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SEEING INTO THE FUTURE FUTURE: Psychic fair brings students out for readings » PAGE 3A
MISSING PERSONS:
Police on the lookout for Shepherd man with mental disorders » PAGE 5A
cm-life.com
Monday, Feb. 18, 2013
THE MAN WHO PACES
WISE WORDS
Flint junior DaRron Johnson balances being a cheerleader, volunteer high school coach » PAGE 3A
Former U-M coach Lloyd Carr talks history at sports management conference » PAGE 6A
CMU has added more than 500 cameras in 8 years at cost of $250K By Tony Wittkowski Senior Reporter
Editor’s note: This story is the first of several stories on surveillance cameras on campus. Pick up Wednesday’s print edition for a VIBE section devoted to surveillance cameras and privacy. Central Michigan University has added 546 surveillance cameras in the last eight years across campus, and more installations are in sight. Over the past four years especially, the university has seen a
significant spike in the number of cameras on campus, which the CMU Police Department argues are crucial to campus safety. “When I first came here, there were about 300 cameras, and now four years later, we are over 500,” CMU police chief Bill Yeagley said. “I like the commitment, and I like how we are using them.” Yeagley said the cameras are not monitored every hour of every day, but police still have the capability to pull up different cameras at different times to view. “What they cost electricity-wise,
I don’t have a clue, but my thought is as soon as we turn it off, we miss something we needed that camera to capture,” he said. No one is specifically in charge of viewing the monitors all the time because it is handled by Central Dispatch and other officers, Yeagley said. The areas identified by police as having a high volume of people have more cameras, such as the residence halls, Park Library, Bovee University Center, Kelly/ Shorts Stadium and the Student Activity Center.
When the university first started investing in surveillance cameras, administrators visited other schools that utilized cameras, such as Western Michigan University and Jackson Public Schools. “When we started talking about doing more with cameras, we visited several campuses that were using cameras more than we were at that time,” Vice President of Information Technology Roger Rehm said. “The use of cameras has grown dramatically, because people who manage buildings
Third armed robbery
understand that there is real value to having the cameras there.” The most recent camera installations took place at the UC, and parking lots appear to be next. “We are trying to add more to parking lots, not because of the volume of people, but because the incidents of a lot of vehicles being parked there,” Yeagley said. When cameras were first installed, Rehm wanted to stick with the same brand of camera for continuity. A CAMERAS| 2A
VP for enrollment: Spring decline ‘relative’ to last year By Justin Hicks Senior Reporter
PHOTOS BY JEFFREY SMITH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A Michigan State Police K9 unit investigates the scene of an armed robbery that occurred at approximately 4:35 p.m. Sunday at the Next Door Food Store and Marathon, 1324 W. High St.
Mount Pleasant gas station held up at gunpoint Sunday afternoon By Tony Wittkowski | Senior Reporter The third in a string of armed robberies over the weekend in Mount Pleasant was reported Sunday afternoon at a gas station at the corner of High and Adams streets. At 4:53 p.m. Sunday, Central Michigan University issued another Central Alert, reporting a male with a handgun stole $200 from the mart before leaving the area on foot. The Mount Pleasant Police Department said in a news release that this most recent robbery might be connected to the two that happened Saturday. “Due to the similarities of the
recent robberies, we believe they could be related,” the release reads. The robbery occurred at the Next Door Food Store and Marathon gas station, 1324 W. High St., off the intersection of Adams Street, next to Isabella Bank. “There was a guy who came in with dark clothes, picked up an item like he was going to buy it and presented a handgun,” Mount Pleasant Police Department Detective David Sabuda said at the scene. Police urge anyone with information to contact Central Dispatch at 989-773-1000, and if anyone wishes to be report anonymously, they can call the Mount Pleasant Tip Line at 989-779-9111. A ROBBERY| 2A
Two Michigan State Police officers and a K9 unit investigates the scene of an armed robbery that occurred at approximately 4:35 p.m. Sunday at the Next Door Food Store and Marathon, 1324 W. High St.
Retention rates between the fall 2012 and spring 2013 semesters at Central Michigan University are consistent with recent years, despite a continued decline in enrollment. Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services Steven Johnson said the spring enrollment figures released last week weren’t a surprise. Total on-campus undergraduate enrollment fell 3.6 percent, while freshman enrollment dropped 15 percent. That is an even steeper drop-off than enrollment numbers from fall 2012, which recorded freshman enrollment declining 12.4 percent from the fall 2011 semester. “The numbers as reported were expected based on the number of first-time students who enrolled at CMU for fall 2012, and retention rates remain relatively the same over the last several years,” he said via email. Johnson called the downward trend “relative,” pointing out the 91-percent retention rate between the fall and spring semesters. In 2012, the retention rate between semesters was 91.2 percent. According to spring on-campus enrollment numbers obtained Tuesday, sophomore enrollment dropped almost 8.6 percent, while junior and senior enrollment increased by 3.7 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively. “The current spring 2013 numbers for sophomores reflects primarily students who started in fall 2011 — a class that was 335 students smaller than fall 2010,” Johnson said. “The comparable sophomore class of spring 2012 reflects a difference of 340 students.” The current junior class was CMU’s largest incoming class, which Johnson said makes the upperclassman numbers expected as well. Johnson also attributed the upperclassman enrollment to the new assistant director of transfer student services position and increased advising services. A ENROLLMENT| 2A
Polar Plunge raises money for Special Olympics By Adriana Cotero Staff Reporter
Below freezing temperatures and 34 degree water weren’t enough to stop more than 150 people from supporting Special Olympics Michigan Saturday. The 13th annual CMU Polar Plunge was held at Rose Pond across from the Student Activity Center. It is tradition for participants to be in costume as they jump into the water, and this year costumes ranged from 1980s fitness instructors to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Proceeds from the event are donated to the fund that makes Special Olympics Michigan possible. The statewide goal is to raise $1 million. First-time jumpers and Ontonagon
seniors Hannah Axley and Lauren Siren supported the cause, dressed as owls. “In the future, I will be working within the special needs field, and I love how this cause supports it,” Siren said. “Which is why when Hannah asked me to do the Polar Plunge with her, it didn’t take much convincing.” CMU alum Melissa Kleiman has a close connection with the cause. She works in special education at the Clare-Gladwin school district. Kleiman plunged dressed as Miss America hand-in-hand with one of her students, who dressed as a cheerleader. “The water was freezing; it felt like pins and needles, but it was totally worth it,” Kleiman said. “I will definitely do it next year. It’s for a great
Check out a photo gallery of the Polar Plunge on cm-life.com
cause, and everyone is in good spirit.” Although the plunge left participants freezing, Florida sophomore Priscilla Black said she had a feeling of satisfaction swept over her after she jumped. “It was definitely worth it,” she said. “I admire the Special Olympics very much … They are champions, and this is a great way to do something for them.” studentlife@cm-life.com
CHUCK MILLER/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mount Pleasant junior Emily Bigard enters the freezing cold waters of Rose Pond utside the Student Activity Center Saturday afternoon to help raise money for Special Olympics of Michigan. Participants paid $75 to take the plunge.
allnight@cmich.edu allnight@cmich.edu allnight@cmich.edu RUDY DDYY CURRENCE | PHOTOBOOTHS Saturday, Feb. 23 Saturday, Feb. 23 Saturday, Feb. 23 989-774-3016JIMMY989-774-3016 989-774-3016 JOHNS | PIXIE | RED BULL cmich.orgsync.com/allnight 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. cmich.orgsync.com/allnight 11 p.m. cmich.orgsync.com/allnight 11 p.m. to 3toa.m.3 a.m. MUSIC PERFORMANCES | INFL INFLAAT ATABLES TABLES FREE for students | PIZZA KING FREE for| MONSTER students FREE for students STREETSIGNS Student Activity Center Student Activity Center Center Student Activity $5 for public GLOW BOWLING |BINGO & MORE! $5 for public $5 for public