LaShanda Woods — a self-described hip-hop fan — says she believes the music is a spotlight on the declining ethics of today’s society.

“Hip-hop travels the same route as today’s morals,” said Woods, Flint junior. “Morals are going down the tubes, and hip-hop artists are selling records as they go down with morals.”

More than 40 students turned out Wednesday for the “Where Were You the Day Hip-Hop Died?” discussion Wednesday in the Bovee University Center’s Isabella Room. Zeta Phi Beta social sorority sponsored the event.

For more than two hours, the students discussed the differences in rap music, both chronologically and thematically, as well as whether or not lyrical ability defines hip-hop.

Illinios sophomore Nikki Frazier and Mount Pleasant senior Khristi Miller led the discussion, which remained civil despite differing opinions. After starting with a brief PowerPoint presentation on the differences between conscious and mainstream rap, Frazier and Miller opened the floor to discussion.

“Young people have embraced hip-hop for 25 years, and I think it’s important to understand the differences between the kinds of rap,” Frazier said.

She defined conscious hip-hop as more positive music with a message, and mainstream hip-hop as being commercial and more exposed. Some members of the audience, however, disagreed.

“Lyrically, they can intertwine,” said Isaiah Oliver, Flint senior. “Mainstream and conscious rap can go hand-in hand for certain artists — it all depends on the person,”

Hip-hop lyrics were the most debated aspect of the night, but many of the students felt that strong lyrics are only half of the story — the music matters equally, they said.

The students came to a consensus that hip-hop is a major influential musical force, but there always will be some artists who make statements only to make money and some artists who make statements because they feel strongly about an issue.

“I would have to say Mos Def is my favorite hip-hop artist because he has good beats and a positive message,” said Shawna Patterson, Detroit senior.

Patterson, multicultural adviser in Emmons Hall, said the event did not accomplish much but was interesting, nonetheless.

“There is quite a diverse pool of opinions,” she said. “These students make life a large part of their culture, and I like how they all express their opinions.”

Other students came to see what others had to say about hip-hop.

“I just came to see what everyone had to say,” said Wayne Dudley, Baltimore senior. “People believe what they want to believe. …

“It was pretty good, though.”
]]> http://www.cm-life.com/2003/03/14/zetaphibetadebateshiphoplyricsatwednesdaysdiscussion/feed/ 0 http://www.cm-life.com/2003/03/14/maroongoldhallsnamesaretemporary/ http://www.cm-life.com/2003/03/14/maroongoldhallsnamesaretemporary/#comments Fri, 14 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0000 Ben RayCentral Michigan Life http://www.cm-life.com/2003/03/14/maroongoldhallsnamesaretemporary/ Greg Burghardt

Students will have their choice of three new halls to live in next year — Kesseler, Maroon and Gold — in addition to the 17 existing residence halls.

CMU named Kesseler Hall, the only permanent name of an addition to the Towers the university now has approved, after Board of Trustees member Roger L. Kesseler, retired vice president and controller for The Dow Chemical, Co., and his wife Phyllis.

Gold and Maroon are temporary names until the university finds donors, said Mike Leto, vice president of Development and Alumni Relations.

“Nobody knows when it will happen,” Leto said about the naming of the halls. “These things take time.”

Although student opinion varied on the names, Darell Armentrout, who will become residence hall director of Gold Hall, has accepted them.

“I’m pretty indifferent to the names because a building truly comes from the people who live there,” said Armentrout, residence hall director of Woldt Hall.

Armentrout, who has been an residence hall director at CMU for five years, applied for the new residence halls because he said Residence Life wanted people with leadership experience in the new buildings.

“You can prepare for a lot of things, but with any new building there will be unforeseen events,” he said. “I know I can handle it.”

Maroon Hall will house a technology support center and fitness center, while Gold Hall, which faces the Student Activity Center, will house business classrooms. Kesseler Hall will feature a student success center and convenience store. All three halls will share the Towers computer lab and the Carey Dining Commons.

The hall facing West Campus Drive is Maroon, and the hall facing Pearce Hall is Kesseler.

Armentrout said people with apprehension about the building’s names should take a tour of the halls, which are given every Friday.

“It’s always fun to see the excitement on people’s faces as they take a building tour, and I think once people see the new halls they will forget about the names,” he said.

The university named the 17 other residence halls after former university presidents, professors and trustees through a system that has been in place since the late 1980s, said Cal Seelye, Residence Life assistant director.

The system relies on people donating to CMU, he said.

Norma Nollet did not spend her spring break drinking and partying — she was too busy learning culture and engineering in Mexico.

The Roseville junior was one of eight CMU students who visited Toluca, Mexico during spring break. The trip was part of a foreign exchange program that the university has participated in since the fall of 1999 with the Monterrey Institute of Technology.

Nollet said the experience was great but a bit of a culture shock.

“What shocked me most was the way they drove,” she said. “They drove through red lights. They drove very fast. … We got in a bus accident, a fender bender, the first day there, but nobody was hurt.”

The industrial and engineering technology students spent their days learning about engineering and Mexican culture at the institute, a private college 45 minutes west of Mexico City. In the evenings, the students toured Mexico City, visiting the presidential palace and dining out.

Each student stayed with a host family with similar interests and backgrounds during the trip, and often spent time with these families in the evenings.

“The people were hospitable. The food was great. The weather was great. It was a wonderful time,” said David Lopez, industrial and engineering technology associate professor. The industrial and engineering technology department sponsored the trip.

One of Nollet’s favorite projects was the assembly of a Lego car, which students had to put together in a certain amount of time. The goal was to build an assembly line to put the car together quickly, Nollet said.

She said she plans to take that manufacturing and teamwork knowledge back to her work at Central.

Lopez said the city of Toluca is comparable to Detroit because people recognize both cities as being major automobile manufacturers. The institute was interested in finding a university in Michigan with ties to auto manufacturers, Lopez said. The school contacted CMU, which signed an agreement for a foreign exchange program, he said.

Toluca is the only city in the world that produces Chrysler’s PT Cruiser, Lopez said.

While the students had a good time, some said they wished they could have stayed longer.

“I wish I had more time to be down there,” Miller said. “A week is not enough — although I learned a lot in a week, I would rather have gone for a semester.”

Monterrey students visited CMU in the fall during homecoming week. Both Monterrey and CMU students built cardboard boats, which people raced across Rose Pond during homecoming activities.

Nollet said she feels all students should study abroad at least once.

“I would go next year,” she said. “It was a different experience for me, and I’m glad I went, because it’s good to study abroad.”

“Right now, I want to do it all,” the Muskegon senior said.

Reynolds is a member of the political science honors fraternity Pi Sigma Alpha, the Student Environmental Alliance, Habitat for Humanity and Alternative Breaks. She has met professionals from Independent political parties and was invited to CMU on a Centralis scholarship.

But deep down, Reynolds said she mainly cares about is the environment.

“I think I’d ultimately like to help businesses and governments make sure they are protecting the environment,” she said. “I want to work with the environment and politics together somehow, maybe for the Environmental Protection Agency or a nonprofit organization.”

Reynolds attended “Choosing an Independent President: A National Conference of Independent Voters and Leaders” Saturday and Sunday in New York City. The only college student from Michigan who attended, Reynolds was one of 40 college students and 500 professionals nationwide who came to discuss Independent politics.

“It was an opportunity for me to re-examine my beliefs,” she said. “I learned a lot about myself through being completely involved in a professional experience. … I made some internship contacts, too.”

She was responsible for bringing Omar Ali, Committee for Unified Independent Parties spokesman and research director, to campus in October 2002.

Political science Assistant Professor Rick Kurtz, adviser to Pi Sigma Alpha, said Reynolds’ personality is evident in her career choice.

“She is looking beyond the dollar and is very focused in her pursuits, and that dedication and selflessness comes through in her personality,” Kurtz said. “I anticipate her going to graduate school and working for an advocacy group organization someday. She’ll go far.”

Although politics was not Reynolds’ first love, it became an acquired taste.

“I came to Central for environmental science, but switched to a double major in politics after taking a course in international relations my sophomore year,” she said. “I fell in love with politics right then.”

Reynolds wants to someday work in Washington, D.C., but she said anywhere other than Michigan would be a great start. After graduating in May, she said she hopes to attend graduate school at the University of Michigan.

“One thing I learned at the conference is that you don’t have to know exactly what you are going to do with your life,” she said. “If you want to do something, go for it, but if you find something else you love, it’s OK to go for that, too.”
]]> http://www.cm-life.com/2003/01/24/independentpoliticsenvironmentmotivatereynolds/feed/ 0 http://www.cm-life.com/2003/01/24/aidsquiltcomingtouniversity/ http://www.cm-life.com/2003/01/24/aidsquiltcomingtouniversity/#comments Fri, 24 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0000 Ben RayCentral Michigan Life http://www.cm-life.com/2003/01/24/aidsquiltcomingtouniversity/ Chris McCarty

It measures 50 miles end to end, has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and is the largest community art display in the world.

Now, it’s coming to CMU. The university will feature a portion of the world-famous AIDS quilt Monday through Thursday.

“We are bringing the quilt here to foster healing, heighten awareness and inspire action in the struggle against HIV and AIDS,” said Grand Blanc senior Jamie Picken.

With the assistance of University Health Services, Picken, president of Eta Sigma Gamma, helped to bring the quilt to CMU.

Volunteers still are needed to help set up the quilt, which people can see from noon to 11 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday in Finch Fieldhouse.

People interested showing the quilt can sign up at the Volunteer Center, located in the lower level of the Bovee University Center. Potential volunteers are encouraged to apply on the Web site, osl.stulife.cmich.edu/vcentral/index.asp.

Sidney Sowle & Son Moving & Storage Inc., 515 Industrial Ave., a moving company in Mount Pleasant, drove to Atlanta to pick up the quilt.

“It’s a very powerful experience to see it,” said Sarah Campbell, University Health Services director. “I would encourage students to take the time and not go in with any preconceived notions — just go in with an open mind.”

The quilt began in the early 1990s to bring remembrance to AIDS victims. The quilt has been grown larger every year, and Picken said any people who want to make a quilt may drop it off at Finch. The quilt then will be inducted and sent to Atlanta, where the most of the quilt is kept.

“It is important for people to be aware that HIV infection and AIDS are still very real problems in the world,” Campbell said. “The quilt is made up of remembrances of so many real people that succumbed to AIDS and hopefully it will increase awareness that anyone can acquire the infection.”

Each small quilt is sown into a panel, which goes into a larger 12-by-12 foot block. There are six panels per block, and, 120 of these blocks, or 720 panels, will come to CMU. The entire quilt has a total of 144,000 panels, a number which grows daily.

The “showcase” panels of the quilt belong to Freddie Mercury, the former singer of the band Queen, and Ryan White, who died of AIDS in 1990. His mother, Jeanne White-Ginder, will speak at 7 p.m. Monday in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium.

The event is free, but Isabella AIDS Council is accepting donations.

Fore more information, visit www.aidsquilt.org.
]]> http://www.cm-life.com/2003/01/24/aidsquiltcomingtouniversity/feed/ 0 http://www.cm-life.com/2003/01/22/saferidesforstudentsavailable/ http://www.cm-life.com/2003/01/22/saferidesforstudentsavailable/#comments Wed, 22 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0000 Ben RayCentral Michigan Life http://www.cm-life.com/2003/01/22/saferidesforstudentsavailable/ A new service offered on campus will keep students safe while walking at night.

Night Rides — a new safety program established by the CMU Police — will provide free rides to students between the hours of 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. The number for service is 774-HELP, or 774-4357, and the program will begin in the first or second week of February, said Ron Griffiths, CMU Police associate director.

“The Dean of Students office and the police were concerned because the shuttle ended at 10 p.m., and we wanted to provide students with a way home,” Griffiths said. “This agreement seemed to be the best of both worlds and we think students will use it.”

Applications still are available for one of the four student driver positions. CMU Police is donating one older, unused patrol vehicle which will feature yellow overhead lights. The Night Rides logo will replace the police logo.

When not responding to calls, Night Rides will patrol campus and monitor any unusual activity.

Night Rides, the brainchild of physical education and sport Professor Stephen Thompson, will replace Chip Walk, which was abolished in fall 2002 because of little interest, Griffiths said. The Parents Fund, administered by the Office of the Dean of Students, is funding the program.

“We’re very grateful to the Parents Fund for giving us the opportunity to offer this program,” said Bruce Roscoe, dean of students. “I’m anxious to see what the student response is and whether or not they feel this service is in their best interest.”

The university will offer Night Rides as a trial program and, if student interest is high, the program will remain.

The College of Business Administration and Residence Life partnered to establish CMU’s third residential college. Carey Hall will become home to business majors of any concentration, beginning in the fall of 2003.

The Office of Residence Life will have applications available this week.

“We are excited to partner with Residence Life to establish a new residential college that will make a big contribution,” said Karen Williamson, College of Business Administration academic adviser.

Williamson said the residential college will target freshmen, and she recommends it to first-time students.

“By living here, students will be able to make more significant connections with faculty, be able to better form study groups with other students, and their transition from high school will be much easier,” she said.

Williamson helped develop the college along with business information systems Instructor J.D. Mackin, the director for the college. A former owner of 95.3 WCFX-FM, as well as many other radio stations, Mackin said he is excited about his upcoming position.

“I was delighted when (the College of Business Administration) asked me to be director,” Mackin said. “ I feel that I bring 30 years of business experience, as well as an academic background to the table, and I’m looking forward to developing this college and eventually … building a four-year program.”

To be eligible for the college, students must have and maintain a 3.0 grade-point average or higher, sign a behavior agreement, enroll in core business courses, participate in co-curricular activities set up by the college and become involved in an Registered Student Organization.

Among the advantages of living in Carey include full use of the new Towers residence halls, which will offer fully mediated meeting rooms and on-site classrooms that offer core business classes, Williamson said.

Carey is a co-ed residence hall with four or five person suites that have private baths. Business students will live together on two floors.

“Developing residential colleges is something that universities are doing nationwide and it is becoming a critical target,” Williamson said,

He said having two other residential colleges on campus made it easier to pave the way for the third. The other residential colleges include the College of Science and Technology in Woldt Residence Hall and the College of Health Professions in Emmons Hall.

“The CBA has considered a residential college in the past, and the timing was just right this year,” she said.
]]> http://www.cm-life.com/2003/01/20/careyhalltobecomehomeforbusinessstudents/feed/ 0 http://www.cm-life.com/2002/12/04/speedskatingclubbreezesbyothers/ http://www.cm-life.com/2002/12/04/speedskatingclubbreezesbyothers/#comments Wed, 04 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000 Ben RayCentral Michigan Life http://www.cm-life.com/2002/12/04/speedskatingclubbreezesbyothers/ Lynn Wloszek

Ice skaters can take their hobby to another level with the Mount Pleasant Speed Skating Club.

The club welcomes new members, regardless of skill level or age. Members meet from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Mount Pleasant Community Recreation Center, 5165 E. Remus Road.

Visits are free for the month of December, and the club will provide skates and helmets, but skaters are encouraged to bring gloves and kneepads. The cost per visit will be around $6 in January to cover costs for ice rental, said Al Montoye, the club’s president. Experienced skaters will be on hand to provide instruction.

“We are offering this first month free as an incentive for people to start coming out,” said Montoye, a Mount Pleasant dentist.

Montoye said he began the club in August as an alternative to hockey and said interest has wavered on a weekly basis.

“I got the idea to start this after skating with the Midland Speed Skating Club, and although we’ve had no students, we’ve had a fair amount of people. Usually anywhere between five and 20, show up,” he said.

One of those people, Mount Pleasant resident Paula Vandewater, said she loves to skate every week with the club.

“I learned to speed skate on a long track in the Netherlands and skating here on a short track is good practice,” she said. “(My husband) and I have been supporting Al’s effort to maintain interest in the club.”

The short track is 110 meters, which is what the recreational center has.

Most competitions take place on a short track, Montoye said, and there are usually three or four in the Mid-Michigan area every year. In a short-track competition, skaters race counter-clockwise around a track in both individual and relay races.

Speed skates are sharpened on the edges instead of the middle, and the body must be kept low at all times to increase speed, Montoye said.

“There are pads on the walls because people most often crash when coming out of a turn,” he said.

Some younger Mount Pleasant residents joined the club for hockey practice.

“My friend told me about this club, and I like it a lot so far,” said 10-year-old Jonathan Duffy, goalie for the Mount Pleasant Pacemakers.

Montoye said he hopes students will recognize the benefits of speed skating.

“It is a great aerobic exercise, like bicycling. It’s fun, and not difficult to learn,” he said. “If you know how to ice skate or inline skate, you’ve already got the basics down.”

Wolters, associate professor of kinesiology at Hope College, will bring the history of women in sports to life at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. The event is part of the annual Marge Bulger Sport History Lecture Series. Both programs are free and open to the public.

“Her performance will be extremely educational and entertaining,” said Janet Helfrich, physical education and sport professor.

The two performances are completely different from each other. The first one, “Her Passion to Play,” will portray four female professional baseball players, and the second performance, “Early Bloomers,” will feature four women from different sports who helped shape their respective sport.

Wolters will change costumes to portray Mary Outerbridge, who brought tennis to America; Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the entire English Channel, Babe Zaharias, voted the greatest female athlete of the first half of the 20th century, and Senda Berenson, who adopted men’s basketball’s rules for women.

Wolters has taught for 30 years and has coached softball, volleyball, field hockey, tennis and basketball at the intercollegiate level. She is currently writing a textbook about the history of women in sports and her collection of sports memorabilia will be on display at the Grand Rapids Public Museum in February.

“She was the first person to present when the lecture series started in 1993 and she was so good, we wanted to have her back,” Helfrich said. “She does a fantastic job.”

The lecture series was set up in the memory of Marge Bulger, a former member and chairperson of the physical education and sport department, by her husband William, a retired history professor.

“Marge set up an endowment fun because she had a strong interest in sports history and she felt the series was a good way to keep the interest alive after her death,” Helfrich said.

He has won 103 gold medals, speaks at high schools and colleges across the globe, and is friends with Gordie Howe, Michael Jordan and George Bush, Sr.

But Craig MacFarlane would trade it all in for a chance to see the world he lives in.

MacFarlane spoke to more than 60 CMU students, faculty and community members Thursday night in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium about the importance of believing in oneself and going the extra mile each day.

Blind since the age of 2, MacFarlane said he believes his impediment is a minor inconvenience.

“I never wanted people to look at my blindness as a handicap,” he said. “If I had listened to 10 percent of the people who told me I could not be a good athlete because I was blind, I would not be up here talking to you.”

MacFarlane recalled stories of his youth in Canada and his early start in athletics. He began wrestling at the age of 11 for Canada and worked out daily to compete at the level of athletes who had full use of their vision.

“My key to success is hard work,” he said. “If you can utilize failure and frustration and use those as stepping stones, you become a stronger person.”

In addition to wrestling, MacFarlane also trained in several types of skiing, golf and basketball. He has earned 103 Disabled Olympic medals and also has been a competitor in the U.S. Disabled Alpine Ski Championships in Utah.

“Gordie Howe said (skiing) was a combination of guts and stupidity,” MacFarlane said.

The audience laughed.

MacFarlane’s message was not just to the athletes in the audience, but to anyone who struggles in life, he said.

“Respect is something I think is crucial … if you want someone to believe in you, then you have to believe in yourself. When you find yourself in your darkest hour, that cuts to the essence of who you really are.”

MacFarlane also talked about desire and the need to reach out to others.

“Desire is measured by the size of your heart and how much you want to give,” he said. “I have never met a true champion who wasn’t passionate about what they did. Yet … it is our responsibility to reach out and try to make a difference in the live of others.”

A question from the audience prompted MacFarlane to discuss his blindness a little further.

“I would trade (my Olympic medals) just to have my eyesight and to see the simple things that you all take for granted,” he said.

Praise for MacFarlane’s hour-long speech was high.

“Our coach told us about him and since the cross country team has a meet Saturday, I figured we’d come here to get inspired,” said men’s cross country runner Jacob Crowe, Grand Ledge junior. “It worked … he was great and I think everyone has a lot to learn from him.”

Nick Williams, assistant athletics director, worked together with Athletics Director Herb Deromedi and Dean of Students Bruce Roscoe to bring MacFarlane to campus.

“I’m a little discouraged that we did not have as many people here, but those who were here saw a great presentation and were touched,” Williams said.

MacFarlane ended the speech by answering a question about what he plans to do next with his life.

“I think I’d like to run for Congress … I’ve spoken at three consecutive Republican National Conventions, and the Bush family said they would endorse me,” he said.

He also added that blindness has been a blessing to him in some ways.

“Being blind has helped me to put my best foot forward,” he said. “It afforded me the ability to see people from the inside instead of for their looks.”