Tablets |
Actor Verne Troyer visits campus for CMU Disabilities Awarness Week, 3A
Find out what technology will compete with the iPad, 1B
Central Michigan Life
Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
[cm-life.com]
CMU looks to hire architect for North Campus rebuild By Tony Wittkowski Staff Reporter
CMU is looking at architects for plans to completely rebuild North Campus residence halls. Originally, the dining, fitness and recreation space of the buildings were to be renovated, along with a small convenience store. The buildings are each more than 50 years old. “If we are going to do anything, we are going to rebuild,” said Joan Schmidt, associate director of Residence Life. “It is going to be really expensive to just renew the inside.” The buildings being rebuilt include the north quads and Barnes Hall. There are two phases in the process of rebuilding, which includes the campus master plan set to be in place in 2011. Prior to the change in plans from renovating to rebuilding, CMU already had an architect in mind, said Shaun
Holtgreive, also associate director of Residence Life. “There are preliminary discussions right now,” Holtgreive said. “When we looked at the estimate the architect showed us, we took a step back and re-estimated.” The cost for CMU to renovate North Campus was estimated to be around $20 million. Given the ages of the halls, renewing the dining and recreational space was considered to be a waste of money, Holtgreive said. “They’re functionally obsolete,” he said. “It really wouldn’t have an impact.” Early plans for rebuilding North Campus are set to be completed by next April based off the master plan, said Linda Slater, director of plant engineering and planning. “We are in the process of developing (the campus master plan),” she said. “It is not yet finalized.” A North | 2A
By Sherri Keaton Staff Reporter
Minority enrollment at CMU has increased from last year’s numbers. The number of black students on campus has risen from 790 in 2009 to 889 this year, according to statistics from the registrar’s office. Other minorities have also seen an increase. However, the number of white students has grown from 17,028 to 17,514 — a proportional decrease from 83.3 to 82.2 percent — in the same span of time. Kevin Williams, associate director of minority enrollment, said CMU staff members go to many underrepresented areas around the state to recruit students every year, but the challenge is not always about finding them.
Barracks to Books Former Marine begins college life at age 22
Minority enrollment up from fall 2009 Native Americans, Asians still least represented groups
Ashley Miller/staff photographer
After being stationed in North Carolina for four years and serving in Iraq as a Marine for eight months, St. Ignace sophomore Mike Green is now a full-time student at CMU. “I’ve always wanted to be a Chippewa,” Green said.
By Ryan Taljonick | Senior Reporter
“This is one of the most segregated states in the nation,” he said. “If you want to find underrepresented students, you have to go to where they reside.” Total undergraduate enrollment increased from 20,444 to 21,290 between fall 2009 and this semester. Though the percentage of white students has decreased, several minority percentages, including those for Native American, Asian and Hispanic students, have proportionally risen on campus. Williams attributed the increase of minority students to high school visitations, summer programs and community efforts. Betty Wagner, director of Admissions, said it takes a large number of people to make the outreach programs work while retaining students. “One of the things that is incredibly important is the faculty and staff,” Wagner said. Native Americans and Asians remain the two smallest A minority | 2A
M
ike Green said the strangest part of his college experience is being in complete control of his life — and his hair length. After serving a four-year contract in the U.S. Marine Corps and eight months in Iraq, the St. Ignace sophomore is ready to hit the books. “I really enjoy growing my hair out — I missed it a lot,” Green said. “I get a lot of funny looks for saying I’m a 22year-old (first-year student). Military life often is erratic. It’s kind of strange now that life is a little more predictable.” Green said he decided on the military while he was in high school because he is competitive and enjoys physical activity. He joined the Marines in June 2006. “I always kind of pictured myself in the military,” he said. “I like to challenge myself and one-up people. I got the impression that the Marines was the elite service branch. I wanted to be a part of that.” Green’s mother Ann Smith said she was not very happy with her son’s decision at first. “When he was in the service, I just tried not to think
about it when he was over in Iraq,” she said. “I knew there was nothing I could do about it, I just hoped for the best.” A month after his high school graduation, Green began his boot camp training. Green said he struggled at times, but grew accustomed to the grueling training and physical fitness the Marine Corps requires. “They throw a lot at you,” he said. “I took it on the chin — I just rolled with it pretty much.”
Paige Calamari/staff photographer
Mackinaw City senior Callan Martin, left, and St. Ignace sophomore Mike Green play a game of ladder golf Wednesday afternoon at Green’s home on West Lyons Street.
Green, a Corporal in Company D, 2nd Tank Batallion, 2nd Marine Division, was deployed to the Middle East just ten months after boot camp. He was in Iraq from Oct. 2007 to May 2008, completing missions through two phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom, often as the machine gunner for a truck in his convoy. “The first realization of being there was kind of scary. It was all of a sudden like, ‘alright, it’s game on’,” he said. “It showed me the real reason
why we were there, and that is to help.” He said his company did a lot of humanitarian work and a lot of security work when buildings were being rebuilt.
Going home In retrospect, Smith said her son made a great choice. Because of the Marines, he will be able to pay for college — something she could not afford to help him do.
A Marine | 2A
‘Sober in October’ raises drunk driving awareness Month to include mock-bar crawl, car crash scene By Heather Hillman Senior Reporter
joe tobianski/staff photographer
Wixom senior Kimberly Ivey does the heel-to-toe sobriety test given by CMU Police Officer Jeff Ballard. Ivey is wearing goggles that would give the vision of someone who would havea high blood alcohol level.
October is a time of changing colors, creepy costumes and, now, a few very sobering lessons. Sober in October, a series of events focusing on alcohol abuse awareness, kicked off the month with its first event Tuesday at the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium.
POLICE LOG
facebook.com/cmlife TALK WITH US: Should marijuana dispensories be considered legal?
Keep up with crime and accidents near you with the site’s map under extras
cm-life.com
About 80 students attended the free event sponsored by Phi Sigma Pi and Students Against Drunk Driving, which focused on drunk driving prevention. Wixom senior Bryan Page, president of Phi Sigma Pi, said this is the third year the group has helped put on Sober in October along with SADD. “I think the sad reality is that drunk driving is very prevalent, especially in a college town,” Page said. “Whether they get caught or not, we all know people who drink and drive. We do this
event to raise more awareness about this issue.” During the presentation, CMU Police Officer Jeff Ballard educated attendees about the laws, sobriety tests and penalties involved with drinking and driving. Two representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and CMU students shared testimonies about how drunk driving impacted them to help people better understand how severe the consequences can be. During the last week of October, Clarkston senior Lauren Elias, vice president
of SADD, said the group will pair with Delta Phi Epsilon to put on a mock-drunk driving car crash. During the reenactment a car that was actually involved in a drunk driving accident will be brought in, actors will pretend to play the victims and real police officers will be present. “It’s to bring awareness to such a serious issue we sometimes overlook,” Elias said. “People often don’t understand how frequently A Sober | 2A
FOOTBALL POSTER, 6A Senior wide receiver Kito Poblah