1998-10-09; Central Michigan Life

              Central Michigan LIFE
Volume 81, Number 18
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
©1998 CM LIFE
79 years of serving the community
Friday
October 9, 1998
12 pages
Candidate for governor tours Michigan universities
RYAN WOOD • CM I IFE
Martha Logsdon, political science faculty, holds a sign in support of gubernatorial candidate Geoffrey Fieger at the Fieger speech Wednesday.
Gubernatorial candidate
discusses CMU issues
RYAN WOOD • CM LIFE
More than 1,000 people gathered in Warriner Mall Wednesday
to hear gubernatorial candidate Geoffrey Fieger speak.
By Angela S. Vandenberg
LIFE Assistant News Editor
Geoffrey Fieger has been saying he
will "clean house," and if elected, that's
exactly what he plans to do to the CMU
Board of Trustees.
Recent CMU Board of Trustees problems such as the investigation into a possible violation of the Open Meetings Act,
last year's public broadcasting controversy and the firing of Russ Herron, former board secretary and vice president
of University Relations, doesn't meet
with Fieger's approval.
"I think the CMU Board of Trustees
are Engler's cronies and they'll do anything they can to make as much money
off the people of the state of Michigan as
possible."
To replace the trustees he says he
would rid CMU of, Fieger said he'll
appoint "enlightened people who care
about education."
A self-proclaimed large supporter of
public broadcasting, Fieger said "it's a
mechanism  to educate  people and  it's
See CANDIDATE Page 5	
Fieger draws
large crowd
at Warriner
By Angela S. Vandenberg
LIFE Assistant News Editor
Geoffrey Fieger was told he should not bother
speaking to marginal voters like college students.
But Wednesday afternoon, he did it anyway.
In the middle of a tour that included the likes of
Western Michigan University and Ferris State
University, Fieger stopped at CMU around 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday. Sporting a navy blue turtleneck, a black
vest, jeans and Nikes, Fieger instantly began to
receive a loud response from the estimated 1,000 to
1,500 students in attendance.
Fieger said when he was told not to talk to certain
groups, he didn't listen.
"You know what I said to them," he said, alluding
to a phrase containing expletives. "See, I get in trouble every time I say that."
"I ignored all of their advice and I sought out all of
those who felt alienated and neglected in this state,"
he said. "It's possible we could have a government of,
by and for the people.''
"I understand he thinks he owns this place," Fieger
said about Engler in relation to CMU.
Students need to get involved in politics and what's
going on around them, Fieger said.
"I can't tell you that I wasn't apathetic when I went
to school, that I wasn't cynical and didn't want to get
involved.
"We've become so cynical, we've been so apathetic,
that most of us don't vote anymore."
"They say that college students are selfish and
lazy," Fieger said, adding that he thinks students are
See FIEGER Page 5 ^___
Hurd hearing set
for end of month
LIFE Staff Reports
CMU football split end
Reiko J. Hurd will be in court
Oct. 30 for a hearing concerning a felony and misdemeanor
charge.
Hurd, who
is out on a
$30,000 bond,
is charged
with two
counts — possession of
mari j u a n a
with intent to
HURD deliver and
operating
with expired license plates on
a State of Michigan highway
— culminating from the felony
and misdemeanor charges.
According to Isabella
County court records, Hurd
was stopped for driving with
expired plates Sept. 23.
Hurd, 20, must attend a
hearing at 8:15 a.m. Oct. 30,
with Isabella County Judge
William R. Rush presiding
over the case, to determine a
possible youth training program for Hurd.
He also faces up to four
years in jail and/or a $20,000
fine if convicted of the felony
charge, and up to 90 days
and/or a $100 fine for the misdemeanor charge.
Hurd has been suspended
indefinitely from the CMU
football team pending investigation of the charges.
WMU, CMU challenged to blood drive
By Kelly Burnett
LIFE Staff Writer
For the second year in a row, the American
Red Cross is challenging both CMU and Western
Michigan University to turn their rivalry into a
positive thing — to save lives.
Joyce Stout, Kalamazoo Red Cross director,
said the WMU/CMU Blood Challenge was started to promote blood donation among college students.
The reason we started the Blood Challenge
was to encourage our young people to donate
blood on a regular basis," she said.
Last year the goal was 1,600 pints of blood,
and the schools donated a little more than 1,900.
Stout said this year the goal is for each school to
raise 1,100 pints of blood. Western defeated
Central in the challenge by donating 990 pints of
blood compared to CMU's 919 pints.
"We want to make it (donating blood) a positive experience for young people," Stout said.
She said even before the Blood Challenge,
CMU has always done a good job each year with
student blood donations, and she hopes WMU
will follow its rival's example.
**The need for blood is increasing all the time,"
Stout said.
Stout said the Blood Challenge transcends
mere competition between two rivaling schools.
"No matter which school wins the challenge,
the ultimate winner is the patients in the hospital," she said.
Rachelle Ferris is with the Volunteering and
Service Learning Center at CMU, and is in
charge of CMU's end of the blood drive.
Ferris said the WMU/CMU Blood Challenge
will be a 10-day event, starting Tuesday and
ending Oct. 23, in the Bovee University Center
Rotunda Room. Only Tuesday through Thursday
will count toward the competition though.
Ferris said people interested in volunteering
for the blood drive can contact the Volunteer
Center.
"We are still accepting volunteers," she said.
Ferris said each day is sponsored by various
groups. There is Greek Day, Woldt Hall Day and
Towers Day. Students can also go to these organizations to volunteer.
Ferris said these groups will turn in a list of
volunteers, and then Ferris will contact people to
fill in the remaining spots.
"It is best to go through the organizations
first," she said.
For more information, call 774-7685.
Traffic offenders may face stricter penalties
INSIDE
Leonard Plachta grew
up in "a relatively
poor family," but
ended up becoming
the president of a university. See the story
of his life on page 8.
Classified                    11
Crossword                  11
I Etcetera                    8-9
:  Sports                         6-7
Voices                             4
r l
To reach CM LIFE
;    Phone: (517) 774-34*3
1   Mail  CMLIFEecmuvmxsv.cmich.edu
Fax number  (517) 774-7S05
Central Michigan LIFE Online
Internet address
http_//ww%v.< mlife.rmich.edu
By Anthony Judnich
LIFE Staff Writer
Repeat traffic offenders could
face tougher penalties next fall if
Michigan lawmakers can turn a
strict repeat offender package into
law.
The package of 20 bills outlines
penalties designed to help crack
down on repeat offenders, such as
drunk drivers and those driving
with a suspended license.
The penalties would involve vehi
cle immobilization and forfeiture
and license plate confiscation.
Repeat offenders without a driver's
license could not obtain vehicle
plates.
Conviction sentences could
involve mandatory drug and alcohol treatment. Ignition interlocks
for those licenses restored after
revocation are included in the package as well. Also, a third drunk driving conviction would be a felony.
The   package   of   bills,    which
received bipartisan support from
Michigan lawmakers, was sent to
Gov. John Engler on Sept. 24.
Engler had until Thursday to sign
or veto the bill, but the status of the
bill was unknown at press time. If
signed, the legislation would take
effect Oct. 1, 1999.
State Rep. Jim McBryde, R-
Mount Pleasant, worked on the
1995 Republican Task Force on
Traffic Safety, which created many
ideas   for  the   package.   McBryde
was unavailable for comment at
press time, but his legislative aide,
Brian O'Connell, said the bill would
be very effective if passed into law.
*Tt does a lot to stop drunk driving," O'Connell said. "There's a
major concern with drunk driving,
and (with those) who drive without
a valid driver's license and continue
to drive. We have to enhance the
penalties," he said.
See OFFENDERS Page 2	
ARAMARK listens to RHA student complaints
By Joy Mygrants
LIFE Staff Writer
With hopes of finding a solution to students'
problems with CMU Dining Services. ARAMARK executives and Residence Hall
Assembly members will meet Friday afternoon to discuss student concerns.
According to Brittany Matthews, Saint
Joseph sophomore and assembly vice president external, she along with Steve Bindle,
Mount Fernon sophomore and assembly pres
ident, Lynette Cooper, Swartz Creek sophomore and issues committee chair, and Tom
Idema, assembly advisor, will be attending
Friday's closed meeting with the executives.
Matthews would not comment on which
ARAMARK executives would attend.
Matthews said statements from students
will be brought before the executives.
"Student concerns will be addressed at this
meeting," Matthews said. "We're all meeting
together     to      clear      up     confusions      of
ARAMARICs role. I think we need to make
connections with students and ARAMARK
and the university. That's what we're here
for."
Matthews said plans for future resolutions
and issues will be discussed as well.
According to Matthews, the results of the
meeting will be prepared in a statement and
presented to the assembly at next Monday's
meeting in the Maroon and Gold Room at the
Bovee University Center.