The Valley Vanguard (Vol. 39, No. 9) by The Valley Vanguard

Head to the polls on Tuesday with the Vanguard’s Election Guide 2006 page 10

‘Battle’ event roundup page 3

The Valley Vanguard

Vol. 39 No. 9 www.svsu.edu/vanguard

Monday November 6, 2006

SVSU’s Student Newspaper Since 1966

Police deny report of campus sexual predator By Jason Wolverton

Vanguard Editor-in-Chief The University Police Department is denying a televised report that a sexual predator may be using the Internet to target female students. “I don’t know anything about a predator,” said Police Chief Ron Trepkowski. “We’ve never gotten a report of a predator being here.” The report in question ran Tuesday night on WNEM TV 5 and warned women on campus that a predator could be using the computer to lure students into a personal meeting for the purpose of

‘Battle’ raises over $19,000 for charity

Report aired last week on WNEM TV 5 questioned by University, students; station defends ‘essence of story’ sexually assaulting them. According to the segment, a student said she had received an email from the campus telling her to be aware of online sexual predators that may be lurking at SVSU. However, officials denied that such a University e-mail existed, saying any such communication was most likely part of a mass Internet mailing not specific to the institution. TV 5 News Director Ian Rubin

said the station would not reveal the identity of the student who received the e-mail but did say it had circulated around the University. He also confirmed the e-mail was not an official University communication. “[The e-mail] had been spreading around campus and that’s part of how it came to our attention,” Rubin said. “It was a result of us being notified by people that were in receipt of this e-mail.”

Both Rubin and Assignment Editor Doug Moiles said they were unsure if the reporter had seen the e-mail, though Moiles added the station was trying to obtain a copy of it. According to Rubin, the e-mail did relate to prior reported assaults on campus, though the reports themselves are also being debated. The segment indicated there have been three cases of criminal sexual conduct on campus since

September and that all three cases are open. While the story did not cite the source, Rubin said the information came from the monthly crime reports published on the University Web site. The crime reports showed three items relating to criminal sexual conduct, though one entry was a supplement to a previous case. This means there have only been two such incidents this semester, one reported on Sept. 29 and the other Oct. 19. Trepkowski added that both allegations were issues of inappropriate touching involving people

By Jason Wolverton

By Mary Oakley

Vanguard Staff Writer

Vanguard photos/Brandon Kish

Receiver Ric Cottengim (99) walks off the field at Lubbers Stadium in Allendale on Saturday night. The junior tied a school record with four touchdown catches in the Cardinals’ 49-35 loss to top-ranked Grand Valley State.

Lakers trounce Cardinals By Andy Hoag

Vanguard Sports Editor GVSU beat SVSU easily for the second regular season in a row. This time, it was expected. The Lakers scored early and often before the seventh largest crowd in GVSU history at Lubbers Stadium on Saturday night in beating the Cardinals for the third straight time and fourth time in five games, 49-35. Unlike a year ago in Allendale, when the No. 1 Lakers beat undefeated SVSU 31-10, the Cardinals came into the game with a 5-3 record

Fund-raiser results While SVSU lost this year’s “Battle of the Valleys” to Grand Valley and the schools are tied at two wins apiece over the competition’s four years, SVSU leads in overall money raised. SVSU has raised $50,381 for their charities since 2003 while GVSU has raised $41,364 in that time.

See PREDATOR, page 2

Ad hoc committee to review University alcohol policies

Down and out: Lakers stop late comeback attempt, knock Cards from playoff contention

Vanguard Editor-in-Chief Students and staff raised over $19,000 for last week’s “Battle of the Valleys” but fell just short of Grand Valley’s total as GVSU won the fourth annual fund-raising competition. During halftime of Saturday night’s game between the Cardinals and Lakers, officials announced Grand Valley had raised $19,337 to SVSU’s $19,160. The $177 victory was far and away the narrowest margin in the four-year history of the Battle. “The first reaction is to second guess ourselves,” said Student Association President Andy Suszek. “There’s probably 50 different ways we could have easily raised an extra $200 or $300 dollars.” During the week, various student organizations participated in a number of events to raise money for this year’s charity, the Sexual Assault Program of Child and Family Services. Suszek says this year’s T-shirt sale was particularly successful, as the Student Association sold all 650 shirts it had ordered at $10 apiece. In addition, he said Thursday evening’s “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” also proved successful, raising $5,400. “I think “Battle of the Valleys” is becoming a staple part of the year,” Suszek said. “People remember it and look forward to it. Because of that, we’re better able to rally all of our students together behind the cause.” GVSU will give $15,000 of its proceeds to Burton Middle School in urban Grand Rapids. The money will go to purchasing books for the school’s soon to be constructed library. The recipient of the remaining money will be decided at the next GVSU Student Senate meeting. Despite the close loss to Grand Valley, Suszek says he is proud of the students for what they were able to accomplish this year in raising more money than ever before. “We definitely were happy with what we were able to accomplish,” he said. “I think we did a heck of a job this year, and we’ll come back next year and win the trophy back.”

who knew each other and were unrelated. “We made a mistake in airing three open cases,” Rubin said. “There were three items included on the docket but only two open cases.” Despite the error, Rubin says the station stands by its story. “We vigorously check the accuracy of every allegation brought to our attention,” he said. “And while there is a difference between two open cases and three open cases, the essence of the story documenting those two cases made for an

Junior quarterback Chris Dougherty attempts a pass during the second half on Saturday night.

with an outside chance of making the Division II playoffs. It was the Lakers that clinched a playoff spot instead, capturing the GLIAC outright with the win and a Northwood loss earlier in the day. Grand Valley put SVSU’s playoff hopes to rest early, piling up a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and taking a 28-0 lead into halftime. Against the Lakers’ second stringers, the Cardinals made it a game with a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback attempt, one which tied several SVSU offensive records. The Lakers opened the scoring on their first possession of the game, as senior quarterback Cullen Finnerty ran two yards for a score with 7:14 remaining in the first. The touchdown culminated a nine-play, 50-yard drive. It looked as if the Cardinals would respond, as they drove to the Lakers 50-yard line. The Lakers sniffed out a shovel pass on thirdand-long, though, forcing SVSU to punt. Freshman punter Kurtis Fournier booted a line drive to Lakers senior Mark Catlin, who returned the punt 39 yards before Fournier made the touchdown-saving tackle at the Cardinals’ 43-yard line. Grand Valley capitalized immediately, using just four plays to put the Cardinals down by 14 with two minutes left in the quarter. Senior running back Astin Martin provided his longest rushing touchdown of the year, running 25 yards down the left sideline for the score. The Cardinals had a chance to take some momentum from the Lakers after sophomore Todd Carter missed a 42-yard field goal midway through the second quarter, but senior quarterback Vinnie Miroth threw the first of his two first-half interceptions. Miroth saw senior Bob Awrey open across the middle, but threw the ball too low and it was picked off by

Final

SVSU

GVSU

redshirt freshman safety Jacob McGuckin, who took the interception 33 yards the other way for the score. Two plays later, junior Kirk Carruth intercepted Miroth at the SVSU 29-yard line and took it back to the 19. Finnerty found a wideopen Terry Mitchell four plays later for an eight-yard score with four minutes left, putting the Cardinals down by four scores. “I told them all week that we couldn’t turn the ball over, but we just did not take care of it,” coach Randy Awrey said. “They returned one and we gave them a short field another time.” Following the score, Awrey went to junior quarterback Chris Dougherty, coming off an injury that had sidelined him for three games. Miroth was 9-of-15 for 68 yards before coming out of the game. Dougherty was just 2-of-5 in the Cardinals’ final drive of the half, which stalled at midfield. “We didn’t want to take the risk of injuring (Dougherty last week against Indianapolis),” Awrey said. “We felt Vinnie deserved the opportunity to go out there, but he struggled.” The Lakers gained 174 of offense compared to the Cardinals’ 100 in the first half. The difference came on the ground, where Grand Valley rushed 14 times for 109 yards while SVSU had just 11 yards on 17 carries. Grand Valley put the game away when

See FOOTBALL, page 8

During the Winter 2006 semester, the SVSU Student Association unanimously voted on a resolution that would recommend the establishment of an ad hoc committee to review SVSU’s alcohol policies and procedures. Last spring, their recommendation became a reality. The current SVSU Alcohol Policy is stated in the 2005-06 Student Handbook on pages 19-22. Residents of the First Year Suites and Living Center North live under a zero- tolerance policy. Residents of second-year communities (Living Center South and University Village East) may be eligible to obtain an alcohol permit if they are over the age of 21. Residents of Pine Grove Apartments and University Village West are allowed to have alcohol in their apartments as long as one or more of the residents are over 21. The handbook does state a limit on how much alcohol is permitted in the apartment, and community sources of alcohol, such as kegs, are banned on University premises regardless. In addition, the possession of alcohol containers by unauthorized individuals is also a violation. The punishment for alcohol violations is stated on pages 21 and 22 of the student handbook. Currently, there is an ad hoc committee reviewing the campus alcohol policy. According to Jill Gushow, the committee’s chairperson and Director of Staff Relations, the committee is made up of 13 members. These members are students and staff with “wider perspectives” from around campus. When asked what parts of the policy the committee would be looking at, Gushow replied, “the quantities of alcohol, the type of disciplinary actions taken for alcohol violations, and the RA’s role in accomplishing the objective of the alcohol policy.” As of now, the committee has been collecting data to help with their decisions. The data includes crime statistics, what other schools are doing, and the residential numbers at SVSU. “We wanted to make sure everyone on the committee had the same data in front of them before we actually started bringing out everyone’s opinion and what we want to change,” said Gushow. The committee will discuss their opinions and anticipate that they will have a recommendation regarding the alcohol policy sometime in winter term.

News

Monday, November 6, 2006

PREDATOR continued from page 1

important story for us to tell.” Whether the cases are actually still open has also been questioned. As of Friday, the crime reports on the Web site indicated the cases were indeed open, though Trepkowski says they have been closed. He said such cases are often marked open until disciplinary actions have been decided on or until the case is adjudicated by

the court. He said both of these circumstances could mean a case that is closed could remain listed as open on the Web site for as long as several months. “I wish they would have come to me,” Trepkowski said. “They did call me that night and leave a message, but they had already aired the story before we got back to them.” According to one of the two students interviewed in the segment, they were not informed as to the direction the segment was eventually going to take. Junior Jackie Haase says she was asked

late Tuesday afternoon to do the interview and that its focus was going to be on sexual assault prevention. However, Haase says both she and the other student were asked several times about the e-mail in question, though neither had heard nor knew anything about it. And while the segment did feature the tips they provided, she felt some of what she said was taken out of context to sensationalize the story. “I feel taken advantage of,” she said. “I was put in an awkward situation, and I was very disappointed in the report.”

Hispanic festival celebrated By Aaron Crossen

Vanguard Assistant Editor Students celebrated el Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, on Wednesday in the MultiPurpose Room. The event is a national holiday in Mexico, the purpose of which is to commemorate the deceased with festivities rather than mourning. In the Aztec tradition, it is said the path to the afterlife must not be made slippery by the tears of the living. The Hispanic Interest Student Organization and Sigma Lambda Gamma hosted the event. According to Kristina Salcedo, the President of Sigma Lambda Gamma, the event was intended to heighten cultural sensitivity on campus. “We just wanted to promote more culture on campus,” she said. “A lot of people are looking

for that.” This included the painting of a Day of the Dead-themed mural on the glass in the atrium of the Student Life Center. Salcedo noted an improvement in participation from last year, but hopes that next year even more people will join in. She said that in Mexico, the Day of the Dead is a community-based event, and differs from its American counterpart in a significant way. “It’s not like Halloween, with candy and trying to scare people,” she said. “They have that much more respect for the dead.” Salcedo said the holiday’s popularity may be due to how it can often touch people on a basic emotional level. “It’s something very true to your heart,” she said, “remembering loved ones that have passed

away.” International studies major Raquel Ledesma, Vice President of Sigma Lambda gamma, also commented on the festivities when asked why the Day of the Dead has transitioned to the United States as well as it has. “I want to say probably because we like to party,” she joked. “But no, I don’t think they really celebrate any other holiday like this one. Christmas, you celebrate with your family but this involves the entire community. They’re all going to the cemetery together as a community to decorate these gravesites.” Ledesma mentioned in her opening monologue that Mexicans celebrate el Dia de los Muertos with food and drink because the journey to the afterlife can make one’s stomach growl.

Corrections The Valley Vanguard strives to report news as accurately as possible. In this section, you will see any mistakes corrected. If you happen to notice any incorrect information, feel free to contact us by either e-mail or phone. E-mail: vanguard@svsu.edu Phone: (989) 964-4482

The Valley Vanguard

News in brief “Hateful things” art exhibit displayed in Zahnow Library Ferris State University has compiled a travelling exhibition etitled, “Hateful Things,” that will be displayed in the library beginning Nov. 13. The exhibit is comprised of racist images and artifacts that are said to be deserving of both historical consideration and contemporary analysis. Most of the items that will be on display were directly picked out of popular or commercial culture, and the viewing of the items is meant to increase a new critical thinking of contemporary American culture. It also looks to show how racism is allowed to infiltrate that culture and do so in largely unchallenged ways. The exhibit will be on the fourth Floor of the Zahnow Library, in the Roberta R. Allen Reading Room from Nov. 13-16 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Nov. 17 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. David Pilgrim, the curator of the exhibit, will be giving a lecture Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. on the larger context of the images in the exhibit. The exhibit and lecture are both free and open to the public. Sims Public Speaking Contest on stage Friday The annual Sims Public Speaking Contest will take place Nov. 10 with the final round of the competition beginning at 3:30 p.m. in the

Rhea Miller Recital Hall. Reserved for SVSU students only, participants will deliver prepared persuasive speeches for the competition. In order to fit with the rules of the competition, the lengths of the speeches can only range between five to eight minutes in length. The top six speakers will receive cash prizes with $300 awarded to the first-place winner. The second-place and thirdplace winners will receive $200 and $100 respectively. There is a $50 prize for the fourth, fifth, and sixth-place winners. SVSU professor concludes religion lecture series Thomas Renna, professor of history at SVSU, will be holding a lecture entitled “Fundamentalisms in Conflict on Temple Mount: A Historian’s Perspective” Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall. He is the first SVSU professor to receive all three of the University’s highest awards – the Landee Award for Teaching Excellence, the Warrick Award for Excellence in Research, and the House Family Award for Teacher Impact. Renna is also the author of nearly 100 scholarly articles and four books. He speicializes in ancient history but is fluent in European, early world, and the Middle Ages.

Exonerated man to give address on justice system Wrongfully convicted of rape and robbery in 1994, Ken Wyniemko will discuss the “Price of Innocence” at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7 in the Malcolm Field Theatre for Performing Arts at Saginaw Valley State University. Since his exoneration, Wyniemko as been an outspoken advocate for criminal justice reform and has been named to the board of directors of the Innocence Project. Wyniemko is also a member of the newly-formed National Council of Wrongfully Convicted Exonerees. Wyniemko’s lecture is sponsored by the SVSU Department of Criminal Justice. It is open to the public, and admission is free of charge. For more information, contact Richard Priehs, SVSU professor of criminal justice, at (989) 9644079. Artist-in-Residence concert this weekend Jeff Hall, jazz artist-in-residence at SVSU, will lead a jazz ensemble in concert Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall. The performance will feature favorites from Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt and other jazz notables; it is part of SVSU’s artist-in-residence concert series. Admission to the concert is $12 for the public and $5 for students.

Police Log Thursday, Oct. 26 • Fight reported in front of Wickes Hall. • Possession of marijuana in First Year Suites. Friday, Oct. 27 • Traffic accident in R-lot. Saturday, Oct. 28 • Department assist. Family trouble at home on Kochville Road. • MIP issued in First Year Suites.

• Personal injury at football stadium. • Disorderly employee at Wickes Circle. Monday, Oct. 30 • Attempted purse snatching in Bookstore parking lot. Investigation pending. Tuesday, Nov. 1 • Vehicle tire slashed in J-3 lot. • Larceny of bag from locker in

Doan Center. • Hit and run traffic accident in G-1 lot. • Harassment complaint in University Village. Wednesday, Nov. 2 • MIP issued in Living Center North. • Individual arrested for driving with suspended license during traffic stop at College Drive and Davis Road.

News

The Valley Vanguard

Monday, November 6, 2006

‘Battle of the Valleys’ concludes

Staff face off in game By Alex Baumgardner Vanguard Staff Writer

Vanguard photos/Brandon Kish

President Eric R. Gilbertson misses a critical throw in a root beer pong tournament held Monday night in the Student Life Center. Gilbertson gave student opponents a run for their money with University Ombudsman Dick Thompson.

Men don high heels

Kyle Talicska and Matt Kiley attract the attention of Einstein’s Eatery during “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” on Thursday.

By Alex Kohut

Vanguard Staff Writer The comfort of arches was put on hold Thursday evening as the University hosted “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence” as part of the “Battle of the Valleys” competitive fundraiser. Proceeds from the event will go to the Sexual Assault Program of Child and Family Services, which the Student Association selected as the charitable organization for this year’s “Battle of the Valleys.” Over 100 people registered to partake in the walk, although more than twice that many actually participated in the fundraiser. The walk was geared towards creating a stronger sense of awareness of women’s experiences in the hopes of altering perspectives, improving gender relationships, and decreasing the likelihood of violence. The program incorporates the well-known saying that you can’t really understand another person’s

Vanguard photo/ Brandon Kish

experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes by asking men to literally walk a mile in women’s shoes. “Men are part of the solution, because unfortunately, the majority of sexual assault is caused by men,” said Tony Thomson, Director of the Student Counseling Center, who brought the national event to SVSU. Thomson added he wanted to bring the event here because of the way it engages the male community and thus creates a better sense of awareness. Campus clubs, organizations ,and athletic teams were among those who made the mile-long journey around the various cam-

pus buildings. Although the fundraiser calls for the participation of men, many women also took part in the walk. “My girlfriend’s doing this, so I agreed to do it, too,” said Ryan Shedd, 21, of Bad Axe, who was sporting a pair of pink high-heels. In collaboration with the Student Association, the event was coordinated by the One in Four and Sexual Assault Network (SANet) groups. One in Four is an all-male peer education group with the objective to see an end to sexual violence. SANet, also a peer education group, creates awareness while offering support to those who have experienced sexual assault.

The atmosphere was that of gym class Friday as the fierce rivalry of faculty/staff dodgeball was rekindled in the Cardinal Gym where the Right Side team dominated the Left Side in a three-game sweep. Men’s golf coach Ryan Duckworth, a member of the winning side, lauded his opponents, giving them credit for their game plan. “I think they came in with a better strategy then us to start out,” he said. “But I felt I was really feeling the flow, riding the bull. I was giving them the heater.” Team Left could never get its footing as every ball seemed to bounce the Right Side’s way. As a result, the Left made a key acquisition after the first game as Nick Taylor of SVSU admissions came over from the Right Side and provided a spark to a team who, until then, had been lacking energy. “At the end, I decided to forget all pain and just try and get as many people out as I could,” he said. “I got five and they got me, so I figured I did my part.” Despite getting swept, Team Left said they still managed to enjoy themselves.

J.J. Boehm, director of Media Relations, attempts to avoid a ball during Friday’s dodgeball game. “We all had a good time,” Taylor said. This year’s game featured a bit of a different format than that of previous years. Instead of dividing up staff and faculty, the two teams split up evenly, forcing professors to work side -by-side with coaches and administrators, with one team taking the left side of the gym and the other taking the right. As a part of Battle of the Valleys, faculty/staff sodgeball also did its part to raise money. If a participant was hit and called out, they could donate a dollar in order to get back into the game. Fans were asked to donate money as well.

SA hosts ‘Idol’ contest By Katelyn Lick

Vanguard Staff Writer Ten solo and group acts displayed their vocal talents last Wednesday in the Cardinal Cage during “Cardinal Idol,” SVSU’s version of “American Idol.” Acts ranged from original compositions to last minute entries, and the event was hosted by Student Association member Jeanna Byers. The audience served as the judges through donations to the SVSU football helmet presented by their favorite act. The performers with the most money in their helmet won the competition. Those taking first place were Josh Worley and T.J. Dowell. The group first sang “Iris” by the GooGoo Dolls and continued on to perform an original piece that was only interrupted by a stray ping-pong ball. Instead of relying solely on their musical talents, the group also offered “hugs for money.” In the end, they collected the most and were named the winners. Taking second place, the beat boxing Jewel Pearson kept the audi-

Sophomores Scott Haase and Justin Gouthro perform “You and Me” by popular rock group Lifehouse on Wednesday night. “Cardinal Idol” was held in the Cardinal Cage. Vanguard photo/ Jennifer Fallon

ence laughing. He ended his performance with the Mario theme song, after which he wiped off the microphone and executed a heel click into the audience. Third place went to a duet comprised of Cordell Bush and Lisa Maroni who started off the evening singing a capella “A Whole New World” from Disney’s “Aladdin.” Byers was pleased by the overall outcome of the event. She was “really excited about the great turnout in participants and audience.” Rachelle Austin, an audience member claimed that the show was “very entertaining” and would

come to similar events in the future. While some would view the location as a drawback due to the background noise present, Byers was pleased. “We used what we had,” she said. “We wanted it in a central location so that more people would come, so the theaters were not a good option.” The top three acts were awarded prizes, and non-winning performers were pleased with the event, according to Scott Haase. “There was good competition,” he said. “I can’t complain.”

Opinion

Monday, November 6, 2006

The Valley Vanguard

The Vanguard Vision

Possible solution to voter apathy seen in ‘Battle’

further than last week’s “Battle of the Valleys.” The annual fundraising competition pitting SVSU against Grand Valley again brought out the best of this University’s students, raising thousands of dollars for a worthy charity. It is not surprising, then, that the week prior to elections was dominated by “Battle” events while election issues took a back seat. Yes, this is a fluke scheduling issue out of the hands of most involved, but it does shed some light on an interesting phenomenon. Perhaps it is the creativity, the competition, or a combination of both, but something inherent in the “Battle of the Valleys” brings everyone together for one common cause. For the 2008 elections, why not make that cause voting? Our hats go off to the organizations on campus doing their part to help create a politically informed student body, but it is clear we can all do more. It is also possible that creativity and competition may be the answer. It would be interesting to see what a creative

istorically, any mention of election issues centered within a university context inevitably elicits discussion of the apathetic political viewpoints of the college demographic. While a few small pockets of students are able to contradict this belief by taking an active role in politics, many seem to choose the alternative path and sit idly while key issues are decided without them. All of this boils down to voting issues, where trends show young voters are either indifferent or uninterested in the democratic process. Regardless of the reasons, it is a sad notion to think that 24 hours before the polls open more young people will have cast their vote for their favorite “American Idol” performer than their preferred gubernatorial candidate. As one would expect, the next logical step after recognizing apathy in young voters is to think of a solution. For this, perhaps we need not look any

Editorial Cartoon

by Howard McLean — hwmclean@svsu.edu

or competitive push could do for the 2008 elections – perhaps a competition against Grand Valley to see which school can get the largest percentage of its students registered to vote could work. And while we will readily admit we cannot supply an exhaustive list of ideas, we do know two years of planning can help. Many in the know point a finger at today’s college demographic and fault us for political apathy. While we have no one to blame but ourselves, the solution may not be to try to change this generation’s ways but to cross over to the dark side and appeal to new interests. Bringing in a comic, a band, or some other kind of entertainment to get students out and talking about issues may do the trick. It will not matter what side they vote for either. Just that they vote to begin with. Could making the democratic process entertaining or competitive cheapen it? Certainly. But it could also help get young people involved again. That, undoubtedly, would be a risk worth taking.

Vanguard Staff Writer

page 10

The Valley Vanguard

Vol. 39 No. 8 www.svsu.edu/vanguard

SVSU’s Student Newspaper Since 1966

Monday October 30, 2006

Fourth ‘Battle of the Valleys’ begins By Alex Baumgardner

Battle schedule

Vanguard Staff Writer

Today • The Registered Student Organization Penny War begins at 9 a.m. near the RFoC. The Penny War runs until 6 p.m. Friday.

The fourth annual “Battle of the Valleys” began last night with a bon fire and will continue throughout the week with various fund-raising activities aimed at providing students with entertaining events. Running through Friday, the yearly Student Association-sponsored fund-raiser is a competition between SVSU and Grand Valley State University to see which university can raise the most money for its respective charity. SA has selected the Sexual Assault Program of Child and Family Services as this year’s charity. SVSU has enjoyed recent success in the competition despite struggling on the football field. After losing in the fund-raiser’s inaugural year, SVSU has won the last two in a sizeable fashion. In 2004, SVSU raised $12,001 for the Child Abuse & Neglect Council of Saginaw while GVSU raised $6,200 for its charity. Last year, SVSU raised $13,012 for Hurricane Katrina victims relocated to Saginaw while Grand Valley collected $7,327. For more information on any of the events during “Battle of the Valleys,” contact the SA office located in Curtiss 118.

Tuesday • GVSU Car Smash in the Courtyard,10 a.m. to 4 p.m. • Hockey team hosts Northwood at Saginaw Bay Ice Arena.

Daniels performs at alumni event

Wednesday • Cardinal Idol at 8 p.m. in Cardinal Cage. Thursday • Walk a Mile in Her Shoes at 6 p.m. • Can I Kiss You? at 7 p.m. • Date auction 8 p.m.

“I’m here.”

Those were the words uttered by actor

Friday • Root beer pong, kick ball, and tug of war games held in Ryder Center from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

and musician Jeff Daniels as he made his

way through the darkness of the Malcolm

Field Theatre to the front of the stage for the SVSU Alumni Celebration Saturday night.

Saturday • The “Battle” winner will be announced at the end of the third quarter against Grand Valley.

When the lights came on, there he sat,

guitar in hand, clad in a flannel shirt and jeans with a fedora cocked on his head.

ITS plans winter Share VSpace transition

“Though we could be at Game Six,” he

your thoughts

joked, in reference to the World Series. To those who didn’t know, Daniels is an avid

Tigers fan.

See DANIELS, page 7 Story by Jason Schneider Photo by Brandon Kish

We encourage unique letters from readers on all topics. Letters must be under 300 words, signed, and include a phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, content, and grammar. By Aaron Crossen

Vanguard aSSiStant editor

A number of significant upgrades and changes to University technology are either in-the-works or under way. Changes include a complete phase-out of the Blackboard learning system, which will be replaced by the Sakai opensource course management system, known at SVSU as VSpace. According to Information Technology Services Director Ken Schindler, “Blackboard will be done by May of ’08.” Schindler is confident that, despite the problems that accompany any institutional change, VSpace will prove to be just as, if not more, useful. “In the long term, we think it will be a more secure product, a more flexible product, and a more robust product,” he said. Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald Bachand recently circulated an internal memo stating, “VSpace has been piloted in some 130 courses on campus, and the reports have been overwhelmingly positive,” among other indicators of an impending switch.

As previously reported, Sakai’s programming code is open-source, and thus can be developed asynchronously by programmers across the globe. Many major universities have participated in its development, and as Bachand puts it, “[VSpace] has from its beginning been closely aligned with faculty needs.” Students should expect more and more of their classes to utilize VSpace, especially once the winter semester begins and the official transition to Sakai gets underway. ITS has also continued its work on CardMail, recently finishing its deletion of 90-day-old unopened mail over the course of 11 days, which freed up 13 gigabytes of space, or 7 percent of the student database. Students may notice an increase in performance. Next for CardMail is the deletion of all 365day-old mail, which probably runs for “about a month,” according to Schindler. “We’ve got it set so it’s throttled,” Schindler said. “We very carefully set it up so it won’t slow down

Bring your letters to our office in Curtiss 125, or submit them Second Art,atsociology professors online svsu.edu/vanguard.

Prop 2 The Vanguard enforces academic integrity and reserves thedebate right to determine which letters will be published. held See ITS, page 2

Battle of the Valleys charity history The “Battle of the Valleys” is an annual fund-raiser pitting the students of SVSU against those of Grand Valley in a competition to see which university can raise the most money for its respective charity.

Marisa Gwidt

Vanguard neWS editor

SVSU associate professor of art Mike Mosher and professor of sociology Scott Youngstedt have planned a three-week spring study abroad trip to the West African country of Senegal with the anticipation to increase understanding of African art, learn from cultural diversity, and break stereotypes. “I think it’s very important for students in the United States to understand how much of our culture has been brought to us by the African people,” Mosher says. “I think for students living in Michigan – a state which has benefited so much from the African-American culture of Detroit and other cities – it is very important to have an appreciation of a source of so much: Africa.” Students who participate in this trip will receive credit for SOC 390, ART 390, or CM 590, and the main purpose for going will be to attend the World Festival of Black Arts in Dakar, Senegal. This will be the third time the festival has taken place since its inception in 1966, and it will focus on the themes of the African Renaissance and global black unity. “Attending this festival will be an amazing experience,” Mosher says. “Artists are coming from all over Africa and the African di-

Senegal nation profile

Area: 196,190 sq. km., or roughly the size of South Dakota. Population: 11,987,121

By Paul White

GDP: $20.53 billion

Vanguard Staff Writer

GDP per capita: $1,800 Unemployment: 48% Source: CIA World Factbook

aspora to strut their stuff – to really bring the latest and the best in so many art forms.” The festival will feature a wide range of art forms including music, dance, painting, photography, sculpture, hairstyling, film and video, theatre, literature, and architecture. Mosher and Youngstedt believe their students will be interested in studying how Senegal has had a public art policy from the time the country was peacefully granted independence from the French in 1960. Its founding president, Leopold Senghor, was a poet who not only initiated the festival, but also granted government support for art schools and the exhibition of art forms in public places. Today, the cosmopolitan country of Senegal remains dedicated to the arts and is a stable democracy. Heavily influenced by the French,

Senegal is considered to have a sophisticated economy. However, Mosher and Youngstedt mention there is still serious poverty in Senegal that students will witness firsthand. They believe those who participate in this trip will be exposed to people living in a depth of poverty that they haven’t been exposed to before, and they feel that it should be an eye-opening experience. As Senegal is a country with a more than 90 percent Muslim population and a Christian minority, Mosher and Youngstedt are pleased that their students will find that the Islamic people are very tolerant and open to having relations with people outside their belief system. “We could learn from this example that Muslims and Christians

The Valley Vanguard

During the first year of the competition in 2003, SVSU raised money for the Saginaw chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters. The following year, the Child Abuse & Neglect Council of Saginaw was selected. Last year, Katrina victims were chosen. Source: Student Association

2003

prepare for West African trip

$6,208

SVSU

$8,500

GVSU

www.svsu.edu/vanguard

About us Since 1966, the Valley Vanguard has provided its $12,001 2004 $6,200 student, faculty, and local resident readers with coverage of campus and community happenings free of charge. The $13,012 2005 also publishes online with several additional Vanguard $7,327 features. $3,000 $6,000 $9,000 $12,000 Publishing The Vanguard is published by the students of Saginaw Valley State University on most Mondays during the fall and winter semesters with one published issue in the summer. Newsstands are located throughout campus. The Vanguard office is located in Curtiss 125 on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University, 7400 Bay Road, University Center, MI 48710.

The second debate to discuss whether or not affirmative action programs should be banned from use in state education, hiring, and contracting purposes brought together opposing sides last Tuesday in the Regional Education Center’s Alan W. Ott Auditorium. The issue brought forth by the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative gained enough signatures to force its way onto the November ballot as Proposal 2. Several organizations filed lawsuits attempting to block the MCRI from getting on the ballot, arguing the groups violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 through intentional manipulation and misrepresentation when acquiring signatures. U.S. District Court Judge Arthur Dannow agreed that the MCRI engaged in voter fraud in his statement, but declined to remove the proposal from the ballot, writing that the MCRI defrauded all voters,

Jason Wolverton

Editor-in-Chief

Aaron Crossen

Assistant Editor

Marisa Gwidt

News Editor

See SENEGAL, pageE 2 Editor A& Jason Schneider

Andy Hoag

See PROP 2, page 3

Sports Editor

Brandon Kish

Design Editor, Webmaster

Jason Masten

Advertising Manager, Business Manager

Proposal 2 This proposal looks to ban public institutions from utilizing affirmative action in hiring practices. Hotly debated, the proposal known as the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative has been the subject of two debates on campus. Kochville Township In addition to the above issues, voters will fill four vacant positions on the Kochville Township Board. Residents recalled the Township supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and a trustee in August.

Female objectification embedded in culture By Mathew C. Easterwood

Tigers falter in World Series

Tuesday elections Aside from the recognizable governor’s race, there are a number of other elections up for grabs, including Senate and House races. There are also five proposals on this year’s ballot, including the highly debated and controversial...

I love going to bars, clubs, and parties. You’re there with your buddies – getting drunk – and there are girls with short skirts, low-cut tops and their midriffs showing. Heck, there are even times when more than that is showing. The imagination has almost no purpose in these environments. I once visited The Coast, and sadly, I have yet to return. This particular night, the DJ from WIOG told some girls who were dancing on the stage to take their shirts off, and they did. It was a beautiful sight. It made me want to be a DJ after I graduate college, so that I could simply command women to alleviate their body of clothing to their immediate adherence. I would also be able to work in bars with wet t-shirt or thong contests. What more could a man possibly need? All of this is really the same as when it starts getting warm in the springtime, which makes late spring my favorite time of year. For when “the temperature goes up, the clothes come off.” Skirts, shortshorts, and tank-tops all start making their much-missed appearances in the general public – because we can’t be at bars, clubs, or parties all of the time. And I love watching “The Real

World,” “Laguna Beach,” “Desperate Housewives,” and basically any hip/hop or rap video. These are high-quality entertainment, with young to middle-aged women being melodramatic and often wearing very appealing outfits, which are occasionally almost nonexistent.

Please understand, I am not, in any way, objectifying women. They are doing it for me. What’s more is how they all act similarly to how I remember my early years of high school being. I miss those days when girls ran around giggling at hot boys and backstabbing one another to get each other’s boyfriends. I have a subscription to the Victoria Secret Catalog, as well. In fact, I read magazines religiously. Actually, I don’t read them. I just get them for the ads. Nearly every magazine on the shelf nowadays has at least one advertisement that has a nearly naked woman in it, or if they don’t, they have some real attention-grabbing phallic symbols going on. My favorite right now is an ad by Clinique. It shows a woman in gray and blue contrasts with her eyes closed and mouth shut. Splashed on her face from her bottom lip up to her left eye is the yellow lotion. The allusion is all too

obvious, but extraordinarily amusing and eye-grabbing. My favorite place to eat, of course, is Hooters. I was absolutely thrilled when I heard that a new restaurant was going in on Bay Road, as before now, I had to drive to Bay City for my favorite dinning experience. The incredibly short-shorts and extremely tight tops are the best feature of the establishment. I simply love eating greasy, fattening food that clogs my arteries as I watch the waitress walk to and from the table and about the restaurant. Some of my friends have been known to give the waitresses a friendly pinch or slap as they walk by, but I always worry that I would get grease or buffalo sauce or something on their shorts if I did. Finally there is the Internet. Where even to begin with how wondrous it is? With the pop-up blocking software available today, you only now need to worry about a few small fees (and if you know the right places, not even that) to get the most premium entertainment in cyberspace. I’m so thankful there are so many generous and self-giving women in the world that they recognize the need for the entire world to view all their beauty. Please do not read into any of this inappropriately, I am not, in any way, objectifying women. No, they’re doing it for me, which is the best part because it allows my conscience to remain completely clean. Mat Easterwood is available at mceaster@svsu.edu

Roommate tensions natural By Mary Oakley

Vanguard Staff Writer College is generally a very stressful experience on its own. On top of that, you get stuck living with new people for approximately 30 weeks. Personally, I am on my fourth set of roommates in the past year. This isn’t because I got fed up with the other three sets, but because my “situation” kept changing. I walked away from each living arrangement with new perspectives. Last fall I lived in a four-bedroom dorm in Living Center North with five other girls. Four of us were paired up while the other two had their own bedroom. Now I don’t know if everyone has seen the bedrooms in these dorms, but they aren’t exactly the roomiest – each bedroom is 9 x 13. Throw in two desks, two dressers, and a set of bunk beds and it gets real cozy real fast. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate my roommate or anything, but sometimes you just need your own space, which is really hard when you are sharing a bedroom with someone. Sometimes tensions were high, but it all ended just fine. I spent the winter semester of

my freshman year in Florida on the Disney College Program. This time I was in a spacious, two-bedroom, four-person apartment. It was a step up from SVSU housing, but once again I was living with complete strangers.

You have to find the most “proper” way to communicate problems to other roommates. For the most part, I got along with all three, but towards the end of the program one of them snapped. She claimed she couldn’t stand living with one of our roommates and tried to get said roommate removed from the apartment. In the end, the roommate with the problem moved out and we never got a new one. What I learned from this experience was not to try to rally all your roommates against another roommate and to try to communicate better with them. I came back to SVSU for the summer semester and once again had three new roommates. For the most part we all got along. What I observed during this experience is that no one, myself included, really likes taking out the trash.

Now, I am living on campus in the University Village. I have my own bedroom and share a bathroom with one of my roommates. Everything was going fine, until recent events got on my nerves. This is where communication comes into play. You have to find the most “proper” way to communicate problems to other roommates. I didn’t think one of my roommates was respecting my property or my space. As I said before, I’m no expert at roommate communication. I tried to communicate my grievances through a note. This note then led to “tensions” in my apartment. I admit, I probably could have thought of a better way to communicate my issues, but the past is the past. What matters is that I had a problem with something that was going on and I informed my roommate about it. The big point that I’m trying to make is to communicate with your roommates. If there are four people living together, there are four different sets of feelings and preferences you need to take into consideration. So, if you do have a problem with how a certain roommate is treating you or your property, communicate your issue with them to them. We are supposed to be “mature” college students, so please act accordingly. Mary Oakley is available at mloakley@svsu.edu

A&E

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Crossword 4

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Down 1. GA hip-hop city 2. Home Improvement family 3. He went to camp 4. AC/DC hit 5. Score 6. Tip or vertex 7. Not ma’s 8. To Wong Foo __ For Everything, Julie Newmar 9. Darryl McDaniels’ longtime partner 10. 1999 Screeching Weasel album 15. Moray or sawtooth 16. Movie special effects (abbr.) 21. Where Rose Nylund is from, St. __ 22. Uproar 23. Where to find a six-pack 25. Use of creative activity in rehab. (abbr.) 26. Sumerian goddess of earth 28. Bi-yearly event (abbr.)

29. Bond film Dr. __ 30. See __ Evil 32. Comedian Poundstone 33. Infamous talk show host 35. Ghost Rider alter-ego 36. Controversial Houston energy company 39. Boxing punch 40. Actor Neil 41. Video game raccoon, __ Cooper 42. Latin “thus” 43. Bill Cosby nickname 44. Chicago Tribune music critic

49. Detroit bachelorette party maven Keesha 50. Doorway

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Across 1. Zombies __ My Neighbors 4. Kind of door 8. Green Day drummer 11. Goes with feathers 12. Auto parts store 13. Garment border 14. One of the Desperate Housewives (2 words) 17. MLB slugger Carlos 18. Former 19. Axl’s band (abbr.) 20. Norway capital 22. Kingdom Hearts character 23. Local sports guru Neil 24. Norse god of mischief 27. Icy treat, __ cone 29. __ of Domination 31. Parody 34. Spiderman actor 37. Large news agency (abbr.) 38. Logarithm to the base e (abbr.) 39. Modern-day Spielberg classic (2 words) 45. Group that promotes libraries (abbr.) 46. High singing voice 47. ODB hit “Brooklyn __” 48. “__, humbug!”

of Santa must be second nature by now as he has been around the North Pole for twelve years already. This time, though, he often appears to be going through the yuletide motions throughout the film. And as for the returning Spencer Breslin – my God, this kid is growing up more awkward than that Weasley fellow from the Harry Potter movies. Filling out the rest of the cast are Alan Arkin, Ann-Margaret, Judge Reinhold, and about a thousand elves – and not a memorable line between the 1,003 of them. As a family film, this works about as good as anything else Disney would have thrown out there for Christmas. At the very least, be thankful that we don’t have to suffer through a holidaythemed Herbie movie starring Lindsay Lohan. But since The Santa Clause 3 is rated G, like so few films are these days, don’t expect anything cutting edge in the way of

Director: Michael Lembeck Starring: Tim Allen, Martin Short, Elizabeth Mitchell Rated: G Runtime: 98 min.

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause

The last time I checked the calendar, it was the beginning of November. So why am I reviewing a Christmas movie? Heck, why is The Santa Clause 3 premiering in theaters a mere week after the Halloween spectacle Saw III? As if the impending holiday season didn’t arrive soon enough, the folks at Disney thought it would be a super idea to cram another Tim Allen as Chris Cringle flick down our throats as soon as possible – maybe they just wanted to beat Christmas With the Kranks 2 to theaters. Whatever the reason behind such an early release, that doesn’t change the fact that The Santa Clause 3 is exactly what one would expect it to be: a bright, colorful movie overflowing with holiday cheer and lacking in substance. The plot of the movie is about as thin as the Christmas stocking of a kid on the naughty list. Basically, Jack Frost – played by a wonderfully boisterous Martin Short – is jealous of Santa because everyone adores jolly old Saint Nick while Frost is left out in the cold, so to speak. So Frost schemes to oust Santa from his post and take over the North Pole. Ho ho ho? More like ho hum. Aside from an unusually enjoyable performance from Short, this Santa Clause is ultimately forgettable. Tim Allen’s portrayal

humor. The reindeer fart jokes are rehashed from the first and second Santa Clause movies, but I’m sure kids will still laugh anyway. Unfortunately though, there isn’t a whole lot to appeal to adults over the course of this 90-minute sleigh ride. And while the original is agruably a holiday classic, the magic of that first installment in the trilogy is sadly lacking here in number three. Nothing against Tim Allen, but this might have been a better movie without him. It could have been The Adventures of Jack Frost, and I don’t mean that serial killer snowman from the mid-90s. No, I mean Martin Short’s Jack Frost. The character is just perfect for a feature film of his own and sadly is just a subplot villain in The Santa Clause 3. All in all, this holiday treat is too sugary and not very filling. It may possibly be a bit better than the second Santa Clause, but it certainly does not have the humor of number two. So if like me you are upset that Borat is not showing in Saginaw and you have to choose another movie to see instead, maybe you should just go back home and watch Da Ali G Show because The Santa Clause 3 is not going to satisfy your needs. And if you just have to have a holiday fix before Nov. 10, try renting Scrooged with Bill Murray. It has a better moral than this Tim Allen feature.

By Jason Schneider

Vanguard A & E Editor

Newest Santa Clause lives up to series’ low standards

Santa (Tim Allen) and Jack Frost (Martin Short) in Santa’s workshop in Disney’s The Santa Clause 3.

M Y

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by Jason Schneider

Monday, November 6, 2006

Classified Welcome to the Classified section. Ads start at $10 for 35 words per issue. Student ads start at $5. Our general categories include employment, events, for sale, and housing. To place a Classified, contact Jason Masten at 964-4248 or at jmmasten@svsu.edu.

Employment

HOUSING

Housing

Spring Break w/STS to Jamaica, Mexico, Bahamas and Florida. Are you connected? Sell Trips, Earn Cash, Travel Free! Call for group discounts. For information and reservations please call 800-648-4849 or visit www.ststravel.com

Buy a newly remodeled Tennis Village Condo! A safe place in the best location. $36k. Call 684-2298.

Bay Valley Harbor Apartments! Safe and quiet area with laundry, flexible leases, and no security deposit. 1, 2, 3 bedroom apartments and studios available. Near Delta and SVSU. Starting at $425. Furnished also available. (989) 684-2298.

Looking for employees? Advertise in the Valley Vanguard to reach students!

Apartment for rent: 2 Bedroom, upper level. Located on Pierce near Davis, within walking distance to campus. Quiet students a must, no pets, and appliances are included. $550 per month. Call (989) 297-0909.

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Monday, November 6, 2006

Catch a Fire offers thoughtful Netflix users must choose carefully take on life in South Africa By Pat Herald

Vanguard Staff Writer Catch a Fire is a drama based on events that transpired in South Africa during the latter stages of apartheid. Despite losing focus for much of the middle area of the film, it paints a portrait of a man who rose out of obscurity to become a well-known freedom fighter, while also providing a moving portrayal of the country. The movie opens with a monologue by Patrick Chamusso, a South African native whom the narrative follows for the majority of its length. In it, he describes some of the poor conditions of where he lives. Particularly effective here is his description of his job at the massive Secunda oil refinery, during which he explains how he worked with his head down so that he could retain his job and provide for his family. The scene does a good job setting the audience up for the reversal Patrick undergoes later in the film. The opening sections of the film are great; they immerse the audience in the South African culture as well as Patrick’s life as a worker, soccer coach, and family man.

Catch a Fire Director: Phillip Noyce Starring: Tim Robbins, Derek Luke, Bonnie Mbuli Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 101 min. The earlier parts of the film reminded me of some of the happier moments in the movie City of God. Patrick does have a secret, though – one that causes him to be away at the wrong time one night when the refinery is bombed by freedom fighters. He is now a suspect and is subsequently arrested and tortured by members of the Police Security Branch, which the film personifies as the character of Nic Vos (Tim Robbins). Critics are making much as to whether or not Nic Vos is a sympathetic character or a monster. It seems to me that at heart, he is somewhat relatable to a cruel version of the Patrick of the first half of the movie, as he will do anything to provide for his family. The scene where he takes the imprisoned Patrick to his house

to dine with his family is not an attempt to humanize his character for the audience. Rather it is a shrewd tactic on the part of Vos himself, understanding that like him, Patrick’s weakness is his family. He knows that exposing him once more to a view of family life will break him. After Patrick decides to join the African National Congress, the movie features some fairly intense scenes of war violence, after which the movie emotionally flat-lines for a period of time. Fortunately, the concluding scenes are very strong, and wrap things up nicely. What is particularly well-done here is the conscious shift to scenes that remind the audience that this is not entirely a work of fiction, and is in fact based on real events and a real person. The concluding moments again reminded me of City of God in that they pushed fiction to the side in a manner that thrusts the reality of what was portrayed forward. This sort of strategy really works when it is done properly, and that is certainly the case here. There were only two other people in the theater when I viewed Catch a Fire. This is a movie that deserves an audience.

Latest Copeland release pleasant, if unexceptional By Jason Schneider

Vanguard A & E Editor The sticker on the front of Copeland’s latest CD compares singer Aaron Marsh to iconic indie folkster Sufjan Stevens. Perhaps there is some similarity in terms of talent, but when it comes to the songs that they write the two couldn’t be any more different. Eat, Sleep, Repeat is not the somber non-rock that Stevens produces on a regular basis. Rather, this Copeland disc is light, piano-driven rock that at times sounds like – dare I say it – a lot of those Radiohead-influenced bands that emerged in the late 90s. and beyond. That’s not to say Copeland sound a whole lot like Radiohead. Actually “My Iron Lung” rocks a lot harder than anything Copeland has ever released. But the music on Eat, Sleep, Repeat creates an atmosphere reminiscent of the stuff created by the Thom Yorke who didn’t like techno too much. Remember “Karma Police” and “High and Dry?” These are the kinds of songs that come to mind when I listen to Copeland. Call me crazy, I guess, because my comparison probably seems as distant as the one on the outside of the Eat, Sleep, Repeat CD case. Copeland are not Radiohead,

Eat, Sleep, Repeat Copeland (The Militia Group) and they are certainly not Sufjan Stevens, nor are they trying to be. To be fair, Copeland are their own band and should be heard to understand what they are all about. It’s a love it or leave it situation with these guys, really. Their songs are pleasant but at the same time easy to ignore and pass off as background music. Similarly, Marsh’s voice is pretty, but grows tiresome after a few tracks because there is little range in his singing. Some might find the music

beautiful, others might find it dull. I find it easy to fall asleep to. I don’t mean that in a bad way, either. “The Last Time He Saw Dorie” (yes that is the name of a song here) is possibly the standout track of the disc, featuring a great string arrangement toward the end. “I’m a Sucker for a Kind Word” comes in a close second, though, being a great upbeat song to break the monotony of the album. Other notable songs include “By My Side” and the title track of the disc. There are some songs that won’t be remembered, but I expected that before I even removed the plastic from the case. In the end, fans of the band will likely enjoy Eat, Sleep, Repeat. It doesn’t stray much from the formula that the band has followed in the past. Plus, Copeland delivers an album that is a deeper, richer experience than most music you’ll find out there, no offense to popular radio bands like Hinder. But this disc is still not something I can listen to very frequently. It’s okay for an occasional listen, but it won’t become an everyday CD for me. I’m not denying the artistic quality of Copeland’s music, I just don’t want to doze off in the car.

By Jason Schneider

Vanguard A & E Editor I’ve never seen the movie Whale Rider. But the DVD is sitting in my apartment right now, just like it has been for about three months – right next to the television on top of a bright red envelope. It sounded good at the time. But it must be one of those movies you can only watch when you’re in a certain mood. Apparently that mood is one that doesn’t come over me very often, or at all. Such is the problem with Netflix. It is far too easy to put movies in my queue. With just one click I can add An American Werewolf in Paris to a long list of movies that I have only the slightest desire to actually watch. Then I can rearrange those movies so that the ones I have never even heard of but that feature a cameo by Christopher Walken will remain in the middle of the pack forever, never making it past number 20 on the countdown to my mailbox. And all the while I’m at home watching trash like Cry Wolf and saying, “Netflix rocks!” So how did that pesky Whale Rider sneak its way to the top of my queue? I must have forgotten to log in for about two weeks and move it to its rightful place at number 36. And now it sits in its original envelope, gathering dust while someone in Munger who really likes movies about the Whangara people of New Zealand could be enjoying this movie

that I refuse to watch. I pay slightly more money to have three DVDs at a time from Netflix. As evidenced by my lackluster viewing habits, I really only need two discs (or even just one) at a time. But then I think, if I only had one DVD at a time, I could be stuck with a movie I don’t want and have no backup movie to watch instead. I could have Whale Rider clogging my proverbial Netflix arteries and be left high and dry until I open that envelope and force myself into a Whale Rider mood. I just know that Whale Rider will be worth the wait – but is it worth the price? So far it has probably cost me close to 20 dollars to have that movie lie motionless on my entertainment center. If I had just been smart and added to my list only those movies that I knew I would watch, then I wouldn’t be wasting so much money. But Netflix isn’t about making smart decisions. I have found that it’s about finding those obscure movies that I stumble across based on the Web site’s recommendations. How else would I have seen Coffee and Cigarettes? I didn’t enjoy Coffee and Cigarettes, but that is beside the point. Netflix has opened my eyes to a world of indie films that are often far more enjoyable than the blockbusters raking in the big dollars. And yes, one of those films is Whale Rider. I bet it’s a great movie. I bet I’d really enjoy it. But at this rate I might have to just return it unwatched. After all, I have an entire list of movies waiting to be sent to me. I think I may just send you back, Whale Rider. It’s a tough decision, but I just looked at the New Releases and I can be the first person to reserve a copy of You, Me & Dupree. Netflix rocks!

Entertaining snippets Former child star confirms that he is “a very content gay man” Neil Patrick Harris, remembered most for his starring role in the series Doogie Howser, M.D., has recently announced that he is gay. The actor, currently starring in the hit series How I Met Your Mother, decided it was time after rumors began to surface about his sexuality. Letters to God found in sea About 300 letters to God were found dumped in the ocean off the Jersey shoreline, most of them not even opened. The letters were addressed to a New Jersey minister who had passed away two years ago, never reading many of the letters he received. And the best part about this? The man who found the letters is putting them up for sale on eBay. Talk about an invasion of privacy. New to DVD Nov. 7 You might not like Larry the Cable Guy, but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy the Pixar comedy Cars, premiering on DVD tomorrow. However, there’s a good chance that nobody will like the other noteworthy DVD release, Little Man, starring several of the 500 Wayans brothers. New music Nov. 7 Tomorrow, look for new releases by country superstars Keith Urban and Sugarland. Also, the first ever live Foo Fighters disc, Skin and Bones will make its way to stores. And for those who like it slow and operatic, Josh Groban returns with his third studio album, Awake.

Monday, November 6, 2006

Sports

Tennis team makes history By Andy Hoag

Vanguard Sports Editor Several GLIAC records were set with the SVSU women’s tennis team’s victory over Mercyhurst in the GLIAC tournament last weekend. The eighth-seeded Cardinals’ 5-3 victory over the fourth-seeded Lakers in the second round was the highest ever for a No. 8 seed, and was also the greatest upset in terms of seed differential since the team tournament format began at

the beginning of the decade. SVSU would go on to lose its next match, 5-1 to seventh-seeded Wayne State. The sixth-place finish was the highest for an eighthseeded team in the tournament’s history. The Cardinals took four and a half hours to take out the Lakers, making several comebacks in doubles play. Down 1-4 in No. 1 doubles and 0-4 in No. 2 doubles, SVSU came back for 8-6 and 9-8 (7-5) wins, respectively.

Sophomore Katie Hanover, who was selected as an honorable mention to the All-GLIAC team this season, avenged a 6-2, 6-1 loss in No. 1 singles earlier in the season to win 6-4, 6-2. Sophomore Danielle Coldren won a three-set match in No. 3 singles, and redshirt freshman Maria Perez-Valencia clinched the Cardinals victory with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 win in No. 4 singles. The Cardinals’ first match against Mercyhurst this year was a 7-2 Lakers victory.

Men finish third at XC regional By Andy Hoag

Vanguard Sports Editor Led by senior Paul Jozwiak, the SVSU men’s cross country team took third place at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Saturday. Jozwiak finished fifth in the 10K run, crossing the line in 32:05.7. Junior Nick Krus stepped up, as well, finishing 16th with a time of 32:52.9.

Two other SVSU runners finished in the top 25, as senior Brandon Johnson took 21st with a time of 33:08.9 and senior Greg Schmit was 25th at 33:22.8. Twenty-three teams competed in the regional, which was won by Grand Valley State. The Lakers finished with 36 points, while the Cardinals had 119. SVSU finished comfortably ahead of fourth-place Northern

Kentucky, which had 170 points. The women’s team did not finish as well as their male counterparts, taking 14th in the 6K race with 319 points. Junior Becca Rudey paced the Cardinals with a fifth-place finish, crossing the line in 22:19.0. The next closest SVSU runner was sophomore Nicole Schmidt, who took 66th with a time of 23:20.3.

Cardinals lose to top-ranked Hope, win big over Lakers By Andy Hoag

Vanguard Sports Editor A day after thrashing its rivals, the Cardinals Club Hockey Team traveled to No. 1 Hope College on Saturday and lost, 7-3. The loss came after SVSU beat Grand Valley State 11-4 on Friday, a game that the Cardinals were visibly fired up for. The Cardinals scored six goals in the first 23 minutes and weathered a minor comeback to send the Lakers to 1-5 on the season. “Coach (Steve Hart) got us fired up before the game,” captain Jake Trombley said. “We just wanted to go out there and thump them.” Grand Valley came out fired up as well, scoring less than two minutes into the game off a Stu Mclean goal. The Cardinals responded four minutes later when freshman Pat Miller scored a power-play goal off a pass from fellow freshman Jon Tibaudo. Trombley scored over five minutes later on the Cardinals’ second power play of the night,

and the rout was on. “We were able to keep the momentum going,” he explained. “We scored those first couple of goals and we were rolling.” Sophomore Trent Waugh added SVSU’s third power-play goal of the period and freshman Nick Halaby chased the Lakers’ starting goaltender with a goal off a feed from freshman Chris Landrith. Unlike a week ago, when the Cardinals squandered a 3-1, firstperiod lead to Calvin College, they came out strong in the second, scoring twice in the first three minutes to put the Lakers down by five. The second period saw the Lakers claw within 6-3, but senior Ryan Michaels scored with just less than five minutes to go to put SVSU back up by four. Sophomore Matt Fogal scored the Cardinals’ fourth power-play goal of the night less than a minute into the third to bring the score to 8-3, but the Lakers still had a pulse. A power-play goal by Zach Watkins brought the crowd back into the game and the score to 8-4. But the Cardinals’ top two

scorers, Tibaudo and Michaels, put an end to any thoughts of a comeback, scoring 24 seconds apart to build the lead to 10-4. Tibaudo added a shorthanded goal late in the game for his third hat trick of the season. The Cardinals’ emotional high came down quickly the next night, though, as Hope proved why it was ranked first in the ACHA College Club Hockey Rankings. Up 1-0, the Cardinals lost sophomore defenseman Adam Munro to a sprained ankle just 13 minutes into the game and were whistled for 10 penalties, not making things any easier against the Flying Dutchmen. Trombley said if the Cards want to win a rematch on Dec. 2 in Holland, they must cut down on their penalties. “Their power play is phenomenal,” he said. “They are very fast and well disciplined.” The Cardinals got goals from Fogal, Tibaudo, and Michaels. SVSU travels to seventhranked Alpena next week for a Nov. 11 game at 9 p.m.

The Valley Vanguard

FOOTBALL continued from page 1

Finnerty found senior Eric Fowler for a seven-yard score with 5:51 left in the third. The score ended a seven-play, 80-yard drive that was keyed by a 50-yard catch-and-run by Fowler on third-and-six. The Cardinals began to make their move after that, going 75 yards in five plays and scoring on a 24-yard pass from Dougherty to junior Ric Cottengim. Showing urgency, Awrey called a modified onside kick that was recovered by junior Derek Volmering at the GVSU 46. The Cardinals would score seven plays later on a nine-yard Dougherty screen pass to sophomore Brandon Emeott. The Lakers put an end to the Cardinals’ hopes on the next drive, scoring on a seven-yard Finnerty pass to junior Antoine Trent. The nine-play, 70-yard drive was kept alive after SVSU was flagged for two personal fouls on the same third-and-nine play at the GVSU 48yard line. Senior Damion DeRosia ripped Finnerty’s helmet off as he tried for the sack, and after Finnerty escaped, redshirt freshman Mike LeVand threw the quarterback to the ground out of bounds. After the Cardinals responded with another Doughtery-to-Cottengim touchdown, Belmonte attempted another onside kick. The result was different that time, as Trent caught it in stride and returned it 45 yards for the score. Cottengim caught his third touchdown of the game on the next drive, a 22-yard pass from Dougherty, to bring the Cardinals back within 21. The Lakers turned to backup quarterback Brad Iciek on the next drive, inserting all of their second stringers on the offensive side of the ball. Finnerty finished the game 11of-16 for 158 yards and three scores. The Lakers’ top two runners, Martin

Vanguard photos/Brandon Kish

Junior Ric Cottengim comes down with his first of four touchdown catches in the second half. Cottengim finished with 149 yards on a career-high 11 catches. and junior Preston Garris, finished with 130 yards on 20 carries. The scoring concluded with Cottengim’s school record-tying fourth receiving touchdown of the game with 2:55 left. The score was also Dougherty’s fifth touchdown, which also tied a school record. Dougherty finished 28-of-37 for a career-high 360 yards, while Cottengim caught a career-high 11 passes. Junior Joe Dougherty also had a career night, catching seven balls for 103 yards. As a team, SVSU

completed a school-record 37 passes on 52 attempts. Both teams set a series record with a combined 84 points, while the 49 Grand Valley points were the most scored by either team since a 55-7 Lakers win in 1982. The win was Grand Valley’s 23rd straight, the longest current streak in the NCAA. SVSU, losers of four games in a season for the first time since 1998, hosts Hillsdale next week at noon for senior day.

Lakers junior Preston Garris breaks the tackle of Cardinals linebacker Brent Rogers. Garris combined with senior Astin Martin for 130 yards on 20 carries in three quarters of work.

The Valley Vanguard • Monday, November 6, 2006

Election Guide 2006

• A GLANCE AT STATE, LOCAL, AND NATIONAL ELECTIONS •

State ballot proposals • BALLOT LANGUAGE, OUR INTERPRETATION •

Proposal 1 Ballot language:

Mudslinging rampant in Kahn, Williams race for state Senate seat The 32nd district state Senate race between Democrat Carl Williams of Saginaw and Republican Roger Kahn of Saginaw Township is shaping out to be one of the closest – and costliest – races in the state. Williams, a term-limited state representative from the 95th district state House seat, is facing Kahn, a one-term representative from the 94th district House seat. Both candidates are vying to replace term-limited state Senator Mike Goschka, a Brant Republican. The Democrats have not held a majority in the state Senate since 1983. Going into the election, Republicans currently hold a 22-16 majority. However, the unpopularity of President Bush has led much of the nation – including Michigan, which has seen a tepid campaign from gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos – trending blue. Democrats need to capture three seats to take back the Senate if Jennifer Granholm is reelected; in the event of a tie, the lieutenant governor, as President of the Senate, serves as the tiebreaker. Each state Senate district contains roughly 250,000 constituents. The 32nd district Senate seat, which contains Saginaw and Gratiot counties, encompasses a wide variety of demographics, including poor inner-city neighborhoods, wealthy suburbs, and wide tracts of predominately agricultural land.

Carl Williams Democrat

Roger Kahn Republican

In the 2004 presidential election, voters in the 32nd district preferred Democrat John Kerry to President Bush by a roughly 52-47 percent margin. Kahn, 61, is a former cardiologist who before entering state politics previously served on the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners. Williams, 64, is a former Delphi Steering Systems employee who prior to election to the 95th House seat served on the Saginaw City Council from 1991-2000. The race has received substantial media attention, some of which has been negative. Williams picked up an endorsement from the Detroit Free Press that praised his legislative ex-

perience, while the Saginaw News decided to endorse Kahn, focusing on his work in healthcare reform. Mudslinging has been a hallmark of this campaign. Kahn has accused his opponent’s campaign of everything from violating campaign finance laws, slashing political signs, to supporting the rights of pedophiles over protecting children. Williams has attacked his opponent for his support for legislation that offers doctors immunity from certain medical malpractice cases and for his alleged attempt to suppress voter turnout. Michigan campaign finance records show that Williams, as of Oct. 19, reported roughly $500,000 in campaign contributions this election cycle. Kahn has raised roughly $425,000, but his personal wealth has enabled him to write some of his own campaign checks, increasing his total campaign contributions to nearly $660,000. Kahn has been endorsed by several prominent organizations, including the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Great Lakes Education Project, and the Michigan Manufacturers Association. Williams has been endorsed by the United Auto Workers, Michigan AFL-CIO, and the American Federation of Teachers Michigan, among others.

Elissa DeVos visits campus for campaign By Alex Baumgardner Vanguard Staff Writer

Thursday, Elissa DeVos, daughter of Michigan gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos, was on hand to promote her father in the waning days of the 2006 campaign trail. DeVos spent little time on her father’s policies, instead choosing to focus on her father as a person, in hopes that his constituents and possible swing voters will see him as more than just a businessman or politician. “I’m going to schools talking about my dad as I know him as a father,” says DeVos. “To show him as the kind, supportive, compassionate man I know him as.” DeVos has touched nearly every corner of the state, visiting Michigan colleges in both peninsulas, including Central Michigan, Alma College, Western Michigan, University of Michigan, Michigan State, Northwood, and others.

DeVos also spoke about her dad’s plans for the future of Michigan, and how he hopes to bring more jobs to a state that has been lacking in recent years. “It’s about creating a climate in Michigan where it’s easier to do business in Michigan,” Before she left for CMU, DeVos expressed a politician’s optimism concerning the results of the tomorrow’s vote. “We’re working hard,” she said. “I think we’ll be celebrating on Election Day.” Elissa, one of four DeVos children, is a senior at Princeton and has been very active in her father’s quest for the governorship. She was featured along with her sister Andrea in a recent DeVos campaign ad. Again she spoke on her father’s qualities, not only as a politician, but also as a father. DeVos plans on visiting several more college campuses before tomorrow’s gubernatorial elections.

Elissa DeVos in one of her father’s ads.

U.S. Senate seat

Attorney General

Township Supervisor

Incumbent Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, is taking on Republican Mike Bouchard, Oakland County Sheriff for the U.S. Senate seat. Stabenow, who as Secretary of the Conference, sits as the third ranking Democrat in the Senate, upset Spence Abraham in 2000, and sits on the Budget, Housing and Urban Affairs, and the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry committees. Bouchard’s “First Priority,” if elected senator, would be to stop emissions violations lawsuits against car manufacturers if they meet the standards when the car is sold. Some notable endorsements: Bouchard been endorsed by the Michigan Right to Life and National Rifle Association, while Stabenow has been endorsed by the National Association of Police Officers and the Sierra Club.

For the Attorney General race, Republican Mike Cox is seeking his second term against Democrat Amos Williams. Cox, the first Republican Attorney General in Michigan in half a century, eked out a roughly 5,000-vote victory in 2002. Williams is a former Detroit city policeman and a Vietnam veteran.

For the remaining two years of the term once filled by the now recalled Ken Bayne, Democrat Patricia Bourdow is running against Republican Jerry Davis to become Kochville Township Supervisor. Bourdow, a longtime Board trustee, would have to resign her trusteeship if elected.

Secretary of State

Township Clerk

Republican Terry Lynn Land is running for her second term as Secretary of State against Democratic challenger Carmella Sabaugh, Macomb County Clerk. Land is touting her consolidation of the state elections into four election dates a year, while Sabaugh promises to hold the manufacturers of election machines – open to potential vote tampering – accountable for machine flaws.

For the remaining two years of the term vacated by the recall of George Schnepf, Republican Allan Bader is facing Democrat Sheila Hill. Bader, who was recently critical of SVSU’s on-campus housing development, is currently the Township’s interim clerk.

5th Congressional District Dale Kildee, the 15-term Democrat from Flint, has dominated the 5th Congressional District, which includes Genesee County, Saginaw, and Bay City among others. Kildee’s opponent is Republican Eric Klammer, who has been unable to gain traction in the heavily Democratic district. Since the 1994 election, Kildee has not been re-elected with less than 60 percent of the vote.

95th State House In the 95th state House race vacated by the term-limited Carl Williams, Democrat Andy Coulouris, who survived a five-candidate primary, is likely to be victorious in the heavily Democratic district anchored by the city of Saginaw. Coulouris, a Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor, faces Republican Joel Wilson, a substitute teacher.

Proposal 2 Ballot language: A proposal to amend the state constitution to ban affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity, or national origin for public employment, education, or contracting purposes. Our opinion: Affirmative action is an imperfect method of empowering women and minorities, but it recognizes that both groups are operating in an imperfect system. The labor market is not “perfectly” competitive in the economic sense and given this, employers do not hire simply according to merit. Affirmative action, for all its problems, is a regrettably necessary public policy.

A referendum on Public Act 160 of 2004 – an act to allow the establishment of a hunting season for mourning doves.

Kochville elections

In the 94th state House race vacated by Roger Kahn, Democrat Bob Blaine is facing Republican Ken Horn. The district’s anchor is Saginaw Township and covers many of the surrounding suburbs and rural areas. Blaine, a Swan Creek Township resident and area farmer, is the 2nd District Saginaw County Commissioner. Horn, a Frankenmuth resident and former restaurant owner, is the 4th District Saginaw County Commissioner.

If other programs that are equally important to the welfare of the people are suffering, your popularly elected lawmakers should have the right to divert funds as they (and in essence, you) see fit. Vote NO on Proposal 1, not because you are opposed to the recreational services the state provides, but because you disapprove of special interest groups seeking constitutional protection.

Ballot language:

State elections

In the 4th Congressional District, which stretches from Shiawassee County in a northwesterly direction up to Traverse City, eight-term Representative Dave Camp is expected to easily defeat Democratic challenger Michael Huckleberry in a rematch of the 2004 race that saw Camp win more than 64 percent of the vote. The Midland Republican benefits from a district that leans Republican and from a challenger who has been unable to raise much money.

Prop 1 is a sympathetic proposal. Backers are not attempting to take money away from other public services. The financial protection of our recreational services is by no means an ignoble cause. Yet, the business of government is not necessarily one of economic idealism, but of necessity.

Proposal 3

Federal elections

94th State House

Our opinion:

It is our sincere hope that in the future, a ballot proposal like this would make more sense. Until then, the economic environment in which affirmative action operates is such that this program must exist. We advise you vote NO on Proposal 2.

Other elections

4th Congressional District

A proposed constitutional amendment to require that money held in conservation and recreation funds can only be used for their intended purposes.

Township Treasurer Crystal Kauer, who was recalled as Township treasurer in August, is on the ballot again as the Republican nominee for treasurer for the remaining two years of the term. While running unopposed on the ballot, Kauer is being challenged by write-in candidate Lyle Brewster.

Township Trustee The trustee seat vacated by the recall of Lynn Kauer has left four candidates vying for the position, which has two remaining years. Democrat Cheryl Cowles is running against Republican Randall Norton, who currently serves as the township’s interim treasurer. Both candidates also face write-in challenges from Rhonda Ferrell and Jim Loiciano.

Our opinion: The group that was instrumental in getting this referendum on the ballot supports the abolishment of all types of hunting, which is ludicrous. However, this ballot proposal would be much easier to approve of, if say, only five other game birds were legal to hunt in Michigan. As it is, hunters have the opportunity to hunt dozens of other species, most of which actually offer a challenge and some meat to go along with it. In the end, it comes down to how you feel about hunting for the sake of hunting. Should you hunt something just for the sake of hunting it? We don’t think so, and encourage you to vote NO on Proposal 3.

Proposal 4 Ballot language: A proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit government from taking private property by eminent domain for certain private purposes. Our opinion: The most favorable aspect of the proposal is that it helps, in part, to stymie the unfortunate erosion of some civil liberties in the wake of the PATRIOT Act. At the same time, the proposed amendment’s vague language (“fair market value,” “higher standard of proof”) should arouse suspicion in the voting public. Yet, despite the vagaries in the wording, we encourage you to support the rights of the individual by voting YES on Proposal 4.

Proposal 5 Ballot language: A legislative initiative to establish mandatory school funding levels. Our opinion: Please vote NO on Proposal 5. The proposal is well intended but poorly conceived. It does not seek to rectify revenue shortfall in any serious fashion; rather, as most news outlets have reported, it seeks primarily to fund the skyrocketing costs of health benefits and the pensions of teachers in the short term. It is, in effect, a knee-jerk reaction to the overwhelming labor costs most schools are faced with. Too many programs may face cuts as a result of the funding shift, and the alternative to cuts – raising taxes – is even less appealing.

The Valley Vanguard • Monday, November 6, 2006

Election Guide 2006 Our coverage of the midterm elections focuses on the governor’s race, but don’t forget to take a look at the other issues and races affecting the state. Flip to page 9 for analysis of the five ballot proposals and coverage of some of the less-publicized federal, state, and local election campaigns. Who you choose is none of our business but whatever you do, don’t forget to exercise your democratic right and...

Gubernatorial race reaches final leg It’s coming down to the wire. The gubernatorial election between incumbent Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm and Republican Dick DeVos has been one of the closest governor’s races in the nation throughout the election cycle. While Granholm has shown slight leads in recent polling, the race is still too close to be decided before the election. Both candidates shared their direction for Michigan with the Vanguard on separate occasions. The economy The next governor of Michigan will be the candidate who is able to convince a majority of Michiganders that they have come up with the kinds of economic policies necessary to pull Michigan’s economy upward. The September unemployment rate in Michigan was 7.1 percent, well above the national average of 4.6 percent for the same month. Granholm acknowledges that Michigan has experienced tough economic times over her four-year term, but she blames macroeconomic policies and the singular reliance on the slowing automobile industry. “I think that my opponent would have people believe that I’m single-handedly responsible for chasing away thousands of jobs in Michigan, which is utterly ridiculous,” Granholm said. For DeVos, economic change can only come if Michigan reforms its overall business environment, which includes reforming the legal environment. “It’s about creating a climate where job makers can thrive in Michigan,” DeVos said. “Right now, taxes are too high, there’s too much red tape, and job makers can’t get answers.” Granholm wants to continue the transformation of Michigan’s traditionally manufacturing economy into one that is more economically diverse, including high-tech jobs. “We’ve got a $2 billion 21st Century Jobs Fund...we’re the only state that’s doing this,” Granholm said. The fund, which comes from the tobacco settlement agreement, invests in new high-tech manufacturing, alternative energy, and homeland security measures. DeVos wants to make Michigan a world leader again in the export of manufactured goods, both within the United States and abroad. “We can create jobs by getting competitive again and by leveraging the skilled workers we have in our state to make products that we can sell all over the world,” DeVos said. Much of the debate between the candidates has centered on what to do regarding the Single Business Tax. Pursuant to Public Act 115, the Single Business Tax was scheduled to be phased out by one-tenth of a percent per year from its 1998 rate of 2.3 percent; however, due to fiscal constraints on the state budget the deductions

Unemployment by state, Jan. 2006

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Calculating the turnout

According to Strategic Vision, an independent pollster, Granholm has a lead going into tomorrow’s elections.

60.9%

The most often used method of measuring voter turnout has been to divide the number of counted votes 2004 U.S. Voter-eligible turnout by the voting-age population. These numbers indicate that voter turnout has steadily decreased. This theory, however, is beginning to be debunked.

*Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,200 likely voters in Michigan, aged 18+, conducted Oct. 29-31. The margin of sampling error is ±3 points.

50% Granholm Jennifer

are currently suspended. DeVos favors the immediate elimination of the tax, which he has labeled a “job killer.” “I will replace the revenue from the Single Business Tax with a business tax either on profits or gross receipts,” DeVos said. Granholm favors the elimination of the tax, but only once the lost revenue has completely been funded. She favors restructuring business taxes so that they “capture growth for the future.” College funding Both candidates stressed the importance of having a highly educated, well-trained workforce reflexive to the needs of the 21st century. In order for Michigan to achieve this, both realize that tuition rates need to be kept affordable for the average working family. DeVos wants to rein in the rising cost of college tuition at state-supported universities. “College tuition in Michigan has risen 50 percent in the last four years, and that is unacceptable,” DeVos said. Granholm was critical of DeVos’s plan to eliminate the Single Business Tax, believing the repercussions would eventually trickle down to affect Michigan’s college students. If the $2 billion funding gap from the elimination of the Single Business Tax is not restored, “you better believe the first place they are going to cut is higher education, because they can always fill the gap by increasing tuition,” Granholm said. Granholm also argues that the governor ultimately cannot control tuition rates at state universities, as the final tuition rates are established by each university’s Board of Control. “The problem is individual colleges set their own tuition rates, and not the governor,” Granholm said. “(Universities) are autonomous, and I can only give them the incentive to keep rates low.” DeVos contends that Granholm hasn’t done enough in the past four years to keep tuition increases from outpacing the inflation rate. “What matters most is that we keep college expenses affordable for families...and it’s a priority that the current administration clearly does not have,” DeVos said. Why stay in Michigan? Michigan’s economic doldrums have sent much of the state’s college-educated fleeing. Michigan currently ranks 49th in the retention

´ Quick facts ´

Michael McDonald of George Mason University argues that voter turnout is remaining steady. Rather, the number of ineligible voters has increased. The ineligible population includes prisoners, felons, and non-citizens.

Dick

DeVos

42%

of its college graduates. The phenomenon has attracted national attention, as witnessed by a recent article in the New York Times that highlighted many of Michigan’s skilled tradesmen leaving for jobs in Wyoming. Out-of-work teachers, a surplus market in Michigan, are being poached by booming states in the Sun Belt. Against the economic malaise, Granholm has a request for those considering a move to a better economy: “We are going to be all right.” In order to keep recent college graduates in Michigan, Granholm wants to create a low interest, housing loan program for people who want to be “urban pioneers.” The loan will be 2 percent below prime for recent college grads in struggling cities – which includes Saginaw. “When you choose to stay in Michigan, we want to make you a priority,” Granholm said. DeVos says many young professionals are forced to leave for other states because they simply cannot find jobs in Michigan. “I’ve often said that if our young people choose to leave that’s their right, but shame on us if they can’t choose to stay,” DeVos said. “We will create opportunities for our young people to stay in Michigan and chase their dreams here.” What’s next? Regardless of who prevails, the next governor will have serious problems to face. Both candidates face budget deficits and a stubborn unemployment rate. Another Granholm administration faces a Republican-dominated Legislature, unless Democrats are able to seize control of both chambers. A DeVos administration may find the fiscal constraints placed by his elimination of the Single Business Tax either politically unfeasible or economically cumbersome. While the election’s end may signify a welcome end to the omnipresent political advertising, it also represents an end to open, and widely disseminated discussion about the future of the state. Regardless of who emerges victorious, the next governor will be key to many college graduates getting jobs in the state – an issue that will always remain in the minds of students. At the end of the day, everyone – including students – should keep in mind that, despite what one may think, a vote matters. It matters because it is the political representation of a choice. It matters because so many people don’t have that opportunity. Truly, voting is not a right, but a privilege. Take advantage of it.

˜ BALLOT proposals, local campaigns

Michigan’s estimated turnout is above the national average. Compared to other states with available data, Michigan ranks 13th. One contributing factor is Michigan’s large number of college students.

2004 Voter-eligible turnout 1 2 3

Minnesota Wisconsin Maine

77.2% 76.7% 73.4%

Michigan

66.9%

45 46 47

West Virginia South Carolina Hawaii

54.2% 53.0% 48.6%

Understanding the polls • Your polling location appears on your voter identification card. You can also find your polling location by logging onto michigan.gov/vote. • As long as you are registered to vote, you do not need to present a voter registration card in order to vote. • You must bring ID only if you registered to vote by mail or have never voted in Michigan before. • If you received an absentee ballot, you can still vote in person. It is recommended that you bring your absentee ballot with you to the polling location, but you can still vote without it by signing an affidavit stating that you received an absentee ballot but did not vote using it. Be wary of comments made at polling locations like: “I can’t let you vote because your name doesn’t appear on our lists.” “I’m sorry, the voting office is closed for a break.” “We are investigating voting irregularities. I need to ask you a few questions before I can let you vote.” You should contact your local clerk’s office, the Election Protection Coalition at 1-866-OUR-VOTE, or the Michigan Bureau of Elections at 1-800-292-5973 immediately if you hear any similar comments.

Special election coverage Comedy Central’s two most popular programs amongst the college demographic will be live on election night. Unburdened by objectivity or even accuracy, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” will combine forces with Stephen Colbert and “The Colbert Report” for a special joint presentation with a one-hour, live election night special featuring results of the day’s races from across the country. “Indecision 2006: The Midterm Midtacular” will air tomorrow at 11 p.m.