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caplan speaks on health care ethics
Western Michigan University will host Dr. Art Caplan on Thursday, Feb. 23, to speak about the reality of rationing health care and the ethics of the HPV vaccine. According to WMU News, Dr. Caplan is a researcher in genetics, health policy, general bioethics, and more. Caplan, who is a bioethics scholar and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, will talk about the political controversy of the HPV vaccine in the Fetzer Center’s Putney Auditorium at noon. Then he will discuss why the rationing of health care is unavoidable in room 2008 of the Richmond Center at 4 p.m. For more information, visit WMU News or the University Center for the Humanities at www.wmich.edu/humanities.
-Lynn Hodorek Copy Editor
word on the street
The Western Michigan University School of Medicine has received yet another positive diagnosis, as the organization has announced they will be merging with the Michigan State University Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies, further strengthening the future curriculum of both programs. According to the terms of the deal, starting July 1, all of MSU/ KCMS operations and personnel will be folded into that of the WMU medical school. The organization will maintain its current clinic operations in downtown Kalamazoo, at 1000 Oakland Drive, as well the psychiatry clinic located on the campus of Bor-
gess Medical Center. To many members of the center’s facility, this merger with Western’s program has been a long time coming, said Laura Eller, a spokeswoman for KCMS. The medical center is affiliated with Borgress Heath and Bronson Healthcare, which are partnered with WMU in the School of Medicine. “It would only seem natural, instead of reinventing the wheel, considering we already have a partnership with our two hospitals, they would be partners with us as well,” Eller said. “I can’t imagine that we would not be a part of this.” WMU has been an influence on the training school for years, with Earlie Washington, the dean of the WMU’s College of Health and Human Services, serving on the board of directors. The brown
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tinue after the merger, until the summer of 2014, when the School of Medicine is expected to begin admitting its own students. “The most important thing is that we don’t displace students in the process, that we take care of our residents and we take care our patients,” she said. “To make sure of all that happened and that nothing was disrupted, it took a lot of planning by all our partners.” The merger with WMU’s medical school brings with it more than just a change in name, as the facility begin teaching first and second year students, requiring a complete overhaul of the previous curriculum. “I think that for our faculty to be able to start year one and watch the students progress through all four years of medical school and graduate is going to be a great
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feeling,” Eller said. “Based on the new curriculum that’s being developed, it’s going to be an exciting time to teach students.” One of the educators responsible for developing the new coursework is Peter Ziemkowski, a 13-year member of the KCMS faculty who was recently chosen to serve as the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for the School of Medicine. “As an instructor and as someone who works with medical students, it is an exciting opportunity to be starting a medical school. It’s not something that happens routinely,” he said. “[For] medical educators, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
See KCMS Page 8
MPI donates a research facility to house
Hal Jenson is named founding dean of school
Dec. 8, 2011
Jan. 25, 2011
History Medicine of
and gold’s influence on the center isn’t contained merely within formal business functions, though, as much of the staff are long time residents of the city, Eller said. “It’s hard to not be excited,” she said. “Western is our neighbor and already a partner, so to develop a new working relationship has been a very positive experience. I don’t think there would be so much involvement from internal staff and faculty if it wasn’t viewed that way.” In addition to the clinical services it provides to patients, KCMS serves as one of the satellite educational resources for Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, providing hands-on teaching to third and fourth year undergraduates, as well as a residency program for graduates. Eller said that their partnership with MSU will con-
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in brief
By Ted Yoakum Staff Reporter
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-Jacob Adams Staff Reporter
KCMS merges with WMU
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Students across Western Michigan University’s campus find themselves wondering what the rest of their lives will entail. For brothers Jonathan and Jason Sunde and their friend and colleague Jesse Edgington, the idea of pursuing a life of making music was never a question. “Music has been what I wanted to do my whole life; we went full time just a couple years ago,” said Jonathan Sunde. The trio’s band, Daredevil Christopher Wright, will be playing at the Strutt on Feb. 18, as a part of their tour this year. Their music draws from an indie folk realm, said Sunde. All three members of the band sing, creating an artistically harmonic type sound accompanied by Jon Sunde on the guitar, Edgington on the drums, and Jason Sunde on the bass. The Sunde brothers both studied music with a emphasis on vocals at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. Anthony Peterson, a sophomore at WMU majoring in broadcast journalism, said he is a big fan of indie music. “It should be a good show, I’m definitely planning to go check them out,” said Peterson.
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On the Web: Find out the need to know information about renter’s insurance
hockey breaks even amongst 3,577 lawson lunatics in weekend series
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Govenor’s unemployment benefit cuts leave many in the community unsettled
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WMU’s Medical School is listed as an applicant school
$100 million is donated to the school
KCMS announces it will join the med school
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Mar. 5, 2010
Feb. 3, 2011
Pedestrian mall enhances Sangren’s appeal By Liz VandenHeede Staff Reporter The West Michigan Avenue Pedestrian Mall will close down part of a main campus road, add green space and meet sustainability and safety goals in the coming months. The pedestrian mall will close West Michigan Avenue permanently in front of the south side of Sangren Hall and near McCracken Hall and Kanley Chapel. Two roundabouts will be added at each of the dead ends created by closing the portion of West Michigan Avenue that traffic currently flows through. The finished pedestrian mall will consist of wide walkways, green space and a water feature. “Moving traffic away from the center of campus has always been our plan,” said WMU Associate Vice President of Facilities Management, Peter Strazdas.
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Moving traffic away from the center of campus has always been our plan. We want fewer parking spots and parking lots in the center of campus and to continue moving cars to the outside.
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peter strazdas, WMU associate Vp oF Facilities ManaGeMent “We want fewer parking spots and parking lots in the center of campus and to continue moving cars to the outside.” The pedestrian mall is being completed as part of the Sangren Hall project, and is set for completion by the end of August 2012. Strazdas said the $1.25 million cost of the pedestrian mall had already been set aside as part of the $69 million Sangren Hall project. The design of the pedestrian mall comes in part from local feedback. Strazdas said over a
year ago open campus workshops were held to find out what faculty and students thought the mall should look like. The bulk of the construction of the pedestrian mall will occur during spring break and the Summer I and II semesters. “We’ve targeted the least active time of campus to do construction on our center core,” said Strazdas. “We ask for everyone’s patience, as there will be detours, construction and inconvenience.” The amount of parking avail-
able will go down during construction, Strazdas said. After the pedestrian mall is complete there will also be less parking near Kanley Chapel. “When this is all done there will be more parking than before, but it will be closer to Ring Road,” said Strazdas. The plan also calls for making more handicap parking spaces, which has been a concern in the past, he said. Moving traffic away from the center of campus and keeping students safe by not having to cross West Michigan Avenue align with the goals of the University as a whole. Strazdas said the pedestrian mall also supports WMU’s goal of becoming a more sustainable campus. “We’re using lots of granite which was donated to WMU,” said Strazdas. “It’s a rich, expensive material that adds more qual-
ity to the look.” The pedestrian mall will also feature native grass and trees. “I can visualize students sitting on benches and seating walls,” said Strazdas of the many purposes of the space. He added that student organizations should find ways to use the space as well. Alyssa Gapske, a WMU student majoring in Communication, said she thinks the pedestrian mall will be mostly good for campus. “There’s not really a good space to hang out on campus besides the fountain,” she said. “I think green space will be very positive, however I think this might interrupt the flow of traffic.” The exact dates for phases of the project, as well as information about pedestrian and driving detours can be found online at http://www.fm.wmich.edu/planning/sangrensitedesign.
Last week’s
What’s the worst way to break up with your significant other?
a) Text message (45%) b) Facebook (29%) c) Carrier pigeon (17%) d) Over the phone (0%)
This week’s
How do you plan to celebrate Fat Tuesday?
a) Buy four boxes of Puczki b) Win as many beads as possible c) Go to the bar d) Go to church To submit an answer go to www.westernherald.com
Courtesy Photo
An animated rendition of the pedestrian mall that is expected to be completed by the end of August 2012.
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Monday, February 13, 2012
Word on the street: Housing horror stories “ My old apartments didn’t have good security. When I lived there we had nine break-ins including our apartment, they stole my laptop and dumped trash everywhere,” said senior, Vincent Kwok.
“I lived in an apartment that was literally falling apart, the doors would always un-hinge, shelves would fall apart, and nothing ever worked for more than a month at a time,” said senior, Kelsey Klug.
“ When I could sleep I could hear mice running around in the walls and we always found presents in our cupboards,” said sophomore, Blake Huddleston.
“ My old roommate put her name on the consumers bill and never paid it. After ten months they shut off our power and we had thousands of dollars worth of fees,” said senior, Katie Matthies.
“ My old house had carpet in the kitchen and was an old house. There was tons of mold and other stuff stuck in the carpet and made the house smell horrible,” says junior, Melissa Blanchard.
“We had really thing walls. We could hear everything our neighbors said and did,” says sophomore, Peter Fojtik
COMMENT: Happy Birthday Nicole! Valentine’s Day? Forget that! 21st all the way! NAME: Cody COMMENT: I wubs you:) NAME: Melissa COMMENT: Chichi, Cuando estoy contigo, me siento taaaaan feliiiiiiiiiz!! AILOBIU x) NAME: Chiqui COMMENT: I love you Dr. Deepak Ravindra NAME: Seena Nair COMMENT: Sean Patrick, I would have never imagined learning how to move forward and love after losing my Mom last year. I have you to thank for my strength, happiness and motivation. I owe you a great deal and plan to share my future with you. Happy Valentine’s Day pumpkin. (oh & thank you for the valentines you have left me around the house for the past week. You’re the sweetest.) NAME: Alyson Wiley
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COMMENT: Brad, you are the most incredible person I know. You’ve shown me what true love is, and how I deserve to be treated. You still give me butterflies in my tummy every time we kiss, and I still get tingles when I see I have a text from you. Thanks for loving me with a love so true. I love you Brad, and I always will. Don’t ever forget it. Happy 1st Valentine’s Day Soulmate! NAME: Annmarie
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COMMENT: To the best small dog in the whole wide world. Happy Valentines Day, when I get home I’m giving you a big treat! NAME: Nora COMMENT: To all the lovely girls of Alpha Chi Omega, Happy Valentines Day! NAME: Adam
COMMENT: You are the best friend a gal could ask for. You make me smile every day. NAME: Brittany COMMENT: Take me home tonight NAME: Greg COMMENT: Call me for a good time NAME: Sloppy Joe Students Jared Field (vice chairperson) Meghan Chandler Brittany Lawler Vacant Western Herald Staff Shea Werner The Western Herald (USPS 678-420) publishes Mondays and Thursdays during the fall and winter semesters, and Mondays during the Summer I semester, except for examination weeks and vacation periods. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Western Herald, 1517 Faunce Student Services Building, 1903 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5363.
News
Monday, February 13, 2012
News Editor Erin Gignac
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Student brings history to life through clothes The Western Herald sits down with junior, Textile and Apparel Studies major, Stephany Sheppard. sewing?
were some of the challenges you encountered while making the piece?
A. I started sewing when I
A.Picking
Q .What got you started with was 16. I had done a ton of prep work for the stictchers for a school musical and one of the moms offered to help me make my prom dress that year.
Q.What has been you fa-
vorite creation to date? What
in brief Eating disorder awareness film
To bring attention to National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, there will be a showing of “America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments” on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. in 2452 Knauss Hall. According to WMU News, the film is a sequel to “America the Beautiful”, an award-winning documentary chronicling the American obsession with weight loss and body image. Following the screening of the film, the audience will have the opportunity for a panel discussion with the film’s creator and local health experts. National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is Feb. 26-March 2. The goals of the week are to prevent eating disorders, improve access to treatment, and reduce stereotypes of people who suffer from eating disorders. The film screening is free of charge. For more information, see WMU News or visit nationaleatingdisorders.org and kalamazooeatingdisorders.org.
Sheppard
a favorite creation is like picking a favorite child. However I have an eggplant silk charmeuse with a red chiffon overlay that is a long Grecian gown that I am particularly fond of. It has these huge opera wings that fall from my shoul-
ders to the floor and it just feels great on. In making it the setting the pleats all just right took a good while. The other challenge was getting to proportion or the top By Erin Lenczycki of the shoulder to be right so Copy Editor it didn’t look too full in the front. to them. The beadwork and corsets are just to die for. Q. If you could live in any time period what would it be Q.Where do you see yourself and why? in 5 years? 10?
A. My current time period
obsession is the 19-teens. The fashions from this time have this beautiful “s” shape
A. .In 5 years I see myself
working in a historic community working reproductions or
Three Western Michigan University trombonists have been selected to travel to Paris as finalists in worldwide trombone competitions sponsored by the International Trombone Association. Eric Bowman, Evan Clifton, and Kirsten Schaffert will compete for top honors in the Frank Smith Trombone Solo Competition, the George Roberts International Solo competition, and the Larry Wiehe International Solo Competition, respectively. According to WMU News, the students will compete against trombonists from institutions such as Juilliard and the Eastman School of Music. Bowman and Schaffert are seniors in the School of Music. Clifton is a freshman. For more information on these musicians and other trombonists honored in competitions this year, visit WMU News. -Lynn Hodorek Copy Editor
By Tayler Cattera Staff Reporter
The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is home to some of southwest Michigan’s most historic artifacts that tell the timeless stories of people, places and events that
will help future generations understand the past. Almost all of the artifacts housed at the museum were donated by residents of Kalamazoo, dating all the way back to 1881 when the museum received its first donation of shells, rocks and corals from Horace Peck, a local
banker. Since then, donations expanding from old heaters used to warm carriages, to an 1883 bottle of rye gin used by civil war soldiers for medicinal purposes, have flooded the museum. “We want to document how people lived their lives over the
Tayler Cattera/Western Herald
The Kalamazoo Valley Museum boasts a wide variety of artifacts and antiques that hold a special place in the history of Kalamazoo.
Q.What are some of your
A. It is absolutely true that
favorite trends you want to come back in style?
Q.Do you think it’s true
that styles and trends are in a constate cycle of popularity? Why?
fashion always repeats itself. Any top and pant is firmly routed in the past with a twist A. I try not to think in trends, to make it fit the modern I like to blend what is trendy ecstatic. with what I personally feel is best for my shape and what I think looks best as long as the current trend is not sequins
last 100 years,” Thomas Dietz, the museum’s curator of research, said. While many items are put on display in exhibits for the public to see, a lot of Kalamazoo’s hidden treasures are actually kept in the museum’s 4,000 squarefoot storage room. The climate controlled room stores between 30,000 and 45,000 artifacts as well as around 10,000 historic photographs. “Preserving these artifacts is just as important as the exhibits themselves,” Dietz said. “We have more donations then we’ll ever use but we’re still always looking for things that were made and used in Kalamazoo.” The museum won’t take just any donation, though. With storage space getting tighter, the museum looks at the quality and condition of the possible donations, how historically significant the artifact is to Kalamazoo and whether or not the museum already has a lot of other items just like it. “We also rarely take something that doesn’t have a story behind it,” Dietz said. “We don’t want just any antiquity; we first want to know its history.” Some items include antique television sets, old farming tools, appliances used before there was electricity, and 19th century women’s clothing. The storage room even contained a Ku Klux Klan dress worn by a Kalamazoo woman who marched with the
KKK. “It’s important to remind people that the KKK wasn’t just down south, they were marching right down these streets as well,” Dietz. “It may be an ugly part of history, but it still is a part of our history.” One of Dietz’s favorite items was the gun used by George Munger to help capture Jefferson Davis in 1885. Munger was Corporal of the 4th Michigan Cavalry Company L and received the largest amount of the $10,000 reward that was given for capturing Davis. Another interesting item stored at the museum is Santa’s coat. Opal Brown and Darwin Brown were Santa and Mrs. Claus at the old Gilmore Brothers department store every year for over twenty years. The coat was donated to the museum in 1981. There were thousands of these kinds of artifacts in the room’s mobile storage units, each with its own story that was somehow historically significant to the Kalamazoo area. This was the key, Dietz said, to collecting and preserving so many donations. The museum wants to have things that are not only important to history today, but will also impact future generations, maybe even 100 years from now, when these items may no longer be around except at the museum.
Residents express frustration at rally downtown By Ted Yoakum Staff Reporter
While many workers and shoppers downtown spent their afternoon huddled inside heated offices or stores during Friday’s snowfall, a group of worker’s rights advocates took position outside U.S. Representative Fred Upton’s Kalamazoo Office, calling for congress to vote to extend unemployed insurance for millions of Americans. The rally, sponsored by Michigan Citizen Action, Interfaith Strategy for Advocacy & Action in the Community and We Are The People, was part of a national day of action, where demonstrators called on their local congressman to “walk in the shoes” of unemployed Americans. Held from noon to 1 p.m., 23 people
showed up to voice their concerns over the future of the nation’s unemployment insurance policies, said rally organizer Erin Knott. “I’m happy with today’s turnout,” Knott said. “Lunch hour protests are usually hard to organize.” Michigan Citzen Action and other watchdog groups have been following issues surrounding unemployment insurance since the Fall, Knott said. Legislation on extending benefits for out of work Americans has been hot topic in Washington for months. Currently, members of the House and Senate are negotiating a deal that would extend federal unemployment benefits, which will expire by the end of the month. A particular target of demonstrators’ ire were potential
mandates that would require drug tests for any citizen using unemployment insurance. Although Senate Democrats rejected GOP backed proposals to add such provisions to any unemployment extensions, there is still fear they may slip into any finalized bills. “Drug testing is just demeaning,” said Jim Yonkman, one of the protester’s at the event. “It’s de-
Ted Yoakum/Western Herald
Jim Yonkman, left, and Daniel Miller hold signs promoting “Walk In My Shoes” Day in support of unemployed Americans.
Professor honored by LGBT group The Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center honored a Western Michigan University professor with the 2011 Terry Kuseske Education Award, according to WMU News. Dr. Cathryn Bailey received the award in recognition of her advocacy for LGBT individuals at WMU and around Kalamazoo. Bailey is associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and teaches courses in gender and women’s studies. She began teaching at WMU in 2008. For more information on Bailey and the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center, see WMU News. -Lynn Hodorek Copy Editor
and glitter I am a happy camper
Kalamazoo museum holds history
-Lynn Hodorek Copy Editor
WMU trombonists headed to Paris
in a costume shop. In 10 years I hope to be over seas doing much the same with angel costumes, they are a well-known historical costume shop for film and TV
Ted Yoakum/Western Herald
People of Kalamazoo County participate in “Walk in My Shoes” Day. Telling congress to vote on extending unemployed insurance.
grading enough to be out of work. To have these things hanging over our head is too much.” Yonkman, along with his former co-worker Daniel Miller, has been out of work since 2009, when their employer, Kalamazoo-based Checker Motors Corporation, was closed down after filing for bankruptcy. Miller said that despite earning a degree from Kalamazoo Valley Community College he’s continued to struggle finding a job. The two, who said they have participated in nearly 100 rallies like Friday’s, said the government should focus on creating domestic jobs and place less emphasis on foreign imports. “[The government] needs to make it a little more fair trade than free trade,” Yonkman said. “When they opened the doors, many jobs left. This
will be a chance to close those doors.” Dennis Moore, the president of a local union representing maintenance, dining services, and other employees at WMU, has also frequented many worker’s rights rallies, including those held last year in Wisconsin. “It’s time for our Congress to step up and help these people out when they need it the most,” he said. Despite the fact that University hasn’t had any massive staff layoffs in recent years, Moore said he continues to advocate for worker’s rights, which he believes the government haven’t paid attention to in recent years. “Congress needs to remember who they represent, and that’s the people of America,” he said. “I think they need to do what is right in this situation.”
Viewpoint
Monday, February 13, 2012
Western Herald
4 Passing the torch Calling all Editors! The time has come for me to prepare to pass down the torch. This job, although tough and time consuming has been very rewarding. I have learned some valuable leadership skills that I hope to take with me when I graduate. I’ve been able to boss people around (something I really like to do). I’ve been able to delegate daily tasks and put into effect different strategies for maintaining the Western Herald. I’ve been able to Nora Strehl hire (and fire). Editor-in-Chief I’ve been able to do things, that had I not taken this position, would have never done. I’ve made some really great friends; as well as done a lot of networking that has put me in touch with (hopefully) future employers. I recommend, for those who are even considering, coming out and applying for this job. Honestly, it kind of changes you as a person. Granted, I’m the kind of person that believes and fully welcomes change—so I held my arms open to the opportunity. Now, I feel like I can graduate knowing that I’ll be able to work in a high-pressure environment and not freak out. Yes, this job is hard. You have to put a lot of work into it, but I promise it will be one of the most rewarding things you do. You’ll deal with a bunch of people (student’s mostly) who want to tell you what to do and there will be a lot of times where you aren’t sure what the right choice is—but either way, it’s a learning experience and your decision—even if it turns out to be the wrong one. Come down to the basement of Faunce where we hide out on the regular. I’ll talk to you about how sweet my job is and what a pain in the butt it oftentimes is. Mostly, I’ll tell you how rewarding my nine months as Editor-in-Chief has been so far. If your an aspiring journalist and don’t work for your school paper, good luck getting a job when you graduate. Get your butt down here and start writing for us, editing for us, or bossing us around as the Editor-in-Chief. I promise you’ll like it.
Editor-in-Chief Nora Strehl editor@westernherald.com
387-2097
Guidelines for a good college home By Charles Porter Copy Editor
Surrounding Western Michigan University’s campus are a variety of housing options. These range from the various apartment complexes down W. Michigan Avenue, up Drake Road, and along Kendall, to the various housing options in the Vine and Lafayette neighborhoods among others. Each living area around Kalamazoo has its advantages and disadvantages, as well as it’s own unique feel that may better suit different lifestyles. Apartment complexes for example, often provide multiple amenities and modern interiors. They are a good route for students who don’t mind paying a slightly higher rent and will make the most of the benefits their complex offers whether it be a gym, pool, free tanning or another perk. It also provides all the
added benefits and drawbacks of living close to other students. Most complexes are too out of the way to walk to many places and are more oriented to students who can drive, don’t mind carpooling or subjecting themselves to the schedule of a bus route. The Vine and Lafayette neighborhoods are in walking distance of campus and are a good fit for students who are don’t mind a simple, bare essentials living space and need to keep a tight budget. Another plus to housing in these areas is the social and entertainment options. The Lafayette area is close to the Den, the Grotto, and other establishments, while the Vine neighborhood has the Strutt close by in addition to all that downtown has to offer. A drawback to these areas is that they often do not receive much snow removal care, and have limited parking options. These areas are ideal for stu-
Opinion dents who enjoy walking or biking however, and the city buses provide another alternative to driving. These areas are often home to more residents than just students, which may mean some quieter nights, but may also be off-putting to those used to living surrounded by other students. Each living space has its own sense of community or lack thereof, which can be important factor in choosing where to live as well. The people around you can really shape your experience. Neil Shah, a student currently going on his third year living in the Vine neighborhood found it to be an major part of his experience. “The sense of community is really the what makes this place what it is,” said Shah, a senior majoring in creative writing.
Letter to the Editor Policy All letters must be less than 300 words and are subject to editing.
Courtesy Photo
Visiting friends and spending time where they live may help to gauge what the environment is like and get an idea if it is a good fit. Whether it be on or off campus, apartment or house, all share some level of risk. Incidences of theft, assault, and other issues are not iso-
lated to any one area of Kalamazoo, and students should take standard safety precautions regardless of where they live. Every living space provides its own ups and downs, and students should look for a living arrangement that best suits their lifestyle.
Historic East Campus photo of the week
No personal attacks or profanity will be tolerated. Send letters to: The Western Herald, as a news entity, does not adopt or necessarily endorse views presented in the viewpoint section. Readers are encouraged to submit their own responses, suggestions, or concerns to the Edit0r-In-Chief, Nora Strehl, at herald-editor@wmich.edu.
Letter to the Editor: Have we lost sight of true beauty? Dear Editor, What do you think of when you first hear the word “beauty”? Is it the models in fashion magazines or the photoshopped ads and articles displayed by various media outlets? Or are you able to look past the distortion and see beauty in the unconventional? Media outlets have become so popular with our generation that we may find ourselves more susceptible to everything they say. As a society, we have let the media decide what beauty is, instead of deciding for ourselves. However, beauty has no limit, and no correct definition. We need to decide for ourselves what beauty is and not be influenced by a distorted
perception. Some people would argue that the media doesn’t have this negative effect on our perception of beauty. Many say that the media has improved over the past few years, by supporting “natural beauty”. There has been improvement; however, if natural beauty was truly being celebrated, then photo editing software shouldn’t be so prominent. Unfortunately, the demand for more efficient photo editing software has gone up over the years. Earlier this year, CNN.com feaured an article about an exhibit in Los Angeles called “Beauty CULTure”. This exhibit showed how advances in photo editing techniques have made it possible to change
virtually anything about a photograph. We have the freedom to not only find beauty in our lives, but also to decide for ourselves what beauty is. We need to take advantage of this freedom and step back from the superficial portrayal of beauty by various media outlets. Therefore, I leave you with a challenge; will you be able to go out today and look beyond the conventional definition of beauty? Will you be able to look around and find something that makes you think “Wow, now that’s beauty”? -Shelby Smith Freshman
These students are working in the new manual arts building where they learned trades such as carpentry and auto-work. The skylight seen in the photograph reveals the building practice of the day, which was to utilize natural light to brighten interiors. Written by: Tara Bell, President of Students for East Campus
Photo courtesy of WMU Archives
Fun&Games Sudoku
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Monday, February 13, 2012
Myths about effective student multitasking exposed By Kelly Mason Staff Reporter New neurological evidence suggests that multitasking may be more of an illusion than a reality. Researchers at the University of Michigan have used MRI scanners to photograph test subjects’ brains as they take on different tasks. Daniel Weissman, the neuroscientist in charge of the experiment, explained that a man lying inside the scanner would be performing different tasks, depending on the color of two numbers seen on a screen. “If the two digits are one color, say, red, then the subject decides which digit is numerically larger,” Weissman said. “On the other hand, if the digits are a different color, say green, then the subject decides which digit is actually printed in a larger font size.” This study showed that when the man in the scanner saw green, his brain had to pause before responding to round
Trevor Ritsema / Western Herald
“ I believe I am excellent at multitasking. When I do homework, I also listen to music, text and many other things, all at the same time,” said freshman Carlie Decker. up all the information it had about the green task. When the man saw red, his brain paused again, to push aside information about the green task and re-
place it with information about the red task. Even simple tasks can overwhelm the brain when people try to do several activities at once. All the self-proclaimed multitaskers out there are actually serial tasking, according to Dr. Jim Taylor, a clinical associate professor in the Psychology Graduate Program at the University of Denver. Rather than engaging in simultaneous tasks, the individual is shifting from one task to another in rapid succession. “The preponderance of evidence does suggest that multitasking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” said Taylor. “With all things considered, I believe there is enough evidence to support the notion that other approaches to task completion can be more effective and efficient than multitasking.” For example, one can switch from their phone conversation to a document on a computer screen to an email and back again in the belief that one is do-
ing them simultaneously. Western Michigan University aviation flight science major, Emily Cole said she multitasks all the time.
Trevor Ritsema / Western Herald
“I believe multitasking is possible. I think that women are much better at it then men,” said junior Jenna Clansy.
“In the airplane, you always have to multitask. It’s effective because if you’re not constantly focusing on several things at the same time, you could make a fatal mistake,” she said. “I multitask while doing homework for different classes and it works more effectively for me than any other way of studying because I get distracted easily so it I have things to go back and forth to.” Research according to the American Psychological Association has consistently shown that so-called multitasking is neither effective nor efficient. These findings demonstrate that when focus is shifted from one activity to another, the transition is neither fast nor smooth. There is a lag time during which your brain must stop the initial task and switch onto a new one. This transition takes up to 40 percent more time than singletasking. Despite that attempting to complete numerous tasks simultaneously may appear to get
Trevor Ritsema / Western Herald
“ Texting and multitasking is not appropriate while driving; driving requires many different activities already, don’t intentionally distract yourself,” said senior Dallas Dingman. things done faster, completing one task at a time then moving on to another may be the better path to pursue.
Songwriting contest creates artist opportunities By Craig Manning Staff Reporter Graduate student Tommy Proulx has been at Western Michigan University since 2006. In that time, he has completed a degree in jazz studies, played saxophone and sung in some of the school’s most noted ensembles. Proulx has composed and arranged material for these ensembles, and started his own band. Now, Proulx, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in recording and sound production, is hoping to apply his skills in the music studio to help other individuals launch their musical careers.
Proulx is holding a songwriting competition, open to any songwriter and any style of music. The winner will not only have their song professionally recorded, arranged and produced, but will also be given opportunities to perform their song both at the Union, supported by Proulx’s band, and on WIDR 89.1. Applications are available upon request, via tommyproulxmusic@gmail.com. The application deadline is Monday, Feb. 27, with the auditions taking place on Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 6 p.m. to midnight in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. There is an application fee of $10 required for consideration.
Proulx came up with the songwriting competition as an independent study idea, and hopes to hone several skills that will be invaluable towards his chosen field. “This is what I want to do,” Proulx said. “I want to be a producer and this is the first step into that career. I’m looking to get experience in working with songwriters. I’ve done a lot of arranging and composing of my own, but most of that was instrumental, so I’m looking forward to collaborating with songwriters who are also lyricists, and to really trying to make their vision of their song come to fruition.” Proulx’s eclectic musical ex-
periences are mirrored in his music tastes, and he listed everything from top-40 pop music and country to R&B and soul among his favorite genres. Proulx also cited Miles Davis, Lady Antebellum, Jerry Albright, Brad Paisley and Marvin Sapp among his favorite artists and biggest musical influences. Sapp, a Grand Rapids-based gospel artist, was a particularly major figure in Proulx’s musical evolution, giving Proulx the opportunity to play saxophone on his album Here I Am, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Gospel Album last year. Proulx is expecting to hear a
similarly wide variety of genres from competition applicants. “I’m hoping to see anything from rock bands to acoustic singer/songwriters to black metal acts,” Proulx said. “I’ll be judging the songs based on what I can do with them as a producer, but if the best song is in a style I have less experience with, that would be really interesting as well.” Proulx, who coordinated the competition’s recording, radio broadcast and union performance prizes through the contacts he has gained in his time at WMU, also stressed that he would utilize his connections to their fullest extent in order to
realize the vision of the winning songwriter. “As far as the arrangement goes, any instrumentation is possible,” Proulx said. “Whether the winner is hoping for backup singers, a string section, or a steel guitar, I have access to those things and contacts with those musicians in the School of Music.” In addition to the Songwriting Competition, Proulx has been hard at work preparing his graduate recital, which he will present at 8:15 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26, also in the Dalton Cener Recital Hall.
‘Recollections of a Fugitive’ author shares her writing By Kassie Charnley Staff Reporter Local author Alice Renee Beard will be sharing her writing ability with the community at the Kalamazoo Public Library on Wednesday, Feb. 22. “Recollections of a Fugitive” is a new book in the Walker’s Web Project series. The Kalamazoo Public Library is sponsoring this event, which will take place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Renee explained that “Recollections of a Fugitive” is a type of historical fiction. “The story is based off stories that I was told as a kid,” she said. More specifically, however, “Walker’s Web” is a surreal and
dramatic serial thriller, based on characters from the novel “Blood”, published and written in 2005 by Beard. “Recollections of a Fugitive,” which is the first book to be released in the “Walker’s Web” series, is a story stemming back as far as the 1800s. The book tells the story of a slave whose spirit after living in the harshest world of antisocialism, manages to escape though emotionally contaminated. Nicknamed Garth, the main character’s sickened spirit after death, lives on into the twentyfirst century, creeping into the lives of his descendants and other unsuspecting, innocent souls and propagating generations who thrive on venomous,
unrighteous and contemptible acts. “Garth, the young man in the story, is void of feelings. I like to say that he is the earliest known American gangster,” Beard said. “The purpose of the story of Walker’s Web is to make readers feel what the character feels. I want readers to get into his state of mind in order to get a sense of what he was going through. The book tends to be emotionally charged.” Beard’s agent and editor, Mykell Abu, explained that the book was written in two languages, perfect English and ebonics. “Ebonics essentially refers to the language of someone who is descended from an enslaved Af-
rican American. The story is set in the 1800s, and is told in the way that the character, Garth, would have spoke during that time,” Abu said. Beard said that she is excited about the book premiere that is being held at Kalamazoo Public Library later this month. “The premiere will be my fifteen minutes of fame, and if I somehow receive more than my fifteen minutes of fame from this, I’ll take it and thank my supporters,” Beard said. The book premiere will include theatrical dramatizations of the book, as well as showcase some professional and emerging artists from the area. “An opening act will help bring the audience into the book
reading and set the scene for the night,” Beard said. “I am grateful for my community’s support and how God has seen me through this journey. I am out of my comfort zone with this project, but I love it,” Beard said, adding that she plans to put out many more books in the future. Beard said that others will benefit from this reading by being able to comprehend and understand another person, specifically the character in “Recollections of a Fugitive.” “It’s an opportunity to understand another person. If you’re going to find a little bit of Garth in you, then you’re not going to want that little bit of Garth to remain in you for long. The story
is about character flaws and understanding the flaws that others may have,” Beard said. Abu added that the book premiere will allow young authors to talk to a local author about the process and hard work involved in writing and publishing a book. Beard said that she likes to approach writing as if she were cooking a good meal. “Just like with making a good meal, I research, gather materials, and cross-check my information to write a good story,” she said. Beard said she hopes that she will have the chance to share her thoughts on writing with others who are interested at her upcoming book premiere.
Students discuss the ups and downs of roommate relations By Jake Adams Staff Reporter Pat Hagan, a freshman at Western Michigan University majoring in communication agrees with the notion that after the first few weeks of college, or anything transitional in nature, people tend to become closed off into the groups they’ve created and stop being open and friendly. “I think we just meet people like us and become comfortable,” said Hagan. Tim Brennan, a sophomore that plays shooting guard and small forward for the Bronco’s basketball team, as well as peruses a degrees in exercise science and business, says it’s just the way life is.
“I’d think that it’s related to how friendly other people are. I think people want to be comfortable, and at first they want friends, then once they get them they hangout within those boundaries because it’s comfortable,” said Brennan. Comfort seems to be a frequent term on this topic, so is it better to be comfortable, or escape that comfort zone? “I think it’s always better for people to be open, it opens you up to more people and perspectives. If you’re closed off you’ll never know if someone could have been helpful at some point in your life,” said Brennan. “I think saying hi to people is such a basic concept that nobody follows through with,” said Alyssa Muller a freshman at WMU majoring in speech pathology.
“I have a friend, his name is Spencer, he talks to everyone and so he has all these cool experiences he’s always telling me about,” she said “He randomly made a friend at the Den last night,” chimed in Muller’s friend Josh Hoskins, a sophomore here at Western. But is it just about saying hi randomly to everyone you see? “I think it’s more about the mindset of it, not what you do. You need the right attitude about it; you need to actually be interested,” said Muller. “Talk to people on the bus; if you’re in the dorms, leave your door open,” said Brennan. “When you’re interested, you have a stronger tendency to learn,” said Anthony Peterson, a sophomore majoring in Broadcast Journalsim. “When you learn, you’re in-
formed, you’re educated. That’s why we’re here in the first place, isn’t it? Asked Peterson. He continued talking theoretically about how he assumes people feel in social situations that result in the seemingly obvious lack of sociability in the dorms. “Personally, if I feel awkward I’m less apt to talk to someone. When I feel comfortable I just talk easier,” said Peterson. Networking, a word muttered all around Western’s campus, is a topic that could benefit from this idea of being open to the people around you. In fact, it may be one of those aspects of life that making friends prepares us for. “Here at college there’s this huge diversity among everyone, and it really brings about this huge opportunity to meet
Jake Adams/Western Herald
Allysa Muller, Freshman at WMU, sits in Shilling Hall and talks about her friends. a bunch of people that may be able to help you someday in the real world,” said Andrew Hazelton, a senior majoring in criminal justice and sociology. “By making a lot of friends, by making that extra effort, it
really helps you in broadening your skills for latter in finding a job. You can refer someone to a job, you can tell someone about opportunities; why wouldn’t you assume that they can do the same for you?” said Hazelton.
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Sports
Monday, February 13, 2012
in brief Track and field WMU track and field finishes strong At the Tyson Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 11, the Western Michigan University track and field team saw a strong finish at the University of Arkansas, competing against teams including the Arkansas Razorbacks and the University of Central Florida Golden Knights. The top event for WMU was the 4x400 meter relay, run by Andrea Arnold, Victoria Chatman, Leya Munwam and Iris Campbell. The team clocked in at 3:39.10, breaking the 3:40 barrier for the first time this season, to win their heat, according to WMU Athletics. The Broncos will participate in the Ball State Quad meet next weekend. For more information, visit wmubroncos.com. -Lynn Hodorek Copy Editor
Women’s baskeTball Broncos fall short of victory in Ohio The Bronco women’s basketball team headed to Akron, Ohio, with hopes of a victory over the Akron Zips on Saturday, Feb. 11, but the team fell short of a win, 81-67. Western Michigan’s topscoring players included Maria Iaquaniello with 20 points, Julia Henson at 18 points, and Aurielle Anderson with 17 points, according to WMU Athletics. Four players from Akron made it to doubledigits, including Hannah Luburgh with a game high of 21 points. Akron dominated the Broncos for most of the game, outrebounding WMU 48-30 and outscoring in transition, 12-3, according to WMU Athletics. WMU (6-18, 3-8 MAC) will host Eastern Michigan University on Wednesday in the annual Play 4 Kay pink game. The Broncos will be sporting their pink jerseys and ask fans to wear pink as well. Tip-off is 7 p.m. For more information about the women’s basketball team, visit wmubroncos.com. -Lynn Hodorek Copy Editor
Women’s Tennis WMU wins at West Hills Athletic Club Western Michigan University women’s tennis came away with two match victories on Sunday at West Hills Athletic Club over the Bradley Braves and Oakland Golden Grizzlies. Several individual victories on the part of the Broncos contributed to an overall defeat of the Braves, 7-0. The team went on to sweep Oakland, and now boast an overall record of 7-3. The squad has won five of their last six matches. For more information about key players and matches this weekend, visit wmubroncos.com. -Lynn Hodorek Copy Editor
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broncos break even in hockey Weekend series ends in the draw in front of 3,577 Lawson Lunatics
By Patrick Littleton Staff Reporter The Western Michigan University hockey team split its weekend series with Ohio State University at Lawson Ice Arena. With the split, the Broncos (15-12-5, 12-9-3-3) remain in second place in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. They are five points behind first place Ferris State University. On Friday, junior right wing Dane Walters scored in overtime to defeat the Buckeyes 3-2 in front of 3,577 fans. “To tell you the truth, my line mates did most of the work there,” Walters said. “Berschbach got it over to Balisy, and Balisy pulled up, had a nice play, sent it back over to Berschbach who knocked the puck, (he) kind of lost it, and it was just laying there for me. I tried to pull it over and just put it in, and luckily, it got a good bounce.” Also netting goals for the Broncos were junior defenseman Matt Tennyson and senior forward Kyle O’Kane. Freshman goaltender Frank Slubowski stopped 23 pucks to earn his 11th win of the year. Tennyson put the Broncos in front with a power play goal at the 1:38 mark of the second period with assists from sophomore center Chase Balisy and sophomore defenseman Dennis Brown. The buckeyes answered at the 4:21 mark of the second period with a goal from senior left wing Cory Schneider, assists from freshman right wing Chad Niddery and sophomore center Travis Statchuk. O’Kane put the Broncos ahead at the 14:59 mark of the second period with assists from senior left wing Derek Roehl and senior center Ian Slater. “We were just battling,” O’Kane said. “I think Roehl took about six swings at it. I didn’t even know it went in. I shot it, and I see Slater going crazy. I don’t know how it went in.” The Buckeyes tied the match with a power play goal from freshman left wing Max Mc-
Katrina Murphy / Western Herald
Brett Beebe (9) bowls over Ohio State’s forward Tanner Fritz (29)
Cormick at the 9:25 mark of the third with assists from freshman defensemen Al McLean and Ben Gallacher. Walters scored 3:20 into overtime with assists from Balisy and sophomore left wing Shane Berschbach. The Broncos outshot the Buckeyes 37-25 and were 1-of-5 on the power play with nine shots while the Buckeyes were 1-of-4 with four shots. “I talked to the guys after the game, and said I’m not going to pat anybody on the back tonight,” WMU head coach Andy Murray said. “I want to reserve it for tomorrow night. We’re going to have to play better tomorrow, because our opponent will be better as well.” Murray was right about the Buckeyes being better as they
defeated the Broncos 4-3 in front of 3,981 fans. “Ohio State came and battled, they played hard like they did last night,” Murray said. “For three weekends in a row we’ve not found a way to be as good as we need to be on Saturday nights, and that’s my responsibility. Leading by a goal with seven minutes left to go in the game, and let the lead slip away, that’s my responsibility.” The Buckeyes got out to a 2-0 lead after two first period power play goals. The first came at the 9:14 mark from McCormick, who had assists from freshman center Ryan Dzingel and Gallacher. Dzingel scored the second goal at the 10:23 mark with assists from McCormick and Gallacher.
Balisy put the Broncos on the board at the 17:58 mark of the first period with assists from Berschbach and junior defenseman Luke Witkowski. Freshman forward Will Kessel tied the match at the 7:23 mark of the third period with assists from freshman defenseman Danny DeKeyser and senior center Greg Squires. Tennyson gave the Broncos the lead with a power play goal at the 8:31 mark of the third with assists from junior forward Mike Leone and Berschbach. Junior center Alex Carlson scored a power play goal at the 4:36 mark of the third period with assists from freshman right wing Darik Angeli and senior defenseman Sean Duddy. Carlson then scored the
game-winning goal at the 16:31 mark with an assist from sophomore left wing Alex Lippincott. “We need to be more accountable for our actions,” Witkowski said. “We can’t play a forty-minute game, we’ve got to play the whole sixty. (We were) too slow to the puck, we’ve just got to have some urgency.” Slubowksi (11-9-3) had 26 saves in the loss. The Buckeyes outshot the Broncos 30-24 while going 3-of-5 on the power play with six shots. The Broncos were 1-of-4 on the power play with two shots. The Broncos travel to Sault Ste Marie, Mich this weekend for two matches against Lake Superior State University. Both matches begin at 7:05 p.m.
WMU softball off to a slow start with one game win Bronco softball gets its first win of the Kajikawa Classic against Cal-State
“They (ASU) are a great team WMU finally got their first By Nathan Palowkoski ASU went on to win, 10-0. The Broncos left multiple runners in and they took advantage when win of the season on Saturday Staff Reporter The Western Michigan Softball team got off to a slow start in the Kajikawa Classic, winning just one game to get a record of 1-5. The only win was against Cal-State Northridge on Saturday, 9-0. WMU started off the season with a tough test against number one ranked Arizona State on Thursday. The Broncos were no match for the Sun Devils as
scoring position, but couldn’t capitalize. While Arizona State had an offensive explosion with four runs off five hits in the third inning. “We had opportunities early but didn’t get runs across the plate,” Kathy Leitke said, WMU softball head coach. For Leitke and the Broncos, facing the number one team in the nation was not going to be an easy task.
opportunities arose. That’s why there number one,” Leitke said. The Broncos on Friday ended up losing to both Utah, 5-0 and New Mexico 5-4. Before entering the New Mexico game, the Broncos were held without a run for 13 consecutive innings. Then in the bottom of the first inning against New Mexico, WMU first baseman Tara Buchanan hit a two-run home run to get the Broncos on the board.
against Cal-State Northridge, 9-0. The offensive explosion started early as in the first inning, the Broncos went through the entire batting order twice. WMU catcher Courtney Rousseau started with a home run and went on to go 2 for 4 with 3 RBI’s. The offensive explosion was stopped shortly after as the Broncos fell just short to the Bradley Braves, 2-1. WMU pitcher Bec-
ca Shemberger pitched a gem allowing just two earned runs off of four hits, with four strikeouts as well. Second Baseman, Emma Bogart provided the only run when she singled late in the sixth inning to cut the lead to one. Finishing out the weekend on Sunday, the Broncos lost to number nine ranked Tennessee, 9-6. WMU will a significant amount of time off before they will play in the USF Under Armor Invitational on March 2-4.
WMU gymnastics are now 5-1 after this week By Caite Dymond Staff Reporter Western Michigan University Gymnastics is now 5-1 after their past two meets against UIC last Sunday at University Arena and Saturday against Eastern Michigan University. Based off Western’s gymnastics records, the Flames are off to the program’s best start since 1988. At UIC, the team had a final victory of 193.825 to 193.425 and scored first place in three of the four events. Caroline O’Brien was honored as a MidAmerican Conference Special-
ist of the week for her first place and runner-up status at UIC. O’Brien’s first MAC recognition resulted from her third straight overall win in the individual bars and win in the uneven bars with a total of 9.825. She also placed second on the balance beam with a 9.775 score. This was the second time someone was ‘Specialist of the week’ from Western’s team. Taylor Zondervan received this honor on January 23 for receiving first place, runner-up, and fifth place during three events against Northern Illinois. Zondervan scored a 9.825 on the floor which gave her
the first place title and she also claimed the All-Around title at UIC. Lauren Bledsoe won in vault and tied her personal high with 9.850. Runner up in vault was Hannah Brooks with a 9.775. Last Saturday resulted in WMU’s first loss of the season with a close score of 193.025 to 192.225. From their overall season so far it was their second lowest score. The final results were mainly due to the final performances on the beam and the 46.525 gave EMU a 1.175 advantage in points as they finished with a 47.700. However, Western’s scores
on vault and floor were higher than EMU’s scores. Western’s overall score was 48.425 for vault, 48.500 for uneven bars, and 48.775 on floor. On bars, two seniors, Cepeda Carter and Taylor Zondervan scored 9.800. Feb. 17 the team will compete against Illinois State in Normal, Illinois at 7 p.m. and Feb. 26 the team will be hosting a home meet against Ball State during Autism Awareness Day at 1 p.m. Western Herald File Photo
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Monday, February 13, 2012
Men’s basketball falls to buffalo By Tyler Pease Staff Reporter
File Photo/Western Herald
Left: The Western Michigan University men’s basketball team fell to Buffalo on Saturday, 59-57.
The men’s basketball team dropped their fourth straight game this past Saturday when they fell to Buffalo 59-57 on the road. Western Michigan dropped to 10-15 overall and 4-7 in MAC play, Buffalo has now won 8 games in a row, their record stands at 16-6 and 9-2 in conference play. Buffalo opened the game on a 14-4 run, which was spearheaded by sophomore forward and leading scorer Javon McCrea, who scored 8 of Buffalo’s first 14. Western Michigan clawed back to make the halftime score 27-23, thanks in part to 10 bench points, 9 of those coming from Matt Stainbrook, who also pulled down a couple of rebounds. Western’s struggles were partly due to poor shooting, they were only 9-33 from the floor in the first half and only 1-8 from 3-point range. Buffalo shot a more efficient 11-29, but shared in the difficulty that long range shooting presented, as they were only 1-9 on their home floor. Western took good care of the ball, turning it over only 3 times in the first half, Buffalo turned the ball over 6 times but the Broncos were only able to generate 2 points from those oppor-
tunities. Buffalo, a team that averages 42.0 rebounds per game, good for third in the NCAA, controlled the boards, winning the rebounding battle 26-19. The second half was a different story, when Western took the lead on the back of a 10-0 run during a three minute stretch early in the second half to seize the lead. Demetrius Ward hit 2 3-pointers, including the shot to cap off the run, giving Western a 7 point lead when the game stood at 42-35 with just over 14 minutes to play. Buffalo then closed the gap, retaking the lead 50-49 with 7:31 after making a pair of free throws. The last few minutes were a fast and furious rush at taking the lead which Buffalo held by 4 with 4:31 left, but a basket from Stainbrook cut the lead to 2, then Mike Douglas made a lay-up, drew a foul and converted a free throw to give the Broncos a tenuous 57-56 lead with 24 seconds remaining. Twelve seconds later, senior Zach Filzen made a shot to give Buffalo the lead, on the other end, Western was not able to score, and one more free throw from Buffalo sealed was padding on the lead as they hung on for the win. Demetrius Ward made three 3-pointers in the second half, he finished the game with 12, and Matt Stainbrook registered a double-double with 15 points
and 11 rebounds off the bench. Flenard Whitfield also reached double digit scoring, with 11, and Mike Douglas added 9 points and 4 assists. The Broncos fought to a tie on the board in the second half with 18 for each side, while once again taking care of the ball, and this time generated 10 points off from Buffalo’s turnovers. They played defense well on Buffalo’s shooters again as Buffalo shot only 3-12 form beyond the 3-point line in the half, but Buffalo did shoot 50 percent from the floor in the second half. The Broncos shot better as well, at 1229 from the floor and 4-10 from beyond the 3-point arc. For Buffalo, after Javon McCrea had scored 12 points in the first half, he was limited to 2 in the second, but his front court mate Mitchell Watt picked up the scoring with 15 second half points as he finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds. The Broncos will be on the road for their next two games as they try to end their losing streak. They will visit Northern Illinois and play Wednesday, February 15 at 8 p.m., and then they will head to Fargo, North Dakota to play North Dakota State Saturday, February 18 at 8 p.m. in the Sears Bracketbuster.
Copland’s opera ‘The Tender Land,’ comes to WMU By Sam Stachurski Staff Reporter Western Michigan University’s Theatre Department is partnering up with the WMU School of Music to bring Aaron Copland’s opera “The Tender Land” to the Shaw Theatre. This show will mark a returning collaboration between the Department of Theatre and the School of Music at WMU. “The Tender Land is a story about a young farm girl, Laurie, who is just
about to graduate from her rural high school in the 1930s. She has become a young lady dealing with her dreams of the future, her own inner desires, and the urge to break away from family,” said Alice Pierce, director of “The Tender Land” and School of Music voice professor. “Her mother, Ma Moss and Grandpa Moss are having to learn to let her go. Two newly hired itinerant farm hands, Top and Martin, cause a sense of distrust in this isolated, rural society, and to complicate matters, Martin and
Laurie fall in love.” “This piece is a total music theatre experience, a story full of conflict and resolution set to the soaring musical themes of Aaron Copland that we all recognize as American in style. The innovative set, the period costumes of the 1930s, and lighting that suggests the big, open sky of our country work together to accent the themes of distrust in a closed society and a young woman’s coming of age,” said Pierce. The show is not only a Music The-
atre experience, but one that involves many other departments as well. Pierce said students and faculty members alike from the Theatre, Music and Dance departments have come together to work on this project. According to the Cast Break Down, there will be two separate casts, one to perform on Feb. 17 and 19 and one to perform on Feb. 16 and 18. The double cast includes Chelsea Helm and Kirsten Schaffert as Laurie Moss, Patrick Muehleise and Corey Shotwell as Martin,
and Alexandria Shiner and Laura Tribby as Ma Moss, among other cast members. “The Tender Land” will premiere at the Shaw Theatre on Feb. 16, 17, and 18 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the box office, over the phone, or online. Standard tickets are $20 for seniors, $15 for WMU staff/ faculty, $10 for students, and WMU students with a valid student ID can purchase tickets for $5.
WIDR Wednesdays return to rock Kalamazoo By Taylor Larson Staff Reporter Somewhere between the doldrums of everyday life, school, jobs slinging burgers or assembling sandwiches, people might want a place to let their hair down and to get a little crazy. If life has become a bit too repetitive, and those dancing shoes are getting dusty, let off a little steam at the Globe Theatre. Western’s own WIDR Wednesdays are back after a temporary hiatus and is having a kickoff event at 9 p.m., Feb. 15. “WIDR Wednesdays were a tradition of WIDR, and they hadn’t been around for a couple years, so we thought we should bring them back,” said Lucas Flynt, WIDR business director. “This is our 60th anniversary
of the radio station, and we wanted to have more events for the listeners this year. We’re doing it down at the Globe, which is underneath Shakespeare’s Pub in downtown Kalamazoo. We feel like it has a good aesthetic, a good atmosphere there, and it’s centrally located in Kalamazoo. I feel like a lot of people know that bar, and we have a good connection with them.” WIDR Wednesdays have no cover charge and features drink specials and a sampling of singer/songwriter/guitar players. Richard Bowser, host of WIDR’s “Sounds In Space,” brings the jams center stage by spinning vinyl at the event, which shines the mega-watt spotlight on three local acts. Elk Welcome is self described as “crazy jam punk.” North Shore fills the airwaves with their own
heady mix of synthesized space sounds and reggae infused rock. In their search for local acts, WIDR looked to their own home base, several of the in-house DJs are members of bands of their own. “That’s what has helped bring in acts, is the DJs,” said Flynt. “For instance, in the March date, Coma Nova is going to be playing and two of the DJs that work here, Jake and Eli, are part of that band. They’re helping to bring out some of their other friends bands that we know of, bands that we have worked with here at the radio station.” For the Feb. 15 show, WIDR’s own Nathan Szivan will deliver an acoustic set. Though the Globe supplies space and sound, there is a limit. “We’re doing this one Wednesday every month, so the next show will be
March 14,” said Flynt. “Our main thing is we want to bring music we’ve been playing on our radio station out to the people of Kalamazoo and also bring out bands that our DJs play in.” If making music is more one’s style, WIDR will have a listen. The only requirement to play WIDR Wednesdays is a familiarity with the station and its DJs. “We’re definitely more familiar with the music that we’re going to be bringing out, and that’s because of the familiarity with all the DJs, but anyone has the opportunity at WIDR,” said Flynt. “We’re very open, especially with local music. It’s sometimes hard for us to go out and find it, so those people do have to come and bring their music to us sometimes. There’s a lot of good stuff going on in Kalamazoo.”
WIDR will continue to shake things up with WIDR Wednesdays. “We’re planning on showcasing all kinds of genres we showcase on the radio station—for instance, punk, garage rock, hiphop, electronic. All shows will have the same kind of feel,” said Flynt. “For instance, this one coming up next Wednesday has more of a general rock feel to it, and then the one in March is going to have a little more of a punk feel. Maybe the next one could have metal, or reggae, or hiphop, because we have a lot of genres that we provide at our station.” People can check out WIDR’s website, Facebook, or flyers posted around campus for more detailed information on individual shows.
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One of the educators responsible for developing the new coursework is Peter Ziemkowski, a 13-year member of the KCMS faculty who was recently chosen to serve as the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for the School of Medicine. “As an instructor and as someone who works with medical students, it is an exciting opportunity to be starting a medical school. It’s not something that happens routinely,” he said. “[For] medical educators, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.” One of the major changes decision makers are looking to implement into lessons is greater integration of lecture and hands-on clinic work through all four years of undergraduate study, Ziemkowski said. This would mark a significant departure from traditional medical schools, where instructors of first and second year students devote
nearly all their time to book work instead of practical lessons. “How wonderful it would be to actually study the anatomical structure of the knee in the morning and that afternoon be in a sports clinic, having a physician actually demonstrate how you examine a knee,” Ziemkowski explained. “You’d make those ties much more strongly than the way it had been before.” The school is hoping to make greater use of technology and simulations in order to prepare students for work with actual patients, such as performing basic operations on advanced, sensor-laden mannequins, Ziemkowski said. The enhanced medical school will continue to be a legally separate corporation from the public portion of WMU, with independent governance and funding. “We are part of Western Michigan
University and yet we are set up completely different,” Eller said. “We will have a different board of directors, we will not be governed by the board of trustees, we are a separate entity.” Despite the additional resources provided by the merger, there remains plenty of work ahead for School of Medicine, including filling out its roster of faculty and staff positions, establishing curriculum and school policy, and earning accreditation status from the Liaison Committee for Medical Education. “There’s going to be an impact that really can’t be seen or felt until we’re really fully operational,” Eller said. “But I think that the community and the region is really going to benefit greatly from having a four year medical university here in Kalamazoo.”
By Katie King Staff Reporter Dining Services is now offering a mobile, smartphone-compatible app that allows students to look up food offerings by meal and location. According to Judy Gipper, director of Dining Services, the app comes from a desire to accommodate today’s changing technological demands. “This is the technology people have adapted to,” said Gipper. “We wanted to get on board to communicate with students and we launched [the mobile menu] early this semester.” While the menus are still accessible online via regular computer and outside each of the dining halls, dining hall patrons now have more options to access the information. “People aren’t always sitting on a laptop or desktop, but a mobile device is very convenient,” Gipper said.
Gipper developed a mobile menu when she saw that the University of Michigan had one. When she researched other universities she found many schools didn’t use mobile menus. “I think we are an earlier user,” Gipper said. “To my knowledge, [mobile menus] are not being extensively used.” To obtain this new technology, students can enter the URL for the Dining Services website and save it as a bookmark, or simply scan the Quick Response (QR) code that can be found on the tables and posters in and around the dining halls. The mobile menu is available on Android phones and iPhones. “Students use their mobile devices extensively; the mobile menu will add convenience,” Gipper said. Dining Services is striving to be customer friendly and to make the mobile menu as consumer-oriented as possible.
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[FEBRUARY 13, 2012]
[VOL.96 ISSUE 36]
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Monday, February 13, 2012
e s a e ’ N ook
Insurance vital for apartment renters
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Monday, February 13, 2012
Student housing options plentiful By Craig Manning Staff Reporter The spring semester at Western Michigan University has come again and for some students that brings decisions to make regarding housing for next year. Some students will return to the dorms for sake of convenience, but for those thinking about moving off campus, or for those who are not happy with their current living arrangements, it is time to start looking around. Whether the top choice is Copper Beach, Campus Court,
the Arboretum or any of the many other places to rent, space is filling up quickly. “We start getting busy in January,” said Tami Parsons, the manager of Hidden Hills Apartments. “We are about 32 percent pre-leased for next year at this point and last year we were 92 percent booked by the beginning of May, so we’re expecting a fair amount of traffic between now and the end of the semester.” Hidden Hills, which is located about a mile from campus, will also likely be a prime choice for students in the apartment hunt, but no pro-
spective resident should enter into a lease without first knowing the answers to a few key questions. Parsons listed rent and utilities, distance from campus, availability of public transportation, resident and visitor parking, start and end dates of the lease, moving in early, apartment complex security, petfriendliness, and special perks of the complex ranging from fitness centers to pools, among the top issues that most prospective residents ask about during tours of the Hidden Hills complex. Internet quality, cable service,
apartment furnishing, laundry, smoking regulations, average noise levels, maintenance, and rules about sub-leasing are other issues that those who are currently apartment hunting should keep in mind to ask landlords about before signing a lease. Students looking to move off campus for the 2012-2013 school year will probably want to start their search sooner rather than later, as apartment availability can tend to change from year to year. Returning residents are a big wild card and can impact everything from how fast leasing spaces go to the availability of certain sizes of apartment units. “Everything fluctuates from year to year,” Parsons said. “We usually have an average of about one third
of our residents who choose to come back the next year.” Although apartment space goes quickly, prospective residents should be sure to find a place where they feel comfortable and happy. Rent rates for all Kalamazoo apartment complexes tend to increase with every new leasing year, but most places offer rent deals to their returning residents. This past December, Hidden Hills offered their residents a chance to renew their lease early without any increase in rates for the following year, plus a $100 rent credit towards their current lease. Students interested in living off campus should call local complexes to obtain more information and to set up tours.
Renter’s insurance By Katy TerBerg Staff Reporter Whether braving the elements or keeping electronics intact, college students and recent college grads are looking for a sense of security. If a break-in occurs or a power line is knocked down, people want to be protected. Insurance companies assure students that the best way to obtain personal and financial security is through renters insurance. “If you are a college student, most likely you are covered under parents’ and home owners insurance. If they have $100,000 worth of contents coverage, you should be covered for around ten percent,” said Cole Tomberlain of East Texas’ Charles Tomberlain’s Insurance Company. According to the website EMichigan Insurance, renters have two choices when it comes to insuring their personal property: they can insure for the actual cash value or its replacement value. The replacement value will a bit more than the cash value. “Renters insurance is inexpensive and necessary,” said Tomberlain. “If a fire were to occur in your apartment and cause $4,000 worth of damages, your parents likely have a high deductible and their insurance would only cover $1,000 worth of damage, so you would be responsible for the other $3,000.
Renters insurance would reimburse the cost.” According to the website, many Michigan landlords require tenants to purchase a renter’s insurance policy when they sign a lease. In addition to protecting against property losses, renters insurance offers protection against potential lawsuits if a guest is injured on that property. “The chances of something like that occurring are far more common than people realize,” said Tomberlain. “That extra buffer of protection in case of an accident or injury can make a substantial difference.” In short, renters insurance is designed to give renters peace of mind. At the same time, insurance agents recognize the economy’s drawbacks. “Renter’s assurance is very affordable,” said E-Michigan Insurance. “In general, premiums are low. When combined, the premiums can become even lower, even though the base price will likely increase. Many insurers carry different types of policies in order to cover different insurance markets and meet their policyholders’ needs.” “If you’re a college student or recent graduate, you should get renters insurance,” said Tomberlain. “It’s a simple process with a great payoff.”
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Monday, February 13, 2012
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