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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL:
Defeats Bowling Green in 81-48 in Cleveland opener, advances to MAC semifinals » PAGE 1B
MOUNT PLEASANT:
Trial for Kayla Bonkowski,accused of poisoning roommate, delayed until April » April PAGE 3A
cm-life.com
Friday, Mar. 15, 2013
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
‘A LOT OF UNKNOWN’
Nana Schulz showcases variety of art, recalls incident in Germany » PAGE 7A
Keno Davis reflects on first season as CMU basketball head coach » PAGE 1B
Reimers, Schuler running for student government president By Ryan Fitzmaurice Senior Reporter
The two Student Government Association presidential candidates are bringing two different philosophies to their respective platforms. Saginaw junior Marie Reimers and Center Line graduate student Jonathan Schuler are both running for the SGA candidacy for next year. At Reimers’ side will be her vice presidential nominee and Crosswell senior Patrick O’Connor. Schuler will be running with Westland graduate assistant Darby Hollis. While Reimers will run on a specific platform centered around equality and environmental concerns, Schuler doesn’t believe bringing personal projects to the presidency is a part of the position. “I like a lot of Reimer’s ideas; I think are all good things to do,” Schuler said. “But, I see my job as the representative of the student body. I’m supposed to give
power to their ideas and wants, not carry out my own pet projects.” Reimers has had an extensive history with the SGA in her three years at the university. In the past year, she was elected as an SGA senator. She helped draft the SGA legislation opposing the academic calendar change, which would have changed the length of the fall semester from 16 to 15 weeks. O’Connor currently holds a seat as Speaker of the House. Along with being the president of the Pre-Law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta, Schuler was also elected as an SGA senator at the beginning of the year. His work in the SGA Senate has often been focused on representing the needs of graduate students on campus, including an ongoing project to provide more service learning opportunities to students at Central Michigan University.
A SGA | 2A
Pepper spray no longer in CMU weapons policy By Ryan Fitzmaurice Senior Reporter
Central Michigan University has announced that pepper spray will no longer be considered a dangerous chemical and will not fall under the jurisdiction of the weapons policy. Under the previous interpretation of the weapons law, which bans all dangerous chemicals, students found in possession of self-defense spray or other devices were subject to suspension and dismissal from CMU. “A committee appointed to review the intent of the policy has determined that the primary ingredient in pepper spray, capsaicin, which makes hot peppers hot, does not constitute a dangerous chemical and thus is not prohibited by the policy,” said Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Tony Voisin. The committee consisted of Voisin, Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services David Burdette, CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley, Associate Vice President of Residences and Auxiliary Services John Fisher and Sexual Aggres-
sion Peer Advocates Director Steve Thompson. The issue of pepper spray’s prohibition on campus was brought to the spotlight by Student Government Association Sen. William Joseph, a Brighton junior, who brought legislation to the SGA floor that called for the university to amend its weapons policy to allow students to carry pepper spray. SGA adopted the legislation soon after. The CMU Bookstore, which removed pepper spray from its shelves on Feb. 14, confirmed that it began selling the product again after the announcement. Fisher said it did not take long for those meeting to determine that the term “dangerous chemicals” did not apply to pepper spray. “It was a pretty quick meeting,” Fisher said. “We only sat down for about 10 minutes. We already knew what we were going to do.” Fisher said pepper spray, although previously interpreted as a dangerous chemical, was never directly referred to in the weapons policy. A PEPPER SPRAY | 2A
PhOtOS BY BROOKE maYLE/aSSIStaNt photo eDItoR
Academy Award-winning actress Marleen Matlin gives a thumbs up during the question and answer portion of her presentation Wednesday night at Plachta Auditorium in front of a packed audience.
Embrace it Deaf actress Marlee Matlin talks about overcoming adversity in front of packed Plachta Auditorium By Ryan Fitzmaurice | Senior Reporter
Platcha Auditorium was overflowing with people waiting to hear Marlee Matlin speak. With almost all 1,226 seats filled 15 minutes before the event began, latecomers lined up against the walls. According to event organizers, attendees started lining up for the event two and a half hours before it began. When Matlin finally arrived on stage Wednesday night, the entire audience raised their hands in visual applause. Matlin, who has been deaf since she was 18 months old, started her speech in a boast of pride, exclaiming that her deafness was nothing she needed to be cured from. With the assistance of her personal interpreter Jack Jason, she spoke of a recent news item that proclaimed a potential cure for deafness. “Stories about cures make great headlines, but at the end of the day,
PhOtO cOURtSEY OF OLiViER DOULiERY/aBaca PRESS
Shepherd resident Brooke Courter, 14, left, signs with Mount Pleasant residents Casey Woodruff and Jessica Mogs before watching Academy Award-winning actress Marleen Matlin Wednesday night in Plachta Auditorium. “I’m here because I never met anyone who is this important and an actress,” Courter said.
we are talking about millions of deaf people,” Matlin said. “We need others to not look at our perceived disabilities, but to look at our abilities.” Matlin is the only deaf actress to win an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She won the award for her role in “Children of a Lesser God,” and has been nominated for various prestigious awards, including four Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe Award. She has also appeared in a variety of television series, appearing on “Desperate Housewives,” “My Name Is
Earl,” “CSI: NY” and “Nip/Tuck.” She was also a finalist on Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice.” Most recently, she has attained recognition for her role in the ABC Family drama “Switched At Birth.” Matlin said growing up as a deaf child was not always easy, and early on, she felt unsuited for the world. “As an adult, I look back at the anger as the result of the way the world passed over someone who was deaf,” Matlin said. “When all I wanted to do was embrace it.” A MATLIN | 2A
ST. PAT R I C K ’ S DAY W E E K E N D
Local law enforcement plan increased patrols By Hailee Sattavara Metro editor
FiLE PhOtO BY JaKE maY
Commerce Township sophomore Alicia Potchynok, center, cheers as she and Grosse Pointe junior Craig Henderson see friends approaching the porch as the celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, 2012 at Polo Village in Mount Pleasant.
Multicultural Academic Student Services present:
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2013 MARCH 15 - APRIL 15
Embracing and Celebrating Cultural Values
Police are gearing up for the sea of green that will flood the streets of Mount Pleasant this weekend for St. Patrick’s Day. To accommodate an increase in foot traffic, the Central Michigan University Police Department and the Mount Pleasant Police Department are bringing additional staffing to the city and on campus.
“Our officers will be focusing on areas that have historically caused problems and will adapt to places that present problems,” Mount Pleasant Public Information Officer Jeff Thompson said. Though he doesn’t want to make any assumptions about the biggest weekend for police calls, Thompson said it is likely fewer students will be celebrating the holiday in comparison to previous years. “The public accepts parties on the busy weekends, but
Keynote Speaker:
Hoan Do
they are less accommodating of ‘normal day’ parties,” Thompson said. Weather may also play a factor, he said, as temperatures are expected to remain cool throughout the weekend. Last year, the holiday saw unseasonably warm weather. In 2012, MPPD issued citations or arrests for 55 minors in possession, one aggravated assault, 14 attending/hosting a nuisance party, one disorderly conduct, one disturbing the peace, four op-
erating while intoxicated, two possession of marijuana, two resisting and obstructing an officer, three traffic violations and two warrants for arrest. MPPD also received six accidents/hit and runs, three alarms, 14 assaults/fights, 12 disorderly conducts, two larcenies, 44 loud parties, two medical runs, eight malicious destruction of personal property, one motorist assist, one parking and 11 traffic stops. A ST. PATTY’S | 2A
Keynote Speaker: Hoan Do
March 26th, 2013
Plachta Auditorium • 7pm, Free and Open to the Public Hoan Do, recognized as America’s #1 College Success Coach, has inspired students and businesses worldwide through his story about struggle and learning how to balance success in school and life.