levin | U.s. congressman speaking sunday, 3A |Guevara Women’s basketball coach settles down at CMU, 1B
Homeless| Students spend 24 hours living in boxes, 3A
Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
Central Michigan Life
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
[cm-life.com]
Kennedy links energy with economic growth Plachta nearly full as RFK Jr. preaches carbon elimination By Ryan Czachorski Staff Reporter
Robert Kennedy Jr. told a nearly-full Plachta Auditorium Thursday night we are living in a “science-fiction nightmare.” His speech covered a wide range of topics, from mercury-poisoned fish to the need for a national grid to supply our nation with alternative energy sources. “We need a grid that can intelligently deploy solar (power) at night and wind during the day,” he said. Kennedy was named one of TIME magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet” for his success in helping environmental watchdog organization Riverkeeper lead the fight to restore the Hudson
River. He was brought to CMU by the Speaker Series for $35,000. Kennedy said eliminating people’s carbon needs and developing alternative energy sources would lead to an explosion of economic growth. He cited similar cases in Iceland, Sweden, Costa Rica and Brazil. “We don’t need to abolish carbon to discover that our addiction to it is the principal drag on our economy,” he said. California recently made its energy more efficient, Kennedy said. Now, California uses 6,000 kilowatt hours of energy a year in electricity and other forms of energy, while Michigan more than doubles that number at 13,000 kilowatt hours a year. The Great Plains and prairie states can provide the wind power, and southwestern states can provide the solar power to run the country. But the nation needs a grid that can stretch across the nation and use these types of energy. “This is not about the destruction of
SEE THE VIDEO Check cm-life.com for a video from Robert Kennedy Jr.’s speech on energy-saving tactics. the environment,” he said. “It’s about the subversion of American democracy. Today, we’re going to be building things that provide prosperity.” The Kennedy name Students and Mount Pleasant residents alike came out to hear Kennedy’s speech. Fruitport graduate student Gabe Kuchar said he liked Kennedy’s style, as he cracked jokes and went off track occasionally. “He was up there talking and didn’t seem to have a structure,” he said. “It was good. He had ideas, but could go off on tangents to tell a story and help his argument.”
jeff smith/staff photographer
Robert Kennedy Jr. speaks about the environment and creating a national marketplace for energy A robert kennedy jr. | 2A Thursday in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium.
Non-tenured faculty looking to unionize
a q u i c k tri p to c am p u s
FA supporting adjuncts; no contact made to university By Lonnie Allen Staff Reporter
jake may/staff photographer
Gov. Jennifer Granholm, left, answers questions about the future of the Michigan Promise Scholarship standing next to Interim University President Kathy Wilbur and Rep. Bill Caul, R-Mount Pleasant, Thursday at the Charles V. Park Library. Granholm discussed her goals for the Michigan Promise Thursday morning to a standing room only crowd in the library auditorium.
granholm: promise ‘doable’ Governor calls for bipartisan rally around higher-ed funding By Carisa Seltz and Lonnie Allen Staff Reporters
C
ameron Hunt came to hear Gov. Jennifer Granholm speak Thursday because he wanted to hear why his parents were losing $12,000 toward their children’s education. “Next fall, my parents will have three kids going to college,” the Fraser sophomore said. “I’m still not sure if my mom even realizes the money is gone.” Hunt was happy with Granholm’s message calling on everyone to unify around the Michigan Promise Scholarship no matter what political party or back-
ground they represent. “This is not a partisan issue,” Granholm told mostly-student crowd of 150 in the Charles V. Park Library. “This is an issue about what makes sense for Michigan’s future. There are Democrats and Republicans that want to see this scholarship restored.” Granholm spoke for approximately 11 minutes amid several speakers, including interim University President Kathy Wilbur, Student Government Association Vice President Brittany Mouzourakis and College Democrats President Brad O’Donnell. what needs to be done? The Michigan Promise,
LIVE STREAM Thursday’s speech played LIVE on cm-life.com — see the recap online. a state-sponsored scholarship that provided $4,000 to students attending at least a two-year institution, was cut from the state budget this year. To reinstate it, Granholm wants to slow a credit increase for the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit. “No one is asking for a general tax increase — no one is asking for significant sacrifice,” she said. The state Senate signaled it supports the revenue, Granholm said, although it has not linked it to the
Promise Scholarship. Granholm pledged to continue fighting to restore funding for the Michigan Promise. She said the scholarship corresponds with her goal of doubling the number of college graduates in Michigan and encourages students to contact their senators and representatives. “We cannot allow the naysayers to say it can’t be done. This is doable,” she said. Wilbur said CMU is aligned with Granholm in doubling Michigan’s college graduates. “We are determined to do that,” she said. “We work at A granholm | 2A
The Michigan Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers Michigan are seeking to organize with Central Michigan University’s non-tenured faculty. The hope is, at the end, one will represent the group in collective bargaining with the administration. “(Non-tenured faculty) need to determine what will be the best course of action for them,” said Tim Brannan, Faculty Association president. “We support them fully in any attempt to organize.” Brannan said the suggestion was made by the FA to look at the MEA but, in the end, it is ul-
timately their choice on which one they choose. “This is a very important step,” he said. “If they organize, it will put them in a better place.” There are 220 full-time nontenured faculty and 208 parttime non-tenured faculty at CMU, said Ann Miller, director of Faculty Employment and Compensation, in a previous interview.
CMU: No problem Steve Smith, director of public relations, said the administration is aware of the non-tenured faculty’s attempt to organize. However, since there has been no contact by any representative, he could not comment directly on the issue, but said working with them should not be a problem. “We have several collective bargaining units on campus,” Smith said. “We always worked A faculty | 2a
December graduation speakers finalized Trustees will decide Kelly/Shorts Stadium speaker in January By Kelli Ameling Staff Reporter
December graduates will hear their last words as Central Michigan University students from the CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a vice president of a communications company or an Oakland County executive. The Dec. 12 commencement will consist of ceremonies at 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Rose Arena. D a n i e l Loepp, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield Daniel Loepp of Michigan, will speak at the 9:30 a.m. ceremony. Mary Kramer, vice president and publisher of Crain Communications, is
speaking at the 1:30 p.m. ceremony and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson is scheduled for Mary Kramer 5 p.m. Director of Public Relations Steve Smith said the Board of Trustees can suggest speakers out of those earning honorary degrees. Smith said the submissions for guest L. Brooks Patterson speakers also can come from faculty, staff, students and board members. “Really, anyone can submit for consideration,” Smith said. When it comes down to who will speak at this December’s commencement ceremonies, the Board of Trustees will go by an agenda.
WHO IS CMU FOOTBALL’S
A speakers | 2A
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