LIFE CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Do students at CMU take care of one another? 1B
Central Michigan University
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Wednesday, April 4, 2012
[INSIDE] w Livonia junior Matt Herod overcomes coma, near deadly fall, 3A w Academic Senate suspends work toward CMED curriculum, 3A w Politicos talk Republican primary, predict winner in fall elections at Griffin Policy Forum, 3A w Kal Penn to cost CMU $30,000 as keynote speaker, 3A
[cm-life.com]
BETTING ON KENO
PHOTOS BY ANDREW KUHN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Newly appointed men’s basketball head coach Keno Davis speaks at a press conference Tuesday afternoon at McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant.
Keno Davis hired as men’s basketball coach
Jackson likely to stay; Keel still unsure of status
By Matt Thompson | Sports Editor
By Aaron McMann | University Editor
W
hen Keno Davis asked his wife Krista about taking the Central Michigan men’s basketball position, she had one answer: “Go for it,” she said she told her husband. “If you love it, I love it.” Keno met three times in New Orleans last weekend during the NCAA Final Four with CMU Athletics Director Dave Heeke before agreeing on a 5-year, $300,000 total annual salary. “We’re going to build the program in the appropriate way,” Keno Davis said. “Everyone wants a ton of wins and to win championships.” Krista Davis said she was excited about the opening since Keno was so excited about it. “He was excited about it,” she said. “He took this job without seeing the community, without seeing the university. He said the athletic director is awesome; he sounds great. I like what he’s talking about it. It’s a great institution
w Watch a video of the press conference on cm-life.com. that I want to work at.” Davis was previously the head coach for three years at Providence College from 2008-11 before being fired and was the head coach at Drake the season before. He spent last year as a Big Ten Network analyst. A KENO | 2A
The new Central Michigan University men’s basketball head coach Keno Davis right, holds up a jersey presented to him by athletic director Dave Heeke Tuesday afternoon during a press conference held at McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant.
Derek Jackson couldn’t help but let out a laugh at the thought. Fast breaks, 3-pointers and dunks, something the 6-foot, 170-pound scrappy guard from Cleveland came to Central Michigan in the fall of 2010 for. But that run-and-gun style offense never materialized in his first two seasons in Mount Pleasant, compounded last month by the firing of Ernie Zeigler, the coach who recruited him. Enter Keno Davis, a fouryear head coach whose teams have ranked near the top of the nation in scoring. In 2009-10, his Providence Friars ranked third in the nation with 82.4 points per game. “I’m excited right now,” Jackson said after Davis was introduced during a Tuesday afternoon news conference. “It’s a new start, a new beginning for the program. He
has a great resume, seems like a great guy, and I’m excited for him to start and see what he’s looking for.” Jackson is so excited, in fact, he appears likely to stay and finish out his career in the maroon and gold. After word leaked Monday night about the Davis hire, he called his high school basketball coach, Al Wilson, who told him that their offense mimicked the one Davis ran at Providence. That, along with the idea he could become the leader – Trey Zeigler and Austin McBroom appear ready to leave at semester’s end – has Jackson likely staying put. “I started my career here, and I’m thinking about staying,” Jackson said. “I just want to meet him, talk to him more before I make any (final) decisions.”
A KEEL | 2A
Westboro Baptist Church returning to CMU April 23 By Justin Hicks Staff Reporter
FILE PHOTO BY ANDREW KUHN
Shirley Phelps-Roper of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka Kansas, argues with students in the Dow Science building Nov. 1, 2010. Westboro Baptist Church was invited by Associate Professor ofJournalism Dr. Timothy Boudreau to speak to his classes again in the end of April.
Associate Professor of Journalism Tim Boudreau likes to follow a tradition of inviting a controversial speaker to his classes each semester to better demonstrate an understanding of the freedom of speech. This semester, Boudreau has scheduled a return appearance for the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan. to speak on April 23. “Students are excited about having a chance to talk, discuss and debate with people who are in the news and with whom they disagree,” Boudreau said. “I might say that folks shouldn’t confuse my allowing them to speak with my endorsing what they have to say.”
Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of the church’s founder Fred Phelps, will be returning for her second visit to CMU. She first appeared on campus, along with daughters Megan and Rebekah, in November 2010. “The first time was ... wow, amazing,” Phelps-Roper said by phone Tuesday. “There was a lot of interaction and a lot of intensity, and we were very thankful for the opportunity to speak to those people. We couldn’t have asked for anything more than just that.” This time around, Shirley will be accompanied by her brother Fred Phelps Jr., daughter-in-law Jennifer Phelps-Roper and another member of the church. The family gained acknowledgment for protest-
93 Years of Serving as Central Michigan University’s Independent Voice
ing at funerals of American military members killed in combat, as well as the BBC documentary “The Most Hated Family in America.” “I bring in groups who illustrate concepts we talk about in class, and I think few groups better illustrate the limits of free expression than Westboro Baptist Church,” Boudreau said. Both of his JRN 101: Mass Communications classes are scheduled to hear from the family, as well as his JRN 404: Law of Mass Communication class. The event will be a closed class setting, though open by invitation for a small group outside those enrolled in the courses. “I’ve had people ask if their friends can come in,
A WESTBORO | 5A