LIFE CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Play Ball Baseball wins two of three during first home series
Monday, march 23, 2015 | MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH. | ISSUE NO. 68 VOL. 96
Life in brief student life Central Michigan life named college media company of the year Central Michigan Life’s advertising and public relations departments took top honors at this year’s College Media Business and Advertising Managers conference March 18 - 21 in Chicago. CMBAM awards student media for top advertising, marketing, public relations, design and social media. Central Michigan Life claimed 11 first place awards, seven second-place honors and three third-place honors. First-place awards included best student-run agency, sales representative and public relations or marketing manager. Mount Pleasant sophomore Alex Gonzales was named the best sales representative in the country, while Novi senior Maria Haugen was awarded the top honor for public relations manager. Saginaw senior Gabriella Hoffman took second place for best advertising manager, while Livonia senior Andrea Shaw won third place for best designer. Other firsts included best sales pitch or proposal, best video ad, best self marketing or promotion plan and best sales promotional materials. Central Michigan Life also took top honors in best mobile app, best sales incentive program, best self-promotion ad and best black and white display ad. Second place winners were multimedia campaign, sales strategy for a special section, best social media strategy, interactive or digital card or media kit, sponsored content or native advertising and ancillary operation. Third place was awarded for best training program and self-promotion, multi-media ad campaign. - CM Life Staff reports
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SAE chapter responds to viral racist video Fraternity members say they are appalled by University of Oklahoma chapter’s discrimination By Zahra Ahmad News Editor
Central Michigan University’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter does not approve of the actions of the University of Oklahoma’s chapter. On March 8 a viral video surfaced showing the University of Oklahoma’s SAE chapter members leading a racist chant emphasizing the chapter’s exclusion of African Americans. SAE president Ryan Coy said the chapter is disgusted and appalled by the video that caused the expulsion of two University of Oklahoma SAE members leading the chant. “It was outrageous and upsetting to see people have such discrimination and hate,” Coy said. “That
type of behavior and discrimination has no place in our society, and especially in our organization. My chapter will continue to follow our fraternity’s values and will continue to accept men based on character and embodiment of our creed.” “Our creed the gentlemen” is more than just a saying for the brothers of SAE, said Chapter adviser Brad Kloha. “Anytime (an incident) gets to the heart of what (we) believe at (our) core, the values of (our) organization, we’re being challenged,” Kloha said. “Our brothers believe very strongly in the values of our organizations ‘Our creed the true gentlemen’ in diversity, inclusion and in treating their fellow man equally.” An emergency meeting on March 16
Sarah White | Assistant Photo Editor Sigma Alpha Epsilon of Central Michigan University placed a sign that reads “SAE MIDO stands against discrimination of any kind #NotOnOurCampus” in response to the University of Oklahoma’s chapter.
allowed SAE members to discuss the video. SAE at CMU took their response to social media by tweeting a photo captioned “Discrimination of any kind
Teaching faculty contract ends in July Union to start new bargaining period By Andrew Surma Staff Reporter
Dodgeball Calli Morris | Staff Photographer Minnesota resident Marquel Crawford, 24, competes in the Adult Men’s Fancy dance during the 26th Annual Celebrating Life Pow Wow March 21 in McGuirk Arena.
SWEEPING THE COMPETITION The club dodgeball team claimed the No. 1 spot in the National College Dodgeball Association over the weekend. w 4B
Roller Derby
Derby Fever
The women of Central Michigan Mayhem faced off against the Black Heart Maidens Saturday.
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Harry potter
Magical memories
Students travel across the pond to learn more about Harry Potter and literature.
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LIFE INSIDE Seventh annual Up All Night aims to de-stress students
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House Speaker Kevin Cotter will address city commission »PAGE 3A
is unacceptable #NotOnOurCampus.” The photo showed a sign placed in front of the chapter’s house, located w SAE | 2A
HONORING THE TRADITION Celebrating Life Pow Wow honors Native American heritage By Emily DeRuiter Staff Reporter
Drumbeats symbolized dancers heartbeats as the rhythm called them into McGuirk Arena at the 26th annual Celebrating Life Pow Wow. Students, faculty, the Mount Pleasant community and other tribes across the nation were invited to McGuirk Arena on Saturday and Sunday for a taste of valued Native American traditions. Pow wows have social and spiritual significance to the Native American people as times of gathering and celebrating the new beginning of spring. The event was put on by Central Michigan University’s Pow Wow Committee, a student organization providing social, cultural and educational events. Attendee Damian Badboy, from the White Earth Nation in Minnesota, was at the Pow wow to record the drum group “Charging Horse.” He has been to and danced in many pow wows before, and said they are valued for how they bring people together. “The pow wow is such a great celebration to meet new friends and see your old ones,” Badboy said. “It’s great because we get to dance, we get to sing (and) have fun.” Spectators stood as the head veteran, flag bearers and dancers dressed in traditional Native American regalia circled the arena during the opening Grand Entry ceremony. Afterward came a welcome address, tiny tot dance special and several dance and drum contests. The event continued into Sunday with contests in dancing and drumming and winner announcements.
Calli Morris | Staff Photographer Drummers play during the 26th Annual Celebrating Life Pow Wow on March 21 in McGuirk Arena.
FOR MORE PHOTOS, SEE PAGE 6 FOR VIDEO, GO TO CM-LIFE.COM Dancer Viola Recollect has competed in pow wows since she was six years old. She is now a grandmother of five, and said the feeling she gets on the dance floor is hard to explain. “It feels like something is missing until you go to the next Pow wow,” Recollect said. “I love it because it brings me more peace with who I am.” Several dance and drum contests took place throughout the day, splitting participants into age groups of youth, adults and elders. Contests were in traditional dance, grass dance, jingle dress dance and fancy dance—all of which had different regalia and unique origins. “The pow wow is very important to us as Anishinaabe because you feel good about who you are,” Recol-
lect said. “We are connecting with each other.” About 20 vendors were set up near the arena selling handmade goods ranging from bead-work, pouches and jewelry to jams and syrups. Saline junior Randi Bennett volunteered to help organize and set up the pow wow because of her great uncle, who passed on his interest in the culture. She is also part of the Honors Program at CMU, and used the opportunity to gain service hours. “I think it’s interesting to be able to get a piece of culture you’re not used to seeing,” Bennett said. “It was really incredible, especially during the victory songs and the flag songs.”
The contract between the Union of Teaching Faculty and Central Michigan University ends July 1 and negotiations are likely to include increasing wages and job security. UTF is a union of fixed-term faculty with 360 members. It has been in the preliminary processes of gathering input from its members, to prepare for collective bargaining in July. UTF Vice President and lecturer in journalism and broadcasting departments Mark Ranzenberger said money is usually the number one priority while bargaining. The current contract, which was signed June 19, 2012, saw pay increases for both fixed-term faculty who are paid a salary and those paid by the credit hour. UTF member and Assistant Professor of Religion Sara Moslener said she worked with the data collected by UTF’s survey and that wages will be addressed in the discussions. “Higher wages. That will always be the case and that’s never going to be met to our satisfaction,” Moslener said. UTF President Amanda Garrison said job security is also a major point of concern for UTF members. “CMU is a very good place to work. So when people come here, especially as adjuncts, it’s really hard to have to leave if you don’t get a reappointment,” Garrison said “The students are wonderful. The resources are wonderful. The benefits are wonderful. We want to stay here and job security is very important.” Moslener added she would like to see fixed-term faculty be recognized for scholarship and be given he ability to creating more scholarly work. “Part of that means being able to request a course release. Fixedterm faculty cannot get a course release for any reason,” Moslener said. “The university is assuming we are temporary, but they aren’t giving us resources to get to a position that is not temporary.” Garrison said the UTF has a good working relationship with the university. “It’s not slamming fists on the table,” Garrison said. “We have a generally good working relationship with the administration. We are not at a point where there is any contention.” Moslener said she would like to see fixed-term faculty be w TEACHING | 2A