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(06/30/04 4:00am)
The Athletics Department will have $781,000 to construct a field hockey facility
after the team was displaced because of turf replacement at Kelly/Shorts
Stadium.
The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the money Friday in a special conference-call meeting focusing on the issue.
Of the money allotted for the field, $296,000 is from previously approved
money for the replacement of the Kelly/Shorts Stadium turf and $485,000 is
being loaned to the athletics department from the capital projects reserve
fund. The loaned money must be paid back during the next five years.
“These are the best possible solutions we could come up with for the worst
position the university has ever been in,” University President Michael Rao
said.
The new field hockey facility is to be built on the west side of Lyle Bennett Track.
CMU has received two bids from turf companies. One bid, from FieldTurf
— the same company that is replacing the football field turf — is $751,000.
The other bid, from Pro Grass, is about $450,000. Rao said Athletics Director
Herb Deromedi is reluctant to hire Pro Grass.
“He is concerned because he is not as familiar with it,” Rao said.
CMU is paying FieldTurf $639,000 to replace the turf in Kelly/Shorts.
Pro Grass’ product is not certified by the International Hockey Federation
which determines if a field is acceptable for international championships
and competitions. Thomas Trionfi, purchasing director, said CMU is waiting
for testing on Pro Grass turf to determine if it is certifiable, and he also
is negotiating with each company to get the priced lowered.
Trionfi said Deromedi and Field Hockey coach Cristy Freese “believe it is a necessary certification.”
A decision should be reached sometime today, Trionfi said.
At the time of the meeting athletics officials could not say how they
planned to pay back the loan from the capital projects reserve fund.
“I’m going to be honest with you,” said Derek Van der Merwe, associate athletics director. “I cannot answer that question.”
Rao, however, did say there is no connection with the loaned money and
the proposed athletics fee, which would charge incoming freshman $300 and
transfer students $200 if approved.
“This simply would have to be money the department would have to come
up with given its resources,” he said during the meeting and later added,
“it’s not as if they won’t be able to survive.”
Turf in Kelly/Shorts was replaced because old turf was deemed unsafe for
players. The new turf being installed in the stadium does not meet NCAA regulations
for field hockey. For months the future of the team and where it would play
has been in limbo.
“I’m pleased that the board and the president took our situation seriously, and have done something about it,” Freese said.
The construction of the new field is expected to take nine to 10 weeks.
If the bid process goes well and weather permits, officials said they hope
to be finished a week before the first game, September 24. George Ross, vice
president of finance and administration services, said construction could
begin next week.
While the decision was approved in just under an hour at the board meeting, skepticism was expressed from trustees.
“I’m really concerned about the university,” said Trustee Jerry Campbell.
“This is a non-academic area and we are cutting so much from academics.”
(06/30/04 4:00am)
The perennial battle between academics and athletics has again landed at CMU.
(06/30/04 4:00am)
It was not just the inadeqaute playing surface of Kelly/Shorts Stadium that bothered junior field hockey player Erica Takach.
“I’m really happy because we have always had to schedule our practices
around the football team, and whenever they were waiting to practice, they
were always standing around just watching us,” she said. “Having our own
field, it’s actually going to be a field hockey field. We won’t lose our
balls in the drainage gutters, it’s just the little things that really help.”
The Board of Trustees approved $781,000 to construct a new venue on the
west side of the Lyle Bennett Track in a special board meeting held to discuss
the field hockey team’s future.
The team was displaced after officials opted to resurface Kelly/Shorts
Stadium with a filled artifical surface supplied by FieldTurf. The team would
not have been able to play on the surface next season.
Officials have yet to decide on either FieldTurf or Pro Grass for the team’s new surface.
Installation should take about 10 weeks, which will be cutting it close to CMU’s first home game agains Miami Sept. 24.
“We think we can make this deadline if a decision is made in a fairly short time,” said Athletic Director Herb Deromedi.
Field hockey coach Cristy Freese was excited when she heard the news.
“I’m pleased that the Board and the President took our situation seriously, and have done something about it,” Freese said.
While the project is completed, the team will be forced to start the season practicing at the Indoor Athletic Complex.
“Starting the preseason inside and not being able to get on the field
isn’t that big of deal because we have our own field,” Takach said. “We fought
real hard to get the field and we’re not going to complain about anything.”
Freese hopes the project will be complete for the beginning of the season.
“To be honest, I had felt all along that we were going to start the season
inside the IAC,” Freese said. “Our first game isn’t until September, but
we’d love to practice there.”
The new stadium will also allow Freese the opportunity to offer a field
hockey camp in the offseason, something she had wanted to start this summer.
Field hockey is the only sport on campus that does not have a summer camp
program.
“We wanted to start a camp this summer, but the only reason we didn’t, was the field situation,” Freese said.
(06/30/04 4:00am)
It is possible that football fields will need new surfaces, that there will
be less money than needed and that budget cuts will be instituted.
As it turns out for CMU though, all of those possibilities became realities this year.
In the shadow of severe budget cuts, CMU is spending $1.4 million fixing
the football field and making a new place for field hockey to play. On the
face of it, a person could reason that the administration is making judgments
to favor athletics and paralyze academics.
That, however, does not seem reasonable.
The administration and Board of Trustees were practically forced into
making these decisions because of safety precautions and Title IX. While
there were other avenues, most were extreme and foolish.
Still, the university needs to be careful not to get hamstrung into making
these types of decisions again — it could be dangerous to the future of CMU.
As Trustee Jerry Campbell said about a new field hockey field, “I'm really
concerned about the university. This is a non-academic area and we are cutting
so much from academics.”
(06/23/04 4:00am)
The Athletics Department will have $781,000 to construct a field hockey facility after the team was displaced because of turf replacement at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the money today in a special conference-call meeting focusing on the issue.
Of the money allotted for the field, $296,000 is from previously approved money for the replacement of the Kelly/Shorts Stadium turf and $485,000 is being loaned to the athletics department from the capital projects reserve fund. The loaned money must be paid back during the next five years.
"These are the best possible solutions we could come up with for the worst position the university has ever been in," University President Michael Rao said.
CMU has received two bids from turf companies. One bid, from FieldTurf -- the same company that is replacing the football field turf -- is $751,000. The other bid, from Pro Grass, is about $450,000. Rao said Athletics Director Herb Deromedi is reluctant to hire Pro Grass.
"He is concerned because he is not as familiar with it," Rao said.
CMU is paying FieldTurf $639,000 to replace the turf in Kelly/Shorts.
Pro Grass' product is not certified by the International Hockey Federation which determines if a field is acceptable for international championships and competitions. Thomas Trionfi, purchasing director, said CMU is waiting for testing on Pro Grass turf to determine if it is certifiable, and he also is negotiating with each company to get the priced lowered.
Trionfi said Deromedi and Field Hockey coach Cristy Freese "believe it is a necessary certification."
"By Tuesday we should have a decision on the proposals we have in front of us," Trionfi said.
At the time of the meeting athletics officials could not say how they planned to pay back the loan from the capital projects reserve fund.
"I'm going to be honest with you," said Derrick Van der Merwe, associate athletics director. "I cannot answer that question."
Deromedi could not be reached for comment.
Rao, however, did say there is no connection with the loaned money and the proposed athletics fee, which would charge incoming freshman $300 and transfer students $200 if approved.
"This simply would have to be money the department would have to come up with given its resources," he said during the meeting and later added, "it's not as if they won't be able to survive."
Turf in Kelly/Shorts was replaced because old turf was deemed unsafe for players. The new turf being installed in the stadium does not meet NCAA regulations for field hockey. For months the future of the team and where it would play has been in limbo.
"I'm pleased that the board and the president took our situation seriously, and have done something about it," Freese said.
The construction of the new field is expected to take 9 to 10 weeks.If the bid process goes well and weather permits, officials said they hope to be finished a week before the first game, September 24. George Ross, vice president of finance and administration services, said construction could begin next week.
Still, there is some doubt.
"We may have to negotiate with Michigan State to do the game down there," Rao said.
While the decision was approved in just under an hour at the board meeting, much skepticism was expressed from both the trustees and Rao.
"I'm really concerned about the university," said Trustee Jerry Campbell. "This is a non-academic area and we are cutting so much from academics."
Rao said a decision was not made in the April's board meeting because he did not want to spend so much money during a time of cutting jobs and academic programs.
"It's time for athletics to take a quantum leap at CMU," Rao said.
(06/16/04 4:00am)
Traveling 600 miles from home to play field hockey at a school in the Midwest may seem strange to some, but not to Erica Takach.
She had offers from other schools but came to Central because she was
offered a scholarship and the opportunity to play immediately.
“I wanted to go to Columbia University, but it was too expensive and my
parents couldn’t afford to send me there,” Takach said. “When they heard
I was offered a scholarship at Central, my parents said ‘Erica pack your
bags you are going to Mount Pleasant’.”
The sophomore midfielder grew up in Duncannon, Pa. where field hockey
is one of the most popular women’s sport along with women’s basketball.
“Volleyball is practically unheard of,” she said. “I don’t know of one school around my hometown that has volleyball.”
Just the opposite is true in Michigan where very few high schools sponsor field hockey.
Takach started playing field hockey in seventh grade only because all her friends were going out for the team.
“At first I didn’t even really like it and I only did it because my friends
played,” Takach said. “I got in trouble a lot because I didn’t pay attention
at first.”
As Takach’s career progressed she found herself getting better. She played
on an AAU junior Olympic team when she was in high school, and that is where
CMU coach Cristy Freese first watched Takach play.
“The first time I saw her play I wrote in my notes ‘I want her on my team’,”
Freese said. “She has very good skills to go along with an intense mindset
when she is on the field.”
Recruiting becomes a more difficult task for Freese since field hockey
is not so popular in the Midwest, but Freese said there are advantages.
“Recruiting is not harder, it is just different,” Freese said. “Not every
player from the East Coast has a chance to go to schools like Penn State
so they are looking to expand their horizons.”
Takach said playing AAU field hockey is what took her game to a higher level needed to play college field hockey.
“I got more from playing in tournaments than I did in high school,” Takach
said. “When people heard that I got a scholarship they were surprised.”
This summer Tackach is preparing for the upcoming season which starts Sept. 3 at Ohio State University.
Takach spends a lot of her time training at the Indoor Athletic Complex
in the hope that she can be a dominant force at the left midfielder position.
Tackach said playing midfield is one of the hardest positions in the game because she has to play both offense and defense.
With her experience and intense attitude toward the game, Freese said Takach can only make the team and herself better.
“I look for her to be one of the top players in the conference,” Freese said.
(06/02/04 4:00am)
When Central Michigan’s football team plays Eastern Michigan at Ford Field November 6, they won’t be alone.
Wayne State and Hillsdale College will play the first game of the day at 12 p.m., with the CMU game following at 4:30 p.m.
Kelly/Shorts construction continues
Phase two of the resurfacing of Kelly/Shorts stadium started Tuesday.
Construction crews are now leveling off the crown that was built during
the last resurfacing. The process is expected to take more than a week.
Workers will begin to install FieldTurf after the second phase is complete.
Field hockey hires new assistant coach
Field hockey coach Cristy Freese will welcome Earl Marais to her staff effective July 1.
Marais will fill a vacant position left by former assistant coach Kristen
Manson. Manson returned to James Madison, her alma mater, to take an assistant
coaching job.
Marais is from South Africa and has been teaching and coaching at the high school level in North Carolina.
“We are very excited because he has a great deal of experience not only
in coaching, but also in administration,” Freese said. “He has played and
coached a great deal, and has tried to learn as much as he can.”
Freese said she is happy to bring this caliber of coaching for her team.
“The team is very excited,” she said. “When Kristen left, I told them
that I was going to get the best coach I can, and I think I did that by getting
Earl here.”
While Marais should bring his international connections, Freese said that was not why she hired him.
“The best field hockey is played internationally,” Freese said. “Usually
when we recruit international players, they contact us, not the other way
around.”
(05/26/04 4:00am)
The surface of Kelly/Shorts Stadium looks almost nothing like a football and field hockey field.
(05/19/04 4:00am)
Budget cuts forced the athletics department to eliminate a full-time women’s
track faculty coaching position and a full-time life skills coordinator and
academic adviser position.
(05/19/04 4:00am)
The 11-year old surface of Kelly/Shorts Stadium will be no more when contractors
begin removing the torn and tattered surface today.
The process should take three to five days, before contractors begin preparing
the sub base. Workers must carefully remove the concrete and asphalt crown
that was installed the last time the turf was replaced before the new FieldTurf
is installed.
The surface must be completely flat in order for the FieldTurf to be effective in preventing injuries to players.
Summer camps will not be able to use the facility because it will not
yet be completed, but Athletics Director Herb Deromedi said he expects the
project too be completed prior to the start of football season.
The Board of Trustees approved $925,000 earlier this year for the resurfacing
of the stadium through its deferred maintenance budget. Negotiations between
both sides have estimated the cost to be around $638,000.
The FieldTurf will be a filled surface, and the field hockey team still does not have a place to play.
(04/30/04 4:00am)
The athletics department will spend less than expected on Kelly/Shorts Stadium’s
new surface by following a recent trend in football turf replacement.
FieldTurf, a type of synthetic grass filled with sand and rubber, will
be put in the stadium for an approximate cost of $638,000. The Board of Trustees
approved $975,000 for the resurfacing.
“We’ve identified the contractor, but there is still some paperwork that
we need to fill out prior to awarding the bid,” said Tom Trionfi, director
of purchasing services. “We hope to have them starting as soon as possible,
and it definitely will be competed by the start of the football season.”
The Detroit Lions installed FieldTurf at Ford Field in 2002 and the University of Michigan installed it for the 2003 season.
Athletics Director Herb Deromedi said it would be nice if the final cost remained at what was bid.
“We don’t know how much it is going to cost until it’s completed,” Deromedi
said. “If it does end that way, then that would be a great number and end
result.”
Trionfi said the leftover money would remain within the athletics department.
“It is good to come in well below what the Board of Trustees approved,”
Trionfi said. “When we save the department money, they have the opportunity
to use that money elsewhere.”
Officials are eager to begin the FieldTurf project.
“We want them to start as soon as possible,” Trionfi said. “It is taking
a little bit longer getting the rest of the drawings, but we still have adequate
time to get it done by the start of football season.”
The surface is not suitable for the field hockey team to play on, so they will no longer play at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
If nearly $335,000 is left over, the department could use the money to address some of the need for a new field hockey venue.
Football coach Brian Kelly said his team’s practice schedule will not be affected.
“It will be a six-to-eight week process, and even if it runs a little
long, we will still have time to complete it,” Kelly said. “We can practice
on the grass field, although that is not the best situation.”
Kelly added that both fields will be used throughout the season.
“When you have FieldTurf, it’s great to practice on,” Kelly said. “We’re
going to utilize both fields, and we are primarily going to be outside. We
will use the Turf Bay of the Indoor Athletics Complex when there is inclement
weather.”
A portion of the old turf will be sold and other pieces that are still
usable will be used by the athletics department for various uses such as
the inside of the softball and baseball batting cages.
(04/28/04 4:00am)
Student Government Association President Sean T. Johnston submitted a list
of suggestions to the Board of Trustees Thursday regarding effective usage
of the $4 million in the campus improvement fund.
The money, which comes from the campus improvement fee of $37.50 charged
to students each semester, will be available for use in June.
Student input gathered by SGA and the Residence Hall Association concerning
the fund was presented at the meeting of the Trustees-Student Liaison Committee.
SGA collected these proposed projects: Creating a new residential parking
lot, improving campus lighting, renovating the Pearce and Anspach courtyard,
beautifying campus, forming a student union, fixing residence hall lobbies,
building a walkway over Broomfield Road near East Quads, adding a bronze
seal to Warriner Mall, renovating the bells in Warriner Mall and adding a
student memorial to honor students who have died while attending CMU.
“We’ll take those recommendations into full consideration,” said Board
of Trustees Facilities Chair Melanie Reinhold Foster. “The fee isn’t burning
a hole in our pocket. It doesn’t have to be spent.”
Students and many organization leaders gave the SGA direct feedback on how to use the fund.
“I like personal communication more than anything else,” Johnston said.
“We did that in conjunction with the public relations committee.”
Detroit sophomore Coree Burton said he thought everything on the list
was needed except for the bronze seal and the renovation of bells in Warriner
Mall.
Waterford sophomore Candice Green said the campus needs more landscaping.
“Grass would be good,” Green said, “lay sod if you have to.”
At the meeting, Johnston discussed the procedure for requesting money from the capital improvement fund.
“We wanted to make sure we were all on the same page with how much is in there and what it could be used for,” Johnston said.
The fund is designed to be used only for physical additions to campus, Johnston said.
“It can only be only be used for capital improvement,” he said. “No new faculty, no scholarships, anything like that.”
North Carolina senior and former SGA senator Rob Harrison has been lobbying
the trustees for three months because he thinks the fund should finance the
new woman’s field hockey field. The field would be built west of Lyle Bennett
track and finally give the team a place to play in the fall.
Harrison said the board must decide whether to implement the $350 athletics
fee on incoming freshmen. If that happens, the athletics department has said
it will use the money from the campus improvement fund for the field and
then repay the fund over the course of a five-year period.
“They would use it to reinvest the money back into the pot,” he said.
Harrison said problems will develop if the money for the field comes from the general fund.
“This is the most politically correct way of doing it,” Harrison said.
“The general fund is nothing more than a political landmine.”
Faculty will be outraged if they are fired because CMU dipped into the
general fund, Harrison said. Instead, they should use the fund designed specifically
for projects like the field hockey field, he said.
“(The campus improvement fund) can be used to save jobs,” Harrison said.
Foster said this is a legitimate concern but the board must examine all the different aspects of the field hockey field issue.
“I am undecided at this point,” Foster said. “But the field hockey field
will be funded. I anticipate the board will act on July 8 on the usage of
the campus improvement fee as well as the field hockey field.”
Money in the fund could be saved and used for larger projects like the
proposed $40 million renovation of Ronan Hall, she said. CMU would have to
come up with 25 percent of the funds if the state decides to support the
project.
Some members of SGA are hesitant to make a decision about how to use the
fund. They do not want to spend a large amount of money on frivolous things,
he said.
“It would probably be best to move forward with caution,” Johnston said.
“We want to concentrate on smaller, less dollar projects that can be approved
and implemented almost immediately.”
(04/28/04 4:00am)
This is the final installment of a weekly series in which Central Michigan
Life senior sports writer Paul Costanzo competes with athletes from
various CMU sports.
(04/28/04 4:00am)
With another batch of students set to graduate next weekend, alumni-to-be
will find themselves looking back on their college experience in Mount Pleasant.
While people find themselves in a reflective mood these next few days,
we’d like to share our dream list of things we’d like to see happen at CMU.
If we were in charge of the university, here’s what it might look like:
Classes at 8 a.m. in the morning would be a thing of the past. If prestigious
Duke University has eliminated classes that start at this ungodly hour, why
shouldn’t CMU allow its students to catch a few extra hours of sleep? In
fact, we would nix Friday classes, too.
CMU students would mobilize as a political force and protest incessant
increases in tuition. Likewise, student turnout in the presidential election
this year would be at least 90 percent. Political science professors would
give extra credit to students who can prove that they vote.
After paying — or, for most of students, borrowing — thousands of dollars
in tuition, fees and other miscellaneous expenditures to get a degree at
CMU, students would not have to pay a $35 application fee for graduation.
Someone would figure out (and correct) the reason why retention rates
for black, Hispanic and American Indian students aren’t as high as those
of white students at the university.
CMU’s Board of Trustees wouldn’t hammer out the university’s budget
in private before giving it the rubber stamp in “open session.”
We would ask Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm to appoint new
members to CMU’s board that reflect the racial and gender composition of
the university’s student population. These new members also would understand
the necessity and virtue of Michigan’s Open Meetings Act.
The woman’s field hockey team would have a place to play at CMU. And
an athletics fee for incoming freshmen and transfer students wouldn’t be
needed to pay for the new facility. We would force the athletics department
to stop raising money for the new events center until it raised enough money
for field hockey.
Good non-tenured professors, such as journalism Assistant Professor David Weinstock, wouldn’t be shown the door.
CMU officials would explain to the campus community how to properly
use the painted white lines on the sidewalk between the Charles V. Park Library
and Moore Hall.
Better entertainment acts than Lance Bass from *NSync would come to
perform on campus. We would ask the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe to share
some of its acts slated to perform at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort.
University officials would have to secure all of its commencement speakers in advance instead of a week before graduation.
(04/26/04 4:00am)
When the Board of Trustees met for more than 2 1/2 hours in a private, “informal
session” Thursday, sadly, it appeared to be business as usual.
Board chairman James Fabiano defended the meeting with senior administrators
regarding budgetary issues, saying, “that’s our educational session.”
Well, now that it’s over, sit down and listen up. This is my “educational session.”
This one will be much shorter, more to the point, and will definitely be open to the public.
Let’s get one thing straight right now. The next time the board gets together
to discuss how to spend my money, I better get an invite.
In fact, so should every other student, faculty member and Michigan taxpayer.
All meetings where budgetary matters are discussed need to be open to
the public. If the board needs time to discuss items regarding personnel
issues in private, fine. But when that conversation ends, the public has
a right to come back in and listen to what these policy makers are thinking.
Making the public stand outside in the hall while the trustees meet in
secret with senior administrators is shameful, disrespectful and possibly
illegal.
We warned the trustees in an editorial back in November to not pull the
same stunt that the Oakland University board pulled, by talking about budget
issues in private.
Apparently, they didn’t listen.
Bad move.
Oakland University’s student newspaper, The Oakland Post, sued the trustees
in circuit court. The paper’s initial suit wasn’t successful, but maybe it’s
time to see if another judge would see things in a different light.
Whether the courts decide what the trustees did is legal or not, it still shouldn’t be done at all.
That is still my money, and the board is still discussing what to do with
it without my input. At the very least, I have the right to sit in the same
room and hear the discussion.
Trustee and former board chairwoman Melanie Reinhold Foster said anyone
criticizing the board’s seemingly behind-closed-doors policy does make a
valid point, but “there’s never any decisions made behind closed doors.”
Of course, we don’t know that because no one was there to make sure.
That, in essence, is the core reasoning for having Michigan’s Open Meetings Act.
As students and citizens, we have a right to watch how our governmental
bodies work and have the chance to take part in the democratic process.
This board, though, apparently feels it is above that law and it does not apply.
Deciding things in private, and meeting in public only to rubber-stamp
whatever policies are on the agenda is a disservice to the students it claims
to concern itself with.
Once the board left the informal session at 11:30 a.m., it spent 15 minutes
on agenda items for the scheduled committee meetings, then adjourned for
lunch.
Board members obviously had other things on their mind when they got back
from lunch for the formal 1 p.m. meeting that lasted roughly an hour.
The board members were guests at the Lem Tucker Journalism Scholarship
dinner that night at the Atheneum Hotel in downtown Detroit. I guess that’s
why it’s good to not discuss things in public at meetings — that way the
trustees could make it to the 6 p.m. reception on time, where a $125 a plate
dinner awaited them.
I hope there won’t be a fancy dinner waiting for the trustees on July
8, when it is scheduled to meet next. At that meeting, the trustees are expected
to decide on tuition rates, the proposed athletics fee and the women’s field
hockey team’s lack of a playing surface for next fall.
Those tough decisions call for student input, explanation and a board
that won’t rush through important points. Most importantly though, all of
it should be done in public.
Chris Gautz is the editor of Central Michigan Life. Send comments to editor@cm-life.com.
(04/23/04 4:00am)
Melanie Reinhold Foster said despite what some may think, it is not the Board
of Trustees’ intention to operate behind closed doors.
(04/23/04 4:00am)
While minorities account for 29 percent of male athletes at CMU, minorities in women’s sports account for just 5 percent.
Only eight out of 148 women athletes at Central are minorities, according
to Athletics Director Herb Deromedi. There are no women athletes of color
on the soccer, volleyball or softball teams; and women’s track and field
and basketball are the only sports with multiple athletes of color.
Deromedi said the reason for the low numbers is the lack of interest in
sports like field hockey, where the only athlete of color is Cortney Blanchard.
“We think athletics do bring diversity to campus,” Deromedi said. “Both
geographical diversity from out of state, and diversity when we talk about
athletes of color.”
Freshman Sheena Smith, the lone black athlete on the gymnastics team, said she is used to being a minority in her sport.
“Sometimes at the beginning of the year I felt out of place because I
was used to having more African-Americans around me,” Smith said. “But my
teammates were good about it and accepted me on the team.”
Smith said although the numbers are low, she does not think it is a problem.
She said she would welcome any black recruit to the school.
Men’s teams are much more diverse at CMU. Men’s track is 22 percent minority,
football is 44 percent minority and 52 percent of the men’s basketball team
are minorities.
Men’s basketball coach Jay Smith said diversity in his program is imperative.
“It allows us to see things from different perspectives,” Jay Smith said.
“Without question, the mix of African-Americans and Caucasians is part of
the melting pot of America.”
Lamar Chapman is the only black assistant coach on the basketball staff.
Before Chapman, Cornell Mann, who is black, was an assistant coach. Mann
is now coaching at Western Michigan University.
Gymnastics coach Jerry Reighard has had two people of color on his team in the last five years.
“I think diversity is really important,” Reighard said. “I believe all of collegiate sports should have diversity.”
Reighard said the lack of women of color in his program is because of lack of participation in the sport.
“Ten years ago there were virtually no African-American girls on the recruiting
trail,” Reighard said. “But I have seen more and more in the last five years.”
Reighard said there are many factors other than race that come into recruiting an athlete.
“My number one priority is to have the best possible athletes I can have,”
Reighard said. “I am not looking for any one particular cultural group, but
when the opportunity arises to bring an athlete of color into the program
I think it is a good opportunity.”
Reighard said he did not bring Smith in because of race.
“She was a nationally-ranked athlete (in high school),” Reighard said.
“I knew her strengths and abilities she brought to certain events would help
our program.”
(04/21/04 4:00am)
When the Board of Trustees meets Thursday for the final time this semester,
it will vote on several important issues, including the College of Extended
Learning tuition increase and a possible 4 percent room and board increase
for students living on campus.
While we do hope they use the suggestions and ideas produced by students,
committees and professors during the past months to make wise decisions on
these matters, it seems remiss that the trustees are avoiding decisions on
two important and waning issues: the one-time athletics fee for incoming
students and the women’s field hockey complex.
The season of college applications and acceptances are upon us.
Unsuspecting high school seniors throughout the state and the Midwest
wait-out their excitement anticipating a letter to show up in the mail, when
their immediate future will be cemented in one simple rip of an envelope.
All this without the knowledge that in a few months the trustees will probably
charge them an extra $300 to come to CMU to bail out the Athletics Department.
It seems prudent to share with incoming students that the school is likely
to enact the fee. While the fee will probably not be the determining factor
in a student’s decision of which school they go to, making a decision on
the fee now, instead of July 8, the next scheduled board meeting, could make
the students believe they are coming into an institution that is open and
honest with its students.
Putting off a decision on the women’s field hockey issue is also foolish.
The team will begin practice in early August. On Sept. 24 the team will
play its first home game. But unless the board calls a special meeting, or
Athletics Director Herb Deromedi takes things into his own hands — which
doesn’t seem likely — the team will not know its fate until July 8.
That leaves just a few weeks before the first practice and a few more until the first home game.
Not deciding on these issues Thursday is a mistake. The board does not
need more time. Hundreds of hours have already been lost in discussions,
suggestions and meetings determining the best for the university.
Throughout the semester, the administration has sought the input of students
and faculty through numerous open forums. It seems now that it will make
these important decisions during the summer, when it can no longer fully
benefit from those opinions.
The time for decisions is now.
(04/19/04 4:00am)
Sophomore Erica Takach scored two goals to help the field hockey team beat
host Ohio University 3-1 Sunday in spring league competition.
Central led 2-0 at halftime before senior Alison Foland scored for the Chippewas.
“We were able to control the tempo throughout the game,” said coach Cristy Freese.
The Chippewas earned the right to play Ohio State University for third place after beating Ohio.
Central came up short, in a 3-2 Buckeyes decision.
Sophomore Alisa Folk scored the game’ s first goal off a penalty corner, with the assist coming from junior Amy Kauffman.
Freshman Cortney Blanchard scored to tie the game at two in the second
half, but OSU scored late in the game to seal the victory.
“I thought we played well on offense and defense all weekend,” Freese
said. “We had some injuries but people stepped up and gave us the offensive
production we needed.”
Junior Kristy Reed sat out with an injury. She was named to the All-Mid American Conference first team last season.
These two games were the conclusion of spring league competition and Freese said the team has made improvements in many areas.
“We got a good look at players who didn’t play as much during the season and I feel good about where this team is at,” she said.
(04/16/04 4:00am)
The budget crisis is upon us. You might not realize it, but this university’s
budget is in the toilet to the tune of $7.3 million.
