MichiganDaily.com
Weekly Summer Edition Ann Arbor, MI
CELEBRATING OUR ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY- FIFTH YEAR OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
inside
Thursday, June 18, 2015
MUMFORD & SONS
NEWS
Joint Institute Master’s program connects students with leading universities in China >> SEE PAGE 2
NEWS
Adoption services New bill allows adoption agencies to deny service to same-sex couples >> SEE PAGE 3
OPINION
Fostering Discrimination New legislation is discriminatory and damaging >> SEE PAGE 4
Ann Arbor Summer Festival kicks off with live music, outdoor activities Festival attracts attendees from across the state By SAM COREY
ARTS
For the Daily
Orange is the New Black Season 3 of Netflix drama premieres online >> SEE PAGE 6
SPORTS
Womens Track at NCAA’s Wolverines turn in best finish since 2009 >> SEE PAGE 11
INDEX Vol. CXXI, No. 136 | © 2013 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
NEWS ....................................2 OPINION ...............................4 ARTS ......................................6 CLASSIFIEDS.........................8 SUDOKU.................................2 SPORTS..................................7
ZACH MOORE/Daily
ZACH MOORE/Daily
LEFT & RIGHT: Mumford & Sons perform at DTE Energy Music Theatre on June 16th.
The annual Ann Arbor Summer Festival kicked off June 12 on North University Avenue with various activities and live musical performances. Established in 1984 by microfilm pioneer Eugene Power, in
collaboration with the city of Ann Arbor and the University, the festival is known for its performances by eclectic groups of domestic and international artists. The festival is open six days a week and reins in close to 80,000 attendees each year for simultaneously occurring indoor and outdoors programs. Friday’s activities included entertainment by dancers, musicians, comedians and actors. Festival activities are made possible each year through the
work of volunteers and donations from regular attendees. LSA junior Rob Smith said he enjoys how the event engages the Ann Arbor community. “It has a vast range of musical talent and is a place for people to gather and just see people that they wouldn’t be able to see throughout the year. It’s a wonderful community event,” said Smith. Outdoor programs, otherwise known as Top of the Park, make up 90 percent of the festival’s activities and include outdoor
movies, concerts, workouts, organized dancing, educational programs and food vendors. According to Amy Nesbitt, the director of the festival, there has been a steady fusion between the indoor and outdoor programs. “It used to be segmented between indoor and outdoor programs. Over the years, we’ve tried really hard to braid that experience,” Nesbitt said. Each year the nonprofit festival’s steering team sends a See FESTIVAL, Page 3
ACADEMICS
Program transitions veterans to classroom Warrior-Scholar academic bootcamp helps veterans adjust to University life By ALAINA WYGNAT Daily Staff Reporter
“It’s kind of a long story,” Adam Pawlowski said, speaking about how he came to be one of 20 veterans at the WarriorScholar Project at the University.
For the second year in a row, the University hosted the program, one-week academic boot camp designed to help servicemen and women make the transition from the military to the classroom. The Warrior-Scholar Project began at Yale University in 2012 and has expanded to 11 colleges According to University alum Ryan Pavel, the program director for the University’s campus and a former marine, it will expand to seven more campuses
this year. “The veterans have a rigorous schedule and are taught using a humanities-based curriculum,” a course packet on the program reads. “There is Tocqueville on American democracy, Shelley’s poem ‘Ozymandias,’ Hannah Arendt’s political philosophy on freedom and quite a number of style manuals, guides and essays on writing.” Pavel said the academic coursework is rigorous and because it is contained to one
weeks, students take it seriously. “It’s long days,” Pavel said. “Breakfast is at 8, and most days, we push until 10 or 11 at night. When students come here, they know it’s only one week and that they have a lot to do, so it’s very focused.” With the exception of transportation costs, the program is free for selected veterans thanks to funding from private donors such as the National Endowment for the Humanities. See BOOTCAMP, Page 3
2 NEWS
Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
New master’s program promotes global collaboration Program connects business, engineering students through partnership with universities in China
AMANDA ALLEN/Daily
Josh Davis performs as a part of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival on North University on Thursday June 11.
By ALEX JUNTTI Daily Staff Reporter
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business has partnered with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, one of China’s leading universities, and the University’s SJTU Joint Institute to initiate a Master of Management program. The program will be for Joint Institute engineering students, and will provide a basis for faculty research and collaboration between the Business School and the SJTU Antai College of Economics and Management. The Joint Institute was founded in 2006 and represents a strategic global partnership between China and the United States. Its primary mission is to establish a highly reputable institute for innovative global engineering education and research. The program currently supports more than 1,000 undergraduates, most of whom are Chinese, studying computer, mechanical and electrical engineering in Shanghai. More than 20 full-time faculty members teach all of the available courses in English. Launched in 2014, Master of Management Program at the Business School is meant to provide students who have little undergraduate business experience with a firm understanding of business strategy and concepts. The Master of Management program for the Joint Insti-
tute’s engineering students will begin in July. Students will study business concepts in China before arriving in Ann Arbor in the fall for nine months of study at the Business School. In May, students will return to China, where they will conclude their program by completing a seven-week, action-based learning capstone project led by Business School faculty in which students work on real world projects with multinational corporation based in China. Liz Muller, the director of global initiatives for the Ross School of Business, said the interdisciplinary nature of the program is perfect for students looking to add relevant business experience to an already impressive degree. “A lot of engineers go into strict engineering and as they progress through their career, they need management skills to really take that next step into business and industry,” Muller said. “We see one of our best opportunities for collaboration in China being not only cross-culturally but cross-disciplinary, so we’re really interested in the intersection of business and engineering or business and health for example.” M.S. Krishnan, associate dean for global initiatives at the Business School, said the partnership not only benefits students by providing them with a diverse, global education, but is also advantageous to numerous faculty members because it provides new opportunities for business collaboration and research. “We are trying to open up a platform for our faculty to visit China and to these companies so we can understand See ROSS, Page 8
@MICHIGANDAILY
420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com
LAURA SCHINAGLE MADISEN POWELL
Editor in Chief Business Manager 734-418-4115 ext. 1251 734-418-4115 ext. 1241 schlaura@michigandaily.com madisenm@michigandaily.com
CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom
Office hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. 734-763-2459 opt.3
News Tips Corrections Letters to the Editor
news@michigandaily.com corrections@michigandaily.com
tothedaily@michigandaily.com or visit michigandaily.com/letters
Photo Department Arts Section Editorial Page Sports Section Magazine Advertising Department
photo@michigandaily.com arts@michigandaily.com opinion@michigandaily.com sports@michigandaily.com statement@michigandaily.com Phone: 734-418-4115 dailydisplay@gmail.com
EDITORIAL STAFF Derek Wolfe
dewolfe@michigandaily.com
Managing Editor
Alyssa Brandon
Managing News Editor
alyabd@michigandaily.com SENIOR NEWS EDITORS: Lea Giotta, Carly Noah and Colleen Harrison
Melissa Scholke
Editorial Page Editor opinioneditors@michigandaily.com SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR: Mary Kate Winn
Zach Shaw
Managing Sports Editor sportseditors@michigandaily.com SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR: Chloe Aubuchon
Christian Kennedy
Managing Arts Editor
cmkee@michigandaily.com SENIOR ARTS EDITOR: Caroline Filips
Amanda Allen and Zach Moore
Managing Photo Editors
photo@michigandaily.com
Francesca Kielb
Managing Design Editor
design@michigandaily.com
Emily Campbell
Managing Copy Editor
copydesk@michigandaily.com
Nick Cruz
Online Editor
The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published every Thursday during the spring and summer terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April) is $195. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press.
Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
NEWS 3
New law aims to protect religious freedom Law may protect adoption agencies that refuse service to same-sex couples By JACKIE CHARNIGA Daily Staff Reporter
Thursday, Gov. Rick Snyder (R) approved a bill that will allow private adoption agencies to deny adoption to prospective parents on the grounds that providing services would violate religious beliefs.
BOOTCAMP From Page 1 Kyle Piunti, who went through the boot camp in 2014 and subsequently attended Columbia University, is now a tutor in analytical reading. He said seeing the growth of his students has been rewarding. “A lot of students, when they first come in, are overwhelmed with a text,” Piunti said. “Then you start to see them develop as far as understanding the text and the direction in which we’re taking them.” People from every branch of the service attended the boot camp this year. Two veterans who attended this year’s camp are Pawlowski and Cody Gilman, who said they are considering attending the University in the future. Though they attended the camp together, their stories regarding transition from military to academic life are different. Pawlowski received an associate’s degree in political science and joined the Marine Corps, but a leg injury forced him to leave the service and pursue a different path. “... I was on a combat deployment in the Middle East and, from a severe blow, I got injured,” Pawlowski said. “I had 11 surgeries and almost lost my leg. I realized, I can’t do what I love any more, so I’m going to have to go to school.” Pawlowski then decided to return to political science and pursue a bachelor’s degree. He
Many see this bill as targeting same-sex couples, and is widely opposed by LGBTQ advocates. The state House passed the bill in a 65 to 44 ruling in accordance with Snyder’s decision. The law protects any government-funded child-placing agency against legal action by state or local governments for refusing services considered contrary to the agency’s religious convictions. However, the Senate included a stipulation that any couple refused adoption rights would be referred to another agency or
said the Warrior-Scholar Project has both given him the skillset to be a successful student and also broadened his view of the world. “Education in general just kind of helps mold the way you think, your character, the way you live your life and the way you see things,” Pawlowski said. “Being here has shown me that I can be a student, that I can excel at an upper-division type of school. If I had gotten injured, got out of the military and just went back to school, I would’ve done myself a dishonor and a disfavor because I would’ve been scrounging for help.” Cody Gilman attended Kalamazoo Valley Community College before joining the military. During college, he said, his time management and writing skills needed to be honed. While he was in the military, he said, he still wanted to go back to school, so when his sergeant told him about the WarriorScholar Project, he applied. “The military is so simple, and this is kind of an eye-opening experience. To get you into that dense material and being able to understand and dissect it gives you confidence to know you can keep up in a class led by, really, some of the best professors in the country, arguably” said Gilman. According to the WarriorScholar Project’s website, every person who has gone through the program and gone to college has continued pursuing their education.
to a state website. Joshua Pugh, former Michigan Democrats communications director, was incredulous about the law. “It’s really disg usting that in 2015 that we are literally legalizing discrimination against people because of who they are or who they love.” Pugh said he finds the timing of this law incredible, in light of the impending U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the legality of same-sex unions. Snyder told the Associated Press he anticipates litigation in response to the law, which he has received in the past
FESTIVAL From Page 1 mass e-mail to Ann Arbor residents to ask about what artists they would like to see perform. According to Nesbitt, this year the team received more than 1,500 responses. Upon processing information about artist preferences, the festival team then collaborates with potential artists, while being conscious of providing a variety of genres for attendees. “Four hundred artists submit to play Top of the Park. We try to keep a broad mix of a lot of different genres, so its accessible to people — bluegrass, punk, rock, R&B, etcetera,” Nesbitt said. Ann Arbor residents like Joseph Tau, a rising sophomore at the local Skyline high school, attend the festival as well. Tau said he has partaken in its events for several years. “I came here a couple times last summer and I went almost every night the summer before that. I like the movies a lot and hanging out with people and listening to music,” said Tau. The festival also attracts people from outside of Ann Arbor, such as Ferdinand Magellin, an Ohio native who is on a road trip with no final destination in mind. On his exploration through America, he fortuitously stopped in Ann Arbor and spoke of his admiration for the city. “Ann Arbor is beautiful. It’s very nice — a lot of pleasant people, nice environment, great food, great music. You get the
— specifically, the 2012 lawsuit filed by April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse, who challenged Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban. Pugh agrees the passage of this law is allowing a statefunded service the immunity of a church. “The U.S. Constitution couldn’t be any more clear about how the state should treat religion and religious agencies,” said Pugh, “They should not be supported with taxpayer dollars — it’s completely inappropriate.” The bill was received by Snyder Wednesday from the large-
ly Republican state Senate. Gideon Dassandro, spokesman for Speaker of the House Kevin Kline, stated the law is necessary for the future of Michigan’s adoption agencies. “There is a compelling case to be made that without this bill, it is possible that you could see a lot of adoption agencies shut down in the future.” Dessandro said these agencies are largely Catholic or Lutheran, and if the law is changed it would have repercussions for the system. “Hypothetically, in the future, so that they have to See BILL, Page 8
MUMFORD & SONS
ZACH MOORE/Daily
The Maccabees open for Mumford & Sons at DTE Energy Music Theatre on June 16th.
best of everything,” Magellin said. Magellin said he was particularly looking forward to hearing from “The Appleseed Collective” Thursday because of their “gypsy jazz, swing” genre. Top of the Park also provides activities targeted for a younger audience in a portion called Kidzone. At the Kidzone Friday, children were able to play orchestral instruments under the guidance of volunteers. Nick Penizinsky, a violinist from Milford, was one such volunteer, and said he felt nostalgic as he recalled learning to play the violin. “I liked playing string instruments, so I thought I’d help out, help people learn better. It’s been a lot of fun watching (kids) learn how to play. It reminds me of when I learned how to play,” Penizinsky said.
While not that much has changed about the festival over the years, Nesbitt spoke of the expanding reach of the festival due to technological advancements. As of the festival’s opening night, 27,000 people downloaded the digital app to follow the event. “So many people are living on their mobile device, there’s so much information,” Nesbitt said. “To rise above that noise, it’s a very different way to figure out what’s going on and engage.” Although the sights and sounds of the festival can be found on the web, Nesbitt said she is weary of those who watch the fun from the comfort of their own home. “I’m very about live events — you can download this experience, but if you weren’t there to get the ‘oohs’ and the ‘ahhhs,’ you didn’t get the magic that of
4 OPINION
Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu LAURA SCHINAGLE EDITOR IN CHIEF
MELISSA SCHOLKE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
DEREK WOLFE MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
FROM THE DAILY
Fostering discrimination
L
New legislation is discriminatory and damaging
ast Thursday, Gov. Rick Snyder (R) signed into law three bills that codify existing adoption practices of the Department of Health and Human Services in Michigan. The newly instated legislation ensures private faith-based adoption agencies, even those that receive state funding, can lawfully deny service to those seeking to adopt based on the agencies’ religious or moral beliefs. Although the agencies are required to refer clients denied for religious reasons to other adoption agencies, this does little to mitigate the damage caused by state-sponsored discrimination. These new adoption laws should be repealed, and the underlying framework for adoption in the state of Michigan should be reexamined. Michigan shouldn’t rely on the services of agencies that are more concerned about conflicting religious ideologies than the overall welfare of the children in their care. The induction of this package of bills into law only furthers a trend of legalized discrimination in Michigan. In addition to the statewide ban on gay marriage — the legality of which is currently being deliberated in a case pending before the Supreme Court — Michigan’s legislature has yet to revise the severely outdated Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act. As a result, protections for members of the LGBTQ community continue to remain absent from the state’s anti-discrimination law. While the new adoption legislation certainly highlights the state’s inadequacies in preventing discrimination against the LGBTQ community, a myriad of prospective parents — in addition to same-sex couples — can now be prohibited from adopting from certain agencies. Single individuals, unmarried couples and couples of different faiths may now be
more easily rejected under the new statutes due to unfounded misconceptions surrounding children’s quality of life in nontraditional homes. According to Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services, “approximately 3,000 Michigan foster children are available for adoption at any given time.” Denying these children the security and stability that could be provided to them by many capable parents who happen to be gay or unmarried is counter to what these services are supposed to be for the children—to look out for them. Instead of evaluating prospective parents by the safety of their homes or their ability to care for children, these agencies have decided that extraneous factors, such as sexual orientation, should prohibit people from adoptive and foster parenthood,
and even worse, the state has endorsed these practices. This is especially damaging to children in light of a study that shows same-sex couples are four times more likely to raise adopted children and six times more likely to raise foster children. Simply put, these laws don’t serve the best interest of the children the legislation pretends to protect. The intent of the legislation is to protect religious freedom. The law seeks to prevent “adverse action,” such as the removal of funding, against any adoption agency that could reject potential foster parents on religious grounds. However, anxieties about compromising beliefs don’t provide a viable excuse for legalized discrimination. Currently, similar legislation permitting denial of adoption services exists only in Virginia and North Dakota. Govern-
ments must seek to ensure citizens’ religious freedom, but it must not do so at the expense of those groups whose beliefs may differ. Therefore, a clear delineation must be drawn between the church and the state. Two religious institutions, Bethany Christian Services and The Michigan Catholic Conference, who account for approximately 25 percent of Michigan’s foster-care adoptions, advocated the passage of the bills by writing to Snyder and urging him to sign. The letters referenced scenarios in other states, such as Massachusetts and Illinois, where faith-based adoption agencies shut down in response to being forced to allow gay parents to adopt. They, likewise, strongly insinuated that scenario would repeat in Michigan
if the legislation was not passed. Any law advocating discrimination must be repealed, especially when $10 million of state and federal funding was allocated last year to faith-based adoption agencies who may cite this law in their future proceedings and parental candidate denials. The passage of these laws highlights inherent flaws that must be reexamined in Michigan’s current adoption system, and by following these practices, the adoption agencies are inhibiting their own supposed institutional goals. If the newly passed laws continue to dictate adoption proceedings, a sizable population of responsible parents who are eager and willing to provide good homes to Michigan’s foster children will be denied the opportunity to do so.
Introspections of an introvert
“W
hat did you say?” “Nothing, sorry I — uh, was just talk-
ing to myself.” When I’m in a crowd, I often tell people this after quietly mumbling something they may not hear, when in reality I’ve made a joke RABAB or said something that’s been on my JAFRI mind. Being softspoken can make me doubt what I say. I am an introvert. I would much rather spend a day at the bookstore with my friends or spend time with my family than go to a party surrounded by new people. I’m terrible at small talk. Often, I leave conversations realizing I forgot to ask how the other person was doing. I can spend hours in my room alone just contemplating about the universe, and that’s when some of my best ideas are born. Sometimes they even creep up on me at night when everyone else is sleeping, amidst the silence of my house. Recognizing that introversion is a personality trait that can manifest itself in various ways and is different from being shy or having social anxieties is important when interacting with people on diverse sides of the spectrum. People often think that introverts dislike talking to people and always need to be by themselves, but the reality is much more complex. Extroverts feel most energized through interactions with other peo-
ple. Introverts, on the other hand, can get exhausted from too much social interaction and use time alone to rejuvenate. Ambiverts are somewhere in the middle of the spectrum between introverts and extroverts. These descriptions, however, don’t necessarily manifest themselves in ways that are exactly the same. Someone who’s introverted may seem like an extrovert because they’re outgoing, but really, they may find these interactions tiring. The term introvert can come with a lot of baggage and misconceptions, as it is often misconstrued as being unsociable or boring. Introverts may be told to “break out of their shell” and to act like extroverts — though it may go against their nature — simply because extroversion is seen as the norm. When I was younger, people would often dismiss me because I am quiet, but being introverted empowers me to do spoken word poetry and speak out against human rights violations. Often, I find inspiration from seeing people with their stories left unheard because I can understand the feeling. I may find writing easier than speaking, but that can help make my spoken word better because the process starts on paper. I can perform in front of thousands of people without stuttering because when I perform, I focus on the importance of the words on paper and why I think they need to be heard. In the age of technology, introverts are given more chances to express themselves. People can use platforms, such as vlogging, to get their opinions across to viewers or use social media to connect with people who have similar interests. They can
Thursday, June 18 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
be exciting and personable and connect to a large group of people without becoming tired from the overstimulation of large social gatherings or dealing with small talk. Now, introverts can be more visible and are able to create online communities. Some of the most popular YouTubers are introverted, such as Hank and John Green. They can create bridges between themselves and others without having to go through small talk. They can talk about things they are passionate about and acquire a fanbase of individuals who are passionate about the same things. Similarly, people can utilize forms of social
media, like Twitter or Tumblr, to express their ideas to a large group of people, which traditionally would’ve been more difficult. It is possible, that without these platforms, people would overlook influential introverts, as it often still happens in the workplace, classrooms and other social situations. So maybe I will never be good at small talk or be the life of the party, but that’s okay, because if you listen really closely, I’m hilarious.
They can create bridges between themselves and others without having to go through small talk.
— Rabab Jafri can be reached at rjafri@umich.edu.
“ “
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.” —Reality television star Donald Trump said on Tuesday, June 16, during his presidential candidacy announcement.
We should give all voters a convenient way to have their voices heard on Election Day.”
—Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons (R-Alto) on her bill which would allow absentee voting for any reason in Michigan.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to melikaye@umich.edu
I
OPINION 5
Inspired by history
t all started, oddly enough, during the height of my French New Wave obsession. I was draining Godard and ELIJAH Truffaut films SPARKMAN like diner coffee on a rough Sunday morning. These are films that are compact, usually only an hour to an hour and 20 minutes long, and action-packed with a capital ACTION. High energy: car crashes, shootouts, existential shouting matches about one’s place in society, infidelity and barely any plot whatsoever. One could tell Jean-Luc drank a healthy amount of caffeine while on set and writing scripts. I watched a movie entitled ‘Le Mepris’ (Contempt) four or five times, completely enthralled by the vices of the French moving picture. This was a venture I took on alone. Friends — who weren’t that into film in general — weren’t going to sit down and watch a French one, that was for sure. Friends who did thought I was slightly pretentious in my selections, which was sort of understandable. I didn’t care. I just kept renting. Finally, after walking into my apartment with another five movies of the francophonic persuasion, a roommate decided to ask me where I’d been obtaining and obtaining said films. I said, “Askwith, man. I call it Five-Movie-Friday. They’re not due back until Monday at midnight. Isn’t that sweet?” Outwardly not as amazed as I thought he should be, he merely blurted, “What is Askwith?” “It’s the movie and media library in the UGLi. It’s free too. They have everything and a lot of it is on Criterion so you get all the essays and side stuff too. I joke all the time that I’m going to get my tuition back in movie rentals!” Don’t worry, I’m aware of everything that’s wrong with this joke. Then, my roommate made a most deep and existential inquiry (I think the most mind-altering that he’s ever relayed to me
in our brief time living together). He said, “Why is it called Askwith? Like, what are you ‘asking with?’ I don’t get it.” Truly, I was stumped. I knew it was only one word. Askwith. What does that mean, though? Like so many of you would while sitting on the couch on a Friday night, I Googled it on my phone. It turns out Askwith was named after the man who supplied the funds that made the media library possible, Bert Askwith. Sadly, Bert Askwith recently passed away at the lofty age of 104 on June 1, but his accomplishments in life were lengthy. He was a University alumni and an editor of this very newspaper back in 1931. He started a transportation company in 1928 called Campus Coach Lines that helped University students get home during school holidays. Bert, what a familiar name, I thought. Yes, Askwith’s contributions also helped create Bert’s Cafe in the UGLi where I just stopped to buy a coffee before I wrote this column on a library computer. With much gratitude, I am feeling Bert’s impact on the school with every sip. But this was only the first domino to fall. Soon, every building on campus was subjected to this train of revelations and enlightenment. These words we use every day to meet up with our friends or to direct strangers looking for the spinning cube, these words are names of people who actually lived and more often than not, attended the University, just like us. The light bulb is popping on. This may seem like a trivial or obvious observation, but it was shocking at the time, if not only due to the frequency with which I utilized these titles. Tappan, Angell, Haven, Hutchins, Hatcher, Shapiro and Duderstadt were all presidents of the University. Burton Tower is named after President Marion LeRoy Burton. William L. Clements made his fortune supplying equipment for the construction of the Panama Canal. Stephen S. Clark Library is named after the man who co-invented the manometer having dual pressure
sensors (which kind of sounds to me like some sub-surface weaponry wielded by Spongebob super villain Man Ray in a battle against Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy.) These are just the things I know. But please forgive me. I wasn’t even at the University when he got the patents for these inventions. For so many of these other honorable people, I wasn’t even born yet. Neither were my parents or grandparents. So, this is more than a fun fact. This is the unveiling of the pre-me history that surrounds us. Or at least a history of some sort. When you tell me something new about the library — a place where I spend so much time, that’s a part of so many of my stories, that’s now a part of who I am — the information is going to matter. It will strike my interest. While it’s such a good time to acknowledge the historical process, I must admit that I’m fond of going the opposite way, too. The brightly-lit future. The future of me, in particular. I don’t think it is at all unreasonable to spend time with the successes of all these brilliant people and then to reflect on one’s own pathway and journey in life. I can see myself now. I have no idea where my obsessions with the vices of French New Wave and laugh out loud oceanic animation will lead me, but I’m sure it will be to a very extraordinary accomplishment worth millions. Then I, little old me, can give back to the place that made me who I am. I will most likely contribute towards a theatre or an auditorium. Sparkman Auditorium. Or better yet, a whole complex full of Sparkman auditoria that thousands of freshman will take chemistry finals and fall asleep in during their Introduction to Linguistics courses. Maybe an improv group on campus will host a Friday night roast of whoever the current president is. The future can make it grandiose and ornate or minimal and modern. I’m really, honestly sure I will love it either way. — Elijah Sparkman can be reached at esspa@umich.edu.
FOLLOW THE DAILY ON TWITTER
Keep up with columnists, read Daily editorials, view cartoons and join in the debate. Check out @michigandaily to get updates on Daily content throughout the day.
6 ARTS
Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
TV REVIEW
COMMUNITY CULTURE RECAP
Risk pays off in ‘OITNB’ The Ark’s 50th & Jeff Daniels Villianless Season 3 fares well for Netflix original series By CHLOE GILKE Managing Arts Editor
Season 3 of Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black” doesn’t designate a clear villain. Sure, every character has an adversary or two (“Orange Ais the New Black” is a drama series, Orange is and what’s drama the New without some good fights?), but Black character conSeason 3 flicts are more isolated this year, Netflix and no feuds spill from faction to faction like the ones with Pennsatucky and Vee in previous seasons. This time, “Orange is the New Black” is more interested in problematizing an abstract villain — authority figures. Everyone is at the mercy of a malevolent higher-up, and Litchfield’s guards and staff are no exception. Caputo (Nick Sandow, “Boardwalk Empire”) has to contend with a patronizing new boss (Mike Birbiglia, “The Fault in Our Stars”) who claims he’s around to help Caputo and represent the inmates, but is clearly more interested in saving money and satisfying his own boss. Birbiglia is brilliantly cast — he appears at first to be humble and well-intentioned, but his sweet smile transforms into a smarmy smirk faster than you can say, “I’m not the warden.” The incumbent correctional officers who answer to Caputo see their hours reduced and pay cut, and can’t protect their rights without corporate’s cooperation. With their agency slashed to a corporate minimum, the guards are essentially as powerless as the inmates. “Orange is the New Black” hadn’t given much screentime to its more benevolent guards in past seasons, so it’s great to see them utilized so seamlessly. The part-time guard system also exposes other cracks in the administrative system. While the experienced C.O.s were left to take on second jobs, the newbies proved themselves massively incompetent — and often dangerous. Officer Coates (James McMenamin, “Olive
Kitteridge”) is introduced as a hapless guard who lets Pennsatucky (Taryn Manning, “Sons of Anarchy”) show him the ropes of his new job, but he quickly turns terrifying as he exploits their burgeoning friendship for something more sinister. Tragically, the administration wouldn’t believe Pennsatucky if she told anyone about what he did to her in the van; she wouldn’t have the “proof” that pregnant inmate Daya (Dascha Polanco, “Gimme Shelter”) did when she dealt with a similar assault. Manning plays these scenes with quiet heartbreak, and her flashback scenes in the season’s tenth episode fill in the details about this misunderstood character. Pennsatucky’s flashbacks, like all the best ones, inform who she is in the present — someone with a warped sense of a woman’s role in sex, who has rape so ingrained into her experience of relationships that she almost normalizes it. The other flashbacks this season mostly work, especially the episodes that spotlight characters who viewers didn’t know much about before. New details about Big Boo (Lea DeLaria, “The Edge of Seventeen”), Flaca (Jackie Cruz, “The Shield”) and Chang (Lori Tan Chinn, “Glengarry Glen Ross”) pull these supporting characters from the periphery and give a heightened understanding of their place in Litchfield. Certain other flashbacks are not as successful, because they don’t give any new information about the characters. The show has a longstanding tradition of honoring its female inmates with flashbacks, but this season, “Orange is the New Black” dedicates flashbacks to three of the male prison employees. I’m all for expanding the scope of flashbacks and exploring the nuance of other Litchfielders, but there’s no point wasting time searching for new information when we can glean everything from how these men interact with the prisoners. When a character’s actions in flashbacks and the rest of the episode are so similar, like Bennett’s (Matt McGorry, “How to Get Away with Murder”) moral uncertainties during his time in the military and fatherhood with Daya, the flashbacks lose their poignancy. I thank the “Orange is the New Black” writer-gods for the opportunity to see Matt McGorry dance shirtless to “Hollaback Girl,” but otherwise,
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to get out of that episode. “Orange is the New Black” has been criticized for its heavy-handed introduction of Piper (Taylor Schilling, “The Lucky One”) into the Litchfield action and for highlighting her instead of more diverse (and more interesting) characters, but this season integrates her much more smoothly. Piper has always had a streak to her personality that enjoys organizing danger, and becoming the Vito Corleone of the prison panty business is the perfect way to employ the aspect of Piper that’s most compelling. Now, Piper functions as a character in the ensemble rather than the star of the show — and frankly, “Orange is the New Black” is much better off letting her take a smaller but more streamlined role. But the season’s most successful risk was dismantling some of the barriers of race and gender that were holding up the walls of Litchfield. Sophia (Laverne Cox, “The Mindy Project”) has rarely had her gender identity questioned by the other inmates, but when she blames Gloria’s (Selenis Leyva, “St. Vincent”) son for her own child’s sudden bad behavior, the fight turns personal. Gloria attacks Sophia with trans slurs, beats her and threatens her life. Sophia battles back with the resolve of a woman who has probably dealt with this shit too many times before, and Cox delivers a stunning performance that Emmy voters will certainly reward come September. Soso (Kimiko Glenn, “Hairbrained”) is depressed because she can’t make friends with the other inmates, but also because she doesn’t conform to any of the racial cliques at Litchfield. Like Sophia, her otherness is used as an excuse for abusive and cruel treatment by the inmates, and the administration’s interventions do more harm than good. Past seasons have explored the construction of Litchfield’s racial cliques, but “Orange is the New Black” tells a powerful story by highlighting the difficulties for people who don’t fit neatly into those socially constructed boxes. Season 3 marks “Orange is the New Black” ’s riskiest venture yet, but also the one with the most payoff. By taking a break from the clearcut villain characters, the show exposes the darkness of authority, power and the convoluted systems that imprison these women.
By DANIELLE RAY Daily Arts Writer
Maybe it was because I had just finished watching the series finale of “Breaking Bad” earlier in the day and was already drained from the emotional rollercoaster that is Walter White, Hank Schrader and Jesse Pinkman, but Jeff Daniels was a little too much for me. His set included everything from talking about colonoscopies (funny) to making fun of his “Dumb and Dumber” days (really funny) to singing a birthday ode to his wife (sweet) to discussing a song he wrote for a good friend who has since passed (rather depressing) to spending a good two to three minutes introducing Brad Phillips, Daniels’ accompanist on several different instruments, who is getting his doctoral degree at the University, and practically begging non-existent University HR reps to hire him (rather strange and awkward). Daniels’ show was arranged to commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Ark, and after a somewhat lengthy introduction by The Ark staff, they reached the main point: Daniels donated his fee to their fundraising campaign. This was obviously made a big deal of, and when Daniels came out, he started his show strong, making a crack about not only donating his fee, but also his sperm at the local sperm bank. The first 20 minutes of his show were spectacular — this is when all the funny came out (perhaps it was all he had in him). He would play a line or two of his opening song and then seemingly interrupt himself with those random thoughts about colonoscopies (apparently he’s already had two!) and “Dumb and Dumber,” although I’m sure it was all actually scripted. Before I continue, though, I must say, there’s no doubt Jeff Daniels is extremely talented. Apart from his magnificent work as an actor in “The Newsroom,” “Good Night, and Good Luck.” and, let’s face it, “101 Dalmations,” he is also a very talented musician. His guitar work was flawless, his voice was smooth but growly at the same time, he really seemed
to understand and feel the blues influences apparent in his work and his comedy songs were hilarious, including one he wrote as a tribute to Dave Letterman, which detailed a couple having sex every night while watching Letterman’s show: “How much fun the three of us had.” Where it went wrong was the rest of the set, namely the song for his deceased friend. One of Daniels’ strong suits was that he gave a great introduction to all of his songs, which really made you understand why he wrote them and what inspired him. He gave a lengthy synopsis of how he wrote this song from a poem his deceased friend had written and how he sang it to his friend on his deathbed. It was quite touching. But, coming from a completely unserious beginning to land in a pool of sadness was quite the turn. The song, called “Roadsigns,” was beautifully written and quite the masterpiece, but it was difficult to enjoy it after thinking about Jeff Daniels shitting to high heaven in preparation for his colonoscopy. “Roadsigns” was also shortly followed by “Big Bay Shuffle,” a song about two drunk women Daniels met in a bar at 11 a.m. in the Upper Peninsula. Having been to Big Bay, I wasn’t surprised. Daniels implied throughout the night that he wanted his set to be representative of life itself, and I suppose he did that. One minute you’re crapping your pants from sadness, and the next you’re peeing them from laughter. But maybe art shouldn’t always imitate life exactly. I just wish he would have picked one direction to go in or the other; “Breaking Bad” already had me feeling some type of way. It’s also perhaps true that I didn’t get a feeling of cohesiveness from his set because I was probably the youngest person in the room by about 20 years. The set ended approximately with a love ballad to Michigan and The Ark. The song itself was rather sleepy, although I could definitely see it appearing on a Pure Michigan commercial. Pure Michigan: The Home of Jeff Daniels, and many more, but mainly Jeff Daniels.
Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
ARTS 7
MOVIE REVIEW
Capitalism trumps caution in ‘Jurassic’ Third sequel isn’t more than a decent action movie By CONRAD FOREMAN Daily Arts Writer
Snapping necks and cashing checks. “Jurassic World” did a lot of both over its opening weekend, featuring dinosaur deaths by the dozen and eclips- B ing domestic and international box-office Jurassic records for an opening World weekend. The fourth film in Universal the “Jurassic” fran- Pictures chise resembles Steven Spielberg’s original in Rave 20 & many ways. The key Quality 16 difference between the two films — that in “Jurassic World” the park is actually open — creates an intriguing dynamic that was only hypothetical in previous films. This isn’t a visionary, seeking counsel from top paleontologists; this
is a monstrous new dinosaur made with a cocktail of genetics from various predators — and it’s loose on an island filled with more than 20,000 guests. Among those guests are two brothers, since no “Jurassic” film can be without the child-in-peril aspect to the story. Gray (Ty Simpkins, “Insidious”) is the film’s innocent youth: about 10 years old and on the edge of his seat for every dinosaur. Zach (Nick Robinson, “The Kings of Summer”) is his older brother, a teenage angst-bot oozing repressed sexual energy. Zach treats Gray like garbage, which the film makes a point of often and unnecessarily. Both characters are rather flat, which makes it hard to care a great deal for either of them. Isla Nublar, the fictional island home to Jurassic World, may not be in the U.S., but it is in Central America. And Central America is America, dammit. And where there’s America, there’s someone trying to weaponize something. In this case, it’s head of security Vic Hoskins (Vincent D’Onofrio, “Full Metal Jacket”), who
wants velociraptors trained for military use. It’s a subplot that can’t carry out on the scale it deserves, but it offers the kind of fresh perspective needed in a third sequel, and makes for one hell of a lock-and-load sequence. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the plot is the question of meddling with dinosaurs’ genetics to produce “cooler” attractions for mass audiences. At odds here are capitalism’s demand for continued growth and caution in the face of playing God. At this level, capitalism always triumphs over caution. As Dr. Wu (B.D. Wong, “Jurassic Park”) explains, they’ve been playing God all along, it’s only catching up to them now. Science brought the dinosaurs back, but the main attraction of “Jurassic World” is raptor-wrangler Owen Grady (Chris Pratt, “Guardians of the Galaxy”). Tough but compassionate, rugged but refined, Owen is pure goodguy in a film that never emphasizes character depth. Owen shows respect for these creatures as living beings, not just theme-park attractions or weapons. He’s enlisted to save Zach and
MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW People love to hate Madonna. I know this firsthand, seeing as my mother loves to hate Madonna … and that was probably my C biggest reason for loving the Bitch, I’m queen of pop. While I Madonna would normal- Madonna feat. ly argue bitch, Nicki Minaj she’s Madonna any time Interscope mother dear- Records est voiced her disdain, this time, like most times, mom’s right. We’ve been privy to the longanticipated video via Tidal teasers and Instagram, with colorful, punchy fan art and videos from both Madonna and Nicki Minaj. Apparently, that, along with featuring an array of A-listers in music videos, is a thing now (see: Taylor Swift, “Bad Blood”). But when Taylor did it, we didn’t lose our focus — we were enthralled with both the theatrical tale and the true star, Swift. Pause: The fact that Madonna even attempted to imitate this is both confusing and out of character, seeing as
INTERSCOPE RECORDS
she used to set the bar that others aspired to. Madge’s take on the trend poses no storyline, aside from debauchery featuring sock puppets. In short, she’s forgettable and she’s outshined by the sum of star-studded cameos. While she’s undeniably savvy in her attempts of capitalizing on the current zeitgeist — a video exclusively for Tidal users features not only music moguls (in order of importance: Beyoncé, Nicki, Kanye, Miley, Diplo, Katy Perry and Rita Ora), but also frontrunner fashion designers Jeremy Scott and Alexander Wang — the weight of her guests’ combined energies and cultural significance
rivals, if not tops, Madonna’s. Though age is relative in most cases, it’s time Madonna starts acting accordingly to hers. We know her body says she’s a 30-something crossfit junkie, but her career speaks for itself, being that of a longstanding innovator in an industry that thrives on freshness. She was shiny and new at one point, continuing to maintain her signature ingenuity for decades, and “Bitch, I’m Madonna” was the creed that established this. But, Madonna, this video pushes my love over the borderline, and I’ve gotta agree with mom on this one. -CAROLINE FILIPS
Gray, nephews of park manager Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard, “The Help”), as well as track down the hybrid beast, Indominus Rex. Oh, and there’s a love story between Owen and Claire, though that’s not really important. There are some truly wonderful elements to “Jurassic World”: the sound of a dinosaur’s heavy step played over a close-up of a bird’s foot is a genius nugget of filmmaking; little kids riding
baby triceratops sets a new standard for cuteness in dinosaur movies. The action sequences pack appropriate punch, and homages paid to “Jurassic Park” are frequent, but done in methods more reverent than exploitative. While cheesy lines of dialogue and underdeveloped characters prevent “Jurassic World” from being more than just an action movie, it’s a damn decent action movie.
8 NEWS
Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Classifieds
Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
RELEASE DATE– Thursday, June 18, 2015
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
FOR RENT
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Military decoration 6 Supporting structure 11 Leading 14 Solitary 15 Silent brother of comedy 16 Valuable deposit 17 1996 Fox launch 19 NFL players, e.g. 20 Cozy lodge 21 Fail, in slang 22 Only city on California’s Catalina Island 24 As hidden in 17Across, one of this puzzle’s 33Down 26 Netherlands city near the Belgian border 27 Mork’s planet 28 Italian mathematician who was a contemporary of Euler 31 “Good Will Hunting” actor 34 Flightless birds 35 Small amount 36 Landed 37 As hidden in 57Across, one of this puzzle’s 33Down 39 Rice-shaped pasta 40 Latin law 41 Aloe __ 42 “Breaking Bad” star Cranston 43 Restaurant freebie 45 One of the Pep Boys 46 Breaks bread 47 As hidden in 11Down, one of this puzzle’s 33Down 51 1976 Olympics decathlon gold medalist 53 Parched 55 Stop working 56 __ Claire 57 Seattle landmark 60 D.C. clock setting 61 Spa offering 62 Guide 63 Legal thing 64 California pro 65 Not likely to run on
DOWN 1 Highly excited 2 Justice Kagan 3 Eats 4 T or F, maybe 5 Speaker’s stand 6 “Better late __ ...” 7 General, e.g. 8 Coffee container 9 Fishing tool 10 Crossword enthusiasts 11 He and Don Shula share the NFL record of 36 playoff games coached 12 Creme-filled treat 13 Ivy League school 18 Swooping predator 23 Oral health org. 25 Real card 26 The Crimson Tide 28 Aptly named Renault 29 __ Strip 30 Black, to a bard 31 “The Persistence of Memory” artist 32 Actor Baldwin
33 Bar freebie, and this puzzle’s theme 37 Broadway flier 38 Cockney toast starter 39 Utah city 41 “Colors of the Wind” singer Williams 42 Most daring 44 Take the checkered flag
45 Chief 48 Farther out? 49 Frasier’s brother 50 Big name on the farm 51 Catcall 52 Comfort 53 Cause of adolescent angst 54 Unfeigned 58 Summer mo. 59 Somme summer
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
! NORTH CAMPUS 1‑2 Bdrm. ! ! Riverfront/Heat/Water/Parking. ! ! www.HRPAA.com ! !!LG. RMS., Hill St. off State. Prkg. For Male. $525/mo. 845‑399‑9904 2 & 3 BDRM APTS IN A HOUSE South Campus Fall 2015‑16 1015 Packard ‑ $1370‑$1930 + Utilities Call 734‑996‑1991 to sched a viewing ARBOR PROPERTIES Award‑Winning Rentals in Kerrytown, Central Campus, Old West Side, Burns Park. Now Renting for 2015. 734‑649‑8637. www.arborprops.com CENTRAL CAMPUS, FURNISHED rooms for students, shared kitch., ldry., bath., internet, summer from $425, fall from $600. Call 734‑276‑0886. EFF, 1 & 2 Bedrooms Avail Fall 2015‑16 $800 ‑ $1420. Most include Heat and Water. Parking where avail: $50‑80/mo. Coin Laundry access on site/nearby. www.cappomanagement.com Call 734‑996‑1991
xwordeditor@aol.com
06/18/15
BILL From Page 3
ROSS From Page 2
accept LGBTQI couples, a lot of them said that they would shut down and it’s happened in other states,” said Dessandro. According to Dessandro, these private charitable agencies account for one-third of the state’s child-placing services, the contract basis without which the government could not support the rising demands “The state relies on them to do this job because the state just doesn’t have an alternative. Not nearly enough to meet the capacity,” Dessandro said. “If all these charities step away from the game, there’s a lot of kids that are just left without anyone looking out for them.”
and identify the questions that may be interested in,” Krishnan said. “It’s important to expose our faculty to diverse markets.” Last year, the Joint Institute became the first U.S.-China collaboration to win one of the highest honors in international higher education — the distinguished Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education.
DONATE $ TO HELP CONTINUE
WANT MORE?
125 years OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
NEW UNIVERSITY TOWERS Apartments‑Starting at $899/room www.u‑towers.com Only 3 minutes from Central Campus SUMMER SUBLET 2015 Large bedroom in 4 bedroom house 945 Dewey Ave, 1 mile off campus $500/mo, shared utilities, June‑Aug Call 734‑971‑2533
SERVICES THESIS EDITING. LANGUAGE, organization, format. All Disciplines. 734/996‑0566 or writeon@iserv.net
HELP WANTED
By Robert E. Lee Morris ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
PAINTING/CLEANING HELP Email tclark_tca@sbcglobal.net 06/18/15
PARKING 2015/16 “PRIME” PARKING 721 S. Forest, 1320 S. University, 520 Packard, 508 Division & 511 E. Hoover 734‑761‑8000 primesh.com
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
NOW. @michigandaily
LIKE US FOLLOW @MICHIGANDAILY ON TWITTER FOR MORE NEWS UPDATES
ON FACEBOOK DO IT. (PLEASE)
Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
DELANEY RYAN/Daily
Former Michigan athletes Sheryl Szady and Liz Eagan reconnected and reflected on their time as Wolverines at the WCWS.
A new ‘catching up’: Women’s athletics continuing to grow By TED JANES Daily Sports Writer
It was mid-morning, and Sheryl Szady turned on the television in her Oklahoma City hotel. Footage of the Michigan baseball coach, Erik Bakich, was replaying from an earlier press conference. In the days before, the Michigan baseball team, notable underdogs, had won its first Big Ten Tournament under Bakich’s watch but had fallen short in the Louisville Regional of the NCAA Tournament. Szady tuned in as Bakich’s speech reemphasized one of his goals for the program. “Look at softball’s success,” Szady recalls Bakich saying. “Look at Hutch, what she does with her players. There’s no reason that baseball can’t be just that good.” Accentuating the success of Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins, “Hutch” to those who know her, is something Bakich has done since day one. When thenAthletic Director Dave Brandon hired him to take over the baseball team in 2012, he addressed the media in a similar fashion. “We’ve got to catch Hutch,” Bakich said in his inaugural press conference. “Hutch has set the bar. The softball program gives me tremendous optimism of what baseball can do here, and not just do it once in a while, but do it on a con-
sistent level. She is someone I’ve enjoyed meeting, and I’m looking forward to spending time with and picking her brain on exactly how she does it.” If chasing softball was Bakich’s plan, then he had another accomplishment to pursue on Sunday evening of May 31. After the Cardinals halted the baseball team’s Cinderella run, another Michigan team was on the brink of rising to exceptional heights. All eyes turned to Oklahoma City, where the softball team — a trailblazer for Wolverine athletics — took down LSU that same day. The victory against the Tigers merited a spot in the National Championship. Baseball, in Bakich’s eyes, was laying down the groundwork to reach softball’s prominence, a group that for the last three decades has been one of Michigan’s most consistent. A team that, when both compete on the same day, draws more fans to the bleachers because Hutchins, who has more wins than any other coach in the University’s history, built the program into one of Michigan’s greatest. And when the Wolverines came so close to capturing their second National Championship, the Great Lakes State watched more than anywhere else in the country. Baseball didn’t garner the spotlight, so Bakich was right. The
baseball team needed to, and still must, catch up to softball. Right now, the women of the Wilpon Complex bear the torch, and the men lag behind. And Sheryl Szady was elated, because 40 years ago, when she suited up for Michigan’s first varsity women’s basketball and field hockey teams, the paradigm couldn’t have looked more different. “I was in my hotel room going, ‘Yes, finally! They’re striving to be what we are.’ ” *** Foraging through the Michigan archives, one would be hard-
pressed to find the names Liz Eagan and Sheryl Szady. The former only appears once, and the latter just twice. The pair, longtime friends, began their athletic careers in 1973 playing for Michigan field hockey’s “Team One,” and even though their statistics are virtually impossible to dig up, the foundation they tilled for future female athletes at Michigan was exceptional. Szady and Eagan were given the opportunity to play collegiate sports, at the varsity level, because of the enactment and implementation of Title IX. The law is a portion of the United States Education Amendments of 1972 that declares that no person, on the basis of sex, can be excluded from an educational program. Title IX, which applies to far more than athletics, was passed in 1972, but the guidelines for compliance in terms collegiate sports were not immediately laid out. After the law was passed, Szady and her future basketball teammate Linda Laird began to campaign for the actual creation of women’s varsity teams. At first, the University was remiss, ignoring their requests. The athletic director at the time, Don Canham, was outwardly unsupportive. Szady remembers Canham challenging her and Laird. He said, “Who will you play? We have no money to travel.” At the time, while their teams remained at the club level, Szady and Eagan were chipping in to pay for their own coaches. Otherwise, they were staffed by
SPORTS 9
volunteers. The expenses of travel for women’s sports were beyond them. In April of 1973, the University had yet to create women’s varsity teams despite Title IX’s passage nearly a year before, so Szady and Laird went to the University’s Board of Regents to campaign. Canham wasn’t thrilled, but Szady and Laird finally got the answer they wanted. “Yes, we’re going to start this program,” then-University President Robben Wright Fleming, also an ex-officio member of the board, told Szady and Laird. At last it had been pronounced, signed and sealed, the dawn of women’s varsity sports at Michigan had begun. But the journey to top, to the place Szady wanted to reach, would take time. “We always dreamed to be equal or have the same benefits and opportunities as the men,” Szady said. But by the way things seemed in the mid-70’s, catching up to the benefits the men were afforded seemed centuries away. Women’s athletics at Michigan then weren’t characterized by what was available to them, but by what wasn’t. Over 40 years later, Eagan and Szady remember the first season, when the field hockey team played at Michigan Stadium. There was no athletic training, no stretching, no pregame music, no meals or anything of that matter. At halftime, they didn’t go into the locker rooms at the Big House. See CATCHING, Page 10
“We have always dreamed to be equal.”
10 SPORTS
Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
CATCHING From Page 9 They stayed outside because they were not given access to the comfort of indoor locker rooms or any of the amenities the football team was pampered with. “We were just talking about this at dinner,” Szady said in Oklahoma. “Liz (Eagan) pulled out a picture of us at halftime of a field hockey game, and we were playing at Michigan Stadium. We’re all just sitting on the ground, eating cut-up oranges that we had brought. The coach was standing up, leaning over and talking to us as we were sprawled out on the sideline. Vastly different.” In 2015, change is evident. The field hockey team doesn’t linger on the sidelines of an empty Big House; it plays at the newly renovated Phyllis Ocker Field — a 1,500-seat home of its own. After the 2013 construction of the field hockey-specific stadium, Team 40 owned the turf, but Team One returned. Thirteen of the original 15 members from the inaugural field hockey team came back to Ann Arbor, and their tour of the new facilities left them amazed. “We were going through the training rooms and they’ve got the ice bath and the hot tubs,” Eagan said. “We said we could stay over night here in this building!” Szady added. “And someone launders the uniforms,” Eagan added, as the two bounced back-and-forth off each other’s memories. “They have places to put their shoes to dry. And they’ve got shoes! We had to buy our own stuff.” “They’ve got locker rooms!” Szady responded. “We didn’t have locker rooms. We didn’t
have shoes. When we played field hockey, we played for a two-month season, where these kids are doing it all year round, and they’re on scholarships. We didn’t have scholarships. We only had one coach, I don’t think we had manager or anything like that.” Baths, laundry, locker rooms and shoes. Guaranteed provisions to modern Division I athletes, but five-star accommodations to field hockey players in the 1970s. Getting from point A to point B took 40 years; it was a slow progression, but a successful evolution nonetheless. The resources available to Michigan’s field hockey players today match the best in the world. The team started with practically no resources. Now they have them, and they are consequentially successful. Piecing together the puzzle from the last 40 years of the sport is complex. The team wasn’t immediately prominent on a national level, but four decades changed everything. After eight regular season conference championships, five Big Ten Tournament championships, three trips to the Final Four and one national title, it’s safe to say that the Michigan field hockey team has caught up. *** Field hockey wasn’t her only sport, but Sheryl Szady’s time on the court revives similar memories. Forty-six years after its opening, the Crisler Center underwent massive renovations prior to the 2012-2013 basketball season. A few months later, the University rededicated the arena and invited back many former athletes for the ceremony, Szady being one of
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERYL SZADY
The Michigan Daily’s first-ever article on a woman’s varsity sport. All 27 words of it.
DELANEY RYAN/Daily
Sheryl Szady was a member of Michigan’s first varsity field hockey and women’s basketball teams in 1973 with minimal funds.
them. Part of the rededication, which was held during a men’s basketball game against Penn State, consisted of a montage of pictures and videos throughout the decades since Crisler’s opening. But when the committee organizing the event reached out to Szady requesting photos of her playing basketball, her answer was blunt. “No. There was no media,” Szady said. “There were some pictures from when we were playing Michigan State, and I might be in one of those pictures, from their media, but we had no coverage.” The first handful of women’s basketball games were never advertised in The Ann Arbor News or The Michigan Daily. There weren’t thousands of fans flocking down into the lower bowl when Szady and her teammates entered through the north tunnel. No photographers or reporters huddled into the press boxes and conference rooms after games. There were maybe 15 people watching. At that time, the only person that covered Michigan women’s sports was Szady’s college roommate, Leslie Riester, who joined the Daily because nobody would write about women’s teams otherwise. When Riester wrote a feature on the deplorable conditions under which the women’s basketball team played, it made the front page, one of the first mentions of the team in the public media. Though, the first time that any women’s varsity competition was mentioned in the Daily, the field hockey team was given a single sentence, written by Riester.
“Michigan’s women’s field hockey team bowed to Western Michigan last night in Kalamazoo, 2-0. Michigan’s coach was proud with her team’s performance due to the superlative competition.” A quoteless, imageless, one-bytwo inch description was all the Wolverines had to show for their inaugural Michigan Daily recap, and Riester wasn’t even given a byline. Few were interested in reading about women’s sports, and even fewer were determined to write about them. But since Title IX originated, women’s sports, especially at the college level, have progressively climbed toward the pedestal of fandom and media appreciation the men embrace. Discussing the opportunities available to female athletes in comparison to males begins to feel irrelevant, almost obsolete, because of the manner by which women’s sports are now received. In Oklahoma City, this trend was evident. The 2015 Women’s College World Series didn’t attempt to make a statement about gender equality, but it did show how far women’s sports have come in the public eye. It was treated, celebrated and experienced like any other — men’s or women’s. The World Series wasn’t about gender. It was about athletes. And first team All-Americans. It was about Michigan. Florida. Two of the
best softball players in history dueling on the game’s biggest stage. A passerby never could’ve noticed women’s sports once trailed behind. Szady and Eagan remember that time — when men overshadowed in all realms. That has passed. It’s measurable in some aspects, immeasurable in other, but if women’s sports haven’t yet caught up, the gap becomes narrower every day. Earlier this month, 78,078 fans from around the world caravanned to the Sooner State to witness the greatest softball players in the world. It was a tournament of powerhouses, built by fundamentally flawless lineups. These renowned athletes don’t live for a time when any person could walk into a barren Michigan Stadium to find the field hockey team sitting on the ground eating orange slices. They work for a time when reserving a season ticket becomes a necessity, when a cherished chair-back seat becomes an expensive treasure. Perhaps in the next few years, Erik Bakich will lead a flourishing Michigan baseball team to the College World Series. If softball stumbles, maybe then, Carol Hutchins will flip the script. “We’ve got to catch Bakich,” she might say. But “catching up” won’t be about evening the playing field. It will be about succeeding on it.
“We didn’t have locker rooms. We didn’t have shoes.”
Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Added Henry: “We bring them in, we mature them, we develop them, and eventually we have to graduate them.” McGuire— who has worked with Henry since they were teammates in college— has had at least one All-American in the 1,500-meter since 2012. Finn rounded out the middledistance runners and became the first Wolverine to receive All-American honors in both the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter events. She finished in fifth place with a time of 15:43.97. Finn had sustained an injury earlier this year, leaving her unable to compete for the majority of the
SPORTS 11
season. But according to her teammates and coaches, it was her competitive streak that allowed her to still find success. This weekend concluded Michigan’s 2014-2015 campaign, and Henry was satisfied with the way his Wolverines wrapped up the season. But that satisfaction won’t turn into complacency. “We ended on such a high note, which is what we wanted,” Henry said. “I always say ‘last meet best meet,’ which was a reality this weekend. We understand that what happens today ends today and tomorrow we start prepping for next year. But only after the kids get a significant rest.”
“We ended on such a high note.”
CONNOR BADE/Daily
Junior sprinter Cindy Ofili set two school records and took second place in the 100-meter hurdles, beating her sister’s record.
Ofili headlines strong NCAA Championship performances By SYLVANNA GROSS Daily Sports Editor
When junior hurdler Cindy Ofili sprinted past the finish line, she knew she had done well. Michigan coach James Henry knew she had it in her. But before the race, neither knew just how impressive the finishing time would be. Ofili recorded a 12.60-second result — a full .21 seconds faster than her previous personal record, set just two days before. “When I was running, my goal was purely to win,” Ofili said. “I knew crossing that line that I had given it my all, so to be honest, I wasn’t too surprised that I had broken my personal record. I knew this was in me, I just didn’t know that was in me.” Added Henry: “She works very hard, and as a coach you learn to know the kids and their numbers. I was surprised it was this significant of an improvement, even if she is at this level where I knew she would improve.” Her record-breaking time earned her a second-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon this past weekend — the best Wolverine finish at the event since 2009. But much more than that, Ofili’s time shattered Michigan’s previous record — set by Ofili’s older sister, Tiffany Ofili-Porter — by .13 seconds. Despite this, Tiffany — a sister before a competitor — congratulated Ofili and showed excitement for Ofili’s future running career.
“I am literally in tears right now! I’m over the moon for my sis @ cindyofili!!! I’m soooooooo proud of her!! #Beast,” she tweeted after the race. Ofili’s performance in the 100meter hurdles would secure her place in history among the program’s elite, but she one-upped herself with a second school record in the 100meter dash — crossing the finish line in 11.39 seconds. Though the time wasn’t fast enough to advance to the finals, it did warrant an All-American honorable mention. Considering that the qualifying 100meter dash was just under 15 minutes after her 100-meter qualifying hurdles race, it was an impressive result for Ofili. In total, Ofili completed the season with four school records in the indoor 60-meter and 200meter events, and the outdoor 100meter dash and 100-meter hurdles. And she still has one more year to leave her mark on the program. “I definitely want to be a national champion (before I graduate),” Ofili said. “I want to break more personal records. I want to just improve. Even though I executed a really great couple of races, it wasn’t perfect. I definitely have more to give and I want to do that in my final year.” Michigan finished in 19th place
with 14 points, the highest they’ve placed since 2009 when they earned seventh place. Three other Wolverines qualified: sophomore Erin Finn qualified in the 5,000-meter run, and both redshirt junior Shannon Osika and senior co-captain Brooke Handler received bids in the 1,500-meter race. However, due to a lower-left leg injury, Osika was unable to compete. “(Osika) wanted to run and she wanted to compete and she would have done well,” Henry said. “But this is a perfect example of an athlete doing outstanding in cross country and fantastic in winter but wearing out towards the end of the outdoor season. She’s human and she’s not a robot, she needs rest and her body just gave way.” In her last meet donning the maize and blue, Handler represented Michigan in the 1,500-meter race and crossed the finish line at 4:16.19 to place seventh and receive her second-consecutive first team All-American honor. “Handler has always been motivated,” said Michigan associate head coach Mike McGuire. “She’s stayed healthy and she’s just grown through training physically and mentally. This is a byproduct of what’s she’s put in. It’s a maturity process.”
“I definitely want to be a national champion.”
12 SPORTS
Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SOFTBALL
Wagner going pro By TYLER SCOTT Daily Sports Writer
DELANEY RYAN/Daily
Junior second baseman Sierra Romero was back in Oklahoma City after the season ended with the Women’s National Team.
Romero on to Team USA By TYLER SCOTT Daily Sports Writer
It had been only one week since the end of the Women’s College World Series, but Sierra Romero already found herself back in Oklahoma City. In her junior season, the Michigan second baseman cemented herself as one of college softball’s top talents and a leader of the NCAA runnerup Michigan softball team. Now she has assumed a new role. Romero was named to the 2015 Women’s National Team in January, and she has returned to Oklahoma City for training camp with Team USA, which spans the second week of June. “Making the Women’s National Team is something I’ve always dreamt about,” Romero told MGoBlue.com in January. “It’s such an honor that I will have the opportunity to represent the USA this summer.” The two-time NFCA All-American also spent the summer of 2013 playing on the Junior Women’s National Team, but this will be her first experience on the official National Team roster. Romero joins former Wolverine Amanda Chidester, a 2012 Michigan graduate, and her younger sister Sydney, an incoming Oklahoma freshman and Junior Women’s National Team member. “I am so grateful for the opportunity and for being to play with such amazing athletes as we go for the gold,” Romero told MGoBlue.com. “To top it off, I’ll get to travel with my little sister Sydney. I’m extremely blessed for the opportunity and look forward to making the most of it.” So far, Romero has capitalized
on all of her chances for success in softball. In three years as a shortstop and second baseman for the Wolverines, she owns several program records with a full season still left to play. She already boasts the most home runs of any Michigan softball player, the program record for total RBI and the NCAA record for grand slams. During her junior campaign, Michigan coach Carol Hutchins worked to further shape Romero as a leader. Despite her many accolades, Hutchins maintains that Romero’s legacy will be judged based on the accomplishments of her team. The veteran coach has repeatedly referred to former New York Yankee Derek Jeter as a model for the type of player she wants Romero to be. The season-long challenge for Romero to grow from a talented young player to a leader was largely successful. Hutchins named Romero team captain for her junior season and she adapted to the role, even if it took some time. “(Hutchins) talked about how (Jeter) elevates everyone around him to be better and do better,” Romero said after Michigan’s WCWS win over Alabama. “That’s what I focused on this year. It took me awhile to understand what that meant, but I found a way to put all my focus on my teammates.” Of the 16 players on the Team USA roster, Romero is one of just six still in college, meaning that Romero will have the entire sum-
mer to learn from the older veterans before she returns to Ann Arbor for her senior season. After training camp ends on June 13, Team USA begins a two-week period of away exhibition games before heading to Irvine, California to compete in the tenth World Cup of Softball beginning June 29. Both the USA National and Junior National teams will compete against each other, in addition to facing ball clubs from Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Venezuela and Japan. Team USA will then play a slate of Pan American games across Canada through late July. Before wrapping up the summer, the Women’s National Team will travel to Ogaki, Japan to compete for the Japan Cup in August. Romero has her eyes set on gold. She’s made it to Team USA and has less than a month before having another chance to fulfill another goal. And by mid-August, she’ll be heading back to Ann Arbor, where the Wolverines say the goals never change. Led by their second baseman, the Michigan softball team will be striving to reach the WCWS again. If that happens, Romero would close out her college career with her third trip to Oklahoma City in four years. There are still some boxes left to be checked on Romero’s already prestigious résumé, but her pursuit of those accomplishments will begin this summer when she dons the red, white and blue.
“I’m extremely blessed.”
The drive from Ann Arbor to Pennsylvania is just six hours of Midwestern Highway. One week after the Women’s College World Series, Haylie Wagner set out on that route, ready to begin the third iteration of her softball career. “I knew that I wasn’t ready to be done playing after (my career at) Michigan,” Wagner said. “Once Michigan closed so suddenly – it was over so quick – I knew I wanted to continue playing.” The Friday after Michigan’s loss to Florida in the WCWS Championship Series, team officials from the Pennsylvania Rebellion contacted Michigan coach Carol Hutchins. Wagner went undrafted in the 2015 National Pro Fastpitch College Draft, but Pennsylvania was offering a chance to sign as a free-agent. On June 9th, Wagner signed her first PFL contract with the Rebellion and is now available to play in the team’s three-game series against the Dallas Charge this week. The left-hander leaves Michigan’s program with a 10018 career record from inside the circle. Her .847 win percentage is third all-time amongst Wolverine pitchers.
Now Wagner is entering a new role, and she’s still transitioning to life on the professional circuit. “Going into playing with the Rebellion, I need to remember to still have fun,” Wagner said. “Just because it’s more of a business type now, and it’s a little bit different. I don’t really know any of the girls so I feel like I’m a freshman again, but I just have to go out and play softball.” Before her contract with the Rebellion officially activated, Wagner was with the team, but unable to pitch in games. That gave Wagner the downtime to reflect on her senior season at Michigan. The philosophies of Hutchins still resonate with Wagner as she prepares for the third step in her softball journey. It’s the words of her former coach that will remain as some of her strongest influences. “Hutch has changed me,” Wagner said. “Without Hutch, I don’t know what I’d do these last four years. I wouldn’t be playing for the Rebellion without her. I want to make her proud. And I know that she’ll be following me along the way. And I’m just going to do whatever I can. Not just to represent myself and the Rebellion, but also represent Michigan and Hutch.”