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cm-life.com
Friday, Feb. 22, 2013
HOMECOMING
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CMU in court battle with former professor over sabbatical pay Ross, Shapiro, dean named in suit filed in federal court By Aaron McMann Editor-in-Chief
A former geology professor at Central Michigan University and her husband, a former student and
leader in slapping University President George Ross and Provost Gary Shapiro with a vote of “no confidence” last spring, are embroiled in a court battle with university administrators over money both sides say is owed to them. Kathleen Benison, a former professor of geology, and her husband, Christopher Benison, a former student at CMU, filed a lawsuit against Ross, Shapiro and Ian Davison, dean of the College of Science and Technology, in U.S. District Court in Bay
City on Nov. 28, seeking more than $75,000 in costs and lost pay. In the complaint, obtained Wednesday by Central Michigan Life, Kathleen alleges Davison wrongfully denied her a promotional salary supplemental pay increase of $7,250, and Ross and Shapiro shot down several appeals made during her spring 2012 sabbatical because of her relationship to Christopher, a student and active member of the Academic Senate. Amid heated contract negotia-
tions between CMU and its Faculty Association in fall 2011, Christopher Benison launched the registered student organization Students for Faculty and was one of two academic senators to initiate a “no confidence” vote against Ross and Shapiro that was endorsed by several departments on campus. In the complaint, the Benisons allege Ross, Shapiro and Davison, who publicly supported the president and provost, “retaliated ... because of his decision to seek and promote a vote
Provost search draws about 30 candidates
A LAWSUIT | 2
RIGHT-TO-WORK
CMU rejects requests to extend union contracts
By Brianna Owczarzak Staff Reporter
Central Michigan University’s search for the next provost is in the final recruitment stages. Parker Executive Search, an Atlanta-based search firm hired by CMU in January for $70,000, announced in a news release Thursday advertisements have been placed and applications are being accepted for the person to replace Provost Gary Shapiro when he resigns at the end of the semester. The search firm has contacted professionals from public and private institutions, along with leaders of academic associations to determine recommendations for the position. Laurie Wilder, executive vice president and managing director of Parker Executive Gary Shapiro Search, said in the release almost 30 candidates have applied. The search committee will schedule interviews with candidates in early March, with the interviews to be held later that month. On-campus interviews will take place within the first two weeks of April, and the university hopes to make an offer on the position by the end of April. Shapiro announced in September he was resigning at the end of the 2012-13 academic school year, taking a year off and then returning to CMU to teach in 2014. Shapiro has held the position for three years and has been an employee at CMU since 1978. The provost is the secondhighest ranked administrator at the university and is responsible for the university’s academic division. Wilder said the search committee will still accept nomination letters and recommendations from the campus community.
of ‘no confidence’.” Kathleen received a pay supplement in fall 2008 after being promoted from associate professor to professor, said attorney Brad Glazier of Bos & Glazier, P.L.C., a Lansing-based law firm representing the Benisons. Glazier said Benison is not aware of anyone in the geology department who has been turned down for a pay supplement in the past.
By Theresa Clift Staff Reporter
BROOKE MAYLE/ ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
The Subway armed robbery suspect, Vincent Miguel Belmarez listens as he is charged with four counts involving armed robbery, felonious assault and firearms charges before Judge Paul Chamberlain via video arraignment at the Isabella County Courthouse, 200 N. Main St.
Subway armed robbery suspect arraigned on four charges Police not saying if Vincent Miguel Belmarez was involved in other robberies By Tony Wittkowski | Senior Reporter
The suspect arrested Wednesday in connection to the armed robbery at the 203 N. Mission St. Subway restaurant Sunday was arraigned Thursday before Judge Paul Chamberlain and had his bond set at $950,000. Vincent Miguel Belmarez, 28, was charged with four counts involving armed robbery, felonious assault and firearms charges before Chamberlain at the Isabella County Courthouse, 200 N. Main St., via video arraignment. “If you violate a condition on release, they will be revoked with new additions applied if you are found in contempt of this court,” Chamberlain said. Some of the bond conditions of his release included no contact with the female Subway employee he allegedly assaulted or the business by telephone or through a third party. Belmarez has also been prohibited from purchasing a firearm. The four counts were set at
$500,000, $200,000, $150,000 and $100,000, in that respective order, with a combination of 16 years in prison at minimum if convicted. The counts ranged from carrying a fire arm at the time to commit a felony, assault with a dangerous weapon and owning a firearm while ineligible after a previous conviction. Chamberlain said Belmarez was previously convicted for possession of marijuana, which made him ineligible to own a firearm at all. Isabella County Prosecutor Risa Scully was present for the arraignment as Belmarez asked for counsel provided by the court. Belmarez said he could
not afford his own attorney because he was laid off and had no source of income. Chamberlain set the preliminary examination for 8:15 a.m. Feb. 28. No further information has been released in regards to the motive or how Belmarez was discovered because it is still an ongoing investigation, said Mount Pleasant police Public Information Officer Jeff Thompson. In a news release sent out by Mount Pleasant police, the other three armed robberies that took place in the city limits of Mount Pleasant are still under investigation. The first robbery that occurred at the Next Door Food Store, 2025 E. Remus Road, is under investigation by the Michigan State Police. The release raised the possibility of additional charges to come after Thursday’s arraignment. Belmarez has previously been charged in Isabella County with having an open intoxicant in 2009 and driving with a suspended license in December.
A ROBBERIES | 2
Less than six weeks before the state’s right-to-work law takes effect, Central Michigan University rejected requests from two campus unions looking to add security clauses to their contracts that would keep members paying dues for several years. Contracts ratified after the law takes effect March 28 will make union dues optional for members. The Faculty Association, comprised of about 650 tenure and tenure-track faculty, requested to engage in bargaining with the goal of adding a security clause. “We were proposing (a clause) lasting up to 10 years, but nothing was set,” FA President Laura Frey said. “We were willing to sit down and discuss what would have been reasonable, but we were not given the opportunity to engage in that.” The FA’s contract, ratified last January after more than five months of negotiations and a oneday strike, will expire in June 2014. Earlier this month, CMU’s chapter of the AFSCME union for maintenance and custodial workers also filed a request for a security clause in their contract, which expires June 30, 2014, said Kevin Smart, director of employee relations. The proposed agreement would keep members paying dues until June 30, 2022, Smart said. In a statement to faculty and staff Wednesday, the university said it will reject all such requests by unions on campus in order to “comply with the intent of the law.” “CMU has reviewed the requests and concluded the outcomes of the proposals, while not illegal, would prevent employees from exercising their rights under Michigan’s new right-to-work legislation,” Provost Gary Shapiro said Wednesday in an email issued to staff obtained by Central Michigan Life. The Graduate Student Union began bargaining Feb. 15 on a new contract that will go into effect July 1 and is subject to the right-to-work laws. A CONTRACT | 2
university@cm-life.com
President Ross: ‘We’re still a very safe campus ... I stand by that’ By John Irwin Managing Editor
FILE PHOTO BY TRISHA UMPFENBACH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
President George Ross answers questions during the president’s report at the Academic Senate meeting on Jan. 15 in Pearce Hall.
University President George Ross said he is confident the campus remains safe, despite the recent string of armed robberies and other crimes in recent months. “We live in a society that does not make this campus immune,” Ross said during a meeting with Central Michigan Life. “But if you look at the overall crime statistics for this campus, we’re still a very safe campus. I stand by that.” Ross said the string of five armed robberies earlier in the week in Mount Pleasant and Union Township, in addition to the January abduction and sexual assault of a Grand Rapids senior, make him concerned for students’ safety. “(The robberies) didn’t hap-
pen on campus,” he said. “(They) happened near campus, though. I’m concerned, but probably no more concerned than the mayor of Mount Pleasant, or the police in Mount Pleasant and probably no more concerned than (Isabella County) Sheriff (Leo) Mioduszewski.” Ross said he will continue to have police and university officials review policies in the case of emergency or threats to campus safety. “We’re under constant review,” he said. “There are discussions about our police patrols on campus, about the lighting grid, about blue lights, about our Safe Rides escort program, about Central Alert.” As previously reported by CM Life, the Safe Rides program saw its ridership numbers double in the wake of the abduction incident.
“(Safe Rides) provides another opportunity for our campus community to be safe and is designed for individuals to not have to walk across campus in any danger,” CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley said last month. Ross reiterated that campus safety remains his top priority as president. “If one thing keeps me up at night, it’s potential harm to students and faculty on this campus,” he said. “But, we live in the real world.” As reported by CM Life, Vincent Miguel Belmarez, 28, was arraigned Thursday on charges stemming from the Sunday robbery of the Subway restaurant located at 203 N. Mission St. Police are still investigating the other four robberies. A ROSS | 2