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LAKER FOOTBALL SIGNS 27 NEW STUDENT ATHLETES FOR 2012 TEAM
LAKER BASKETBALL STARS BOND ON, OFF THE COURT
‘A LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA’ DEBUTS AT GV LOUIS ARMSTRONG THEATRE
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T H U R S DAY, F E B R UA RY 2 , 2 01 2
gv underground GVL / Eric Coulter
Details unknown: Bart Merkle, dean of students at GVSU, addresses the media in a press conference on Monday.
New details not available in Frey drug incident BY ANYA ZENTMEYER GVL MANAGING EDITOR
G GVL / Eric Coulter
Underground, under wraps: An emergency exit sign hangs in the underground tunnels at Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus. The tunnels, the subject of several campus myths, are used as service and utility tunnels carrying heat, water and electricity.
SEE TUNNELS, A6
GV cadaver collection enables hands-on learning Undergraduate cadaver use at GV among best in state, increasing yearly By Liz Garlick GVL Staff Writer
For most, the thought of mingling with the deceased is the stuff of nightmares, but for many students in medical or health-related graduate programs at Grand Valley State University, cadaver labs are part of everyday studies. Timothy Strickler, professor of biomedical sciences, said the anatomy labs have expanded since he arrived at GVSU in 1980, when there were only two cadavers in the anatomy lab and students dissected cats in their introductory-level anatomy courses. “I began to increase the number of cadavers in 1980, and worked them into the labs to replace the cats,” Strickler said. He said GVSU receives one to two “permanently donated” cadavers each year from the University of Michigan and eight to 10 cadavers each year from Michigan State University. Including delivery and pickup, he said the cost of each cadaver from MSU totals at around $1,300. Dawn Richiert, BMS
“Grand Valley students are lucky, because it is so unnatural for undergraduates to be (studying in) graduatelevel programs”
Justin adams assT. professor, biomedical sciences
professor, said some other institutions offer cadaver labs at an undergraduate level, but the labs only have a minimal amount of cadavers, or only offer sections of bodies for teaching purposes. However, GVSU undergraduates study from complete cadavers. “Grand Valley students are lucky, because it is so unnatural for undergraduates to be (studying in) SEE CADAVERS, A6
GVL / Eric Coulter
Hangin’ out: A plastinate hangs between two cadavers in a classroom at Grand Valley State University. GVSU receives its samples from the Von Hagens Plastination Facility in Guben, Germany and each years’ order costs the university about $100,000. Cadavers cost about $1,300.
rand Valley State University officials have released no new information about the four male students hospitalized Sunday after ingesting what officials are still referring to as an ‘unknown narcotic.’ Despite reports from students that the four male students were abusing bath salts, the university said the drug is still undetermined. “It’s a broad range of things we’re looking into, trying to piece together what happened — when, where, how,” Bart Merkle, dean of students at GVSU, told the media at a press conference held by university officials Monday at 1 p.m. The students were transported to Spectrum Health Hospital around 7:15 p.m. on Sunday from Frey Student Living Center on the Allendale Campus after the Grand Valley Police Department responded to a call from a resident assistant describing the students’ behavior as unusual. Other student residents present at the time of the incident said they could hear the four students laughing uncontrollably, hitting their heads against the walls and screaming. Reports from some students in Frey Living Center at the time indicated that the four males being transported resisted assistance from public safety, however, Merkle said police and living center staff were able to safely transport the students and no parties were harmed in the process. “I think public safety was able to deal with them, I couldn’t speak to the specifics of whether they were resisting assistance or not,” Merkle said. “Our biggest concern was getting them transported so we could get them down to Spectrum.” SEE NARCOTICS, A6
A2 NEWS
Grand Valley Lanthorn THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012
N E W S E D I TO R L I Z Z Y B A L B OA
Lakers in wonderland
NEWS BRIEFS GV library earns award The Association of College and Research Libraries has named Grand Valley State University Libraries recipient of the 2012 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. The annual award recognizes the staffs of a college, university and community college library for programs that deliver exemplary services and resources to further the educational mission of the institution. Criteria for the award emphasize outcomes as the best measure of quality.
World affairs lecture open to campus community Grand Valley State University students, faculty and staff members can attend each of the upcoming “Great Decisions” lectures, sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, at no cost. The series begins Feb. 6 and continues each Monday, from 6 to 7:15 p.m., through March 26 at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center. GVSU is among the university sponsors of the series. GVSU audience members should sign the GVSU list at the registration table prior to each lecture.
Autism Support Center earns grant The Autism Education Center at Grand Valley State University received a grant for $24,200 from Autism Speaks, a national leading foundation set up to combat the effects of autism. The grant will help improve services for individuals with autism in the areas of education and young adult and adult services through the START Building Your Future Project.
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Down the rabbit hole: Students crowd the dance floor during the 2011 Presidents’ Ball at Grand Valley State University. This years’ theme for Presidents’ Ball, which will be held at DeVos Place on Feb. 17, will be modeled after the Lewis Carroll book “Alice in Wonderland.”
GV announces ‘Alice in Wonderland’ theme for this years’ Presidents’ Ball BY LIZZY BALBOA GVL NEWS EDITOR
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS At the Lanthorn we strive to bring you the most accurate news possible. If we make a mistake, we want to make it right. 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 39 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
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T
he Grand Valley State University Student Senate is partnering with President Thomas Haas to host the 26th annual Presidents’ Ball at DeVos Place on Feb. 17. “Student Senate looks forward to hosting the annual President’s Ball because it is an opportunity for students to celebrate with faculty and staff,” said Ali Zimmer, executive vice president of the Student Senate. Amenities and decorations will all reflect this year’s “Alice in Wonderland” theme. “This year’s theme is ‘Wandering in Wonderland,’ and there will be references to the classic children’s story, ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ throughout the evening,” said LeaAnn Tibbe, assistant director of Student Life. “Spotlight
(Productions) will be showing the Tim Burton version of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in the big screen theatre during the week so we’re hoping students will pick up the book or watch the movie to refresh their memory. Guests will see a lot of references to hares, mad hatters, queens and, of course, tea parties.” Tibbe said about 4,500 people came to the dance last year, and 500 came for dinner. “This event is one of the largest student attended events outside of football games,” she said. “The past couple years, it’s been sold out. It’s become quite a Grand Valley tradition.” She added that even Haas gets excited for the ball, which graduates return to participate in. “This is one of (Haas’) favorite events, I would dare say,” Tibbe said. Haas is in charge of the Laker 5 campaign, the winners of which will
be announced during the ball. The university will also celebrate the Student Award for Faculty Excellence and the Laker of the Year. Tibbe said the university will provide many amenities, like smoothies and candy. Mixed drinks will be between $4 and $6, and beers will be about $3 for attendees 21 and older. Tickets for dinner and the dance cost $30, and tickets for only the dance are $10. Shuttles will be available to transport students between the Kirkhof Center and DeVos Place. Cocktails will begin at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will follow at 6:30 p.m. with doors closing at 7:15 p.m. Dancing will be from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. with doors closing at 11 p.m. Students must bring photo I.D.s for entry into the ball. Tickets can be purchased at the 2020 desk in the Kirkhof Center. news@lanthorn.com
News Editor LIZZY BALBOA Assistant News Editor ANDREW JUSTUS Sports Editor BRADY FREDERICKSEN
Laker Life Editor RACHEL MELKE A & E Editor BRIANA DOOLAN Image Editor ERIC COULTER
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NEWS A3
Grand Valley Lanthorn THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012
PHOTO OF THE ISSUE
GVL / Eric Coulter
Meeting of the seasons: Leaves crowd the edge of Zumberge Pond as it thaws from ice to water outside Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus. Despite flipping the calendar to the month of February, temperatures this week have reached up into the 40s, making the air unseasonably warm and melting the snow and ice that visited GVSU’s campus late last month.
NARCOTICS continued from A1
He said GVSU has an emergency on-call response system in place that notifies a team of staff members of any on-campus incident following the initial call placed to GVPD. The university also places a number of RAs, graduate assistants and living center staff in each building. Eric Klingensmith, coordinator of the Alcohol Campus Education and Services office said that at GVSU, and across college campuses nationwide, alcohol is the most commonly used drug by college students, followed by marijuana. Education, awareness and prevention programs are also set in place at the university as disciplinary action for students charged with alcohol or marijuana violations. In the case of the students in question, Merkle said it is hard to know at this time what the possible repercussions might be. “We don’t know because we don’t really know what they were taking, and so the
CADAVERS continued from A1
graduate-level programs,” said Justin Adams, assistant professor of BMS. Adams said that the biggest advantage of students learning from cadavers is that no two humans have the same exact anatomical structures, and there are subtle differences inside all bodies. He also said cadavers can help students to get a better understanding of what went wrong inside the body by examining complete cadavers. “We have a lot of student athletes with athletic training majors, exercise science, physical therapy and kinesiology who have also have hurt themselves, or have family members who have had cancer, diabetes or
“All we know at this juncture is that they’re in the hospital, they’re being treated, being monitored.” bart merkle dean of students
potential effects depend on what was involved,” Merkle said. “All we know at this juncture is that they’re in the hospital, they’re being treated, being monitored.” Klingensmith said the university tries to keep “ahead of the curve” in regards to knowing what drugs students are using. GVSU officials will attend an upcoming Emerging Drug Conference held by the Ottawa County Health Department in an effort to keep up with trends, Klingensmith said. “(Alcohol and marijuana) are our two main focuses,” Klingensmith said. “We try to keep up with trends across the country so if things are
popping up we want to start addressing them. As we start seeing things, we’ll definitely shift our focus. But we want to make sure our efforts are tied to the two we see the most.” Both Merkle and Klingensmith said students should “keep an eye out for each other,” and said the university as an amnesty policy for residence halls that allows students who are worried about another student to call the police without fear of getting in trouble. There are still no medical updates for the hospitalized students, but GVSU officials say they will release new information as they receive it. managingeditor @lanthorn.com
some chronic ailment,” he said. About 800 students take an anatomy class involving cadaver labs each semester, with about 20 students per class and four to five students per cadaver, Adams said. Richiert said the cadavers arrive in the winter and are dissected by students in BMS 460 throughout the entire semester. “Michigan State pumps a fixation solution into them to keep them from deteriorating,” she said, adding that the solution is different than the embalming fluid used in funeral homes. The bodies are then used in BMS 461 in the following fall semester. After that, the cadavers are used for lowerlevel classes. “(The bodies) are kept between a year and a half
to two years,” Richiert said. Their remains are then returned to MSU, where they are cremated. Ashes are either sent back to families or commemorated at a Catholic Mass that MSU holds at the end of the semester. Strickler said GVSU also uses plastinated human specimens in all of its BMS anatomy courses, including upper-level ones. The university receives samples from the Von Hagens Plastination Facility in Guben, Germany. “The amount we spend on plastinates varies from year to year, but since the initial order in 2009 we have spent about $100,000,” he said. “The plastinated specimens have proven to be very durable, and should last for many decades of careful use.” egarlick@lanthorn.com
A4 OPINION
Grand Valley Lanthorn THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012
L A N T H O R N O P I N I O N O N L I N E AT L A N T H O R N . C O M R E A D T H E B LO G : “BACK TO SCHOOL” BY E D H O L M A N www.lanthorn.com/blog
VA L L E Y VOT E : Do you think people with college degrees are happier than those without?
L AST I S S U E ’ S Q U E ST I O N : Do you plan on attending Black History Month events at GVSU?
Vote online at lanthorn.com
Y E S 20% N O 80%
EDITORIAL
INVESTMENT W e’ve all heard the spiel about how much a college degree is worth and how much more money college graduates make than their high school counterparts — 84 percent, or $1 million, more on average, according to Georgetown University research — but a college education is worth more than the sum of its cents. New research shows that in addition to raking in more money over their lifetimes, people with at least a bachelor’s degree are also more likely to describe them-
Affording a degree is harder than ever in today’s economy, but a bachelor’s degree is worth more than a higher paycheck
selves as happy, have more job security and have lower rates of unemployment, which makes sense if you think about it. More credentials, better job, more security. Not to say that college is the key to happiness, or suggest that those who don’t choose the collegiate road can’t be happy or are some how less than. But for those of us who are here now, And though a lot of the time the workload seems impossible, and the job market looks bleak and student loans start to
QUESTION OF THE ISSUE
make you wonder why you ever went to college at all, it is still too easily forgotten that we’ve got more opportunity ahead of us than a lot of our parents ever dreamed of; more resources at our disposal, more outlets for expression, identification and growth. College is about more than leveraging classes, jobs and internships to boost your resume — it’s about the experience. Yes, all students pay a premium to attend college, but the friends you make and experiences you have over your four (or five, or
six) years in school are the bonus gifts that accompany your degree purchase. College is too expensive — that’s the unfortunate truth. We may not be able to control the present, but the future? The future is up to us. Having a degree is loaded with the potential of having the kinds of jobs that help dictate things like tuition increases, funding models and finding solutions to making college more affordable and accessible. Chin up, GVSU. It’s only four years — if you think that it’s worth it.
GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON I BY DAN SILLS
Is a college degree still worth the cost? “Yes, without a college degree there is little hope of getting a well-paying job.”
Zach Ullman
Freshman, athletic training Lake Zurich, Ill.
“Yes, I believe it’s worth it in the long run. Everyone today that wants a good job is going to need a degree. I believe the cost for education though is a bit too much.” Jake Gauruder
Freshman, criminal justice Novi, Mich
“Yes. The cost of a college degree is definitely worth it for the long run. If you want to make the bucks when you’re older, you need a college degree.”
dsills@lanthorn.com
Being a Laker in five words
Alex Brizard
Freshman, advertising and public relations Novi, Mich.
“Yes, it is definitely still worth the cost. In the long run you will be able to get a better job and make more money so it will hopefully negate the cost.”
Hannah Stahrr Sophomore, nursing Livonia, Mich.
“While the cost of college is a bit steep, college is a fairly necessary step in becoming a successful member of society. Better jobs and a great experience make it worth it.” Laura DeWitt
Junior, group social studies Lansing, Mich.
Lanthorn
BY CHRIS SLATTERY GVL COLUMNIST
Creative. Happy! Really? I suppose. That is how I would describe myself in five words. The acrostic nature of these words is to show my creativity and the exclamation point is to let you know that I AM HAPPY! HENCE THE PUNCTUATION! Grand Valley State University asked its students something similar this past month and now it is time to vote on it. Laker 5 is a chance for one of our very own to win a scholarship, simply for being brief. The contest asked any Laker to share their Laker pride in
EDITORIAL PAGE BOARD Editor in Chief Managing Editor Web Managing Editor Advertising Manager
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.
— I physically can’t. I have hard enough of a time whittling my thoughts down to a twice-weekly 500-word format, let alone expression my love for this university in five words. Rambling is my thing, and Laker 5 does not tolerate long-winded responses. GVSU has done so much stuff for me: it has helped shaped my life, my profession and my society and it would seem disingenuous to only write five words about it. I would likely end up saying something along the lines of “Five great years… and stuff.” Even though no new submissions will be accepted, there are already huge amounts that range from high-school-yearbook-quotecliché to weirdly specific references. Adjectives dominate the responses but the submissions are so diverse, it really
emphasizes the creativity of the student body. In fact, you could almost think of these submissions like the first line of a GVSU haiku, with each word carefully selected for optimum usage. If only this literary analysis paper due tomorrow operated the same way… The winners of the contest will be announced at the Presidents’ Ball on Feb. 17. Go for the awards, stay for the grinding that constitutes dancing these days. Even if you didn’t submit your own personal Laker 5 response, you can go online to www.gvsu.edu/laker5 and pick the one that sounds like you could have written it. I actually have one final submission, and it pertains to anyone who has picked up a Grand Valley Lanthorn: let’s all keep everyone reading. cslattery@lanthorn.com
What the heck, Susan G. Komen Foundation?
The student-run newspapers at Grand Valley State University
SAMANTHA BUTCHER ANYA ZENTMEYER HALEY OTMAN KEVIN HAUSFELD
five words to be voted on. Submissions could range from “I love Grand Valley :)” to “Vote for my submission, dudes!” See, we as a society are accustomed to being short with our words: Twitter gives us 140 characters with each tweet, Words With Friends only gives players seven letters to work with at a time and texting substitutes actual words with letters — “u” instead of “you” and “2” instead of “too,” which forced Irish rock band YouToo to change its name with the times. Microsoft Word even underlined that last sentence in a green squiggle, claiming it was “too long (consider revising)” as if I’m some sort of wordy miscreant who loves the look of his own sprawling, verbose writing style. So it’s already very obvious why I did not submit
BY KEVIN VANANTWERPEN GVL COLUMNIST
Dear Susan G. Komen Foundation, What are you thinking? You had such a great relationship with Planned Parenthood. You two used to be able to march down a city street together, hand in hand, wearing those mildly dirtyfeeling “I <3 Boobs” t-shirts while warning the world around you: “Hey. It’s time to get those puppies checked out. Cancer is serious.” But then you had to go and cave in to congressman Cliff Stearns and his investigation into the organization based on federal funding for abortion, among other financial concerns. You
didn’t even wait to see if the investigation panned out. Not cool. Not cool at all. I get that Planned Parenthood makes a lot of conservatives uncomfortable with the abortion stigma and all, but we both know abortion is not what that money was for, anyway. Come on, Sue. Unlike a lot of people, you’re well aware that Planned Parenthood is not a fetusgobbling organization run by that creepy little torture guy from “The Princess Bride” (although that’s a great plot for the next Stephen King novel). You know that according to their latest numbers report, only 11 percent of the organization’s clients are there for an abortion. Most of them are there for STD tests, mammograms, pregnancy consultations, or the free cherry-flavored condoms in the lobby. That money was used to help provide breast cancer
checks to the unfortunate, not to send babies down the slaughterhouse chutes. But just as a reminder, here’s a quote from Planned Parenthood’s press release right after you dumped them: “Over the past five years, Planned Parenthood health centers with Komen program funding have provided nearly 170,000 clinical breast exams out of the more than four million clinical breast exams performed nationwide at Planned Parenthood health centers, as well as more than 6,400 mammogram referrals out of 70,000 mammogram referrals.” You see, Susie, it’s not killing babies, it’s saving boobies. As dirty as those “I <3 Boobs” t-shirts have made me feel, I’m finally dropping my fear of sounding like a creepy 50-year-old to say it: I love boobs. Everyone loves boobs. So why are you letting the boobs down
now, when they need you most? Why are you letting down the women attached to those boobs? Sure, maybe the politics of the situation will get you a bad reputation from time to time. But let me quote Patrick Hurd, the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia and husband of a woman currently battling breast cancer: “It sounds almost trite … but cancer doesn’t care if you’re pro-choice, anti-choice, progressive or conservative. Victims of cancer could care less about people’s politics.” I have to agree with Mr. Hurd. If cancer doesn’t give a crap about a victim’s political affiliation, then why the hell should those fighting to prevent it? For just once, can we as Americans put the politics aside and start kicking cancer’s ass again? kvanantwerpen@ lanthorn.com
A5 your space
Grand Valley Lanthorn THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012
READER PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Becca Studer
Up in the sky: This photograph of the coast was taken from the window of a plane on Jan. 6 as Becca Studer, a Grand Valley State University junior rower, flew back from winter training in Florida with the GVSU rowing team. Studer is a liberal arts major and plans to pursue occupational therapy after graduation. Each year, the rowing team travels down to Florida to train and compete.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Casual writing has its place, but not in academic emails Dear Editor, I am writing because I am concerned with the lack of professional writing skills in today’s youth. This, I believe, is due to the “techno-social” phenomenon we are experiencing as a culture. Communicating dominantly through text messaging and Facebook ultimately embeds deeper our bad grammar behavior. I do understand the convenience of such technologies, and I too am guilty of blatant grammar misuse. However, when it comes time to write a formal essay I know which your, to, and their to use. Though it is arguably appropriate for colloquial speech to be, in a sense, grammati-
cally colloquial, when writing professional works it is simply unacceptable. I have heard many professors’ stories of students beginning e-mails with the greeting, “Hey.” I could sense the disbelief in their tone. They find it disrespectful and too casual for a conversation with a professor. I see it this way: Being a full time student is considered an occupation. Would you e-mail your boss with “Hey” as your greeting? Yet it extends farther. In April of 2008, The Sacramento News published an article regarding how texting may effect teens’ schoolwork. “The study concludes, ‘A national telephone poll of 700 youths
ages 12 to 17 and their parents found that 64 percent of teens admit that the breezy shortcuts and symbols commonly used in text messaging have appeared in their school assignments.’” I believe that a student’s ability to write professionally is critical to success. By allowing students to slip by using shortened forms of words or incorrect grammar is an injustice to them. There needs to be stronger action taken to ensure the capability of students to know when to, specifically, use the right homophone and how to address professionals respectfully. Sincerely, Kristi VerHage GVSU student
There are two sides to the ‘Buffett Rule’ Dear Editor, I would like to respond to Mr. Justus’ editorial, “Obama’s ‘Buffet Rule’ makes good old-fashion sense” published in the January 29th edition of the Lanthorn. Mr. Justus paints a portrait of only one side. The ‘Buffet Rule’ is based on the Idea that Warren Buffet pays a lower tax rate than his secretary. Buffet does pay a lower rate, but that is because his secretary pays federal income taxes and he pays capital gains tax, which is set at 15% no matter how much you make. Mr. Justus writes that the Buffet rule would eliminate common deductions for
individuals earning over $1 million annually and thus make rich people pay a higher tax rate than their secretaries. The problem is that Buffet pays the government in capital gains tax, so eliminating deductions would not fix this problem because deductions only affect income taxes. Mr. Justus also writes about Mitt Romney’s effective tax rate of 13.9% on $21 million of income. Of course Romney can lower his effective tax rate because of deductions which Justus explains. But what he fails to point out is that the effective income tax rate for lowest two quintiles is negative.
Meaning, if you divide the people paying taxes into fifths, the lowest 2/5th’s actually don’t pay into the government, they get credit for the income tax they paid in. The middle fifth has an effective rate of only 3.3%. Mr. Justus seems to forget that rich people are not the only ones that get deductions. The lowest income individuals in fact sometimes get money back from the government; they don’t actually pay income taxes. My source is for these statistics was www.taxpolicycenter.org. Brent Tavis GVSU student
A6 NEWS
Grand Valley Lanthorn THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012
Beyond monetary value College education, happiness level related, study says BY Krisy Force GVL STAFF WRITER
I
n a perfect world, college equals success, success equals money and money equals happiness. Statistics from the Pew Research Center and the University of Virginia show correlations between happiness and a college education. An article analyzing the statistics from the Kalamazoo Gazette reported that people who were happy were more likely to have at least a bachelor’s degree than those who did not. Bart Merkle, dean of students at Grand Valley State University, said much can be gained from a college education, specifically personal and professional growth and tools that can “open doors.” “I think having an education improves the quality of your life,” Merkle said. “Any time you can improve the quality of your life you are going to be happier and more content, which then often translates into better relationships and having fun which translates into being happier.” Many other studies have found correlations between money and happiness, but not happiness and a college degree. However, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. median income goes up steadily with the attainment of a college education. The U.S. median income in 2010 for high school graduates was $626 a week, compared to $1,038 for those with a bachelor’s degree. Psychology professor Lawrence Burns said there are often multiple variables involved when looking at statistics and the purported correlations between them. He said one may be jumping to conclusions by stating that receiving a college education will make a person happy because factors can contribute to happiness,
GVL / Eric Coulter
Exploring: Lanthorn editors Andrew Justus and Brady Fredericksen explore GVSU’s service tunnels. GVL Archive
Worth it: President Haas congratulates a graduate during the December Commencement ceremony. A recent study shows college graduates are happier than those without degrees.
including personality type, lifestyle, earning potential and the type of degree earned. Despite the fact that many variables may play a role in the determination of happiness, Burns said he strongly believes one of the most important predictors is a college education. The stability of a college degree can also play a role in determining happiness. According to the Department of Numbers, unemployment among those with a bachelor’s degree was 4.1 percent in December, compared to 7.7 percent for those with an associate’s degree or some college, 8.7 percent for those with a high school degree and no college and 13.8 percent for high school dropouts. If earning potential is certainly a factor in happiness, those with a bachelor’s degree have less to worry about than those without college experience. “The values of a liberal education are often associated with a richer, more fulfilling life,” Burns said. Merkle agreed that a college degree can ease people’s worries when searching for opportunities in life. “People who don’t pursue a college education are at a competitive disadvantage to find opportunities
they can plug into to make a living,” Merkle said. “The need for more education and skills to do work in this more technologically advanced economy that we live in has never been more prevalent than it is today. I believe education is fundamental. It is the door to opportunities and experiences that enable people to be civically engaged in a broader community.” Although many concur that education is a valuable tool in life, and correlations appear to exist between happiness and a higher education, many people cannot afford to attend college. “There is a real financial cost to an education and unfortunately over the last 25 to 30 years that cost has continued to increase and sometimes at an alarming rate,” Merkle said. “That is an erosion of the philosophy of education being a public good.” Despite both the difficulty of pursuing a college degree and the correlations that exist between a degree and happiness, Merkle said education helps unlock human potential. “(Education) helps people to understand that they are capable to do the things they want to do and that is freeing,” he said. kforce@lanthorn.com
TUNNELIN’ DOWN GVL editor Andrew Justus explores GV’s biggest mystery: its tunnel system
BY Andrew Justus
GVL Assistant News Editor
There is a system of tunnels connecting nearly every building on Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus, and while shrouded in mystery and myths, the tunnels hide no treasure or bones of past GVSU presidents. James Moyer, assistant vice president of Facilities Planning, recently helped the Lanthorn get to the bottom of one of GVSU’s most mysterious features, leading members of the Lanthorn staff on a tour of GVSU’s utility tunnels recently, beginning at an unmarked doorway on the side of the Cook-DeWitt Center. The system of tunnels runs from the campus utilities building near Lake Michigan Drive, south through the heart of campus with branches
connecting to the Padnos Hall of Science, the new library and the lake halls and ending at the old Grand Valley Apartments in the south. Inside the tunnels run miles of large pipes carrying chilled drinking water, mediumsized pipes filled with steam for heating buildings and sidewalks, racks holding fistsized wires for electricity and smaller cables for Internet and telephone communications. With so much pipe and wire running through the tunnel system, there are points where people have a hard time fitting between everything. This problem is especially obvious in older sections of the system where extra pipes and wiring has been added to accommodate the growing campus. At the entry point underneath Cook-Dewitt, a person has to squeeze through a gap above a 24-inch water pipe and an 18-inch steam pipe to gain access to the tunnel. Ignoring the contortion required to navigate the GVSU Underground, the system of tunnels is quite comfortable due to heat radiating from the heavily insulated steam pipes and the cool glow of the occasional light bulb mounted on the ceiling, six feet below the sidewalk. If not for the cobwebs, it would be a decent place to do homework.
The tunnels, however; would not have been a very good place to get school-work done during the intense rain storms on June 21, 2011. The intense rainfall on and around that day caused severe flooding throughout the tunnel complex, Moyer said. Three feet of water filled the concrete caverns throughout the system due to water collecting in, and then flowing from, the open basement of the new library, Moyer said. Cleanup efforts from the flooding are still ongoing nearly six months later. The cement floors still bear signs of sediment from the floodwaters, and the iron water pipes lie stripped of their insulation, which was destroyed in the incident. While much of the network of tunnels on the Allendale Campus is nearing 40 years old, some sections have yet to be put into use. A section linking the main line to the new library’s basement is not yet in operation, though it has all of its fixtures installed and is considerably brighter and roomier than the rest of the system. The new branch line even has the beginnings of what could be a short connection to a possible science lab building just north of the soon-to-be-completed Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons. assistantnews@lanthorn.com
GR mayor awards GV members for interfaith work BY Lizzy Balboa GVL NEWS EDITOR
Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell recognized three members of the Grand Valley State University’s Kaufman Interfaith Institute for their contributions to the 2012 Year of Interfaith Understanding during his State of the City address Saturday. “I want to honor a group of individuals whose vision, creativity and hard work have brought about this celebration of the diversity of religious faith in our community,” Heartwell said. Director Douglas Kindschi, Program Manager Whitney Belprez and member of the Kaufman advisory board Petra Alsoofy each received plaques for their involvement in the 2012 Year of Interfaith Understanding. “(Kindschi) is the brainchild of this Year of Interfaith Understanding and has been a great partner to work with,” Heartwell said in his speech. “Whitney coordinates the Year of Interfaith Understanding activities, sometimes juggling tasks like a master magician.” Although Kindschi, Belprez and Alsoofy were recognized for their achievements, their work has not been easy. Belprez said she has met challenges that currently impede the community’s potential to achieve complete understanding. “We have met resistance
with a few congregations that have made it clear that they are not interested in being a part of something that doesn’t have proselytizing as its end goal,” Belprez said. “It has been surprising to me, actually, how many old prejudices and intolerant opinions many people still hold. “Many times we don’t realize how stereotypes become so ingrained in us that we become unconscious of them. Recognizing and removing these prejudices and stereotypes is the most difficult barrier in the process of learning about and understanding another.” Kindschi said the barriers are not insurmountable, though, and added that the Kaufman Institute has received cooperation from “a broad range of persons and faith traditions.” The director added that his involvement in the Year of Interfaith Understanding has been rewarding so far. “To promote ‘understanding’ is what any faculty member seeks to do in the classroom,” he said. “To see the whole community as a classroom and to find such wide and enthusiastic support has been most rewarding.” Belprez said her experiences have also been gratifying. “I enjoy working with such a diverse group of people that cross so many lines — faiths, ethnicities, nationalities, ages, classes, races, etc,” she said. “It’s wonderful being a part of a grass roots, collaborative ef-
fort that seeks to make a positive impact in the community, even when we face difficulties and address problems. It’s incredibly rewarding to work in an environment in which each person is encouraged to truly live what they believe to be true, while also learning to live together in a more respectful, accepting and understanding way.” She added that her participation in interfaith events has allowed her to grow spiritually. “I am constantly challenged and inspired by the people I meet and work with on this initiative to live my faith more
authentically,” she said. Kindschi agreed that he, too, has become more spiritual through his involvement in interfaith events. “It has also allowed me to deepen my own religious faith and commitment,” he said. “It has broadened my own understanding and increased my faith in people who seek understanding and peace.” For a list of the events scheduled for the 2012 Year of Interfaith Understanding, visit www.gvsu. edu/2012interfaith/moduleevent-index.htm. news@lanthorn.com
Courtesy photo / MLive.com
Shout out to GVSU: Grand Rapids Mayor George Hartwell speaks during the State of the City address on Sunday.
B SPORTS
Grand Valley Lanthorn THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012
sports@lanthorn.com
S P O R T S E D I TO R B R A DY F R E D E R I C K S E N M .
S P O R T S
SHORTS Former Laker hired as Ohio State coach Ohio State University announced Monday that former Grand Valley State University lineman Bill Sheridan will join the Buckeye football program as a defensive assistant. Sheridan, a 1982 GVSU graduate and four-year letter winner for the Lakers, has spent the past seven seasons as an NFL assistant coach. During his coaching career in professional football, Sheridan won a Super Bowl ring in 2007 with the New York Giants. He has also spent time coaching at Shrine High School in Royal Oak, Mich., and seven different college intuitions, including the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and the University of Notre Dame. As a member of the Ohio State coaching staff, Sheridan will work primarily with defensive backs.
Vanek breaks U.S. shot put record Grand Valley State University senior Daniel Vanek was named GVSU Student Athlete of the Week as well as GLIAC Player of the Week for his performance on Jan. 20 at the Mike Lintz Open. Vanek turned in a national shot put record with a throw of 19.09 meters, which broke the previous record by almost three feet. Aside from breaking the national record, the senior broke his own school record of 18.59 meters. Vanek is the current NCAA Division II Outdoor Shot Put National Champion. GVSU track and field will be back in action on Friday at Saginaw Valley State University at 4 p.m.
G V S U
SCHEDULE W. Basketball Thursday vs. Saginaw
Valley, 6 p.m. Saturday vs. Lake Superior State, 1 p.m.
M. Basketball Thursday vs. Saginaw
Valley, 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Lake Superior State, 3 p.m.
M. Track and Field Friday at Saginaw Valley, 4 p.m.
W. Track and Field Friday at Saginaw Valley, 4 p.m.
W. Tennis Saturday vs. Grand Rapids Community College, 2:30 p.m.
W E B
EXCLUSIVE Tennis seeks to return ‘undefeated and proud’ after 4-month break lanthorn.com/sports
B A S K E T B A L L
chemistry on and off the court BY Brady Fredericksen GVL Sports Editor
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ransfer students a year ago, senior men’s basketball players James Thomas and Nick Waddell came to Grand Valley State University knowing one thing: basketball. That is, until they met each other. Since that arrival, the duo’s friendship has strengthened on the court and off. You’ll notice them around campus, likely because Thomas is a 6-foot2, 180-pound guard while Waddell is a big man in every sense of the word, standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 262 pounds. “(Nick’s) kind of the first person I met when I got here, he came in the same time I did, so we went through the same things at the same time,” Thomas said. “Just last year, going through all the stuff we went through, made our friendship stronger. We both love basketball and we have the same plans after college to continue playing overseas, so we have the same dream.” While both have similar plans after college, their paths to GVSU were polar opposites after high school. Waddell, originally from Chicago, had a movementfilled career prior to GVSU. After beginning his college career at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill., Waddell played a season of basketball and transferred to New Mexico Junior College before finally arriving at GVSU last season. “Obviously he’s kind of bigger than everyone else,” said Thomas, who lived with Waddell last year and during the summer this year.
GVL Archive
Bros at first sight: (Left) James Thomas shoots a circus shot during a previous game against Northwood. (Right) Senior center Nick Waddell goes up for a rebound during a previous game.
“I think him just playing our center position is just kind of sets him apart from everyone — and me. I see us as the inside and outside of our team.” That inside-out combo has become the Lakers’ biggest strength this season. Both have been named
GLIAC Player of the Week this season, and with his move to the bench Waddell has been able to spark the team’s sometimes-struggling offense. “It just shows his work ethic and how much he dedicated to winning and improving is individual
S W I M M I N G
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skills,” said Thomas, who has averaged 14.7 points per game this season. “He’s a hard worker, and I think that shows how much hard work he’s put into it.” That hard work has been reflected in Waddell’s summer. The big man dropped 30 pounds this off-season, in
part because of the work he put in working with Thomas this summer. “Losing weight was a big thing for me, but it also helped me and my health,” said Waddell, who has averaged 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this season. “(JT) just works harder than the next person, and that helped me over the summer. Every time he went to the gym I’d go with him, and that helped me to lose the weight.” Thomas on the other hand, has had a more direct route to GVSU. After playing locally at Grand Rapids Christian High School, Thomas played two seasons at Grand Rapids Community College. While there, Thomas landed on the NJCAA Second Team All-American team. Whether it be assisting Waddell’s summer work, or improving his own game, Thomas has shown a work ethic that’s admired by both Waddell and GVSU head coach Ric Wesley. “He has a very good work ethic, and he’s a very physically gifted player,” Wesley said. “He just has lots of energy lots of drive. He really helps set a standard in terms of effort in practice.” With a final stretch of the season to go, it’s unknown what the duo and team can accomplish, but Wesley said the duo has gone through the same issues and gotten assimilated to college together. “When you come in you need a friend,” he said. “They’ve got a nice chemistry and bond between them. Hopefully that’s something that will last long after Grand Valley.” sports@lanthorn.com
D I V I N G
Detail, work ethic keys to success for Beebe BY Bryce Derouin GVL STAFF WRITER
Looking at the Grand Valley State University men’s swimming records, senior Aaron Beebe’s name will stand out among the rest. That’s because he owns nearly all of the record. The senior co-captain made an impact as soon as he stepped on campus, setting freshman records in the 500-yard freestyle (4 minutes, 31.78 seconds) and the 200-yard butterfly (1:49.87). In Beebe’s four years at GVSU, he’s managed to rewrite almost the entire varsity record book. He holds individual records in the 200-yard freestyle (1:36.56), 500-yard freestyle (4:30.41), 1000-yard freestyle (9:24.88), 100-yard butterfly (48.01), 200-yard butterfly (1:45.07), 200-yard individual medley (1:49.51) and the 400-yard individual medley (3:54.09). Beebe is also a member of three record-holding relay teams: the 200-yard medley relay (1:29.64), 400-yard medley relay (3:16.97) and the 800-yard freestyle relay (6:38.29). The decision to attend GVSU came in Beebe’s se-
nior year at Grand Haven High School, but there were various contributing factors that went into his decision. “I started swimming when I began in high school and I decided I would keep doing it when I was a senior in high school,” he said. “GVSU had the whole overall academic package with the scholarship, and it is close to home. Overall, it just had an atmosphere that I liked.” Beebe has also managed to have success on the biggest stages. He is the defending GLIAC champion in the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard butterfly. “It’s important to have total commitment in and out of the water,” he said. “I’ve been swimming year round for a couple of years now. If you want to have great success at anything, you have to commit yourself totally to it. So I think that’s what I’ve been able to do and really focus in.” Head coach Andy Boyce cites Beebe’s work ethic and attention to the small details as keys for his success. “He has great attention of detail to his stroke,” he said. “It’s very methodical and he looks at video and really focuses in on the small parts
of his races. It really makes a big difference.” Aside from being a dominant competitor, Beebe is also respected and looked up to by his peers. “He’s one of the most humble people I’ve ever met,” said senior co-captain Sam Soukup. “It’s a true testament to his athletic ability. The stuff he’s been able to do this year has been incredible and he’s had such a level head on him the whole time. He doesn’t boast about anything and he is a very team orientated guy.” Beebe’s success has also motivated his teammates, and he has been a role model for his teammates. “When I see him killing stuff in the pool it fires me up and gets me excited,” Soukup said. “He does his speaking and leading by example, and he sets the tone in the pool and does a great job of showing other guys what to do day in and day out in the pool or the workroom. It’s contagious and it’s great having him on the team. Beebe has two meets left as a Laker, the GLIAC Tournament and the NCAA Division II National Tournament, and he is hoping to go out on a high note.
GVL Archive
Record breaker: Senior Aaron Beebe (pictured) holds two freshman, seven varsity and three relay team records to date.
“I just want to go out for the highest placing I can, and try to better my personal times,” he said. “I just want
to swim faster than I have before and just finish it off right.” bderouin@lanthorn.com
B2 SPORTS
Grand Valley Lanthorn THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012 G Y M N A S T I C S
Lack of coach doesn’t stop gymnastics team
Courtesy Photo / Alexa Kitson
No coach, no problem: Though the Grand Valley State University gymnastics team (pictured) may be on their second season with out a coach, members have managed to place third as a team in Division I NAIGC, which includes the University of Michigan and Miami of Ohio gymnastics teams. The GVSU gymnastics team will compete on Feb. 25 at the University of Notre Dame. BY STEPHANIE DEIBLE GVL ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
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o coach and a practice schedule that prevents an entire team from practicing together would be a disaster for most sports programs, but the Grand Valley State University gymnastics club does not intend to let those hurdles stop them from achieving success in 2012. After advancing to the national meet a season ago, the Lakers began this season with a third place finish at Ohio State University. “Overall it went pretty well,” said senior Alexa Kitson. “We took third place as a team, so we beat out a lot of the Division I schools like
University of Michigan and Miami of Ohio … but I think there were some areas where we could’ve done better. We had a lot of falls and if we didn’t have those falls we’d be up there in placement.” Juniors Chelsea DeKuiper and Bethany Ryder, along with Kitson, led the way for the Lakers placing fifth on the bars, floor routine and vault, respectively. Despite not having a coach for the second consecutive season, GVSU’s goals in 2012 are to use their group commodore, their wiliness to work together and a mix of veterans and newcomers to place in every meet. “Placing is a huge thing for us because we go to a lot of meets and people go, ‘Who is Grand Valley,
where are you from?’” Kitson said. “Then when we start to podium, we start to get some recognition from other schools.” Although third place was a solid finish in a meet where the Lakers faced mostly Division I National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Club teams, the team still has room to improve. Ryder said GVSU will need to improve its consistency and production during practice in order to be successful throughout the season. The Lakers next competition is Feb. 25 at the University of Notre Dame, a meet that GVSU won last season. If GVSU has a chance at winning the Notre Dame meet for a second
consecutive season, the Lakers will have to navigate around its inconsistent practice schedule. “We need to be able to get the whole team in the gym at once,” Kinton said. “Our schedules are really demanding, so a lot of us are not as practice when others are. I think we all need to be in the gym together and practice our routines over and over again.” Beyond the goal to place at every competition, the Lakers have aspirations of returning back to nationals. However, making back-to-back appearances at the national meet brings with it new challenges for the GVSU. “Nationals are actually the week-
end of finals,” Kitson said. “If it works out with our schedules we’ll probably go, but they are in Utah this year, so it’s really far to travel.” Regardless of what GVSU decides when it comes time for nationals, the club adviser, Marene Van Farowe said the team has already overcome numerous obstacles. “They’re natural fighters,” said Van Farowe, who is a certified USA Gymnastics coach and judge. “They’ve come together, and obviously have gotten over a lot of hurdles. Without a coach, they have to coach each other and they have to come together, and so far so good.” assistantsports@lanthorn.com
H O C K E Y
Wilhelm brothers lead Lakers’ offense BY JON VAN ZYTVELD GVL STAFF WRITER
As the Grand Valley
State University Division II hockey club nears the end of its season, forward siblings Brad and Chad Wilhelm continue to push themselves to lead the Lakers to victory. “They’re both great offensive players,” said GVSU
head coach Mike Forbes. “Chad is the puck controller and Brad is a pure shooter. They’re both skilled, they got good hands and great skating ability. They bring a lot to our offensive lineup.” Originally from Carmel, Ind., the Wilhelm brothers have both contributed to the success of the Lakers (24-4-1) with a combination of scoring, teamwork and leadership.
Brad, a freshman, got his start with the Lakers this year and has scored 17 goals and 12 assists so far this season. “The camaraderie of the team has been great since the beginning, everyone gets along great,” he said. “I try to pass, score and do as much as I can to help the team out.” Chad, a junior, was a
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guest student when he joined the Lakers last year after playing Division III hockey for Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. A part of the team’s ACHA national championship team, he helped to lead the Lakers to a 24-10-1 record, and recently rejoined the Lakers after missing part of the season due to grades. Chad dropped off the roster in early January due to a shoulder injury, but he will rejoin the team for most of the remainder of their season. Despite his limited playing time this year, his leadership on the team has already been felt. “I definitely think he’s a leader on the team,” Brad said. “When he plays, he’s fast out there. He’s got a great shot and he uses it well. I think that when we get him back in the lineup, he’ll contribute to these next few games. We’ll be happy to have him back.” Although Brad, who stands four inches taller than Chad, has seen success without his older brother, the two have been able to add speed and a dependable scoring combination to the Lakers. “It’s been a really good experience to play for the Lakers,” Chad said. “We have a good bunch of guys, there’s never a lot of controversy on the team. I think me and my brother bring speed to the team, which is a big thing. He’s got an amazing toe-drag and he’s a great play-maker for us, he sees the ice very well.” After their 23-game winning streak ended last week-
GVL Archive
Control: Junior forward Chad Wilhelm guides the puck in a match. Wilhelm and his brother, Brad, are both Laker hockey players.
end in a loss to Michigan State University, the Wilhelms and the Lakers are ready to prove that their success is not a fluke. “I’m glad we lost these two games now, instead of later,” Chad said. “The games we lost were not shutdowns. We had a lot of posts, a lot of opportunities, and I’m glad it happened now instead of at Nationals. I think we need to just stick with the program we’re doing now and stay confident,
but don’t get big heads going into the tournament. We’ll just go and play our best and shoot for No. 1.” The Lakers have five more regular games this season before they head to Great Midwest Hockey League Championships and Nationals. Their next games will take place on the road at Central Michigan University on Friday and at Ferris State University on Saturday. jvanzytveld@lanthorn.com
SPORTS B3
Grand Valley Lanthorn THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012 T R A C K
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F I E L D
Sprinter inspires team while pushing limits BY Zach Sepanik GVL staff writer
Superbowl Pick ‘Ems
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BA great Michael Jordan wasn’t a track and field athlete, but his words inspire Grand Valley State University senior mid-distance runner Chanelle Caldwell to push the limits of being the best in the country, across all NCAA divisions. “There is a video where Michael Jordan talks about how people didn’t believe in him and how he failed many times,” Caldwell said. “He talks about how he still made it and despite everything, he never gave up. I watch it every time before my big races.” Caldwell is a member of the mid-distance crew, but can truly be categorized as a long sprinter. She mainly competes in the 800-meter run and is also on the 4x400meter relay team. “Longer sprints are pretty tricky — they are not real quick and over with, but they are also not long where you have to pace yourself,” said sophomore Leiah Hess, Caldwell’s 4x400-meter relay teammate. “You have to be on top of your mental game. We put a lot of faith and trust in our coaches so that when it comes time to race, we know that we are ready.” Caldwell runs the first leg of the relay, while Hess runs the second leg. Sophomore Kalena Franklin takes the baton in the third leg with sophomore Aileen Lemanski taking it home. But for Caldwell, GVSU wasn’t her first stop on the college carousel. She attended Indiana Tech University her freshman year before becoming a Laker. “Grand Valley is a great program and Indiana Tech is a small, private college,” Caldwell said. “It really didn’t offer that much. I met with (GVSU head coach Jerry) Baltes and we discussed that as far as training and the team atmosphere, it was way better for me to become a better athlete.” And that couldn’t have been more true. Even though GVSU assistant coach Keith Roberts, Jr., was not yet a member of the GVSU track and field coaching staff when Caldwell transferred in, he still appreciates what she brings to the table everyday. “I think the one thing with Chanelle is her determination. She is probably one of the hardest working kids I have ever coached,” Roberts said. “If you give her a workout, she is going to try and hit every time. She does have a lot of natural ability, but her
2012
from the lanthorn sports section
Courtesy photo / Doug Witte
Fast track: Though Chanelle Caldwell (pictured) is part of the track and field mid-distance crew, she excels at the long-sprint.
“She wants it. I think the other kids see that and it helps push them. She sets the bar for our entire sprint group on how you should work and how you should train.”
keith roberts, JR. GVSU assistant coach
work ethic is unbelievable. She wants to be the best, not only in Division II, but in the country and at a professional level one day.” Now a senior, Caldwell reflects back on two races that show just who she is as a Laker athlete. Her first accomplishment was in her first year at GVSU, racing at the 2010 indoor National Championships, where she ran the 800-meter in 2 minutes, 8.87 seconds, her fastest time for indoor so far. “For the first time I had coaches that let me know I could accomplish this before going into it,” Caldwell said. “Also, that I was one of the best athletes in Division II, as far as the 800-meter and they really believed in me.” Her second greatest accomplishment came at the Mt. SAC Relays in California during the 2010 outdoor season. She crossed the line with a mark of 2:07.68, finishing second, her fastest
outdoor 800-meter time. “I was supposed to run in a different heat, but we were leaving early so I got into a different heat, which was really fast because I went up against Division I schools,” Caldwell said. “I stepped in there mentally and told myself that I could win. I came in second to a Jamaican unattached runner and beat all the Division I schools’ athletes.” With the solid feats and fast times, inspiration from Michael Jordan just seems natural. And in her final year competing for GVSU track and field, Caldwell looks to continue her streak. “The thing her teammates see is the workouts she does,” Roberts said. “She wants it. I think the other kids see that and it helps push them. She sets the bar for our entire sprint group on how you should work and how you should train.” zsepanik@lanthorn.com
Homecoming 2012 Theme Competition January 30 - February 5
Vote for one of the top 5 now! 1. A Knight to Remember - Medieval Theme 2. Lakers Journey Thru Time - Decades Theme 3. Grab Your Remote and “Toon” Into the 90’s - 90’s Cartoon Theme 4. Come Sail Away - Nautical Theme 5. Party Like It’s 2012 - The End of the Mayan Calendar Theme
vote at www.gvsu.edu/studentlife/homecoming
Brady Fredericksen
Stephanie Deible
Melanie Huhn
GVL Sports Editor
GVL Assistant Sports
GVL Staff Writer
34-24, Giants
27-24, Patriots 35-31, Patriots
New England is favored, but I don’t really know why. New York has gone on the road and beaten the two best teams in the NFC Playoffs after beating the Pats in the regular season. Eli Manning has been great and New York’s receivers can expose the Pats’ bad secondary. Plus, the Giants are just a team of destiny.
The Patriots will win because revenge is motivation in itself. The Giants spoiled New England’s 2007 Super Bowl hopes and since falling to the Giants in week nine, New England has scored 35.9 points per game, and in the playoffs given up only 15 points per game.
Brady vs. Manning — the rematch everyone wants to see. Brady certainly wins the popularity contest, but that doesn’t mean elite quarterback Eli Manning will shy away. This will be left to the battle between kickers, Stephen Gostkowksi vs. Lawrence Tynes, to decide it.
Jon VanZytveld
Joe Maher-Edgin
GVL Staff Writer
GVL Staff Writer
45-25, Patriots 24-21, Patriots I’d put my money on the Patriots. They may not have the hype and momentum that the Giants have right now, but they should put up a good game. I think the Patriots will win because they have more talent, better depth and a better coach in Bill Belichick.
New England’s pass protection steps up and stops New York’s Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul, and Tom Brady earns his third Super Bowl MVP award. The Giants’ star receiver Victor Cruz is blanketed by coverage all game and is completely nonexistent.
Zach Sepanik
Bryce Derouin
GVL Staff Writer
GVL Staff Writer
31-26, Patriots 27-21, Patriots Tom Brady is back in the big game for a fifth time and the loss in Super Bowl 42 is still haunting him. I think it will be a role reversal from that season with the Pats defense stepping up, and stopping the Giants hot streak.
Tom Brady plays for the Patriots, and wide receiver David Tyree isn’t there to bail Eli Manning out.
B4
a&e
Grand Valley Lanthorn THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012
arts@lanthorn.com
A R T S & E N T E RTA I N M E N T E D I TO R B R I A N A D O O L A N
Visit www.lanthorn.com/arts to view the story ‘Last Laker Standing returns to GV’ and read about upcoming concerts in Grand Rapids
GV opera theater debuts Broadway-style
‘The Light in the Piazza’ GVL / Bo Anderson
Showtime: The cast of GVSU opera theater’s upcoming production “The Light in the Piazza” practice during a dress rehearsal. The show will open tonight at the Louis Armstrong Theatre. BY Cory Finkbeiner GVL STAFF WRITER
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he student-acted “The Light in the Piazza,” which combines a Broadwaystyle contemporary love story with the musical tact of the opera, debuts tonight at the Grand Valley State University Louis Armstrong Theatre. The GVSU opera theater production will run six nights at GVSU’s Allendale Campus, with a live orchestra performing tonight and Friday and Feb. 10 and 11. Tickets for the production, which begins at 7 p.m. today and Friday and Feb. 10 and 11 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday and Feb. 12, are $6 for students, $12 for faculty, staff, alumni and seniors and $14 for community members. They can be purchased at the Louis Armstrong Theatre Box Office at 616-331-2300 or through
Star Tickets at www.startickets.com/ event. php?event=2560. “Unlike most stage shows in America, ‘Light in the Piazza’ has a uniquely European flavor,” said Anthony Lajoye, who plays the father of the male love interest Fabrizio. Student actors portraying characters like Lajoye’s old Italian man face challenges beyond simply singing and acting. “The challenges aren’t so much the singing because Grand Valley has great singing,” said Dale Schriemer, artistic director of GVSU opera theater. “The challenge is students playing people who are older than they are. They have to be bilingual, and act in two languages, and sing in two languages.” The story is set in 1950s Italy, but a GVSU audience will find no trouble connecting to the story line, Schriemer said. “College people falling in love, you know,
it’s what happens,” he said. “It’s just two young people falling in love. And how do you do that when you don’t know how to say the right thing?” The play is about how much beauty there is in the Italian culture, and how an American responds to that culture, Schriemer said. The Broadway-like style of the show makes the setting more accessible. “It’s more accessible like a Broadway show would be, compared to a pure opera,” said Jack Lane, box office manager. “They’re doing more current shows.” The American student performers have to make a similar response. “The most challenging thing about opera opposed to straight drama is that you must feel the emotion and convey that emotion to your audience within an allotted amount of time because much of the dialogue is underscore,” Lajoye
said. “In some cases, you may only have one or two measures of music to clearly show the audience, through body language, what your character is feeling. You must be able to key into an emotion on demand.” The support of cast mates is key in the transition of performance style and language, Lajoye said. “The cast has been extremely supportive of each other throughout the whole show,” he said. “Over the last month, which was the length of our rehearsal period, we have learned to think as a team, we know the strengths and weaknesses of one another and we play toward the strengths. It has been lovely working with this group of people, they are all dedicated to their roles and it makes long rehearsals seem shorter.” cfinkbeiner@lanthorn.com
Women’s Center presents ‘That Takes Ovaries!’ BY Stephanie Allen GVL STAFF WRITER
Grand Valley State University students, faculty, staff and community members are getting gutsy in the Women’s Center presentation of “That Take Ovaries!: Bold Women, Brazen Acts,” a play about brave women and their courageous actions. The two 7 p.m. showings, on Feb. 9 and 10, feature several stories from the play’s original script along with several submitted stories from the GVSU community. “About 25 percent of the play is stories that were submitted from Grand Valley and the community, which is pretty cool that it will be a large component of our local community’s stories,” said Brittany Dernberger, assistant director of the Women’s Center. The GVSU Women’s Center chose to present “That takes Ovaries!” this year instead of “The Vagina Monologues,” which they put on for 10 years, as part of their 10-year anniversary and to help diverse their audience range. “It’s a lot more multicultural and diverse in terms of the stories that it portrays,” Dernberger said. “For ‘The Vagina Monologues,’ you had to identify as a woman to be on stage, where as ‘That Takes Ovaries!’ is open to anyone.” She said the Women’s Center was very excited that both men and women are acting in this year’s production, unlike previous years when interested men were only able to direct. Part of the Women’s Center mission is to teach gender justice and to empower woman students, which this play focuses on. Along with GVSU student activists, there is several com-
munity members involved in the production. “This is a community-wide performance,” said publicity chair Courtney Petersen. “With the Wealthy Street Theatre, that’s an audience that we normally wouldn’t reach if (we are) all the way in Allendale just holding two performances on campus. Hopefully it will bring in more community members.” Getting the community involved with this production helps spread knowledge of gender equality said Dernberger. The play is an adaptation of the book “That Take Ovaries!: Bold Women, Brazen Acts,” which includes 64 stories of women who were courageous and brave — stories that really took ovaries. Petersen said there are many different examples of what stories that “took ovaries” represent. “It can be you standing up for somebody who is getting made fun of a little bit, or it can be something as brave as auditioning for a play when you’re not a theater person,” Petersen said. “It’s doing something you never would have seen yourself doing.” Petersen got involved with “The Vagina Monologues” two years ago when she auditioned to be an activist, after never being on stage before and not knowing anyone involved. She performed for two years in it and decided to apply for the publicity chair position of “That Takes Ovaries” this year because of her interest in the Women’s Center and as a public relations and women and gender studies student. Something that takes ovaries doesn’t have to be life-changing or as big as Petersen’s example, but anything
GVL / Eric Coulter
Moving on up: Grand Valley State University film professor Jim Schaub introduces his film “Up From the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream” yesterday at Cook DeWitt.
Professor shines a light on American history in award-winning “Up From the Bottoms” dernberger
that breaks out of the typical societal norm, Dernberger said. “It’s this really narrow box and so anything that’s bold and courageous and kind of stepping out, or being willing to step out of those cultural restrictions,” she said. The Feb. 9 show is in the Grand River Room in the Kirkhof Center on GVSU’s Allendale Campus, and Feb. 10 will be held at the Wealthy Street Theatre, located at 1130 Wealthy St. in downtown Grand Rapids. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for community members. Tickets are now available for both shows, but selling quickly, Dernberger said. Proceeds from both showings go to several local charities, including the Center for Women and Children in Holland, Mich., and the YWCA in Grand Rapids. Tickets can be purchased at the 20/20 desk in the Kirkhof Center for the GVSU show and online at www. wealthytheatre.org/ovaries or by calling 616-459-4788 for the Wealthy Street Theatre performance. sallen@lanthorn.com
BY Brian Ledtke GVL STAFF WRITER
The locally-made documentary film “Up From the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream” by Grand Valley State University’s Jim Schaub will be aired Sunday on PBS at 8 p.m. Schaub, a GVSU adjunct professor and technician for the School of Communications, co-produced the film with his brother Rod Schaub. Including the time spent fundraising and receiving grants, the production took two years from start to finish, Jim said. “It’s a fantastic story, and it’s one that has never been told before,” Rod said. The film tells the story of the massive migration of African Americans from the rural South to the prosperous North, which started during World War II. Due to the numerous factories in the North, there were more opportunities and better pay than in the South at the time. Jim’s interest in filmmaking began when he was managing video store chains like Blockbuster and Family Video. “We would get the worst movies in there and I would always find myself thinking (that) I could do a much better job than this,” Jim said. “So I started playing around with editing. One day my mom suggested I go back to school for film, so I did.” “Up from the Bottoms” has won five awards since its premiere at the Rhode Island International Film Festival in 2009. “It’s quite a prestigious festival,” Jim said. “They only accept about 300 films out of 4,000.” The film has since been seen in 19 different film festivals, including one in Berlin. Now universities around the country have
purchased it to use in classes. “There really are no other films like it,” Jim said. “It’s unique.” Jim wore many hats in the production, serving as the co-producer, director, co-writer and co-editor. He also scouted locations and hired crew. He said one of the hardest aspects about making this film were the interviews. “One 94-year-old gentleman refused to talk to us at first because he was still afraid to speak up about what happened,” Jim said. “He was afraid people would come after him. His whole life he has lived in fear. It’s heavy stuff.” Cinematographer Darius Mathis said that it was eye-opening to hear the similarity in the experiences of the people he interviewed and the stories his family shared with him in his youth, as both Mathis’ parents were from the South. Mathis graduated from GVSU in 1994 with a degree in film and video production. “I was surprised by the connection that I felt with the people we interviewed,” Mathis said. “They walked into the interview as strangers but by the time they left, I had a better understanding of who they were and who I was.” For Rod, he said one of the most exciting aspects of making this film was working with Emmy award-winning actress Cicely Tyson. “Going into a recording studio with her and being able to give her direction was amazing,” Rod said. “She was a total professional, and she came prepared. She knew the movie almost as good as we did.” Jim, Rod and Mathis all offered advice for aspiring filmmakers as well. “Stay true to yourself,” Mathis said. “Keep shooting. Keep challenging yourself. Never get too comfortable.” ledtkeb@lanthorn.com
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Grand Valley Lanthorn thursDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012
MARKETPLACE Roommates 1-2 Subleasers needed! 2012-2013. 48 West. Furnished 4bed Townhouse. Rent is $445/month. For serious inquiries, contact Travis at mixt@mail.gvsu.edu
enjoy life more by taking advantage of the resources at GV Outdoor Adventure Center. Rent snowshoes and other adventure equipment by visiting B170 in the fieldhouse. Check out gvsu.edu/oac for more information.
2 female roommates needed for a house in Standale. Lease begins Aug. 2012. Rent is $400/month, utilities included! Please contact sturrusa@mail.gvsu.edu for moe information.
ESL Tutor willing to assist with presentations/speeches, academic papers, etc. Available evenings and weekends. Email: laughing_stream@yahoo.com, phone: (616)895-1850. (Ask for Tina). $10/hour.
Female subleaser needed. May-July 2012. 48 West Apt Style B. Price negotiable. If interested contact Megan via email sundbeme@mail.gvsu.edu or call/text (248)974-6834.
Long Night against Procrastination. Defeat bad habits by visiting the Writing Center in 120 Lake Ontario Hall on Thursday, March 15th, 8:00 pm to 8:00am.
Subleaser needed for a studious townhome! Newly furnished, 3 roommates! February rent free! Contact A m a n d a a t hirscha@mail.gvsu.edu. Subleaser needed. 48 West. Fully furnished. January and February rent paid. Rent is $415/mo. Willing to negotiate price/move-in fees! Please call ata (989) 859-6144. Subleaser needed. 48 West. Lease through July. 3 existing female roommates. Rent is $415/month/utilities. January free. Please contact umlaufc@mail.gvsu.edu or via call/text 989-859-6144.
Services Do better in classes with the help of the Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors. Bring your work in for help with grammar and revision. Visit gvsu.edu/wc for location and hours.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Pi Rho Zeta Grad. Chapter will be hosting a Coat Drive to help low income families at Dwelling Place in Grand Rapids. Coats can be dropped off at the Lanthorn starting Jan. 30-Feb. 10th MWF 2-4pm. For more info contact Shaquanda @ shaquanda_gordon@hotmail.com
Employment Make lifelong friends. The Island House Hotel and Ryba’s Fudge Shops are looking for help in all areas: Front desk, Bell Staff,Wait Stuff, Sales Clerks, Kitchen, Baristas. Housing, bonus and discounted meals. (906)-847-7196 www.theislandhouse.com
Housing At 48west enjoy individual leases, private bathrooms, on-site bus stop & much more! Call today for leasing information 616-895-2400, 48west@48west.info, www.48west.com
Boltwood Apartments, Pet-Friendly, Huge Bedrooms, & a Bus Stop. Leases start at $395.00 per month. Call today to schedule a tour. 616-895-5875. www.boltwoodgvsu.com
Gordon Food Service, Inc. Job Title: Multiple Internships Location: Grand Rapids, MI For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs
Campus View, live close to campus and get the most for your money. Apartments and Townhouses available, Leases start at $285.00 per month. Call Today! 616-895-6678 or visit www.campusviewhousing.co m
Adtegrity Job Title: PC Help Desk Intern Location: Grand Rapids, MI Salary: Paid Search Job ID: 15561135 For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs
Internships Grand Haven Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Job Title: HTM/Event Planning Internship Location: Grand Haven, MI Search Job ID: 15561222 Apply By: February 19, 2012 For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs
Michigan Office Solutions Job Title: Process Improvement Internship Location: Grand Rapids, MI Salary: $9/ hr. Search Job ID: 15561213 Apply By: February 19, 2012 For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs
Gietzen Family Office Job Title: Marketing Intern & Editorial Intern Location: Grand Rapids, MI Salary: Stipend Search Job ID: 15561196 & 15561199 Apply By: February 18, 2012 For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs
Friendship Ventures Summer Camp Job Title: Multiple summer job & internships Location: Annandale, MN For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs Perrigo Company Job Title: Microbiology Intern Location: Holland, MI Salary: Paid Search Job ID: 15561083 Apply by: February 16, 2012 For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs Grand Rapids Community College Job Title: Student Assistant Location: Grand Rapids, MI Search Job ID: 15561078 For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ Arena District, LLC Job Title: Public Relations/ Community Relations/Event Intern Location: Grand Rapids, MI Salary: Unpaid Search Job ID: 15560256 For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/
TIME WASTERS
tweet of the week @max_mccain: Today keeps getting better!!! Check out the @GVLanthorn ! @BrokenStarKrew is in it! Much love! #lovinit Follow us on Twitter at @GVLanthorn
FREE CLASSIFIEDS FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF some restrictions apply FOR COMMERCIAL RATES CALL 616-331-2460 classifieds@lanthorn.com
Townsquare Media Job Title: Writers and Bloggers Location: Grand Rapids, MI Search Job ID: 15561081 Apply By: February 16, 2012 For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs
Miscellaneous Get Caught Promotion. Rules and Restrictions. Only one student or faculty is a winner per issue. Readers will be chosen at random throughout the week on campus. The prize awarded is to-be-determined at random but may include gift cards, t-shirts, etc. Winners are requested to have their picture taken and answer some questions to be published in the Lanthorn. Voting is now open for the 2012 Homecoming Theme Competition. Check out the entries at gvsu.edu/studentlife/homecoming and pick your favorite.
Opportunities Bartending. No Experience Needed. High income potential. Training courses available.Call 1-800-965-6520 ext. 226
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Grand Valley Lanthorn THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012