CMU alumna inspires clients mentally, physically, 3
Baseball ready to start MAC schedule, 7
Pickard Street home damaged in fire, 3
Central Michigan Life
Friday, March 25, 2011
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
[cm-life.com]
SGA candidates unveiled for president, VP Brooks/McNeely, Cavataio/English both favor unicameral structure By Brad Canze News Copy Chief
Two campaigns are gearing up to win student votes in the Student Government Association presidential election on April 4. Shelby Township senior Vincent Cavataio and vice presidential candidate Bryant English, Jackson junior, will face Grand Blanc junior Robert Brooks and his
vice presidential candidate, Brighton sophomore Colleen McNeely. Cavataio is the SGA membership officer and works in communications at CMU’s Off-Campus Programs. English is a newcomer to SGA, but works as the political action committee chairman for the CMU NAACP and is active with College Democrats. Brooks is SGA’s Student Budget Allocation committee chairwoman. McNeely is the Governmental Affairs chairman and a senator. There are similarities between both tickets: both want to restructure SGA, which currently has a bi-
cm-life.com Watch interviews with SGA presidential candidates cameral legislation with a House and a Senate, to a unicameral body. Both are also emphasizing sustainability, wanting to continue with issues such as recycling on off-campus apartments. Whereas Brooks said he wants to implement a unicameral system, with 35 undergraduate representatives and 3 graduate student representatives, more or less immediately, Cavataio wants to implement it gradually over the year he is in office.
“The one point where I differ is I would want to take time doing this,” Cavataio said. “The goal with making SGA relevant is what is going to be what takes the longest time. It’s nice in theory, but you can’t use it if you don’t have that relevance with your student body.” Brooks and McNeely stressed creating new work study jobs through programs such as implementing a coat-check at the CMU Bookstore and creating a university bike-share program, both of which would be staffed by students on work studies.
perry fish/staff photographer
From left: Jackson junior Bryant English, Shelby Township senior Vincent Cavataio, Grand Blanc junior Robert Brooks and Brighton junior Colleen McNeely were announced as candidates for Student Government Association president and vice president on Thursday evening in the Bovee University Center’s Lake Huron Room.
A SGA | 4
City approves purchase of Mount Pleasant Center property
Getting loud in Lansing
Site contamination “minimal,” experts say By Emily Grove Senior Reporter
photos by jake may/photo editor
ABOVE: Mio sophomore Casie Hanson cheers in support among about 200 students from around Michigan during a rally Thursday in Lansing at the state capitol in opposition of Gov. Rick Snyder’s higher education budget cuts. “I’ve worked really hard for my education,” she said. “So it’s really frustrating to have it taken away from me. I want to know why Snyder lied to us when running in the election. I just hope they don’t ignore us. We are here for a reason. We care what he does, and this isn’t right.” BELOW: Students’ signs detail their thoughts of Snyder’s decision to cut higher education budgets.
Students protest higher ed cuts CMU representatives join about 200 demonstrators CM Life Staff Reports
LANSING — College students from all over the state opposed to proposed higher education cuts let their voices be heard Thursday afternoon. About 200 students from Michigan’s 15 public universities gathered at the State Capitol to protest Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposed budget, which calls for cuts of at least 15 percent from each.
Several students delivered speeches expressing concerns about how the budget cuts would cause serious problems when it comes to paying for college. Cardi DeMonaco Jr., president of the Student Association of Michigan, addressed the crowd near the end of the protest. “I think that (Snyder) needs to reinvest in higher ed or he’s not going to reinvent Michigan like he likes to,” DeMonaco said. Among the students participating in the protest were Mid Michigan Community College student Courtney Barnett and
sophomore CMU flag-holder Casie Hanson, both of Mio. “It got me worked up because my parents don’t help me pay for college. It’s me, and whatever financial aid I can get,” Barnett said. “Hopefully, the budget will not be cut and we will have funding for higher education.” Hanson, who is taking 16 credit hours and works 20 hours per week, said she does not understand Snyder’s decision making. She believes students and universities deserve the money A protest | 5
The former Mount Pleasant Center property will soon belong to the city. The Mount Pleasant City Commission voted unanimously Thursday night to purchase the West Pickard Street property from the State of Michigan. Commissioner Jon Joslin acknowledged there were pros and cons to purchasing the property for $50,001. “I know this is a tough economy and I also don’t want to see a tax increase,” Joslin said. “But I think we can do this without a tax raise and we’ve already presented ideas on how we can do that.” What exactly will be done with the land has yet to be
determined, but city commissioners are hopeful it will lead to economic development and job creation. Commissioner Nancy English echoed Joslin’s point. “I have no interest in raising the millage and cutting services,” she said. “We’ve uncovered funds to avoid that.” Vice Mayor Kathy Ling said the decision allowed for good community discussion on both sides. “The arguments for and the arguments against (both) involve risk,” she said. Commissioner Sharon Tilmann said she knows Mount Pleasant residents are willing to take risks to prosper. She credited the community with always being proactive and willing to make their situation better. “I view this as a long-term investment, which I’ve said from the get-go,” she said. “This is an investment for
A center | 5
Deerfield Road could be up for rebuilding durring this summer Infamous among residents, drivers for poor condition By Jordan Spence Staff Reporter
The crumbling stretch of Deerfield Road south of campus could be rebuilt as early as this summer. Union Township’s top request is the grinding and repaving of Deerfield Road as part of this spring’s 2-percent Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe disbursement of funds received from Class III Electronic Games of Chance. The request for $234,878 has yet to be approved by the tribe.
“I think we need to address that place very quickly,” said Union Township Treasurer Pam Stovak. The plan is to rip up the road, redo the base and re-pave it, said Township Manager Brian Smith. The Isabella County Road Commission has yet to approve the project, but Smith said the township hopes to begin construction sometime in the summer. “Because the road is in bad shape, it is our priority,” Smith said. Alycea Maki lives on Deerfield Road and said everyone who lives there complains of the road conditions.
A deerfield | 2
[inside] NEWS
Sports
w Eminem may make appearance at rap performance tonight, 3 w WCMU may be hurt by funding cuts, 4
w Baseball series against Miami moved to Oxford, 7
w Frank Zombo returning to campus for kids’ event, 5 More than 90 Years of Serving as Central Michigan University’s Independent Voice
w Football opens spring practice, 8
cm-life.com w Snow falls from Celani’s roof, damages six cars