On Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007 in the Rankin Center Dome Room, nine ladies were put to the ultimate test to receive the title “Delta’s Next Top Diva”.

The actual show was scheduled to start at 8 p.m. and included: Devan Bell, Tiara Clark, Ashley Garvin, Lawren Lipscomb, Devona Marshall, Khalia McClinton, KiAra Perry, Dia Price and Lashonda Smith.

The show was a replica of America’s Next Top Model. There were four individuals who acted as the judges. The judging table included Ferris State students Curtis Johnson, Courtney Brock, Keontay Kelly, and Michel Noble.

A runway with bright lights was the center of attention and the center stage for the models. Round tables that sat six to seven people included center pieces of pictures of the Divas and high fashion purses.

The prize for the winner, Ferris State senior Dia Price, included a life-size poster of her best picture, the cover page of Delta’s calendar, and a grand entrance to the party “Welcome to Hollywood” sponsored by the organization last Friday Nov. 30, 2007. The winner will also receive free admission to future Delta events.

“More people came to the event than we thought would come. There were people standing outside the Dome room and there weren’t enough chairs,” said Callie Thomas, Vice President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Zeta Rho Chapter.

“We just wanted to do something different for the campus and that would give the girls a different way to display their talent instead of a normal pageant type event,” Thomas commented.

According to Thomas, Delta’s Next Top Diva will become an annual event because of its success.

The ladies were judged on overall attitude, creativity, and chemistry with their “eye candy” who were the male models.

Eye candy included David Johnson II who was paired with Price, Keenan Bowman, Timothy Houges, Eric Andrews, Delano Boles, Joesph Hardy, Dewayne Starks and Ryan McNee.

Each lady had to model a high fashion outfit while walking to a song which described them. At the end of the walk they were surprised with a Nickelodeon tune to walk to again.

There were challenges set up for the contestants to do. One challenge was to create an outfit or accessory using office supplies, a black trash bag and a white trash bag, black tape and yellow tape. They were required to complete the challenge in three minutes and then showcase their creation down the runway.

Each young lady was the star in their own commercial. Each commercial required the contestant to dress up like the item they were trying to pitch. Some of the items that were being pitched were Oreo cookies, Pepsi, and a Hershey's Kiss.

During the last scene the ladies took center stage to listen to their critiques from the judges. The final decision was not just about the walk and the pictures but creativity from each of the participants.

At the end of each evaluation the participants took the stage to hear the announcement of Delta’s Next Top Diva.

Dia Price will go down in history as the first ever Delta’s Next Top Diva. With one last runway walk , a spin and a small tease to the audience, Price was applauded and handed her winning picture.

On Thursday, Nov. 29 at 6:30 p.m. the student NAACP held a meeting in the Rankin Center to discuss events in the media, membership, and instructions on how to register to vote.

Veronica Clarke was one of the presenters. Clarke, a junior social work major, answered questions after the event took place.

Of the media that were discussed, “the way African Americans are portrayed on televisions shows and in the papers,” indicated Clarke, is particularly an issue. As the organization looks at “new events,” they discussed, among other things, the media frenzy over Michael Vick and O.J. Simpson.

After discussion of shows that play into racial stereotypes as may be portrayed on Black Entertainment Channel (BET), it seemed like the general consensus was, as explained by Clarke, “if we don’t like the way African Americans are being portrayed then… stop watching the shows that portray African Americans in negative ways.”

One of the stories from the media about racism discussed, on the other hand, according to Clarke, were the nooses being hung at Central Michigan University.

The question was discussed of what would be done if the same thing happened on the Ferris State University campus and what steps can be taken to prevent that kind of thing from happening.

The voting registration contingent of the discussion went into education and details of absentee ballots and local voting sites.

Clarke explained that “The reason this meeting is so important is because we want students to be aware of the elections and to be conscious of the changes that are taking place, whether they are negative or positive.”

Also discussed was proper etiquette in the workplace.

“The purpose of the event” was, said Clarke, “to make people aware to some of the latest events that are going on in the world and that is going on campus.”

Martin Gordon and Andrea Beck-Jones, an administrative assistant in the office of multicultural student services were also presenters.

Clarke considered the event an overall success. “The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People fights for equality, diversity, and knowledge. Any positive change in the community is a start,” concluded Clarke.

Ferris State senior Tonnieo Graves, is raising awareness on Ferris State campus and the surrounding communities about disabilities with his most recent project Rising Stars.

“The purpose is to let people know the trials and tribulations of having a disability while going through school. We don’t want people to feel sorry for us, but we want people to learn from our experiences. We are trying to deliver the message that anybody, including people with disabilities can achieve their goals,” Graves said.

Like all projects, it began as a simple idea to show that people with disabilities lead happy lives. Graves didn’t want it to be just another sad story.

After talking with Dr. David Pilgrim, Professor Clayton Ryan, and FSU student Ivan Trevor, Graves put his plan in motion.

He contacted Connect, a disability coalition, about his plans. Connect then agreed to cover the expenses of the project. Graves relayed the information to Ryan who insisted it was not necessary. The project became an assignment for Ryan’s class.

Graves contacted seven students he personally knew with disabilities and formed a focus group. As Graves asked questions, the students responded as openly and honestly as possible.

The final result was a 30 minute documentary that gives people an “inside look” on life with a disability.

“Throughout years I’ve seen people with sad stories and people feeling sorry for people with disabilities. I wanted to change the attitudes and outlook about it and say look, just because we have barriers in front of us doesn’t mean we aren’t people. People with disabilities lead normal lives too. They have jobs, relationships, and family,” Graves commented.

Planning for the project took approximately four months. It is scheduled to air on Ferris T.V. the week of finals. The exact date is currently unknown.

“These students showed the true meaning of rising stars because each one is a rising star in their own. Congratulations to them,” Graves said.

As the semester comes closer to the end, open sessions are being held on campus by University officials as part of the selection process for new employees or employees in new positions.

One of the positions being filled is that of the director of equal opportunity. The first open forum on this was held last week on Monday, Nov. 26 from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m., for candidate Pamela Meadows. The second part of this selection process is today at the same time. Michael Woods is the candidate that will be evaluated today. The announcements stated the place for these sessions to be room 302 last week and room 307 today in the Timme Center for Student Services Building.

The second opportunity for employee evaluation also continues this week. The open sessions for the new full time director of multicultural student services started on Monday Dec. 3 with times at 11a.m., 2:30, and 3:30 p.m. for Matthew Chaney in the position. And today marks the second part of that with meetings with Karen GreenBay for the same position at the same times of the day.

Miles Postema, Ferris State University’s general counsel, answered some questions about the open forums being held for the equal opportunity director.

The first thing that Postema said was that these open forums are not those typical for Ferris students to discuss big issues that are happening around campus. Rather, he called them, “an opportunity for people on campus to ask questions [of a potential employee] when that [employee] will be working directly with people on campus.”

Postema also made it a point that, although “students are certainly welcome,” this was an event primarily for other employees to get to know candidates. “It’s an evaluative tool” and “a useful tool in interviewing,” said Postema, “used by the organization.” For those who didn’t get a chance to participate in the interviewing process, it offers them a chance to ask questions and get to know who they may be working with in the future.

The position will be working out of the office of the Governmental Relations and General Counsel that is located in McKessy House.

It will require the individual to have his or her own Affirmative Action Plan based on national laws. The person in the position will also train employees on the issues of sexual harassment and other “respectful workplace” practices.

While “the position will report to me” said Postema, the person will be working all over campus. As legal counsel for Ferris State University, Postema will also make sure all policies are in accordance with state and federal laws.

“This is the person who responds to complaints of discrimination and harassment,” whether from or about employees, said Postema, and “reviews the hiring of new employees.” As part of all that, Postema said, “this person will be responsible for student employees.”

The person filling the role of equal opportunity director must “promote diversity hand in glove with the diversity officer” said Postema. So, as these events are very different, they are related because both jobs will require cooperation and the advancement of the message of diversity and acceptance.

The hiring of a director of multicultural student services has been advertised more openly to students, as e-mail announcements were addressed directly to students. These were sent from Leroy Wright to MyFSU imail accounts of Ferris students on Friday morning.

The e-mailed fliers invited participants to help select someone to lead in the university’s efforts “in promoting inclusion, student development, social justice, and multicultural awareness.”

Leroy Wright, the dean of student life, was put in charge of the project of an internal search process for the director of multicultural student services. He will be facilitating the event. Wright said, “We have scheduled open sessions with the candidates so that students, faculty, staff, and RSOs can have time with them.”

Matthew Chaney is currently the interim director of multicultural student services. However, Wright said, “the division of student affairs would like to hire a permanent person in the role.”

Wright continued, “Candidates will have an opportunity to share who they are and their interest in the position at all open sessions.” Added to that, audience members will be able to ask questions and give written feedback to the candidates.

Karen GreenBay holds the job of coordinator of the scholar peer mentor program at Ferris State.

A decision for the director of multicultural student services should be made by the beginning of the spring semester.

Where would you go during a tornado warning? What does the tornado alarm sound like? Is there a tornado alarm? These are just some of the questions students, faculty, and staff are answering on the tornado readiness survey. The survey is being given by students in Professor Jennifer Johnson’s GEOG 121 class as part of an end of semester project.

The survey will help assess the level of preparedness in case of a tornado emergency on the Big Rapids campus. Almost every building on campus, with exception of the residence halls, is being assessed by the survey. The residence halls already have strict emergency procedures and signs posted on the back of every suite door outlining them.

Students, faculty, and staff are being asked to fill out the anonymous survey, and those who complete it will be entered in a raffle to receive an emergency weather radio. The radio give away is being sponsored by the Political Engagement Project. The radio constantly monitors for weather related emergencies, amber alerts, and other useful bulletins.

The surveys are a great low cost way to evaluate the level of emergency preparedness on campus. The surveys for each building will be combined with a documentation of all the information on emergency protocol posted for public view. This compilation will allow each building to be assessed individually.

The project is being done under the supervision of Johnson and the campus Safety Coordinator Michael McKay. McKay is very enthused about the project because it reaches a lot of people with minimal spending.

One of the goals of the study is to raise awareness about tornado preparedness and get students to think about what they would do in an emergency weather situation. “…We’ve only had five or so tornados in Big Rapids in the past fifty years, that’s just enough to pose a threat, but not have it be in the forefront of peoples’ minds,” said Johnson. “We are trying to ask ourselves, ‘what are the simple things we can do to prevent a possible tragedy?’”

Although Big Rapids has a comparatively low occurrence of tornados, it has seen its fair share of weather emergencies throughout history. In 1956 an F5 tornado hit the city and an F3 struck later in 1968, both causing millions of dollars in damages.

I was approached by one of the students in Johnson’s class and asked to fill out one of the surveys. I was very surprised by how many of the questions I could not answer. Johnson says that this is not uncommon for students to be unfamiliar with emergency procedure.

Students who would like to participate in the survey can contact Johnson at jenniferjohnson@ferris.edu.

No Bike for you
On Nov. 13, at 9:30 p.m., a bike was reported stolen from Cramer Hall. The theft occurred sometime between Nov. 6 and 8.

Altered Decal
On Nov. 14, at 10:30 a.m., an altered parking decal was located in lot 37. The owner of the vehicle was contacted and ticketed.

Damaged Vehicle>br> On Nov. 14 at 10:15 p.m., a vehicle was reported damaged in lot 4. The rear window of the vehicle was broken out. There are no suspects.

Bike be Gone
On Nov. 15 at 3 p.m., there was bike reported stolen from a bike rack outside Brophy Hall. The theft occurred sometime between Nov. 9 and 12.

Damaged Mirrors
On Nov. 15 at 4:50 p.m., a vehicle was reported damaged in lot 28. The vehicles rear view mirrors were damaged on both sides of the vehicle.

Roommate Dispute
On Nov. 15 at 5 p.m., officers assisted hall staff at Miller Hall for a dispute between roommates. The incident was turned over to Hall staff.

Asking for an MIP
On Nov. 16 at 12:30 a.m., officers assisted Brophy Hall staff with an intoxicated subject. The subject was found to be a MIP and ticketed.

Reefer
On Nov. 16 4:30 a.m., officers located a marijuana complaint in Pickell Hall. One subject was referred to the office of student conduct.

Doobie
On Nov. 17 at 11 p.m., officers assisted Brophy Hall staff with a marijuana complaint. One subject was referred to the office of student conduct.

Public Humiliation
On Nov. 18 at 1:50 a.m., officers arrested a male subject for urination in public at the backdoor of McNerny Hall. The subject was lodged in the County jail.

Auto Larceny
On Nov. 18 at 10 a.m., there was a report of a larceny from an auto. The incident occurred in lot 47. The window of the vehicle was broken out and a radar detector was stolen.

Ride Away
On Nov. 18 at 5:45 p.m., a bike was stolen from the bike rack at FLITE. The incident occurred within the previous hour.

Get High
On Nov. 18 at 8 p.m., there was a report of a marijuana complaint in lot 28. Two subjects were found to be using marijuana and were referred to the office of student conduct.

Stupid Driver
On Nov. 19 at 3:25 p.m., an officer stopped a vehicle on Elm Street for going the wrong way on a one way. The driver was found to have a suspended license and was ticketed.

Scratched
On Nov. 19 at 4:25 p.m., a vehicle was reported damaged in lot 5. The driver side of the vehicle was scratched with an unknown object.

Smoking
On Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m., there was a marijuana complaint at the East Campus Apartments. Upon investigating, officers located two subjects; both subjects were lodged in the County jail for possession of marijuana and intent to deliver.

Broken
On Nov. 20 at 3:30 p.m., a vehicle was reported damaged in lot 1. The owner of the vehicle found the rear view mirror of the driver’s door broken and on the ground.

Outstanding Warrant
On Nov. 20 at 11:30 p.m., officers arrested a subject for having an outstanding warrant. The incident occurred at Brophy hall and the subject was lodged in jail.

Front Bumper
On Nov. 21 at 12 p.m., a vehicle was reported damaged in lot 23. It was a hit and run accident that left one vehicle with a damaged front bumper.

Driver Condemned
On Nov. 23 at 1:40 p.m., officers stopped a vehicle on State Street for doing an improper U-turn. The driver was found to have no driver’s license and was lodged in jail.

Trespassing
On Nov. 23 at 4:30 p.m., officers arrested a male subject for trespassing into the West Campus Apartments. The suspect was lodged in the County jail.

Witnesses
On Nov. 25 at 8:30 p.m., there was a hit and run accident in lot 29. The victim’s vehicle was damaged on the driver’s side. Witnesses reported seeing a white vehicle involved in the crash. Officers are continuing the investigation.

Hit and Run
On Nov. 26 at 3:30 p.m., there was a report of a hit and run accident in lot 1. The passenger mirror of a parked vehicle was damaged sometime over the previous 24 hours.

Stolen Bike
On Nov. 27 at 10 a.m., a bike was stolen from Travis Hall bike rack. The bike had been stolen sometime in the previous week.

Headlight Removed
On Nov. 27 at 2:30 p.m., there was a report made of a headlight missing; the headlight had been removed from the vehicle in lot 33. There are no suspects at this time.

Stolen Cell
On Nov. 27 at 4:30 p.m., there was a report of a stolen cell phone from FLITE. The victim reported leaving the phone on a desk and left; upon returning the phone was gone.

Kryptonite
On Nov. 28 at 12:04 a.m., officers assisted Bond Hall staff concerning a marijuana complaint. Officers confiscated paraphernalia from a room and the subjects involved were referred to the office of student conduct.

Grass Brownies
On Nov. 28 at 12:13 a.m., officers responded to a possible marijuana complaint at Cramer Hall. Officers are currently seeking warrants for possession of marijuana with that case.

Mary Jane
On Nov. 29 at 12:05 a.m., officers assisted hall staff at Ward with a possible marijuana complaint. The subjects involved were referred to the office of student conduct.

Five Finger Discount
On Nov. 30 at 1:15 a.m., officers observed a subject carrying an item stolen from River Rock bar on State Street. The subject was arrested and lodged in the County jail for theft of property. The item stolen was a NASCAR hood sign.

Ticket Totals
This total and count is from two weeks of information due to the Thanksgiving break. From Nov. 14 to Nov. 28 public safety identified 828 violators. Each violator was ticketed for a total of $14,310. Amount depends on whether the ticket was paid, voided, or reduced.

DPS Announcement
All bicycles need to be removed from bike racks before the end of the semester. All bikes left on campus will be confiscated; the bikes will be sold and auctioned off.

Writing Center Announcement
The writing center will be unavailable after Wednesday, Dec. 5. They will resume e-mail tutoring the second week of the Spring Semester.

Library Announcement
There are new databases available through the Michigan Electronic Library. FLITE provides links to the databases. For more information contact FLITE at ferris.edu/library/reference/homepage.html

IT Announcement
The Information Services and Telecommunications have changed their name to Information Technology Services. To view other changes visit, ferris.edu/itservices/

Ferris Stars
Dine at Bob Evans tonight from 4 to 9 p.m., and you can get 20% of your bill donated to the Make-A Wish Foundation. For more information contact Valerie Willyard at willyav@fsuimail.ferris.edu. The event is sponsored by the Ferris Stars for The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan.

International Potluck
The International Student Advisors Office is hosting a potluck at the West Campus Community Center. The event is tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information contact Shana Beisiegel at 591-2824.

Everybody’s Holiday
On Thursday, Dec. 6 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. the office of Multicultural Student Services is hosting a free event in Rankin Center 238. The event will present a presentation of traditions throughout various cultures. For more information Andrea Beck- Jones at 591-2617.

Tough Exams
The Graphic Arts Association will be selling index/flash cards for exams on Thursday, Dec. 6. They will be selling the cards at the Arts and Science Commons and the North Lobby of the College of Business.

Singing Christmas Carols
On Thursday, Dec. 6 at 12 p.m., the Newman center along with the College Republicans will be singing Christmas carols. For more information contact Robbie Rankey at 989-714-2224.

Dance Team Tryouts
On Friday, Dec. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m., the FSU Dance Team will be having tryouts. The tryouts will be held at the Student Rec. Center Aerobics Rooms. For more information contact Jessie Hunt at fsudanceteam@ hotmail.com.