bottles, will be awarded at the end of the program, said Ira Wrestler, assistant director of aquatics and safety at the SAC. To make the goals more realistic, the number of yards needed to complete one mile in the program has been scaled down. “To swim 118 miles is a lot,� Wrestler said. “We’ve put one mile at 100 yards. One length of the SAC pool is 25 yards. Two full laps will equal one mile in this program.� In March, the featured lake switches to Lake Erie, which is 57 miles in width. April and May are designated for Lake Huron and Lake Superior which are 152 miles and 160 miles in width, respectively. “It’s cool because there are so many people who swim regularly,� she said. “Hopefully they’re all signing up to do it, too, because it’d just be cool to see how much people really are swimming.� Clio senior Brent Sather said he plans to take on the chal-

and Kaya manager, said after hearing Spleet’s story, the staff wanted to help. “We decided to have our first concert here for Haiti,� Cotton said. “The bands are good with live music and a great cause.� Spleet said donating is not difficult because everyone has material. Those interested can drop items off in the Anspach Hall Social Work Office in room 034 and at Kaya. “My experience has altered my thinking, and I’ve been trying to do as much as I can,� Spleet said. “Every little bit helps.� studentlife@cm-life.com

SOS data online would allow the administration to post disclaimers and advice on the use of the data, whereas anyone could copy the information from a CD at the library and put it online. university@cm-life.com

ToDblD’s Party Store (989) 772-5495

% -!9 " 4 -!). 5.)6%23)49

SA VE

Sterling Heights junior Alyssa Chrisman practices with her teammates from CMU’s Synchronized Skating Club on Monday night at the Mount Pleasant ICE Arena, 5165 E. Remus Rd. Chrisman began synchronized skating when she was 13 years old. “When you’re out there on the ice alone, it can be kind of nerve-wracking. It seemed really cool that they had a whole team out there and they could all support each other on the ice,� Chrisman said. The club earned 5th Place at the Midwest Sectional Championships in Iowa this past weekend.

We’ll beat all competitor’s coupons!

YOU BE ! THE JUDGE SALES & SERVICE

lenge. “It’s definitely going to be difficult,� Sather said. “I don’t really swim that often, but I need to get in shape. I think this might be just what I need.� He encourages anyone with a SAC membership to participate. “Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise for weight loss. It uses all of your major muscle groups,� he said. Anyone interested in signing up can do so at the lifeguard office near the SAC pool. studentlife@cm-life.com

(989) 772-7792 SALES AND SERVICE

Flush Coolant System Plus Anti-Freeze:

Located 1ž miles West of Mission On High Street (M-20) Mt. Pleasant, MI

$

Lifetime Front or Rear Brakes INCLUDE Machine Rotors or Drums

BEST IN TOWN

*Most Vehicles

9495

$

3495

,5"% s /), s &),4%2

Up to 5 qts. Premium *Most $ Oil Vehicles

1995

inviteS you to...

SATURDAY 2.20.2010 CMU CAMPUS

AT ROSE PONDS STARTING AT 10:30AM

challenge yourself, your family, your rso, your office and help raise money for a great cause!

INDIVIDUALS

& GROUPS

ŠhW_i[ ced[o TO EARN PRIZES

ŠBRAGGING RIGHTS

oh baby y you got w ou, ha i need! t

FOR FREEZING YOUR FUR

ŠYeijkc[ Yedj[ij

“GOLDEN PLUNGER AWARD�

Šfeij fbkd][ fWhjo FOOD & BEVERAGES

Law Enforcement Torch Run

POLAR PLUNGE

$5 LG. PIZZA SUPERBOWL SUNDAY

+%'3 s -)#2/3 s 35"3 s #()03

Check cm-life.com at 8 p.m. Thursday to participate!

SA VE

w Phi Kappa Tau will host a rush event at 8 p.m. at 906 S. Main St.

students, faculty and staff about concerns and sug gestions they have for the CMU community.

Have a question about campus security or parking issues?

VE A S

w"The History Behind Big Hats in African American Churches," a Soup and Substance discussion on black churches, will take place from noon to 4 p.m. in the Bovee Uni versity Center Rotunda.

Digital Roundtable

VE SA

w Project Management Part I, a workshop helping students with planning and time management, takes place at 8:30 a.m. in Rowe Hall Room 229.

20 percent chance of precipitation

High 34/Low 20 Cloudy

w The movie "Sleep Dealer" will play at 5 p.m. in Pearce Hall Room 327.

w An informational forum for students interested in Alpha Kappa Psi takes place at 8:30 p.m. in Kulhav i rooms 141 and 142 Thursday, Feb. 4

10 percent chance of precipitation

High 33/Low 24 Mostly Cloudy

mmmDiec_Deh]

REGISTER ONLINE TODAY!

PRE-REGISTER BY FEB15 SITE SPONSORS:

STATE SPONSORS: To Benefit Special Olympics Michigan

inside life Central Michigan Life

3A

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010

Math, writing centers wary of budget cuts Uncertainty surrounds student staff, schedules By Kevin Drescher Staff Reporter

Officials with the Math Assistance Center and the Writing Center are sitting tight while interim University President Kathy Wilbur flirts with budget cuts. “The problem is that we just don’t know,” said Mary Ann

Crawford, director of the Writing Center and a professor of English. “The Writing Center works on a tight budget already. So any cuts will affect the Writing Center.” Reggie Becker, director of the Math Assistance Center, also is waiting for the announcement of a change in funding. With Wilbur asking for departmental reports by Monday with scenarios of 3, 6 and 9 percent cuts prepared for her review, Crawford said if it happens, students on staff will

be affected. “With a staff of mainly students, its not like we can consolidate,” she said. Crawford said her staff would not only lose money, but also experience, which comes as a byproduct of time spent working with students. “We do see those hours affecting the students in their professional development, too,” Crawford said. “We have close to 50 students on staff.” Staff at the math center, on the other hand, would see schedules change.

“A lot of our hours during the day are by graduate students. So it probably wouldn’t affect that as much,” Becker said. “If we have less money, we would have fewer paid tutors, so we would have to move the grad students around.” Who gets the help? While both centers serve all students, the directors say their centers impact freshmen the most. “As much as 10 percent of on-campus students come at one time or another,” Craw-

ford said. Becker said they tend to be underclassmen. “I think that the freshmen and sophomores tend to take more math, so they use it more,” he said. Krystin Martinez, a Saginaw sophomore, hopes the centers do not lose money. “I would be thoroughly upset,” she said. “Overall, I have nothing but good things to say about the writing and math centers.” university@cm-life.com

Candidate talks alone on health care, reform By Ryan Czachorski Senior Reporter

university@cm-life.com

Foreign film screenings

There is a film screening of “Sleep Dealer” from 5 to 7 p.m. today in Pearce Hall Room 327. The event, hosted by the Spanish program, is free. There also will be a film screening for “Pickpocket” from 7 to 9 p.m. today in Pearce Hall Room 332. This film will play in French. For more information, contact Patricia Cotter at 774-3786.

Business career advising

Students can get perspective and advice on a variety of business majors at an advising event from 6 to 8:30 p.m. today in Kulhavi Hall rooms 141 and 142. There will be members of Career Services, faculty of the College of Business Administration and members of Alpha Kappa Psi at the event to give advice. There will be free food and refreshments. For more information, contact Wayne Blanchard at (231) 388-1008.

Project Management Part 1

About 50 attend debate turned to speech

State Sen. Tom George took advantage of his gubernatorial candidates’ absence Tuesday as he spoke to students on his platform for governor. George, R-Kalamazoo, spoke Tuesday to about 50 students in the Bovee University Center’s Lake Michigan Room. His speech was originally intended to be the first gubernatorial debate held by Campus Conservatives. Attorney General Mike Cox, Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard and U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, all declined to attend. “I think my opponents got up this Sen. Tom George morning and, like the groundhog, saw their shadow and scurried back into their burrows,” George joked, referring to Groundhog Day. His two main platforms were reforming state sponsored Medicaid and health insurance for state employees, and pushing for a redrafting of the state constitution. George’s speech drew interest from Lansing freshman Virginia Bernero, the daughter of Lansing mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Virgil Bernero. “I’m kind of here to scope out the competition,” she said. “But he’s a candidate for governor in my state, so I’m interested. I want to be informed.” Silverwood freshman Amy Pape was impressed by George’s speech, especially his stance on the Michigan Promise Scholarship. “I understand why they took it away (last year),” she said of the Promise, a state-sponsored scholarship that provided $4,000 to students attending at least a two-year institution. “I don’t buy things I don’t have money for.” George argued a disproportional amount of the state budget is being spent on health care. The state now pays Medicaid benefits to 1.8 million people, up from 1 million at the beginning of the last decade, he said. George proposed the system should focus on rewarding healthy behavior by making recipients sign contracts and meet certain standards to receive the best coverage. “You can’t make people healthy just by giving them a card,” he said.

[Life in brief]

photos by Nathan Kostegian/staff photographer

Gail Harrington of Mount Pleasant practices painting watercolors at Art Reach of Mid Michigan, 319 S. University St., in Mount Pleasant. “I want to learn how to paint water so it looks real,” Harrington said. Art Reach offers a variety of classes and events to promote the arts within the community.

Painting their lives Residents use Art Reach class as hobby, way of expression

By Staff Reports

P

ainting can bring out the childlike enthusiasm in anyone. Art Reach of Mid-Michigan, 319 S. University Ave., held a watercolor class Monday, which made many participants feel like they were back in school. Anita Gordon of Rosebush enjoyed her first painting experience since high school. “This will be for sale someday — the early works of me,” she said, showing off her art. The class is taught by Central Michigan University alumna Nicole Foor. The skill level of the students varied, as did their life stories. Mount Pleasant resident Susan Paton began painting after she lost her husband just more than a year ago. Her children encouraged her to get back into the craft, something she has not done since the late 1970s. “They thought it would be something good for me to get into; something to get the creative juices flowing,” Paton said. The classes were based on oil painting, something Paton said is easier than watercolor. Preparing for competition Weidman resident Margaret VanFaussien is an experienced painter hoping to pick up on a little of someone else’s technique. She has a similar story to Paton — VanFaussien was introduced to paint-

A workshop to help with the entire process of a project will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday in Rowe Hall room 229. The workshop will offer advice on how to properly think through a project from beginning to end. The workshop is facilitated by Harley Blake and will give practical tools for managing the project, as well as hands-on practice. For more information, contact Nicole McParlan with Human Services at 774-6447 or send an e-mail to stratod@cmich.edu.

Passport Fair

The Office of International Affairs will hold a passport fair from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Thursday in the Bovee University Center Fireside Room. Passport applications will be accepted for $100 by staff members from the Isabella County Clerk’s Office. Of that, $75 goes to the U.S. Department of State and $25 goes to the Isabella County clerk. Those attending the fair also can get a passport photo for $12. For more information and for what documents are required, visit travel.state. gov/passport or call the Clerk’s Office at 772-0911, ext. 265. The Office of International Affairs can also be contacted at 774-4308.

Seven Samurai

CMU alumna Nicole Foor of Merrill instructs Gail Harrington and Susan Paton of Mount Pleasant that painting is all about trial, error and practice. Foor also teaches pen and ink, pastels and acrylics at Art Reach.

ing as a form of therapy after her first husband died 30 years ago. “I’m getting geared up for all the contests Art Reach is going to have,” VanFaussien said. She plans on attending an art conference in Hawaii this year and has already entered the Detroit Institute of Arts’ “Let’s Save Michigan” poster contest. Foor said people learn to work with watercolors and do not worry about colors blending together. “It doesn’t really hurt it, it just adds to your work,” she said. “You’re just

going to have to start seeing how the colors interact.” Some patches would take one or two seconds to dry, while others take one or two minutes. Foor led her students in tonal painting. That helped them create colors and see the result of each color combination. She also encouraged trial and error on the part of her participants. “Not everyone has a perfect piece of work every time they put the paint brush down,” Foor said.

The Wesley Foundation, 1400 S. Washington St., is showing the film “Seven Samurai” from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Thursday at the Wesley Center. The movie is about seven warriors down on their luck who become heroes of a village in 16th century Japan. There will be free popcorn and pop for 50 cents. For more information, contact Charles Farnum, director of the Wesley Foundation, at director@cmuwesley.net or visit cmuwesley.net.

If you have an interesting item for Life in Brief, let us know by e-mailing news@cm-life.com.

studentlife@cm-life.com

Hip Hop Jeopardy brings OBU week fun By Sherri Keaton Senior Reporter

There were six buzzers, 25 questions and bragging rights on the line. Who would win? Excitement was in the air at the Organization of Black Unity’s “OBU Week“ Battle of the Orgs (organizations) Hip Hop Jeopardy game Tuesday in the Woldt Hall basement. Sabreen Sharrief, OBU president and an Inkster senior, said the event went well, despite the smaller than anticipated group of attendees. Fewer than 10 people participated. “It’s fun though just to interact with everybody,” Sharrief said. The game consisted of rep-

resentatives from different organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Collective Action for Cultural Unity and different fraternities and sororities competing against one another to answer hip-hop themed questions. The five categories were “icons,” “hip-hop facts,” “rap groups,” “who sampled whom” and “finish the lyrics.” Competing members raced to press the buzzers first to answer the questions correctly. Detroit senior Jessica Veasley and her team Omegas and Deltas took first place. “It feels awesome,” she said with a laugh.

Veasley, a Delta Sigma Theta Sorority member, said she had to throw out guesses during some of the categories. “It counts — we all had fun,” she said. Southfield sophomore Sydney Varner had a great time. “They entertained me,” Varner said. “They know how to have fun together and watching them argue over pushing buttons was funny.” OBU is hosting its 10th annual OBU Week, which coincides with Sibs Weekend on Friday and Saturday. Sharrief said the celebration is about being entertained through different programs held throughout this week.

Future OBU week events w Today: Dating Game, 7 p.m., Anspach 161 w Thursday: Bowling, 7 p.m., Student Activity Center “We do it for entertainment and to bring all the organizations and students together because you always meet new people,” Sharrief said. “We’re just here for students on campus and to bring unity and help promote diversity among the campus.” studentlife@cm-life.com

jeff smith/staff photographer

Lansing senior Julius Bryant, right, and Detroit senior Marcus Turner, members of Kappa Alpha Psi, press their buzzer and answer a question Tuesday at the Battle of the Orgs hiphop themed jeopardy in the basement of Woldt Hall. The event, put on by the Organization for Black Unity, was part of the 10th annual OBU Week.

Heidi Fenton, Managing Editor | news@cm-life.com | 989.774.4343

voices Central Michigan Life

4A Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” – The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

[cm-life.com/category/voices]

Brian Manzullo, Editor

in

Chief | Will Axford, Voices Editor | Heidi Fenton, Managing Editor | Eric Dresden, University Editor | Jackie Smith, Metro Editor

EDITORIAL | Putting SOS forms online helps to keep students informed on professors

Making the grade

C

entral Michigan University is widening the pathways of communication with students by allowing Student Opinion Surveys to go online. This will allow students to get a feel for what their professors are like before they enroll in classes, and what they can expect from each professor.

The Academic Senate, which approved the motion 26-19 Tuesday, has made a great choice in building trust with students. Students take the surveys at the end of each semester, rating their instructor and offering suggestions on how to make the course better. Some faculty argue that putting these surveys online will allow students to “shop around” for the easiest professors, signing up for

classes that are “an easy A.” It was the same argument used against putting grade distribution data online last fall. But the surveys are not simply an extension of grade distributions; they focus more on how well the professor presents their material. It’s an evaluation of what the professor did that worked for students and what can be improved. Shopping around for the easiest

classes is not the main goal of most students on campus, and they need to be given more credit in that regard. They pay upwards of $15,000 per year to come to CMU. The majority think beyond a 4.0. Students, in general, know it’s the skills learned in class and university activities that will help them secure a career, not the perfect grades. The surveys are another tool for students to figure out which professors will give them the classroom experience they need to succeed. The surveys reveal more than which professor is easy and which one is a nightmare. Every professor has a different teaching style, and every student learns in a different manner. A student better at taking tests probably won’t find much success in a class that consists of mostly essays. SOS forms help students register with professors that can match their learning style. Tuition prices are at an all-time high and probably won’t be cheaper

in the academic years to come. Now more than ever, students have to be smart with their money and ensure they are getting the most beneficial education. There’s nothing more frustrating to a student than signing up with a professor they can’t learn anything from. However, putting the surveys online is a two-way street. Students have to be responsible and take the forms seriously. SOS forms will hold more weight since everyone can see them. What you write down will affect another student in various ways, from choosing certain classes to signing a major. The university should take notice and strive for transparency campuswide. From the medical school to the presidential search, university officials have left students and faculty with questions. Hopefully, officials will take strides and build a foundation of trust with the CMU community. This is a trend that should continue in the academic years to come.

CHRIS TAMLYN [CENTRAL SQUARE]

Brad Canze Columnist

Don’t waste your iMoney For all the flash and hyperbole, Apple’s new darling, the iPad, is essentially useless. This column is being written on an Acer Aspire One netbook that retails for $250. While using a word processor, it also is running two chat clients, an Internet browser with multiple tabs open, including a tab with a Hulu.com video, and a music player. There is a USB flash drive plugged into it as well. This description is necessary, because these are all things that cannot be done on the high-end, $500-plus iPad. All the iPad can do that the above-described netbook cannot is respond when it is poked. Apple’s new “innovation” runs one program at a time. It does not support Flash and, save for the docking bay by which to charge it, has no external ports. Even the iPhone can take pictures and make calls, which this blunder cannot. Apple is saying it is the “perfect” way to view photos but, save for loading them onto another computer and uploading them onto the Internet, there is no way to get photos onto an iPad. Of course, the most damning argument against the iPad is that there are other tablet computers that do more, better and sell for cheaper. Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook are trying to carve out a niche in the book universe, but the real story comes from a company called Archos. The Archos 9 tablet computer functions as an actual computer rather than a big cell phone that does not make calls. It runs a full version of Windows 7 without any weird restrictions, with an 80-gigabyte hard drive for $550, whereas an iPad with 64 GB of storage will run you $829. Granted, if any company can pull off selling a large tablet computer with less functionality than its own cell phone, it’s Apple. Marketing and branding are their bread and butter.

[our readers’ voice]

Comments from cm-life.com on Campus Conservatives debate change jon says:

I think it is funny how much this newspaper hates on Campus Conservatives, but lingers on every word and new happening with the group. It really shows they mean a lot to the campus and the author of this story really doesn’t understand how wonderful it still is that one candidate for governor is coming. I have not heard of anyone from the Democratic party attending. Maybe students should get more involved and more people will come to campus.

active political registered student organization hence all the coverage. chuck says:

It’s about time the Campus Conservatives are called out in this paper! After all this time coddling them and Dennis – while offering almost nothing about the College Democrats – someone working for this paper has finally decided that giving the right wing unmitigated free press is not the best thing to do.

Comments from cm-life.com on “Free athletic events still a student perk” Mike says:

Life reader says:

Has anyone thought that perhaps Campus Conservatives just has a good public relations operation and thus gets coverage? I’ve never seen the College Democrats publish a press release or hold any real events except in an election year. Campus Conservatives is the most

Way to be proud to be a Chippewa. I do not agree with the paying for athletics, but if this is making you regret your decision to be a Chippewa, then maybe you should go to Michigan State University and pay for your football team tickets especially when they lose to my beloved Chippewas! Be proud to be a CMU student.

Trust me a degree from MSU does not make you more employable. Its also sad that going to games for free made your mind up to go to college. I guess you didn’t research the 1,000 other things that makes CMU special. Josh says:

“The top people at CMU need to realize this school doesn’t have a big campus like Michigan or Michigan State. It isn’t even located in a big city.” While that may not appeal to you, it was one of the major selling points for me to come to CMU. CMU has the best of both worlds. It has a great, dedicated faculty, with a small-town, community feel. I was hard-pressed for a time when I would walk across campus to class (you can do that here in less than 10 minutes) and not see the face of one of my good friends. If I was going to “other” schools in the state, I may have had to take a bus to get to class. Is CMU ever going to offer everything that the other schools in Michigan can? Maybe not, but that’s part of the draw.

C M Y o u | Was the last event you went to on campus worth going to?

Central Michigan Life Editorial Brian Manzullo, Editor in Chief Heidi Fenton, Managing Editor Joe Borlik, Student Life Editor Jackie Smith, Metro Editor Eric Dresden, University Editor Andrew Stover, Sports Editor Ashley Miller, Photo Editor Will Axford, Voices Editor David Veselenak, Online Editor Chelsea Kleven, Lead Designer Advertising Lindsey Reed, Katie Sidell Advertising Managers Carly Schafer, Shawn Wright Multi-Media Marketing Coordinators Professional staff Rox Ann Petoskey, Production Leader Kathy Simon, Assistant Director of Student Media Neil C. Hopp, Adviser to Central Michigan Life

“I don’t even know. I’m a grad student. We don’t have much time to do anything except eat, research and study.”

“It was a men’s basketball game, and it was definitely worth it.” Makenzie Quinn,

Grand Rapids freshman

“I went to the wrestling match between Standford and CMU. It was very worth going to.”

James Garner,

Chad Friend,

Mount Pleasant junior

“I went to the Danny Glover event. I liked it. It was very interesting.” Brittany Warfield,

Kalamazoo senior

Detroit graduate student Libby March/staff photographer

Central Michigan Life is the independent voice of Central Michigan University and is edited and published by students of Central Michigan University every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters, and every Wednesday during the summer. The online edition (www.cm-life.com) contains all of the material published in print. Central Michigan Life is is under the jurisdiction of the independent Student Media Board of Directors. Articles and opinions do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions

of CMU or its employees. Central Michigan Life is a member of the Michigan Press Association, the Michigan Collegiate Press Association, the Associated Collegiate Press and the College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers Association. Central Michigan Life’s operations are totally funded from revenues through advertising sales. Editions are distributed free throughout the community and individuals are entitled

to one copy. Each copy has an implied value of 75 cents. Non-university subscriptions are $1 per mailed edition. Copies of photographs published in Central Michigan Life or its online edition (www.cm-life.com) are available for purchase at http://reprints.cm-life.com Central Michigan Life’s editorial and business offices are located at 436 Moore Hall, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, telephone 774-3493.

Lonnie Allen Reporter

Redefining diversity Older students forgotten by university programs

Most people would agree that Central Michigan University has worked hard at making diversity a priority. However, the university overlooks age in its diversity campaign. The age issue has been on my mind since I took a tour here last summer. The student giving the tour, at first, did not acknowledge me. I overheard her superiors say she had two students going with her today. However, when we gathered outside Warriner Hall to start the tour, the guide assumed only one was going. She opened with an icebreaker and immediately looked toward the student who was the obvious high school grad. The conversation led back to the guide, who immediately said to the young man, “I guess you are my only student today.” I immediately said, “I am a new student here also.” To her surprise, she quickly asked me a question, I answered and the tour began. I laughed to myself and overlooked the situation, because I know the students at CMU are much younger. Everywhere I went, however, this ignorance worsened. When I went to check on campus housing, I left furious. Someone could have been in a world of crap if I had pushed an age discrimination issue. I never felt the need to address this diversity issue until now. I realized other undergrads are out there going through this feeling of separation from the CMU community. In my evening class this past Thursday, I gave a presentation about my life and how I got to CMU. Afterward, a classmate asked me how I felt being a nontraditional student at CMU. My answer was brutally honest. “It hurts, I am lonely, I often feel turned away from employment on campus, activities, clubs and organizations because I am older.” I used to think it was only my perception. Then another nontraditional student also responded in the same way. Her words and my words were telling the same story. That is when other students began to participate in the discussion. Questions were raised about this institution and diversity. If diversity is so important, why do older students feel like outcasts? Does diversity cover age? What does diversity mean at CMU? Is it only about race here? These were the topics we began to discuss. I am asking CMU — how do you address an issue such as age, and older learners? How does CMU see the nontraditional student? This topic will not go away. The student landscape is changing in America, including CMU’s campus. I left a college where I was active in three organizations, I gave tours of the campus and I tutored and mentored students. I felt part of something. I had the same opportunities as any other student. It is my second semester at CMU and the only thing I feel today is the same thing I did my first semester. Uneasy feelings, wishing I belonged.

[letters to the editor] E-mail | voices@cm-life.com Mail | 436 Moore Hall Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Fax | 989.774.7805 Central Michigan Life welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Only correspondence that includes a signature (e-mail excluded), address and phone number will be considered. Do not include attached documents via email. Letters should be no longer than 300 words and commentary should not exceed 500 words. All submissions are subject to editing and may be published in print or on www.cm-life.com in the order they are received.

sports Central Michigan Life

5A

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010

Trending up

Where will CMU’s star quarterback land in April’s NFL Draft?

STOCK WATCH

What other experts are saying Daniel Monson Senior Reporter

Bench showing worth Backups bring defense-first mindset

S

can CMU men’s basketball team’s bench during the first few minutes of Thursday’s game against Buffalo at Rose Arena. What’s the difference between this season and the past seasons under coach Ernie Zeigler? You might recognize someone who could later affect the outcome. No, the team is not the deepest team in the conference. Nor are the players who come off the bench the most dynamic. But hey, who needs flashiness? Not Zeigler and company — that’s the last thing on their minds. The guys they bring into the game to supplement starting guards and leading scorers Robbie Harman and Jordan Bitzer simply are needed to keep up the defensive intensity. “I think our depth has definitely been a plus for us,” Zeigler said. “When you’re able to bring experienced guys like Marko (Spica) and Chris (Kellermann) off the bench, it gives you instant offense and guys who understand how to get themselves right in the tempo of the game.” Harman and Bitzer average about 34.5 minutes per game in conference play for the first-place Chippewas (10-9, 5-2 Mid-American Conference). When they need to come out because of foul trouble, fatigue or injury, junior college transfer Amir Rashid steps in, either at point guard or alongside Harman as shooting guard. Rashid has struggled to score — averaging 2.6 points per game. But his defensive tenacity was on display late in the game against Northern Illinois, when he picked up a crucial steal on one of the Huskies’ final possessions. “He hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface of what kind of a player he can be,” Zeigler said. “He’s a really good scorer and his numbers have not shown that up to this point percentage-wise, but I think he changes the pace of the game for us because he brings a quickness with his ability to pressure the ball and get into transition and make plays.” Looking ahead Rashid will be counted on to lead the point guards next season, along with incoming freshman Derek Jackson (Cleveland), when Bitzer and Harman leave the backcourt. “I know my jumpshot hasn’t been falling,” Rashid said. “But when it does start falling, that’s just going to be a plus that I can contribute to the team.” Zeigler has tightened his bench in recent games, usually only using Rashid, veteran forwards Kellermann and Spica and freshman guard Finis Craddock if the starters need a rest. Still, CMU averages more than seven more bench points (18) per game than last season (10.9), when Kellermann and Spica missed the entire season. “Since I’ve got here, this is probably the deepest team we’ve had,” said Kellermann, who averages 8.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. “We’ve got at least two, sometimes three guys at each position that can play well and do different things well for us, whether it be on offense or defense.” Last season, teams keyed in only on Bitzer, Harman and forward Marcus Van. There were no other scoring options — and it showed. In CMU’s 56-55 loss at Buffalo last season, only the trio and guard Jeremy Allen, who transferred, scored. The majority of last season’s bench players, four of whom transferred, were either too inexperienced or not talented enough to contribute on the Division-I level. Not so this season. Kellermann and Spica, who averages 8.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, have started in the past, and shore up the frontcourt if new starters Jalin Thomas and Will McClure struggle. And though it might not be Kellermann’s first choice to check in after the opening tip, he said it best. “Sometimes, when there’s guys out there clicking, you’ve got to stay with them,” he said. sports@cm-life.com

Todd McShay (ESPN’s Scout’s Inc.) w "LeFevour is a playmaker with quick feet and very good instincts, but his passing mechanics need polishing." w McShay ranks him as the Senior Bowl’s fourth-best quarterback behind Cincinnati’s Tony Pike, Florida’s Tim Tebow and West Virginia’s Jarrett Brown. He said Tebow would be below LeFevour and Brown in a traditional quarterback role but, since he can be utilized in different Wildcat packages and other unique situations, it bumps him into the third-round range.

Draft guru Scott Wright discusses Dan LeFevour’s draft buzz in detail

Great Blue North Report (gbnreport.com) w "LeFevour moves well and is very accurate underneath, but has small hands and only average arm strength and likely will struggle to get the ball downfield at the next level."

By Andrew Stover | Sports Editor

F

ormer CMU quarterback Dan LeFevour’s performance at the Senior Bowl last weekend has CMU fans and supporters thinking he is an early-round pick in April’s 2010 NFL Draft. After completing 5-of-10 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown and also rushing for a touchdown, those assumptions would seem to hold weight. After all, he is the Football Bowl Subdivision’s career leader for most total touchdowns scored (148) and measured in the pre-bowl activities at a clean 6-foot-3 and 229 pounds. He also won the North’s Most Outstanding Player award for his game productivity. But not all spectators and NFL Draft analysts are on board. NFL draft guru Scott Wright, president of DraftCountdown.com, has been studying and analyzing the NFL draft since 1993. Wright said LeFevour remains nothing more than a 4th or 5th round pick and, although former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow struggled during the week in Mobile, Ala., he is still the higher-rated quarterback. Andrew Stover: As far as going to a pro-style offense and taking snaps under center, how do you think he did as far as taking those snaps, dropbacks — were there many false steps? Was he better in that regard than what you thought going in compared to a similar case in Florida’s Tim Tebow?

Scott Wright: I think he did fine with that ... As opposed to Tim Tebow, who was one day, literally, a half a dozen snaps, I think, he messed up. I did not see that with LeFevour. The footwork was okay. The biggest thing is just, it’s not just the snaps, it’s reading the defense while you’re dropping back ... (LeFevour) didn’t embarrass himself or look really bad in that regard by any stretch. AS: How do you compare the actual game to the week of practice from a scouting standpoint, and did anything change from one to the other? SW: Obviously, the highlight of the week for LeFevour was the game,

which he played pretty well in. Unfortunately for him, by that point, the NFL people had gone home. The NFL people obviously place a much higher emphasis on the practices than they do for the game ... Honestly, it will be a positive that he performed well in the game, but it’s not something that the scouts are going to say, ‘Oh, we’re jumping him up two rounds because he played well in the game.’ By and large, their evaluations were done during the week of practices. I don’t think his performance for the game — it’s going to help — but I don’t think it’s going to make a huge difference.

cm-life.com See the full Q and A session with Scott Wright on the Web.

AS: In our previous interview back in October, you said for guys like LeFevour, the Senior Bowl would be so big to show that he can compete with the upper echelon of talent. In the grand scheme of things, is his stock trending up or is it equal to where it was when he was coming in?

helped himself, but not to a huge degree. I still think he’s going to go somewhere in the mid-rounds, somewhere probably 4th-5th round probably.

SW: I guess, if there was a gun to my head and I had to pick, I’d say his stock is maybe trending up ... I’d say he

AS: So the question marks for LeFevour are still the same— lack of a great arm and some accuracy issues?

“I guess, if there was a gun to my head and I had to pick, I’d say his stock is trending up ... I’d say he helped himself, but not to a huge degree.” Scott Wright, President of Draftcountdown.com

SW: Yeah, definitely. Especially down the field. He doesn’t have the big arm. A little too eager to run, I noticed during the week ... It’s not like he dropped back and went through four or five reads (in CMU’s offense). He dropped back, made one or two reads and, if it wasn’t there, he’d run. AS: You said it only takes one team to fall in love. With that being said, LeFevour is not going to be a 1st-round pick, so give me how high he can go and how low he can go at this point?

SW: I think a best-case scenario right now would be round three ... Low end could be round six or seven. sports@cm-life.com

Men’s basketball team faces inconsistent Buffalo at Rose Bulls win first three MAC games, lose last four of five By Daniel Monson Senior Reporter

Which Buffalo team will meet the CMU men’s basketball team at 7 p.m. Thursday at Rose Arena? The Bulls, who have lost four of their past five games, are one of the most puzzling teams in the Mid-American Conference. They won their first three conference games to start 10-4, including wins against Akron and Miami,

but since are 1-4 and have allowed an average of 86.2 points per game. “Buffalo is such a good team that it’s sometimes surprising to see that they had that type of output in those situations,” said CMU coach Ernie Zeigler. Thursday marks the start of a three-game homestand for CMU (10-9, 5-2 MAC), which remains atop the MAC West Division, a half-game ahead of Ball State. Ups and downs The Bulls lost 85-70 on Monday against Western Michigan, their second consecutive loss at home. Four days

earlier, they lost 75-69 against Ball State, a team that averages 59.8 points per game, s e c o n d - Chris Kellermann worst in the MAC. Zeigler said CMU will make sure the game’s pace does not play into the hands of Buffalo, which scores 73.5 points per game to rank first in the MAC. CMU ranks third in points allowed per game at 62.3. “We’ve got to control tempo, make them score in the halfcourt, and con-

Andrew Stover, Sports Editor | sports@cm-life.com | 989.774.3169

test shots,” Zeigler said. Senior guard Rodney Pierce is third in MAC scoring with 18.6 points per game. He had 29 against WMU on Monday. Senior forward Calvin Betts (6-foot-4) leads the team in rebounding with 7.5 rebounds per game. He had 10 against the Broncos. “They rebound really well,” said senior forward Chris Kellermann. “Their offense seemed pretty simple, but they just run so hard — their cuts are so hard. That’s going to be a challenge for us — not to get lackadaisical on defense and let them get any second opportunities.”

Homestand Meanwhile, CMU is off to its best start in the MAC since 2002-03, the last time it drew an NCAA Tournament berth. The Chippewas have won six of their past eight games, including six in a row at home. Now, they get three home games in a row against the East’s top three teams. Central welcomes the top two teams in the MAC in Kent State on Saturday and Akron on Tuesday. “They’re three of the toughest teams in the conference, and just being at home is not going to assure us success.” sports@cm-life.com

6A || Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010 || Central Michigan Life

cm-life.com/category/sports

[Sports]

Inside gymnastics: explaining the vault routine By Nick Conklin Staff Reporter Junior Andrea de la Garza scored a 9.1 on vault in the Jan. 15 meet against Utah State at Rose Arena. Since then, she scored a 9.775 on the event against Denver and BYU and a 9.725 last week against Eastern Michigan.

An 82-foot line of carpet is all that separates a gymnast from the ‘iron horse.’ At the end of the mat stands a 4-foot tall apparatus known as the vault. What happens from the end of the mat to the expected landing on the other end is considered the most powerful aspect of gymnastics by some. “I tell them to be on the verge of out of control, but not reckless,” said CMU gymnastics coach Jerry Reighard. The vault event in gymnastics consists of a full-speed sprint down the line toward the vault. The gymnast must

file photo By Sean Proctor

women’s basketball

Akron a tough road opponent Zips have won all but one home game entering Thursday By John Evans Staff Reporter

The CMU women’s basketball team faces another road challenge at 7 p.m. Thursday when it plays the Akron Zips in Akron, Ohio. Akron (12-9, 6-2 Mid-American Conference) has won every home game except one, a 55-43 loss to Temple on Dec. 28. The Chippewas (8-12, 5-3 MAC), on the other hand, are 1-3 on the road in MAC play. “It is going to be huge for us to win this game coming up,” said senior forward Britni Houghton. “We have not done well on the road, but we have to start somewhere, and it’s going to be key for us to start Thursday.” Akron’s sophomore center Kyle Baumgartner (6-foot-3) averages 10 points and 6 rebounds per game. To her aid is junior guard Kara Murphy (5-foot-8), who leads the

team in scoring with 14.7 points per game. CMU coach Sue Guevara said she does not expect any changes to be Britni Houghton made from her previous lineup. “I just want our players to focus on what we have to do to play well at Akron,” Guevara said. “It is the same things we have to focus on when we are here at home to play well.” A win would inch the Chippewas closer to MAC West Division-leading Toledo (7-1 MAC), which faces Kent State tonight in Kent, Ohio. Houghton said the team needs to focus on the task at hand to stay near the top of the standings. “It is just another game and we have to go out there and take care of business,” she said. “Every team can beat any team on any given day in the MAC because the competition is so good.” Beginning in Akron, the Chippewas begin their final eight

games of the season — four on the road and four at home. Guevara said every game in the MAC holds equal importance. “I don’t like to use the word big (for this game) because this game isn’t going to be any bigger than when we play Saturday at Buffalo,” Guevara said. “Akron is playing tough at home — we just have to make it tougher for them to play at home.”

then plant off of the board face and hurl herself into a controlled flip through the air. For the CMU gymnastics team, its scoring in the event has been anything but out of control; it has won event in every meet this season. In-air antics Although similar to the other events in a standard competition, the vault deals with the physical nature of maintaining awareness while in the air. Freshman Britney Taylor said the mindset needed for the vault can be different than other events. “I have the demeanor that I have to attack it — you can’t be soft with it, you have to go

cm-life.com For a closer look at the vault, see the article in full length on the Web. hard,” she said. A common routine in the event is the double somersault with a half-twist. It forces a gymnast to propel herself far enough in the air to complete the two flips and the half-twist. There is pre-established difficulty rating on this event, and a gymnast’s ability to incorporate another twist can be a determining factor in higher scores. Senior Katie Simon can complete the double somersault, but ends the flips with a one-and-a-half twist.

? \p#

Reighard said he has worked with Simon on the routine for several months. “She performs the most difficult routine, and those scores put her in the upper echelon in the event,” he said.

Recruiting Success on the vault has been a consistent factor in recruiting for Reighard, who has brought several skilled vaulters to the program. Another of the program’s high scorers in 2010 is sophomore Kristin Teubner. Matching the team-high in vault with a 9.875, Teubner has posted scores of 9.8 or higher in the last three meets. sports@cm-life.com

n_fËj k_\

< IFJ @<J ifn[`\jk6 ; N F I pfl Xi\ N;@<JK =8E6 n`e X cXi^\ g`qqX Xc D`Z_`^Xe C`]\ b e ` _ k l f ki c[ ;f p jb\kYXccËj IF [ pfl Zfl \jfik% :\e p ]Xe cc ^Xd\ Xe X^c\ :Xj`ef Xe[ I j K_\ dfjk Ifn[ X X 9 kY \ b L j X D : fXi`e^ < k :DL 9 `\ jkXe[ .k_% Ifn[ f k_\ J k_\ e\o elXip ) ] k_\ Ifj\ \j[Xp# AX i jg`i`k Xk ik`ÔZXk\j k J_fn pfl \ @ee GCLJ ^`]k Z\ \ kXb`e^ g`Zkli\j f e :D C`]\ fe N\[e X^ Xd [ ` ]ifd :fkk \ij n`cc Y\ Xk k_\ ^ d\ n`cc Y\ ]\Xkli\ X _ g ^ g_fkf^iX p# AXelXip )*i[Ëj DLËj i[X k ]Xej Xk : ]ifd JXkl k_\ ifn[`\j ).

sports@cm-life.com

`e^ ]fi (+# )'# `cc Y\ cffb p +# -# 0# :D$C@=< n \ ^Xd\j =\YilXi _fd i\dX`e`e^

What’s on tap Up next: Thursday: @ Akron

Who’s hot (Akron): Kara Murphy, Amber Witt and Kyle Baumgartner combined for 39 points in Akron’s win against EMU Saturday.

N@E

>@=K :<IK@=@:8K<J =IFD

Who’s not: Ayla Guzzardo and Rachel Tecca had a combined nine turnovers in the win.

$Gclj 8$

=I<< G@QQ8

436 Moore Hall • CMU • Mt Pleasant

989.774.3493

cm-life.com

B

Central Michigan Life

community

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010

[cm-life.com/category/news/metro]

Interns sought for diversity duties

union township

Case W sparks stricter rules

ith Michigan’s economy struggling and residents losing money, sights such as these are becoming more and more common — even in Isabella County.

County’s Human Rights Committee in its second year By Edward Schutter Staff Reporter

Accounting controls tightened By Maryellen Tighe Senior Reporter

The Dec. 14 sentencing of former Union Township Superintendent Gwen Plowman for embezzlement changed the way the township tracks its money. It originally had credit cards in nearly every major vendor in the community. Now it has one credit card used for all expenses, said Union Township Supervisor John Barker. Problems with the previous accounting system were brought before the board for many years, Barker said. He said the hodgepodge system is what presented the opportunity for embezzlement Plowman took advantage of. “The problems with the accounting system were brought before the board five years ago,” Barker said. “The response was to change auditors, not to change policies.” Plowman was charged with embezzlement by a public official. She allegedly used the township credit card to purchase fuel when out of town without authorization and billed the township for mileage reimbursements. “She was ordered to pay $39,200 in restitution to Union Township,” said Isabella County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Burdick. That money also is for the forensic accountant Union Township hired to reconstruct the case to determine what happened, he said. Plowman’s fuel purchases date back to 1999 and the charges came to light in October 2008. Ninety days of her jail time is to be served in Mount Pleasant before the probation, and the other half would be served at the end of her probation if she fails to complete it. Plowman will be released from her 90-day sentence later this month. Many Union Township members were concerned by the accounting system’s problems, but none of the current board realized how

E S D O ! L C E R O F County reports increase in needed tax, financial help By Randi Shaffer Staff Reporter

I

t is not uncommon to see a home with the shades drawn and knee-high grass growing in the front yard while traveling down residential streets across the state. The crippling effects of the recent financial recession are evidence of the growing number of foreclosures across both the state and the nation. While some would say no area is immune, one may find fewer victims in Isabella County. Steve Pickens, county treasurer, said Isabella saw just 12 foreclosure filings in 2009. Despite the county’s low numbers, Teagen Lefere, housing counselor for Mount Pleasant’s Listening Ear Crisis Center, said she has seen a steady increase of customers seeking help with taxes and impending foreclosures. “Probably one out of every 20 people are here for home-buyer education, and the other 19 are for foreclosure,” she said.

Tax trouble Lefere attributes Isabella’s foreclosures to drops in income, mainly from those employed in the auto market and other factory-based industries in Michigan. Pickens blames debt, in many cases. “Sometimes, it comes down to having to choose between paying taxes and eating, feeding your family,” he said. “The repercussions from that? A lot of bank mortgages don’t get paid, a lot of taxes don’t get paid.” Based on state law, Pickens said if a local entity or homeowner owes a large sum in taxes to the county, the property would be foreclosed. He said the county “really tries” to prevent the situation until all options have been exhausted. “(The owner) would lose all ownership on that property,” he said. “Even if they’ve had 30 years to pay off their house, the county would turn around and sell the property.” According to the Isabella County Tax Sale, Crankers Coney Island, 1207 E. Pickard St., owed $16,081.16 in taxes within the last few weeks. Crankers owner and manager Jim Crank declined to comment on the matter, A foreclosure | 2B

The Isabella County Human Rights Committee is in the process of approving job descriptions for two potential Central Michigan University student internships. Since former Diversity Coordinator Blossom Hill left the position last year, Carole Richardson, vice chairperson of the HRC, said it has been difficult to move forward. “Since we have lost our diversity coordinator, there have been some issues that have been sort of at a standstill,” she said. “We are hoping that the interns can help do some of the things the diversity coordinator did.” Committee member Laura Gonzales said they are already in contact with CMU for potential interns. “There are a number of next steps before we can get the interns, but we have contacted Sean Novak Sean Novak at Minority Student Services at CMU to help us find someone,” she said. The HRC could potentially hire interns as early as this spring semester, but is shooting for the summer. The subcommittee will send out a draft of what the two internships will entail to the HRC so they can be approved before next month’s meeting. The organization is in its second year. Sean Novak, assistant director of Minority Student Services at CMU and former HRC member, said it is difficult for the committee to make a significant impact in the first year because it has taken time to set things up. “We spent the whole first (year) developing things,” he said. “We developed the bylaws and had to set goals for the year before we really could get into things.” Committee member Patty Csernai said the HRC does a lot of things to work with the people at CMU. “We try to get involved with things on campus, and we have a couple CMU representatives on the committee,” she said. County residents can fill out an incident report form if they feel they have been discriminated against. Richardson said they have had to deal with only a few incidents so far. metro@cm-life.com

A embezzlement | 2B

Illustration by Christopher Tamlyn

New BBQ restaurant situated on Broadway Owner of eatery considering nacho plate contest By Jaimie Cremeans Staff Reporter

paige calamari/staff photographer

Central Michigan University biology associate professor John Scheide, right, and his wife, Sallie Scheide, look over the menu Saturday night at Robin Hood’s BBQ, 1010 W. Broadway St. The takeout restaurant, which specializes in Southern style barbecue, opened Dec. 26.

Robin Hood’s BBQ might look like just another house on the block. But for owner Robin Heath, the southern barbecue takeout joint is his chance at a true entrepreneurial success story. Heath opened the restaurant, 1010 W. Broadway St., on Dec. 26. Since then, the Mount Pleasant resident said business has been better than

expected and he is already building a solid customer base. The restaurant carries various selections of pulled pork and ribs, though he is considering a new dish aimed for the college crowd: a 10-pound nacho plate eating challenge. “We haven’t worked out all the details yet, but we’re working on it,” he said. His daughter Adrienne, 22, of Mount Pleasant, said the fact it is away from other businesses may help draw customers. “Everyone’s been excited to have a business on the west side,” she said. The entire Heath fam-

ily helps with the restaurant, which is situated in one large roomwith simple decoration. Tom Kimbell, 20, of Mount Pleasant lives right down the road from Robin Hood’s. “It’s very convenient,” Kimbell said. “Other than the bar on M-20, this is the closest, most convenient place to eat.” Heath said he chose the building because it was affordable and had the necessary plumbing and equipment. Although he would have preferred a bigger building on Mission Street, Heath is happy with the location. He said many of his customers are regulars who come

metro@cm-life.com

’S ! IT EEE 4B G FSREE PA

I N H C N C N O . M > L I 5 Central Michigan Life THIS S VALENTINE’ DAY...

back three or four times a week. Samantha Orlandi, 23, of New Boston learned of the restaurant when her co-workers tried it for lunch. She has been there twice since then. A large amount of business comes from workers on their lunch breaks, said Mount Pleasant resident Angie Wordwell, Heath’s fiancé. Heath decided to open the business after being laid off as a sales representative with Michigan Office Solutions. He said it was the “push over the cliff” he needed to start his own restaurant.

4;F?HNCH?_M .?LMIH;FM

Let that special someone know just how you feel!

-//2% (!,, s #-5

2B || Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010 || Central Michigan Life

foreclosure | continued from 1B

saying “everything’s been taken care of.� Also, the house of the Sigma Pi fraternity, which is not active on campus, at 1016 S. Main St. is behind $6,866.76 in taxes, while P & J Party Store, 1018 W. Broadway St., owes $2,918.10.

sean proctor/staff photographer

Mayor Jim Holton, also the owner of Mountain Town Station and the Mount Pleasant Brewing Company, looks through paperwork around 2 p.m. Monday. “It’s beer tax day,� he said, “the first of the month.� He was re-elected by the City Commission as mayor last month.

Mayor preps for second year By Jackie Smith Metro Editor

The decision to take on a second year as mayor of Mount Pleasant was not a hard one for Jim Holton. He carried just a single mentality for the job: Do not pull the quarterback out of the game. At least not yet. Formerly vice mayor, Holton was appointed mayor by the City Commission in January 2009 and was soon entrenched with a horde of issues and projects — litigation with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, the closing of the Mount Pleasant Center and a list of redevelopment plans throughout the city. He said 2009 left an open channel of dialogue for such issues and, when city commissioners reappointed him last month to the job, he was ready. “I’m glad I got elected to a second term because, on your first, you’re learning the ropes, basically,� Holton said. “I’m getting my processes down, and meeting people in the community and in the state as mayor.� He was known for pushing for government efficiency and

his cut-to-the-chase approach to leading meetings which, halfway through his first term, had his colleagues thinking that he was “too quick to call the vote.� As proceedings slowed down, city projects hit the fast track under Holton’s tenure, namely the children’s spray park, which opened late last summer. Though his hope for the construction of a parking garage downtown “went over like a lead balloon,� other projects, such as a skating rink for Island Park, he thinks are feasible to become reality this year. A 1995 Central Michigan University alumnus, Holton said any project that is an investment in the city’s youths, who he referred to as its future leaders, are among his top priorities. But on the forefront of Holton’s concerns, as well as any city leader, are the declining portions of state-shared revenue. Holton said he would spearhead a “strong approach� — consolidating departmental duties and potentially cutting city services to residents. “They’re going to have to put valued judgments on each of those services of which they can reduce,� City Manager Kathie Grinzinger said.

Vice Mayor Bruce Kilmer, who also was reappointed to his position last month, has worked closely with Holton throughout 2009, picking up the slack to whatever meeting or ceremony the mayor could not attend. He said Holton keeps him regularly updated with his activities to keep his finger “on the pulse of the community.� Holton said it is all to prompt Kilmer’s interest to be the next mayor. “I’m very interested in that and we’re working toward that, and he’s keeping me in the loop of everything,� Kilmer said. “Over the year, I think he’s grown in the position ... I think he’s learned to be a little more thorough and more careful.� Holton, owner of Mountain Town Station and the Mount Pleasant Brewing Company, said the job has not kept him completely from his family, nor changed his perception. “There’s so many people that will run for elected office because they have an issue,� Holton said. “My philosophy in the dorms was if it seems wrong, it probably is, but not if you do the right thing and have a passion for it.�

Police could soon scan tattoos and use the pictures to identify criminals because of a technology developed at Michigan State University. The biometric technology takes pictures of tattoos and enters them into a database, and would allow police to determine how many criminals have similar tattoos based on color, shading and location. The technology is not foolproof, however. It does not hold the same level of conclusiveness as other pieces of evidence. “I don’t see it replacing DNA and fingerprints,� said Bill Yeagley, Central Michigan University police chief. “I would not go and arrest someone based solely on (the fact) that they have a similar tattoo.� Police currently take pictures of scars, marks and tattoos at all bookings. But the only way to search the pictures is by using text descriptors. “If a suspect comes in with a tattoo, they can search the database and see if this tattoo has come in before,� said Anil Jain, the professor of computer sci-

ence and engineering at MSU who developed the technology. “The idea is to narrow down who this person is.� Jain said police sometimes receive video footage where a criminal’s face is not visible, but a tattoo of a skull can be seen on their neck. This technology can be used as a starting point that video could not provide. It has been licensed to MorphoTrak, a Virginia-based company that works in biometrics.

A growing crisis Isabella County ranks 59th in the state in foreclosure rates, with less than 1 percent subject to the situation, according to a RealtyTrac, Inc. database. Michigan, as a state, ranks eighth in the nation for highest foreclosure rate, with 2.6 percent of housing units filing for foreclosure last year. Mary Townley, director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority’s Homeownership Division, said she has noticed a problem over the last 20 years. “We’ve been at this as a state longer than any other state in the U.S.,� she said.

The company is further developing the concept and hopes for field testing soon. “I am expecting that, hopefully, by the end of the year, we’ll have the technology in law enforcement’s hands to get us some feedback,� said Eric Hess, senior biometric product manager for facial recognition and SMT matching technology at MorphoTrak.

“The industry had a rough term in the early 80s and struggles in the early 90s. Right now is probably one of the worst (crises) that I’ve ever seen.� But past economic and foreclosure crises have spawned increased resources, Townley said. MSHDA offers several tips on its Web site for avoiding foreclosure. The site offers links to counseling centers by county, including Mount Pleasant’s Listening Ear. “That’s very important with scams happening across the state,� Townley said. “People are asking for an exorbitant amount of money when these services are really offered for free.� A survey of counselors in the state’s third quarter last year showed that 60 percent of those who received help became success stories. For those in a “back tax black hole,� Pickens recommends considering partial payments and loans rather than considering the debt

embezzlement | continued from 1B

large they were until elected into office. There was low transparency with the accounting policies of the township and how the embezzlement occurred would have been difficult to catch in a regular audit. Now Union Township has a system similar to that of Mount Pleasant. Both groups have stronger systems of checks and balances, with higher levels of accountability, officials say. “We have multiple layers of review,� said Mount Pleasant City Manager Kathie Grinzinger. “And the credit card is not in the hands of the person

metro@cm-life.com

Tattoos could aid police work By Ryan Czachorski Senior Reporter

cm-life.com/category/news/metro

[community]

who is reviewing it.� Union Township requires people who use credit cards to turn in receipts and all charges must be allocated budget items. The township also brought in an entirely new accounting system with a

an insurmountable challenge. “A lot of people think they can only pay (taxes) in a large sum,� he said. Additionally, Pickens said borrowing money at a 4 or 5 percent interest rate is better than accumulating debt and trying to pay off the interest rates and fees on back taxes.

Act quickly Townley is optimistic for the state’s ability to move beyond its financial challenges, pegging Michigan as a resilient place with a proven track record of overcoming its problems. She said people need to take the necessary steps to find help before the problem of personal debt grows too large. In years past, she said, it was “just easier to walk away.� “They still have the ability to call or not to call but, now, there’s more of a nudge,� she said. “I am hopeful that, every month, we continue to look into every option, we start to see more people trying.� metro@cm-life.com

township manager, Brian Smith, and a new staff accountant. “It’s been a delight because it makes things simpler for everyone,� Barker said. “Anecdotally, I’ve received a lot of support from local government officials in the community.� metro@cm-life.com

J B 8 g j d N

h Z ^ g d b BZ

metro@cm-life.com

EJI I=:B DC 6CNI=>C<

4 IH]^gih 4 Bj\h BdjhZ 4 EVYh 4 EdhiZgh 4 Eg^cih

8dbZ ^c H V^oaaZh

H]VeZh

_kkg1&&i\gi`ekj%

Zd$c`]\%Zfd

cm-life.com/category/news/metro

Central Michigan Life || Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010 || 3B

[community]

Aiming for politics CMU student vies for 71st District House seat By Carisa Seltz Staff Reporter

Mark Eagle is not like most students on the job hunt. Instead of interviewing for the position he seeks, he is campaigning for it. The Lansing senior is vying for the 71st District House seat’s democratic nomination. “Our district has been lacking leadership for the last decade,” Eagle said. “I don’t want to sit back and say, ‘Oh, I could have made a difference,’ you know, 40 years down the road.” If Eagle wins the primary, he will go head-to-head with the Republican candidate in the Nov. 2 general election. Eagle is enrolled in Central Michigan University’s accelerated public administration master’s program, having completed his bachelor’s degree in political science last fall. If elected, the 24-year-old will be the youngest representative in the Michigan House of Representatives and the only full-time CMU student to hold a statewide public office. Second try Despite his age, Eagle is no

novice when it comes to politics. This year’s election cycle is Eagle’s second attempt to represent the 71st District, which includes all of Eaton County except Eaton Rapids and the townships of Hamlin and Brookfield. In 2008, he won the Democratic nomination, but lost to Rep. Rick Jones, the incumbent, in the general election. His campaign promises this time around include streamlining the budget-making process to avoid government shutdowns, reforming tax laws, providing more funds for higher education and protecting Michigan’s natural resources. Eagle also would like to update the Michigan Business Tax to create jobs. “It’s extremely complicated. People don’t understand it, so we need to overhaul that so businesses can start hiring people,” he said. Eagle is running against Eaton County Commissioner Theresa Abed, Charlotte attorney Fred Fry and Bob Robinson of Vermontville in the Democratic primary election. Possible candidates for the Republican nominee slot include Deb Shaughnessy of Charlotte and Cheryl Krapf Haddock of Grand Ledge, according to the Lansing State Journal.

Lansing senior Mark Eagle stands with his high school sweetheart Jessica Madden. Eagle is running for State Representative seat in Michigan’s 71st district. This is the second time he has run, having lost out to Republican incumbent Rick Jones. sean proctor/ staff photographer

Student going for school board John Porter, vice chair of the CMU chapter of College Republicans, also is considering running for public office. The Coleman sophomore plans on running for Coleman’s school board this year or next, depending on the filing deadline. Porter said Coleman’s size — less than 5,000 residents — puts the school district at a disadvantage in secondary education. The small size dictates the type of classes it can and cannot offer, he said. “It really encouraged me to

want to make a change and get my hands on anything I could to try and make it better,” he said. Porter does not think an individual’s age should be a factor in determining one’s ability to run for public office. He said a candidate should be considered based on experience and intellect. “I think that a very important part of government is to have a say from each and every demographic and age group,” Porter said. “I absolutely have no problem with someone our age being in politics.” metro@cm-life.com

Obama’s proposals yield mixed reaction Republicans differ on his methods of promoting growth By Carisa Seltz Staff Reporter

President Barack Obama’s administration says it is committing itself to boosting the economy. That includes ensuring the passage of legislation that will have beneficial longterm effects on health care, energy, education and financial reform for 2010 and beyond. Obama laid the groundwork for his proposals in the 2011 budget he presented to Congress on Monday. The $3.8 trillion budget proposals include implementing a jobs bill to put Americans back to work, eliminating tax cuts for Americans making more than $250,000 a year, imposing a fee on financial firms earning more than $50 billion in assets yearly and enforcing a three-year moratorium on government spending to reduce the deficit. “A lot of people think that these seem to be fairly minor,

small, little steps he’s taking or adjustments to recalibrate the mission of his administration,” said Bill Ballenger, editor and publisher of Inside Michigan Politics and former Griffin Endowed Chair. Ballenger said Obama is intent on proving to the American middle class that he is focused on their cares and needs in an attempt to alleviate criticism over concentrating on what the American public perceived as the wrong things — Wall Street’s problems — in the first year of his presidency. Brad O’Donnell, president of the College Democrats, said the worst thing the president could do now would be to seem too close to the banks and executives of Wall Street, and that he needs to avoid being associated with them. “He needs to not look like the establishment,” said O’Donnell, a Clinton Township junior. O’Donnell said the president should be harsher on the financial firms and banks whose irresponsibility led to the near financial crisis and hopes the fee the president is imposing is a “strong” one. He said he hopes it will ensure that the American tax-

payer will receive their “just rewards” for bailing Wall Street out. O’Donnell said the argument against such a fee, that the cost will trickle down to shareholders to the company’s overall detriment, is “absurd.” “There’s no way that’s possible,” said O’Donnell, who also supports Obama’s initiative to reallocate $30 billion in recouped Troubled Asset Relief Program funds to community banks to encourage them to lend loans to small businesses in order to facilitate job growth. The Counterargument Republicans agree the president’s initiatives to spur job growth are important for economic success, but disagree fundamentally on how the government should facilitate that growth. John Porter, vice chair of the College Republicans and a Coleman sophomore, said the Obama administration is overstretching what it should and should not be doing and the government, in general, is taking on too large of a role in a lot of sectors. The correct approach, he

City looks to state grant for well funds If approved, more than half the costs could be covered By David Veselenak Online Editor

An infrastructure grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation may offset more than half the renovation costs to the city’s Ranney well. Duane Ellis, director of public works, said the city is looking to apply for a $450,000 grant to help with the renovations of the Ranney well. “It’s a sizable grant, so we’re hopeful we’ll get something out of it,” he said. “These grants are a ‘what if.’ Maybe we’ll get it, maybe we won’t. They said they would let us know by April.” Ellis said the original plan was to have the well renovations complete by July. But if the city is offered the grant, renovations would not finish until the fall. The City Commission authorized a survey on the well at its Jan. 25 meeting for $33,550. Brechtel Radial Collector Wells will determine where new laterals can be installed to maximize the efficiency of the well. “We have reached the point where we may have to make a very large investment,” said City Commissioner Kathy Ling at last week’s meeting. The cost for the well improvement could reach as high as $700,000, Ellis said. The current well is pumping about 60 percent of the city’s needs, or about 1.7 million gallons a day. Once new laterals are installed, Ellis hopes the well can produce about 30 percent more water. He said at least three laterals need to be installed.

“If we can get it up to three (million), it will produce about 90 percent of the water that the city needs,” he said. Ranney wells operate differently than the more common vertical wells, Ellis said. Water is collected from laterals about 45 feet below the

surface, compared to a few hundred feet with more common vertical wells. The laterals each have screens to filter sediment, and the water flows to a main chamber, where it can be pumped out. metro@cm-life.com

said, is to give tax breaks to corporations and reform financial regulations to alleviate bureaucratic red tape to lower the cost of doing business. That way, corporations can afford to hire more employees. To do otherwise, Porter said, is cutting into potential profits, which would inhibit economic growth. “We’d much rather give that money back to private citizens because there’s a lot more innovation and ingenuity in the private sector than there ever will be in the public sector,” he said. Porter, who works at Wolverine Bank in Midland, said the president is “grabbing at thin air” with some of the regulations he is proposing, specifically banking reforms, in order to “use the crisis to his advantage” and prove to the middle class he is on their side. “The collapse of the financial system was all about mortgages,” he said. “It wasn’t about trading private equity or proprietary trading; it’s a total over exaggeration of what really happened.” metro@cm-life.com

4B || Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010 || Central Michigan Life

cm-life.com/category/news/metro

[community]

Group discusses kicking the nicotine habit, tobacco prevention Tuesday seminar shares experiences, offers solutions By Jaimie Cremeans Staff Reporter

How do you quit smoking for good? That was the question at “Semaa Tobacco: Traditional Use, Not Abuse” on Tuesday in the Nimkee Public Health Kitchen, 7498 E. Broadway Road. The Tobacco Prevention Panel, made up of three Nimkee Memorial Wellness Center employees, a pharmacist and

an ex-smoker, held a small seminar open to all Nimkee employees or patients to get support and information about how to kick the habit. Steve Eggerd, pharmacist for Nimkee Pharmacy, started the seminar by presenting all the products available at Nimkee and explaining what they do and how they work. “We want to let people know what resolutions are available,” said Nimkee Reach Grant Coordinator Leah Markel. Markel is one of the main organizers of the seminar. Many of the guests asked questions and shared their

own experiences with the products. Eggerd stressed to them that everybody is different, so different products work for different people. “You have to define your own addiction to find what works for you,” he said. The products he shared included nicotine patches, nicotine gum, nicotine inhalers and Chantix, a tablet to decrease sensitivity to and cravings of nicotine. John Gerhard of Nimkee’s Human Resources Training Department also spoke to the group about the importance of patience and perseverance during the quitting process.

“It’s not easy,” he said. “I would never paint an easy picture about quitting smoking.” Open to other addictions Gerhard said, as addicts, smokers are usually vulnerable to other addictions such as food or caffeine, but encouraged the guests to overcome those things. He stressed the panel is there to support all of them and help get them through it. Matt Sprague, a member of Seventh Generation of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, explained the difference between the tribe’s cultural use of tobacco and the

common abuse of commercial tobacco. Seventh Generation grows semaa (tobacco), sacred to the tribe and used for ceremonial purposes. He said his tribe smokes the tobacco in a safer way by not inhaling it and that they use it for spiritual purposes. “We puff it up, and it’s like our prayers going up to the Creator,” he said. The tribe calls semaa a “gift from the Creator” and it is given as a gift in semaa pouches when they ask a favor of someone. Sprague said when someone receives a gift of semaa,

they can throw it in a fire to burn it. That also is seen as a way of sending prayers up to the Creator. “Tobacco is pretty abused now, and I don’t want us to get a bad name for growing it, but it’s used for different things by us,” he said. Markel said, besides sharing information about quitting with the group, another main goal was to make known the cultural uses of tobacco. She said they will be holding similar seminars in the future for patients and employees at Nimkee. metro@cm-life.com

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.