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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 30, 2013 | MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH. | ISSUE NO. 29 VOL. 95
Freshman arraigned on Merrill Hall assault charges John Rubio, 18, broke into residence hall room early Sunday and attacked three women while intoxicated By Adrian Hedden Senior Reporter
Canton freshman John Rubio was arraigned Tuesday in the Isabella Trial Courthouse on sexual assault charges resulting from an incident that occurred Sunday morning in Merrill Hall. The 18-year-old was charged with one count of first-degree home invasion, criminal sexual conduct with intent of penetration, fourth-degree sexual misconduct and two counts of assault and battery. The incident occurred around
3 a.m., CMU Police said. Police were called to the scene by residence hall staff about an hour later at 4:01 a.m., according to CMUPD Lt. Cameron Wassman. Two officers arrived at 4:10, and Rubio was arrested immediately and en route to Isabella County Jail at 4:53 a.m. “By the time we arrived, some time had passed,” Wassman said. (The arrest) was within minutes. He was in custody within the hour.” After the assaults, Rubio left the room and returned to his own residency, also in Merrill, where he was later arrested.
Wassman was unable to release Rubio’s blood-alcohol content, but said the investigation showed he was intoxicated. “The information we got from the call was that a male subject, who was intoxicated, entered a person’s room,” Wassman said. “Based on what the hall staff was saying, he was noticeably intoxicated.” CMUPD will lead the investigation. Wassman said the victim and suspect did know each other, but did not believe there was “any other kind of association.” w RUBIO | 2A
Taylor Ballek | Photo Editor Canton freshman John Daniel Rubio was arraigned Tuesday morning in the Isabella County Trial Courthouse on sexual assault charges that occurred Sunday morning in Merrill Hall.
CMU to be smoke-free campus in July 2014 By Ryan Fitzmaurice Staff Reporter
Photos by Samantha Madar | Staff Photographer Holt senior Christopher Malloy holds Saline junior Sarah Polk as she leans off of a sculpture in the court yard between Anspach Hall and Pearce Hall on Sunday afternoon.
Strike a Pose CMU Dance Project spreads the art of dance using campus buildings, structures By Elizabeth Benson Staff Reporter
A new dance initiative on campus is dedicated to bringing the art of dancing to Central Michigan University, while simultaneously providing dance students with useful experiences on and off stage. The CMU Dance Project, headed by Heather Trommer-Beardslee, an artistic director for the University Theatre Dance Company, began last year when she, along with a group of dance minors, created what they
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called a “site-specific piece” that was performed in Moore Hall. “A site-specific piece is one that’s made for a certain location, so that the integrity of the piece would change if the location had changed,” Trommer-Beardslee said. “This year, we created another sitespecific piece in the gazebo by Park Library and performed that dance piece around the pond there. We have since then decided to create a new one every semester to spread the dancing all over campus.” w DANCE | 2A
St. Johns junior Kathryn Hunter, left, and Ohio senior Karen Opper pose outside of the Bovee University Center on Sunday.
Central Michigan University will institute a campus-wide tobacco free policy beginning July 1, 2014. The policy will prohibit the use of any form of tobacco on campus, including “traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes, cigars, hookahs, waterpipes, snus and snuff. Exceptions may be made for theatrical productions, as well as religious rituals, ceremonies and cultural and ethnic events. Tobacco use will be permitted only in privately owned vehicles with closed windows.” A news release explained that students who violate the policy will be “respectfully” reminded of the policy, and the university states on its website that enforcement will be shared by the CMU community in what it called a “good neighbor initiative.” It is unclear if further consequences will be enforced. University officials were unavailable for comment, but University President George Ross said in the release the move was made with health in mind. “The health and well-being of all students and employees is a top priority,” Ross said. “We want to provide everyone with a chance to attend school, live and work in a safe and healthy environment.” Under the university’s current smoke-free policy, which has been in effect since 1992, smoking is permitted outside university buildings at a minimum distance of 25 feet from any entrance or exit, air intake duct or window. Smoking is not permitted in any university building with the exception of select university apartments. w SMOKE FREE | 2A
Former CMU professor pleads ‘no contest’ for embezzlement By Adrian Hedden Senior Reporter
Former Central Michigan University psychology professor Justin Oh-Lee entered a no contest plea Monday at the Isabella Trial Court. Accused of taking money for several false research studies, Oh-Lee is facing a single charge of embezzlement between $1,000 and $20,000. Oh-Lee appeared in court with Defense Attorney Joe Barberi, and requested a 12-month prosecutorial delay, in hopes of reducing the charge, and avoiding any “possible civil ramifications.” The deal, Barberi said, was in the works for months and was finalized last week. “There is the possibility of a civil
litigation,” Barberi said. “We don’t think it will be an issue, but it could be. There has to be a reason given (for the plea).” Trial Court Judge Mark Duthie said the current felony embezzlement charge could result in five years incarceration and a $10,000 fine. Instead of asking Oh-Lee to describe his crimes, Duthie reviewed an affidavit before the proceedings. “I’m satisfied in my own mind that there is a factual basis to conclude that you are guilty,” Duthie said. “I will treat this as a plea of guilty for sentencing purposes. You made the plea in a voluntary manner. It was knowingly made.” w EMBEZZLEMENT | 2A
Adrian Hedden | Senior Reporter Former CMU psychology professor Justin Oh-Lee sits in court Monday morning over charges of embezzling money from the university.
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