Campus newspaper sees changes all around

By Laura Chene
News Editor

Within the past 70 years, virtually every aspect of the newspaper has altered in some way as a result of arising issues, different eras and a variety of staff personalities.

The birth of Ferris' school newspaper occurred in 1920. The Ferris Institute News, or F.I. News as shown on the masthead, was published every Thursday at the Pioneer office. It was put "on sale in the various departments of the school and on the business streets of the city."

The first name change was in 1921 when the publication became Institute News and was available to the public every Tuesday. In the early publications there were many small articles and many small black and white advertisements. Compared to today, the ads were very brief and very simple. A full-length, colored advertisement was unheard of.

Ten years later, in 1931, the students and staff began to know the paper as the Ferris Weekly. Advertisements started to grow in size, but still none of them had reached a full or even half-size page length. During the year, the staff enlarged the paper to 14 by 18 inches with six columns.

The paper changed the size back to five columns the following year, though, to make "a more attractive front page" and as a way to cut publishing costs and make it easier for people to carry. "Five makes standard collegiate size."

Throughout the late 1930s the newspaper staff consisted of a total of 17 members: 13 newcomers and four veterans.

In 1952, members reported on similar subject matter as seen today, such as enrollment. Apparently smoking was allowed in academic buildings back then because on the front page of a September 1960 issue appeared a reminder that there was no smoking in the hallways and to use the building's inside designated areas.

In 1970 some of the first colored pictures were seen. In the Oct. 16, 1970 issue, one of the members described an acknowledgment that the Torch had received: the paper received a first-class rating from the Associated Collegiate Press.

Judges from the ACP national headquarters in the University of Minnesota compared the paper with others in its classification. The Torch received points in five areas and was rated on coverage and content, writing and editing, editorial and leadership, physical appearance and photography.

In one September 1980 issue, a new column, Ferris Forum, was created as an attempt to beat the apathetic trend Dave Brown, editor-in-chief at the time, believed existed. The idea was "we'll come to you for your opinions" to include a sample of student body opinions published each week.

"The 1970s will probably go down in history as the apathetic decade that it is unless we become even more indifferent in the 1980s," Brown wrote. "Ferris students have not been immune from the I-don't-give-a-damn attitude . . . This campus has seemed like a model apathetic community."

Brown tried to reverse the passive trend. "It's very difficult to find the cause for such a pessimistic attitudinal trend, but we may have a clue; Ferris students don't care about what's happening simply because they're not involved in what's happening, and perhaps that's because they are not aware of what's happening."

In the late 1980s, readers saw in their advertisements some business names that today's students would recognize. In the Oct. 10, 1989 issue there was a two-page layout devoted to homosexuality. It was titled, "National coming-out day causes transition for gays." Within the special section some headlines included, "Gays deserve respect," "'Natural' thing is to find a girl," "Gays smile a certain smile" and "Gays deserve respect." There was also a column that listed the names of famous homosexuals.

In the Oct. 17, 1989 issue an article titled, "Mario Bros. enroll at FSU" included feelings on Nintendo's effect on students at the campus. In the article, staff writer Eric Van Trump listed various effects of playing video games, such as becoming upset at different people after not playing well and not completing studies as a result of becoming addicted.

He noted one injury, Nintendo Thumb, "which produces blisters on the thumb caused by prolonged playing. Game addicts also report that playing too much may result in an irritating eye condition called Nintendo eyes."

In 1990 there was an Aspect Section, which is not included in today's publications. The section featured Van Trump's Travel, written by Eric Van Trump. There was also a horoscope section by Millikan the Mystic that was "compiled unscientifically and should not be taken as authentic representation of future events."

Horoscopes were apparently popular because, despite changes within the newspaper during the coming 1990s, the section continued. The section was transformed to Riff Raff horoscopes by Lunar Linda. Various employment positions existed then that are not available today. They include assistant editorial editor, special section editor and a feature editor. There were about 20 writers, 12 editors and assistant editors and one editor in chief. One similarity, however, was the use of two-page photo layouts.

As the Torch continues through the 21st century, it celebrates its 70th anniversary. This special edition acknowledges all of the hard work many individuals have put into the paper to ensure its existence throughout the years.

Photo by James Bednarick, Photo Editor

The Good Neighbors Association held its annual general membership meeting to discuss improvements to the city of Big Rapids. About 25 people showed up to this meeting shown above including PGM professor Matt Pinter (left).

Won't you be my neighbor?

By Amy McElmurray
Assistant News Editor

Despite the attendance of many Big Rapids citizens at the annual general membership meeting of the Good Neighbors Association (GNA) last Monday, Nov. 26 at City Hall, there were no Ferris students to voice concerns.

"We exist to promote quality neighborhoods in Big Rapids. We are not out to get people," Mary Ryan, president of GNA, said.

The association has been meeting with Ferris administration to work out problems with off-campus housing for students. Both groups feel the housing is inadequate, according to Ryan. There is even talk of putting a student rental office on campus to help students smoothly transition from life on campus to a residence in the city. This is just in the brainstorming phase and could possibly be worked out sometime in the future.

"Ferris State University will continue to advocate for the need for adherence to quality standards for residential units in the neighborhoods adjacent to the university," President William Sederburg stated in a letter to Ryan.

The two main issues the GNA hopes to confront this year are parking and litter. The group is concerned with the number of cars being parked at rental homes and people parking on the grass in front yards of homes. Also, litter is a big problem throughout the city, and the group hopes to solve this problem soon. A possibility would be placing trash containers around downtown, such as the ones on Ferris' campus.

"I was able to pick up a full bag of trash walking down Michigan Avenue today," Ryan said.

Another solution to the litter problem would be having every person pick up trash they see, as well as simply not littering. GNA hopes to eliminate this issue so that downtown looks nicer to visitors and Big Rapids residents.

Code enforcement is a big concern with the GNA. Many codes exist within the city, but they are not being enforced. The association does report any problems members see to city officials.

The group offered its thanks to Officer James Taylor for helping to enforce the current codes. They also expressed a desire to get the position of city director/planner filled. The position has been vacant for over a year, and the group is doing its part to make sure the spot is filled in a more timely fashion.

Ryan was very proud to announce the winners of this fall's Property Maintenance awards. Various homes across the city received recognition for their work in beautifying the neighborhoods. Ferris State University received an award for the addition of FLITE to the entrance of campus. Any person can nominate properties for this award.

The GNA set out its goals for the next year at this annual meeting. One goal is to better understand why the city is losing its population.

Ryan stated that 64 percent of the homes in the city are rentals, which leads them to believe that students are taking over a large section of the city. Members discussed the issue of Ferris enrollment during the census years and how that has affected the city's population.

Another goal of the group is to continue communicating with Ferris officials about the importance of decent rental housing for students.

GNA's next meeting will be on Jan. 28, 2002 at the Big Rapids Community Library. Students, renters, landlords and single-family owners/occupants are encouraged to attend and share their concerns.

Letters of concern can be sent to the Good Neighbors Association

 NAACP invites every student to join

By Oshotayo Adedeji
Ferris State Torch

Ferris students encourage student participation in The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the nation's largest, strongest and oldest civil rights organization.

NAACP is now a network of more than 2,200 affiliates covering all 50 states including over 450 Youth Councils and over 100 college chapters. Students involved in the group at Ferris give reasons why everyone, regardless of race, should consider joining.

"I enjoy being president and a member. I feel like this organization is about to bring a change on this campus. Encourage everybody to look into and possibly become a member because it's something that can affect and benefit everyone," Ferris' NAACP President Javonn Campbell said. Campbell, a sophomore in respiratory-care and healthcare systems administration, feels strongly about the new organization and its involvement.

According to Kawame Curry, a senior in hotel restaurant management and a member of the Political Action Committee, "I believe in NAACP, and organizations like it are very vital to this country and the rest of the world because no one is free when others are oppressed."

Curry also added, "The NAACP is open to any person, whether white, who might be interested in knowing about the organization. It's not just for minorities."

The NAACP began its existence in 1905 when the Niagara Movement was formed. A race riot occurred in Springfield, Ill. in the summer of 1908, and "The Call" of National Negro Committee was developed in 1909. In 1910, the NAACP was incorporated in New York City.

The founders of NAACP are Mary White Ovington, Dr. W. E. B. DuBois, William English Walling, Dr. Henry Moskowitz and Ida B. Wells.

The creation of a formal youth structure within the NAACP began in 1936 under the leadership of Executive Secretary Walter White. He felt that the youth program offered an opportunity for the NAACP to get into its membership large numbers of younger people who might not join.

Impressed by the dynamism of the City Wide Youth People's Forum in Baltimore, and acting upon a petition by NAACP youth members for a more vital part in the organization, he created the division to lead the nation's youth in "militant and aggressive campaign against bigotry and inequality."

The NAACP college chapters are engaged in social justice advocacy, addressing issues such as voter empowerment, economic development, criminal justice, healthcare and educational excellence.

Students have been involved in most major social movements around the world. From the civil rights movements of the 1960s, to the anti-apartheid movement of the 1980s, campus activism has forced America and the world to change.

Throughout the nation, NAACP college chapters promote activism on their campuses and in their communities by organizing town hall meetings and workshops, launching direct action campaigns and mobilizing rallies and demonstrations around specific issues and legislation that affect young people.

The NAACP college chapter allows students to learn about pertinent issues and opportunities, to develop leadership and professional skills, to build partnerships with other organizations and to grow a better campus and community.

The meetings for next semester will be held on Mondays at 6 p.m. For more information, please contact Javonn Campbell at 591-2617, or visit the website at NAACP.org.

Photo Courtesy of Phi Delta Chi

Rockwell Williams, a Phi Delta Chi fraternity member, poses as Santa Claus at the Christmas party last Saturday. He handed out a number of presents that boys and girls had asked for on wish lists.

Santa arrives early this year

By Jessica Wortley
Ferris State Torch

Santa Claus came a few weeks early this year for 26 local children. The 18 boys and eight girls gathered at the Phi Delta Chi fraternity house this past Saturday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. for an early Christmas party complete with Santa himself.

Hosted by Phi Delta Chi, a professional pharmacy fraternity, and the Alpha Xi Delta, a social sorority, the children gathered for a fun afternoon filled with Christmas-related activities.

"It was a really big success," Josh Lange, Phi Delta Chi president, said. "Everyone seemed really happy"

Upon arriving, the children were introduced to everyone and were shown around the house. They played football and pool but mostly sat around and talked with the college students. After a while, the kids were treated to pizza and pop while they watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

"It was really cool," Tara Nummela, social chair for Alpha Xi Delta, said. "The kids were wonderful and weren't intimidated at all by us college kids."

The highlight of the afternoon was the arrival of Santa Claus. "It was great to see the smiles on the kids' faces when Santa handed them their presents," Zack Deyo, a Phi Delta Chi member, said.

Each child was given two or three presents. The fraternity bought presents for the boys while the sorority bought presents for the girls using wish lists provided by the children themselves.

Presents included remote controls cars, Hot Wheels cars, Pokemon toys and clothes for the boys. Barbie dolls, makeup kits, ice skates and jewelry were given to the girls.

"The kids almost didn't know what to do," Nummela said. "They were running around hugging us and saying how thankful they were."

The best part about the party is that it is free for the children. It was started as a way to give back to the community, according to Mark Lysiuk, the fraternity's social chair and event coordinator. The children are underprivileged kids from around the area who would not normally have a good Christmas with food and presents.

"We love helping these children, and it's nice to see a smile on their faces," Lysiuk stated.

Alexander Woody, a Phi Delta Chi brother, agreed. "It was definitely a fulfilling experience," he said.

According to Lysiuk, Phi Delta Chi has been hosting this annual Christmas party for about 15 years, and each year the organization coordinates with a different sorority.

Working with Alpha Xi Delta was perfect this year because the sorority's philanthropy theme is "Choose Children."

The cost of the party is around $1,000, split almost evenly between the fraternity and sorority. The sorority specifically uses their money for presents, while the fraternity covers the food and movie along with presents.

This money is raised throughout the year in a variety of ways.

"Most of it comes from our general account," Lange said. "This money is mostly donated by our brothers and alumni." Lange said they also do fundraisers, such as working at Van Andel arena for special events.

Each year, the party is also sponsored by local businesses. This year, however, it was only sponsored by Meijer, which donated a $50 gift card for presents. Lange also mentioned that Domino's gave them a deal on the pizza.

To invite the children, the fraternity and sorority coordinated with Project Starburst, a non-profit organization that provides emergency aid to those in need. Project Starburst contacts families of children they feel would most benefit from the party and informs them of the details, such as the time and the place. Parents were encouraged to provide their own transportation, but rides were available if needed.

"We only plan the party and talk with Project Starburst employees," Lysiuk said. "We don't have any contact with the children or families until they arrive at the party."

Nummela mentioned that a few parents did stay at the party the whole time and that they enjoyed it also.

By the end of the afternoon, the kids were having such a good time they didn't want to go home. "Kids were asking if they could come back and if we could pick them up the next day," Lysiuk said. "They had so much fun, and we are very pleased with the party's success."

Photo by Mike Termini, Assistant Photo Editor

Director of Dining Services Lori Helmer (center) came to a recent Student Government meeting to discuss the possibility of a new dining meal plan at Ferris State University.

New meal plan may soon be offered

By Laura Chene
News Editor

Along with answering many questions, the director of the FSU Dining Services stated some possible new changes that may soon occur, including a gourmet coffee shop and a 15 meal plan, at last Wednesday's student government meeting.

On Nov. 28, Director of Dining Services Lori Helmer, at the invitation of Student Government and the Residence Hall Association (RHA), gave an in-depth presentation to the two groups and audience members. "I think it's important for [student leaders] to be well-equipped to answer questions," Helmer said. The presentation included a breakdown of Dining Services' operations, offered services, differences between other Michigan universities, customer satisfaction survey results and meal plan options.

Some administration members also made a special visit to answer questions. They included Vice President for Administration and Finance Richard Duffett, Associate Vice President for Auxiliary Enterprises Scott Schultz and Director of Auxiliary Enterprises Ed Shepard.

"This time I was very pleased to have four vice-presidents and the director come and talk to Student Government," Student Government Vice President for Governmental Relations Mircea-Ioan Cotosman said. "It tells us in student government that the administration is very concerned with the students' welfare, and more than that, they are willing to have the students involved in the decision-making process."

"I actually thought it went really well in all aspects," RHA member Brian Clark said.

Clark was involved with one of the proposed changes mentioned in Helmer's presentation. Under the group's proposal, the 15-meal plan would cost the same as the 19-meal plan but would include 150 dining dollars compared to the current 90 dining dollars.

After stating the proposal in a letter, RHA members met with Cotosman and Helmer last Monday. "We've actually started this from the beginning of the semester," Clark said. The proposal was composed to present a meal plan option in between the current 12-and 19-meal plans.

Other projected changes were mentioned. A new gourmet coffee shop is one new project Helmer said was being looked into. Helmer said that it would probably open at 7 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.

Students also expressed an interest in having passes on their meal plans that would be used strictly for guests. Helmer was receptive to the students' requests and said she would look into the feasibility of them.

Helmer explained why students are not able to pay for guests with their meals. "We want the students to bring in guests," Helmer said.

Helmer explained that allowing a guest to use a meal would result in an increase of $209.52 today to the current rates. The regular process of tracking meal plan participation would be affected, and consequently dining rates would increase.

According to Helmer, meal plan participation involves tracking the number of meals students use out of their entitled meals given to them.

Every week, through the ATT card access system, Dining Services tracks the average number of meals students use, and that percentage makes up the weekly participation. The weekly participation makes up the semester participation, which is then also figured into the percentage that makes up the participation for the entire academic year. Dining dollars do not make up part of the percentage.

The following year's budget is based on the anticipated meal plan participation, which is expected to be 65 to 70 percent this year. That means that it is anticipated that students will use 65 to 70 percent of their meals.

The rates are set accordingly to the projected participation percentages. Thus, students are paying for 70 percent of their meals. "The partial weeks and the holiday weeks are part of the overall average participation's week."

Dining Services does not charge students for the days when they are unable to use their meals due to the breaks.

Also during the meeting, Duffett responded to questions regarding contracting with outside companies to handle dining services rather than using the current in-house operations. About five years ago he spent a significant amount of time looking at outsourcing, and he said, "I'm going to guarantee you [Dining Services] will match anything you'll get with an outside firm."

At this point, Duffett said that there are no plans to outsource. After looking at different outsourcers, he said that he has not seen anything any other company can provide that dining services can't. "[Other companies] can't compete with us," Duffett said. "They couldn't take us."

Dining Services has been in self-operation since 1955 when residence halls were first built. "We are a sister department to housing," Helmer said. "We share a budget."

Helmer has also studied food services at other universities and has seen differences. One of the differences is the restriction many other universities place on a student's entitlement for each meal period. At Ferris a student is allowed to use as many meals in a meal period as they choose. "We allow more than one meal," Helmer said. "We serve more than 19 meal periods."

After stating that all of the colleges were represented at the meeting by student government representatives, Cotosman said, "Such a good representation of the administration and of the student body at the Student Government meeting is a testimony that Student Government is the one organization that represents the students, and more than that, has the power to take on some of the issues. I was very excited, and I have an even greater appreciation for the three people from Administration and Finance area and especially for Ms. Helmer for being so willing to come and talk to us."

Photo Courtesy of ClaytonMillerBluesBand.com

The Clayton Miller Blues Band L to R Larry, L.D., Clayton, and Cole is a family act who played at FSU on Nov. 17.

Blues resurgence at FSU

By Nick Schmidt
Ferris State Torch

Many people believe that the genre of blues music has become a thing of the past, only recently creating a resurgence within popular listening once again.

The performance of the Clayton Miller Blues Band on Nov. 27 only added to the interest of blues music, especially at Ferris State University.

To put an exclamation point on the end of the semester, the Music Industry Management Association brought in a very talented, professional band out of West Lafayette, Ind.

Recently opening for the Kenny Wayne Shephard Band, in their hometown, the Clayton Miller Blues Band had much to prove. Although they have only been together since early 1999, the band has been turning heads and performed true to form, delivering and exclaiming the message that blues is here to stay.

The group is made up of four members of the immediate Miller family. Involved are the three sons and the father, with their mother filling in as road manager.

Every individual plays an important role in the band. Cole, the drummer, is a 16- year-old who is very involved in other aspects of music outside the drums. He also plays bass and guitar. The father, Larry, lays out the bottom-end of the band playing the bass guitar.

The two most obvious stars of the group are Clayton Miller and his brother L.D., who is a nine-year-old prodigy.

L.D. is the harmonica player in the band and is just incredible at it. He has only been playing since spring break of 2000, but has progressed so quickly at the instrument already playing on-stage with the likes of blues legend Buddy Guy and others.

He also plays the guitar and the harp, having performed on the harp with such acts as Mississippi Heat, Governor Davis, the Blues Ambassadors and Mike Kelsey.

The definite leader of the group is the 20 year-old guitarist Clayton Miller. He called out a great deal of the cues during the performance and decided what songs to play.

"Along with being the leader, he is also the main songwriter and most serious," Clayton's mother said.

The way the group came about, his mother said, "... was by total coincidence. Clayton started playing a great deal and his brothers and father learned instruments to back him up and perform with him, helping him out with his individual efforts towards music."

Having a set of lungs must run deep in the gene pool with this family, because belting out soulful blues was like second nature to these boys. All of them sang except the father. Even L.D., the nine-year-old, was letting loose!

Although the three sing, the two main singers are Cole and Clayton.

The concert lasted one hour and there were approximately 75 people in attendance, which is a great turnout. Along with the full band performance, the band also plays acoustic shows that are supposedly extremely good.

Talking to Clayton, he said that they really had to hold back as far as playing goes.

"Anytime I started getting louder, going off, my guitar would start losing tone," he said. Being such a small, confined venue, it seems that the volume level would definitely have to be regulated, which can become very difficult to feed off of. He actually said that they were not too used to these kinds of regulations; blues is definitely a type of music that needs energy present to feed off of.

Even though they were very restricted as far as volume level goes, the guitar still sounded great and blended extremely well with the harmonica.

There were some flaws in the performance, however. At times it was rather difficult to hear the harmonica and it was hard to also hear the vocals every once in a while.

The drums were rather loud in comparison to the overall sound, but was pretty evident with the size of the venue and the restrictions left on the other instruments involved.

Another part of the overall sound was the volume of the guitar, which was pretty justifiable due to the scheme of the guitar-ladened tracks.

And what was the overall scheme of the band's sound? Simple bass guitar riffs, with walking bass lines, filled up the bottom-end of the sound. The drums kept the mildly paced beat with little amounts of fills, which was all that was needed to accomplish that aspect of the sound. The harmonica was played quite often, but left out in some songs and seemed to be purely improvisational. The guitar was the main part of the sound, giving Clayton ample opportunity to solo and improvise in nearly every song.

The overall end product was very good and was full of good dynamics spread throughout the entire performance. This band definitely delivered and was, in my opinion, the best band to come here this semester and will hopefully come back to Ferris State in the near future.

They have a full-length live CD available for purchase off of their website.

For more information about the band, go to their website at claytonmillerbluesband.com.

 


Photo Courtesy of CNN.com

George Harrison, the former lead guitar player for the Beatles, passed away last Thursday of lung cancer.

Then there were two

By Matt Cherry
Assistant A&E Editor

On Thursday, Nov. 29, the "Quiet Beatle," George Harrison, died at the age of 58.

It was at a friend's home in Los Angeles, Calif. that Harrison, who had been battling cancer for years, finally lost the war.

Harrison had seemingly overcome throat cancer in 1998. However, this year it was revealed that he was receiving therapy in Switzerland for lung cancer.

As Allan Kozinn said in the New York Times, "News of his death saddened fans, who turned out by the hundreds in places of special significance, like Abbey Road in London, the site of the EMI recording studio, and Strawberry Fields in Central Park, planted in memory of John Lennon."

In response to his death, the surviving Harrisons asked that fans take a moment of silence on Monday. Also on that day, a candlelit vigil was held in the town of Harrison's birth, Liverpool, England.

The memorial was held on the plateau outside of St. George's Hall.

Survived by his wife, Olivia, and son, Dhani, Harrison had always been an anchor for the Beatles and his family.

"The profound beauty of the moment of George's passing," as a statement by Mrs. Harrison said, "of his awakening from this dream - was no surprise to those of us who knew how he longed to be with God. In that pursuit, he was relentless."

Religion was important to Harrison ever since his first wife, Patti Boyd, had introduced him to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Harrison also believed in reincarnation and had said, "I don't know what as (sic). You go on being reincarnated until you reach the actual Truth. Heaven and Hell are just a state of mind."

The most important thing in Harrison's life, though, was his music.

"I think people who can live their life in music are telling the world: 'you can have my love, you can have my smiles. Forget the bad parts, you don't need them," Harrison once said. "'Just take the music, the goodness, because it's the very best,' and it's the part I give most willingly."

It was Harrison who brought much of the Eastern style of philosophy to the Beatles, as was evident when he played the sitar for the song "Norwegian Wood."

The response to Harrison's death has not only been by fans. Paul McCartney, now one of two surviving Beatles, has been one of many people to pay tribute to Harrison.

McCartney, whose wife Linda died of cancer in 1998, said, "I remember all the beautiful times we had together and I'd like to remember him like that because I know he would like to be remembered like that, he was a great guy, full of love for humanity but he didn't suffer fools gladly. He's a great man. He'll be sorely missed by everyone."

Also in memory of Harrison, actor Michael Palin said, "There was a mixture there and it was a rather pleasant mixture, and I think it helped him a lot in the last few years, that he had his spirituality. Death held no terrors for

George whatsoever, and he still got a lot out of life and found the humor was there right up to when the last time I saw him, which was in August."

Others that paid tribute were musician Yoko Ono, Beatles record producer Sir George Martin, Beatles historian Martin Lewis, and many others.

For more quotes, and for the full quotes used, go to http://www.cnn.com/2001/ SHOWBIZ/Music/11/30/harrison.tributes/index.html.

After the break up of the Beatles, Harrison went on to form his own record label, "Dark Horse." He also acted as a record producer and helped fund the Monty Python film, "The Life of Brian," as he was a fan of Monty Python's work.

He even went as far as to write the BBC (British Broadcast Company) in positive response to Monty Python's first television episode.

Harrison also founded the film company "Handmade Films" which produced movies such as "Mona Lisa" and "Shanghai Surprise."

The person who was Harrison will remain an enigma to many. As CNN's Graham Jones said, " The 'quiet one' who, as Monty Python's Eric Idle remarked, never stopped talking. The melancholy one who was a wisecracker."

Harrison, the man of whom John Lennon said, "George himself is no mystery. But the mystery of George inside is immense."

Harrison, dead at the age of 58, has left a large amount of dedicated family, friends and fans behind. Most of all, however, he has left behind a legacy.

Time for a little R&R

By Matt Cherry
Assistant A&E Editor

The Bulldog Stress Free Zone looks to help students relieve the tensions from upcoming exam week on Thursday, Dec. 6.

It will be located in the Student Recreation Center and runs from 8 p.m. until midnight with a variety of attractions.

And most importantly, there is no charge to attend the event.

Sponsored by the student organizations and groups of F.U.S.S., M.I.M.A., the Merril-Travis Hall Council, Entertainment Unlimited, U-Rec and the FSU Student Leadership & Activities, the Bulldog Stress Free Zone will have something for everyone.

According to Jeff Meir, a F.U.S.S. member, the Bulldog Stress Free Zone is going for some new approaches for this year. As they usually use inflatable devices for this type of event held earlier and later in the year, something new is being tried with the bumper cars and "Dive In Movie."

Using the funds allocated by SAFAC and SAPC, the Bulldog Stress Free Zone will provide music by the band Woodside Quinn at 9 p.m. M.I.M.A. is the organization in charge of bringing Woodside Quinn to Ferris.

The music will be located in the lobby of SRC.

Meir was also the member of F.U.S.S. who went to the SAFAC in order to help fund this event.

One person with high expectations for this event is Entertainment Unlimited president, Jason Johnson. Johnson stated that the event usually draws anywhere from 500-800 people every year.

"People seem to like stuff they can take with them," Johnson said in response to the change from inflatable attractions.

There will also be a "Dive In Movie" in the pool at 9:30 p.m. The movie being shown is, appropriately, "Jaws."

There will also be bumper cars, "Laser Storm" and students will again get the chance to make their own music videos with "Fun Flicks."

All of the events will be primarily located in the lobby, pool, or basketball courts at SRC.

The bumper cars will be right on the main basketball courts, and the "Laser Storm" is located inside a tent nearby.

Likewise, the "Fun Flicks" will also be located on the basketball courts.

"It's been very successful in the past," Johnson said. "And it's a great chance for students to unwind for free before exams."

The Hometown Bar and Grill

By Shannon Vesper
Ferris State Torch

A place to dine out and an atmosphere you can bring anyone to makes eating out feel like a home meal. Schuberg's bar offers just that feeling. Set in a tavern/pub atmosphere with wood paneling, booths and bar, beer signs and memorabilia cover the walls. Old liquor licenses dating back to 1936 frame the wall next to the jukebox. A popcorn machine stands next to the bar.

Schuberg's Bar and Grill is the one of the oldest bars in Mich-igan. It originally opened in the 1880's as a saloon. It was closed for about 15 years during prohibition. At that time, it was turned into a pool hall. Until about the late 1970's, Schuberg's was considered a stag bar where only men would hang out.

When Jeff Rumsey began running the bar things slowly changed from the stag atmosphere. His wife, Vicki, was the first woman employee running the books, and soon after, his sister-in-law Gail Zerfas began working on the floor. Zerfas is currently a daytime manger at the bar, and she has been there for 18 years.

From the time it openeduntil about 1933, only some food was served. It was mainly considered your "shot and beer" place. Upon finishing up with the Air Force, Rumsey moved to Big Rapids in 1973 from California. He came to Michigan because his family was originally from here. He entered Ferris State University, but shortly withdrew to run the bar. After starting a family, Rumsey decided to go back to Ferris. In 1994 he graduated with a degree in Business Administration.

"My mother was proud of me that I went back to graduate. I felt like my kids were at the age when they should see their dad going to school. I even made them come to my graduation," Rumsey said.

Schuberg's has been a great place for Ferris alumni to hang out. During Homecoming week, most alumni go there to hang out. Old friends come back to find each other and to make new friends.

"It's amazing to see a lot of people I can remember, and how many people remember me and ask me what I'm still doing here," Rumsey said.

In 1973, when Jeff Rumsey bought the bar, the food part of the business really began to pick up, and Schuberg's increased their food sales. The menu has really grown from what Rumsey calls "your bowl of chili and a burger" to a full menu offering dinner specials.

"We're what you call your 'original' neighborhood bar and grill. People really put a name to us," Rumsey, said.

Food items include specialty burgers. One called the Blue Swede consists of a juicy Schu-burger with a hand-formed slice of blue cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Another mouth-watering burger, the Mushroom Swiss, is topped with Swiss cheese, grilled mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and mayo. Both selections are inexpensive.

Sandwiches run from a beef and cheddar to a Philly dip sandwich with sliced beef, Swiss cheese, grilled onions and peppers on toasted sub roll. Au Jus for dipping and your choice of fries or cole slaw. For something simple try a BLT sandwich, or a Rueben.

More than just sandwiches, Schuberg's offers a Tucson or honey ham focaccia sandwich. A half or full order of spuds may just be the filling meal you need. From chicken pepper spuds to broccoli and bacon to Mexican style, they are stuffed beyond the top.

Salads are always on the menu. Features such as calypso chicken, wild salmon, or a Schuberg's chef, you still have three others to choose from.

Not only does running the bar keep Rumsey busy, but right below is Louys' Bistro. This little bistro has been open for 10 years. Rumsey and his night manager, Scott McNeill took two years and built it themselves.

Rumsey named the bistro after his grandfather, Louy A Rumsey. Below the stairs you can see Rumsey's degree from the University of Minnesota. He received a Doctoratein Philosophy.

The colorful decor gives a subtle atmosphere to the place. The most popular items are a filet of walleye and the calypso pork tenderloin. Run daily by Erin Eveland, the bistro is opened weekdays 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Friday and Saturday for dinner.

"More people prefer to sit upstairs where it is busier, but Louys' is a nice place for business people to come and have a quite lunch," Rumsey said.

Located at 109 N. Michigan, downtown Big Rapids, Schuberg's Bar and Grill is open from 8:30 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Saturday. For questions or directions, call 796-5333.

Photo by Mike Termini, Assistant Photo Editor

An FSU student takes a good whack at the car all in the name of good fun last Friday.

Euchre Tournament this winter

By Shannon Vesper
Ferris State Torch

Taggart Hall sponsored a car smashing last Friday night at the ice arena. For one dollar students had two hits and for three dollars they had five hits. The money at the car smashing proceeds an upcoming Euchre Tournament to follow this winter semester.

Each hall has a set date on when they get to play. Each hall can have up to 20 teams, but only 16 of them will play. The games begin at 8 p.m. Team, are to report at least two minutes early, anytime later and their game will be forfeited.

Finals play will be under single elimination due to the timing factor. At the finals, 120 people, 60 teams, and 30 tables are in a 64-bracket system. A first, second and third place will be awarded.

More information will be posted around the residents halls.

Photo by Mike Termini, Assistant Photo Editor

Freshman forward Jeff Legue directs his shot past Wolverine goaltender Josh Blackburn to put the Bulldogs up 1-0 in Friday's game. Legue was later ejected from Friday's game against Michigan.












Photo by Mike Termini, Assistant Photo Editor

CCHA scoring leader Rob Collins brings the puck around the net late in Friday's game. Collins earned one point this past weekend, assisting on Derrick McIver's goal midway through the third period.









Scandal didn't involve Ferris

By Nicholas Wasmiller
Sports Editor

Vladimir Bosnjak, a former assistant coach for Ferris State's 1992-93 team, has helped secure college athletic scholarships for at least 40 Yugoslavian basketball players, a Dayton Daily News examination found.

According to Ferris State's Media and Communications Manager Jim Thorp, "He had very little impact on the program, if any impact at all." Thorp said that although Bosnjak did try to bring one 6' 9" forward over from Yugoslavia, the player never did enroll at Ferris and Bosnjak never did bring any players to the Bulldogs.

Bosnjak built his reputation in basketball with claims that he worked as an assistant coach at Louisiana State University and for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. But Bosnjak was never a coach for either team. His actual coaching jobs were short-lived, and one of his former employers said he left the school owing $1,662.

Bosnjak caught his first glimpses of American-style basketball when he brought a Yugoslavian team to the Milwaukee Youth World Basketball Tournament in 1990.

"He was a basketball rat guy - grimy, sweaty and can only think about basketball 24 hours a day," Lee Frederick, the director of the annual tournament, said of Bosnjak. "He wanted to be a basketball coach at Duke. He thought he would get a great coaching position if he sent players to the U.S."

Frederick helped Bosnjak get an assistant coaching job at Homestead High School in a Milwaukee suburb for the 1991-92 school year. Bosnjak also worked that year as a volunteer statistician for the Milwaukee Bucks.

But in a 1994 employment application for an assistant coaching job at Louisiana Tech University, Bosnjak stated he was an assistant coach for the Bucks.

"He wasn't paid and wasn't a staff member," Harris told the Dayton Daily News.

While coaching at Homestead, Bosnjak met Ed Andrist, then the head basketball coach at Mount Senario College, a small NAIA school in Ladysmith, Wis.

"We started talking about foreign players and he had several players looking to get out of Yugoslavia," Andrist, who currently coaches at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, told the Dayton Daily. "I don't remember paying him anything for bringing these Yugoslavians."

After Bosnjak spent one season at the high school, Frederick helped him get a three-year work visa and another assistant coaching job - this time at Ferris State University.

Tom Ludwig, the former head coach, said while Bosnjak was coaching at Ferris State during the 1992-93, season he contacted and arranged for the delivery of two Yugoslavians - Goran Pesic and Slavko Bradic - to Mount Senario.

"You can't be an agent and a coach," said Ludwig, who now runs a youth camp in Canada. "I didn't feel comfortable with him contacting players. The phone bills were larger than mine and I was the head coach. You have to work within the rules. They are there to protect the players, parents and athletes. I didn't want to risk that for the university."

Bosnjak left Ferris State after one season and contacted then-LSU Coach Dale Brown, whom he met at a coaching clinic.

Bosnjak enrolled at LSU and Brown, best known for recruiting Shaquille O'Neal to the school, used the non-profit Dale Brown Foundation to pay his expenses.

As for Ferris State, Bosnjak seems to be a non-issue for the school and it's team.

According to the university, the school plans to look further to make sure that they broke no rules while Bosnjak was employed here, but don't plan to find any violations.

Insult to injury

By Nicholas Wasmiller
Sports Editor

The Bulldogs, playing without pre-season All-American Adam Anderson and leading scorer Johnathan Bowers, lost their third consecutive game, this time on the road against Calvin 95-76. The loss moved the Bulldogs record to 1-5 early in the 2001-2002 season.

The Epps freshmen (Corey and Carlton) led the Bulldogs in scoring, with the duo scoring 18 and 21 points respectively. Carlton Epps also led Ferris State in rebounds, pulling down no boards for the Bulldogs, including five on the offensive end of the court.

The Knights for Calvin took advantage of a mismatch inside to hand the Bulldogs their third straight loss.

"I feel bad that our big guys are down right now," Ferris State coach Edgar Wilson told the Grand Rapids Press. "It's giving our young guys more experience. We're just going to have to be patient."

Veenstra scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Knights over Ferris State. The win snapped a rare skid for the Knights, who hadn't lost three in a row since the 1998-99 season.

"It's too bad about their big guys," Veenstra told the GR Press. "I really wanted to play against them."

The Knights led 39-33 at halftime.

Calvin pulled away at the outset of the second half, with Prins and Broene immediately hitting back-to-back 3-point field goals to increase the advantage to 12 points.

Ferris State had a few opportunities to get within striking distance.

The Knights, who have been plagued by turnovers in recent games, turned over the ball on four successive possessions with less than seven minutes remaining in the second half. The Bulldogs, however, got just two points off those mistakes.

"It was a huge win for us," said Calvin coach Kevin Vande Streek.

Calvin is now 8-0 all-time against the Bulldogs in games played at Calvin Fieldhouse.

The Bulldogs lack of bench scoring also hurt them a great deal in this loss, as well as all season. In the game against Calvin, the Ferris State bench only recorded 11 points, compared to 25 bench points scored by Calvin.

The Bulldogs will try to get their second win of the season tomorrow as they open their home GLIAC season against Gannon. Ferris State is currently 0-1 in the GLIAC, with a loss to Findlay on Nov. 29. Tip-off for the game against Gannon is set for 6 p.m.

Photo courtesy of University News Services

Senior guard Debbie Killips puts the defensive moves on an apponent earlier this season. Killips is 17 steals from becoming the Ferris career leader in takeaways.

Lady Bulldogs struggle against Findlay

By Jason Nelson
Assistant Sports Editor

The Lady Bulldogs traveled to Findlay last week to open their GLIAC season on the road. Perhaps all of the Thanksgiving festivities hindered the ladies from performing like they were expected to. Facing a very aggressive and impressive Findlay team, the Bulldogs came out firing as they took a 15-10 lead with 13:20 left in the first half. It got ugly from there for the Bulldogs, real ugly.

The Bulldogs missed their final 15 shots of the first half, as they went scoreless from the 13:20 mark. Fortunately for the Bulldogs, their defense allowed them to stay in the game as Findlay was only able to score nine points in the Bulldogs' scoreless span to take a 19-15 halftime lead. Findlay actually shot worse than the Bulldogs in the first half, hitting on only 25 percent of their shots, while the Bulldogs hit on 26.9 percent.

The difference in the first half was that Findlay hit three of eight three point attempts, while the Bulldogs could not find the mark from long range.

Bridgette Horwitz paced the Bulldogs in the first half with six points. In the second half, it was much of the same for the Bulldogs as missed opportunities and turnovers seemed to thwart any chance of a comeback. Lucy DeMartin hit a jumper to tie the score at twenty-one with 15:18 to play and things were looking up for the Bulldogs.

However, Findlay scored the next eight points in the game to take control. A basket by Molly Carpenter and then a three-point play soon after spearheaded the run, and when Molly Holt drilled a three-point basket with 14:08 remaining, the Findlay lead had swelled to 29-21 in a little over a minute.

The Bulldogs came out of a timeout poised to make a comeback, as they made a big run of their own. Senior guard Debbie Killips led the comeback with eight points in a three-minute span as the Bulldogs turned the 29-21 deficit into a 35-33 lead with 5:20 remaining in the game.

Once again Findlay was able to turn the momentum with another Holt trifecta. Findlay subsequently went on a 12-0 run as they took the lead back at 45-35 with 2:20 to play in the game. The Bulldogs could draw no closer than seven points the rest of the way as Findlay was able to hold off the Bulldogs and claim a victory in the conference opener for both teams.

The difference in the game could fall onto the free-throw shooting of the Bulldogs, who were only able to hit on 35.7 percent of their free throw attempts, going 5-14. Findlay was able to hit on 18-31 attempts for a 59 percent success rate. The Bulldogs also turned the ball over far too many times in the game, handing the ball off to Findlay 29 times.

Bridgette Horwitz led the Bulldogs in scoring, notching 11 points for the game on five of 11 shooting. DeMartin chipped in with 10 points on four of five shooting, and Killips added eight points and nine rebounds.

The loss drops the Bulldogs to 1-2 on the year, and 0-1 in the GLIAC conference. The Lady Bulldogs next take the court on Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. for their home opener against Gannon.

Latest Bowl Predictions

By Nicholas Wasmiller
Sports Editor

Rose Bowl-Jan. 3 in Pasadena, Calif.
BCS No. 1 vs. BCS No. 2.
Projection: Miami vs. Tennessee.

Not the game I was expecting, but with multiple upsets the past few weeks, this is what it looks like we are going to get. Tennessee's Travis Stephens vs. the Miami defense. Miami's NFL-like O-line against Tennessee's (Top 5 NFL Pick) John Henderson and Will Overstreet. Of course, the Vols still have one more tough game against LSU in the SEC title game, so if the Vols lose, look for Nebraska or Colorado in Tennessee's place.

FedEx Orange Bowl-Jan. 2 in Miami
BCS vs. BCS
Projection: Maryland vs. Illinois

Maryland, picked to finish near the bottom of their division, surprised us all.

Nokia Sugar Bowl-Jan. 1 in New Orleans, La.
BCS vs. BCS
Projection: Florida vs. Nebraska

The Huskers still have an outside shot at the national title game if Tennessee loses in the SEC championship game, but a battle between Eric Crouch and Rex Grossman, two of the Heisman favorites, would make for a great game.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl-Jan. 1 in Tempe, Ariz.
BCS vs. BCS
Projection: Oregon vs. Colorado

Who knew Colorado would be playing like one of the best teams in the country over the past two weeks? The Buffs have defeated star QBs Eric Crouch and Chris Simms in the past few weeks. Will Heisman hopeful Joey Harrington be next?

Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl-Jan. 1 in Orlando, Fla.
Big Ten No. 2 vs. SEC No. 2
Projection: Michigan vs. South Carolina

Michigan is in. South Carolina isn't far behind, but should LSU win the SEC title and earn an automatic BCS bowl bid, this would knock either Tennessee or Florida here and send the Gamecocks sliding down the bowl ladder.

Toyota Gator Bowl-Jan. 1 in Jacksonville, Fla.
ACC No. 2 vs. Big East No. 2
Projection: Florida State vs. Virginia Tech

Outback Bowl Jan. 1 in Tampa, Fla.
Big Ten 3 vs. SEC 3
Projection: Ohio State vs. Georgia

SBC Cotton Bowl-Jan. 1 in Dallas, Texas
Big 12 No. 2 vs. SEC
Projection: Oklahoma vs. LSU

Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl-Dec. 31 in Atlanta, Ga.
ACC No. 3 vs. SEC No. 4
Projection: North Carolina vs. Auburn

AXA Liberty Bowl-Dec. 31 in Memphis, Tenn.
C-USA No. 1 vs. Mtn. West No. 1
Projection: Louisville vs. BYU

Silicon Valley Classic-Dec. 31 in San Jose, Calif.
WAC No. 1/2 vs. At-large
Projection: Fresno State vs. Michigan State

Wells Fargo Sun Bowl-Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas
Big Ten No. 5 vs. Pac-10 No. 3
Projection: Purdue vs. Washington State

Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl-Dec. 31 in Boise, Idaho
WAC 1/2 vs. At-large
Projection: Boise State vs. Louisiana Tech

Insight.com Bowl-Dec. 29 in Phoenix, Ariz.
Big 12 No. 5 vs. Big East 3
Projection: Kansas State vs. Syracuse

Sylvania Alamo Bowl-Dec. 29 in San Antonio, Texas
Big Ten No. 4 vs. Big 12 No. 4
Projection: Iowa vs. Texas A&M

Motor City Bowl-Dec. 29 in Pontiac, Mich.
MAC No. 1/2 vs. C-USA No. 4
Projection: Toledo vs. Cincinnati

Culligan Holiday Bowl-Dec. 28 in San Diego, Calif.
Pac-10 No. 2 vs. Big 12 No. 3
Projection: Texas vs. Washington

Mainstay Independence Bowl-Dec. 27 in Shreveport, La.
Big 12 No. 6 vs. SEC
Projection: Texas Tech vs. Arkansas

Seattle Bowl-Dec. 27 in Seattle, Wash.
Pac-10 No. 4/5 vs. ACC No. 4/5
Projection: Stanford vs. Georgia Tech

Las Vegas Bowl-Dec. 25 in Las Vegas, Nev.
Mtn. West No. 2 vs. Pac-10 No. 4/5
Projection: Utah vs. USC

Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl-Dec. 20 in Orlando, Fla.
ACC No. 4/5 vs. Big East No. 4/5
Projection: Clemson vs. Pittsburgh

Make up Bush's mind

By Brian Van Steenkiste
Opinions Editor

Once again, our "great leader" is threatening the country he was (questionably/barely) elected to serve. By meddling with the ability of international citizens to come to our country to learn, baby Bush is horribly screwing up once again. Just months after pushing for an open immigration policy in which Georgy wanted to grant 3 million illegal Mexican immigrants legal status, the Texas-hole is making it harder for people with legitimate reasons to get into our great nation.

According to CNN.com, 31.4 million visitors were given visas to gain legal entry into the United States in 1999. Less than 2% of these, 514,723, were given to international students who came with the intention to seek an education from the best educational system in the world.

In order to get here, international students have to do a lot more than American students to get the exact same education. First, international students must be admitted to a University before they can even apply for their visa. This means that they have to meet the exact same requirements as any other student hoping to get into a university or college.

After being accepted to a school, international students must prove that they can pay for their education in full and they must also prove that their intention upon graduation is to return to their home country. The latter is not always easy to do. Potential students must present something such as property ownership, a business opportunity or family related reasons to prove they won't want to stay here when they're done with their degrees.

If they can do all of these things, lucky international students with visas aren't done satisfying all of their requirements quite yet. Once here, they must adhere to strict work requirements, one of which is only taking "high paying" on-campus jobs, and they must make "normal academic progress" in their degree seeking program in order to complete their intended course of study in a limited amount of time.

These international scholars contribute many things to American higher educational institutions, and Ferris State University is not exempt. One of the easiest contributions to see is the financial assistance international students provide to their schools. In the 2001/2001 academic school year, Ferris' 309 international student contributed $6,451,000 in tuition, fees and living expenses. International students do not qualify for federal student financial aid, and their elevated tuition rates are substantial additions to many school's revenues.

Another positive thing that international students bring with them is a diverse interest in many different fields. Their numbers help fund the programs they are in, and some schools would not be able to offer all the different courses of study they do without international student's interest.

These things are definitely important, but the most important thing that international students bring to our schools and our country is their diversity. International students provide domestic pupils with one of the best opportunities to learn about the rest of the world without having to travel. It's a shame that more people don't take advantage of this unique opportunity.

For many students, college is the first time in their life they've ever been exposed to people from another country and culture. A lot of Bulldogs have led relatively sheltered lives, and having the ability to teach and learn from international students is priceless. Through interactions such as these, students can learn to become internationally proficient professionals, a critical skill that is becoming a necessity in an ever-shrinking world with a growing global economy.

Foreign scholars have also contributed to, and will continue to be an integral part, of scientific breakthroughs. Knowledge knows no boundaries, and the free exchange of ideas is a matter of our national interest. Without cross-cultural communication, many of the luxuries we currently enjoy would not exist, and progress would be incredibly hampered.

Not only should others be allowed to study within our borders, but Americans seeking knowledge should continue to be allowed to do so on foreign soil. After the events of Sept. 11, one might think that student's interest in traveling abroad would have waned. Nothing could be further from the truth. USA Today reported that a survey of international educators showed students going ahead with plans to study abroad despite the events. International student interest in this country continues to grow (international admissions' levels at Ferris are up for next semester), and so do the numbers of American students with an interest in traveling abroad to study.

However, bungling politicians are implementing what are effectively hurdles for those who wish to come here to school. Through things such as requiring students to have a credit card to pay for their visa application fees and making it impossible to come here without gaining access to the internet, our elected officials are endangering a great resource. Many developed countries lack the internet infrastructure we take for granted here, and many potential students from poor countries don't have the option of getting a credit card.

Not to mention the fact of how we invite students into our country to study (even though we significantly slow down the process for young men of middle eastern decent), and once they're here, we kick them out of their homes and force them to fend for themselves over breaks. Yes, as poor as many student's opinions of residence halls are, international students would do a lot to avoid having to leave them for shady motels and uncomfortable temporary living arrangements with generous strangers.

A final threat to international students is the mandated tracking system that will be coming into operation within the next year or so. This electronic system basically digitizes the information we currently keep on paper about international students, but the very nature of the system leaves great potential for abuse. Something needs to be done to insure that this system is used as it should be, and that the information contained within it is not detrimentally misused against foreign students.

If we close the door to our country, we close progress as well. The "battle against terrorism" depends on our leaders and the leaders of other nations understanding each other. There is no better way to insure this than to educate them here. Mexico's President Vincente Fox, Jordan's King Abdullah II, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the Prince and Princess of Japan were all educated within our borders. How can we hope to foster understanding and peace if we shun the future leaders/rulers of the world?

I have called countless people from other countries my friend throughout the course of my college experience. They have enriched my life and taught me things no book could ever hope to. To those I haven't had the pleasure of befriending yet, I feel the need to express that not everybody here dislikes you. We appreciate your perseverance over the adversity you face in attending school in our country. We value your cultures and the diversity you bring, and we hope that you leave here with a better understanding of our country, and a good feeling about your experiences here.

Clarissa Garrett in the Office of International Affairs was incredibly helpful in writing this article, and it would not be complete if I forgot to thank her for her assistance.

Leather is cool

By Mike Domerese
Ferris State Torch

There is nothing better than being out on the open road on a bike. It's so different then being in a car or truck. Yes, you can see all the sites, but you can't get the true effect of the environment you're in. The wind whistling in you ear or whipping through your hair, the strong smell of nature and just being one with nature.

Ok, so maybe I drifted into a fantasy place there momentarily, but you don't know what you're missing if you've never experienced it. For decades the fabled motorcycle rider has gotten many a bad wrap.

Leather is cool. People think that we motorcyclists wear leather because it looks cool. Well, this is partially true. However, there are a couple of reasons for really wearing it. Basically, it's for protection.

First, it's protection from the elements of good ol' Mother Nature. It protects one from the chill of the wind and adds insulation. While it may be 65 degrees out and sunny, you must take into account the wind chill factor. You don't have the defense of a thick windshield and sides all around.

Second, its protection from the road. Whether its asphalt, dirt or gravel, you need it. Every biker's worst nightmare is the thought of having to lay his/her bike down. This factor must be taken into consideration every time you hit the road (no pun intended).

Third, It's not such an issue that the rider may be inexperienced, it's mostly because of idiots in the big four wheeled machines known as cars and trucks. In this day and age of the cell phone, car/ bike accidents have increased. I'm not going to blame all cell phone users, but just the people who have a general lack of concentration. Women worrying about their makeup being just right, the guy with electric razor or someone worrying about being organized for that last minute meeting can all be major distractions. Over two thirds of fatal motorcycle accidents involve a motorcycle and another vehicle (NHTSA).

Another fallacy in the long list of misconceptions about the rider, is that we are the bottom of the food chain. Supposedly we're outlaws who have no disregard for human life, fellow travelers of the road, etc, etc, etc. Something could never be less true. In today's day and age, the rider comes from all walks of life. Whether it's celebrities like Jay Leno, the average blue-collar worker or even the CEOs of fortune 500 companies, the popularity of owning a bike is on the rise.

The amount of riders has increased at a staggering rate. It has also helped bring families together. Sometimes it's a husband and wife that have found something fun to do together. Other times, it could be the fact that its something that kids can do with their parents.

Another misconception about my fellow bikers is that they're these bad, smelly people that don't do anything for society. In 1998 the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) along with several clubs raised more than $4.5 million for charities. The ABATE (American Bikers Aiming Toward Education) of Michigan-Region 20 raised over $25,000 in one day for Hurley Medical Center's Burn Unit. We had an unexpectedly huge turn out for the first year (approximately 1500 bikes). I could spend all kinds of time listing events that we do for charity all the time, but I just am not allowed the room.

We also have a huge economical impact on many cities across the United States that host annual activities, rallies and fundraisers. Just to name a few that may be somewhat familiar would be "Bike Week" in Daytona, Florida along with the huge rally that takes place every year out in Sturgis, South Dakota. Granted Daytona is already a huge city, but lets look at Sturgis.

The population of this small town is only 15,000 people. For those who aren't exactly sure how big of town this is, it would be just a bit smaller then good old Big Rapids. Basically, approximately 1 million people with 500+ thousand bikes descend on this small town every year the first week in August. While I can't quote the exact income the city takes in that week, you can only imagine.

One more little tidbit, bandannas are also worn for a reason besides to look cool. Well, actually for two reasons. One being that it keeps the sweat out of your eyes and keeps the dirt and road grime out of your hair. They also help the inside of your helmet last longer by keeping sweat and hair oil out of their insides.

Please pay attention while on the road in your own personal vehicle. Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is still five months away (May), but why not make it all year?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a few ideas of how to become more aware of motorcyclists:

-Respect- Remember they have the same rights as all other vehicles on the road.
-Signaling- always makes your intentions clear when making a turn.
-Don't follow to close- Remember they have to maneuver things such as potholes and debris.

What I'm basically asking for is for people to give us as motorcyclists a break. Ya, we may not always be the most beautiful people in the world, but looks aren't everything.

The next time you're broke down or in need of help, don't be afraid to ask a biker. I can personally attest to a lot of people in this genre that I have met who may seem a little shady looking or burly looking, but are the nicest people I have ever met.

Here are a few websites worth checking out:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/
http://rallyinfo.com/index.htm
http://www.daytonachamber.com/bwhome.htm
http://www.abateofmichigan.org/
http://www.ama-cycle.org/index.asp

Southern hospitality comes to Ferris

By Aaron Hatfield
Ferris State Torch

The closer Ferris gets to the next rush of freshman candidates the more they try to draw on the rednecks in Michigan. The longer I am here the more I notice the amazing aspects of southern Ferris life and its potential.

I would eagerly give my testimony of Ferris' homelike qualities to all my redneck friends. Not only can they still attend their tractor pulls but they can still go muddin', hunting and show off their beast with the loud pipes to the new competition here at Ferris.

With the addition of the mud pit in the quad, students have been able to witness a few great tractor pulls. Now I know, they might only be Kubota sized, but they're still exciting. Now, although Ferris has not allowed the initiation of the Campus Quad Annual Mud Races, it is only a matter of time before they have to give in.

The Quad is not the only place for mud sports here on campus. The hill behind Center Ice would also provide an amazing environment for those all-famous muddy hill climbs. There is even enough room to put in some grand stands. I know like the rest of Big Rapids, Ferris could make a killin' on these season tickets. We could surely get the community involved in these additions.

With deer season in full swing, there has been a great interest shown to set up a state game area in lot 47. The deer in this area are plentiful and would draw on the entire state with dreams of snagging a deer early in the morning. Also, now that Michigan allows hunters to shoot from tree stands, they would be able to use the light poles to better benefit their hunt. These poles are tall enough that the deer would have no clue they were being spied on by the average hunter.

Another sport that could be easily started is good old cow tippin'. With the addition of our mysterious udder friend in the quad, we have the opportunity to bring cow tippin' to a new level. Southerners on campus have started feeling the itch in their feet as soon as the cow hits the open. Visions of sleeping cows fill their heads as they feel the urge to run at their spotted friend.

Also, as big trucks get more popular among the increasing redneck crowd, our prideful, confederate flag wielding friends are feeling more and more at home and gaining a sense of belonging. Ferris is experiencing a mass invasion of beasts ranging from Fords and Chevys to Dodges and Mazdas. These beasts are sporting the latest in confederate flags and exhaust pipe fashion from straight pipes to enlarged chrome tips. And, not only are they big, but they're also loud.

These are the trucks that will soon provide Ferris with the growing popularity of mud races and hill climbs. They will bring in the ticket money and show the campus the best time its had since the one snow day a century ago.

Also, because of their loud pipes, Ferris and the Big Rapids community have seen a definite decrease in mysterious deaths. These pipes are bringing a renewal of morning spirit to the community. They are helping us get through the day and saving our lives at the same time. Yes, it is true, loud pipes do save lives.

I am proud to notice that Ferris is making an effort to make all walks of life feel at home here on campus. This campus has enormous potential for our friends and I am glad to see Ferris is starting to take notice. Sure, they have a long way to go and a lot of accommodations to add for the up and coming sports but our school is making great progress. Before we know it we will be hunting in lot 47, watching glorious mud races, tractor pulls, and cow tipping events in the quad and getting overwhelmed with beautiful monster trucks and pipes that will one day save our life.

I would like to tell all up and coming freshmen that whatever walk of life you come form, Ferris will accommodate you. I can guarantee that Ferris will make all of you feel at home. I just hope our cowboy friends can continue to bring a new and refreshing atmosphere to the Ferris campus and continue blessing us with their sports and life saving pipes. God bless the South.