1998-02-04; Central Michigan Life

              Central Michigan LIFE
Volume 79, Number 55
Mt. Pleasant,  MI 48859
©1998 CM LIFE
78 years of serving the community
Wednesday
February 4, 1998
18 pages
A-Senate expresses concern about possible merger
By Joseph McCarthy
LIFE Staff Writer
Controversy over the possible
merger of the philosophy and
religion departments has again
erupted in the Academic Senate
after a three-year hiatus.
Questions resurfaced because
of a rumor the merger is an
agenda item for the March
meeting of the Board of
Trustees.
In order to be placed on the
agenda, University President
Leonard Plachta must recommend to the Board of Trustees
that the merger take place. The
issue was brought to the floor
during the question and discussion period of Tuesday's Senate
meeting.
Plachta declined to give his
position on the merger, but said
a decision would come "relatively soon."
Concern over the possibility of
a merger was widespread in the
Senate, especially among the
religion and philosophy departments.
Senator Joyce Henricks, associate   professor  of  philosophy,
voiced her concern that Plachta
was disregarding votes of the
faculty and Academic Senate by
considering the proposal. She
asked that the president put
further thought into his decision.
"I certainly hope that you will
reconsider merging the departments, since it is against their
will," she said.
Henricks also said that she
was concerned about hiring people into the philosophy department when it may be merged
almost   immediately   with   the
Religion department. Henricks
said that to hire a person under
those circumstances would be
"somewhat deceptive."
When asked by Senator Guy
Meiss, associate professor of
journalism, if it was true he was
going to recommend a merger,
Plachta didn't dismiss the
claim. Instead he said, "I appreciate the concerns of the senator
(Henricks)."
According to Robert Stecker,
chair of philosophy, there is an
See MERGE Page 16
Academic Senate discusses Affirmative
Action, University Governance
By Joseph McCarthy
LIFE Staff Writer
The Academic Senate began the process of responding to the
North Central Association's last review during Tuesday's meeting
by discussing Affirmative Action and University Governance.
The Senate and administration must reply in writing to the
NCA's review before June 30, 1999 in order for the University to
maintain its accreditation. The NCA pointed out three problem
areas in their review of the University in 1996. The areas of con-
SeeACTIONPjageJ^^^^
Softball
player
dies in
car crash
By Dennis Worden
LIFE Sports Editor
Elizabeth Pawlak, a promising CMU softball player and
fun-loving student, died Sunday
from the results of a head-on
collision on U.S. 41 in
Marquette County.
■|  WfT^Wk   ■       After two
Epjfc^^H I  years of backup
" wV  catching,      20-
Efc «►   mj  y e a r - o 1 d
r r   jk     Pawlak,   a  Bay
^^   fl   I   City junior, was
Br. I   slated     to     be
CMU's starting
I   catcher for the
■ lupcoming
Pawlak        spring season:
She was
returning from the Winter
Carnival at Michigan Tech
University in Houghton with
best friend Heather Musser, 20,
Bay City sophomore in a 1991
Ford Escort driven by Michelle
Cook, 20, Alger sophomore.
Shortly before 5 p.m., their
vehicle was hit by a 1994 Ford
Taurus driven by Paul Kasberg,
53, of Cromwell, MN.
According to the Michigan
State Police Department at
Negaunee, Kasberg was traveling west-bound on U.S. 41 when
he lost control of his car and
struck the east-bound Escort
carrying the students. Kasberg
and his passenger, Ginny
Kasberg, 51, also of Cromwell,
were pronounced dead at the
scene when police responded to
the call at 4:45 p.m. Pawlak,
who was in the passenger side of
the Escort, was pronounce dead
upon arrival at Bell Memorial
Hospital in Ishpeming.
Cook and Musser were also
transported to Bell Memorial.
Musser, who suffered minor
injuries, was treated and
released. Cook was transported
to Marquette General Hospital
and was listed in stable condition Tuesday.
Pawlak and Cook were wearing safety belts and police said
alcohol was not suspected to be
a factor. The accident is still
under investigation.
"As a parent I couldn't ask for
a better daughter," said Beth's
father, Thomas Pawlak. "She
was a really wonderful child
and it was a joy to see her compete and play for CMU softball.
It is a very tough struggle for us
and we are not suffering alone."
CMU women's softball coach,
Margo Jonker, said the team
plans to retire Pawlak's jersey
No. 16 and hold on to her memory.
"We will honor her life by
doing the best that we can. It's
not an honor to just mourn, we
honor her by living as well," she
said. "We will try to get to business as usual because what else
would Beth want us to do? This
season was very important to
her."
Pawlak is survived by her
parents, Thomas and Mary
Pawlak;   brothers,   Matt   and
See PAWLAK Page 18	
Luke and Toni Ethington and their two children,
in the joy of quality time spent together.
AUTUMN FLUTUR • CM LIFE
t, one and a half, and Cameron, five months, spend their evenings relishing
Love has nothing to do with color
By Autumn Flutur
LIFE Staff Writer
Five years ago Luke and Toni
Ethington agreed to love each
other unconditionally for the rest
of their lives.
To them it was a typical marriage professing their commitment, but to a society
still torn by racial inequality, the marriage seemed to be destined for failure.
Luke, 26 and Lansing sophomore, is
African American. He is a scholar-athlete
currently majoring in secondary education.
Toni, 28, is an elementary school
teacher originally from Lake Orion. She
is a combination of Irish and Hispanic.
Luke and Toni met in 1990 at a fraternity party at CMU. "We didn't see each
other for a couple of weeks, but we met
again, he called, and we started dating,"
Toni said.
In July 1990 Luke enlisted in the
marines and left for Northwood in March
of 1991.
"I didn't have my priorities straight and
I didn't have much discipline in my life,"
he said.
Toni graduated from CMU in June of
1991. While Luke was gone, I wrote him
two or three times a day, she said.
Toni visited Luke and then eventually
decided to move out to California to be
near him.
"I only got to see him on weekends, and
even that wasn't a guarantee. All I had
was an air mattress and a radio. I didn't
even have a T.V.," Toni said.
"I was just a young guy, no rank, no say,
following orders," Luke added.
"Sometimes I wonder how we made it
through some of our times. We were surviving, and we were happy," he said.
Toni stayed in California for three
months searching for a job.
In August of 1992, Luke graduated for
the School of Infantry at the top of his
class. He was then screened for an elite
position in Washington D.C. His alternative option was to be stationed in Guam.
Luke accepted the position in D.C.
while Toni moved to Cincinnati. In
November of 1992, Luke and Toni were
together at the Marine Corps Ball.
It was there, in front of 5,000 marines,
that Luke got down on his knee and asked
Tbni to marry him. Through her tears and
to the encore of hollering marines, she
accepted.
"Ultimately, she never went back
home," Luke said.
The engagement came as a surprise to
both families.
Tbni said she didn't think anyone realized how close and serious they were with
another.
"My mother was kind of quiet. I don't
think she knew what to say," Tbni added.
On Thanksgiving, Toni went with Luke
to meet his family, whom she had never
met.
"I felt very awkward. One, being the
only white person there, and two, some
weren't comfortable with it."
She said Luke's family was still
stunned.
On December 4, 1992, they were married    for   $20    in    a   tiny    chapel    in
See MARRIAGE Page 7
Additional story on the back
page about interracial couples
Marrow
drive set
for
Simonson
■ Testing is free
because of $10,000
donation
By Julia Jones
LIFE Assistant News Editor
In honor of Adam Simonson, a
tight end on the football team
who has been diagnosed with
leukemia, the        Athletics
Department is sponsoring a free
bone marrow drive from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. Saturday Feb. 21 in
Gym 112 at Finch Fieldhouse.
According to Athletics
Director Herb Deromedi, the
bone marrow tests will be free
to potential marrow donors
because of an anonymous donation of $10,000.
"No one will have to pay to
take the test," Deromedi said.
Deromedi said a group in
Simonson's hometown of
Sturgis is hosting a drive as
well on Feb. 28 in Sturgis.
"We knew there would be a
cost factor," he said. "We also
knew there would be a time factor."
Deromedi said the date of
Feb. 21 was chosen to not interfere with the drive the Sturgis
group is sponsoring and later
dates would conflict with spring
break.
"This gives us an opportunity
to be involved on behalf of
Adam and his situation," he
said.
Deromedi said everyone who
takes the test will be placed on
record with the Red Cross.
"We initiated this drive in
Mount Pleasant in behalf of
Adam (but) anyone who participates may be a match on a universal basis."
Anyone who is dependent on
insulin, has heart problems or
chronic emphysema, or uses an
inhaler may not be a marrow
donor.
Those interested in taking
the test may sign up in the athletics office in Rose 100 or call
774-3041.
Those who have taken the
test before are on record with
the Red Cross and do not need
to retake the test.
Anyone interested in contributing money to the bone
marrow drive may call 774-
6192.
CMU grad dies in mishap
1   N   S   I   H   F
See page 8 for related stories
By Angola Cook-Raid
LIFE Assistant News Editor
A 1995 CMU
alumnus died
Saturday while
serving his
country.
Lt. Jeffrey
Davis, 31, of
Cadillac
Michigan was
pronounced
dead at Cape
Fear Valley
Medical
Center, as a result of a mishap
during a maintenance check on
Davis
a military helicopter.
Davis was working on a UH-
60 Black Hawk helicopter
parked at the Simmons Army
Airfield at Fort Bragg where he
was killed by flying debris.
The exact details of the accident are not known at this time
and the incident is still under
investigation according the
Associated Press.
Davis enrolled in CMU's
ROTC program in 1992 to pursue an officer's commission on a
three year Army scholarship,
said Denise Gallagher, administrative  secretary for the mili
tary science department.
During his senior year, Davis
served as Cadet Battalion
Commander, and was in charge
of the 100 students in the ROTC
program.
Gallagher remembers Davis
as someone those in the ROTC
program could look up to.
"My thoughts of him was he
was a perfect role model for students," she said. "I think he was
one of the nicest young men."
After graduation, Davis was
commissioned   a   second   lieu-
See DAVIS Page 2	
CMU women's basketball
team will play Ohio tomorrow
at 7 p.m. in Rose Arena.
8
Classified 14-15
Crossword 14
Et cetera 12-13
Sports 8-11
Voices 4-6
ToicKhCMUFE
Phone 774-3493
E-Mail: CMLIFE#on«vm.cBVdivich^du
Fax number:<517i774-7S05
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