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Hazing not as severe anymore

(09/25/06 4:00am)

Editor’s note: This is the second in an occasional series depicting Greek life and the party-driven to philanthropic and academic transition made over the years. Hazing is a term synonymous with athletics and the military — and fraternities and sororities on college campuses. One definition defines it as the imposition of strenuous and often humiliating tasks as part of a program of rigorous physical training and initiation. Hazing at CMU’s Greek organizations has declined in the past few years. But that hasn’t always been the case. “We haven’t had any complaints in about three years,” said CMU Police Chief Stan Dinius. “Most organizations don’t participate in hazing anymore. I think there was a lot of controversy about people being injured in the past, so the serious kinds of hazing have been eliminated.” Tom Idema, assistant director of Student Life, said he has seen alcohol, branding, clothing and cleaning-related forms of hazing. He has dealt with alcohol-related hazing the most, he said. J.J. Lewis, Howell senior and president of social fraternity Phi Kappa Tau, has heard of past hazing activities fraternities have performed. “I’ve heard of ‘treeing,’ which is when a fraternity brother gives away his letters to his girlfriend,” Lewis said. “He then gets tied around a tree and has garbage, lettuce, pop and leftovers thrown on him until she comes and kisses him.” Some fraternities and sororities have found themselves in hot water in past years over hazing. In 1998, social fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon was put on probation when it was involved in a hazing incident that included a paddling party. The fraternity was put on suspension in 1999 and lost its organizational status in 2000, according to past Central Michigan Life articles. Social sorority Delta Sigma Theta’s organizational status was re-instated in 2001 after it was lost because of hazing allegations in 1992. CMU charged social fraternities Delta Chi, Phi Sigma Kappa and Beta Theta Pi for violating the Code of Student Rights in 2000 because of “inappropriate behavior.” Interfraternity Council President Kevin Kacel said hazing does not help create brotherhood. “It used to be believed that if you knocked members down and built them back up, it would create brotherhood,” the Lansing senior and social fraternity Sigma Pi member said. “Brotherhood is not built like that, and we make sure to enforce our anti-hazing policy.” Sigma Pi was under investigation in 2003 for suspicious hazing behavior involving a kidnapping incident. An active member, whose legs and arms allegedly were taped together, was carried by pledges from the Towers. The incident was treated as a prank rather than hazing. In May of 2004, Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed an anti-hazing law, making it a crime, punishable by imprisonment. The law followed a University of Michigan hazing incident in which a Sigma Chi pledge was forced to exercise for long periods of time with no water, eventually suffering kidney failure. Another hazing instance occurred in 2000 at Ferris State University, where Stephen Pretz died after consuming 27 shots of alcohol during fraternity hazing. Idema said no Greek organizations have lost their letters in his six years of serving as Greek adviser. Rochester graduate and former Sigma Chi president Tommy VanHareen said because of CMU’s size, it doesn’t have to deal with such serious cases of hazing like larger universities. “Central is smaller than other schools, so it’s easier to manage,” VanHareen said. “It isn’t your U-of-Ms (Michigan) or MSUs (Michigan State) where there’s houses all over the place and harder to control. Almost every group at Central is right at Main Street where it can be monitored.” Greek organizations caught in hazing activity can face the punishment of losing their recognition as organizations. Hazing activities that result in physical injury can be punished by up to five years in prison. Hazing resulting in death can be punished by up to a 15-year prison sentence. Garden City junior and Zeta Theta Tau member Ashlee Boyer-Shaw said she doesn’t think hazing is a problem on campus anymore. “It isn’t a problem anymore, especially around sororities because they’re more structured and monitored,” she said. “People know what’s right and wrong.” To promote anti-hazing, new members are shown anti-hazing videos, she said. Though Greek organizations are known for hazing, they are not the only groups in which hazing has been found. “Hazing is not an issue solely for Greek Life,” Idema said. “The national media has reported on hazing with high school groups, athletic teams and musical groups.”

https://www.cm-life.com/article/2006/09/hazingnotassevereanymore

Mount metropolis?

(09/25/06 4:00am)

Many of the stores currently in Mount Pleasant were non-existent when East Lansing senior Amina Bofaris came to CMU five years ago. However, over the past few years, Mount Pleasant and its surrounding area has seen more and more businesses come to town. Within the past two months, officials have approved plans for Coco Joe’s Beach House bar/restaurant, Starbuck’s Coffee Company and Qdoba Mexican Restaurant. Students have different opinions about the recent development trend in and around Mount Pleasant. “It has expanded a lot since I came here in 2002,” Bofaris said. “I’m really impressed that a town this size has expanded so much when it comes to business.” Coming from a bigger city, Bofaris said it was nice to be here when new businesses opened. Everyone knows about it, she said. “When Cold Stone opened up, everyone went crazy and tried it, and now it is a popular place,” she said. That same excitement may happen again when Kohl’s, Menards and Sam’s Club open soon, Bofaris said, and the construction will only lead to more stores. Last week, officials said Kohl’s could be opening this week. The store is part of the Union Commons Retail Project, located on Bluegrass Road. “Starting out with this mall is great,” she said. “I would like to see the main stores like Gap, Express, Marshall Fields and Victoria’s Secret, but that’s going to take a while.” Adding a mall might make the area more attractive for students to live here, said Erie freshman Drew Morrin. It’s good new businesses are coming to Mount Pleasant, he said, because it’s helping the community grow. “I hope that over the years it just keeps getting better and not the opposite direction,” he said. Bay City junior Sarah Cronks said she would like to see other stores, including more clothing options, because the closest mall is almost an hour away. It would be nice to have another thrift store too, Cronks said. But even though the developments on Bluegrass Road will create more jobs and revenue, Cronks said it also will cause problems. “That is going to congest traffic so much it’s sick,” she said. “It already takes so long to get out of Wal-Mart anyway.” Another thing Cronks said she takes exception with is the new Starbuck’s, which is set to open in early 2007. She said she couldn’t believe one would open up in Mount Pleasant and would rather keep a college town small. Starbuck’s will make the city less personable, she said. “I would hate to see it like MSU — a faceless community,” Cronks said. “Once you start going on that path, you can’t go back. You lose the small town appeal.” Warren junior Rosemary Cesaro agrees. “I feel little by little it’s turning into a big city,” Cesaro said. “I like the small town. I love Kaya and how quiet and how simple it is there.” But Morrin said having a Starbuck’s is not bad and will be a good addition because it’s popular and trendy. Bofaris said she expects the community to continue to develop. “I expect to see it expand even more,” she said. “I’ve talked to alumni from five years ago and they say ‘Wow. We didn’t have that.’ Maybe when I come back in five years, I can say ‘Wow. We didn’t have this.’”

https://www.cm-life.com/article/2006/09/mountmetropolis

Mother knows best

(09/15/06 4:00am)

Editor’s note: This is the third story in a weekly series chronicling a day in the life of unsung members of the CMU community. Sometimes Tamara Taylor takes her 6-year-old daughter to class with her. “I take her with me maybe six times a semester,” Taylor said. “It’s when she’s sick or her school has decided not to have school that day. I can’t leave her so I just take her to class with me.” The Detroit senior said the hardest part about balancing parenthood and going to school full time is how short her day is — especially when it comes to studying. Taylor said her most rewarding part of parenthood is being a role model for her daughter, Zorianne. “I have this little person looking up and depending on me for everything,” she said. “I’m her hero. It’s amazing that she looks at me this way.” Taylor typically wakes up around 7 a.m. to take her daughter to Morey Charter School, in Shepherd. From there, she heads to her first class at 9 a.m. After finishing up with lecture halls for the day, it’s around 3 p.m. and she’s off to run errands and get work completed before her daughter gets home from school. “I’m busy every minute of the day,” she said. “I’m never just sitting around waiting.” After her daughter gets home from an after-school program around 5 p.m., the two of them sit down for dinner at a table free of textbooks, laptops, bills and chaos. Taylor said she tries to do this at least twice a week so she can focus on Zorianne. As soon as they finish, Taylor cleans up and tells her daughter, “Mommy needs to get her homework done.” “I don’t have time to study all day,” Taylor said. “I study at night after I put my daughter to bed at 9 (p.m.).” At night, she juggles between checking her e-mail, chatting with friends, working on research projects and washing loads of clothes. She tries to get to bed between midnight and 1 a.m., but said it doesn’t happen as often as she’d like. Taylor is unemployed, but remains financially stable by tightly budgeting the money she receives through state and government financial aid. “I pay all of my bills at the beginning of each semester, sometimes five months in advance even if it means that I will be broke,” Taylor said. This semester, she plans on working toward a 3.0 grade point average, while at the same time, applying to three graduate schools. One thing CMU lacks is adequate resources for single-parent students, Taylor said. “We have no support on campus,” she said. Tracy Holt, administrative clerk for Student Life, said there is a non-traditional resource center for single parents who commute to campus. There used to be a larger resource area in previous years, Holt said, but has since shrunk to the size of a cubicle. “It’s a place for people to meet each other — somewhere to go and regroup during the day,” she said. When she’s not studying or spending time with her daughter, Taylor spends her time volunteering as a student campus ambassador, applying to graduate schools and researching for the McNair Scholar Program. If time allows, she also enjoys scrapbooking, quilting and computer games. In times of need, she falls back on her best friend, Muskegon senior Elizabeth Dennie. Dennie often stays home with Taylor on Friday nights and baby-sits Zorianne. “You need to vent to someone so that you don’t lose your mind,” Taylor said.

https://www.cm-life.com/article/2006/09/motherknowsbest

Photo of the day

(09/13/06 4:00am)

Students from Sacred Heart Academy hold up a sign they made for the Freedom Walk held in downtown Mount Pleasant Monday morning to commemorate Sept. 11. The walk, held by the school, started at 8:30 a.m. in front of the Sacred Heart Statue. The children walked through the streets to the town center, where they listened to speakers, songs, Taps and a six-gun salute.

https://www.cm-life.com/article/2006/09/photooftheday-96

Qdoba to open in January

(09/11/06 4:00am)

Students and Mount Pleasant residents will have another option when craving Mexican food. Owners plan to build a Qdoba Mexican Grill on Mission Street, near Appian Way, by the site of the abandoned Budget Inn. “We’re basically at the point of finishing our blueprints, and then we can begin construction,” said Greg Johnroe, one of the owners of Southwind Restaurants. The Mount Pleasant location, which is expected to be open by mid-January, will add to the already 23 locations across the state. Berkley freshman Mike Gustafson was happy to hear a Qdoba is being built in Mount Pleasant. “It’s like the Subway of Mexican food,” Gustafson said. Johnroe said the most popular menu items are the chicken burritos and chicken and steak quesadillas. Other menu choices include tacos, nachos, taco salad and the restaurant’s line of Qdoba signature burritos. All burritos can be ordered the traditional way, or naked, which means they are served in a bowl with a tortilla on the side. “Qdobas are very good, better than Taco Bell,” said Holly freshman Derek Fabean. “If you want good Mexican food that’s quick, go there.” Customers can have their choice of five salsas in various degrees of spice, including pico de gallo salsa, roasted chile corn salsa, salsa verde, salsa roja and fiery habanero salsa. “Everything is made fresh every day,” Johnroe said. “It makes for a unique flavor profile.” The restaurant offers both dine-in and carry-out service. Johnroe said he and his company, Southwind Restaurants, which is based in Mount Pleasant, had been looking to build a Qdoba in town for a while. “We think (the customers) will be a combination of both students and locals — fairly evenly split,” he said.

https://www.cm-life.com/article/2006/09/qdobatoopeninjanuary

Party at the Pines

(09/11/06 4:00am)

Jordan Kinsey of the Edmore band The Diesel Dawn takes a breath during his band’s performance at the second annual Party Down the Pine Riverfest on Saturday. The festival, which took place at Lumberjack Park in Riverdale, raised money for the park. Last year proceeds went to an Alma-based Boy Scout troop.

https://www.cm-life.com/article/2006/09/partyatthepines

Road trippin’

(09/11/06 4:00am)

ANN ARBOR — CMU football fans showed their University of Michigan counterparts how tailgating is done this past weekend. Before the game kicked off at noon, hundreds of Central fans parked their cars, ate their food and cracked their beers while lining Ann Arbor’s streets in a Saturday football tradition. Mount Pleasant senior Tyler Hofbauer said he’s “never been to a tailgate this bad — ever.” The U-M fans were more laid back and he said he didn’t feel the hostility of being an opposing fan. “It’s definitely not the energy level that you have at a CMU tailgate,” he said. “For the most part, it’s pretty lame compared to Central. I think here, because people aren’t as drunk and having a good time like we do at Central, makes it a little more laxed on the opposing team.” That excitement was a key factor lacking for U-M fans, students said, since many of the Michigan fans saw the game as “just Central,” meaning many of them could care less. Fowlerville senior Scott Gascon made the two-hour drive to party before the game. “Last year me and my buddy went down to Penn State,” Gascon said. “This year, we’re going down to Kentucky and probably Northern Illinois and maybe Toledo.”

https://www.cm-life.com/article/2006/09/roadtrippin

Photo of the day

(09/11/06 4:00am)

Ann Arbor senior Dan Wesche grabs the front of his canoe and prepares to jump into the river as alumnus Jacob Wilkes, owner of Buckley's Mountainside Canoes, 4700 W. Remus Road, runs to the front of his. Wilkes and his teammate, Grayling graduate Brad Wilson, won the second annual Party Down the Pine canoe race, while Wesche and his teammate, Mount Pleasant sophomore Nathan Milan, came in second.

https://www.cm-life.com/article/2006/09/photooftheday-95

Students rock out at concert

(09/06/06 4:00am)

Daina Turnwald finished the first day of her high school senior year Tuesday and headed to the parking lot. She was greeted with music. Mount Pleasant High School’s front lawn had been turned into a rock show, much to Turnwald’s, and several other students’, surprise. “I thought it was really cool that they threw this the first day (of classes),” Turnwald said. “It makes school that much better.” Deja Norm’al, an alternative punk/rock band, performed in “Modern Rock’s The High School” — a concert sponsored by Modern Rock 91.5 WMHW. The band played outside of the high school’s main entrance for about 30 people, ranging from high schoolers to teachers and even a few CMU students. “We wanted to reach out into the high school community,” said Kelly McMann, Novi junior and Modern Rock 91.5 promotion director. “At first we were just going to hand out stickers, promote the station and then it grew to, ‘Hey, let’s throw a concert for high schoolers.’” After McMann and Kristine Moore, Owosso junior and Modern Rock 91.5 station manager, came up with the idea, they pitched it to the high school’s principal, Jeffery Thoenes. “My first reaction (when hearing about the concert) was, ‘what a neat opportunity to kick off the year with something very memorable and special,’” said Thoenes. “It didn’t take me very long to realize it would appeal to a lot of our kids — not all, but some.” Thoenes also gave the concert a green light because the band is a “high school-friendly” group and doesn’t use any inappropriate language in their lyrics. “Part of our mission is to prepare students for continued success and maybe music is a way to do that,” Thoenes said. “If kids come to the concert and enjoy it, they might look at it as enjoying school and it would make it a fun place to be, while also learning.” Modern Rock 91.5 also gave away free CDs and stickers at the concert as a way to get its name out into the high school community, McMann said. “Playing for a bunch of kids on the first day of school was fun,” Brian McIsaac, one of Deja Norm’al’s vocalists, said. “It gave us a chance to have younger kids exposed to our music.” This wasn’t the only exposure Deja Norm’al has received lately. Last summer the band went on tour, playing in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and North Carolina. Integrated Social Studies teacher Sue Hoeft said she wished she could have had a concert like this when she was in high school. “I think it’s a great idea to give kids a safe place to have fun and hang out,” Hoeft said. “What more could you want? Plus, I enjoy listening to music and relaxing after a day of work.” Deja Norm’al includes Fenton freshman Matt Bailey, 19, on keyboard; McIsaac, 20, from Fenton, on vocals; Mike Mains, 19, from Lake City, on vocals and guitar; Chris Morrow, 19, from Lake City, on keyboard and bass; Brett Pudak, 19, from Tekonsha, on guitar; and Karl Woodward, 20, from Lake City, on drums.

https://www.cm-life.com/article/2006/09/studentsrockoutatconcert