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All three ‘U’ campuses take part in Flint effort In campus-wide e-mail, Schlissel outlines preventative measures at UM-Flint By TANYA MADAHANI Daily Staff Reporter RYAN MCLOUGHLIN/Daily Business senior G.S. Suri talks about his experiences with Islamophobia during the Voices Against Islamophobia discussion in the Michigan Union on Monday.
Students gather to discuss Islamophobia on campus Attendees share anecdotes about grappling with antiMuslim prejudice By ALEXA ST. JOHN Daily Staff Reporter
The words “Move to your homeland” appeared on the screen at the front of the
Pendleton Room Monday night. The phrase, serving as one example of a negative comment aimed at the Muslim community on campus, was part of the School of Literature, Science and the Arts sponsored event Sharing Stories, Building Allyhood: Student Voices Against Islamophobia, which drew hundreds of students and faculty to the Union Monday night. The event’s emcee, American
Culture Prof. Evelyn Alsultany, who is also the director of Arab and Muslim American Studies, said she wanted to demonstrate how Islamophobia affects the University community and prompt thinking about how to create a campus environment that is inclusive of all people. “Islamophobia has been a problem in our country for a very long time,” Alsutany said. “Recently there has been an increase in Islamophobia,
FLIPPING THROUGH TIME
CRIME
DPSS to debut enhancements to alert system ‘Michigan App’ will now send emergency messages through push notifications By SEAN DEW For the Daily
The University is set to unveil another way to stay connected to its emergency alert system sometime this semester. Beginning Dec. 4, Michigan’s Department of Information and Technology Services began testing a way for students to receive emergency alerts via push notifications from the University’s official mobile application, the Michigan App. The notifications would supplement the University’s already established system for distributing emergency alerts, which includes text messages, voicemail, e-mail, digital signage, the University website and Twitter. The update would also allow non-Michigan community members, such as parents or University contractors, to stay informed of potentially threatening situations as well, as long as they have downloaded the application and enabled push notifications. During the testing process, ITS researchers sent surveys to more than 4,000 University
WEATHER TOMORROW
HI: 30 LO: 23
students, staff and faculty seeking feedback about the effectiveness of push notifications on the application. In an interview, Diane Brown, spokeswoman for the University’s Division of Public Safety and Security, said the surveys showed push notifications were reaching University community members quickly. “With initial testing, it was discovered that at many times the push notifications would reach recipients faster than texts,” she said. In a statement, Scott Taylor, executive director of ITS Solution Design and Delivery and interim executive director of ITS Application and Information Services, said he believes the surveys will help further improve the system. “We are continuing to refine our systems to send texts, e-mails and voice alerts out faster than ever,” he said. “The Michigan App push alert mechanism needs some adjustments to increase reliability for emergency alerts.” Brown said one of the main obstacles facing the ITS department to create the feature was accounting for the formatting differences between Android and Apple operating systems. “During testing we realized there was a difference in See CAMPUS, Page 3
(meaning) hate crimes against Muslims and people who are perceived to be Muslims, discourses by presidential candidates and other people that perceive Muslims as un-American or anti-American and not part of this country and, in general, a way of thinking about Muslims — a logic that justifies their exclusion.” During the event, students spoke in front of dozens of See SHARING, Page 3
In an e-mail to the University community Monday, University President Mark Schlissel commended the efforts of UM-Flint Chancellor Sue Borrego to combat lead-contaminated drinking water on the Flint campus amid the ongoing water crisis in the city. “Their considerable efforts began more than a year ago, and because of their actions, drinking water on the campus is safe,” Schlissel wrote. “This is a longterm crisis for one of our state’s most important cities and its people. The strong ties (Borrego) has built with the community will be needed more than ever.” In a November 2015 statement to The Michigan Daily, Borrego said the Flint campus has implemented multiple initiatives in an effort to provide safe water on its campus.
According to Borrogo, although the campus itself was not required to start filtering and boiling their water at that time, all drinking water fountains, break room sinks, kitchen sinks and food prep areas were installed with filtration devices. Faucet mounted filters were fitted for students living on campus in residences halls, as well as those living off campus. In a November 2015 e-mail to The Michigan Daily, Marjory Wisniewski, senior advisor for media relations and communications for the Flint campus, wrote that Borrego drove the measures to improve water quality. “Borrego took the stance that our campus must go beyond the federal guidelines to ensure we protect students, faculty and staff from any and all lead exposure and to provide peace of mind by installing filters throughout campus,” Wisniewski wrote. Borrego noted in her statement that while the water emergency is not expected to subside anytime soon, resources from all three campuses are being provided to the Flint student, faculty, and staff community, and Flint See UPDATE, Page 3
SCIENCE
Number of U.S. driver’s licenses sees sharp decline Researchers attribute decrease to apathy, increase in vehicle costs
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
A multiple exposure of sophomore gymnast Lauren Marinez competing in a meet against Ohio State at Crisler Center Jan. 16. Michigan won 196.950-195.275.
ACADEMICS
Schlissel talks bicentennial plans at Senate Assembly Body also discusses status of strategic plan for diversty, inclusion By ISOBEL FUTTER Daily Staff Reporter
Topics ranging from the bicentennial anniversary of the University, the Flint water crisis and diversity initiative were on University President Mark Schlissel’s mind when he came to speak at the University Senate Assembly Monday. Starting with the upcoming bicentennial in 2017, Schlissel
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said the University is one of few universities who have the opportunity to celebrate 200 years. “We’re really a pillar of society and that’s pretty exciting to think about,” Schlissel said. “A team has been planning a year or more’s worth of activities to commemorate our 200th, and probably more importantly to look together to what the University is going to be in the years ahead.” Schlissel said he has appointed faculty members to separate committees to organize three colloquiums celebrating the University’s bicentennial throughout the year. The colloquiums will each
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focus on a different aspect of the University’s future and involvement in the greater community. Taking on a topic that has garnered statewide and national media attention and outrage, Schlissel also spoke about the Flint water crisis, highlighting efforts the University’s Flint campus has been making to provide support for their community. He said in addition to installing its own water filter in 2015, the Flint campus has been testing its water since fall 2014 and uses an independent water-testing laboratory to ensure water safety. Schlissel See SACUA, Page 3
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By AMANDA DELETKA For the Daily
Though it may come as surprise to commuters who driving bumper-to-bumper traffic on State Street some mornings, the number of people receiving their driver’s license in the United States is decreasing each year, according to research conducted by the University of Michigan Transport Research Institute. The study, which was published earlier this month, shows that the number of 19 year-olds becoming licensed to drive has decreased 18 percent from 1983 to 2014 Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle, who are UMTRI research scientists, attributed the decrease to increasing costs associated with driving and a stronger environmental conscious, but ultimately boils down to an apathetic generation. Michigan State University junior Paige McKeon said she waited until she was 19 before becoming licensed to drive. “I was lazy and it was not necessary.” McKeon said. “I See DRIVER, Page 3
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6
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News
2 — Tuesday, January 26, 2016
TUESDAY: Campus Voices
MONDAY: This Week in History
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers
THURSDAY: Twitter Talk
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CAMPUS VOICES
Mike’s dream to work for Ellen LSA sophomore Michael Funkhouser recently created a video resume of his achievements, posted on Facebook, in hopes of getting a summer internship on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
compiling all of those together.” I just wanted to have fun with it and try and get her attention.
Could you describe your video and why you made it?
I actually get asked the “Why Ellen?” question a lot. My answer is always that I could have tried to get an internship with anyone. The issue would have been whether I was working here in Ann Arbor, back in Jackson where I’m from, or New York or L.A., I’d eventually be sitting at a desk wherever I was, and I’d say, “I want to go help people.” And there was
Why Ellen? What do you hope to get out of an internship with her?
I made a video to try and be an intern for Ellen. I’ve taken some videos in the last couple of years, and there were some videos from news stations. I thought it would be really cool to go back through those and relive all of that. So I was like, “Oh, I could make a really cool video
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a chance that whatever boss I’d have, I’d have to explain why. If I work for Ellen, I don’t have to explain why. She just says, or hopefully she says, “How can I help you do that?” which would be really cool. Why did you decide to go about this over social media? Social media is what I know. It’s honestly one of the only ways to do it. I don’t know how else I would have done it. I applied online, on her website. —JENNIFER MEER
Spike Lee’s Chi -Raq
Tappan Talks
WHAT: Students will share stories about grappling with body image and acceptance. WHO: University Health Service WHEN: Today from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Michigan League, Mendelssohn Theater
WHAT: Tracey Walters, chair of Africana Studies at Stony Brook University, will discuss Lee’s latest film. WHO: Comparative Literature Department WHEN: Today from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. WHERE: Hatcher Graduate Libray, Room 100
WHAT: History of Art Ph.D. candidate Ashley Miller will explore the intersectionality of Morrocan art and political ideology. WHO: History of Art Department WHEN: Today from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. WHERE: 3222 Angell Hall
Taubman Lecture
Fulbright information
WHAT: Douglas Kelbaugh, recpient of the Topaz Medallion, will deliver his lecture titled “Honest, Elegant and Appropriate, +/- 50 years.” WHO: Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning WHEN: Today from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. WHERE: Stamps Auditorium
WHAT: A program advisor will give information about the prestigious scholarship. WHO: International Institute WHEN: Today at 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. WHERE: School of Social Work Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@ michigandaily.com.
Hopwood Award Ceremony WHAT: Winners of the Hopwood writing contest will be announced. WHO: Hopwood Awards Program WHEN: Today from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. WHERE: Rackham Amphitheater
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KRISTINA PERKINS/Daily Haloti Ngata, defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions, participates in a dialogue about student athletes at the Trotter Multicultural Center on Monday. The discussion followed a screening of the PBS documentary In Football We Trust and focused on the pressures athletes face as they juggle sports, school, and family.
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Psychology community talk WHAT: L. Monique Ward looks at what we are learning from portrayals of sex on TV WHO: Department of Psychology WHEN: Today from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Ann Arbor Public Libray, Multipurpose Room
Film screening WHAT: Screening of “Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll,” a film about rock music in Cambodia. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: Today at 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. WHERE: Museum of Art, Helmut Stern Auditorium
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
1
The Supreme Court broadened a 2012 decision banning sentences of life without parole for juveniles, ruling in a 6-3 vote that the decision should also be applied retroactively to cases before 2012, Buzzfeed reported.
2
President Barack Obama banned the use of solitary confinement on juveniles in an executive action Monday, CNN reports. The order also prohibits the use of solitary confinement for low infraction offenders.
3
The founders of Ben and Jerry’s have created an icecream flavor for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (D), the Huffington Post reported. The flavor, plain mint with a chocolate disk on top, will not be commercially sold and only 40 pints will be created.
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Former ambassador discusses foreign policy at Ford School Christopher Hill explores political strategies in Syria and North Korea By CALEB CHADWELL Daily Staff Reporter
Christopher Hill, former assistant secretary of state and U.S. ambassador, discussed current topics in foreign policy, such as ongoing peace settlements for conf licts in Syria and North Korea, at the Ford School of Public Policy Monday evening. Hill was nominated as an ambassador by three presidents, most recently serving as the U.S. ambassador to Iraq from 2009 to 2010. He also helped
bring an end to the Bosnian War through the Dayton Accords peace agreement in 1995, an agreement which he said could be applicabble to current global conf lict. While Hill noted it was not a complete success in helping bring about political change, he said he’s proud of the Accords in helping to end a violent and horrific conf lict. “There were 200,000 people killed in the Balkans, there were rape camps and all kinds of hideous things that had to be stopped,” Hill said. Speaking to to ongoing situations with Syria, North Korea, China and Iran today, he said there were parallel that could be drawn. Hill said after negotiating an end to the Bosnian conf lict, he learned that a key to reaching agreements
is a willingness to work and negotiate with all different parties involved. He added that though it’s not always fun, to reach peace conf licting parties must communicate with each other. Touching on his experiences serving as the U.S. ambassador to South Korea and assistant secretary of state, Hill said though North Korea was one of the most difficult countries he dealt with as a diplomat, he thought the United States still needed to attempt to make agreements with the country. “These are people only a mother can love; I have never had such an unpleasant experience as I did with North Korea,” Hill said. He added that while over half of the people in the Republican Party today refuse to negotiate with North Korea, he commends former President George W. Bush for opening up diplomatic relations with them during his tenure. Nuclear weapons, Hill said, is the biggest challenge for U.S. diplomacy today. “Look at Hiroshima, could we handle another Hiroshima in this world? I don’t think so,” Hill said. “I think the issue is how to stop these nuclear wannabes.” China could play a role in putting pressure on North Korea and their nuclear program, Hill noted. However, he stressed that the United States needs
HALEY MCLAUGHLILN/Dailly
Christopher Hill, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, discusses his opinions on the current state of foreign policy in the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy on Monday.
to be more transparent with China for them to consider potentially imposing heavier sanctions against North Korea. Speaking to the current civil war in Syria involving President Bashar al-Assad, the rebels and ISIS, Hill cautioned the audience against harshly criticizing people working to obtain peace in the country. “I think Syria is a hideous situation, probably even worse than Bosnia was,” Hill said. “It’s easy to be critical of the people working on it, but you’ve got to understand the degree of difficulty that they have to contend with.” Hill stressed the need for the political parties of the United States to pull together and propose a bipartisan plan to reach peace in Syria.
When asked his opinion on the recently implemented nuclear deal with Iran, Hill said while the deal does limit Iran’s nuclear capability, it also unfreezes Iranian assets that they could use to support terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah. In closing, Hill talked about how enjoyable and fulfilling it was to serve as a diplomat, and encouraged students not to be afraid of pursuing a career with the State Department. “There’s no country in the world that’s more fun to defend than the United States,” Hill said. “American diplomacy should be something that we do, and do very well.” Public Policy senior Madeline Hartlieb said she attended the talk because she is interested in foreign policy
and pursuing diplomacy in the future. “Just to hear how outspoken (Hill) was, especially given how morbid the foreign policy scene can seem — I would definitely say that it was inspiring,” Hartlieb said. Public Policy junior Swathi Shanmugasundaram said she enjoyed hearing Hill speak because of his career experience and her own interest in foreign policy. “It’s easy to get down on yourself and your career path, especially as an undergraduate student and seeing everyone pass you,” Shanmugasundaram said. “But to hear Ambassador Hill talk about how his career started and how it’s f lourished is awesome, because you think ‘Wow, maybe I can do that too.’”
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NEWS BRIEFS
Rodents and mold found during Detroit schools inspection The City of Detroit conducted inspections of 11 public schools as a part of distrinct-wide review this week. The inspections revealed multiple code violations including reports of mold, damaged roofs, rodents and broken glass. The district review is part of a response to recent mass sick-out protests by local teachers in protest of the building conditions within the school districts. The sick-outs have resulted in school closings and have left students without school-provided meals. The Detroit Public Schools’ buildings have been deteriorating over time as the district has been unable to pay for repairs. The district’s debt currently stands at an estimated $515 million. City inspectors found a total of 152 violations with each school averaging at 14 violations. With these discoveries, each school has approximately a month to make repairs. Mayor Mike Duggan called for the inspections on Jan. 13 after seeing first hand the conditions of four different schools.
Former Detroit FBI chief to help in Flint water investigation Andrew Arena, former director of the Detroit FBI office, has been appointed by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette as part of the team investigating the lead contamination of Flint’s drinking water. The water supply in Flint was contaminated with lead beginning in April 2014, following a switch from the Detroit city water supply to Flint River water. Since the change, residents have reported negative health effects including hair loss and rotting teeth. The investigation will examine various public officials for offences related to misfeasance or malfeasance. In addition to Arena — who now heads the Detroit Crime Commission — Ellis Stafford, his deputy at the Detroit Crime Commission, will also be assisting with the investigation. Stafford is a Flint native and former Michigan state police inspector. The investigatory team plans to look into every aspect of the case to find any instances of unlawful conduct.
‘U’ partners with Department of Defense for brain injury research The University of Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care has paired up with the U.S. Department of Defense for new research into how the brain is impacted by severe trauamtic brain injuries, or TBIs. The pair will work to host the Massey Foundation TBI Grand Challenge. The event will encourage researchers to partner for groundbreaking research and submit project proposals. A TBI is considered to be a form of brain injury resulting from a bump, blow or jolt to the head, which causes a disruption to normal brain function. The challenge will reward funding to teams who develop diagnostic, device, therapeutic or health information technologies that deal with the initial “golden hour,” the first hour following a TBI, and the 24 to 48 of critical treatment hours after a severe TBI. Awarded projects will be funded from a pool of up to $500,000 across a 12-month time period. Projects will be reviewed by the Massey Grand Challenge Steering Committte. TBI results in 52,000 death per year, making it the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. In 2010, approximately 2.5 million people suffered from a TBI. —LYDIA MURRAY
UPDATE From Page 1 residents not affiliated with the University. “This is a tragedy that should not have happened,” Borrego said. “We know it is going to take time to address the infrastructure issues, to set up care for the children who ingested lead, and to determine how to prevent this from ever happening again. The University will continue to work in partnership to identify needs and contribute our faculty expertise and our service in support of our community.” Earlier this week, Schlissel also announced $100,000 in seed funding would be allocated for research projects designed to address the Flint water crisis. “At U-M, a crisis in the host city of one of campuses is a crisis that affects us all,” Schlissel said in a statement. “We will do all we
DRIVER From Page 1 didn’t feel like putting the effort in when my parents would drive me around,” McKeon said. “I also didn’t have money to buy a car so it just wasn’t logical to get my license.” McKeon is not alone according to Sivak’s and Schoettle’s research; thirtyseven percent of people surveyed claimed they did not get a license because they were simply too busy. Sivak and Schoettle also reported that 32 percent of people who chose not to get a driver’s license were discouraged by costs of owning a car. In an interview, Schoettle said the study showed socioeconomic status influenced the results of the study. “We did look at socioeconomic issues like education and employment,” Schoettle said. “We found that those without a license tended have less education and higher unemployment.” While the researchers also attributed the decline to increasing costs associated with driving, Sivak and Schoettle said they did not believe increases in gas prices were a factor. Adjusted according to inflation, gas cost 70 cents more per gallon at the end of 2013 than in January 1983 according the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The Bureau reports
SHARING From Page 1 attendees, sharing personal anecdotes exemplifying their experiences with Islamophobia on campus. Many audience members became emotional, and were moved to tears by many of the stories. “By sharing one’s story, I think we can understand the different ways that it actually impacts students on this campus,” Alsultany said. “I hope that people (leave with) a new sense of understanding of how Islamophobia impacts our community and also leave with some ideas about how to be an ally, not only to Muslim students, but for any student on campus.” LSA junior Tina Alkhersan, who served on the LSA committee that organized the event, said the event aimed to target non-Muslims and people who did not identify similarly to Muslims, so that students could express their beliefs in a positive and constructive manner. “Ever since I was a freshman here, I felt really attached to the University of Michigan, and certain Islamophobic incidences would happen — American Sniper, Chapel Hill — and there was never a sense of a safe community,” Alkhersan said. “There was always a sense of fear and alarm,” referencing an incident in 2015 involving the University’s showing of the controversial film American Sniper and a shooting in which three Muslim students were killed. Alkhersan said she wanted the event to be a forum for opening up and asking questions, as well
News can to ensure health and safety for our campus community and the people of Flint. We are all one family.” Student organizations at the University have also worked to aid residents of Flint and other surrounding areas. The Black Student Union launched a GoFundMe page to collect money for fresh fruits and vegetables. Additionally, the Prevention Research and the Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center has partnered for Fill-a-Truck for Flint’, an initiative to raise donations and collect bottled water for Flint residents. The University’s Center for Engaged Academic Learning will also host the Tri-Campus Student Summit on February 6. The event will feature workshops and consultations for undergraduates, as well as speakers who will discuss how students can get involved with providing aid for the Flint community.
the biggest discrepancy in prices during the past 31 years was in May 2011 when gas prices were at an all-time high at $4.07 per gallon. Along with fluctuating gas prices and automobile costs, environmental issues were tested as a factor in the reduction. Sivak and Schoettle’s research indicated those sentiments have moderate effects on fewer people getting their licenses — 8.6 percent of people surveyed reported wanting to protect the environment influenced their decision. Despite the nationwide decrease, Suhail Bilbeisi, owner of the Ann Arbor Driving School, said he has not noticed a decrease in enrollment since opening his business in 2001. Rather, he said enrollment has risen despite class enrollment fees increasing by $25. “We’ve been getting more students as the business has progressed,” Bilbeisi said. Schoettle said he was unable to pinpoint the exact reasoning why Bilbeisi’s business has not noticed the trend, but said there could be a difference between local and national data. “It is hard to say why a driving school might not be noticing this trend,” he said. “It could be that locally, the trend is a little different, or possibly that older people getting licenses are offsetting the reductions in younger drivers. It would be interesting to see if the age breakdown has changed for driving schools.”
as making acquaintances and forming friendships. “I would feel accomplished if just one person walked out with their perception changed,” Alkhersan said. Alkhersan, along with others on the organizing committee, shared a story from an anonymous student who did not want to present to attendees during the event. She said there was a fear among some students of being ridiculed for their vulnerability, so some committee members agreed to help them share their stories without releasing their identities. Another student, who wished to remain unnamed, shared her story as well, discussing her experience as a minority Muslim student in high school. She recounted how her classmates shared Islamophobic opinions during class. “‘They’re all terrorists anyway,” she said one of her classmates said to her. “They’re all evil,’” Rackham graduate student Banen Al-Sheemary, who discussed how Islamophobia impacts safety on campus, said she decided to share her story at the event because she believes it is important for the student body to realize how big of an issue Islamophobia is. “(The administration) needs to understand these narratives, they need to listen to these narratives,” Al-Sheemary said. “It’s so imperative and it really does affect our success here and our safety and our well-being.” Al-Sheemary added there have been specific incidences where she has felt unsafe and discriminated against on campus.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016 — 3
CLAIRE ABDO/Dailly
University President Mark Schlissel speaks at a Senate Assembly meeting about the Flint water crisis and other University business in the Palmer Commons on Monday.
a campus-wide initiative this year to address diversity issues on campus and improve campus climate, with the plan serving as a main focus. Currently, units around campus are creating individual plans, to be compiled into an overall plan this fall. “I met with the leads of this planning process in all the different units last week,” he said. “They’re doing great work, there are good ideas bubbling up to the surface.” Schlissel said he hopes by creating multiple committees to work on the issue, faculty and students will both be dedicated to the strategic plan. “We’re looking to get good ideas from as many creative people from as many creative parts of the campus as possible,” Schlissel said. “The second part of this is to get buy-in. We’re much more likely to get true buy-in in ongoing involvement from colleagues involved in the developmental plan themselves and critiquing plans as they emerge.” The Senate Assembly also voted on a new Nominating Committee for upcoming SACUA elections. SACUA will be losing an unprecedented six members in the coming academic year. “The Nominating Committee’s task will be to both
look at the nominations we have and look at staff nominations,” said Comparative Literature Prof. Silke-Maria Weineck, chair of SACUA. “It will also be to solicit nominations.” Weineck said she hopes the nominating committee will diversify SACUA, noting that all the body’s female members, including herself, are leaving the committee. The Senate Assembly also voted unanimously to endorse a statement of support to the Muslim community on campus. SACUA, the Assembly’s executive arm, endorsed the statement at its last meeting. “At the last Senate Assembly meeting, we started this discussion of passing a statement in support of the Muslim community at U of M,” Weineck said. “SACUA passed such a resolution of support at our last meeting. But since we started the discussion at the assembly, we wanted to finish this discussion to see if the assembly itself might also want to endorse the statement.” The statement says that the University’s Senate Advisory Committee supports Muslim members of the community. It also condemns discrimination on campus, regardless of religious, national or ethnic affiliation.
experience for receiving alerts which needs to be smoothed out,” she said. She added that because the notifications can only be 100 characters each, DPSS’s focus for the upcoming months will be on how to create precise and
informative alerts to ensure each fits the formatting for all messaging systems at their disposal. Surrounding universities such as Michigan State, Western Michigan and Central Michigan all use e-mails and texts to inform students of any dangers on campus, but have not developed anything beyond that, according to their
websites. Brown said focusing on improving safety within the Ann Arbor community was the project’s main focus. “We have people on staff who are aware of what they are doing at other schools, but that is not our main focus,” she said. “We worry about getting the message out as soon as we can, as fast as we can.”
“We are students who pay tuition, we are students who contribute to the community just like any other student,” she said during her story. “So what sets us apart from the rest of the student body that we have to walk in fear even in the afternoon?” Al-Sheemary noted that there are many options that the University can put into place in order to ensure the concerns from the Muslim student body are acknowledged. “The administration just has to take the time to actually listen and connect how social hierarchy, class, gender, sexual identity and racism shape the student experience and how difficult it is to navigate our world,” Al-Sheemary said. At the end of the event, organizers asked attendees how institutions, groups and individuals on campus can show solidarity with students who experience Islamophobia. LSA Dean Andrew Martin, who attended the event, said forums like this were important for the campus climate because one of the University’s challenges is creating a community that includes multiple identities. He said these types of conversations are crucial in creating the accepting community that people want to have on campus. “It was an incredibly powerful event,” Martin said. “We have a lot of brave students who are willing to share their stories to help build community and help understand things that are happening on our campus that many members of our community don’t know much about.” Another student, who also wished to remain anonymous,
spoke during the open-mic portion of the event that followed the shared stories, retelling her story of growing up as a Palestinian Muslim-American. “I honestly only felt safe when I was with my high school English teacher, who told me that everything would be OK once I entered the University of Michigan,” the student said. “However, nothing changed. I escaped to Michigan with the idea that I would be in a much safer environment.” Adrienne Dessel, co-associate director of the Program on Intergroup Relations, also held a presentation toward the end of the event on being a constructive ally and encouraging positive communication among different ethnic and racial groups. “The Program on Intergroup Relations is very interested in promoting ally work among students and promoting any event that will reduce discrimination and bias on campus,” Dessel said. Dessel said she believes Islamophobia is an issue that is affecting some of the students on campus as a result of national racism and Islamophobia, negative media portrayals and lack of contact caused by segregation among different cultural groups that lead to harmful stereotypes. “(We hope) for students’ stories to be shared and told and to provide students with some guidance and some skills,” Dessel said. Martin said he believes the University needs to articulate inclusion as a core value by taking initiative and following up on the issues identified during the event to ensure that the University
is fostering an inclusive environment for all students. “It’s really important, particularly given the discourse that’s happening in our broader politics today, to focus on Islamophobia and how it affects our Muslim students,” Martin said. “I’m really proud of the work that the students put into organizing this event. I found that the stories that the students brought to the front required a great deal of courage, and I think were painful to hear, but I think will be constructive in community building going forward.” Angela Dillard, associate dean for undergraduate education, was also in attendance and said she hopes those who attended the event will be more sensitive to Islamophobia on campus. “Certainly (Islamophobia) is one of the big issues that we’ve been looking at and worried about,” Dillard said. “I definitely thought it was appropriate for this group to take on, especially right now, given what’s been going on nationally, what’s been going on internationally.” Dillard said it was crucial to lead initiatives on inclusivity with students telling their own stories, even though they are sometimes shocking and upsetting. “One of the things that has been a little surprising to me is finding out what might be the depth of underreporting of incidents, of bias, of microaggressions,” Dillard said. “There seems to be a little confusion about how one goes about reporting, which leads to ideas of what can we do to make it clearer, what can we do to make it safer and what can we do to make sure that people have a sense that something is being done to follow up.”
SACUA From Page 1 also highlighted UM-Flint’s initiatives in a campus-wide e-mail Monday afternoon. “We’re quite confident of the safety on campus,” Schlissel said at the meeting. “We’ve been doing ongoing outreach to Flint students. Most of them don’t live in University-owned facilities, some live at home and some in the surrounding communities. We want to make sure that in their own personal living circumstances that they know what’s going on, they have filters on their sources of water, they have access to testing and they’re kept up to date and informed.” Schlissel said the campus has been working in partnership with the community by offering large-scale filter distribution events, free lead screening and other efforts. “The University in Flint has been a vibrant part of the community for 60 years,” Schlissel said. “They are a longstanding partner with the community, and I admire the strength I’ve seen in that city’s residents.” Finally, Schlissel also provided the Assembly with an update on the University’s progress toward a campus strategic plan for diversity. The University started
CAMPUS From Page 1
Opinion
4 — Tuesday, January 26, 2016
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Not an imposter, but human
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com SHOHAM GEVA EDITOR IN CHIEF
CLAIRE BRYAN AND REGAN DETWILER EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
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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.
I
Green and blue bubbles
f you were to text me right now, my response would likely show up on your iPhone as a green bubble. To some people, that first text might be the last one they ever send me because, as it turns out, many people aren’t fond of green bubbles. In case you are unaware, when an iPhone sends a message to another iPhone, the responses will show up in blue bubbles. This indicates ELLIOTT the messages being sent are RAINS iMessages, Apple’s proprietary messaging format, not standard SMS text messages. If an iPhone user were to send a message to an Android phone (like my Google Nexus 6P), the Android response would show up in a green bubble on the iPhone, indicating the messages are SMS. Unlike SMS, iMessages can be natively sent over Wi-Fi, traced as “read” or “unread,” and do not possess character limits. Technologically speaking, iMessages are superior to SMS. Chances are you already knew all of that. Apparently, iPhones are popular. A walk through the Diag or a glance around an Angell Hall auditorium only confirms this fact. From my three years of experience at Michigan, it is very clear that we as a university do indeed bleed blue. As a Michigan student, I realize the off-putting nature of anything green. However, I never realized the extent to which many people outright hate receiving green bubbles. Beyond the common “Why don’t you just get an iPhone?” I get from my friends a few times a month, I have seen a number of top yaks pop up on Yik Yak dissing those of us who choose the green bubbles. However, I figured occurrences such as these were the exception, not the norm. That is, until I read a recent piece by Paul Ford. All you need to know about Ford’s piece can be found by doing a quick search on Twitter for “green bubble.” It turns out those top yaks were more of the norm than the exception after all. As an Android user on a largely iPhone-based campus, I understand the technological complaints about green bubbles. They’re slower, you can’t send them from your MacBook and they absolutely destroy any type of group text. You have a right to hate the underlying and dated technology that is the green bubble. You do not, however, have the right to hate the green bubble in and of itself because, in some parts of the world, blue is synonymous with green. In passing discussions, international students have told me of the messaging service WhatsApp. It operates in a similar fashion to iMessage and is technologically superior to SMS in pretty
much every way. However, unlike iMessage, WhatsApp is cross-platform, meaning iPhones, Android phones and even Windows phones (yes, those do exist) can all reap its benefits. This is one of the many reasons WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging services in the world. To any of the hundreds of millions of WhatsApp users, green and blue bubbles are equal; they are not WhatsApp messages, so they are inferior. Like my iPhone-owning roommates hate my Android phone, WhatsApp users hate iMessage. All of this hate can manifest into something real. While many people are merely joking, some of those tweets you might have found in your search reflect real people making real life choices to avoid those of the green bubble. Dates are canceled, friendships are strained, people clash. A recent article from The Verge detailed how one of the publication’s writers suffering from depression purchased an iPhone in order to gain access into his friend groups’ iMessage chats, which he was previously excluded from as an Android user. To know such a minor feature could have such a profound effect on a person’s life really struck me. What if I’m missing out on my friends’ conversations because I’m green? What is the solution to this problem? In theory, iMessage on Android would fix your group chats in an instant. But this is unlikely to happen, as iMessage is a defining feature of iPhones, and the societal pressure to adhere to the blue bubble is a powerful economic force. It is, after all, the only reason I’ve ever legitimately contemplated getting an iPhone. A second solution would be for the entire world to use WhatsApp or any similar service like we all once used SMS. Given that many friend groups have a tough time finding a restaurant in Ann Arbor on which they can all agree, deciding on one messaging platform is an ideal but unlikely solution, at least in the near future. A final solution would be for us all to just live in harmony — blue, green, WhatsApp and more. In the short run, we miss out on some of the benefits of living in a unified, all-iMessage or all-WhatsApp world. But in the long run, we allow important societal and individual characteristics, such as a person’s moral fiber, devotion to friendship or general personality dictate our relationships, not a silly colored bubble. After all, I am green. Your grandmother with a flip phone is green. Your friend who goes to Michigan State is green. It would be a shame to let something as trivial as the color of our bubbles on your phone dictate our relationships with people like you. —Elliott Rains can be reached at erains@umich.edu.
EMILY ZONDER | OP-ED
Beyond MLK Day
In our world, I believe progress often happens slowly. I believe the path to significant, ideological change is rooted in dedication, conversation and activism; in listening to those with perspectives and stories that differ from your own; and in programs like the one I was able to participate in this year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I spent last Monday in Detroit taking part in a daylong, thought-provoking program honoring King and his work, examining the modern-day civil rights struggle and working on a handful of service projects in the southwest neighborhood of the city. Our cohort consisted of teens and young adults from various youth groups, high schools, universities and communities — each individual hailing from a unique background and bringing a unique voice to the table. The majority of my time was spent talking to someone who, over the course of the day, I would come to know as one of the most passionate and driven people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She was a senior in high school, a Detroiter and a self-proclaimed lover of history and advocate for social justice. We made signs for the Martin Luther King Jr. march downtown (posters with messages ranging from “#BlackLivesMatter” to “Water 4 All”) and dove deeply into conversation about race, privilege and power. We talked about the issues that persist in our country in and around the modern-day civil rights movement openly and honestly — topics that are incredibly important, yet all too often deemed as “taboo” or left unacknowledged by our society. She gave me new ideas, new vocabulary and a new perspective — and I like to believe I offered her the same. When the day had come to an end, my mind was racing. It was easy to recognize that our conversation was far from complete. In fact, it had really only just begun. This realization — that our discussion about systemic social issues was not nearly finished and that the ideas we were sharing were hardly fleshed out in full — made me view this program as more than just a gift of fate. I began to see it as more than just an educational opportunity or a
way of bringing diverse individuals and communities together. I started to think of the program, and of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in general, as an invitation: an invitation to begin and continue to participate in a conversation that has been going on for centuries, that analyzes every difficult and uncomfortable aspect of our society and that we should be having all the time. I believe that where there is dialogue, there is power; where there are people coming together with open minds and open hearts, there is room for opportunity and societal and ideological change. The conversations that millions of Americans have on Martin Luther King Jr. Day each year (in Detroit, in Ann Arbor and all over the country) should not cease to exist when the march ends, when Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium keynote lecturer Naomi Tutu leaves the stage, when the group disperses or even when a new day begins. The ideas and concepts we all think about so critically and carefully in honor of King should continue to be considered the following morning; they should be thought about daily and manifested into conversation regularly. If you have not already received it, I want to extend the invitation I was presented with in Detroit last Monday to all of you now. I want to challenge our community — here on campus, in Ann Arbor and beyond — to continue these conversations past the scope of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to continue to seek out spaces where open and respectful discussions about the most pressing issues in our country are being had and to ask others to do the same. I want to encourage us all to speak out against injustice in any and all forms and to never shy away from the conversations our communities and our nation need the most. Doing so is not an end-all solution to the largescale social injustices that persist in our country by any means; rather, it is a step along the way, one that is absolutely imperative in order for us to create a brighter future filled with light and love as King once so famously dreamed. — Emily Zonder is an LSA freshman.
I
t wasn’t until the second day of Math 115 my first semester here that I realized I was in way over my head. After havKAELA ing rushed into THEUT class, my backpack unzipped in a manner that screamed “frantic freshman” and my graphing calculator buried under a pile of notebooks and folders, I sat down next to a group of students, all discussing their future academic plans. Wide-eyed, I listened to each individual recount their aspirations to major in STEM fields and how this class was just their “easy” step before ultimately conquering the heights of Calculus II and III. In contrast, I only needed one quantitative reasoning credit, and since I liked calculus in high school, I figured this class would be the reasonable answer … right? As the future engineers continued to prattle on about topics I did not understand, I quickly realized I had never doubted my academic prowess more. I’ve experienced these feelings of doubt not only in academics, but also in athletics. My first day of collegiate cross-country camp, after getting back from what was supposed to be a relatively comfortable seven-mile run (that left the freshmen gasping for air), I panicked. Thoughts raced through my head such as “these people are all so much more talented than me,” “I don’t deserve to be here” and ultimately “am I just going to make a big fool out of myself?” As the days passed, these negative thoughts continued to stir in the back of my mind, slowly but surely eating away at my self-confidence. Unfortunately for myself and many others, this sinking feeling of
self-doubt and total unworthiness is all too common — especially at a university such as this one where thousands of bright students are brought together to learn. Just recently, I realized this feeling has a name. In 1978, psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes coined the term “imposter syndrome” to describe the tendency of highly successful, highly intelligent people to believe their accomplishments are the result of luck, and that they are essentially
“You made it here, you’re figuring things out and you’re still the same kick-butt person you were when you recieved your admission letter.”
total frauds. This description has a flair for the dramatic, but just think of the numerous times you have downplayed your past successes or doubted your abilities (despite palpable results) based on the thought that the people around you are so much more qualified or intelligent. This phenomenon occurs not only in calculus class or in a varsity sport — but in the real world as well, from job interviews to acting in films to publishing critically acclaimed novels. Maya Angelou, of all people, said, “I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’ ”
I’m no Maya Angelou, but I can’t even count the number of times I’ve passed on submitting works of writing or applying for positions because I think I’m simply not good enough. Yet, by counting myself out from the get-go, I’m not being humble, I’m just being a coward and have no chance of ever achieving my dreams. Maybe it’s not inadequacy that we fear, but what lies beyond the vast expanses of our greatest potential. I’m in no way telling you to be an obnoxious narcissist or to start believing you’re qualified to run this country, but just give yourself some credit. You made it here, you’re figuring things out and you’re still the same kick-butt person you were when you received your admission letter and laughed and danced around your kitchen — giddy at the idea of the numerous opportunities and dreams finally in your grasp. Yes, I am on a team surrounded by some of the most talented girls in the nation, which can be intimidating, but it can also be incredibly motivating. I still doubt myself sometimes, but as the days wear on, I realize that I (along with all of my teammates) am here for a reason. It’s a definite adjustment, but that’s just the nature of life. As for calculus? It was tough, but I made it through — just the same as everyone else. I soon realized that the future engineers who had so intimidated me at the beginning of the term were extremely helpful whenever I needed a problem explained or help with team homework. I struggled, but so did many people. My early feelings of inadequacy did not make me an “imposter” or “unqualified,” but simply human. —Kaela Theut can be reached at ktheut@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Claire Bryan, Regan Detwiler, Caitlin Heenan, Jeremy Kaplan, Ben Keller, Minsoo Kim, Payton Luokkala, Aarica Marsh, Anna PolumboLevy, Jason Rowland, Lauren Schandevel, Melissa Scholke, Rebecca Tarnopol, Ashley Tjhung, Stephanie Trierweiler, Mary Kate Winn, Derek Wolfe, Hunter Zhao
T
Emergency managed
he Flint water crisis dramatically calls attention to the inherent dangers of Gov. Rick Snyder’s emergency managers. ZAK But if you listen WITUS to Snyder, you might not realize that EMs even played a role in this crisis. In his State of the State address, Snyder only mentioned emergency managers once. He said, “This crisis began in the spring of 2013 when the Flint City Council voted 7-1 to buy water from the Karegnondi Water Authority. Former Flint Mayor Walling supported the move and the emergency manager approved the plan.” This statement could mislead you in two ways. First, regarding the facts about emergency management that he strategically omitted, Snyder failed to mention that “[a]fter initially supporting the plan, the Flint City Council, reacting to public outrage over water quality, voted (in early 2015) to return to the Detroit system … EM Jerry Ambrose, the fourth person to hold that job in Flint, overruled the vote of those elected officials, forcing residents to continue using river water.” From Snyder’s statement, you might interpret the EM’s role as mostly advisory. But from the record assembled by journalists, such as the American Civil Liberties Union’s Curt Guyette (quoted above), the picture looks quite different. We see that EM Ambrose prevented local, elected officials from executing the will of their constituency. This is not the act of an adviser. It’s the act of an authoritarian. Second, though the immediate crisis probably began when Snyder claims, his timeline limits our understanding of the problems in Flint to the relatively recent past. Likewise, from Snyder’s statements, the issues involved in the Flint water crisis appear highly specific and isolated, not systemic or structural. He is focused on solving the “lead problem” in Flint. For many of us, this is far too simple-minded.
To us, the lead contamination is an especially painful and visible symptom of the many diseases raging through the body of America today — e.g. white supremacy, global capitalism, economic terrorism, etc. The anti-democratic history of Snyder’s emergency management policy helps us understand its catastrophic application in the case of Flint. In November 2012, Michigan voters rejected Michigan’s first emergency manager law, Public Act 4 of 2011, via referendum. Less than two months later, Snyder signed Public Act 436 of 2012, which was mostly similar to Public Act 4, except it included an appropriation that made it immune to referendum. At the time, Snyder hailed the replacement EM law, saying, “This legislation demonstrates that we clearly heard, recognized and respected the will of the voters … It builds in local control and options while also ensuring the tools to protect communities and school districts’ residents, students and taxpayers.” As Snyder understands it, “the will of the voters,” as expressed in the referendum, is for laws immune to referendum, unlike the one they’d just rejected (via referendum). Clearly, the voters want less direct say in the laws that govern them. In Snyder’s mind, there’s no question that the voters desire emergency management, since they cannot possibly be trusted to elect competent representatives. The people need a strong man, a patriarch, to “manage” them, tempering their desires for basic resources such as fresh water with more serious concerns such as balancing the budget. We are too weak and meek to make the hard choice of austerity, so we desire someone to impose it upon us. In these troubled times, democracy must be suspended. Only such absurd, fascistic philosophy could possibly explain the decision to impose emergency management and austerity in spite of the voters’ rejection of it. It’s blatantly disrespectful to our basic desire for autonomy and ignorant
to the structural sources of Flint’s financial collapse. One safety of municipal democracy lies in the fact that elected representatives live in the communities they serve. They often directly experience the problems they seek to solve — like when they turn on the tap, they see brown water running. They are interpersonally tied to their constituency. On the other hand, emergency managers have none of these characteristics, and so, much like police officers employed outside their home communities, they don’t have any direct, personal stake in the well-being of the communities they serve. After the switch from Lake Huron water to Flint River water, the people of Flint knew immediately that something was wrong: The water didn’t look right (it had a brown tinge), it didn’t smell right (kind of like rotten eggs) and it didn’t taste right (metallic). But such plebian methods of detecting problems, like using the cognitive faculties of sight, smell and taste, are, by our government’s standards, unreliable and cannot constitute true knowledge. (Though brown water isn’t necessarily toxic, it’s a pretty good indicator of the need for further research; What’s more, it wouldn’t be tolerated in affluent white communities.) Thus, in turn, their voices were ignored and their collective will suppressed. People calling for Snyder’s arrest and/or resignation specifically because of Flint’s lead contamination should prepare for the criminal investigations not to return a smoking gun. The state bureaucracy will likely filter out any responsibility before it reaches the governor’s office, and then the people will not have their justice. Instead, we should recall Snyder because he has impeded democracy and threatens to continue to impede democracy with his policy of emergency management. —Zak Witus can be reached at zakwitus@umich.edu.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and op-eds. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while op-eds should be 550 to 850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
LITERATURE COLUMN
“
Tuesday, January 26, 2016 — 5
ALBUM REVIEW
Contemporary lit’s Chairlift won’t take risks on new ‘Moth’ changing form
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it and join the dance.” The late philosopher Alan Watts was not referring to the technological revolution of literary culture in the last twenty years, but these words REBECCA are an LERNER unequivocal push for writers unwilling to adapt to the changes in their industry. We can freely admit that writing isn’t what is used to be. From entry points into the business, to ideas of promotion, to the literal form of novels, technology guarantees that nothing remains constant. Rather than yearning for an age I barely knew, though, I’m choosing to embrace the way social media and the Internet in general has changed our lives. Instead of relying on an agent to promote their works (though agents are still hugely important to novelists), many authors are joining social media and connecting with their audiences directly and interactively. Respected authors such as Margaret Atwood, Gary Shteyngart and Joyce Carol Oates have joined the 974 million existing Twitter accounts to share a part of themselves with their fans and readers. (Seriously, follow Joyce Carol Oates on Twitter. One of her latest tweets: “Tried to combine #National Hug Day with #Squirrel Appreciation Day with unfortunate results.” Genius.) But not all writers have joined the bandwagon of social media. Most noticeably, Jonathan Franzen, author of “The Corrections,” “Freedom” and most recently “Purity,” has denounced Twitter as “unspeakably irritating. Twitter stands for everything I oppose.” In 2013, Franzen specifically called out commercial women’s fiction writer Jennifer Weiner for her self-promotion via social media. Weiner retorted with an article in The New Republic arguing that Twitter isn’t primarily a
means of self-promotion; it’s a way to access the world’s “best cocktail party.” This literary tussle between Franzen and Weiner represents the undeniable shift in contemporary literary culture. Some, like Franzen, see social media as the worst extension of ourselves, a manipulative way to create a false, misleadingly improved online person. Others like Weiner view it as a fun way to connect with and entertain readers and other authors. In other corners of the Internet, less established writers have a chance. Sure, there’s some weird Poot Lovato fan fiction and the sorts of obsessive chat rooms that create phenomena like “50 Shades of Grey,” but there’s also some exceptional writing being done. Websites like Wordpress and Tumblr allow users to display their work on a free platform and gather an online following. With a large enough online readership, there is almost a guaranteed audience for an actual novel.
We can freely admit writing isn’t what it used to be. The expansion in the relationship between readers and authors is another major development caused by the Internet. We’ve created an incredibly large global locale, one in which we can reach out to someone across the world and get a response as quickly as that of someone across the room. For authors, this means they can be in direct contact with their readership during all phases of writing. When Aziz Ansari wrote his brilliant exploration of different romantic landscapes in the recent novel “Modern Romance,” he reached out to the Reddit community and asked them to share their experiences. Ansari and his co-author, New York University professor Eric
Klinenberg, used comments from Reddit users to explain the social phenomena in the book. We can be so close now to the producers of our literature that we can literally take part in its creation. But social media is also changing the form that literature can take. The definition of what “writing” is has changed since media platforms have allowed everyone to become a writer in some sense of the word. Writing takes place on all forms of social media, but there’s a shift in storytelling form as well. Narratives like “Hey Harry Hey Matilda,” an epistolary novel between a brother and sister, are being told over Instagram, with photos accompanying the serialized text. While “Hey Harry Hey Matilda” is a thoughtful experiment in social media and its relationship to the narrative form, the presence of social media has spawned some more spontaneous stories. The viral Twitter drama of Zola, which she describes as “long but…full of suspense” was one of the better instances of pop culture in 2015. Zola is a Hooters waitress who is invited by a customer for a weekend of dancing in Florida, but the excursion quickly devolves into a narrative explosion of strippers, violence and spectacle. After reading the whole story, Ava DuVernay, director of “Selma” and “Middle of Nowhere” wrote on Twitter, “In India reading #Zola. Drama, humor, action, suspense, character development. She can write. There’s so much untapped talent in the hood.” In the past few years, the Internet has forced literature into somewhat of a crossroads. We’re constantly redefining what it means to be a writer and how to reconcile our preconceived notions of literature with the burgeoning technology at our fingertips. We have a choice to make — stubbornly linger in the past or bask in the developing democratization of storytelling.
Lerner is being taken on trip down to Florida. To make she’s OK, e-mail rebler@umich.edu.
ALBUM REVIEW
Powerful ‘Coliseum’ By REGAN DETWILER Daily Arts Writer
You know those weird bands you find only by way of indie movie soundtrack? Well, The Besnard Lakes are one of those. Mark A Ruffalo found them in what A Coliseum he called a Complex “little cache in Montreal” Museum of DIY musi- The Besnard cians, many of Lakes which — like The Besnard Jagjaguwar Lakes — have their own recording studios and equipment. He wanted them for his 2010 film “Sympathy for Delicious,” which won the Special Jury Prize and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2010. Something between Beach House, Arcade Fire and Band of
Horses, they sound like an altrockified amalgamation of ’60s rock and contemporary ambient electronic. Married couple Jace Lasek and Olga Gureas form the group’s core, and they’ve just released their fifth album, A Coliseum Complex Museum. None of their releases goes over 45 minutes long and few go over 8 tracks — their songs are meant to be listened to as part of a whole. Sometimes it takes several minutes (or several songs) to come across any lyrics at all. Well, it sometimes takes several minutes to come across any spoken lyrics. The music itself, though, is very organically expressive, almost lyrical in its sonic quality alone. The music does not need the crude approximation of words as a crutch for delivering meaning — the meaning transcends. Perhaps this is what the core duo means when they say that being in nature inspires them, for their sensibility might even be described as transcendentalist.
A Coliseum Complex Museum is not by any means a departure from earlier work. It seems to follow the same trajectory, but it’s more conducive to casual listening on a track-by-track basis than on a full-album scale. The album’s only single, “The Plain Moon,” could even be described as catchy, something one couldn’t have said quite as easily for previous releases. This is not to say A Coliseum Complex Museum represents the group selling out by any means. They maintain the same gritty, kinda dirty, altrock, technofolk sound they’ve always had — but this album feels like it has a little more momentum behind it than previous releases. The Besnard Lakes are a hidden gem, unassuming in a sea of alternative music that these days can feel a little too overwrought, a little too heady. A Coliseum Complex Museum is like a tension-releasing exhale.
DO YOU POSTPONE PULLING YOUR WISDOM TEETH SO YOU CAN PARTY? A WISE CHOICE — JUST LIKE JOINING ARTS. E-mail ajtheis@umich.edu and katjacqu@umich.edu for information on applying to Daily Arts.
By REGAN DETWILER Daily Arts Writer
I think what Chairlift really wants from a review is for their ’08 iPod nano commercial hit, “Bruises,” to not be mentioned. My Bapologies, Moth guys. Everything from the Chairlift sheer nostalgia it elicits to its Columbia endearingly synth rhythm to its lyrics make mentioning it irresistible (I grabbed some frozen strawberries so I could ice your bruising knees). It was that adorable indie hit before adorable indie hits were cool. Moth is the New York duo’s most bright and upbeat release thus far. Singer Caroline Polachek’s vocals are similar to those of Marina Diamandis of Marina and the Diamonds, but the lyrics on this latest album don’t quite have that death-candy depth of avant-pop artists like Marina. In fact, it’s difficult to place Chairlift in any genre right now. They’re avant-pop and/ or synth-pop, but Moth doesn’t quite place them into the either of those (fairly specific) categories. Those genres elicit artists like Marina, Lana, even Phantogram or Grimes, if you want to go there. But Chairlift isn’t really anything like any of those.
They’re still stuck in the la-la land limbo of alt-pop artists like La Roux who only had one U.S. hit and never really got both feet off the ground. The album is good but not great. It’s good but not good. You can listen to Moth for something that will suffice. For example, two of the catchiest, most danceable tracks, “Ch-Ching” and “Moth to the Flame,” offer little conceptual complexity beyond the content of their titles. Neither change your worldview, neither will change the way you perceive contemporary culture but they will allow you to maintain your reputation as someone who “likes good music.”
‘Moth’ is the New York duo’s most upbeat release thus far. There is at least one track that gets me feeling, and it’s “Crying in Public.” While most of the songs on Moth have vague lyrics that come off as distant and impersonal — especially when paired with Chairlift’s characteristic technologized, synthey aesthetic — they get
slow and deep on this track. The lyrics speak to tender and conflicting emotions of crying about and loving someone at the same time — crying because you love them. Polachek’s vocals also shine, coming out sinewy and clear. But that’s only one song. While Moth has a few shining moments, the fact of the matter is Chairlift hasn’t put anything out that tops their first album, Does You Inspire You, featuring “Bruises.” And their latest release is no exception. Their sound in ’08 was original, fresh and ahead of its time. Lyrics spoke to social issues and gave considerable attention to critiquing the consumerism emerging in our country at the time, which has run rampant by now. On that first album they gave 4:45 to a song about how much garbage we produce. Track names included (you guessed it) “Garbage” and “Le Flying Saucer Hat.” Um, yes please. When I see “Ch-Ching” on the track list of this latest release I just don’t get quite as excited. Chairlift contributed something new with Does You Inspire You, and they haven’t done so since. Moth is nice. It’s pretty good. But Chairlift, give us something cool, something great, something weird. We know it’s in you, and it’s waiting to be released. Maybe next year?
TV REVIEW
Showtime’s ‘Billions’ is full of testosterone By SHIR AVINADAV Daily Arts Writer
Showtime’s new series “Billions” doesn’t quite match the spectacular parade of excess in “The Wolf of Wall Street.” But it also Bisn’t the harBillions rowing look at the 2008 Piloy economic col- Sundays at lapse and cor- 10 p.m. ruption of big banks cyni- Showtime cally dissected by “The Big Short.” It’s the story of powerful U.S. District Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti, “Love & Mercy”) and his mission to take down hedge fund giant Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Damian Lewis, “Homeland”). The showdown between corruption and justice isn’t as simple as we’d like to believe it is, and “Billions” goes to great lengths to demonstrate this theme. If you are an advocate of justice and hate the “one percent,” then the show expects you to root for Chuck in his relentless pursuit of Axe and his financial empire. However, in the show’s opening Chuck is introduced bound and powerless (consensually, we assume), under a mysterious figure dressed in dominatrix attire. The unsettling details of this short, yet repellant scene don’t bear mentioning. But its role in characterizing Chuck, the supposed hero of this series, is significant and necessitates discussion. Why show the formidable pinnacle of justice, U.S. attorney, husband and father of two getting sexually dominated within the first 30 seconds of the premiere? Pure shock value? What’s more, this introduction is followed by Rhoades’s Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate (Condola Rashad, “Master of None”) lecturing an office newcomer about having to “be beyond reproach.” These words linger as, for the first time in the episode, Rhoades is revealed to be none other than the New York U.S. District Attorney. The stark contradiction between
the two images of Rhoades is the first of many ploys to subtly build tension throughout the episode that instead result in lukewarm uneasiness. No one wants to see a middle-aged man (particularly one with clout) getting kinky. The most contrived part of the plot is the role Axe’s wife Lara (Malin Akerman, “Watchmen”) plays. The girl from a poor New York Irish family turned billionaire’s wife – poised, yet retaining a tough edge –– is like a shoe that fits half a size too big on Akerman, adding little depth to her character. When a former partner’s wife embarrasses Axe in front of his employees, Lara’s thinly veiled threat lacks the punch it tries to deliver. She only serves as an accessory to Axe’s character –– another strand in the unravelling rope of his relatable image. There’s no such thing as a relatable billionaire. Axe’s reputation as a “man of the people” (he eats pizza at his old neighborhood joint … then decides to invest in it) is a weakly devised obstacle put up for Chuck to knock down in his fight against Axelrod. Despite this, Lewis’s performance as the acute, egoistic alpha male is convincing. Between his and Giamatti’s subtle glares and weighted oneliners, the antagonism between the two is palpable.
No one wants to see a middleaged man getting kinky. Also complicating Axe’s history is his role as the only surviving partner of his hedge fund after 9/11. The tragic circumstances of his ascent to power leave us uncertain whether to feel sorry for him or resent him. As the episode unfolds, it becomes clearer that the man is power hungry and manipula-
tive, purchasing an ostentatious mansion and “good-naturedly” pitting his kids against one another in a trivia match at the dinner table. Aesthetically, the show has some redeeming qualities. A quick cut away to the sweaty fingerprints left on a leather chair by an old colleague Dan Margolis (Daniel Cosgrove, “Days of Our Lives”) confirms Axe’s suspicions that he’s an FBI informant. The sleek cinematography highlights Axe’s smooth demeanor and makes Rhoades appear even more overwrought than his agitated nature suggests he is. And while Axe maintains his austerity at all times, we see Rhoades soften in the presence of his wife, Wendy (Maggie Siff, “Sons of Anarchy”).
Justice isn’t always simple. Wendy Rhoades can’t go without mentioning. Her position as an HR executive for Axe Capital (Axelrod’s company) puts her in the convenient predicament of working for the target of her husband’s crusade against profiteering. She’s a powerhouse in her own right, but when Chuck’s attack on Axe escalates she’s forced to choose: her job or her husband (the timeworn source of marital conflict)? With all the testosterone coursing through the series, it’s refreshing to have a wife who isn’t just a narrative embellishment. But between her and Lara, there isn’t much going on for women in this series. Especially not for Chuck’s mother, who’s relegated to the kitchen by Chuck’s calculating, upper crust attorney of a father. This brings us back to Chuck, who’s clearly sitting on top of some deep-seated issues. His character, combined with Axe’s guile and America’s interest with the financial sector, will hopefully make for some interesting episodes as the series moves forward.
Arts
6 — Tuesday, January 26, 2016
TV REVIEW
‘Angie Tribeca’ is almost too crazy Rashida Jones helms a send-up of crime shows By SAM ROSENBERG Daily Arts Writer
Considering the abundance of crime-based shows on American television, it seems almost implausible that networks B keep creating more. In fact, Angie most of these Tribeca programs, such as “CSI” Series and “Law & Premiere Order,” are so common and Mondays at 9 p.m. similar that TBS their closed narrative storylines, suspenseful plots and tough as nails protagonists have become predictable tropes. With TBS’s newest comedy “Angie Tribeca,” these shows receive the ultimate satirical treatment, though its conflicting cleverness and stupidity come with some repercussions. Created by Steve Carell (“The Big Short”) and his wife Nancy Carell (“Bridesmaids”), “Angie Tribeca” is an ordinary buddy cop show disguised as a surreal, absurdist parody more in the vein of “The Naked Gun” and “Police Squad!” than “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” It matches the traits of any other crime show, from the cookie-cutter characters to the over-the-top cases. The only difference is “Angie Tribeca” is incredibly self-aware of its own exaggerated nature and offers several obvious references to crime clichés, such as its title sequence: a dizzyingly, fast-paced montage backed by the sound of a screaming man. But while “Angie Tribeca” can be overwhelmingly droll at
times, it contains a plethora of brilliant attributes, especially with Rashida Jones as its winning lead. Following up her role as Ann Perkins on NBC’s critically acclaimed “Parks & Recreation,” Jones plays the title character, a no-nonsense female cop archetype who retains both an unwavering conviction to seek justice and a wacky personality. Think Olivia Benson from “Law & Order: SVU,” but younger and sillier. Her partner is Jay Geils (Hayes MacArthur, “She’s Out of My League”), a handsome male cop archetype who is also just as strange and committed to fighting crime as Tribeca is. The two bring down bad guys together and form a friendly, ambiguous relationship, which is typical of most crime shows. Regardless of how easily they draw from other leading roles in crime shows, Jones and MacArthur have actual great comedic and romantic chemistry.
The crime genre is both captivating and outrageous. Like its two leads, most of the characters in “Angie Tribeca” poke fun at crime show stereotypes but have their own distinctively odd quirks. Jere Burns (“Justified”) is the hard-around-the-edges LAPD lieutenant Chet Atkins; Alfred Molina (“Love Is Strange”) plays the LAPD’s forensics pathologist Dr. Edelweiss, who starts out each episode physically disabled and then seems perfectly fine in the end; Deon Cole (“Black-ish”) is DJ Tanner, a fierce cop with a German shep-
herd sidekick. Along with the cast is an exhaustingly talented list of cameos that includes Lisa Kudrow (“Friends”), James Franco (“Palo Alto”), Adam Scott (“Parks & Rec”), Sarah Chalke (“Scrubs”) and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham (“Dinner for Schmucks”). “Angie Tribeca” ’s reliance on satirizing conventions of crime shows is both its biggest strength and weakness. Many of the show’s gags are hysterical and gut-busting, though they can easily become tiresome after watching them over and over again. A perfect example is a recurring visual gag of the Ford logo in the pilot episode, which appears in every scene with a Ford car and even some scenes that don’t. The overtly obvious product placement seems funny, but it’s like repeating the same joke every 10 minutes — it may sound hilarious at first, but when told too many times, it’s essentially beating a dead horse. Of course, that’s not to say that there aren’t moments of fantastic wit, the strongest being its spoof of classic crime show conventions, such as dramatic flashbacks, over-the-top action sequences and insanely wild cases. One delves into the mysterious death of a wedding cake baker and another investigates a missing painting of a thumb. Instead of using the conventional week-by-week episode format, TBS showed the entire first season of “Angie Tribeca” in a back-to-back marathon. Though it made for an interesting marketing move, the show is much easier to watch in smaller doses. At its worst, “Angie Tribeca” is an aggravating half-hour comedy that’s too repetitive for its own good. But at its best, “Angie Tribeca” is an intelligent, amusing satire that boasts a view on how the crime genre can be both captivating and utterly outrageous.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
TV REVIEW
FOX
“Aren’t you a little short for an alien hunter?”
‘The X-Files’ return short of high hopes By CHLOE GILKE Daily Arts Writer
Fourteen years after its series finale, “The X-Files” is back on FOX, and it’s … well, I wish I could say it’s great. Between the deafening hype C and the murky The X-Files track record of series creator Season 10 Chris Carter’s Premiere late-period creative choices, Mondays at I adjusted my 8 p.m. expectations FOX for the revival series to be accordingly low. Even if the rebooted “The X-Files” were just a welcome reunion between me and my two all-time favorite characters, with nothing else redeemable, I told myself I’d be satisfied. I wish seeing Scully and Mulder was enough. “The X-Files” has some addictive alien substance in its DNA that makes it irresistible to fans and the perfect receptacle for cult worship, which makes it impossible to write about the show without bringing myself and my experience with it into the fold. While I love “The X-Files” to death, I’ve always kept a Scullyesque skeptic’s attitude and a criti-
Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
cal eye toward the flaws that have been there since episode one. The show is wildly uneven, with some of the cases and episodes deserving a spot in the Great TV Canon, and others so forgettable they burn themselves into your brain (I’m looking at you, “First Person Shooter”). “My Struggle” doesn’t fall into either of these two categories. It contains all of “The X-Files” ’s most dangerous trappings, yet also maintains vestiges of what made the show so great two decades ago. The episode’s intro sequence, featuring resident supernatural enthusiast Fox Mulder (David Duchovny, “Californication”) narrating the events of the previous nine seasons, is creative shorthand meant to catch new viewers up to speed. While stock photo images and newspaper clippings flash by, Mulder clues the audience in on his fascination with aliens, but also hints at the psychological ennui that will be revealed later in the episode. As pictures of UFO crashes and monstrous aliens flip across the screen, Mulder sounds bored and disengaged. He sounds a far cry from the passionate zealot that fans remember from the previous series: “We must ask ourselves … Are they really a hoax?” He doesn’t sound convinced. Just like that, the viewer’s curiosity is
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piqued, and Duchovny has sent us on a mission to figure out what’s wrong with Mulder. Sure enough, Mulder has grown depressed and worse for the wear since the X-Files division closed. Without his passions or his case partner to guide him, Mulder’s belief is waning. Duchovny is game for this graying and cynical character bent, but he keeps a spark of the bright old Mulder in his performance. This spark intensifies whenever he shares the screen with his former partner, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson, “The Fall”). In the years since we’ve last seen her, Scully also appears to have grown colder and more cynical (though this might be the aftermath of Anderson’s brilliantly detached “Hannibal” performance). Thankfully, the two jump right back into their gently combative relationship, and Mulder sets a million ’shipper hearts aflame when he cracks a sly smile and tells Scully “Don’t pretend I’m going alone.” But even great performers can’t save bad writing. The miniseries’ new case is frustratingly scattered across the episode’s 43-minute runtime. Political conspiracist talk show host Tad O’Malley (Joel McHale, “Community”) inspires Mulder and Scully to investigate Sveta (Annet Mahendru, “The Americans”) ’s claims that she was abducted by aliens, has alien DNA and had aliens hole-punch circles in her abdomen. Despite Mahendru’s best efforts, Sveta is a ridiculous character, made even more so by the fact that Mulder is convinced she is the “key to everything” and just a few minutes of her testimony is enough to make him question his entire worldview. The introductions feel rushed, and the episode doesn’t spend enough time dissecting Mulder’s weakened beliefs or desperation to justify this sudden switch. The episode also suffers from some horrific dialogue writing and direction — bad even by the standards of a show that has never been known for its subtle character work. In one scene that takes place on Mulder’s porch, Scully and her former partner utter every “X-Files” poster epithet within the span of two minutes: “You want to believe! You so badly want to believe!” “I do believe!” “The truth is out there, Scully, and Tad O’Malley is gonna broadcast it!” As Mulder and Scully trade fan-service quotes, they grip the other’s shoulders and shout with their faces inches from one another. Of course, Sveta is standing right at the door watching them, and interrupts to ask if everything is OK. I laughed out loud. It’s not OK. I really want to believe that “The X-Files” will get back on track and deliver five great episodes after this middling premiere. I want to believe that the reboot isn’t back solely for nostalgia’s sake, for money or for network ratings. I want Mulder to make sense again, for the Cigarette Smoking Man to scare me shitless and for the story to justify the fact that “The X-Files” was pulled back out of the cabinet drawer and resurrected from the dead. “My Struggle” doesn’t quite live up to the heights set by previous seasons or merit the reboot on its own terms, but it’s worth holding out hope that the show will justify its own existence. After all, we’ve still got five episodes — and the truth is out there.
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Tuesday, January 26, 2016 — 7
‘M’ goes 3-2 in California No. 12 Michigan plays three top-10 teams, knocks off No. 8 San Jose State
Bruno, Pantaleo stand out in wins By NATHANIEL CLARK Daily Sports Writer
By BILLY STAMPFL Daily Sports Writer
Tough competition and hardfought matches highlighted an overall successful weekend for the Michigan women’s water polo team, which won three of its five games in Santa Barbara to open the 2016 season. Three of those matches pitted the 12th-ranked Wolverines against teams in the top eight nationally. “I feel like we got tested,” said coach Marcelo Leonardi. “We used it as a measurement to see where we’re at as a team, and overall I think we performed pretty well.” Though the weekend began on a somewhat sour note with an 11-10 loss to No. 7 Hawaii — a game in which Rainbow Wahine sophomore Nikki-Marie Bell scored the game-winning goal with just three seconds left — Michigan rebounded in its next match, defeating No. 19 Cal State Northridge by a score of 12-4. The Wolverines carried their momentum forward, winning two more games Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning — which included a rout of No. 24 Cal Baptist and a stellar offensive performance against No. 8 San Jose State in which Michigan won, 18-9. But the Wolverines’ run was cut short, as they fell to No. 2 UCLA, 11-7, in the final game of the weekend. Despite the loss to the powerhouse Bruins, Leonardi praised his team, especially senior Ali Thomason, as they prepared to head back to Ann Arbor.
WRESTLING
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Senior Ali Thomason drew praise from coach Marcelo Leonardi for her play in the team’s opening weekend.
“I have to give props — (Thomason) had a fantastic weekend,” Leonardi said. “She’s not just a scorer. She’s doing it on both sides of the pool.” Though Leonardi always appreciates the efforts of Thomason and the rest of an experienced core, he also acknowledged the contributions his younger players made. The secondyear coach is introducing his first recruiting class this season. “Our freshmen all played quality minutes almost every single game,” Leonardi said. “I expect the front string that I’ve
recruited to come in and make an immediate impact, which they did.” In Friday’s opening contest, four Wolverines made their collegiate debut, including freshman Kim Johnson, who started all five games to begin her Michigan career. “In my very first game, there were some jitters,” Johnson said. “But overall I don’t really get butterflies — I just get excited. I mostly get pumped up by the close games and the excitement of it all.” If any anxiety existed, Johnson seemed to eradicate
“I don’t really get butterflies — I just get excited.”
it fairly quickly, scoring three goals each in three of her first four games and finishing with a total of 12 goals in the five matches combined. Johnson’s comfort and immediate impact are perhaps a product of having her older sister, Danielle, a junior, on the team as well. The two last played together in high school, and have always had great chemistry. “It’s so much fun having her here,” Kim Johnson said. “Danielle is my best friend, and we have a great dynamic in the water. I’m so happy we ended up at Michigan together.” Leonardi should be happy, too, as the Wolverines are off to a fast start in 2016. Chemistry, not just between the Johnson sisters but throughout the team as a whole, certainly has had something to do with it.
Much has been made in recent weeks about the No. 8 Michigan wrestling team’s “Murderer’s Row,” as sixth-year senior Max Huntley called it. The term refers to the Wolverines’ 184-pound, 197pound and heavyweight wrestlers — junior Domenic Abounader, Huntley and junior Adam Coon, respectively. All three are undefeated in dual play and were as strong as ever in Michigan’s 22-12 victory over No. 19 Central Michigan on Friday and its 33-6 win against No. 21 Indiana on Sunday. While their contributions have been crucial to Michigan’s success, they are not the only ones propelling the Wolverines to victory. Some of the lighter-weight wrestlers have shined for Michigan as of late. Senior Rossi Bruno (6-2 in dual-meet play) at 133 pounds and sophomore Alec Pantaleo (7-1) at 149 pounds have stood out, especially over the weekend. “Our guys did a great job of scoring points,” said Michigan coach Joe McFarland. “(The fans) come for a lot of action and guys scoring points, and we did a great job of that today.” Bruno, who entered Friday’s match ranked No. 17 in the country, began the weekend with a 4-2 overtime win over the Chippewas’ Corey Keener. Bruno scored an escape point late in the third period to force overtime and was quickly awarded a bout-winning takedown in the extra period. He continued his winning ways Sunday with a 15-2 majordecision victory over the
Hoosiers’ Alonzo Shepherd. Bruno broke open his match in the second period with a takedown and a near fall to go ahead 8-0. The triumph proved momentum-shifting as it followed a close loss by redshirt junior Conor Youtsey, 5-4, at the hands of Indiana’s Elijah Oliver at 125-pounds. “I thought I wrestled hard, but there’s always places to improve on,” Bruno said. “So I don’t think I had two perfect matches, but definitely two steps in the right direction.” Pantaleo, meanwhile, showed why he entered the weekend ranked sixth at 149 pounds. He came out Friday with a 10-4 win over Central Michigan’s Colin Heffernan to put the Wolverines in front, 9-3. Pantaleo buoyed himself with a near fall and two takedowns in the second period. Sunday proved to be almost no different for Pantaleo. He used a three-point third period to top Indiana’s Luke Blanton, 7-2. Pantaleo’s victory gave Michigan a 10-3 lead at the time. “When I step on the mat, I want to dominate everyone I wrestle,” Pantaleo said. With a matchup at No. 1 Penn State looming on Jan. 31, the Wolverines will be looking for any matchup advantage they can find, especially those outside of their “Murderer’s Row.” But Bruno said he feels Michigan can draw off its experience from its 21-11 win at then-No. 6 Ohio State on Jan. 9 and be up for the Nittany Lions’ challenge. “We’re just going to keep doing the things we’ve been doing,” Bruno said. “The big thing is not letting the hype of Penn State get to us. If we can model the execution we had (against Ohio State), we should be good.”
MEN’S GYMNASTICS
Mistakes ruin home opener Wolverines struggle in several events vs. No. 1 Oklahoma By ETHAN WOLFE Daily Sports Writer
Going into Saturday’s meet against No. 1 Oklahoma, the Michigan men’s gymnastics team knew it would be up against elite competition. And the 10th-ranked Wolverines (0-4 Big Ten, 1-5 overall) didn’t help themselves either, as they seemed to be their own enemies. In a meet where the Sooners (2-0 Big 12, 5-0) were able to pull away quickly, Michigan’s 16.550-point defeat was the result of a number of critical mistakes. A bevy of the Wolverines’ mistakes came on the pommel horse — the only event in which Oklahoma does not lead the nation. It was crucial for Michigan to capitalize, but three Wolverines fell off and had to restart their routines. It was Michigan’s lowest-scoring event on the day and the only one in which they failed to amass 70 points. Freshman Anthony McCallum, who shined for the Wolverines in his first collegiate meet last week, struggled for the entire meet. He had the lowest score for two events, including the pommel horse, in which he didn’t complete his routine, scoring a 10.000. Michigan’s woes continued on the parallel bars. Despite showing significant improvement from the Windy City Invitational the previous week, scoring 15 more points, the Wolverines were unable to stick a number of dismounts. Michigan coach Kurt Golder was not pleased with the team’s performance, but he saw a lot of potential.
“If we can eliminate the big mistakes and get our hit percentage from 70-75 percent up to 80-85 percent, that’s approaching championship form,” Golder said. “We have to increase our difficulty, too. The routines that these guys are doing may not look easy, but by our championship standards, some of them are easy. “We expect to get better, and if you see the same, you’re not pleased with that.” Sophomore Dmitri Belanovski had the best performance on the night for the Wolverines, but even he could not avoid mistakes against Oklahoma. Though the meet was out of reach by the final event, the high bar, Belanovski held a slight lead to be the allaround champion. But Belanovski lost his grip in the middle of his routine, finishing with a 13.800 and an 86.950 overall, good for third place all-around. “I was a little nervous on high bar,” Belanovski said. “I think high bar is my best event, so I get a little nervous for it. That release is new for me, so I’ve got to keep being more confident in it.” For a team that consists mostly of freshmen, confidence is a necessity. Golder believes that will develop over time, and that the main concern is being too careful. His advice was simple. “Just attack it,” Golder said. “I think they might be a little consumed with making sure everything is perfect and they’re swinging a little bit cautiously, and they don’t practice that way. If you fall, then you fall. But you’ve got to compete the way you practice.” Though the Wolverines suffered another hit in the loss column, both Belanovski and Golder shared the same sentiment: a 15-point improvement against the No. 1 team in the country isn’t something to worry about.
AMANDA ALLEN/Daily
Senior Ronit Yurovsky clinched Sunday’s match against Kentucky with a win at No. 1 singles, the last match on the court at the Varsity Tennis Center.
‘M’ uses home-court advantage By ORION SANG Daily Sports Writer
The tension in the air was palpable as all eyes fixed upon center court. With a win from senior Ronit Yurovsky, the No. 14 Michigan women’s tennis team would win its match against No. 24 Kentucky and guarantee a berth in the ITA Indoor Championship. As the match reached a tiebreaker in the second set, Yurovsky’s teammates gathered on the courts around her and began to cheer louder and louder. The crowd at the Varsity Tennis Center made its presence heard as well, with shouts of encouragement. When Yurovsky ripped off five straight points to win her match and give the Wolverines the dualmeet victory, the noise reached a crescendo. The crowd erupted, and her teammates rushed onto to the court. For Michigan, this is as much a
part of the game as what actually occurs on the court. “When I’m the last one on the court, it doesn’t feel like I’m alone because (my teammates are) all standing there,” Yurovsky said. “It’s huge having them cheering me on, and it makes the opponent even more nervous.” Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein recognizes the importance of staying together as a team, and encourages her players to make an effort to cheer each other on, even while isolated in tight singles matches. “I don’t want them to be on their own court,” Bernstein said. “I think it’s really important that as people play next to them that they show support. That’s the beauty of college tennis: It’s a team thing.
Even if you’re struggling or doing well, you can still help the person next to you.” Freshman Kate Fahey is appreciative of the support and also knows lending it is something she can work on. “I’ve struggled with that a little in the beginning of the season because I’m not used to it,” Fahey said. “You’re not used to cheering on other people, but it really helps the team. When I get in a rut and I’m not winning a lot of points, cheering on my teammates helps me and takes my mind off my match.” And though tennis is not as much of a spectator sport as football or basketball, Michigan has a distinct home-court advantage whenever it plays at the Varsity Tennis Center.
“That’s the beauty of college tennis: It’s a team thing.”
The Wolverines consistently draw fans at their competitions, and a certain group of fans attend almost every match. “I’m not used to playing in front of that many people,” Fahey said. “The fans have been awesome. You see the same people here every time and familiar faces when you look up, and it’s just such a good feeling when you win a point because it’s not just you cheering for yourself, but also your teammates and fans.” With three of its next four competitions at home, Michigan hopes to start its season strong in front of its fans. “We’ve been pretty successful at home,” Bernstein said. “I think we get great crowds, and they definitely helped us through today. We’ve got another big match coming up next Sunday, so hopefully we get another big crowd again. The girls like playing at home in front of the home crowd, and today was no different.”
Sports
8 — Tuesday, January 26, 2016
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Walton, Wolverines adjust to opposing looks on perimeter By LEV FACHER Daily Sports Writer
As wins go, the Michigan men’s basketball team’s Wednesday squeaker over Minnesota was an underwhelming one. The Golden Gophers entered Crisler Center at 0-6 in the Big Ten, having already suffered three conference losses by double-digit margins. Nonetheless, the Wolverines failed to put Minnesota away until the game’s final minutes and struggled to shoot the basketball all night, finishing just shy of 37 percent from the field. After that game, and again after Michigan’s 81-68 win at Nebraska on Saturday, Michigan coach John Beilein and the centerpieces of the Wolverines’ backcourt-centric offense offered the same explanation for their periodic struggles. In both games, Michigan’s options on ball screens — one of its offensive staples — were limited in ways they hadn’t been at any point this season. In an attack heavily reliant on the 3-pointer, any impediment to the Wolverines’ perimeter ball screens presents a major roadblock. “I knew they were going to be challenging for us because of their overall quickness,” Beilein said after the win against Minnesota. “They defended (the ball screen) differently than anybody has defended it all year long. I’m not going to put it out there, but we’ve got to have a different strategy or be better at what we do.” Ever cryptic, Beilein did little more to walk the average
basketball mind through the mechanics of what Nebraska and Minnesota did on the defensive end. Some aspects of the defensive efforts, however, were apparent. The Golden Gophers employed an atypically nimble set of low-post defenders on ball-screen switches, stifling the room Michigan’s shooters typically enjoy. Nebraska, meanwhile, made sure not to leave the post-screen trailer with any space at all. “Going in, we knew that they guarded the ball screen a certain way — they didn’t really allow us to throw it back to what we call the ‘bulldog’ guy for the open jumper,” said junior guard Derrick Walton Jr. of the Cornhuskers. While Nebraska’s consistent perimeter pressure closed doors for open jump shots from range, the Wolverines took advantage once they found room on the other side of the wall. Walton, passing through height on the perimeter, made sure the ball-screen pressure translated to more room on the inside, particularly for junior forward Mark Donnal on the pick-and-roll. “Mark was setting great screens all night and rolling as fast as possible,” Walton said. “He made my job a lot easier. At that point, all I had to do was give him the ball and let him do what he does.” Walton’s six total assists helped Donnal to a 14-point effort, his third double-digit scoring performance in seven Big Ten games. Since his 26-point outburst against Illinois on Jan. 2,
Donnal is averaging 12 points and has been markedly more involved in the Wolverines’ offense. “As Derrick said, we knew they were going to play a certain way on ball screens,” Donnal said, “so there were some open passes that he was able to make (that) I converted on once I could.” The Wolverines certainly did better capitalizing in the interior against Nebraska, but the added perimeter pressure prevented redshirt sophomore guard Duncan Robinson from getting the type of looks he has grown accustomed to from 3-point range. Robinson shot just 3-for-10 from beyond the arc during the
Minnesota game, but Beilein saw a silver lining in his long-range struggles. Tailed nonstop around the perimeter, Robinson’s offball movement has taken a major leap, as has his ability to finish at the rim. “What he’s realizing now is that people are going to play him a certain way, and his movement without the ball is going to be really important,” Beilein said Saturday after watching him make three 2-point shots. “He’s learning — all the video, all the synergy — that people are going to sit on him different ways, and he’s got to do more than stand and wait for people to get him open.”
“We knew they were going to play a certain way on ball screens.”
SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily
Tyler Motte leads a red-hot first line into this weekend’s series vs. Penn State.
Wolverines prep for loud road test at Pegula Arena Michigan working on defense, getting healthier heading into State College By MINH DOAN Daily Sports Editor
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Derrick Walton Jr. has adapted to opponents’ focus on Michigan’s ball screens.
Thome’s defense still developing By TED JANES Daily Sports Writer
Hallie Thome is 6-foot-5, but she still has room to grow. The Michigan women’s basketball team’s freshman center isn’t having her way with opponents like she did throughout the non-conference schedule. The “pass her the ball, she can’t miss” trend hasn’t slowed down, but Thome’s unlucky tendency to get into foul trouble in important games is haunting the Wolverines. Sunday’s 93-81 defeat against Nebraska was Michigan’s worst loss so far in the Big Ten. After giving up 21 points to the Cornhuskers in the first five minutes, the Wolverines stormed back to nearly tie the game early in the third quarter. A few minutes later, the Cornhuskers had again widened the lead to 10, and Thome collected her fourth personal foul. Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico took her off the court. Before the end of the quarter,
Nebraska would extend that lead to 17. Thome finished with an impressive 24 points, two blocks and six rebounds, but she also fouled out of the game, leaving Nebraska’s strong post presence unmatched for most of the final quarter. The Cornhuskers, much like No. 5 Maryland did on Jan. 14, put Thome in difficult matchups. Thome accumulated four fouls going up against the Terrapins’ center Brionna Jones and wasn’t able to have as much of an impact as Michigan would’ve liked, scoring 15 points, but grabbing just five boards. Thome has been clutch at times with her offensive consistency, but the Wolverines’ (3-5 Big Ten, 11-8 overall) problems arise when she starts to rack up fouls. “Hallie’s a heck of a freshman,” Barnes Arico said. “And hopefully over the course of Hallie’s career, she’s going to continue to improve and continue to be a better defender
and rebounder.” Thome has averaged 15.1 points and six rebounds through the opening eight games of the Big Ten season. She scores profusely, ranks second nationally in field-goal percentage at 64.8 percent and wins almost every opening tip. Since the season opener, the Wolverines have been able to rely on her. Against then-No. 20 UCLA, she put up a career-high 24 points and seven rebounds. She then had her second career double-double against No. 7 Ohio State with 21 points and 12 rebounds. She has developed a strong touch around the rim, and she continues to impress with her spinning peel-back moves around the basket. Thome has been the tallest one on the court in every game this season, but adapting to the gritty toughness that some of her opponents possess has proven to be difficult. “We need to be tougher on the glass,” said senior guard Madison Ristovski. “We gave up
a lot of offensive rebounds.” Added junior guard Siera Thompson: “I think we just need to get tougher all the way around. Not giving them secondchance points.” That word “tougher” comes up a lot when talking about rebounds, and at the center of it all is Thome. Michigan’s competition seems to have picked up on the formula to taking down the Wolverines’ towering 6-foot-5 center. Let Thome touch the ball in the post, and she will probably score on you. Isolate her in the post when she is on defense, and there’s a decent chance you will go to the charity stripe. Largely due to Thome’s ability to dominate at the ‘5’ spot, Michigan ran out of the gates this season with a record-tying seven straight wins. Since then, the Wolverines have gone 4-8. They will need Thome to regain the dominance she exhibited so many times if they want to win down the stretch.
MATT VAILLIENCOURT/Daily
Freshman center Hallie Thome has developed as one of Michigan’s best offensive threats, but she is still working on improving her defense in the low post.
Before the Big Ten’s “Super Saturday” in New York City, the No. 6 Michigan hockey team will travel to State College NOTEBOOK to take on No. 15 Penn State in a big matchup of two teams vying for the Big Ten regular-season title. But at the Pegula Ice Arena, a hockey rink known for its raucous crowd, the Wolverines will have their hands full. The arena, capable of fitting 5,782 fans, was built three years ago, aligning with the Nittany Lions’ inaugural season in Division I. The rink’s construction was made possible by Terry and Kim Pegula, who also own the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League and the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. Led by The Roar Zone, which is Penn State’s hockey student section, the loud fans give the Nittany Lions an advantage at every home game, especially this season. Penn State is 11-31 on home ice in its 2015-16 campaign so far. “It’s a loud rink,” said senior forward Justin Selman. “Definitely a rink we want to keep quiet. We need to get a good start and keep them down. They’re pretty loud when they score goals there, just like the student section at Yost, so they’re going to look to use that to their advantage.” FIRST LINE SUCCESS: Since the first line of junior forwards Tyler Motte and JT Compher and freshman forward Kyle Connor was formed after Thanksgiving break, the trio has been on a tear. The line has combined for 64 points in 10 games, and both Connor and Motte are tied for second nationally in goals with 18. One reason Michigan coach Red Berenson thinks the line has played so well has been due to Connor switching from his spot on the right wing on the second line to his natural position of left wing. Connor has been the perfect fit on a line in which everyone brings something different to the table. But no one has been able to pinpoint one reason why the line has played so well. “I don’t know if there’s one thing,” Motte said. “We all bring something different to the line. I think that’s really what it is. We don’t overthink things. We just go out and play hockey.
“It’s worked well with Connor’s skill, his ability to make plays and finish opportunities. JT’s grinding ability, he’s a good two-way center man, helps a lot in the D-zone and on faceoffs. (Compher’s) ability to make plays is unbelievable, and I just try to give those guys the puck, and try to put away my opportunities when I get them.” SHORING UP THE DEFENSE: With the offense playing as well as it has been, the Wolverines have been able to skate by with a set of blueliners that ranks No. 44 in the nation defensively. But blame can be spread out across all players. For offensive players especially, the Wolverines have been working on clearing rebounds. “We gotta get rid of secondchance opportunities,” Motte said. “We need to really bear down, box guys out in front of the net. When our goalies are making tough saves and that rebound’s laying there, we gotta be able to clear it out, get it into the corner.” Another area Berenson noticed the Wolverines could improve after their series against Ohio State was the penalty kill. Michigan killed off only one of four power plays against the Buckeyes. “I thought our penalty killing (was) not as good as it needed to be,” Berenson said. “I thought our goals against — there was one or two that we could’ve got back. There were too many goals against on the weekend.” INJURY UPDATES: During Michigan’s exhibition game against the United States National Team Development Program on Thursday, Berenson sat sophomore defenseman Zach Werenski with a bruising injury and freshman forward Cooper Marody, who was sick. Marody is still out with sickness, but Werenski practiced Monday and will be in the lineup this weekend. In addition, Connor slammed hard into the boards during the exhibition and didn’t play for the remainder of the game. However, Connor will practice Tuesday and will be ready to play against the Nittany Lions. Senior defenseman Kevin Lohan was also practicing with the team Monday, and Berenson said that he has a good chance to play this weekend. If Lohan does return, he will help a defense that will be missing sophomore defenseman Cutler Martin, who is suspended for the weekend following his involvement in the brawl after Michigan’s second game against Ohio State. Sophomore forward Dexter Dancs is suspended for just Thursday’s game for his part in the brawl.