Issue 20, October 31, 2011 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

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T H E S T U D E N T - R U N N E W S PA P E R S AT G R A N D VA L L E Y

M O N D AY, O C TO B E R 31, 2011

Halloween + Homecoming

The Lanthorn covers all the thrills and chills // Weekend pulse OPINION | A4 // Game SPORTS | B1 // Events and entertainment LAKER LIFE | B4

LANTHORN ONLINE lanthorn.com Football

Video and slideshow

2011 HOMECOMING WEEKEND SPECIAL REPORT

GVPD doles out 23 MIPs

MEN’S Rugby

Slideshow

www.lanthorn.com/multimedia

GRADING THE LAKERS

Under the influence?: GVPD Officer Jeff Stoll administers a preliminary breath test during a Saturday patrol. Twenty-three Allendale minors were cited for alcohol possession.

BRADY FREDRICKSEN

Lanthorn editor rides along with Officer Stoll to observe YAE in action

Analyzing Saturday’s game.

GVL / Anya Zentmeyer

GVL SPORTS EDITOR

Back to School An over-40 poet reflects on school, life. Edward holman

GVL Columnist

www.lanthorn.com/blog

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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A2 News A4 Opinion A5 Your Space A6 Downtown B1 Sports B4 Laker Life B5 Marketplace

By Anya Zentmeyer

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GVL News Editor

ith the heightened activity of students on and off campus this Homecoming/Halloween weekend comes the heightened activity of the Grand Valley Police Department, which activated the $13,000 Youth Alcohol Enforcement grant from the Office of

Highway Safety and Planning to increase personnel on Friday and Saturday night. Officer Jeff Stoll agreed to let me sit on his 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. road patrol on Saturday night, and for five glorious hours I got to watch the brows of others furrow in worry as we passed during what may very well be the only time I will ever get to ride in a cop car while still feeling completely at ease. We pulled out on the road a little after 10 p.m., making a few uneventful probation check-ins at off-campus apartment complexes. Stoll is manager of the probation list, which fluctuates at around

driver consented to a search and admitted that she had smoked in the last couple of days but was not under the influence at the time. Stoll issued a few sobriety tests and said the driver did not exhibit any physical signs of someone who was under the influence of marijuana. The driver and passengers were released without any charges. “Especially if we don’t find anything, we send them on their way as soon as possible,” Stoll said. 12:02 a.m. — Stoll responded to a call from Officer Leah

See Police, A2

Departments unite on behavioral team

Interdisciplinary collaboration identifies, assists students exhibiting at-risk behaviors By Chelsea Lane GVL Staff Writer

Please Recycle

100 people at any given time. The nature and severity of the probation varies from person to person, but as a rule, those with an active probation violation are prohibited from the use or consumption of both alcohol and narcotics and are subject to random check-ins. Only one of the students was actually home when we knocked, but he passed his sobriety test and we went on our way. 10:39 p.m. — Stoll assisted officers Zoulek and Dornbos on a traffic stop and possible operations driving while intoxicated case on West Campus Drive near Meadows Golf Course. After smelling marijuana in the car, the

With an ever-growing population, it can be increasingly difficult for university faculty and staff to ensure the mental and emotional health of the student body and the safety of the university community as a whole. But Grand Valley State University’s behavioral team, founded in 2003, is designed to identify and assist those students who exhibit disruptive, harmful and at-risk behaviors. The team meets every Monday to discuss students who have been identified as having behavioral problems, suspected alcohol abuse, suicidal ideation and/or disruptive behavior in living centers or classrooms. It consists of representatives from the Dean of Students office, Housing, Pew Campus Security, the Grand Valley Police Department and the Counseling Center. “GVSU’s behavioral team is often referred to as a model nationally for that type of team,” said

Capt. Brandon DeHaan, assistant director of the GVPD. “… As a team, this group identifies appropriate action to assist a referred student and when necessary, identify actions to protect the university community. We work under a spirit of collaboration and cooperation because each unit has an area where they have expertise.” Students brought to the attention of the behavioral team can be referred by faculty, staff, other students or even members of the departments that comprise the behavioral team itself who have encountered these students as part of their everyday work. Dean of Students and behavioral team member Bart Merkle said team members’ roles can range from merely discussing worrying actions and behaviors with students to making a wellness plan with students and their families, to intervening when they feel a student poses an immediate danger to themselves or others. Merkle added that in some instances, the team decides

See Behavorial, A2

GVL Archive

Safety first: Capt. Brandon DeHaan (pictured), assistant director of the GVPD, is one member of the behavioral team, which also includes representatives from GVSU Housing, the Dean of Students, the Counseling Center and Pew Campus Security.

A2 NEWS Police

continued from A1

Westrate on Lake Michigan Drive by the front entrance to the Allendale Campus. What started as a speeding ticket escalated into a more serious offense when they discovered open containers of alcohol as well as a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle. The driver had a suspended license, was charged with failure to comply with judgment and was cited for the open containers. The marijuana was confiscated, but he was not charged for possession. The passenger, an underage male, submitted to a PBT test, and with a blood alcohol content of .05 as a minor, was issued a minor in possession citation. Stoll said when marijuana possession is a factor, it is up to the officer heading up the situation to decide whether or not to charge the offender for possession. 12:55 a.m. — As I let my first yawn escape, Stoll told me we’re heading into the “second phase” of the night. After midnight, he said, typically speaking, alcohol consumption increases significantly. “The saying that nothing good happens after midnight is pretty true,” he said. “But nothing good happens after

2 a.m.” Needless to say, he made after midnight sound way more awesome than before midnight, and right on cue, we were off on another call. 12:59 a.m. — Stoll responded to a call for assist at off-campus townhouse complex Hillcrest, where Dornbos and Zoulek had stopped two females and one male in the parking lot. We’d gotten there a few minutes after the three had been apprehended, but Dornbos said when they pulled up one of the female students was naked in the back of the car trying to change out of her ironic sexy police officer costume, while the other was vomiting on the sidewalk next to the vehicle. After taking their information, officers discovered that all three were underage and failed their PBT tests. The two females were charged with MIPs and released, but the 19-year-old male was revealed to be under violation of his probation for prior drug charges, which constitutes arrest. You heard me right, GVSU. Arrest. Now I can say I’ve been to the Ottawa County Jail — but unlike the male probation violator, I got to keep all of my jewelry on. This was probably the most intense of the situations I encountered on the ride-

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011 along. The male, who was apprehended in the back of the vehicle, was very vocal about his disapproval of the situation, and kept letting me know he was on the verge of a bipolar episode while the officers handled another MIP citation across the parking lot. After giving me quick background on his in-andout-of-jail and on-and-off-ofprobation saga, I suggested he lie low for a while so that he wouldn’t be on probation for the rest of his life. He told me that if I was a police officer in training, I should quit now. I told him I was a reporter, and he asked me to tell my readers a lot of things that are too inappropriate for print. “You can see he went through a variety of emotions,” Stoll said as we left the jail. I asked him if that’s how arrestees typically responded, and he said it was a pretty normal reaction. “In some ways you understand, because for them, the situation is kind of intense,” he said. Stoll added that in the eyes of the police, probation is not a right, it’s a privilege offenders have been given in lieu of a more serious punishment, so oftentimes officers have low tolerance for offenders. 2:17 a.m. — After watching a vehicle blow through the four-way stop at the intersection of Pierce Street and

48th Avenue, we followed the vehicle just long enough to watch them blow through another stop sign on South Campus Drive, by the Laker Village apartment complex. The driver was female with two male and one other female passengers. Remember when officers issued an MIP citation hardly an hour earlier in the parking lot of Hillcrest, during the whole bringing-a-kid-toprison ordeal? The male passenger in the back of the car, who upon being pulled over promptly opened his door and vomited onto the street, was the very same student who was issued that prior MIP citation. He was not issued an additional citation, but officers spoke with the both the drivers and passengers. 2:45 a.m. — Officers Stoll, Westrate and Dornbos and Sgt. Zoulek responded to a call for assistance from the Grand Rapids Police Department in an incident involving a female GVSU student. Additional follow-up will be handled by the GRPD at a later date. Around 3 a.m., we watched a handful of heavily intoxicated students step off the bus and head toward their apartments at Laker Village. Stoll commented that students were doing the right thing by using the bus system. “The bus is definitely a contributing factor in the reduction of drunk driving,” he said. As we did one final loop on road patrol as 4 a.m. began

to close in on us, I thought about the one common thread in student response when dealing with the cops, and I thought more specifically about the probation violator we’d brought to the Ottawa County Jail earlier that night. “That’s what police do,” he had told me through the thick plastic divider from the back of the police cruiser. “It’s their job, screwing people over.” I asked Stoll what he thought about that — if he ever felt like that accusation held any real weight. “I don’t feel bad about that because I’m not the one that makes that decision,” he said. “If people are choosing to engage in criminal behavior, I don’t know why the police officer should be blamed. To say that an MIP ruins someone’s life, that’s just not true … We certainly don’t have the intent to ruin people’s lives.” And even so, MIP numbers weren’t out of control for this Homecoming weekend. In a combined total for the GVSU Allendale area including the efforts of both GVPD and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s office, 23 MIPs were issued between Friday and Saturday, with 3 probation violations and 4 drug arrests. Stoll attributes much of the decline to YAE. “I think the university, as a whole, is slightly calmer and a lot of that does have to do with our target Youth Alcohol Enforcement,” he said. news@lanthorn.com

Behavorial

leave of absence and focus on getting better,” he said. “But in the past we’ve had some students who were very resistant to that idea.” The dean also works to minimize the financial loss to students leaving the university and to help ease them into the transition of focusing on treatment instead of school. While communication is key to foster trust and cooperation among behavioral team members, representatives from the Counseling Center are still required to protect patient confidentiality. “The team is careful not to put the Counseling Center in a situation that would compromise confidentiality,” DeHaan said. “However, it is important for the Counseling Center to understand situations in which their clients may be involved and for the team to benefit from their advice and counsel on various issues.” Merkle also stressed the importance of respecting and maintaining confidentiality within the team. “If we ask them something they can’t answer, they are very quick to say, ‘I can’t answer that,’” he said of the Counseling Center representatives on the team. “But that doesn’t happen very often because most of us know the types of questions we can and can’t ask in order to maintain that confidentiality.” clane@lanthorn.com

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that no action is necessary on their part. “Sometimes it can be as simple as sitting down with a student and saying, ‘People are afraid of you. Are you aware of how you are being perceived? Let’s talk about that,’” he said. “Other times it involves reaching out to a student so they can get in contact with the proper resources they need to get better.” In the most serious cases, GVSU initiates an involuntary withdrawal process for students who refuse to leave the university or take time off for medical or psychological treatment. Merkle, who oversees the involuntary withdrawal process, said it is “very rare” for GVSU to pursue an involuntary withdrawal for a student, and the Dean of Students Office prefers to work with a student and his or her family to develop a course of action in the student’s best interest. “Most often, we try to work with the student and their family to encourage them to take some time off for their health and set up a plan for them to take a medical

NEWS BRIEFS ‘That Takes Ovaries’ accepting submissions The Women’s Center at Grand Valley State University is looking for story submissions for the production of “That Takes Ovaries.” All submitted stories of should be real-life experiences of women acting boldly in an adversity situation. The deadline for the story submissions is Tuesday. All submissions should be sent to thattakesovariesgvsu@ gmail.com.

Niece of Martin Luther King Jr. to speak at GV GVSU will host Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King Jr., on Thursday to speak about abortion in the black community. King’s program, “How can the Dream Survive?” will address the discrepancy between the number of blacks living in a community and the amount of abortion clinics available to them. She will also discuss the possible reasons for the disparity and how the rate of abortions will affect the ongoing civil rights movements. The program begins at 10 a.m. in the Grand River Room of the Kirkhof Center. Free food will be provided for those in attendance.

GV awarded Public University System of the Year The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars awarded Grand Valley State University the Public University System of the Year in Washington, D.C. More than 10 GVSU students attend programs at The Washington Center in a typical year. GVSU assistant professor Don Zinman went to the nation’s capital to receive the award. Participation in the internship program is open to all students in any major.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICARTIONS Amber Stout is a graphic design major, not nonprofit administration. If you find any errors in fact in the Lanthorn, let us know by calling 616-331-2464 or by emailing editorial@lanthorn.com

Lanthorn

Volume 46, Number 20

EDITORIAL STAFF

ADVERTISING STAFF

BUSINESS STAFF

Editor-in-Chief EMANUEL JOHNSON

Laker Life Editor HALEY OTMAN

Layout Editor VALERIE WALDBAUER

Advertising Manager KEVIN HAUSFELD

Business Manager ALEX HOUSEMAN

The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published twice-weekly by Grand Valley State University students 62 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the Grand Valley Community. For additional copies, please contact our business offices. POSTMASTER: Please send form 3579 to Grand Valley Lanthorn, 0051 Kirkhof, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, 49401

Managing Editor SAMANTHA BUTCHER

A & E Editor BRIANA DOOLAN

Asst. Advertising Manager KIMBERLY VERELLEN

News Editor ANYA ZENTMEYER

Image Editor ERIC COULTER

Layout Staff KENDALL GILBERT KAYLA KOENIGSKNECHT

Receptionists SHANTI COLLINS ANGILEENA GIBSON

Assistant News Editor DAN SPADAFORA

Assistant Image Editor RANE MARTIN

The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published under the authorization of the GVSU Newspaper Advisory Board.

Sports Editor BRADY FREDERICKSEN

Copy Editor HALEY OTMAN

Web Team THOMAS LEE ERIC MATCHETTE TY BAILLIE DANIEL HODGES

Account Managers MICHELLE SCHEFFERS RENAY SCHOENMAKER ERIKKA SIMPSON Ad Designers RANDI FORD LAUREN PURDY

Distribution THOMAS LEE STEPHEN PRATT STEVEN MERDZINSKI

A3 NEWS

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

NEWS EDITOR ANYA ZENTMEYER news@lanthorn.com

Laker starts nonprofit to benefit Indian youth By Dan Spadafora GVL Assistant News Editor

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rand Valley State University senior Nicholas Popma is not only living proof of the realities thousands of children face in India, he wants to do something about it. Pompa is in the process of starting an organization POPMA called Save India’s Youth, an up-and-coming nonprofit that he hopes will become official this June. Along with goals of providing food, clothing, shelter and education to the Indian children, Save India’s Youth also looks to educate local communities about the issues in India. His inspiration comes from his own personal story. “I was found on the street of Calcutta, India, by some random person,” Popma said. “My biological mom at the time was forced into prostitution; she more than likely was raped and had me as a result of the rape. The fact that I have to live with something like that isn’t always easy, but unfortunately it is definitely something that goes on in India.” The public nonprofit administration major has never met his biological parents and was adopted out of his situation in India to the U.S., where he has spent his whole life. But while his personal story inspired his decision, he said it is the general public indifference toward issues in India that motivates him to push his plans forward. According to an article from the Indian newspaper the Hindustan Times, one-third of children in Mumbai, or 83,000, suffer from malnutrition. “India is the second-most populous country in the world, and unfortunately they are the most impoverished country in the world as well,” Popma said. “A lot of impoverished street kids are unfortunate to not get an education. People put a cold shoulder to it, and I think that’s crazy and totally inap-

Courtesy Photo / Nicholas Popma

Nonprofit: GVSU senior Nicholas Popma started Save India’s Youth, a charity that aims to provide shelter, food, clothing and education to children in India. The organization cannot accept donations until it becomes an official nonprofit in June, but more information is available on its website, www.saveindiasyouth.org.

propriate.” Popma said he wants to start in his own backyard by educating Grand Rapids. “A lot of people don’t know human trafficking, sex slavery is a huge issue, not only in India but in the United States too,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know this, and I didn’t know this until someone told me, but there is a nonprofit organization in West Michigan that goes against human trafficking in the U.S.” The main goals Popma reiterated were to educate more people about the issues in India and to provide the street children the same opportunities he was given here in America.

Courtesy Photo / Jocelyn Dettloff

Investing in ability: GVSU trustee Kate Pew Wolters (pictured) received the Invest in Ability award from the Disability Advocates of Kent County for her philanthrophy work in the Grand Rapids area. Wolters was appointed to the GVSU Board of Trustees in 2004 by then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm and once served as its chair.

Trustee awarded by Disability Advocates By Andrew Justus GVL Staff Writer

Kate Pew Wolters, Grand Valley State University trustee, received the Invest in Ability award from the Disablity Advocates of Kent County last week. The Invest in Ability award is given to individuals or organizations who have advanced the lives of people with disabilities in the Grand Rapids community. Pew Wolters served as executive director of the DAKC in the early 1980s. Jocelyn Dettloff, DAKC development director, said Pew Wolters has never let her physical constraints as a dwarf affect the lofty goals she set for herself in life. “She is an extremely down-to-earth person,” Dettloff said. “... Grand Rapids is very fortunate to have someone like Kate around because of her passion and compassion.”

“Grand Rapids is very fortunate

to have someone like Kate around because of her passion and compassion.

”

Jocelyn Dettloff

Development director, Disability Advocates of Kent County In 1994 she was appointed by then-president Bill Clinton to serve on the National Council on Disability, where she worked from 1996 to 2003 after being approved by the Senate. She served as the vice chairwoman of the council for eight years. The granddaughter of one of the Steelcase founders, Pew Wolters led the effort to build the Grand Rapids Art Museum, served as the chair of GVSU’s Board of Trustees, sits on the board of directors for Steelcase and leads charitable efforts through both the Steelcase Foundation and her own

foundation. Founded in 1997 by Pew Wolters and her late husband, Richard Wolters, the Kate and Richard Wolters Foundation makes grants to non-profit organizations with an emphasis in the arts, education, human services and people with disabilities. The foundation takes in $6 million annually, according to findthebest.com. The foundation has provided grants to Gilda’s Club of Grand Rapids, the Grand Rapids Art Museum and Catherine’s Care Center. ajustus@lanthorn.com

Charles Jurries, who graduated from GVSU in December 2010 with degrees in Journalism and Communication, operates the social media for Save India’s Youth. Jurries said what Popma is trying to accomplish is very impressive. “It would be so easy to say, ‘I’m going to help some people right here in town,’ but he is giving back to his home country,” Jurries said. “On top of that he is trying to start a nonprofit, which is not an easy thing to do whatsoever, and to try to do that is pretty cool.” The website, www.saveindiasyouth.org, launched Friday, and the Facebook and Twitter accounts have been operational for

some time. Popma said as of right now, anyone who wants to get involved is encouraged to visit the social media pages along with the website and spread the word. Until Save India’s Youth is an official nonprofit organization, Popma cannot accept any donations. “It’s interesting because you hear issues about South Africa and Darfur and my heart goes out to those people in Darfur, but we never hear anything about India,” Popma said. “India is considered by some people to be a third-world country. I think it’s about time we bring up some of these issues.” assistantnews@lanthorn.com

A4 OPINION LANTHORN OPINION ONLINE

Visit LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

READ THE BLOGS

VALLEY VOTE

“Understanding bus behavior” “Grading the Lakers” By Edward Holman GVL Blogger

By Brady Fredricksen GVL Sports Editor

Is the GVPD too strict in enforcing liquor laws? Vote online at lanthorn.com

EDITORIAL

This week’s question: Did police overreact to Occupy Oakland protesters?

YES 88% NO 13%

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON I BY DAN SILLS

You know the law Underaged drinkers should be aware and fully understanding of the ramifications of their actions and take responsibility should they be caught and issued an MIP.

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et’s get something straight. We aren’t going to tell all of our underaged readers out there not to drink alcohol, because we are all adults here and it is your choice. We aren’t going go lecture you about the fact that drinking under the age of 21 is illegal and runs the risk of getting a minor in possession (MIP) charge. We aren’t going to tell you that parties can’t be fun. But if you do choose to consume alcohol before you turn 21 and you get caught, you have no one to blame but yourself. Period. It’s fine that those who are issued MIPs have emotional responses to them. MIPs are expensive and can be life-altering, especially for students who are studying in fields like education and physical theraphy in which most jobs require background checks, or those who plan on attending graduate school. It’s not fine, however, that some students receive MIPs are quick to thrust the blame onto someone other than themselves. During News Editor Anya Zentmeyer’s police ride along, one minor who was arrested by police after being caught under the influence of alcohol while on probation told her, “That’s what police do. It’s their job, screwing people over.” No. If you are old enough to make decisions about alcohol, you are old enough to take responsibility for the consequences of your actions. An MIP is not the fault of the university, the GVPD or whichever police officer cited you for the violation; it is your fault, and your fault alone. We aren’t going to tell you not to drink, but we will say that if you do drink, drink responsibly. Don’t put yourself or others in harm’s way, don’t drink more than your body can handle and, no matter what, don’t drive under the influence.

Lanthorn The student-run newspapers at Grand Valley State University

EDITORIAL PAGE BOARD EMANUEL JOHNSON SAMANTHA BUTCHER ANYA ZENTMEYER KEVIN HAUSFELD

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Advertising Manager

dsills@lanthorn.com

Q: What is the best part of Homecoming at GVSU?

“The football game. Winning always makes the weekend a lot better.”

“The after party.”

“The homecoming football game.”

“Cheering at the football game.”

“All the activities that are happening on campus that really seem to energize the atmosphere during the week.”

Karl Jager Senior Computer science Holland, Mich.

Andrea Taylor Senior Psychology Zeeland, Mich.

Aaron Raap Senior Health professions Zeeland, Mich.

Bridget Welsh Junior Sociology Novi, Mich.

Sam Meacham Senior International business Toledo, Ohio

The most interesting costumes this Halloween

Kevin Vanantwerpen GVL Columnist

Happy Halloween. I thought instead of ranting about politics or religion, this time I’d give you something more festive. Below is a walkthrough of the most messed up (yet horribly awesome) Halloween costumes I’ve encountered this year. • The one percent: By far, the best costume idea I’ve seen came from my roommate, who donned an old suit, an ascot, and a tiny name badge that read “1%” (only in place of the little

be, those kids are clever. • Vegetarian Hunter: If there’s one thing that makes Halloween complete, it’s irony. So when a girl who hasn’t eaten meat since she was eight years old dresses up in camouflage and combat boots and carries around a toy rifle, I’m going to be very happy. The only thing — if you’re not wearing a raccoon skin hat to complete the outfit, you’ll probably never understand what it is to be “awesome.” • Sexy Skunk: Girls, if you like this costume idea, there’s a reason you’re alone. • Sexy Swamp People: Dressing up like a guy whose years of education equal his amount of remaining teeth? Yum. • Random: Camouflage sweat pants? Check. Pink

spandex shorts to go overtop? Check. Battery powered glowing guitar necklace? Check. Now all that’s required is enough alcohol to give you the courage to make a public appearance. • Zombie: Really? You decided to go as a zombie for Halloween? You mean to tell me you’re nerdy enough to dress up, but you’re not clever enough to think of something that isn’t being done by 10,000 other people? You disgust me. Go back to your World of Warcraft. • Ramona Flowers: Dress as the heroine (sort of) from “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” and there’s a good chance I will kiss you on the lips. It’s the pink/blue hair – definitely attractive. kvanantwerpen @lanthorn.com

Stand up against demonic possessions

GVL OPINION POLICY

The ultimate goal of the Grand Valley Lanthorn opinion page is to stimulate discussion and action on topics of interest to the Grand Valley Community. Student opinions do not reflect those of the Grand Valley Lanthorn. The Grand Valley Lanthorn welcomes reader viewpoints and offers three vehicles of expression for reader opinions: letters to the editor, guest columns and phone responses. Letters must include the author’s name and be accompanied by current picture identification if dropped off in person. Letters will be checked by an employee of the Grand Valley Lanthorn. Letters appear as space permits each issue. The limit for letter length is one page, single spaced. The editor reserves the right to edit and condense letters and columns for length restrictions and clarity. All letters must be typed. The Grand Valley Lanthorn will not be held responsible for errors that appear in print as a result of transcribing handwritten letters or e-mail typographic errors. The name of the author may be withheld for compelling reasons. The content, information and views expressed are not approved by nor necessarily represent those of the university, its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty and staff.

circles, were dollar signs). Then, he spent the rest of the night in character, shouting slogans such as “We’re all on the same side here! … At least all of us who aren’t the 99.” Or even better: “Of course they’re occupying Wall Street. They used to occupy their houses, but then the 99 took those away from them.” • Couples outfit: Sexy schoolgirl and the professor who gives her good grades. The costume is made even more complete if you bring your actual professor. (I am legally obligated to say don’t actually try to bring your professor, unless you want to spend the rest of your life cooking beef-esque product in the back room of a dying fast food joint.) Also, as nauseating as this costume may

By Chris Slattery GVL Columnist Hi, I’m Chris Slattery. You may know me as the moderately successful column writer for the Grand Valley Lanthorn or as a bottom-10 semifinalist from GVSU’s own Last Laker Standing competition (two years in a row!). While I make people laugh (or slightly chuckle) for a living, this Halloween, I’m here to talk about something that is no laughing matter: demonic possessions. Each year, millions of families go through the heartache that comes with an evil

spirit latching on to a loved one’s soul and controlling his or her body. Scientists and religious experts are desperately seeking to end demonic possessions forever, but research is still not where it could be. If you’ve had someone close to you harvest a seed of Satan, life can sometimes screech to a halt. Depending on the severity of the possession, your loved one may be shouting blasphemous phrases or spider-crawling down a flight of stairs. It is important that you shower them with unconditional love and support through this dark time. They may scare you with their grotesque contortions, but that is nothing compared to how terrified they are of themselves. Just because someone gets possessed, it does not mean that they are a weak

person or faint in spirit. Anyone can be afflicted, from young girls to somewhat older girls. The good news is there is help. Exorcisms, while having a remarkably low success rate, are available to those in need. Exorcisms are still a bit controversial, largely due to the religious aspect of the procedure. Some see it as little more than spattering a red-eyed monstrous freak with blessed Aquafina and chanting a few scripture passages, but who are we to dismiss its effectiveness? Other ways to help your possessed loved one include keeping them comfortable. Bed rest is very important for a possession victim, and it is imperative that they remain on the bed. Floating above can cause cramping and other anxieties, such as a collapsed house.

Ouija boards are not recommended, unless your goal is to fight the devil with Milton-Bradley. As a celebrity who has had a family member suffer through demonic possession, I feel that it is my duty to tell everyone affected that there is hope. Even if someone close to you is now hell-bent on murdering you, “optimism” is a word that is understood in all languages, even when they are speaking in tongues. We are racing toward a cure, but until then, you can lend a hand by donating to research charities and purchasing anti-demon bracelets from your local church or Hot Topic retail store. Together, we can stop this terrible curse once and for all. Thank you, and have a merry Halloween. cslattery@lanthorn.com

A5 your space

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

Letter to the Editor

Race is Irrelevant I would like to express my disappointment in the Lanthorn for running two different, yet very similar articles implying the lack of color diversity on campus in the past week. These articles were titled “Minority enrollment on the rise, but GV still trails” and “Minority role models scarce at GV.” While the African American population is lower than average and there are fewer minority authority figures here at Grand Valley, I have to pose the question: Why does it matter? I by no means am

trying to offend anyone by saying this, just merely trying to make the point that race is irrelevant. I believe that the Lanthorn was trying to show support for diversity, but I think it backfired. We, as students are completely aware that the majority of GV students are white, this isn’t news to us. What I don’t understand is why the Lanthorn felt it necessary to write two front page stories highlighting this fact. We are all people, all Grand Valley students seeking to achieve a

degree and have a good college experience. It shouldn’t matter what color our skin is. And while I can’t compare my experience here with an experience at another “more racially diverse” school, I would not say that Grand Valley is lacking in diversity what so ever. Skin color doesn’t determine a person’s personality, interests, or culture. I am friends with people here who come from big cities and tiny towns, people who are vegans, dodgeball players, artists, and Iraq war veterans.

The Lanthorn really needs to consider what is really newsworthy and stop separating the student population by race. Minorities and people of color bring more to this university than just the color of their skin. Megan Flynn GVSU Junior flynnmeg@mail.gvsu.edu

Photo of the Issue: “Pursuit”

Artist statement: Pursuit is a performance piece dealing with the problematic and strange relationship that the human race shares with the natural world.

Jessica Pleyel

A6 DOWNTOWN

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

Virtual business courses gain popularity in Seidman By Dan Spadafora

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GVL Assistant News Editor

he first online course in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University was offered two years ago, and since then the courses have expanded in popularity and, now, availability. The first course offered online was Management 331, taught by GVSU professor Monica Allen. “From the first time 331 was offered online, as soon as the classes opened for enrollment the class filled up within the first 24 hours, and this has been ever since then,” Allen said. “The format appears to be very popular with our students.” In response to the popularity, beginning in the fall of 2012, Management 340 will be offered as a partially online hybrid class to students in the business college. The key, Allen said, is the flexibility that online courses adds to student schedules. They allow for easier enrollment for students who do not have the means to attend class every day. “A lot of our students are working full time and going to school full time and it’s very challenging for them to keep up with schedules,” she said. “So I thought that if we offered something online that it would allow some flexibility for the students to be able to handle their schedules better.” Allen said the resistance she received from

creating these online courses is the concern of the human element that can be lost with classes online. “At the beginning the only concern that the faculty of the business (college) had was to ensure that the students were going to be able to receive the same quality of instruction that they do in class,” she said. “Also, there was concern of losing that face-to-face time. The challenge was to design courses where there was interaction several times during the week and it took a little creativity to figure out how to do that.” One person who voiced such concerns from the beginning was H. James Williams, dean of the Seidman Business College. Williams said, in his opinion, face-to-face courses are better than online courses since an element is lost online. Williams helped explain his reasoning by describing how to best deliver someone unfortunate news. “You know how difficult it is to communicate bad news, for example, using email,” Williams said. “I would never do that. The person can’t hear the inflection in your voice, can’t see the concern in your face, there is so much of communication that is missing when you are doing it online.” Williams did stress, however, that his personal opinion does not reflect how he makes decisions for the university and for the Seidman Business College. “The mission of the university is to serve

“The challenge was

to design courses where there was an interaction several times during the week and it took a little creativity to figure out how to do that.

”

Monica Allen GVSU business professor

the community, serve the public,” he said. “My job as dean, we have to serve the public and meet the community’s needs, the demands will dictate how much online teaching we have. I would not say I would not want more online courses because online teaching is better than the alternative of nothing at all.” In response to these concerns, Allen, who has previous experience teaching online courses at other institutions, said she holds discussion boards with her students, uses Blackboard and posts videos online to promote class activity.

Allen said in some instances, students are more apt to complete readings or assignments if the class is online rather than a conventional course because the classes are designed to be a more self-instructed course. “A lot of times in a classroom you call on a student and you … tend to get that answer ‘I don’t know’ or the deer in the headlights look,” Allen said. “In an online format they have the opportunity to think critically about it or see what other people are saying.” assistantnews@lanthorn.com

Seidman College opens masters program seats to Indian students By Elijah Brumback GVL Staff Writer

Courtesy Photo / gvsu.edu

International business: H. James Williams (pictured), dean of the Seidman College of Business, organized the partnership with the National Management School of India, which brings Indian students into GVSU Full-time Integrated Masters of Business Administration program.

In partnership with the National Management School of India, Seidman College of Business announced that it will begin admitting Indian students to its Full-time Integrated Masters of Business Administration program (FIMBA). In what H. James Williams, dean of the business college, called an effort to truly make the business school an international institution, he traveled to Chennai, India, for a signing ceremony to mark the commitment on Oct. 13. “The Seidman College provides ample opportunities for U.S. students, both in terms of opportunities to study at Seidman and in terms of financial support,” Williams said. “On the other hand, the partnership provides a golden

opportunity for Seidman to increase international diversity, which is so necessary for effective global business education. ... We expect to have sufficient seats for U.S. students over the short-term with a single cohort and over the long-term, with additional cohorts as necessary.” The FIMBA program starts each June and the final application deadline is Feb. 15. Applications received by Nov. 15, will be reviewed and qualified candidates will be interviewed in December for an early ad-

mission decision. All students in the program complete a 14-month, 42-credit accelerated program of 600-level coursework. Students who come to GVSU with the program will take a week-long trip to Washington, D.C., along with the study abroad fellowship portion of the program and spend two weeks during the winter semester at a global destination, all included with their tuition cost of about $40,800. According to the NMS website, GVSU can recruit

students in India who may not necessarily have a business background and conditionally admit them a year early to the program. During this period, students would complete the core courses at NMS to qualify them as business students before joining the GVSU cohort, which averages 30 students. Beyond completing the yearlong NMS course, prospective Indian students also have to fulfill other requirements conditional for GVSU admission. news@lanthorn.com

B SPORTS

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

ZACH ATTACK!

SPORTS EDITOR BRADY FREDERICKSEN sports@lanthorn.com

SPORTS

SHORTS BRIEFS Six athletes inducted into GVSU’s Athletic Hall of Fame

On Friday, six former Grand Valley State University athletes were inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Headed by Matt Thornton, a relief pitcher for the Chicago White Sox who played baseball at GVSU from 1996 to 1998, the class represents individual excellence from the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Other members of the 2011 class are softball great Amber Castonguay (softball from 1999 to 2002), Eric Cowles (men’s golf from 1998 to 2001), Reggie Spearmon (football from 1999 to 2002), Mirela Tutundzic (women’s soccer from 2002 to 2005) and Jason VanElst (track and field from 1999 to 2002). The class of 2011 will be honored with plaques in the Fieldhouse Arena.

Breen, Galloway stop Tech on final play to secure 24-20 comeback win

30 ZACH BREEN FREE SAFETY

GLIAC STANDINGS Football

GLIAC North Indianapolis Saginaw Valley gvsu Ferris State Michigan Tech Northern Mich. Northwood GLIAC South Wayne State Ashland Hillsdale Findlay ODU Lake Erie Tiffin

6-2 6-2 5-3 4-4 4-4 3-5 1-7 6-2 6-2 6-2 5-3 4-4 0-8 0-8

SOCCER

GLIAC North GVSU Northern Mich. Ferris State Saginaw Valley Michigan Tech Northwood GLIAC South ODU Ashland Tiffin Findlay Lake Erie

15-0 8-5-2 7-5-3 5-8-2 5-9-1 4-11 8-4-2 7-4-3 6-5-2 6-7-1 0-13

volleyball

GLIAC North Ferris State Saginaw Valley Northern Mich. Northwood GVSU Lake Superior Michigan Tech

15-1 12-3 11-5 10-6 10-7 5-11 0-16

GVL / Eric Coulter

Every second counts: Sophomore Erik Thompson looks for a hole on a punt return during Saturday’s homecoming game. The Lakers defeated the Huskies with less than a minute on the clock.

“We just knew we had to pin our ears

By Brady Fredericksen GVL Sports Editor

U

p by four points with less than a minute to play in the game, Michigan Technological University was driving deep into Grand Valley State University territory, eyeing a second consecutive win over the Lakers. But after three incomplete passes, GVSU’s (6-3, 5-3 GLIAC) pair of Zachs, Breen and Galloway, stuffed Michigan Tech (5-4, 4-4 GLIAC) quarterback Tyler Scarlett’s fourthdown scramble two yards short of a conversion, securing the Lakers’ 2420 homecoming win. Led in the second half by a defense that allowed just 114 yards of total offense — 36 prior to Michigan Tech’s final drive — GVSU used its defense and an offense that out-scored the Huskies 14-0 in the second half to seal a comeback victory. “Our team is progressing,” said GVSU head coach Matt Mitchell. “This was a tough ball club, and I knew that going in. You can‘t always get these wins where you’re piling up tons of yardage and stuff. Sometimes you‘ve got to grind some wins out, and I felt like our team grinded out a win in the second half.” The team’s play in the second half contrasted with its first-half per-

IMPACT

PLAYERS

back and get after them. ... It feels good and it lets us know that we can come out and get the victory anytime.

”

Andre Thomas Senior defensive lineman

formance. The GVSU defense, which struggled against the Michigan Tech’s passing game in the first half, allowed receiver Steve Worthy to gain 149 yards on seven catches, a distance equivalent to the entire GVSU offense. “We’ve been through all kinds of situations this whole season, so it wasn‘t anything different,” said senior defensive lineman Andre Thomas. “We just knew we had to pin our ears back and get after them. We knew we could stop them … It feels good and it lets us know that we can come out and get the victory anytime.” Down by 10 in the third quarter, the Lakers drove deep into Michigan Tech territory and, on a third-and-10 run by tailback Hersey Jackson, appeared to have rumbled for a touchdown that would have cut the Huskies’ lead to 20-17. The referees ruled the play one yard short, and Jackson was stuffed

on the ensuing fourth-down attempt. Despite the setback, Jackson continued his grinding effort, rushing for 97 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries against the GLIAC’s top total defense. “Anyone that’s been around Grand Valley football these last couple years knows how hard that kid runs,” said sophomore quarterback Heath Parling. “He’s a man, there‘s no doubt about it, and he runs hard with his head down and bites down on his mouth piece — I wouldn‘t wanna tackle him if I was over there.” Led by Parling’s 232 yards and two touchdowns, the offense put together a strong showing in the second half, rebounding from a first half that saw the unit out-gained by 76 yards. GVSU responded after the break, and to assist Parling’s cause, receiver Charles Johnson hauled in six passes for 117 yards and a diving 35-yard

touchdown in the second half. “I think it was a gut-check win,” Mitchell said. “You’re down 10 to a team that was getting the ball to start the third quarter. There’s lots of different ways to get wins, but these guys have been saying, ‘We‘re all we got,’ and that was something that was definitely being said in the locker room at half. I think that speaks to the character we have.” Along with the offense rebounding in the second half, the play of the GVSU secondary assisted in the comeback. After being beaten twice by Worthy on deep passes during the first half, corner back Reggie Williams redeemed himself in the fourth quarter by picking off an underthrown Scarlett pass. The interception led to the GVSU touchdown that put them ahead for good. “I thought our secondary, after getting challenged at halftime, stepped up in the second half,” Mitchell said. “To be honest with you, that’s the reason we probably shut them out in the second half — our secondary elevated the play, and we made some changes to get some different guys in different positions.” GVSU will return to practice in preparation for next week’s road game at Northwood University on Saturday at noon. sports@lanthorn.com

SCORING

SUMMARY

Hersey Jackson Running back

Rolling to a well-earned 97 yards on Saturday, the sophomore tailback earned all of his yards against the fierce Michigan Tech front seven. After a slow start, Jackson saw the majority of his success in the second half, recording 60 yards and wearing down the Michigan Tech defense. Zach Breen Free safety

The senior played his best game of the season on Saturday, recording 10 tackles (one for loss) and a sack in the Lakers’ win. His final tackle of the game helped stopped Michigan Tech quarterback Tyler Scarlett’s last-ditch, fourth-down scramble.

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

05:18 MTU Steve Worthy 8-yd pass from Tyler Scarlett (Garrett Mead kick)

13:11 GVSU Ryan Stokes 40-yd field goal

02:15 Charles Johnson 35yd pass from Heath Parling (Stokes kick)

09:31 Jovonne Augustus 17-yd pass from Parling (Stokes kick)

11:30 Worthy 42-yd pass from Tyler Scarlett (Mead kick blocked) 08:31 Hersey Jackson 1-yd run (Stokes kick) 00:24 Worthy 9-yd pass from Scarlett (Mead kick)

B2 SPORTS

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

SOCCER

Women beat Ferris for GLIAC first-round bye

GVL Archive

Invincible: Freshman forward Charlie Socia handles the ball during a past game. The Lakers continued their undefeated season when they beat Ferris State University, bringing their record to 16-0-2 (15-0 GLIAC).

Lakers trudge through mud to defeat the Bulldogs 1-0, bringing their undefeated run to 36 games By Joe Maher-Edgin

A

GVL Staff Writer

fter defeating Ferris State University 1-0 in Big Rapids Saturday afternoon, the Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team locked up a perfect conference season. GVSU (16-0-2, 15-0 GLIAC) extended its unbeaten run to 36 games while fighting for the win against the Bulldogs (7-8-3, 7-5-3 GLIAC) in less-than-desirable pitch conditions. “I thought our kids did a good job battling and competing all day in pretty tough conditions that probably took away some of our athleticism,” said GVSU head coach Dave DiIanni. There were areas on the field with standing water, and large portions of the field had two to three inches of mud. “It slows down the game

and makes play less attractive,” DiIanni said. GVSU put up 11 shots in the win to Ferris State’s two. DiIanni said he was happy with the win, but his team failed to capitalize on all of its chances. “We missed some chances in the second half to make the game a little easier for ourselves, but we still stayed with it and competed,” he said. The lone goal came courtesy of junior forward Maria Brown at the 10 minute, 8 second mark, assisted by junior Kayla Addison. “[Addison] ran down the sideline and made a really great pass inside and I got in front of the defender in front of me,” Brown said. “It wasn’t the prettiest goal, but I managed to get it just past the keeper.” The goal was Brown’s ninth on the season. The Laker defense continued in dominant form, blank-

ing the Bulldogs for their eighth consecutive shutout. Junior goalkeeper Chelsea Parise did not have to make a save in the game, and her opponent, Rachel McCollum, made five for the Bulldogs. The Lakers received a bye in the GLIAC Tournament semifinals, where the Lakers will face either the No. 4- or No. 5-seeded team to be decided at Tuesday’s quarterfinal game on Friday. The tournament is in preparation for the NCAA National Championship. The Lakers want to maximize playing at home as hosts of the tournament, an advantage earned as GLIAC regular season champions. “Essentially we guaranteed ourselves a National Tournament berth winning the conference, so for us we want to get into the ‘win or go home’ mentality,” DiIanni said. “We want to take every game where winning does matter and that we don’t want to see anybody else playing in the GLIAC Tournament final on our field.” The entire squad will take things easy this week, prior to beginning post-season play. “We’re going to use the next couple of days to get healthy, rested, and focus on academics,” DiIanni said. jmaheredgin@lanthorn.com

Courtesy Photo / Nick Shreiber

Surprise tournament: Kevin Lang protects the ball against an opponent during the Midwest Soccer Alliance Regional Tournament. The Lakers were a last-minute addition to the tournament after teams from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Milwaukee-Whitewater dropped out.

Club soccer team drops both games in Regionals By Stephanie Deible GVL Intern

The Grand Valley State University men’s club soccer team was not expecting to play in the Midwest Soccer Alliance Regional Tournament in Indianapolis this weekend, but unusual circumstances afforded the Lakers with a postseason opportunity. The Lakers nearly missed the regional tournament after finishing the regular season with a record of 11-3-3, which put them just out of reach of an automatic bid into the postseason. However, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater both declined their invitations to the tournament, giving

GVSU the chance to play two more soccer matches this season. In the tournament’s opening match, GVSU lost to the University of Michigan (10-0-1) by a score of 3-1. “It was kind of a weird situation in terms of how we were able to get in to playoffs; with one of the teams backing out we were next in line,” said GVSU head coach Jeff Crooks. “We didn’t practice for a couple of days there, and I think that kind of put us off in terms of rhythm.” Crooks said although the Lakers had been off the practice field and thought the season was over, the team came into the weekend with the proper mindset. “This team is not made up of anybody that says,

‘Hey, we’re just happy to be here,’” he said. “We represent Grand Valley State University … We take pride in that.” GVSU was able to get on the scoreboard late in the game after a foul gave senior midfielder Nick Schreiber the chance to score off a penalty kick. “We were still down so it didn’t really mean anything, but it helped out because in terms of how power rankings work, you get maximum points when you get a 3-0 win,” Schreiber said. “So actually we caused Michigan to not get maximum points, so I mean I guess that’s a small win.” Schreiber said he thought that if the team knew right away that it would make the regional tournament instead of finding out on short notice, the athletes would have been mentally and physically sharper. GVSU followed the Michigan loss with a second game right after against Indiana University (8-2-1). Unlike the first match against the day, Lakers could not score, falling 3-0 to the Hoosiers. “We played well defensively as a unit,” said junior Bryce Murphy. “There were just a few mistakes that they capitalized on and we didn’t capitalize on our opportunities. That really changed the outcome of the game.” Crooks said despite keeping possession for most of the match against Indiana, mental mistakes cost the Lakers some goals and forced them to change their strategy throughout the day. “If you make a couple of mistakes, then you have to change tactics to push forward to try to score goals,” he said, “... And sometimes you are left exposed, giving up some goals that maybe ordinarily you wouldn’t.” sports@lanthorn.com

SPORTS B3

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

RUGBY

Women have strong showing in national tourney By Jon Van Zytveld

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GVL Staff Writer

uring the weekend, the Grand Valley State University women’s rugby club won two games in the National Rugby Tournament, the first by 92 points. The tournament’s first round, hosted by GVSU on the newly-finished turf fields, showcased both men’s and women’s teams from seven schools. The women’s rugby club (8-0) defeated Ball State University in blowout fashion during the first round of the tournament, 92-0. The Lakers, ranked No. 2 in the nation, used their experience against the Cardinals and kept the offensive advantage through the end of the game. “The women’s team played well together this weekend, they played as a group, everything was clicking,” said GVSU women’s assistant coach Abe Cohen. “The competitors are all very physical teams, but we’re more physical. Our team bent but they didn’t break today.” However, GVSU scrum half Emma Pesci said the game was not an easy win. “Both teams this weekend were pretty good competition,” said Pesci, a junior. “I never felt like we were up by a lot, just because of the high level of play that they were at. We just got lucky getting around

their back end. We could stand to clean up our game a little bit, but we did a pretty good job here this weekend.” The first round was not quite as easy for the men. The Lakers (6-1) faced Northern Illinois University, and in the face of a strong opposing effort on offense and defense the Lakers fell 29-8. The women’s club moved on to defeat Slippery Rock University in the finals of the tournament, winning narrowly 10-7. The game was locked at 0-0 for much of the first 40-minute half, and in the last 10 minutes, Slippery Rock pulled off a placed penalty kick to get on the board. GVSU retaliated with a 5-point try, ending the first half 5-7. Early in the second half, the Lakers followed through with a more offensive set of plays, scoring another try. They kept the pressure on until the end, and finished 10-7, and with a first-place ranking in the tournament. “The team we played had one freshman and the rest were juniors and seniors, so we knew to expect a really good game,” said GVSU women’s head coach Bob Richthammer. “We started seven freshmen and made some mistakes. I’m happy our younger players recovered from the mistakes that they made, and we got the victory. I felt like this was the toughest

“I’m happy our

younger players recovered from the mistakes they made and we got the victory.

”

Bob Richthammer GVSU women’s head coach game we played in the playoffs.” This weekend’s wins allow GVSU to enter the next round of the competition, and will result in a favorable placing for the team when it returns in two weeks. “I think that our younger players got a taste of what a tough game is, because most of our games have been blowout victories,” Richthammer said. “I think the biggest thing for us is to improve as a team and attention to detail. Considering that half of our squad is freshmen, I have to give them kudos for being able to hold off the opposition. It was a good weekend.” jvanzytveld@lanthorn.com

GVL Archive

Going for gold: A Laker rugby player grabs for the ball during a past match. The women’s team played well in the first two round of this weekend’s national tournament after a 92-0 first-round victory.

SWIMMING AND DIVING

VOLLEYBALL

Lakers score high in weekend action “This weekend there By Melanie Huhn GVL Staff Writer

GVL Archive

Keep hope alive: The Lakers huddle during a past match. The team’s two weekend victories guaranteed it a spot in the GLIAC tournament, which will begin on Nov. 11 at a time and place to be determined .

GV collects pair of sweeps in Ohio Lakers defeat Ohio Dominican, Tiffin in straight sets By Zach Sepanik GVL Staff Writer

It was a perfect weekend for the Grand Valley State University volleyball team in Ohio as the Lakers defeated Ohio Dominican University on Friday and Tiffin University on Saturday, both in straight sets. “We knew if we didn’t beat these teams this weekend, there was no hope for postseason,” said junior middle blocker Eno Umoh. “It was do-or-die at this point. We had to give it our all so that we can get a good spot in the conference tournament.” On Saturday morning the team bus broke down on its way from Columbus, Ohio, to Tiffin, Ohio, causing the Lakers’ match at Tiffin to be delayed an hour. It did not matter in the end, as GVSU took down the Dragons 2515, 25-21, 25-16. Sophomore outside hitter Megan Schroeder delivered three kills in the match’s first six points, giving the Lakers an early lead. Consecutive kills from Umoh and three points from Tiffin attack errors saw the Lakers finish off the first set with five straight points. The opening set saw GVSU finish with a .448 hitting percentage. In the second set, however, the Laker offense struggled to a .087 hitting percentage. The

defense got the job done, though, holding Tiffin to just a .048 clip. The Lakers out-performed Tiffin across the board with better hitting percentages, assists, aces and blocks. “Coming away with two wins on the road was big for us,” said GVSU head coach Deanne Scanlon. “I thought we played really well and had a pretty good offensive showing. We will qualify for the conference tournament, but we have to work for as high a seed as we can.” Sophomore outside hitter Abby Aiken provided a match-best 11 kills, while sophomore middle blocker Abby Ebels put down nine kills and no errors, coming away with a .562 hitting percentage. Umoh added five kills, three blocks, three digs and a pair of aces while freshman setter Clair Ruhenkamp handed out 32 assists. Earlier in the week after a disappointing Wednesday loss to Saginaw Valley State University, the Lakers rebounded on Friday against Ohio Dominican, winning 25-20, 26-24, 25-16. Following a first-set victory, the competitive second set saw the Lakers jump out to a 7-1 lead. GVSU kept rolling along to a 17-10 lead, and eventually made it a 21-14 lead before the Panthers went on a six-point run, eventually cutting the deficit to 21-

20. Consecutive kills from Umoh made it a 23-20 game, but two kills and a Laker attack error put it up at 24. A kill from Holt and a Panther attack error ended any chance of a Ohio Dominican comeback, giving the Lakers the 26-24 victory. In the match, Umoh led the charge for the Lakers, collecting nine kills and eight total blocks. Ebels continued her hot streak, hitting at a .500 percentage that included seven kills in 12 attempts along with one block assist. Sophomore libero Sacha Gill led the team with 16 digs. With both of the weekend victories, GVSU improves to 13-11 overall and 10-7 in conference play. The Lakers have won four of their last five matches overall and continue to look to improve their postseason aspirations. “We have had a lot of ups and downs but we have pulled together as a team,” Ebels said. “That is what it is going to take. We need to take all that and tie it together with some effort and determination to win the next couple games and put us in the postseason.” GVSU heads to the road once again to face Lake Superior State University on Friday and will finish out the regular season at Northwood University Sunday. zsepanik@lanthorn.com

The Grand Valley State University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams competed near and far this weekend and brought home victories on both counts. On Friday, the Lakers traveled for a nonconference meet at Calvin College. Both teams recorded wins as the men took 11 out of 13 events with a combined score of 162 to Calvin’s 78. The women followed in similar fashion, taking 12 out of 13 events and winning 175-63. Helping lead the women to a win, senior Sarah Kosmak took home the No. 1 spot in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 53.89 seconds, followed by an impressive finishing split during the 200-yard freestyle relay, where the women took the top spot as well. On the men’s side, senior Raphael Santos won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.07 seconds and the 100-yard butterfly in 51.41 seconds. Santos continued his streak with the 200 medley relay, where his team with Erik Aakesson, Aaron Beebe and Milan Medo took first place with a time of 1 minute, 34.30 seconds. In diving, sophomore Jennifer Root and seniors Karen Verbrugge and Rachel Strom qualified for the end-of-season NCAA nationals in one-meter diving. The Lakers then travelled five hours to Ashland, Ohio, to compete in a GLIAC dual-meet with Ashland University. “It’s a lot, but we know going into it its what we have to do,” said senior captain Carly Bush. “We prepare for long travels. At the end of the five-hour bus ride we put everything behind us and just focus on the meet ahead.”

were some really close races. We competed great and put up extremely fast time for where we are in the season.

”

Andy Boyce GVSU head coach

Both teams emerged with victories against Ashland, finishing with almost an exactly the same combined score. The men won 154 to 88, while the women were just behind, winning in a 152 to 88 score. “This weekend there were some really close races,” said GVSU head coach Andy Boyce. “We competed great and put up extremely fast times for where we are in the season. With us heading into the middle of our season and coming to the end of the semester we have to focus on the meets in the horizon.” Even with the impressive times on both sides, the Lakers know they need to continue working hard to be successful. “This weekend was great for the team but we are by no means satisfied,” said Sam Soukop, men’s senior captain. “ We realize we have a lot of work ahead of us if we (can) be as successful as we want to be.” The Lakers will look to continue their success in hosting Division I opponent Michigan State University on Nov. 11 at Jenison High School. sports@lanthorn.com

lakerlife

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

B4

LAKER LIFE EDITOR HALEY OTMAN lakerlife@lanthorn.com

homecoming lip sync SPOOKS, THRILLS

GVL Archive

Fright night: GVSU fraternity brothers perform a lip sync at last year’s Greek Week. Students took to the Fieldhouse Arena stage Thursday for the annual homecoming lip sync competition.

“

It was fun to see all the students pull together and compete — the [Fieldhouse Arena] was packed. The enthusiastic involvement of the student body is infectious and I am so excited to be a part of it.

”

Kim Schmidt

GVSU alumnus, lip sync judge

By Rachel Melke

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GVL Staff Writer

he Fieldhouse Arena filled with witches, zombies and doctors Thursday, and where they weren’t, students were, packing the lower seats and bleachers. Along with all of this was a whole lot of spirit to the beat of spooky tunes and upbeat dance grooves. This was Grand Valley State University’s homecoming lip sync competition. Groups of performers shouted in anticipation and an assortment of music played before the stage lights came on. Host Vince Fabra brought his own version of a lip sync, dancing to N*SYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye.” He said his opening number was simply lowering the bar for student performers. Residential groups along with many sororities and fraternities participated to make up fifteen performances. The Sigma Phi AOPi Massacre received third place, Are You Afraid of the Deltas? placed second and They Who

Must Not Be Named won first place. Groups were judged on choreography, lip sync performances, transitions, costumes and props as well as entertainment value. There were six judges, all of them GVSU graduates. In addition to these judging areas, performers were also given rules. Performances could not be longer than seven minutes including setup and tear down, and groups that exceeded the time limited were deducted points. Performances also had to be tasteful and leave the stage clean, eliminating glitter, confetti and other messy materials. One of the judges, Kim Schmidt, is a 1988 and 2000 graduate of GVSU and currently the associate director of alumni relations. “It was fun to see all the students pull together and compete — the place was packed,” Schmidt said. “The enthusiastic involvement of the student body is infectious and I am so excited to be a part of it.” Many different themes were presented, such as a Halloween homecoming

dance, a haunting of sleeping children, Disney, zombies, the homecoming football game and more. Songs such as “Disturbia” by Rihanna and “E.T.” by Katy Perry appeared multiple times. Other songs ranged from “Cannibal” by Ke$ha to “Time Warp” from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and even “The Circle of Life” by Elton John. High-pitched screams were also a common audio feature. Between these homecoming performances, Fabra tied in some humor and introduced homecoming regents to the attendees. At the end of the night, Fabra responded to tweets while judges tallied their points. When asked which performance was his favorite, he answered that all groups did a great job. “You guys brought it,” Fabra said. Many of the students who watched agreed. “Overall it was a really good time and I had fun,” said freshman Morgan McCarthy. rmelke@lanthorn.com

Lip sync groups WHOJR Lions Frankenlakers The Fantastic Four Alpha Sigma Alpha and Delta Tau Delta PPD Zombies

The Royal Ravens Alpha Tau Omega Phi Sigma Sigma and Kappa Sigma The Scream Team The Sigma Phi AOPi Massacre Nightmare on Greek Street

The Spooky South Minoriteam They Who Must Not Be Named Scooby Doo and the Greek Gang Are You Afraid of the Deltas?

Homecoming 5k UNITES young and old By Bryan Cebulski GVL Staff Writer

A thin veil of mist permeated campus on Saturday morning. Sunlight seeped between the red leaves of fall trees and reflected off of the rain-slicked pavement, brightening the scenery over the 9 a.m. chill. Homecoming 5k staffer Danielle Tepper, a Grand Valley State University student and cross country runner, stood near the Kleiner Commons as runners passed by, their puffs of breath visible in the air like cigarette smoke. “You’re doing great! Lookin’ good!” she cheered, making sure they ran in the right direction. The eighth-annual Laker Homecoming 5k drew 290 registered runners along with a smattering of children. All ages were accounted for, from elders trekking steadily along to babies being pushed in their strollers. The course began just outside the Fieldhouse Arena and roughly outlined the perimeter of the

campus, ending under an inflatable Louie the Laker in the Kelly Family Sports Center. “The Laker Homecoming 5k is a fundraising tool for the GVSU Track and Field program,” said Nick Polk, assistant coach of the men’s cross country team. “The funds that we make from the road race help allow our program to travel athletes to competitive track meets around the country.” Polk said the cross country team has joined forces with the alumni relations department in recent years in hopes of bringing more GVSU alumni back to participate. In true Halloween spirit, some of the runners even trekked along in costumes, including Bugs Bunny in “Space Jam” attire, ladybugs and a family of Supermans. Erik Peterson ran as “Robot Pete,” a costume composed of a cardboard box helmet with compact disc eyes and a rectangular black cloth mouth. “It was a lot of fun,” Peterson said as he received a free massage on the chiropractor’s table

5k results

in the Sports Center, still donning the box. “Kind of cold, but everything was very well organized. I could hardly see but I didn’t get lost.” He went on to win best male costume in a new addition to the event this year, judged by cross country head coach Jerry Baltes. “It’s good to see everyone so active with their families,” said Monica Kinney, a GVSU junior and cross country runner. “And the price to participate is very reasonable, between $10 to $20. It definitely helps us track-andfielders.” The six winners each won $50 gift cards to various stores and a fresh pair of socks. Other participants could help themselves to free T-shirts and massages, as well as a $5 all-youcan-eat pancake breakfast. “We currently have the largest number of race registrations that we have ever had for the race, so we are very excited that the event continues to grow,” Polk said. bcebulski@lanthorn.com

Men 1st place – Nathan Fujioka 2nd place – Max DeKorne 3rd place – Alex Salinas

GVL Archive

Spellbinding: A family poses after last year’s homecoming 5k. This year’s race, which raises money for the track and field teams, included a costume contest to fit with the week’s theme in addition to a $5 pancake breakfast.

Women 1st place – Alicia Sherwood 2nd place– Michele Verellen 3rd place– Melissa Looman

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

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Verify Valid Job Title: Sales Support Intern Salary Level: $10/hr. Hours: 20 hrs. Location: Grand Rapids, MI For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/

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Clare Public Schools Job Title: Kindergarten Teacher Location: Clare, MI For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ Tulip Time Festival Job Title: Marketing Intern Location: Holland, MI For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ GVSU Hockey Job Title: Marketing Intern Location: Allendale, MI For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ College Pro Job Title: Summer 2012 Management Internship:Franchise Manager Location:Grand Rapids,MI Salary: Paid Internship Email David at dleveque@collegepro.com or visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ New World Systems Job Title: Software Development Summer Internship Location: Troy, MI Salary Level: $16-20/hr. For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center Job Title: Academic Intern Location: Grand Rapids, MI For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Job Title: Marketing Intern Location: Grand Rapids, MI Salary Level: $9/hr. For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/

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Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

Last-minute

Halloween costumes By Haley Otman GVL Laker Life Editor

The top-searched Halloween topic on Google is “costumes,” but many college students lack the funds to purchase fully-made get-ups from Halloween superstores. So what’s a Grand Valley State University student to do at the last minute, sans funds and time? GVL Archive

Build a better business: H. James Williams, dean of the Seidman College of Business, presents the first-place check at last year’s Business Plan Competition.

Prizes reach $5,000 for Business Plan Competition Deadline to sign up approaching By Kendal Pektas

S

GVL Staff Writer

tudents with great and interesting business ideas can win up to $5,000 in the fifth annual Business Plan Competition this spring. The competition, put on by the Grand Valley State University Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Seidman College of Business, asks students to submit an official business plan outline for potential companies. Throughout the competition process, students will be put in real-world situations as they learn what it takes to successfully launch a new business. Registration is free, and the deadline to sign up is Nov. 21. The competition date is March 29. “The Business Plan Competition serves to stimulate and nourish the entrepreneurial spirit at Grand Valley State University,” said Shorouq Almallah, CEI operations manager. “In particular, the competition seeks to encourage entrepreneurially-oriented

students to develop and grow new ventures based on their own ideas.” Partaking students will develop critical skills like evaluating opportunities, creating marketing plans, preparing financials and pitching to investors. They will also have networking opportunities with faculty, business leaders and investors as they share ideas and strategies. The competition is open to students of all majors as long as they have a sturdy business idea at hand. “A lot of the people who compete are in liberal studies, psychology, science majors, etc.,” said Adam Ingraham, a CEI graduate assistant. “You do not have to be a business major. Really, anyone can have an idea, which is the beauty of it.” Winners will be selected by a panel of judges, who have yet to be determined. These judges will then narrow down the top four business plans, and those winners will receive cash prizes. The third place winner will receive $1,500, second place will receive $3,000 and first place will receive $5,000. Additionally, the winner of the Social Media “Buzz” award wins $500.

Students are encouraged to use this money as seed capital for their businesses. “Drafting a plan forces students to strategically analyze their business; therefore, after completion of a plan, we feel confident that students have gone through the preliminary steps in validating their proposition,” said Austin Dean, a graduate assistant. “Whether you are pitching an idea or watching new ideas be expressed, you can’t help but be excited about where innovative minds are leading us, and the quality of students that are coming out of Grand Valley.” The competition is funded by the CEI along with local sponsors. “Grand Valley has made it a priority to be a premiere institution, and management here at the university understands that innovation powers growth, and that success is contagious,” Dean said. “The BPC is a way of empowering our students.” For complete registration rules and guidelines, visit www.gvsu.edu/cei. kpektas@lanthorn.com

GVL / Andrea Baker

New beginning: Members of the Terra Firma Society, formerly the Spes Bona Society, discuss conservatism.

Students of ‘solid earth’ reflect on conservatism By Rachel Melke GVL Staff Writer

Six Grand Valley State University students and one professor gather every week to bring themselves down to Earth. The group, which calls itself the Terra Firma Society for Traditionalists, started in 2008 as the Spes Bona Society after the election of President Barack Obama, which led to talk of the death of modern conservatism. The club derives its name from a Latin phrase meaning “solid earth.” “Students did not just want to be part of the knee-jerk right-wing reaction, but they wanted to think more deeply about human culture and economics and government,” said professor Benjamin Lockerd, the group’s faculty adviser. Nick Cousino, Terra Firma’s president, joined winter semester when the group only consisted of Lockerd and a graduate student. They met weekly, discussing George Nash’s book “Reappraising the Right,” a book about the past and future of American conservatism. Cousino enjoyed the meetings and saw an opportunity for growth. During the summer, he met other students

who were also interested and helped him to reform the group. With change came the new name. “We wanted a new name to signify the new chapter in our history, and ‘terra firma’ seemed to capture the nature of our society,” Cousino said. Cousino said Terra Firma is not a philosophy club that asks essentially answerless questions; rather, it is a group of students who seek the truth upon which they can stand. In addition to this new meaning of the group, they also decided to add “for Traditionalists” to further convey the nature of the group. This year, the group’s focus is based on a quote by G. K. Chesterton: “The tremendous examination of existence will not be based on whether we have been to college, but on whether we seriously, yet in good humor, confronted in our lives the highest things.” Along with this, the group has read sections of F. A. Hayek’s “The Road to Serfdom,” Russell Kirk’s “The Idea of Conservatism,” and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s Harvard address. “I think the broader range of topics will allow members with different interests a chance to discover a writer they really enjoy,” Cousino

said. In addition to discussion and reading, Terra Firma also hosts guest speakers, typically GVSU professors. Lockerd said would like also to bring outside conservative speakers to GVSU to bring interest from other student organizations on campus. “Perhaps they will awaken the many students on campus who have solid views of life and they will be able collectively to challenge some of the crazy ideas they are presented with at GVSU,” Lockerd said. Terra Firma is also involved with the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and attends their events throughout the year. “Terra Firma probably isn’t for everyone, but we all have a great time,” Cousino said. “The world we live in today is so caught up in the moment and in constantly being distracted, it is nice to meet once a week to reflect on what is really important in life.” Terra Firma Society for Traditionalists meets on the Pew Campus in either DeVos 202E or 302E every Thursday at 8 p.m. For more information, contact Nick Cousino at cousinon@mail.gvsu.edu. rmelke@lanthorn.com

Stereotypical tourist Borrow a cheesy Hawaiian-print shirt from your dad and carry around a camera (necessary on Halloween anyway) and large maps from the dollar store. Add a big hat and sunglasses if you have them, or just bring a towel in a duffel bag.

GVL / Amalia Heichelbech

Nudist on strike Use the free printing on campus to type up a sign to hang around your neck, and then sport it with any outfit you like. Take advantage of your costume choice to actually dress for the weather, and make fun of your friends in their skin-baring costumes.

Baby Wear your pajamas and pick up a cheap pacifier from the store on your way home from class. Super easy. Email your Halloween photos to lakerlife@lanthorn.com and we will include some of our favorite costumes in an online slideshow. lakerlife@lanthorn.com