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Life
Trial and Error
Phi Alpha Delta holds mock trial with court judge William Ervin
cm-life.com
FRIday, MARch 21, 2014 | MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH. | ISSUE NO. 69 VOL. 95
metro
Injured CMU student recovering quicker than expected Abbey Dixon is recovering from her fractured skull faster than initial predictions. According to the New Buffalo sophomore’s sister, Courtney Dixon, Abbey is awake and can do basic tasks after going through brain surgery. “Wednesday, she was able to get up and use the bathroom and eat food for the first time,” Courtney said. “She’s been talking a little bit here and there, but that’s the most conversation she’s been able to have.” It was originally expected that Dixon’s recovery would take up to several months. Although she has suffered some memory loss, Dixon is surprisingly able to communicate, Courtney said. “She’s still really woozy because of the pain medicine,” Courtney said. “She wasn’t really aware of the severity of her brain trauma, but she is there and can talk. She’s coherent now, just doesn’t really remember much.” Abbey was injured while going down a stairway at 908 S. Main St. Monday night, fracturing her skull in the process. She was then airlifted by helicopter to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. The case is still under investigation by the Mount Pleasant Police Department.
Performance funding increases as per-student aid stagnates By Mark Johnson Senior Reporter
Although University President George Ross argued a change in the per-student appropriations system in February, Central Michigan University has seen recent financial assistance increases in other areas. “(Michigan has) had three consecutive years of increases all tied to performance funding and CMU is doing very well on performance funding,” said Michael Boulus, executive director of the State Universities of Michigan President’s Council. “They’re actually getting a much higher percentage compared to other universities.” Part of Gov. Rick Snyder’s 2015 higher-education budget proposal includes an $80.3-million increase — or restoration — to higher education, with half being distributed through the performance-funding model, and the other half distributed to schools proportionally to make up for the 2011 cuts. w state | 6A
CMU students receive some of the lowest per student state funding as compared to other Michigan universities $10,000 Infographic by Luke Roguska | Page Designer
Life in brief
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the bitter end
-Orrin Shawl, staff reporter
university
CMU vets feedback for new desks Academic space and remodeling is looking for student opinion on different desk models which could be implemented in classrooms in the future. Different desk models will be on display in the Student Involvement Center in the Bovee University Center, at least through Friday, for students to see and try out. Jessica Ebels, director of academic space and remodeling, a unit which reports to the vice provost, hopes students come to check out the desk models and share their feedback. After completing different projects, including the renovation to Anspach Hall, Ebels said they have received feedback on the projects and found mostly positive results. “The biggest comment we got back is that students hate the desks,” Ebels said. “We contacted different furniture vendors and were able to get the samples over Spring Break. We’re asking for any feedback at all.” According to Ebels, the display was in response to the negative feedback on the current desks. Contracting and purchasing services has also been working with Ebels. Once the feedback is gathered, three desks will be decided on and, as future projects are approved, those will be the furniture the bids will be based on. Susan Watt-Smith, senior buyer with purchasing services, said the prices of those specific desks range from $180 to $395 per desk, but at this time, price was not a priority. “We did not focus on price as much as we did style and quality,” Watt-Smith said. -Mark Johnson, senior reporter
Greg Cornwell | Staff Photographer From left to right: Taylor Johnson, Niki DiGuilio, Jordan LaDuke, Kylie Welsh and Chelsea Lynn sit in defeat during the final moments of the Chippewas loss to IUPUI in the first round of the WNIT, Thursday. For the full story, check out »PAGE 2B
Life off the leash Future dog park commemorates deceased student By Megan Pacer | Senior Reporter
LIFE INSIDE
Bone Marrow donation initiates CMU campaign »PAGE 3A EDITORIAL: CMU deserves better »PAGE 4A PHOTO: Delta Chi letters remain in window »PAGE 5A
Before Hannah Simons-Scalise died in 2011 after suffering from Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, the Mount Pleasant sophomore had one last gift for her favorite furry friends. As a dog lover her whole life, Simons-Scalise asked her parents to use the money intended for her burial to instead create a place where man’s best friend could roam free. “She said to me in the car ‘How much do funerals cost?’” said Hannah’s mother Lynn Simons. “It’s not something you would imagine a kid
would say. (So after) four more years of her life where she worked at living as best she could, we still remember that conversation.” The Friends of the Dog Park nonprofit formed in November of 2012, and Simons-Scalise’s last wishes started to become reality.
Fighting until the end
Always an active girl, Hannah was very involved in her high school crosscountry team. Even after she was diagnosed in March of her freshman year, she
Andrew Whitaker | Assistant Photo Editor Dog owners Lynn Simons and John Scalise play in the snow with their pets on wednesday, at Mission Creek Park, where a dog park is planning to open.
remained an active member attending practices and meets whenever her health allowed her. “The first reaction was ‘I’m not going to quit school,’” Hannah’s father, John Scalise, said. “It wasn’t ‘oh, I’m sick’ or ‘oh, I’ve got this giant tumor,’ it was ‘I can’t go to school, that’s horrible.’ That was a hard hurdle to get over.” When her compromised immune system prevented her from being in school around other students, Hannah was still allowed to attend after-school meets to cheer on her teammates per an
agreement she made with the school. Throughout the next few years of her life, Hannah experienced a relapse after her initial treatment. However, she did not let her illness keep her from experiencing all the aspects of life she felt were important. Even with a family living in town, Hannah moved into the residence halls her freshman year at Central Michigan University, and then into an apartment with her dog, Sophie, the following year. w park | 2A