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CAMPUS LIFE
Protection of Diag ‘M’ falls flat Delay of annual Theta Xi ‘guard’ event made MSU vandalism possible By MICHAEL SUGERMAN Daily Staff Reporter RITA MORRIS/Daily
LSA sophomore Lindsey Richmond lights a candle during the candlelight vigil held by the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center on the Diag Wednesday. The vigil was held in honor of victims of intimate partner violence.
SAPAC holds candlelight vigil for violence survivors Ceremony honors those affected by partner abuse By TOM MCBRIEN Daily Staff Reporter
Editor’s note: This article contains descriptions of intimate partner violence that may be disturbing to some readers. Students can contact the Sexual Assault
Prevention and Awareness Center at (734) 764-7771 or visit its offices in North Quad. SAPAC also has a 24-hour crisis line at (734) 936-3333. While frequent campus crime alerts warn of aggressive sexual assaults by strangers, the issue of intimate partner violence is common and not as easy to see, though its effects can be just as damaging. Wednesday night, the Sexual
Assault Prevention and Awareness Center held a vigil on the Diag for those who have died as a result of intimate partner violence. About 25 people attended the vigil, listening to stories about sexual assault, lighting candles, reading a card mural made by allies and survivors of intimate partner violence, and participating in a minute of silence in honor of those who have died. SAPAC, SafeHouse Center and the School of Social
FERGUSON IN CONTEXT
GLOBAL HEALTH
Panel looks at international Ebola efforts Public health systems, religious rites considered in expert discussion By PARISHA NOVA For the Daily
The International Institute hosted a roundtable Wednesday exploring the multifaceted impacts of the deadly Ebola virus that has led to the deaths of more than 4,500 people across several West African countries in recent months. The panelists discussed the causes and consequences of the epidemic from both a local and global perspective. A. Oveta Fuller, associate professor of microbiology and immunology and associate director of the African Studies Center, delivered an introduction that touched on the nature of the virus, its usual symptoms and the need for better nutrition and health care infrastructure, not only in the countries affected by
the Ebola virus outbreak, but also in countries worldwide. “This Ebola outbreak is not the only time that we have to work together to coordinate health care and that we can’t wait to work until there are epidemics or crises like these,” she said. “We have to work in times when there are not, to have students prepared, people trained across disciplines and infrastructure prepared.” The panelists, who also included Gesslar Murray, a geology instructor at the University of Liberia and Renee Gerring, a laboratory supervisor also at the University of Liberia, discussed the daily effects of the outbreak in Monrovia. “Ebola consumes your body,” Gerring said. “It takes control over your life, your movements. People are constantly in fear. People become threats.” Gerring said people in affected areas experience daily anxieties from the threats posed by simple interactions such as handshakes and hugs. An abnormal life See EBOLA, Page 6A
Work’s New Visions organization co-hosted the vigil. LSA junior Anna ForringerBeal and LSA senior Katelyn Maddock, co-coordinators for the networking, publicity and activism program at SAPAC, said the vigil was meant to raise awareness of the realities of intimate partner violence and to express support for survivors. “It’s hard to think about intimate partner violence hapSee SAPAC, Page 6A
For the last 14 years, the Theta Xi fraternity has taken to Central Campus during the week before the Michigan State football game to protect the sacred ‘M’ at the center of the Diag from potential East Lansing vandals. Early Wednesday morning, the ‘M’ was painted green, and the 15th “Defend the Diag” effort was stymied before it had even begun. The letters “S” and “U” were spray-painted in white alongside the ‘M’ for full effect. The block ‘M’ on Michigan’s campus has been painted green. pic.twitter.com/lGFvnXeVbv— Alejandro Zúñiga (@ByAZuniga) October 22, 2014 Theta Xi’s “Defend the Diag” initiative is currently scheduled to start Thursday at 11 p.m. and conclude Saturday at 8 a.m. Diane Brown, spokeswoman for the Division of Public Safety and Security, said she was sur-
prised that the fraternity was not guarding the Diag earlier, as the event has occurred annually since she began working at the University. She said defacing the ‘M’ constitutes malicious destruction of property, which would qualify in this case as a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and up to a $500 fine. As to why the Theta Xi campout was slated to start so late in the week, rumors abound about the reason for the delay. University alum Tyler Bernstein, a former Theta Xi brother, wrote in a Facebook comment that a “political rally” — possibly in reference to the candlelight vigil protesting domestic violence held Wednesday night — conflicted with “Defend the Diag.” As a result, Bernstein wrote, the fraternity wasn’t able to set up shop until Thursday night. Current members and leaders of the Theta Xi fraternity did not respond to requests for comment on the alleged issue. University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald wrote in an e-mail interview that the administration did not have involvement in coordinating Theta Xi’s “Defend the Diag” event. See DIAG, Page 6A
ELECTIONS 2014
Terri Lynn Land focuses campaign on family issues Against Peters, Republican candidate highlights pay equality ABIGAIL KIRN/Daily
LSA senior Austin McCoy offers a historical context of the shooting and protests in Ferguson, Mo. McCoy helped in leading the “Discussion on Ferguson” in Tisch Hall Wednesday.
GOVERNMENT
Snyder’s ‘tuition restraint’ contains cost of attendance Initiative incentivizes state universities to slow fee increases By BEN ATLAS Daily Staff Reporter
When Republican Gov. Rick Snyder cut the state’s higher education budget by 15 percent
in 2011, he also reintroduced a mechanism to incentivize state universities to limit the size of their annual tuition increases. This effective cap on tuition hikes, known as “tuition restraint,” makes the state’s provision of performance funding conditional upon a university certifying it will not raise its tuition above a certain threshold.
The state capped tuition increases at 3.75 percent for the current school year in last year’s state budget, and the current budget will lower the cap to 3.2 percent for tuition next year. This stricter threshold, however, is being met with a 6.1-percent increase in state appropriations, marking the third straight year of budget See TUITION, Page 6A
By AMRUTHA SIVAKUMAR Daily Staff Reporter
As the 2014 U.S. Senate elections come around the corner, Republican candidate Terri Lynn Land will challenge U.S. Rep. Gary Peters (D) in the race for the retiring Democratic Sen. Carl Levin’s seat. Originally from Grand Rapids, Land was elected as Kent County Clerk in 1992. Though she did not win her election for Michigan State Board of Education in 2000, Land was elected as Michigan’s 41st Secretary of State in 2002 and served in the position for two consecutive terms — the maximum allowed in Michigan. During her tenure, Land was recognized for optimizing queuing times at election polling locations and improving online service options. See LAND, Page 6A
» INSIDE
the b-side A look at the Computer and Video Game Archive at the ‘U’
WEATHER TOMORROW
HI: 60 LO: 40
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INDEX
Vol. CXXV, No. 16 ©2014 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
NEWS......................... 2A SUDOKU.....................2A OPINION.....................4A
S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A CL ASSIFIEDS...............6A B-SIDE ....................1B
News
2A — Thursday, October 23, 2014
MONDAY: This Week in History
TUESDAY: Professor Profiles
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers
THURSDAY: Student Voices
The door is not enough
ON THE WEB... THE WIRE
Student death BY SAM GRINGLAS
University engineering graduate student Derek Tat, 24, passed away after an accident with a Blue Bus. Tat lost control of his bicycle while riding it Friday morning. He was taken to the University Hospital and later pronounced dead.
THE PODIUM
Good Kids BY MARIS HARMON
Harmon evaluates the first attempt at the new play, “Good Kids,” part of the flip the script initiative to provide better roles for women. Harmon discusses the play’s handling of sexual assault and sexual violence against women.
In all, Dworetz said three laptops (including his), their chargers and a pair of headphones had been thrown into the backpack of one of his roommates and taken. “We called the cops right away,” he said. “Between that time and when the cops came, we figured out that all of our doors had been locked the night before, but one of the windows had been opened by whoever came in. There were some big handprints there.” Dworetz and his friends thought that the handprints would be significant in helping to find the culprit; however, the police officer that came to investigate the
situation quickly determined that they were glove prints. A sweep of the house for telling fingerprints yielded similar results. “He said that typically in the movies and TV shows, it makes it seem kind of easy,” Dworetz said. “Like, ‘Oh yeah, there’s a fingerprint, we can just rip it off.’ But in reality it doesn’t happen like that.” The officer instructed the boys to frequently check Craigslist and see whether or not their laptops were being listed for sale on the site — a common tactic for burglars looking to offload stolen goods. — MICHAEL SUGERMAN
WHAT: Public Policy Prof. Richard Hall will talk about the connection between lobbying, campaign finance and policymaking. WHO: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute WHEN: Today from 10 a.m. to 11:30 am. WHERE: Rave Cinema, 4100 Carpenter Rd., Ypsilanti
Documentary on addiction WHAT: A film about the more than 23.5 million Americans living in long-term recovery from alcohol and drug addiction will be shown. WHO: Council for Disability Concerns WHEN: Today from noon to 1:30 p.m. WHERE: School of Social Work Building
WHAT: Students can view a partial solar eclipse through filtered telescopes and special glasses, and can also learn how to make their own projections of the sun. WHO: Department of Astronomy WHEN: Today from 5:30 p.m. to 6:40 p.m. WHERE: Angell Hall, Auditorium D
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Internal Medicine Prof. Adam Lauring discusses the current status of the Ebola epidemic Wednesday afternoon in the School of Social Work.
WHAT: This Virginiabased band will play their unique brand of music, a combination of Southern, Celtic and bluegrass. WHO: Michigan Union Ticket Office WHEN: Today at 8 p.m WHERE: The Ark, 316 S. Main St.
Jazz ensemble
WHAT: Directed by Ellen Rowe, the performance will include works by Fred Sturm, Paul Ferguson, John Clayton, Benny Golson, Rowe and others. WHAT: Jerry Moore, an officer from the Detroit Area WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance Council of the Mattachine WHEN: Today at 8 p.m. Society will speak about WHERE: Rackham LGBTQ activism. Graduate School Auditorium WHO: University Library WHEN: Today from 7 p.m. l Please report any error to 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Hatcher Graduate in the Daily to corrections@michigandaily.com. Library Gallery
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
1
Rent prices in Chicago have reached record highs citywide, with a median rent of $1,684, DNAinfo reported. However, Chicago’s prices are still significantly more affordable than those along the East and West coasts.
2
Online Arts Editor Adam DePollo takes a close look at gamer culture in Ann Arbor by taking a visit to the University’s Computer & Video Game Archive on North Campus. >> FOR MORE, SEE B-SIDE
3
Detroit is proving to be an ideal city for female entrepreneurs, Fortune reported. The city is very accessible for new businesses, earning it the name “the Wild West” for startups.
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Carbon Leaf performance
LGBTQ heritage
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CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
Political science Solar eclipse lecture series viewing
FRIDAY: Photos of the Week
EBOLA CRISIS
OFF CAMPUS THEFT
LSA senior Trevor Dworetz and his roommates had all rolled back into their home by 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning, and after hanging out with one another for a brief while, they were all asleep an hour later. At 8:15 a.m., one of his pals banged on his bedroom door. The report: their personal belongings had been stolen. “We run downstairs. My backpack is somehow on the stove, which … obviously, I wouldn’t have left my backpack on the stove,” Dworetz said. “And a few other things are kind of scattered around, and none of the other laptops are there.”
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U.S. airports to monitor Gunman enters Canadian kills soldier travelers from W. Africa Parliament, Guard shoots down Health officials screening all those from areas affected by Ebola epidemic
ATLANTA (AP) — All travelers who come into the U.S. from three Ebola-stricken West African nations will now be monitored for three weeks, the latest step by federal officials to keep the disease from spreading into the country. Starting Monday, anyone traveling from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone will have to report in with health officials daily and take their temperature twice a day. The measure applies not only to visitors from those countries but also returning American aid workers, federal health employees and journalists. The Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion announced the new step Wednesday. CDC Director Tom Frieden said monitoring will provide an extra level of safety. Passengers already get screened and temperature checks before they leave West Africa and again when they arrive in the United States. “We have to keep our guard up,” Frieden told reporters on a conference call. The Obama administration has resisted increasing pressure to turn away any visitors from the three countries at the center of the Ebola outbreak, especially after a Liberian visitor to Dallas came down with the infectious disease days after he arrived and later died. Instead, passenger screening was put in place at 5 key U.S. airports. That was tightened Tuesday to funnel everyone coming from those countries through those airports so all are checked.
The monitoring program will start in six states — New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and Georgia — the destination for the bulk of the travelers from the outbreak region. It will later extend to other states. Each passenger will be required to provide contact information for themselves as well as a friend or relative. They will be instructed to check for a fever twice a day and report their temperature and any symptoms to health officials daily for 21 days. How the checks are done — in person, by phone or Skype — will be decided by the states, Frieden said. If a traveler does not report in, public health officials can track them down. How far they can go to get them to cooperate is up to those officials, CDC officials said. They will also receive “CARE” kits — the name stands for Check and Report Ebola. The kits include a thermometer and instructions on what to do if symptoms occur. Also included is a card to present to health care providers if they seek care. CDC already was telling its own employees and other health professionals returning from the outbreak zone to monitor their temperature. It can take up to 21 days to develop symptoms, which include fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhea. Earlier this year, roughly 150 travelers to the U.S. each day were from the three countries. But it appears there are far fewer now — there are no direct flights and flights to the area have been curtailed. New York’s Kennedy airport — which handles the most traffic — has averaged 34 a day since screening began Oct. 11. The other airports are Washington’s Dulles, Newark’s Liberty, Chicago’s O’Hare and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson. While a few of the people screened thus far have been taken to the hospital, none had the infectious disease.
attacker after he fatally wounded Canadian corporal
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — A masked gunman killed a soldier standing guard at Canada’s war memorial Wednesday, then stormed Parliament in an attack that was stopped cold when he was shot to death by the ceremonial sergeant-at-arms. Canada’s prime minister called it the country’s second terrorist attack in three days. “We will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper vowed in an address to the nation. Unfolding just before 10 a.m., while lawmakers were meeting in caucus rooms, the assault rocked Parliament over and over with the boom of gunfire, led MPs to barricade doors with chairs and sent people streaming from the building in fear. Harper was addressing a caucus when the attack began outside the door, but he safely escaped. Investigators offered little information about the gunman, identified as 32-year-old petty criminal Michael Zehaf-Bibeau. But Harper said: “In the days to come we will learn about the terrorist and any accomplices he may have had.” A government official told AP that Zehaf-Bibeau was a recent convert to Islam. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the case publicly. Canada was already on alert because of a deadly hit-andrun assault Monday against two Canadian soldiers by a man Harper described as an “ISIL-inspired terrorist.” ISIL, or Islamic State, has called for reprisals against Canada and other Western countries that have joined the U.S.-led air
campaign against the extremist group in Iraq and Syria. Witnesses said the soldier posted at the National War Memorial, identified as Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, was gunned down at point-blank range by a man carrying a rifle and dressed all in black, his face half-covered with a scarf. The gunman appeared to raise his arms in triumph, then entered Parliament, a few hundred yards away, where dozens of shots soon rang out, according to witnesses. People fled the complex by scrambling down scaffolding erected for renovations, while others took cover inside as police with rifles and body armor took up positions outside and cordoned off the normally bustling streets around Parliament. On Twitter, Canada’s justice minister and other government officials credited 58-year-old sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers with shooting the attacker just outside the MPs’ caucus rooms. Vickers serves a largely ceremonial role at the House of Commons, carrying a scepter and wearing rich green robes, white gloves and a tall imperial hat. At least three people were treated for minor injuries. In Washington, President Barack Obama condemned the shootings as “outrageous” and said: “We have to remain vigilant.” The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa was locked down as a precaution, and security was tightened at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington. Harper vowed that the attacks will “lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts” to keep the country safe and work with Canada’s allies to fight terrorists. Police said in the initial hours that as many as two other gunmen may have taken part in the attacks. But by late in the evening, the cordon around Parliament was lifted and police said
there was no longer any threat to the public in the area. Court records that appear to be the gunman’s show that he had a long rap sheet, with a string of convictions for assault, robbery, drug and weapons offenses, and other crimes. Tony Zobl said he witnessed the Canadian soldier being gunned down from his fourthfloor window directly above the National War Memorial, a 70-foot, arched granite cenotaph, or tomb, with bronze sculptures commemorating World War I. “I looked out the window and saw a shooter, a man dressed all in black with a kerchief over his nose and mouth and something over his head as well, holding a rifle and shooting an honor guard in front of the cenotaph point-blank, twice,” Zobl told the Canadian Press news agency. “The honor guard dropped to the ground, and the shooter kind of raised his arms in triumph holding the rifle.” The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. had video of the gunman going to his car alone with his weapon after the shooting at the memorial. The car was later spotted parked in front of Parliament Hill, just down the block. Cabinet minister Tony Clement tweeted that at least 30 shots were heard inside Parliament, where Conservative and Liberal MPs were holding their weekly caucus meetings. “I’m safe locked in a office awaiting security,” Kyle Seeback, another member of Parliament, tweeted. “I was just taking off my jacket to go into caucus. I hear this pop, pop, pop. Possibly 10 shots, don’t really know. Thought it was dynamite or construction rather than anything else,” said John McKay, a member of Parliament. He said security guards then came rushing down the halls, herding them toward the back of the buildings.
Opinion
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FROM THE DAILY
UHS health survey, part 2
O
Survey reveals a decline in contraceptive use
n Oct. 15, University Health Service published its results from the National Health Assessment Survey, a study that looks at general health indicators of the student body. The results of this survey provide a useful tool for identifying positive and negative health trends among University students. The Michigan Daily Editorial Board has isolated three main topics for analysis: Alcohol and drug abuse, mental health and sexual health and relationships. This editorial focuses on the sexual health of the student population. According to the last University NCHA survey, conducted in 2010, 61 percent of students reported having had a sexual partner in the previous 12 months. In this year’s survey, 63 percent of undergraduates and 77 percent of graduate students and professors reported having had at least one sexual partner in the last 12 months. And while more respondents at the University have been having sex, fewer have been using contraception. In 2010, 91 percent of those surveyed used any method of contraception during their last instance of vaginal intercourse, while in 2014, only 86.7 percent of undergraduates and 83.2 percent of graduate students and professors reported using contraception. Raising greater cause for concern, however, is that the national Healthy Campus 2020 goal set by the American College Health Association is to have 62.3 percent of those surveyed use contraception. In 2010, only 56.6 percent of the nation’s students reported using contraception during their last instance of vaginal intercourse. The drastic difference between usage rates calls into question the dissemination of information and methods of contraception at other colleges. While University students’ use of contraception is much higher than the national average, the decrease in contraception use at the University brings up questions about its availability. Relationship Remix, a program required for freshmen, is hosted by the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center and is aimed at informing new students about healthy relationships, consent, sexual assault, methods of contraception and ways to access contraception. While Relationship Remix can be a useful resource, it may not be effective in making contraception — namely condoms — available
I
to students. At the session, SAPAC provides a basket of free condoms available for students to take. The basket, however, is often located at the back of the room, away from the group, forcing students to detach from the crowd in order to pick up a condom. This could easily draw unwanted attention to students trying to access contraception. For many students, taking contraceptives in front of a group of their peers is uncomfortable. If students don’t want to take condoms from the basket at Relationship Remix, the session leaders inform them to go to University Health Services, where male condoms are available for free in the Wolverine Wellness room. While the session leaders have good intentions in informing students of the resources available at UHS, this piece of advice still requires students to travel out of their way for condoms. Furthermore, UHS is only open five days a week during the hours many students are in class. Students are more likely to use a condom when it’s easier to access. While it’s good that UHS offers free condoms to students, requiring them to travel to a special location during busy hours decreases the likelihood that students will actually utilize these services. In order to help increase condom use, the University should provide condom distribution methods that are less public than traveling to the back of the room to the basket of condoms or going to UHS. One such method has already taken hold in some dorm buildings: Resident Advisors have begun attaching baskets of free condoms to the outside of their doors. This method is less stigmatized because it allows students to pick up condoms on their way to or from their dorms, or when they’re alone in the hallway, away from the judgment of peers.
Sickening state of student loans
n our younger years, my older brother and I enjoyed drastically different pursuits. I loved school, but my brother detested it. While my predilection for books led me to bury my head within pages and concoct story ideas, my brother’s entrepreneurial mind devised business plans and ways to diversify his savings (which usually meant hiding money in numerous crannies I couldn’t reach). MELISSA While I pranced about his SCHLOKE room shoving my report cards in his face, he’d sit there fanning himself with the cash he earned from his paychecks. We — like many other siblings — thrived upon light-hearted antagonism. Therefore, “nerd,” “loser” and “bookworm” soon became his preferred names for me. Likewise, I’d continually flap my arms in his presence, chanting that “all the little birdies flying over his shoulder chirped ‘cheap, cheap, cheap.’ ” Over time as we both matured and when he finished college, I realized my brother’s concern about money wasn’t a sign of greed. Especially after I grasped the fact my desire to continue in academia would require submergence in a sea of student-loan debt, I realized why my brother spent years storing money away in various caches he referred to as “funds.” I understood why he spent so many summers working all day, only to come home exhausted and to tell me to leave him alone and let him sleep. Just as I viewed good grades, books and extracurriculars as an avenue to a life I would enjoy, he saw money as a way to ensure financial security and a better life. As I utilize some of his old tactics to figure out my loan totals each year, I begin to think he just wanted to avoid the nauseating apprehension I feel swirling in my gut each time I newly calculate the obscene amount of debt I’ll owe after graduation. I could see why he’d try so hard to avoid that anxiety. I had absolutely no clue about social mobility as a child. I wouldn’t have understood mov-
ing up in socio-economic class was what my brother intended to do with his savings and his degree. Sadly, as I make progress towards graduation, the concept of social mobility seems more and more like a twisted fairy tale. Costs of college tuition have increased by approximately 1,122 percent since 1978. Medical costs have only increased by roughly 600 percent in that same time period. Currently, student-loan debt at the national level has reached roughly $1.2 trillion. For college students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, student loans — as well as the accompanying debt — aren’t merely an option, they’re an absolute necessity. Pell grants — which were specifically intended to assist students from low-income backgrounds — are now covering the smallest fragment of college tuition costs since they were first implemented. Student loans pose an obvious impediment to social mobility for poorer students. However, the drawbacks of this particular debt are not solely financial. In a Gallup poll, it was found that individuals who accrue more than $50,000 in debt after graduation tend to experience difficulty in other aspects of their lives as well. Individuals embarking on post-grad life burdened by debt often experience a lack of purpose and a lack of community in their lives. They don’t feel motivated to achieve goals. They don’t enjoy their work or where they live, and they don’t feel safe in the communities where they reside. Loan debt creates anxiety-inducing situations, but there are other ways in which debt weakens the health of college grads. In the Gallup poll, the individuals surveyed reported experiencing declines in physical health. High levels of debt are correlated with the likelihood of experiencing anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. Likewise, owing overwhelming amounts of debt is correlated to high blood pressure, which can lead to the development of other ailments such as stroke or hypertension. Considering many graduates who take out loans are from poorer backgrounds, the inability to afford proper medical care is yet another factor placing their health at risk. Individuals from poorer backgrounds are consistently told to work hard in order to go
Thursday, October 23, 2014 — 3A
to college and to obtain a degree. Their persistence and struggle will supposedly guarantee success and a better life, but in reality, they risk becoming ensnared in debt with poor health and little motivation.
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The purpose of student loans is to provide aid to determined individuals seeking education, but unless there’s a major tuition reform or the creation of more options to guarantee aid, loans will more often
offer stagnation and further hardship instead of opportunity for underprivileged students. — Melissa Scholke can be reached at melikaye@umich.edu.
Thinking CAPS
dentity is an amorphous concept. I mentioned Bruni and Brooks of The New York Times in my last piece, and identity is a topic they both address. Both agree that college is supposed to develop “identity” in some sense, though neither ELI know exactly CAHAN what that means. Nor do they know how that manifests itself. I suppose, in some ways, that’s the point — were it specific, discrete, concrete, then we probably would have already had to memorize it in said aforementioned Psych class. Nonetheless, it seems our mandate, for the duration of time we spend at school, is to develop (our) identity. It’s a nice thought. However, it can also be incredibly painful. This pain has materialized itself across the country in malicious ways, through campus shootings, sexual assault and suicide. These aren’t the actions of confident, selfaware students. They are the outward demonstrations of internalized pain — whether towards girls (reference the University of California, Santa Barbara shooting), boys (the relationship between sexual inadequacy, chauvinism and rape have proven perilous at Columbia University) or schoolwork (a suicide at my high school was directly caused by a Latin class). It has also come to fore in the forms of increasing usage rates of alcohol, drugs and psychotropic medication. I came across a 2013 study recently that showed the negative correlations between “identity development” and anxiety/depression in 10,000 undergraduates across the country. The same study showed that identity development contributed to such beneficial long-term qualities as “internal meaning” and “selfesteem.” So it does seem that there is
natural tension between the shortterm challenges and long-term development. But clearly, this tension has amplified in recent years — undoubtedly caused in part by ever growing application volumes (and by proxy, competition) into secondary education programs (medical schools, for example, received the most applications in their history last cycle). The study states that nationally, 15.4 percent of undergraduates reported being diagnosed with depression. This is not a surprisingly high figure. University Health Service released a report recently that surveyed 3,351 Michigan students in February 2014 demonstrating similar numbers. The report further shows that 26.2 percent of students reported that stress was an “impediment” to academic performance, and 19 percent reported that “anxiety” was similarly disruptive. So, the psychological impact of identity development through school hits close to home. Frequent emergency alerts regarding campus violence, Sumana Palle’s account (published in the Daily two weeks ago) and former Michigan kicker Brendan Gibbons’ case all parallel national crises. Thus, these issues clearly abound our hallways. Undoubtedly we’ve all faced our own personal bouts with anxiety and stress, inside and outside of the classroom. These are challenges I’ve confronted numerous times, through varied feelings of incessant inadequacy, debilitating insecurity and unrelenting sadness. I’ve felt these the moment I was rejected from a fraternity freshman year. I’ve felt these the moment I got my MCAT back. I’ve felt these, most recently, the moment a relationship with someone I care about tremendously took a turn for the worse. Loneliness and helplessness in the age of social media can be deadly, traumatizing pathogens. In these moments, it can seem that all you can do is turn to yourself and ask: “How do I, how can I, keep going?” These moments are the most devastating,
the most isolating, the most dangerous. But they shouldn’t have to be. Psychological care on campus ought to help students persevere through those moments. As identity is deemed the fundamental outcome of the educational institution, these moments of anguish are (statistically) inevitable. Luckily, in my time of need, I had friends, family and a therapist I felt comfortable turning to. Not all may be so lucky in the moment they need it most. This is where the University’s Counseling and Psychological Services comes in. CAPS has done well to recognize the campus mental health epidemic(s), raise awareness of such looming issues, and revamp some of their protocols. The one thing that CAPS cannot control is the undeniable, untraceable stigma surrounding making use of its services. And for that, I implore you to take yourself seriously enough to see them when you need support. Just as you would (and undoubtedly have) trudged over to UHS when you had the flu, feel compelled to do the same when you feel emotionally helpless. Emotions have been proven extremely powerful things (for positive and negative) over and over — whether it be through the aforementioned crises, or in the simple fact that symptoms of chronic diabetes improved 15 percent in non-depressed patients (analogous results have been shown with many other conditions). As such, do not take yours lightly. Care enough about your own wellbeing to take the time to find relief when you are in pain. If you feel broken, let someone help you find the pieces to put yourself together again — whatever you do, don’t give up on your personal puzzle. Don’t try to avoid the inevitable — try to prepare for it. So be smart. Put on your thinking caps. The future you, whoever they are, however they end up, whenever they appear, will thank you. — Eli Cahan can be reached at emcahan@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Devin Eggert, David Harris, Rachel John, Jacob Karafa, Jordyn Kay, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Allison Raeck, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Matthew Seligman, Paul Sherman, Linh Vu, Meher Walia, Mary Kate Winn, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
“T
he yoke of arms is shaken off more readily by subject peoples than the yoke of language.” — Lorenzo Valla Four years ago, when my grandfather was hospitalized in the days leading up to his passing, he underOMAR went surgery. Part MAHMOOD of the procedure involved having a tube put down his throat. When he woke up, two of my older cousins, both of whom had grown up in Pakistan and both of whom were doctors, asked him how he was doing. He opened his mouth but pain forced it to close, and he resorted to the pen and paper he was handed. His trembling, bony fingers, stained with the liver spots of old age, spelled out as elegant a note as he could and handed it to his grandchildren. “My throat hurts.” My cousins looked twice at the Urdu letters, suddenly so foreign, and shrugged. They asked my grandpa to write down his message again in English. It might really have been the last thing he ever wrote. Once upon a time, if you hailed a rickshaw in Lucknow, India, your driver would welcome you with a couplet in Urdu, a gem for you to behold on your ride. But no more. I have always been unable, for some reason, to behold my language without mourning inside. I feel Urdu is dying. I’m part of the Linguistics Club here at the University. In February, I came across a link posted on the group’s Facebook page around St. Patrick’s Day. A man named Manchán Magan had created a TV series out of a social experiment in which he refused to speak anything but Irish in Ireland. For me, this was confirmation that I was not the only crazy person yelling about the death of his native language. The most poignant scene for me was one of desperation. Manchán decided to stand up in the center of a
I am Urdu town square, surrounded by throngs of busy shoppers in open sunshine, and literally beg the people of Dublin to produce a single person who could speak Irish with him. A crowd of about 20 people gathered loosely around, keeping a safe distance. They considered him from afar with disapproving looks, as if he were crazy for speaking Irish in Ireland. There were the tourists who had no idea that there was even a language called Irish, and Irish to them had always been a drunken kind of British accent. Indeed, not a single person among all the hundreds could come forward even when Manchán begged anyone for even a single word in Irish, even when he pulled out money, a fistful of notes for a word of Irish in the heart of Dublin. No one. Not a word. Manchán bowed his head in defeat and walked away. In a comment beneath the video of this first episode, someone had voiced this almost unique judgment of mine: I don’t consider people who don’t speak Irish to be Irish. They are victims of colonialism and nothing else. The same way, I have said for the longest time that ‘Urdu-speakers’ who speak only English are nothing but English. In this way, the question of why I am so attached to Urdu is answered with a more perplexing question. I see language as identity. I am Urdu. And I am, neurologically. As we grow up in a language, it is hardly too poetic to imagine that as our brains grow and neurons form new connections, that these connections develop along the grammar and logic of our native tongues. What if every native Urdu speaker has an indelible fingerprint of sorts of neural connections that he shares with other Urdu speakers? This fingerprint cannot be taught. It must come from being a true part of a community, a legacy that is its native language. Here in America, we no longer hear the tongues that once echoed in the Appalachians and the Rockies, which rippled across the waters of Michigan. I once met with the Ojib-
wa teacher here, an aged gentleman named Alphonse Pitawanakwat. I asked him to say something in his language for me, and he obliged. I reveled in the words I heard. Those words belonged here, and I felt I was privy to an ancient secret. I wonder how many more will ever know it. Our Spirits Don’t Speak English is a 2008 documentary that shares the story of those whose native tongues were metaphorically ripped out of their mouths. One elderly man with silver pigtails and a hardened, proud face gives his name as Andrew Windyboy. When he was younger, he was sent to two boarding schools where he was punished for speaking his native language. “It was my first language. I didn’t know any other language. So whenever I talked, it came out. Cree would come out, and whenever I talked I’d get hit. I got hit so much … I lost my tongue … I lost my native tongue.” He twists his neck in the suffering that he could not escape, his soul torn, his words falling from his lips. His words hate themselves, touched so cruelly by the accent of his forefathers. I watch a proud Chippewa Cree break down in tears before me, and I have to fight back my own. “The only thing I remember is my Indian name. It means Old Man Eagle. It’s the only Cree I know.” My grandpa was Urdu. He was the true inheritor of a vast treasure. A language that has its roots in the mother of all Europe’s languages, Sanskrit. A language that carried on the shoulders of great caravans the stories of so many pilgrims and empires. It carries yet the Vedic tradition, the Hebrew tradition, the Persian tradition. It’s an orchard whose pomegranates and guavas ripened over thousands of years, a winery whose stores were as aged as the Himalayas. I write this essay in English. But my spirit will never speak English. My grandpa was Urdu. My father is Urdu. I will be Urdu. — Omar Mahmood can be reached at syedom@umich.edu.
4A — Thursday, October 23, 2014
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Thursday, October 23, 2014 — 5A
News
6A — Thursday, October 23, 2014
DIAG From Page 1A “Theta Xi decided on their own to guard the block M overnight just Thursday and Friday nights this year,” he wrote. He said he was aware of other evening events on the Diag this week as well, including a pep rally Thursday night for the Michigan State game. Workers came to clean off the
SAPAC From Page 1A pening on a college campus,” Forringer-Beal said. “But we hope that people realize that it does. And even if it’s not happening right here and now, there are a lot of people on campus whose lives have been affected by it, whether it was their parents or friends.” Maddock said SAPAC uses the specific term “intimate partner violence” as opposed to “domestic violence” to signal that this type of violence can happen between people who do not cohabitate. It can happen after a first date or after years of a relationship. Forringer-Beal stressed that intimate partner violence can be physical, emotional and sexual. A new component of the vigil this year was a card mural decorated either with hands and hearts or T-shirts. Allies decorated and wrote messages of support on the hand-and-heart cards, while survivors did the same with the T-shirt cards. Messages included “I believe in you. It’s not
‘M’ and surrounding brick at about 10 a.m. Wednesday. Fitzgerald said cleaning and repairs to the ‘M’ are done from time to time, and procedures are in place to do so when necessary. In the past, Theta Xi has successfully defended the block ‘M’ in the week leading up to the annual rivalry game. Additionally, the University hasn’t been the only victim, the Spartan statue having been painted maize and blue last year.
your fault” and “You are loved.” “We hope having all of these cards is a powerful representation of people on campus who have been affected by violence or people who know someone who’s been affected by this,” Maddock said. “This isn’t an issue that is absent from our campus — it’s something that happens everywhere and almost every minute of the day.” According to the Center for Disease Control, one in four women and one in seven men have gone through severe intimate partner violence in their lifetimes. Before the minute of silence, Forringer-Beal and Maddock shared stories and statistics relating to intimate partner violence. Forringer-Beal told the story of Tamara Williams, an LSA senior in 1997 who was stabbed to death by her boyfriend on North Campus. “To all the students, the ladies, the men, I just want to say, just be careful, take care of yourselves … if you have a problem, tell somebody. Tell your mother. Tell your father. Tell somebody,” Williams’ mother said in a memorial lecture in 2003.
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Classifieds
TUITION From Page 1A increases since the initial cut. Snyder said during a conference call with college newspapers last week that the tuition increase caps have been successful, and that he wants to help universities reduce their costs going forward. In addition, the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan has also not found the caps to be too burdensome on university operations. “Do we like them? No. We think it really undermines our autonomy, but we’ve accepted them because they’ve been reasonable in relationship to growth in state appropriations,” said PCSUM Executive Director Michael Boulus. With the exception of Wayne State University’s 8.9-percent tuition increase last year, all state universities have complied with the cap since it was instituted. University of Michigan officials and policy analysts have not viewed the cap as particularly burdensome on operations. The law still allows for schools to raise tuition and the penalty for exceeding the cap is not severe. Penalties would come in the form of eliminating schools’
LAND From Page 1A 1. Despite criticism, Land hopes to win the women’s vote Land’s campaign advertisement from earlier this year mocked claims that she was waging a war against women’s rights as she supports wage equity among genders and is an abortion opponent. “As a woman, I might know a little bit more about women than Gary Peters,” she said in her advertisement from earlier this
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RELEASE DATE– Thursday, October 23, 2014
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PARKING
DOWN 1 Not fore 2 Ewe cry 3 Storage unit? 4 Iroquois Confederacy tribe 5 Powerful adhesive 6 Turkish bread? 7 Gusto 8 Reason to be turned away by a bouncer 9 Patron saint of girls 10 Edit menu choice 11 Straddling 12 “While __ Young”: USGA anti-slow play campaign 15 Can convenience 20 Bodybuilder’s pride 21 Religious ceremony 22 “Pinball Wizard” band 24 Vacation plans 25 Persnickety 26 Lacking sense 27 Encourage 29 Shortcuts for complex multiplication
30 Trumpet cousin 31 Toaster’s word 33 Beanery cuppa 34 “Ben-Hur” author Wallace 39 “... and all that jazz,” for short 40 Fullness of flavor 41 __ Nostra 44 Vehicular attachment for the ends of 19-, 33-, 38- and 48Across
46 Skewered Thai dish 47 Serving to punish 48 Like a warm nest 49 Nice lady friend 50 Confession details 51 London gallery 52 Superhero with a hammer 53 Help for a solver 57 Letters of credit? 58 Group gone wild
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performance funding. Of the state’s $1.4 billion outlay for higher education, $74.6 million, or roughly 5 percent, goes toward performance funding. For Wayne State, the consequence of raising tuition above the cap last year was a reduction of $534,700 from their $183 million allocation from the state. Still, the state’s attempt to reign in tuition costs as its own contributions to universities have declined could be more consequential should current fiscal trends continue. The proportion of state funds and tuition dollars in the University’s budget has almost fully reversed. In 1960, state appropriations accounted for 78 percent of the University’s general fund; today, the state contributes just 16 percent to that budget, while tuition revenues represent 71 percent of it. The exploding cost of tuition is a direct result of this significant decline in state support. Due to the state’s reduced role and the fact that the cost of attendance is becoming unaffordable for a growing number of students, according to Boulus, financial aid now occupies a greater share of universities’ operating budgets. Some fear that a cap on tuition increases could inhibit the University’s ability to provide
financial aid, but it has managed double-digit percentage increases in the financial aid budget for nine of the past 10 years. The largest percentage increases have occurred in the past two years — at 13.7 and 13.4 percent, respectively — even as the cap on tuition increases has become more restrictive. “For the last several years we’ve increased financial aid at a rate that for the students who have the highest financial need, they’re essentially shielded from the increase in tuition,” said Cynthia Wilbanks, University vice president for government relations. The Snyder administration was not the first to introduce tuition restraint into its budget language. Former Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm’s first budget in 2003 specified an intent to keep tuition increases “reasonable.” Then in 2004, the state provided additional funding to universities that did not adopt a tuition increase, and the following year implemented a 2.4-percent cap on tuition raises tied to the provision of a small portion of state appropriations. In 2006 and 2007, the state budget required that universities match its increase in resident undergraduate tuition with an equal
percentage increase in its general fund financial aid expenditures. While Michigan’s state universities have not had a problem with the tuition conditions so far, Boulus warned that could change. “If it gets out of line and the tuition restraint doesn’t mesh well with whatever increase or decrease we receive from the state, there will be a pushback,” he said. The issue of tuition caps has not explicitly been raised in the context of the governor’s race, but Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer has repeatedly criticized Snyder for his initial 15-percent cut in 2011, and has vowed to restore the budget to pre-2011 levels. “Mark supports caps on tuition increases as one tool to make college more affordable for the middle class,” said Cathy Bacile Cunningham, Schauer’s press secretary. “However, he believes the best way to make college more affordable is to reverse Governor Snyder’s cuts to our colleges and universities, while increasing need-based financial aid. Mark’s jobs plan also calls for establishing a student loan refinancing authority, which would allow students to refinance their college loans at more affordable rates.”
year, titled “Really?” On her website, Land calls herself a “strong supporter” of equal pay for women and men and greater workplace equity. Land also says she opposes government funding for abortions.
Land includes amendments that she says would increase patients’ autonomy over their health care choices — ultimately increasing transparency and mobility in coverage and decreasing costs.
“I believe the current tax system is unfair to Michigan families and businesses,” Land said in an interview last week with the Lansing State Journal. “We need reform that makes taxes lower, fairer and simpler for families and businesses.” The Michigan First Plan includes a proposal that would ultimately reduce the corporate tax rate, allowing for small businesses to more easily invest and thrive in Michigan.
3. She supports bans on samesex marriage
2. She’s opposed to the Affordable Care Act Known for criticizing President Barack Obama’s and Peters’ views on health care, Land called Obamacare a “string of broken promises and a disaster for thousands of Michigan families” earlier this month in an interview with the Lansing State Journal. She recommends overhauling the recently implemented health care reform for a more free-market approach to health care accessibility. Through her Michigan First Plan, a comprehensive platform that proposes policy changes to strengthen Michigan’s economy,
EBOLA From Page 1A
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Bodybuilder’s pride 4 “Wizards of Waverly Place” actress Gomez 10 Like crudités 13 Helpful URL link 14 Literary postscript 15 Townshend of 22-Down 16 Cross-shaped letter 17 Forecast words golfers like to hear 18 Glade target 19 Poet friend of Jonathan Swift 22 Frequent Hepburn co-star 23 Take a load off 24 __ rhythm: brain waves pattern 25 Old-style “For shame!” 28 Soothing sprinklings 32 Rink VIPs 33 Kipling story collection, with “The” 35 Iconic WWII setting, familiarly 36 Missouri tributary 37 Garden product word 38 “Poetry Man” singer 41 Water-to-wine site 42 __ voce: softly 43 Longing 44 Gourmet mushroom 45 Storage media 47 Theorize 48 Title phrase that rhymes with “he lightly doffed his hat” 54 Leave off 55 Hummus ingredient 56 “Run to __”: Bobby Vee hit 59 Galvanizing metal 60 Like many Schoenberg compositions 61 Possible reply to “Got milk?”? 62 Shout of success 63 Seuss reptile 64 Classroom fill-in
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cycle evolves as the community becomes paranoid, depression sets in and a lack of trust between people develops. In Liberia, where an increasing numbers of hospitals and schools are closing, a lack of awareness and overburdened public health systems have led to a spiral of negative consequences, as people have died of curable diseases such as the flu and complicated pregnancies. Given the progression of the disease in West Africa, public health centers and hospitals have become stigmatized as a last resort for those infected with Ebola — many view admission to local hospitals essentially as a death sentence. The panelists said it is important not only to improve health care infrastructure but also to build trust among the public in affected regions so infected individuals can feel confident about their health care if admitted. This discussion included Associate Anthropology Prof. Michael McGovern, a political anthropologist who has spent a large amount of time in West Africa. He said there is currently an
When asked about her views on same-sex marriage, Land said she supported the notion of a “traditional marriage between a man and a woman,” MLive reported in March. 4. She’s backing small business
5. When it comes to media, she’s playing it safe
Much of Land’s early childhood was spent working at her family’s motel business. She has been propagating simpler IRS processes, which she hopes will ease the burden on small business owners to allow them to spend more time with their families.
Known for her reserved campaigning style, Land has avoided media interviews and press conferences. While she is sometimes known to bring along reporters during public meetings and interactions with citizens, Land has kept media representatives out of the loop for several of her public events.
abundance of preventive knowledge in the West African community and emphasized the need for leveraging this knowledge in conjunction with international public health knowledge to increase our understanding of the Ebola virus and minimize its outbreak. Adam Lauring, assistant professor of internal medicine and an expert in infectious diseases and virology, said the Ebola virus has a high mutation rate, meaning that it can quickly evolve to take other forms. However, research suggests that as the virus mutates — potentially to an airborne form — it would likely become less virulent and potentially pose a lower risk. In the Human Development Index, which ranks countries and territories based on health, education and quality of life measures, Liberia — one of the nations most affected by the outbreak — falls under the “low human development” category and is placed 175th out of 187 countries. Gesslar said the cities are overcongested and health care infrastructure is very much neglected. At times like these, people are far more likely to die from causes other than Ebola. However, the panelists said there is currently an unwarranted stigma surrounding the
disease, noting that Ebola is naturally occurring and can affect anyone who has contact with the virus, not just individuals in underdeveloped countries. The panelists also discussed how Ebola can be contained. Preventive measures such as isolation of suspected patients can help stop its transmission. Fuller also said better nutrition, hygiene and awareness can lead to longterm health benefits. In addition, public health professionals are working with religious leaders in Liberia to help establish safe burial practices that account for both religious traditions and worker safety, as Ebola becomes more contagious after an individual dies from the disease. “My hope is that the Liberian government invest more in public health and empower health workers,” Gerring said. The panelists concluded by discussing how the Ebola virus should encourage the United States to improve health care infrastructure and how it is the responsibility of everyone to educate themselves and spread awareness. “When one country sneezes another country catches the cold,” Murray said.
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Sports
Thursday, October 23, 2014 — 7A
Freshmen expected to contribute Programs’ past, CROSS COUNTRY
futures linked
By KELLY HALL Daily Sports Writer
For both Michigan basketball teams, success seems to come in fives. Though Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico won’t be starting all five freshmen like Steve Fisher did with his Fab Five in 1991, she’s hoping that all five of her first-year players — coming from a recruiting class that was ranked 22nd in the nation by All Star Girls Report — will contribute meaningful minutes this season. Perhaps the most touted recruit for the Wolverines is 5-foot-7 point guard Katelynn Flaherty. The freshman makes up for her small frame with her shooting ability and basketball IQ. She comes from a family of basketball players — both of her parents played in college — and scored more than 2,000 points in high school before being sidelined her senior year with an ankle injury. “(Flaherty) is a true scorer,” Barnes Arico said. “I think the physical part of it … is going to be an adjustment for her, because she’s small, and she’s thin, and she’s not as strong as she needs to be yet, but she’s very crafty with the ball in her hands.” Jillian Dunston is also having an uncommonly smooth transition to college ball. The forward was the first member of the freshman class to commit, and the early decision has paid off. “Jillian Dunston has come in and done a tremendous job,” Barnes Arico said. “She’s big, she’s strong and she’s physical. The transition for her really hasn’t been that difficult because she has the size and the explosiveness as a lot of college athletes already.” Dunston has been rotating with senior captain Nicole
By NATHANIEL CLARK Daily Sports Writer
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Michigan women’s basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico will have five talented freshmen at her disposal this winter.
Elmblad at the ‘3’ and ‘4’ spots during practice. Dunston, like Elmblad, is 5-foot-11. On paper, it appears Michigan lacks size, but 6-foot-4 freshman center Terra Stapleton could be the solution the Wolverines are looking for. Coming from a small town in Ohio, Stapleton had more than just basketball to acclimate to this summer. After working with nutritionists, strength and conditioning coaches, and attending summer classes for all of July and half of August, Stapleton, along with the other freshmen, are starting to see the advances needed to compete at the collegiate level. Rounding out the group are freshmen from opposite sides
of the country: forward Emoni Jackson from Los Angeles and guard Maria Backman from the Bronx. And their talent, combined with that of the other three, has the veterans excited. “In our last couple practices, they’ve really started to click and figure things out,” Elmblad said. “They’re a really talented group and I’m excited to see what they’re going to do for us on the court this year. They have a lot of potential to help us out.” Some of the advances Elmblad mentioned are due to Barnes Arico’s tough conditioning workouts. The third-year coach is known for her emphasis on fitness and endurance. After a quiet sophomore year, forward Cyesha Goree lost 20 pounds to
become an essential component of last season’s success. Some of the freshmen, including Stapleton, have already seen similar results. “We really want to be in shape and be able to run up and down the court,” Elmblad said. “It’s cool to see how they went from our first practices in the summer that were only an hour to see where they are now, practicing for two or three hours. They’re doing a lot better.” The freshmen have come a long way from their first jittery practice together. Before the season has even commenced, the Wolverines are hoping for a long tournament run together. The talented freshman class makes that more of a possibility.
Freshman Dancs learning on top line By JASON RUBINSTEIN Daily Sports Writer
He was inches away from his first goal. On Saturday, midway through the second period, freshman forward Dexter Dancs corralled a rebound, saw an empty net, but slid the puck through the crease and just barely missed. For Dancs, scoring is natural. Last year, the British Colombia native tallied 67 points in 56 games with the Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League. Eleven of those came in 16 playoff games. Dancs’ knack for filling the stat sheet enticed Michigan coach Red Berenson to offer him a scholarship. But that scoring prowess
hasn’t stood out in Michigan’s first three games. Dancs has registered only one shot playing on the Wolverines’ top line and doesn’t have a point. Berenson and his teammates, though, aren’t worried and have said they think it’s just a matter of time before Dancs fills the stat sheet. “I’ve liked the fact that he’s competing hard,” Berenson said. “He’s using what got him here and that’s his size, his speed. I thought he won a lot of races this weekend, he won a lot of puck battles and then he gives us a presence along the boards.” Dancs admitted the adjustment to college hockey was tougher than he expected, saying his speed and strength weren’t where they needed to be when he
arrived in Ann Arbor. With every game, though, he feels a tad more in place. Sophomore defenseman Michael Downing can empathize with Dancs. Downing, who played alongside then-senior captain Mac Bennett to form Michigan’s top defensive pairing last season, said his transition to college hockey wasn’t as easy as anticipated, either. “Last year, it took me a couple of months to get used to everything and get used to the speed,” Downing said. “The biggest thing in college is strength and it’s something he’s getting better at, and I think you guys will see that over the next couple of weeks.” Luckily for Dancs, ice time
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Dexter Dancs didn’t expect to start on Michigan’s top line as a freshman, but coaches are trusting him in the key role.
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hasn’t been a problem. Berenson has penciled Dancs in as the left wing on the first line alongside junior center Andrew Copp and sophomore right wing JT Compher — two of Michigan’s best forwards who combined for 60 points last season. More so, Berenson played Dancs in front of the net on the power play on Saturday when sophomore Evan Allen was a healthy scratch. Through three games, however, the first line hasn’t found twine. Still, Berenson doesn’t think Dancs or his linemates are at fault. “None of our forwards are scoring, really,” Berenson said. “We’ve had four goals by our forwards in three games. I’m not worried about Dexter. I think he’ll get his goals when he gets his chances. “As long as he’s not hurting us defensively and he’s adding speed, work ethic and defensive responsibility then he’ll be able to hold his own.” And while Dancs hasn’t put the puck in the net playing next to two of the Wolverines’ greatest offensive threats, he’s learning a great deal by skating with them. Copp and Compher, Dancs said, are easing his transition to college hockey, showing him the intricacies of moving the puck, his feet and how to approach each shift. The veteran coach hasn’t suggested Dancs will move to a different line, so Berenson clearly trusts Dancs. “I thought I would have to start at the bottom and work my way up top,” Dancs said. “But starting at the top really helps my confidence.” As Dancs gets more comfortable on the ice, more quality chances like Saturday’s are inevitable. Next time, he hopes the puck will find the back of the net.
It has been a banner year for Michigan cross country. The women’s team is ranked No. 4 in the nation and has two team titles, one at the Big Ten Preview on Sept. 20 and another at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown on Sept. 26. The men’s squad checks in at No. 14, with victories at the Big Ten Preview as well as at the Blue and Gold Invitational on Oct. 3. For the women, success was expected. The Wolverines entered the season atop the rankings and most of the runners are returning members of a team that placed fourth at the NCAA Championships in 2013. Sophomore Erin Finn and senior Brooke Handler have become familiar names for Michigan thanks to their accomplishments this year and last. But many other athletes have shown great improvements, making it difficult for Michigan coach Mike McGuire to name one “most improved.” “They’re all great kids and work very hard,” McGuire said. “Everyone has had their moments this year.” But the recent glory is just one of many accomplishments in McGuire’s 23-year tenure with the Wolverine women. He boasts nine Big Ten championships, most recently in 2012, and nine more runner-up finishes. The Michigan women also claimed nine NCAA regional titles in that span and has come in 10th or better 11 times at the NCAA championships. Perhaps the most telling sign of the program’s expectations, though, was its disappointment with last Friday’s third-place finish at NCAA Pre-Nationals. “Last week’s race wasn’t representative of where we are as a team,” McGuire said. * * * The men’s future was much less certain entering the 2014 season. This is Michigan coach Kevin Sullivan’s first year in Ann Arbor and his first head coaching job. At first, many of the athletes weren’t sure where the team was headed, and while the Wolverines haven’t won a Big Ten title since 1993, Sullivan has won over his team. Michigan’s two first-place finishes have
done wonders for its confidence. Redshirt junior Mason Ferlic has emerged as a leader for the Wolverine men, with individual titles at the Big Ten Preview and the Blue and Gold Invitational in 2014. Ferlic won his first AllAmerica honors — the first time a Michigan men’s runner has done so since 2004. But the team is hardly a one-man show. “(Redshirt freshman) Aaron Baumgarten has really improved this year,” Sullivan said. “(Junior) Tony Smoragiewicz came on strong, too.” Finally, the men are mirroring the women’s success. Though the men’s and women’s teams are separate programs, they share many common bonds. McGuire and Sullivan are both Michigan cross country and track and field alumni. They were both mentored by legendary coach Ron Warhurst, and both were All-Americans. More so, McGuire coached the women at the same time Sullivan was an athlete at Michigan. “To a certain extent, Coach McGuire was a mentor to me,” Sullivan said. “Although I obviously didn’t run on his teams, I learned more from him about coaching than he’ll likely ever learn from me.” Yet the bonds extend beyond the coaches. The runners often race at the same meets, always cheering each other on and lending support. Many know each other from high school. Even if the racers weren’t classmates, they met through racing either at large invitationals or state meets. “Michigan is fertile ground for runners,” McGuire said. “I think, especially today in the Internet age, the boys and the girls have a lot of opportunities to connect with each other.” * * * While both teams are sharing success, neither one is overlooking Friday’s EMU Fall Classic. Both the men and the women will participate in the race, which will be held the same track as the Michigan Open did on Aug. 29. Only time will tell if these heady days for Michigan cross country will continue. Regardless of the future — and past — of both programs are undeniably linked.
Sports
8A — Thursday, October 23, 2014
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Student ticketing process similar to 2013-14 policy By LEV FACHER Daily Sports Editor
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier is in his first year at Michigan, but he has experienced the MSU rivalry firsthand.
Nuss no stranger to rivalry ‘M’ offensive coordinator was MSU QB coach from 2003-05 By ALEXA DETTELBACH Daily Sports Editor
There’s kind of a big football game to be played on Saturday when Michigan travels to No. 8 Michigan State. And while Michigan coach Brady Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison have been here for years and know what the NOTEBOOK rivalry means to both programs, first-year offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier knows firsthand, too. Nussmeier was the quarterbacks coach for the Spartans from 2003-2005, and during his three years, he never beat Michigan. But the most memorable matchup of that tenure came in 2004, when the Wolverines topped Michigan State in a triple-overtime affair. He recalls the Spartans being up 27-10 with less than nine minutes to go. “We’re sitting in the box, and one of our coaches got really excited, and it was back when those glass windows rolled up, and he jumped up and goes, ‘Yeah!’ ” Nussmeier said Monday. “The next thing you know, we’re sitting there and glass just (rains down) everywhere. So we spent the rest of the fourth quarter and
overtime just draped in glass.” During an interview with the Daily in 2012, Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jake Long pointed to this game as his favorite during his five years in Ann Arbor, in part because of the enormity of the comeback. So while Nussmeier is new to this side of the rivalry, he has been a part of some of its biggest games. “It’s one of the classic rivalries in all of college football, and I’m very excited to be a part of it,” Nussmeier said. “Any time you play in a game, whether it be an in-state rivalry game or a conference rivalry game, and some are out-ofconference rivalry games, the important thing is the focus of the game itself, and you can get caught up and lost in the things that go around the game.” WINNING THE GROUND GAME: Last year’s blowout loss to Michigan State was highlighted by Michigan’s minus-48 rushing yards, the worst ground performance in program history. From start to finish, it was a disaster in the trenches. The running backs got nothing going, and fifthyear senior quarterback Devin Gardner spent more time on the ground than upright. Hoke said Wednesday that the offensive line was a “little deer in the headlights” during last season’s game. But this year, he maintains the offensive line is more prepared, and the
“It’s one of the classic rivalries in all of college football.”
players agree. “I would say the biggest thing is just to do what we know how to do,” said junior center Jack Miller on Monday. “Last year, I think as an offensive line, we went out there and just kind of let go of techniques and fundamentals and things like that and just kind of played chaotic, if you will.” With starting sophomore back Derrick Green out for the season after breaking his collarbone against Rutgers, sophomore De’Veon Smith and junior Justice Hayes will need to improve off their 64-yard performance against Penn State. In 41 of the last 44 matchups against Michigan State, the team with more rushing yards won the game. So the key to Michigan pulling the upset will be in the ground game. Luckily for the Wolverines, since Gardner resumed his role as the starter, he has shown his mobility. But it all starts in the trenches.
When the Michigan men’s basketball program announced a complete overhaul of its student-ticket policy prior to the 2013-14 season, it was met with massive outrage from a student fanbase that felt it had been deliberately misled. More than a year later, the dust has settled and the policies have been vindicated, and Michigan’s oft-discussed “claim” system is back for another run. After overselling the student section in 2013-14 — the Athletic Department sold 3,600 tickets for a 3,000-seat student section — a policy was instituted forcing students to claim the right to tickets in six subdivisions of home games. Despite the opposition, the policy worked spectacularly. The number of student tickets claimed never exceeded availability, and the Athletic Department was left with ample time to sell unused seats, ensuring a mostly full student section throughout the season at Crisler Center. “We really didn’t ask for too much to be changed,” said Engineering junior Christian Tallarico, president of the Maize Rage, Michigan’s student cheering section for men’s basketball games. “In my opinion, everything that changed from last year to this year was positive.” This season, the number of periods in which student seasonticket holders are asked to claim games they wish to attend has been reduced to three. And unlike last season, penalties
for unused claimed tickets only apply to the third claim period, as opposed to each period successively. Lenience for missed claims has also increased. Students will be allotted three chances to return claimed tickets, as long as the return is made at least 24 hours prior to tipoff. Ticket sales — after the Athletic Department announced last spring the price would remain $200 — dropped to 3,250, a 350-person decrease from last season. “I don’t think anybody would ever complain about prices going down,” Tallarico said. “But I’m very satisfied with the product, so I’m willing to pay $200 for it.” The student section’s size has stayed at 3,000 seats for all games that take place while class is in session. For games during academic breaks, the student section will shrink to 403 seats, the size of the courtside bleacher section on the west side of the arena. There’s one exception: In response to higher-thanexpected demand last season for games that took place during Spring Break, Michigan has set aside 1,000 tickets for the March 3 contest against Rutgers. Despite general satisfaction with the policy tweaks, the Maize Rage was disappointed on one last front. After advocating for increased seating in Crisler Center’s lower bowl, which currently holds less than a quarter of studentsection seats, the seating layout went unchanged. “We brought it up,” Tallarico said. “But we don’t expect much. We understand that Crisler just
got renovated and there are a lot of donors that paid for those good seats. We’re very happy with the atmosphere, and we’re making the most of it as it is, but we wouldn’t say no to more seats.” The Athletic Department’s basketball ticket policy from last year, while initially unpopular, might have had only a single flaw: communication, or lack thereof. Michigan’s marketing department was faced with the difficult offseason decision in 2013 to turn away prospective freshman ticket-buyers or oversell the student section. The department made sure, once again, to keep Maize Rage representatives at least somewhat in the loop the second time around. “They came up with what they thought the best idea was,” Tallarico said. “Then we met with them probably about two or three weeks before (the updated policy) was announced. “They ran it by us and (asked), ‘Anything you liked, disliked about this, what would you change?’ ” The meetings took place with Maize Rage representatives and members of the Athletic Department marketing staff, including Chief Marketing Officer Hunter Lochmann, who had a principal role in dealing with the aftermath of last year’s ticket-announcement fiasco. The first student-claim period begins this Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 8:30 a.m., and includes an exhibition and seven nonconference matchups, most notably a Dec. 2 clash with No. 24 Syracuse.
Notes: Hoke said Wednesday that freshman wide receiver Drake Harris is back in practice, but only on a limited basis. The freshman reinjured his hamstring in fall camp after sitting out his last season of high school with the same injury. … In Sports Illustrated’s second NFL draft big board released on Tuesday, junior wide receiver Devin Funchess ranked 13th on the list. He would be the first Michigan wide receiver taken in the first round since Braylon Edwards in 2005.
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The Maize Rage won’t have a larger allotment of seats in the lower bowl, but it was pleased with ticket-policy changes.
W0MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
‘M’ carries mantra into meet Michigan to host Indiana, Louisville, Texas in home opener By ALEX PODGES For the Daily
Back at it for another season, Michigan coach Mike Bottom is employing the slogan, “One team, one heartbeat.” After months of intense practice, the Michigan women’s swimming and diving team is eager to showcase its progress against college swimming’s best. No. 13 Indiana, No. 11 Louisville and No. 6 Texas come to Ann Arbor this weekend for the Wolverines’ home opener, and they are ready for the challenge. Bottom said he thinks the small adjustments the team has made since August will make crucial differences in timing, and his swimmers will appreciate the tweaks once they get in the water. “If we can get them to race with those changes, get their hands on the wall and get ahead of some of these great swimmers,” Bottom
said. “Some of these ladies will feel pretty good about the work they’ve done.” Along with the long hours in the pool, building camaraderie amongst the team has been an ongoing effort. For a sport heavily reliant on individual performance, Bottom believes the “one team, one heartbeat” mantra will create a collective ferocity in the team. “We’re chasing these leaders,” Bottom said. “And there’s a point where they just need to beat with one heartbeat and keep chasing these leaders, because that’s how we’re going to get there.” The Wolverines have wholeheartedly adopted the saying, even the talented freshman class. “Not just in the water are (the freshmen) excelling,” said senior co-captain Claudia Lau. “But they are cheering everyone on, being part of the team and pushing people forward, and
that’s really great.” There is little doubt about the early success of the first-year swimmers. Last week, freshman Clara Smiddy took first in the 100-meter backstroke and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week. Freshman Hannah Moore won both the 500-yard freestyle and the 1,000-yard freestyle. Surrounded by the cheer and dance teams as well as supportive fans, the team’s home opener should be a festive atmosphere no matter the outcome. “We’re really excited,” said senior co-captain Molly Schaefer. “Michigan is always a great support base, and it’s going to be really fun having the fans in the stands cheering us on.” Bottom said he just hopes the team’s mantra helps lead to as much success in the water as it does in practice.
“It’s going to be really fun having the fans in the stands.”
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The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | Thursday, October 23, 2014
O Y N A L P Changing Gamer ” U “ e h t t a e r u t l u C
By Adam DePollo, Online Arts Editor
I
f you work your way through the video studios and audio labs on the main floor of the Duderstadt Center and walk down the narrow staircase leading into to the basement — which doubles as a tornado shelter — you will find, nestled in a quiet corner past computer stations and shelves of engineering journals, separated off from the rest of the center by a heavy door and set of large windows, the University’s Computer & Video Game Archive. And “archive” is certainly the right word to describe the place. The back wall is dominated by shelves filled with a sampling from the entirety of gaming history, ranging from a 1975 Sears Sports Center, to board games, to cartridges for the NES
and Nintendo 64 and finally to the latest releases on the PS4, Xbox One and Wii U. Stations where patrons can play any of the Archive’s more than 5,000 titles take up the majority of the room’s square footage. There’s a walled-off room for audio-heavy games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. The space behind the front desk is littered with donations waiting to be catalogued and installed onto the collection’s computers. What little room is left on the walls is filled with posters, retro advertisements and graphic novels, comics and guidebooks to accompany the video games in the collection. It’s impossible to enter the Archive without being profoundly struck by the sheer weight of the materials it contains — something akin to the feeling one gets
while wandering alone in the more remote parts of the library stacks , coming face-to-face with the thousands upon thousands of books lining the shelves and imagining the millions of hours of research, the tens or even hundreds of thousands of lives devoted to amassing that collection of knowledge. But the feeling is all the more strongly felt when you realize that, as Archivist and collection development director Dave Carter explained, the Archive is a work in progress. Its selection isn’t anywhere near comprehensive. “(A collection of every game in existence) would be the Platonic ideal,” Carter said, “but we have neither the funds nor the space to do that. So, as with all libraries, we have to make choices about what we’re getting. I’m
trying to assemble a collection that’s representative, in as many ways as I can.” The Game Den to End All Game Dens Before waxing too poetic, however, it’s important to remember that video games are, at heart, entertainment — a fact just as readily visible in the CVGA as the history the collection seeks to preserve. When I visited the Archive last Friday, the room was filled with patrons, some arguing over which game mode they would play in “Super Smash Bros.,” one intensely focused on a round of “League of Legends,” a small group gathered on a couch and chatting about the newly-released RPG “Shadow of Mordor.” Charles Dryer, an LSA sopho-
more who works on the Archive’s staff, gave me a tour of the collection and described the usual atmosphere in the space. “Friday is our busiest day — we actually staff two people to cover the Archive instead of the usual one — because Friday is the only day we allow our most popular game, ‘Super Smash Bros.,’ to be played,” he said. “During the week we want it to be a calmer atmosphere, a little more studious. But Friday is a good day for people to let loose a little bit. They’ll get a bit rowdy, they really get into it, that kind of thing.” With literally thousands of games to choose from and comfortable spaces to play them in, it’s easy to see why, in its day-to-day operations, the CVGA serves as more of a recreational space than other libraries on campus. See CVGA, Page 3B
DESIGN BY JACKLYN THOMAS, MAYA LISPMAN AND MIRANDA RIGGS PHOTO BY NICHOLAS WILLIAMS
Arts
Singer-songwriter talks performance in Ann Arbor By AMRUTHA SIVAKUMAR Deputy Magazine Editor
It was packed on Sunday night when singer-songwriter Kina Grannis brought her all to the Blind Pig, whisking audiences away with an entrancing, storytelling performance. Alternating between tracks in her latest release, Elements, and her 2010 album, Stairwells, Grannis interspersed her acoustically based older tracks with more newer, experimental music. “(The newer music is) a little more mature,” Grannis said in an interview with The Michigan Daily before the show. “Stairwells is a very acoustic album, played on an acoustic guitar, with basic drums and very basic bass. With Elements there’s some electric guitar, the drums are just a little more interesting and less straightforward, and just have weird sounds. We experimented a lot with background vocals too.” Drawing on a band to fill the stage for the first time on tour, Grannis’s show was a novel performance. By incorporating a full percussion and a bass into her set, she was able to replicate
the sounds on her studio album. While during songs such as “The Fire” and “Oh Father” the band overpowered her aerial falsetto, her vocals during “Winter” pierced through the tenacious cymbals. “We’re able to experiment with sounds a bit more,” she explained. “The sound is a lot closer to what you hear on the album.” As the show progressed, the audience pushed through the corners of the Blind Pig to see Grannis up-close. And as her voice cut deeper and deeper, the crowd nudged closer. Surprisingly, she’s also shy. Grannis’s bashfulness took me aback. The modesty in her words is unique in a generally loud and boastful industry. After absorbing herself completely in each song, Grannis took a few moments to recapture the attention of the audience, never forgetting to relate her inspirations and experiences to those that were made possible because of her fans. Grannis is a rarity. Despite having built most of her following by singing covers on YouTube, her original songs demonstrate a contemplated complexity, uncommon in today’s pop landscape. Throughout the show, fans in the crowd sang along religiously. Simultaneously, Grannis had unique ways of engaging
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the crowd. Reminiscing on the moment that kickstarted her career, Grannis called on three of her fans to sing “Message From Your Heart” with her on stage. The song won the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl contest in 2007, eventually landing her a contract with Interscope Records. Earlier this month, Grannis hosted a poll on social media to allow her fans to choose which cover song would make it on her set list — later announcing that it would be “Sweater Weather,” by The Neighborhood. At Sunday’s show, the cover was stunning, showing Grannis’s ability to modulate a song masterfully to fit a range of emotions. “It’s a strange thing, because it’s something that’s going on in my brain the whole day,” Grannis said of how she maintains a strong rapport with her fans through social media. “I try to involve them in ways that are more interactive.” As an artist who gave up a major label contract to pursue songwriting independently, Grannis had advice for younger musicians pursuing a career in Ann Arbor’s arts industry. “Sing and play and write as much as humanly possible because you will always grow and you will always improve,” she said. “Do it for yourself. Do what excites you and hopefully that excites other people.”
in this series, three daily arts writers in varying states of mind visit the same place and write about their experiences. this week’s destination:
Pumpkin pie?
high
Grannis takes on the Blind Pig stage
baked.buzzed.bored.
runk
CONCERT REVIEW
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
d
sober
2B — Thursday, October 23, 2014
It was already going weird. We had no pie crust, and I had a migraine, and Erika was not wearing real person clothing. So here is my admission: I’m not high on weed, or mary jane, or ganja, or any other weird name for pot that my dad would come up with. I just took a pill for my migraine, and it’s making me feel loopy and weird and I may have just used the word “cowboy” when I meant to use the word “pie.” The fact that it’s 3:00 p.m on the Tuesday makes it weirder (EDITOR’S NOTE: It was a Wednesday). So we went to Trader Joe’s, where Alec bought cookies for babies which he later said he “regretted” and Erika bought ground meat because she is no longer a vegetarian like we were back in February for around a week. That’s how we became friends. #Michigals. Anyhoo, the pie-making is a disaster. Let’s just say there was a hair dryer involved. And now the hair dryer is sitting in the oven with a whole rack of ribs. This is such a mess, and now we are talking about hickeys. The pumpkin pie is cooking away, hopefully, but this whole situation hasn’t been ideal. But the hard cider was good. Goddamn what is happening. THE PIE SMELLS SO AMAZING AND WE HAVE HEART-SHAPED OVEN MITTS. Maybe there is a God. —EMMA THOMPSON
This pie is a shitshow. The crust has been thawed with a hairdryer, Katie’s meat is in the oven, no one has a grindr. Or a grinder. The pie stuff or whatever it’s called that goes in it smells good but this crust is a lumpy son of a bitch. The meat is still in the oven but we’re gonna put the pie in anyway because time is of the essence and we gotta get to work. The pie will not chANGE IT’S BEEN AN HOUR JUST BAKE ALREADY WHAT IF IT STARTS TO SMELL LIKE KATIE’S MEAT. It’s gonna taste like ribs and at this point I’m ok with it. Ughhhhhhhhh we gotta leave now and we never made it to the roof. I’ve still never been on my roof and now I probably never will. So now we’re at the Daily and all I can focus on are Adam’s hickeys and how my pie is doing no pun intended that pie is generally fine. It’s now 6:00 p.m. and I’ve texted Katie to get the ld that stands for low down. She says it will be another 20 minutes. Wait, no she says it’s ready now. Now we gotta walk back to my house and even though it’s sunny it’s kind of cool out, which is bullshit. The pie is back. It’s in the fridge and it looks amazing. I can say this with confidence because news looks jealous as shit which is honestly all I’ve ever wanted out of my life. Tonight we will feast on this pie with vanilla ice cream and Alec’s weird trader joe’s ginger snaps. And the only non-arts person who will join us will be Pistol Pete. Because he is perfect. —ERIKA HARWOOD
I didn’t think this was actually going to happen, but here we are, driving to Trader Joe’s to get a pie crust. When we get back to Erika’s though, it’s clear this is not going to be a smooth operation, given we only have one hour before work. As Emma Thompson mixes the ingredients, Erika and I read the directions on the back of the pie crust box. “Let crust defrost for 1-1 ½ hours. DO NOT MICROWAVE.” And since we all wouldn’t dare break a rule, the next thing I know Emma Thompson and I are in the bathroom, hair-drying the frozen pie crust, trying to unfold it without it breaking into a million pieces. But despite our inventive defrosting technique, the crust nevertheless broke apart. We only have one choice — Emma Thompson and I grab the hair-dried pieces of raw crust, mush it together and spread it out again. Not too shabby. We pour the filling over the crust and put it in the oven. Erika’s roommate’s ribs are in there too, so we can’t raise the temperature to the right level. But with time, patience and a bit of luck, the pie actually turned out pretty good. (It looks good; we haven’t actually tasted it yet). But we’ve got the pie, the hard cider and some of that other stuff left over, so everything should be just fine. Easy as pie. —ALEC STERN
SINGLE REVIEW “0 to 100 real quick” describes the speed at which Drake’s new single, “How About Now,” starts Dto suck copious amounts How About of ass. Now Drake has established Drake himself as Cash Money an innovator in the hip-hop world, and his most recent work has been top notch. Nothing was the Same set a high bar that was always going to be difficult to maintain — yet, on singles like Lil Wayne’s “Believe Me” and his own “0 to 100,” Drake met the high expectations he established for himself. However, “How About Now” is horrendously boring — one dimensional in production and a lyrical tragedy. This song has literally one of the worst hooks ever — “Girl, How about now. Because I’m up right now, and you suck right now.” God damn. Sounds more
CASH MONEY
like the script to a Viagra commercial than rap lyrics. Girl, whatever you did, take comfort in knowing that you don’t suck as badly as this song. Drake’s fans are going to be crying tears of shame – and those aren’t the Drizzyinduced tears he’s going for. In terms of production, this song started with potential — 40, Drake’s producer, rarely fails to deliver something unique. But in this
case, even he struggles to change up the pace. When you combine Drake’s lyrical face plant and 40’s momentary lack of inspiration, you get a really shitty song. And “How About Now” is just that. Fellow fans — don’t despair though — I’m sure he’s just feeling a little hazy after serving as a prop in the “Anaconda” music video. He’ll be back. —NICK BOYD
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ARTIST AVANT GARDE IN
CVGA From Page 1B And, as Carter explained, the Archive was founded with recreational use in mind. “We knew that was going to be the case when we started out,” he said. “By opening it up to anybody who just wants to come in and play games, anyone who wants to will come in and play games.” But by offering video games and a space to play them for both University affiliates and the Ann Arbor community — anyone with a photo I.D. can use the Archive’s collection — the CVGA is also filling a gap in the video game industry created by the loss of brick-andmortar video rental stores like Blockbuster in recent years. In 2014, if you’re not sure about whether you want to buy a game, the options for testing out the product beforehand are severely limited. You can play the ten minute demo at your local Gamestop, you can download the 30 minute demo directly to your console, or you can pay $16 a month for a rental service like Gamef ly, which offers none of the streaming convenience of Netf lix and only allows you to play one game at a time before incurring extra costs. There’s a bit more f lexibility on PCs, where you can easily download an illegal copy of just about any game you could think of, but legal demo options are perhaps even more limited than they are for consoles. And, of course, the cost of video game software and hardware can be prohibitive. A computer capable of smoothly running popular games like “League of Legends” will cost you upwards of $300 at the least, while consoles like the PS4 run between $400 and $500, with new games costing about $60 and online play requiring the purchase of yearly $50-$60 subscriptions. For cash-strapped gamers, those costs often translate into hard choices about which games to buy and understandable disappointment when a game doesn’t live up to expectations. By providing access to the latest games and the hardware to play them on, libraries like the CVGA are expanding access to and promoting engagement with games that, because of factors like cost, might not otherwise be available to interested gamers. Beyond lightening cost burdens, however, the Archive’s expansive collection also helps to make video games more accessible to individuals and communities who don’t necessarily fit the definition of ‘traditional’ gamers. Part of that work is achieved through the choice of games to include in the collection, as Carter explained. “(Building the collection) obviously includes getting a lot of popular games in there, but it also involves non-popular games. Identifying games that are going to be interesting, or games that are developed by or intended for certain non-traditional audiences, games for kids, sorts of things that may not instantly be appreciated by our regular clientele.” But another, perhaps more significant part of the process might be achieved by simply having a physical space in which people can meet and interact with video games on their own terms. Archive Manager Valerie Waldron described one example of how the CVGA has been used to address issues of sexism and gender-based exclusion in gaming communities. “We had a grad student in here a couple years back, and she created a student organization — it only lasted for about a semester because it was a project — but it just involved having women in here and doing social events and trying to make them feel comfortable,” Waldron said. “Just seeing what it would look like to have just women in here and to see what kind of social interactions would take place.” A Space for Scholarship While video game history begins with the development of the first consoles in the early
Thursday, October 23, 2014 — 3B
By CATHERINE SULPIZIO Daily Arts Writer
NICHOLAS WILLIAMS/Daily The University’s CVGA has helped make games an area for academic study.
1970s and academic collections like the Video Game Archive at Ritsumeikan University have been in operation since the late 1990s in Japan, it’s only in the past ten or fifteen years that video games have begun to be considered a serious subject for academic inquiry in the United States. The development of programs dedicated to the study of video games at American universities is an even more recent phenomenon — the University’s CVGA and comparable collections like the University of Texas’s Videogame Archive, have only been in existence for about six years. And, while some universities offer courses in the more technical aspects of video game design, development of archives like the CVGA has rarely been accompanied by the creation of anything approaching a ‘Video Game Studies’ department that examines games from an aesthetic or cultural standpoint. But that isn’t to say that nobody is giving video games serious attention at the University. A number of professors from a wide variety of disciplines — including Comparative Literature, Statistics, Engineering and History — currently teach classes that offer critical perspectives on video games and video game culture. And, since its inception, the CVGA has worked to make it easier to incorporate video games into curricula. “I think (having the Archive) greases the wheels, as it were, for expanding what can be done,” Carter said. “Having a collection like ours available here at the University I think allows faculty who want to play them in the classroom or in research to do that more easily, more readily. They don’t have to build their own collections to handle stuff and the library can be responsible for the care and feeding of those collections.” Having a wide collection of older games and especially older hardware also opens up avenues for research that might not otherwise be available to faculty or graduate students interested in studying games and game history. Matt Thompson, a professor in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance who teaches a course on video game music, particularly appreciates the selection of original TVs and audio equipment available alongside the CVGA’s game collection. “They have TVs from the era of my childhood, so you can play ‘Super Mario’ and hear it on that TV. I mean, that’s important,” he said. “To hear it in my fancy home surround sound system is great, but that’s not how ‘Super Mario’ sounded. And one of the things about game audio is, you know, if you’re developing a game for iPhone, you will probably listen to it on very expensive equipment, but at the end of the day you’re going to listen to it on an iPhone. So you might need to mix it in a certain way, and I love the fact that the archive has these different audio technologies possible.” The CVGA’s collection can also, as Waldron explained, make certain types of research much easier and more cost efficient. “The Transportation Institute on North Campus, they wanted a way to simulate driving so that they could do a texting-while-driving experiment — that’s not something that you want to do on the road, and they had this really expensive driving simulator over there that is
always reserved for grad student projects, more important projects. So they wanted to find something relatively cheap, and it’s free to come in here and use our driving games so they did that and it worked out really well.” A collection like the CVGA, just like any library, provides a space for academics and researchers to approach familiar materials with new perspectives. That accessibility can simply lead to an easier way to do research, as in the case of the Transportation Institute’s work, or provide avenues toward new and exciting studies like Thompson’s, which often develop out of such unexpected sources. But, most importantly, they provide the raw materials through which we can enhance our understanding of and productively complicate our discussions about the world around us. Changing How We Think About Video Games As the efforts of collections like the CVGA help to develop video games into a serious topic for academic study, they’re contributing to a change in discourses outside of academia as well. Two years ago, the Smithsonian developed one of the first museum exhibits to examine video games as an art form — a new way to consider the medium that, in Carter’s view, follows patterns in the way our views of any popular art change. “We see this process with just about every medium that was once considered a ‘trash’ medium,” he said. “Movies, television; even the novel, when it was first being developed, was considered a low form of entertainment. In Shakespeare’s times, plays were considered something for the lower classes and high-minded people didn’t pay much attention to them. So today’s trash culture is tomorrow’s culture that’s going to be studied.” At the same time, it’s becoming increasingly clear that video games are developing into one of the most dominant fields of artistic expression, both in terms of cultural importance and sheer dollar amounts, as Thompson explained. “I think a lot of people don’t realize that games generate as much income as TV and movies combined each year, and so when you start to think about it, then it’s like ‘Well, if there’s so much money possible, why the crap aren’t we looking at it?’” As video games and the game industry rise in cultural and economic importance, they have some serious problems that they need to grapple with — issues with representations of women and minorities being just two major examples. But there’s no way to contribute to those discussions without playing the games themselves and thinking about them critically, and that may be where a collection like the CVGA can have the most impact. “I’d say that about 75 percent of the use of the Archive right now is recreational,” Carter said. “But what that does is that people know that we’re there, just so that, especially for the students, when they have a class project or something like that and are looking for something interesting to do, they’ll remember ‘Oh, the Video Game Archive! Maybe there’s some way I can work that into this project I have.’” And maybe one of those projects, created by students working and playing with the entirety of video game history at their fingertips, will give us a way to change those discussions for the better.
At Espresso Royale, Madelyn Grant is telling me how an old high school friend asked her if she planned to pursue music after graduation. A wide smiles brims from the LSA senior, remembering how she laughed dismissively before saying, “No, I’m gonna do science.” Those turned out to be famous last words, because Grant is many things, but a biologist is not one of them. Music as a viable career option is still a fairly recent development, though — it was just last year that Grant changed her major from the aforementioned Biolog y to LSA’s music major. Though Grant may be reticent to say music is definitely in the cards (after all, she is only 21 years old), the talented singer is poised for success. There is her impressive voice: in a single song she can f luctuate between smoldering powerhouse vocals to synthpop-y harmonizing, and there is also an ODESZA song called “Sun Models” featuring Grant and has garnered more than two million views on YouTube. Her collaboration with ODESZA, a Seattle-based electronica duo that’s made a name for themselves with insanely catchy tracks punctuated by bubble gum beats and trance-y vocals, represents a turning point in Grant’s novice career. Last December, the singer saw a Facebook post from the band calling for female vocals. “I was freaking out, so I stayed up all night over Christmas break,” she said, “trying to think of three samples to send them. I couldn’t sleep even after I sent it, but the next day, or the day after, they emailed back saying ‘We really like this, would you wanna work with us?’ ” What makes Grant distinct is how self-directed and styled her budding career has been. Grant was in her high-school choir and sang for student a cappella group, 58 Greene, from freshman to junior year. She’s also a relatively new songwriter,having begun just two years ago, but music hasn’t been a serious pursuit until recently — this is in contrast to some students who “have been taking voice lessons since they were 5.” Indeed, Grant’s decision to study LSA’s major over the School of Music’s equivalent was driven partly by pragmatism
(she would not have been able to stay on track for a 2015 graduation), but mostly by the program’s wide-ranging course load that isn’t limited to technical classical training. From musicology to theory to performance art technology classes, Grant described the major’s versatility as being able to “open a lot of doors and then begin to narrow them down.” And compared to the specialized emphasis in School of Music, LSA’s personalized major melds with her decidedly entrepreneurial ethos (Grant is also in the Program in Entrepreneurship). That lack of classical structure seeps into her music — after all, if you never learn the rules, it’s easy to break them. While raised on Motown mainstays like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, Grant also cites a far-reaching array of experimental electronica artists. Listening to them and going to festivals made the genre a natural juncture for the genre-bending singer. “Sounds and rhythms and voices you would never think could go together, worked so well,” Grant said. “And being new to writing, I loved how I could use whatever I was interested in rhythm- or lyric-wise without being held back by a technical format or standard rhyme scheme. In electronic music, I saw a lot more freedom to experiment.” That freedom to experiment outside genre lines, something every artist holds as a conceit, is usually discouraged. But then there are cases like Grant who prove technical adherence would only subdue her voice, which finds its life in sprawling, graceful melodies. Take for example, her collaboration with FKJ (short for French Kiwi Juice), a Parisian producer with a penchant for pairing funky soul with smooth electronica. In “Waiting,” Grant’s smoky, asymmetric vocals (positively Winehouse-esque, no other word for it) snake themselves around FKJ’s ultra-smooth strain. It’s equal parts classic and experimental. The collaboration between FKJ and Grant came about through a now established platform for young artists, social media; Grant sent FKJ a message on Facebook. In recent years, the Internet has become a well-documented platform for young artists of all mediums. It typifies the egalitarian current that runs through our generation
— any artist can watch their work amass viewer/follower/ retweet momentum, providing their work is good enough. We’ve all heard of a poet who got discovered on Twitter or the comedian who launched a career from a YouTube channel. Grant, herself is a SoundCloud user, and in January when she posted a collaboration with School of Music jazz student, Alekos Syropoulos, a slinky jazz song called “Purpose,” it racked up over 79,000 listens on the website. Scrolling through the hundreds of gushing comments, it’s obvious that Grant’s singing sparks the rare visceral reactions from fans.
Madelyn Grant: Poised for success. The internet has also been a necessary tool in bridging the geographical gaps between Grant and her high-profile collaborators: FKJ resides in Paris, and the ODESZA duo in Seattle. In FJK’ case, it was all done via Facebook and e-mail. He sent her a rough instrumental track with the guitar, synthesizer, and drums, Grant wrote to it, and after they agreed on a general idea, the two passed the song back and forth, FKJ working on the mixing, while Grant wrote and recorded in Ann Arbor, made easy by a shared background. “We both have a love for Motown, so we were already on the same page of style, so I felt really comfortable expressing myself with a soulful style.” While plenty of remote opportunities are within Grant’s reach, the Ann Arbor community is particularly special to her: “There’s this whole awesome circle, community, really, you have to just get your foot in the door, but it’s like a family,” Grant said. “Obviously they’re all from the same city, but they all go to each other’s shows, play in each other’s bands.” Grant eventually sees herself moving to a bigger music city, but her hopes have a healthy dose of practicality, and Ann Arbor isn’t a bad place for a developing artist. “There’s a lot of gaps between wanting to have a music career and actually doing it, so it’s really cool to be around local musicians who are doing it.”
YOUR GRANDMA WANTS TO SEND US A “TWIT.”
@MICHIGANDAILY MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW Jeep joyrides, smoothies, treehouses, sexy tattoos, bonfires, swims with sea-lions: the typical Hawaii B fantasy. That’s what Telegraph Hiro Murai, Ave. who directed the video, Childish would like Gambino you to believe. Watch until the Glassnote end though. Look closely: At 1:33, just for a moment, the camera peers through the glass at a baseballcap man staring suspiciously out at Gambino while he slirps and flirts. I missed it the first time through, it’s too quick. But there’s no missing the second baseball-cap dude around 2:15. First, he’s the nice stranger who takes the couple’s picture on the crag. Then, the music cuts
GLASSNOTE
and he’s the suspicious stranger that does a look-back at Gambino swimming in the ocean, his face all ominous. Is he gonna kidnap the girl? Kill them both? What’s his problem! But then he’s gone, and Murai takes us swimming for a cool 25 seconds, and we even see a sea-lion, before the track finally cuts back in over a bonfire. And then just like that, Hawaii is no fantasy. The music cuts again and baseball-cap dudes
are back and plow Gambino with their car. Even the little wrist-grab, you still think he’s going to rape or kidnap her for a moment. Until Gambino sprouts alien tentacles and kills them both. Murai is the master of expectation fucking. Why isn’t she scared at the end? What is that expression exactly? Why is Gambino’s left eye blue, and right black? —YARDAIN AMRON
the b-side
4B — Thursday, October 23, 2014
‘U’NITED FOR A CAUSE
NICHOLAS WILLIAMS/Daily
The Feminist Forum at East Quad led a discussion on sexual assault of Native American women this week.
Passion drives RC Forums’ missions East Quad groups have the potential to make a difference By ADAM THEISEN Daily Music Editor
When they were living together sophomore year, Residential College students Talya Nakash, Emily Preuss, Alia Raheem and Marianna Yamamoto would sit in their living room and talk about women of color in the media — race, gender and the portrayals that they saw. Now as seniors, they’re doing the same thing every week, but dozens of people show up with them to take part in the conversation. “We thought this would be so cool if we could expand this and put it in a more structured environment so that everyone in the RC and people who were interested could have the benefit of gaining a space like this,” Nakash said. As co-leaders and co-founders of Feminist Forum, the four head up a discussion every Monday night in East Quad, covering a wide variety of intersectional social topics. Several of these types of groups meet weekly under the RC Forum umbrella, whether they’re discussing social issues like Feminist and LGBT*QA Forums, or they’re more focused on artistic expression like Poetry and Creative Writing Forums. RC Forums can be anything, so long as they’re substantive and have passionate members. The forum system was originally proposed during the final years of old East Quad by an RC senior who had gone to Ann Arbor’s alternative Community High School, where their version of “homerooms” were “forums” that brought together 9th through 12th grade students. “The main impetus for the RC was ‘let’s find a way to bring upper-level students and lowerlevel students in the RC into closer contact,’ ” said Jennifer Myers, associate director for Curriculum and Director of Academic
Services. “Because when the upper-level student moved out, it was hard for them to maintain those ties.” A 1974 study of Community High School by the University’s School of Social Work describes the alternative learning facility as having “maximum individuality within maximum community,” but that motto could be applied just as accurately to the RC, a part of the University where faculty insist on being called by their first names and, back in the ’70s, didn’t even give out grades. “The history of the RC has been one that supports a lot of student autonomy,” Myers said. “I had always pictured myself in an environment closer to a small liberal arts college, but I also really wanted the resources of a large university,” said RC junior and co-leader of Food Forum Amanda Nelson, which is now in its second year. “I can walk through the halls and know most of the people and know that they share certain interests.” In their first year, the variety of forums also included faculty members. Since then, they’ve been entirely student-run affairs, with little-to-no interference from the college itself. “It became quickly clear that wasn’t the way to go,” Myers said. “Because when you have a faculty person in the room, it’s easy to revert back to the faculty person leading discussion and driving things, and we didn’t want it to be that. So the faculty stepped out, and we left it to the students, and it’s been that way ever since.” While there are no professors present, students can still earn class credit for participating in a forum. Once an RC club has existed for a semester, it can be approved to become a fullyfledged forum, at which point its regular members may elect to receive credit for attending. This leads to an environment in which the forums can feel like a much more casual classroom, or an educational discussion among peers. “It’s academic, but not peda-
gogical,” Nelson said. At this week’s Feminist Forum meeting, Nakash, Preuss, Raheem and Yamamoto led a discussion on sexual assault of Native American women in a circle of over 30 students. While Nakash takes the lead by introducing the topic and providing facts, the leaders make a conscious effort to let the unassuming members speak first if they have input on the subject. In that way, the forums really parallel RC classes, in which professors often moderate discussion, but usually step back and let the students carry it on their own. Myers says that enrollment seems to have gone up since East Quad has been renovated, but there are still challenges facing the RC in this new building. This year’s RC senior class has experienced old East Quad, a year in West Quad and now two years in the new, renovated East Quad, which some say has hurt the community aspect of the college. “It was weird, because our RC classes weren’t even in West Quad,” said RC senior Danielle Leonard, who was co-leader of LGBT*QA forum during her sophomore year. “The forum meetings were in South Quad sometimes. But I feel like we’ve restored it a lot. I feel like last year was kind of ‘getting the RC back into East Quad’ and figuring all that out, and this year it’s finally like a community again. The new East Quad hasn’t been without criticism though, with many saying that the updated building is like a hotel, compared to the run-down old building that they say was full of character. The demise of the autonomous, student-run Halfway Inn, a basement performance space/café for RC students, seemed symbolic of these changes. Last year, the “Take Back The RC” group protested the changes by painting murals on empty East Quad walls (a tribute to the days of Old EQ), leading to a revamped RC art policy. “Some of the alums have come back, and this is almost like you left your house, and somebody
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
redid your whole house. You approach the house, and from the outside it pretty much looks the same, but you walk in and it is completely different. It has to be stunning,” Myers said. “On the other hand, though, the new students coming in, this is what you know as what the RC is, and students have not been dissatisfied.” The question is, then, how will the RC put its stamp on New East Quad? Myers talks about how as programs change, she wants to open up more EQ space specifically for RC students, but for the moment, the forums are now one of the few ways to see the community aspect of the RC on full display. You can walk into East Quad at lunchtime and hear French, German, Russian, Spanish and even Latin being spoken by large groups as part of the RC’s intensive language program, or you can wander the dorm and perhaps try to pick out the more eccentrically dressed people, but the forums where often what brings students together the most. With the constant turnover of leaders and members, it can be difficult to keep a forum running strong. “It’s hard to keep a new forum going, because when it’s new, everyone wants to join it, but then everyone kind of flocks to the new forums,” Leonard said. “It takes dedicated leaders (to keep a forum running), people willing to assume responsibility,” Myers said. “Sometimes when you don’t have that person ready to step up, it can really fall by the wayside.” This makes it imperative that older forum leaders train and groom younger members to take over when they graduate. And while on a week-to-week basis the socially conscious forums may just be reaching out to people who already agree with them and won’t necessarily change anyone’s mind, they do provide a safe, open space and can raise consciousness in people who care about pressing social issues. “Obviously people who have (anti-LGBT*QA beliefs) aren’t going to be the ones joining our forum … so we definitely try to make it a safe space,” Leonard said. “I think more than anything it can act, just like a very safe, enclosed space where everyone can just be open about anything. As much as a zone can be judgment-free it’s definitely a judgment-free zone.” Forums also have the potential to make a larger difference on campus, though, as last year Feminist Forum hosted a talk by Jim DeRogatis in a large-scale event that was practically unprecedented for an RC forum. The leaders are looking to do a similar, even larger event this year. However, despite a possibility for expansion and more events, the forum leaders still also want to focus on sharing their passions with other members. “I learned that if you don’t feel like you have a space on campus, to just go and create your own,” Raheem said. “If you think that there’s something out there that you care about, most likely there’s going to be someone else who cares about it as well and is just as passionate and you should get out there and shout it out.”
MUSIC NOTEBOOK
Music Pirates Anonymous By YARDAIN AMRON Daily Arts Writer
Hi, my name is Skyler and I’m a music pirate addict. I’m kinda nervous to be here to be honest. I heard about this group from my old friend Ronnie who’s also a recovering addict — actually come to think of it, just yesterday Ronnie called me all giggidy with some great news while I was mid-shift at the hospital (I’m a year into my residency). He said he had just bought, with money, like real dollars, his first song in over 10 years. Big deal, I know, and I was super excited for Ronnie and while I probably shouldn’t have picked up the phone while inserting my firstever IV drip, I was so super happy for Ronnie like I said, and couldn’t help myself — and a blood transfusion later, Ms. Henderson was conscious again, so no biggie. Claps for Ronnie! Anyway, I think I’m supposed to tell my own story about how I got here so here goes. It all started back in junior high school, when exchanging iTunes libraries was as ordinary as dying of dysentery in Oregon Trail™. All you did was hand over your iPod to that friend-with-great-musictaste for the night and the next day you had a thousand new songs — no cost to you, no cost to your friend. So amazing! Soon enough, I had stockpiled a library 5,000 songs strong, of which maybe 200 were originally mine, of which all were from my father’s embarrassing CD collection, of which contained the soundtrack to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, of which I know every fucking word … But there was also all the music I wanted but could never actually ask my friends for because that would be like, straight social suicide. Like omg, if Ronnie knew I owned all six Kelly Clarkson albums, or that I not only own but have memorized the tracklists for Now 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12 — just kill me. So I did the sensible thing and downloaded LimeWire, which I’m sure you all know about because anyone who’s an addict knows about LimeWire, a service that fostered illegal downloading. Life on LimeWire was mojitos on the beach, but like forever. I could download virtually any song I desired — Sheryl Crow’s whole discography, the “Pokémon” theme song, you name it! — and all for free. It quickly progressed from
a weekly thing to the point where I was downloading almost constantly, I’m talking a few times a day. And when LimeWire didn’t have what I wanted, I tried Napster, Ka-zaa, Gnutella, whatever might get me the song I was craving. I will say I bought an external hard drive for my 20,000-song library, so I didn’t completely steal everything if you think about it philosophically or whatever. Also, I once went into a record store and bought a poster of the Dark Side of the Moon album cover because it’s my favorite (I have Pink Floyd’s whole discography), so that counts too I think. Those were the days, before all the bullshit government reg ulation that made stealing music less convenient. Then Big Brother cracked down on Napster, LimeWire, Ka-zaa, all the peer-to-peer file sharing services, and ruined my fun. So I, being the innovative person I am, discovered BitTorrent, pirate-bay.org and other sites like it, which made it possible to steal movies and soft-ware too! But then Jammie Thomas-Rasset happened — you know, the woman who got sued by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIA A) for $220,000 ($54,000 for each of the 24 songs she downloaded illegally). When Ronnie told me about the suit, and the 18,000 others filed by the RIA A against similar individuals, I pissed my pants, changed into a fresh pair, did some back-of-thenapkin math that concluded my own suit would add up to $1 billion and change, and then pissed my pants again … (Do you know how much debt med students have already?!?)
I’m fucking scared, guys. That was a few days ago, and I’m fucking, scared g uys. I got my Locs on and keep the oven on now in case the FBI shows up so I can destroy my hard-drive. I’ve been trying to lay low, get this addiction under control, but dependence is real. Like last night, I downloaded every song by Beethoven and Mozart just because I can. I know it’s wrong, but it’s just so easy. I’m not a bad person g uys, I just want to be a g ynecologist. This is a work of f iction. Yardain can be reached at amron@umich.edu.
SINGLE REVIEW Gwen Stefani’s highly anticipated comeback — you know, the one that we’ve been asking for since 2006’s The B Sweet Escape, since No Baby Doubt’s muchDon’t Lie welcomed Gwen Stefani (yet ultimately underInterscope whelming) 2012 comeback and since she announced that she’d be a coach on this fall’s cycle of “The Voice” — is finally happening. It’s a thing, you guys. On Saturday she released the first single from her upcoming third studio album and it’s anything but disappointing. Upon first listen, “Baby Don’t Lie” isn’t a total home run; it’s not a song that you impulsively buy on iTunes after listening to it for 30 seconds and it doesn’t scream “first single” right away. Like, on a scale of one to Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” breaking the Internet, “Baby Don’t Lie” … didn’t.
But that was to be expected — Stefani hasn’t released new solo material in eight years so, much like Fergie’s recently released “L.A.Love (La La),” there wasn’t ever going to be much universal fanfare around this release. It’s simply been too long since she’s connected to us through her music. Though she never lost her pop culture relevance, Gwen Stefani’s extended absence from music gave her something to prove. After a few more listens, “Baby Don’t Lie” becomes more of the single we were hoping to hear from Stefani — one that gets stuck in your head, one that doesn’t sound like everything that’s already out there, one that is inherently Gwen. Its reggaetinged beat pulsates more and more and its lyrics have some actual meaning. Asking for more from Gwen would’ve been asking too much; “Baby Don’t Lie” isn’t a disappointment and, considering she wrote the song with Benny Blanco and Ryan “Halo” Tedder,
INTERSCOPE
that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Gwen Stefani’s resurgence has been a reassuringly feel good one — not that there was ever any doubt that she was still the impossibly awesome and one-ofa-kind person she was when she was a teenager in No Doubt, but her presence on “The Voice” this season let us witness it first-hand. As the only female coach, Gwen Stefani isn’t just “one of the boys,” she runs the whole show and doesn’t take any shit from her
comrades. Together with fellownewcomer Pharrell Williams, Gwen has given Adam Levine a run for his money in swaying the best contestants to join her team and it’s been a joy to watch. “Baby Don’t Lie” may not end up being a chart-topper for Gwen Stefani, but it sure as hell is a solid comeback single that retains everything it means to be a Gwen Stefani song. Now I’m just waiting for her to perform it on “The Voice.” —GIBSON JOHNS