Jan. 30, 2012

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LIFE CENTRAL MICHIGAN

MHTV gives broadcasting students opportunity for real-world experience, 3A

Central Michigan University

| Monday, Jan. 30, 2012

[ I N S I D E] w Mount Pleasant heats up with 21st Night of Louisiana, 5A w Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe opposes planned casino in Lansing, 5A w Indian night brings 500 to Plachta, 6A w Medical amnesty bill supported by local representative; heading to the House of Representatives, 6A

[cm-life.com]

Three more units endorse vote of no confidence

Eight departments now support A-Senate decision By Catey Traylor Senior Reporter

Eight departments have now endorsed the Dec. 6 vote of no confidence against University President George Ross and Provost Gary Shapiro. The Biology Department voted to support Academic Senate’s vote of no confidence last Tuesday, and the Department of Journalism and the Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development voted last Friday. This makes a total of eight departments that have endorsed the vote. The Department of Journalism also voted against the Faculty Association’s decision to withhold vote totals after their Jan. 12 contract ratification. “In a separate vote, the department’s personnel committee — tenured and tenure-track faculty — unanimously object-

ed to FA’s refusal to release the vote totals on the recent contract,” said Associate Professor of Journalism Tim Boudreau in an email. In addition to a unanimous vote of support, the Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development passed a resolution. Faculty member Norma Bailey said the resolution was outlined in an email to Central Michigan Life on Friday. “We direct our chairperson to forward the resolution to the Board of Trustees with our call that its concerns be addressed,” the resolution states. “We also give the authority to our chair to support such a measure when this matter is discussed and/or voted on at the Council of Chairs.” Biology Department Chairman Stephen Roberts said the department endorsed the motion to support the vote of no confidence after being introduced by Phil Hertzler at a recent staff meeting.

By Justin Hicks Staff Reporter

Two of the Office of Information Technology’s largest projects this academic year are beginning to grow in popularity, according to the January OIT update. One project, the virtual lab, can be downloaded to the computer of any Central Michigan University student, allowing them to access the software in on-campus labs from any location in the world. Software available via the virtual lab includes Microsoft Office and Adobe Design Premium CS5, which would normally cost more than $2,000 combined. “I think it’s awesome, and it’s going to help me a lot for what I want to get done with school and on the side,” Westland freshman Amy Hein said.

back to

A VOTE | 2A

Two technology projects increasing in popularity Virtual lab, printing kiosks seeing more use

PHOTOS BY BRAD LOWE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Jeff Kline, Flushing junior and Student Activity Center employee, swipes Central Michigan students’ ID cards as they arrive on Sunday afternoon.

New year fitness rush continues; average visits jump 50 percent from January to March

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Hein is a graphic design major who said she looks forward to using Photoshop and Illustrator for different projects. Adding this virtual lab for the ease of students cost CMU about $100,000 last summer, according to a previously published story by Central Michigan Life. Along with the software, students can also use the virtual lab to print to one of the kiosks on campus. “The intention is to get rid of the restrictions of only being able to use PrintQ from specific physical locations, like our physical public labs,” IT Vice President Roger Rehm said. Two print stations were introduced in the Charles V. Park Library in October 2011, and more recently, stations were installed in the Bovee University Center, Grawn Hall student Lounge and the Wo l d t / E m m o n s / Fa b i a n o lobby. A TECH | 2A

By Catey Traylor | Senior Reporter

etween New Year’s resolutions and spring break weight loss goals, the Student Activity Center has been the busiest it will be all year in the past three weeks. On average, 2,000 people visit the SAC daily, but between the months of January and March, the average number of people per day jumps to about 3,000. It takes 250 student employees to operate the SAC on a daily basis. Building Supervisor and Fitness Specialist Robbie Williams has worked at the SAC for five years and said the increase in visitors happens yearly. “Typically, we’re really busy in the fall when everyone gets back to school. After about a month or so, it mellows out a lot,” he said. “Once everyone gets back from Christmas break though, it’s the busiest time of the year. For two to three solid months, the SAC is packed.” With so many people frequenting the SAC, equipment maintenance is essential. “We have a phenomenal

equipment maintenance team. They check every piece of equipment each night and make repairs immediately,” said Jennifer Nottingham, director of programs and administration at University Recreation. “Vendors are amazed at the life we get out of our products, and it’s largely thanks to the maintenance.” Nottingham said equipment is replaced approximately every three years.

Student volunteers feed the homeless By Mike Nichols Staff Reporter

DETROIT — Homeless stomachs in Detroit were filled this weekend thanks to a collaboration of college volunteers. Students from Central Michigan University, Mid Michigan Community College and Ferris State University traveled to Detroit on Saturday to pass out bagged lunches and winter clothing to people living on the streets. The students volunteer with Homeless Outreach Ministry Equipping, a Midwest nonprofit aimed at helping provide for the homeless. In Mount Pleasant, they meet through His House Christian Fellowship. Nikki Steffes, a Grand Blanc

Grand Rapids sophomore Sydney Larosa uses a sitting press machine on Sunday afternoon.

“We always try to have the best machines for our students,” Williams said. “We’re constantly looking at the most up-to-date things and we try to be conscious of what the latest trends are.” Each machine costs between $2,500 and $3,000, and the SAC houses between $150,000 and $200,000 worth of equipment. “Due to the usage, we always get the most high-end

A SAC | 2A

W O R K- S T U D Y

Program receives 500K cash infusion

CM-LIFE.COM w Visit the website for a video

By David Oltean Senior Reporter

junior and His House member, organizes the volunteers. “We meet at His House one Friday a month to bag lunches and gather clothing donations,” she said. “Normally, we bag anywhere from 200 to 250 lunches.” After prepping on Friday, a total of 17 volunteers carpooled on Saturday morning to Detroit. In 20-degree weather with a chilling wind speed of 15 miles-per-hour, the volunteers ventured down the streets surrounding Cass Park in search of people who might need food and warm clothing. “We met two guys ... one was probably a little drunk, but

machines,” Nottingham said. “We take pride staying up to date with what students are looking to do.” Director of Facilities Operation at University Recreation Demond Pryor handles equipment replacement and said each machine is inspected carefully before being replaced. “Whether we replace a piece is dependent on usage of the machine and the user

VICTORIA ZEGLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A homeless Detroit resident examines a felt fabric sports scarf given to him by members of His House Christian Fellowship Saturday morning in downtown Detroit. Most of the clothing items were donated to the church, while some had been made especially for the occasion.

he was entertaining,” Mount Pleasant junior Victoria Wawrzyniak-Fry said. “We got to talk to him and give him some food and some jackets and stuff.” Wawrzyniak-Fry has been on multiple trips, and she said one of the hardest parts of volunteering is witnessing suf-

fering. She has seen homeless people with mutilated faces, on crutches and in wheelchairs. She said there have been times when the situation turned threatening. A DETROIT | 2A

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

Central Michigan University’s work-study program offered more than 200 additional jobs to students this year after receiving an additional $500,000 in funding from the university. The 2011-12 school year began with more than 1,400 students enrolled in workstudy, which generally accounts for a third of CMU’s student work force. Previous contributions to the program usually amounted to about $600,000, making this year’s extra $500,000 from university administration a substantial increase. Jon Goodwin, manager

of Student Employment Services, said the average pay for students involved in the work-study program is about $7.90 per hour. Goodwin said some of the biggest employers in the work-study program include University Recreation, Facilities Management, the Charles V. Park Library and labs throughout the university. Goodwin said the additional funding has given an increase to the program unseen in recent years, though the number of students enrolled is hard to estimate, as the number fluctuates throughout the school year.

A CASH | 2A


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