ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Wednesday, March 23, 2016
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Feasibility of student on Regents questioned ‘U’ announces updates to policies on sexual assault
Revisions aim to clarify enforced definition of consent, harassment By RIYAH BASHA Daily Staff Reporter
The University of Michigan announced an updated policy on sexual misconduct Tuesday, including changes to the enforced definition of consent, an expansion of what is considered
prohibited conduct and the consolidation of sanctioning and appeals procedures. The amendments will be effective July 1. The new policy, renamed the University of Michigan Policy and Procedures on Student Sexual and Gender-based Misconduct and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence instead of the Student Sexual Misconduct Policy, will be officially updated and available to the public on April 6. A draft of the updated policy was released in September 2015. The policy was last revised in 2013.
The revisions expand the policy’s scope to include genderbased harassment — violence suffered due to gender identity, sexuality and orientation — and intimate partner violence in addition to sexual harassment and sexual assault. Stalking, which was originally encompassed under the label of sexual harassment, will now be addressed as its own category. Holly Rider-Milkovich, director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center, said in a joint interview Tuesday with University
President Mark Schlissel and Title IX Coordinator Anthony Walesby that the expansions ensure the University’s compliance with federal guidelines. “It aligns with the Clery Act and Title IX concerns,” she said. “We want these behaviors that students sometimes experience concurrently to fall under the same policy.” The University is currently under investigation by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, which enforces Title IX, over its handling of See POLICY, Page 3A
newMICH party platform includes adding member to ‘U’ governing body By CAMY METWALLY Daily Staff Reporter
A central component of one of this year’s Central Student Government platforms might require changes to either the state’s constitution or the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents’ bylaws — which has raised questions among students and other candidates for CSG executive offices on the feasibility of their plans given the legal strictures surrounding the board. The component, from newMICH’s platform, calls for the addition of a student to the Board of Regents. LSA junior David Schafer, newMICH presidential candidate, emphasized the platform point in an interview on February 11.
OPINION
CITY
From the Daily: Vote newMICH in CSG elections From T HE M ICHIGAN DAILY This Central Student Government election season has brought new debate to the often-discussed issues of mental health, diversity and inclusion and student voice. All three CSG parties — Your Michigan, the Defend Affirmative Action Party and newMICH — have commendable platforms that seek to address these issues using a multitude of means. However, newMICH’s specific plans for the most important issues facing campus today stand out among the three. LSA junoors David Schafer and Micah Griggs, running for president and vice president respectively on the newMICH ticket, are experienced, socially aware students, with detailed plans to improve CSG. The Michigan Daily’s Editorial Board endorses the newMICH candidates in this year’s CSG elections. The four core tenets of newMICH’s platform — student voice, connection, well-being and safety and opportunity — outline their plans to
implement change. Though their platform is ambitious, Schafer’s experience as a student assistant with the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives and Griggs’ experience working with the Black Student Union and as an Intergroup Relations facilitator shows their ability to work with groups dedicated to diversity and inclusion. This experience and their time working as LSA representatives in CSG demonstrate firstly that they are committed to these issues. Secondly, it shows that they have worked with administrators through these groups to accomplish goals like increasing minority enrollment, establishing international student mentorship programs and requiring CSG members to complete Integroup Relations training. However, many of their plans hinge on the crucial approval, and subsequent funds of the University’s Board of Regents. The Board of Regents is empowered by the state of Michigan’s constitution to See NEWMICH, Page 4A
“We’re very proud that newMICH is the only party that calls for student presence on the Board of Regents, either in a voting or non-voting capacity,” Schafer said. When they declared their candidacy in February, newMICH cited the progress of campus initiatives in colleges similar to the University, noting that some had succeeded in placing a student on their equivalent of a Board of Regents in a nonvoting capacity. LSA junior Micah Griggs, newMICH’s vice-presidential candidate, said in a February interview having a student sit on the board with a voting capacity would be ideal, but the overall goal is to amplify the students’ voice. She said a non-voting member would still play a large role in supporting issues pertinent to the wellbeing of students, such as the University’s Counseling and Psychological Services and Sexual Assault Prevention and See NEWMICH, Page 3A
Taylor set to run for re-election as A2 mayor Candidate declares bid for second term on existing platform
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Kim Travis-Ewing, a Detroit Public School social worker, speaks during a panel on misconceptions of Detroit Public Schools at the School of Education Tuesday.
DPS educators talk impact ofPresenters school perception at panel says media promotes misconceptions about controversy By LUCAS MAIMAN For the Daily
The Social Work and Education Collaboration, a new student organization based out of the School of Social Work and the School of Education at the University of Michigan, held a panel event Tuesday featuring
educators from the Detroit Public Schools system. During the event, panelists discussed what they considered misconceptions about Detroit Public Schools, such as deteriorating infrastructure, and emphasized how the controversy surrounding DPS impacts students and the school environment. Kaili McGrath, a Social Work graduate student and one of the coordinators of the event, said she found members of SWEC wanted to learn more about DPS. SWEC focuses on bridging service gaps in education and bridging
interdisciplinary professional learning communities, according to their website. “When we first started our organization, we asked if there was one thing you would want to learn more about what would it be, and the answer was Detroit Public Schools,” she said. During the event, Marnina Falk, a third grade teacher and community engagement coordinator for the Detroit Federation of Teachers, said for her, the lack of staff in the Detroit education system is the biggest See DPS, Page 3A
By BRIAN KUANG Daily Staff Reporter
Sticking to his original platform of improving basic services and quality of life in Ann Arbor, Mayor Christopher Taylor (D–Ann Arbor) formally kicked off his re-election campaign at a fundraising party in the Arbor Brewing Company Tuesday. This is his second time running for mayor, but first time doing so uncontested. Taylor previously represented Ann Arbor’s 3rd Ward as a City Councilmember for three terms before being elected mayor amid a crowded ballot in 2014. The crowded race followed the retirement of See MAYOR, Page 3A
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ON THE DAILY A petition authored by Wolverines for Preferred Pronouns urging the University of Michigan to allow students to indicate their preferred pronoun to professors is gaining traction. The monthold online letter, addressed to University Provost Martha Pollack and Kedra Ishop, associate vice president for enrollment management, gained more than 50 supporters today. “Currently, students must reach out to their professors and GSIs on their own or risk being misgendered in the classroom,” the petition reads. “This
can be a mentally and emotionally draining experience for individuals who constantly have to inform or correct their professors of their identity.” The petition advises a space for students to fill out their pronoun — male, female or genderneutral — on Wolverine Access, and that faculty and staff be notified of the student’s preference on class rosters. “Knowing the pronouns of one’s students is especially important in small lectures, discussion sessions, and language classes that focus on classroom
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conversation,” the petition reads. Authors also invoke precedent at other universities around the country nothing that institutions including Harvard University and the University of California system provide ways for students to indicate their pronoun of choice when applying. The University garnered similar attention in 2010 when student government passed a resolution eliminating genderspecific pronouns from the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities. -RIYAH BASHA
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Angela Davis, activist and recipient of UM Flint’s Winegarden Visiting Professorship, addressed intersectional feminism at the Riverfront Banquet Center in Flint, Michigan on Tuesday.
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CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
Lecture on music fest
Exhibition released
Vocal studio recital
Armenian opera lecture
WHAT: Professor Zhang Wuyi will hold a lecture on the uniqueness of the Midi Music Festival in China, an outdoor rock festival. The Midi Music Festival stands out with its innovative performances. WHO: Confucius Institute WHEN: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. WHERE: Michigan League, Koessler Room
WHAT: University prof. Marianetta Porter will talk about her current exhibition, Color Code, Conundrums and Complexities. Porter will also be signing copies. WHO: GalleryDAAS WHEN: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. WHERE: Haven Hall, room 4701
WHAT: Prof. Stephen West’s students will present two recitals exhibiting the best of their musical theatre work from this year. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: 4:40 p.m. WHERE: Walgreen Drama Center, Stamps Auditorum
OUTlist mixer
Heritage reception
WHAT: Speakers will discuss the preservation of Armenian classical operas and their importance to the international community. Speakers include Gerald Papasian. WHO: Armenian Studies Program WHEN: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. WHERE: Rackham Graduate School, Amphitheater
LGBTQ STEM Classical Indian music concert panel
WHAT: The Spectrum Center will host a mixer for students, faculty and staff to learn more about the OUTlist and to foster professional relationships. WHO: Spectrum Center WHEN: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Rackham Graduate School
WHAT: Asian/Pacific Islander American Heritage Month will start off with a reception and a preview of upcoming events. WHO: Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs WHEN: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. WHERE: Rackham Graduate School
WHAT: Peers and faculty members will gather to discuss the fields in STEM from a LGBTQ+ prespective. WHO: Spectrum Center WHEN: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. WHERE: Palmer Commons, Great Lakes Room
WHAT: Performance by Indian classical musician Ravi Shankar. WHO: Michigan Union Ticket Office WHEN: 8 p.m. WHERE: The Ark l Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@ michigandaily.com.
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Former Toronto mayor Rob Ford passed away at age 46 on Tuesday, The New York Times reported. He was diagnosed with malignant liposarcoma, a form of cancer, in 2014. He is most known in the international community for his drug and alcohol use.
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The Statement takes a look at the ongoing racial divisions in Greek life at the Unversity, an efforts to reform it. >> SEE STATEMENT ON 1B
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During his address in Cuba, President Barack Obama called for the U.S. embargo against the country to be lifted, according to CNN. He is the first sitting president since 1959 to visit the country and focused on change and democracy in his remarks.
Hussein Hakim Finance and Operations Manager Claire Ulak Production Manager Jordan Yob Marketing Manager Matt Pfenning UAccounts Manager Asja Kepes Local Accounts Manager Chris Wang Classifieds Manager Colin Cheesman National Accounts Manager Anna He Special Guides and Online Manager Claire Butz Layout Manager The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April) is $195. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press.
Students vie for positions on UMPD oversight committee
CSG discusses resolution to amend current election procedures
representative seat on the University of Michigan’s Police Department Oversight Committee, run through the University’s Human Resources Department and responsible for monitoring the University’s police response to disturbances on campus. The creation of the committee is mandated by state law, adhering to Act 120 of the Public Acts of 1990 of the State of Michigan. The committee
By MEHRUNISA KHAN Daily Staff Reporter
Included in this week’s Central Student Government positions is a student
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considers complaints against the University’s police department, and also recommends changes and disciplinary measuring to the Division of Public Safety and Security. It is made up of six members: two students, one of which will be voted in this week, as well as two faculty members and two staff members. The other student position will be filled in the next CSG election. The current student positions are held by Business senior Jacob Glinke, who is rotating off after this election, and LSA sophomore Lisa Pomerantz. Students hold ex-officio positions, and cannot vote — they run for one year-long term on the committee, as opposed to faculty and staff, which both run for two terms. Two candidates are running for this seat, one from Your Michigan and one from newMICH — though this may be the last year that candidates have affiliation with parties. Public Policy sophomore Jacob Pearlman, CSG Student General Counsel, put forth a resolution the the assembly at Tuesday’s CSG meeting clarifying that for next year’s election, candidates will have to run independant of a party. If passed, this resolution would ban future candidates from attaching to a CSG platform. LSA sophomore Olivia Furano, the newMICH candidate for the role, said she thought the seat allows students to have more communication with DPSS to clear any confusion about on-campus rules regarding issues such as alcohol, drugs and sexual misconduct. “I think that the committee is important,” she said “Especially for first-year students, there’s a lot of confusion about the difference between University of Michigan rules and Ann Arbor police rules. There’s a See COMMITTEE, Page 3A
KRISTINA PERKINS/Daily
University of Michigan alum Jordan Zielke discusses the creation of Golden Design Co.’s “Born in Detroit 1889” mural, which he and his partner hand-painted on the side of Detroit’s Carhartt building.
University alums hand-paint signs for Detroit storefronts Jordan Zielke, Kelly Golden use education to start business
By BRANDON SUMMERSMILLER Daily Staff Reporter
Two University of Michigan Art & Design graduates are working to bring a unique touch to sign-making in the Motor City. Jordan Zielke and Kelly Golden graduated from Stamps School of Art & Design in 2009 and 2010 respectively, and shortly after launched the Golden Sign Company, which provides hand-painted signs for business throughout Detroit. Golden Sign Co. has painted several prominent signs for Detroit businesses including Bobcat Bonnie’s in Corktown and Carhartt’s flagship store in Midtown, which is the company’s largest project to date, standing at three stories
tall and more than 200 feet long. Zielke said he and Golden became interested in utilizing their experiences learning art at the University toward signmaking after reading Sign Painters, as well as watching the film adaptation, which explores the re-emerging hand painted sign-making industry. The first painter examined in the book is Doc Guthrie, whose work Zielke said influenced him, along with Golden, to move to Los Angeles and train directly under him at the Los Angeles Trade Technical College. “We were reading that and were like, ‘This is where we gotta go,’ ” Zielke said. “It just kind of clicked in my head that if we were going to do it, the best, fastest way to get there would be to go to this program.” After completing a year of the two-year program, Zielke and Golden launched the Golden Sign Co. in 2014, centering their operation in the metro Detroit area. Golden said they decided to
move to Detroit because the city had earned a reputation for its emerging art scene. “It was discovered as this place of opportunity for artists,” Golden said. “A lot of young people started moving from the suburbs and pursuing all sorts of different things — opening their own businesses or any number of things, but trying to contribute and help Detroit in any way they could.” Zielke and Golden noted that while the increased gentrification of Detroit neighborhoods has created past tensions between current residents and newcomers, they said they have only had positive experiences with their work in the city and said Detroiters have been welcoming. One of Golden Sign Co.’s projects was commissioned in the city’s East English Village neighborhood, an area of Detroit that hasn’t seen the same investment and business growth as other neighborhoods like Midtown, Corktown and Downtown. “The people here have been See DETROIT, Page 3A
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DPS From Page 1A
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issue. “These vacancies lead to things like overcrowded classrooms or long-term subs who are covering the class all year because they can’t find a teacher,” she said. Kim Travis-Ewing, a DPS school social worker since 1991 and the chapter chair for SSW for DFT, echoed Falk’s concerns about DPS staffing. “Representing the school, social workers have been a task because we used to have over 300 and now we are probably down to about 100,” said Travis-Ewing. “They’re also leaving in high numbers because of the financial conditions, the buildings, and how we’re being treated as employees.” The panel members also discussed some of the misconceptions and ignored issues that surround DPS, which they said were largely due to the media. Kaity Nicastri, the community school site coordinator at Bennett Elementary, said she thought one common misconception was who the right people are to handle Detroit’s education systems. “I think a misconception that I’ve noticed and that seems to be persistent is that a business perspective works in educational systems,” said Nicastri. “I think that is something that is not really talked about in the media.” However, among discussion of problems, speakers also noted several positive aspects of DPS. Steve Ezikian, the deputy superintendent of Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency, said helping children in DPS systems is extremely rewarding. “My observation in many cities, especially in the city of Detroit, is that sometimes you are the best part of that child’s day,” he said. After the event, Education senior Claire Forhan said she thought the panelists offered hope. “You enter DPS not only as a teacher, but also as a fighter,” said Forhan. “It was encouraging to hear the efforts going on tonight and hear that there is some movement towards regaining local control.”
Awareness Center funding. “It would be important to have that non-voting member on (the) Board of Regents and various committees talking about diversity, equity, curriculum,” Griggs said. Schafer also stressed in a March interview the need for having a student on the Board of Regents, saying the CSG president’s five-minute address during meetings is not enough in terms of open communication and transparency between students and administration. “He doesn’t have access to committee meetings, he doesn’t have access to back-door conversations within the Board of Regents, and he’s not seen as an official member of the Board of Regents,” Schafer said. The state of Michigan’s constitution outlines the composition and roles of the regents, establishing eight members with eightyear terms “who shall be elected as provided by law.” Consequently, the creation of a student voting position would require amending the state constitution, which can be accomplished through one of three ways: the change can be placed on the ballot by a citizen-led initiative garnering a minimum of signatures, be referred to the ballot by the state legislature, or be amended through a constitutional convention. The state constitution also provides for the current university president to sit on the board, but as an ex-officio member in a non-voting capacity. In an interview, Regent Mike Behm raised some concerns with the logistics behind
COMMITTEE From Page 2A lot of confusion around medical amnesty, when to MIP and high risk game days, and of course, sexual misconduct, which is a big thing we’ve been talking about this year with the policy being revised in the University.” Furano said having a CSG representation on DPSS can help bridge gaps of information between students and the police department, which she said she believes has been an issue in the past. “As UMPD representative, I think that I can help the UMPD be more transparent with students and understand what’s going on and that there is not this big distance between policy that’s being created by the
POLICY From Page 1A several sexual misconduct cases. Walesby noted that the expansion of categories may affect the Office of Institutional Equity’s ability to conduct both a timely and thorough investigation. Both the new and current versions of the policy limit the investigation process to 60 days, a time period chosen to balance considering as much information as possible with timeliness, according to Walesby. “It could affect case time, but we also want to make sure we’re getting the full picture,” he said. The revision will also refine definitions of consent in regard to incapacitation and coercion. A Michigan Daily report last year found inconsistencies between SAPAC’s definition of consent and the definition of consent enforced in the University’s policy. Rider-Milkovich said the extended specifications are an attempt to address any ambiguity of consent when students are under the influence of alcohol. “I think that we did not do a good enough job at defining incapacitation the first time around … We make clear to students that incapacitation is a state greater than mere
having a student member with voting capabilities on the board, noting the current eight-year term structure in particular. “We serve for 8-year terms, so I’m always up for good ideas, but with these 8-year terms, I don’t know if a student would want to stay for the whole term or after they graduated. They would then want to have someone take their place,” Behm said. Universities in several other states have provided for student representation on their boards through the creation of a de facto, non-voting student member — a model Schafer said he would like to see adopted at the University. The Association of Governing Bodies reports 70.8 percent of public institutions have some sort of student presence on their governing body. When asked about the addition of a non-voting member, University spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen wrote in an e-mail interview that she did not see a specified provision for it in the current law. “That doesn’t mean it isn’t possible, I’m just not aware of one,” she wrote. Schafer stressed the addition of a non-voting member would not require an amendment to the state constitution as there is no explicit provision prohibiting students from the Board of Regents. He said a non-voting student member would still be an invaluable, effective resource, pointing to the University of California systems as an example, which allow for both voting and nonvoting board members. Students at UC schools may apply for the position through a standard application process. Broekhuizen wrote that any registered voter may run for regent on the state ballot for the
eight voting positions already established, including a student. “Candidates are nominated by the state political parties,” she added. Behm, who is also an attorney in Flint, highlighted that a student running for regent on a ballot would have to be a citizen of Michigan, which he said might prompt legal concerns. “It sort of has a bit of an equal protection argument because part of the student body who are out-of-state students might say, ‘Wait a minute, I want to sit on the board,’ and that’s another thing that would have to be addressed,” Behm said. However, he said he appreciates such new ideas and would be interested in learning more about the platform point, acknowledging this particular initiative isn’t something he has explored in the past. “I do think that in the year that I’ve been on the board, that we’ve been really trying to be open to more people’s ideas,” Behm said. “I come from the school of the more people you listen to and the more ideas, the better. Hopefully, that’ll help allay some of those concerns.” Schafer said his main goal is to begin the groundwork for future CSG administrations and pave the way for them to continue to advocate for student voice on the board. “We believe that it’s entirely within the realm of possibility that a non-voting student is added to the Board of Regents by the end of our administration,” Schafer said. “But I think it’s also important to understand that some of this stuff set forth by each party we have to understand will not be accomplished within the life of our administration or our life at Michigan.”
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @MICHIGANDAILY University and student,” Furano said. “Because if students don’t understand and they can’t engage with the policy, then how are they going to be able to follow it?” LSA sophomore Jacqueline Reingold is also running for the seat. A member of Your Michigan, Reingold is currently CSG’s chief operations officer. She said she was inspired to run after attending the American Association of America’s Big Ten Conference and hearing the initiatives the other universities have taken to enhance their public safety. Reingold has also worked closely with Beyond the Diag, “I feel this is an important position that hasn’t been necessarily utilized to its fullest,” Reingold said. “I would love to be that student voice and
to represent those students.” Reingold said though she has not personally experienced issues with UMPD, she’s heard from students who felt they have recieved unjustified charges and were unsure of who to turn to. “I think that what’s been happening across the country really brings this committee into light,”Reingold said. “All of the protests on other college campuses, I think it’s an important time for this committee to have a voice and stand strong as it represents students.” Aside from the student seats, the other four positions on the committee are selected by a mix of nominations and voting. One of the faculty spots is also selected through a governance body — in this case, the Faculty Senate — instead of nomination.
Nominees for the other faculty and staff spots are currently being decided. Faculty member nominations can be made through March 25. David Potter, secretary of the University Faculty Senate and professor of Greek and Latin, said the committee suggests different ways to approach situations on campus to the police department. Potter, who runs the election process, added that the committee plays an important role by providing community guidance to DPSS. “There have been times in the past when the department has responded to issues in ways that, while consistent with its mission, have been rather more aggressive than are the norm in an academic environment,” Potter said. “This was particularly the case with the issue of trespass orders.”
intoxication,” she said. “And we provide other kinds of guidance. We tell students the best thing to do if one or both parties has been consuming alcohol is to forgo sexual activity.” In terms of the restructuring of the sanctioning and appeals process, Rider-Milkovich said it was aimed at improving the efficiency of the process. A new sanctioning board — made up of appointees from Central Student Government, the Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President for Student Life — will be charged with reviewing cases in which an individual has been found responsible for misconduct and determining the consequences of the finding. The Office of Student Conflict Resolution, which currently facilitates sanctions through a Resolution Coordinator or a resolution process, will have no official role in the revised policy. Though students voiced concerns during roundtable talks about whether a CSG appointee on the board would be the best way to be representative of the student body, University President Mark Schlissel said in an interview Tuesday that pursuing other means of naming a student would threaten the integrity and efficiency of the process.
“You could imagine another extreme where you want to be as representative as possible, and you’ve got 20 people on a sanctioning board,” he said. “Confidentiality is very difficult. Arriving at a decision is very challenging; timeliness is harder ... We’re trying to balance lots of things.” As well, instead of appeals being reviewed by an internal board as the current policy mandates, the new policy will rely on an external reviewer to assess findings and sanctions if the respondent or complainant chooses to appeal an outcome. Though no one has been chosen to fill the position yet, Schlissel said the third party will most likely be an attorney, and must be an impartial expert on sexual misconduct and the law. The reports generated during investigations will also see a change under the new policy, which states that they must reveal the identities of all witnesses to both parties. Schlissel said the naming of witnesses will ensure fairness to both parties. Other modifications to the policy include clearly identifying employees responsible for sharing information on sexual misconduct with the University, providing further detail on how the University shares information
with law enforcement and changing the label of “complainant” to “claimant.” Schlissel and RiderMilkovich acknowledged the administration faces a significant hurdle in ensuring students are aware of the changes to the policy. A campus climate survey conducted last fall found that though roughly 86 percent of all students know the University has a Student Sexual Misconduct Policy, only 55 percent of students reported receiving training or attending programs on sexual assault prevention and reporting. Schlissel said the new policy was formed through consulting and guidance from the Department of Education’s OCR and outside experts, as well as internal conversations with students and other community members. Initially slated to be ready before the Winter 2016 semester, conversations with students, looking at policies at other schools and reviewing government materials delayed the process. Overall, Schlissel said he hopes the revisions will boost student engagement and reporting. “This might make people more likely to come forward ... and we hope that’s the case,” he said.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 — 3A
MAYOR From Page 1A Taylor’s longtime predecessor John Hieftje, who was also at the party on Tuesday. “I think what we did last time around has been right, and my plan for next term is to do it again, “ Taylor said, adding he is proud of improvements made in sustainability and road and stormwater infrastructure during his two-year term as mayor. “We as a city are going in the right direction.” Taylor also emphasized the need to improve the supply of affordable housing, saying if the city fails to do so its economic diversity and the quality of life will be threatened. “This is something that’s good for the people in need of affordable housing, and it’s good for people who don’t need affordable housing,” Taylor said. “Economically diverse communities are far better off than other communities.” Many of Taylor’s City Council colleagues were present — as well as Hieftje — and spoke favorably of his leadership and ability to accommodate conflicting opinions on City Council and from the public. “One thing about (Ann Arbor) is that we’re doing way, way better than almost any other (city),” Hieftje said as he introduced Taylor. “It isn’t an easy job.” Many of the local residents at the event said though they may not necessarily agree with Taylor on every issue, they trust his character to best represent the city and accommodate its conflicting viewpoints. Ann Arbor resident Scott Trudeau said he disagrees with the mayor on some issues but looks favorably on Taylor’s leadership. “I think in general he’s done a good job of making his decisions, balancing the concerns, organizing the council and overall
representing the city,” Trudeau said. He added that he appreciates Taylor’s focus on affordable housing, saying he thought housing costs in the city must be addressed to preserve the city’s character. “If housing continues to become unaffordable, we’re going to have a certain class of relatively well-off people,” Trudeau said. “Ann Arbor’s character has been a lot funkier and more interesting, and that requires more people of more socioeconomic statuses.” Kathy Griswold, a longtime resident of Ann Arbor also in attendance, said she has been long critical of the city administration on pedestrian safety, including during Taylor’s time as mayor. However, she said she thought the continuation of Taylor’s leadership is necessary for substantive change to be made in the city. “I am not at all satisfied with the (city) government … a lot of our processes are broken,” Griswold said. “I can further my agenda of pedestrian safety and good governance by working through Taylor’s organization more easily than trying to develop another one.”
DETROIT From Page 2A pretty welcoming,” Golden said. “People would sit down and watch us work and chat with us and say they were happy to see something that looked good in their neighborhood.” Zielke said the projects Golden Sign Co. completes are sometimes large and complex but they have no current desire to hire any additional help to complete future projects. “I have more interest in painting signs than managing people,” he said.
Opinion
4A — Wednesday, March 23, 2016
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
LAURA SCHINAGLE MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
NEWMICH
From Page 1A
supervise the University and direct expenditures. To have a greater voice on campus, newMICH advocates for a student representative on the board. Your Michigan told the Daily that a student representative is not necessary, because the CSG president currently has an allotted time to present at every Board of Regents meeting. Though this is a compelling rebuttal by Your Michigan, we believe creating a position for a student on the board would allow this representative to focus solely on the board, to be active in discussions with the regents and not just to serve as a presenter of information, and to provide a second voice for students. The student representative would actually sit with members of the board and participate in dialogue, unlike the CSG president. The state constitution, beyond creating eight elected, voting positions for the regents, additionally only specifies that the University president sits on the Board of Regents as an ex-officio member. It does not specify about any other exofficio members, so having a student reresentative is undoubtedly contestable. However, even if newMICH does not succeed in winning a student spot on the Board of Regents, Schafer and Griggs have demonstrated they have working relationships with administrators that will help them enact changes regardless of whether there is a student on the board. Nonetheless, in light of this risk, it is notable that CSG has a budget of $400,000 per year, which means many items on newMICH’s platform are achievable only if they receive funding from the Board of Regents. This funding will most likely only come if there is student representation by a non-voting student member. Without representation by a student representative, it is unlikely that newMICH will be able to fully execute many of their goals. All three parties do share a number of plans, most notably the demand to increase minority enrollment and improve diversity and inclusion on campus. Your Michigan plans to “improve recruiting and outreach efforts to underrepresented high school communities...” Similarly, newMICH wants to “improve the relationship between UM and Detroit Public Schools.” Both parties are aware that change in this area is difficult to achieve within CSG, but the relationships newMICH has built with administrators, such as Dean of Students Laura Blake Jones, show us they are already on the way to working toward these goals. DAAP’s commitment to social justice is laudable, but their ideas will be very difficult to achieve in practice. DAAP proposes to eliminate the use of the SAT and ACT in favor of a system similar to the Texas 10 percent plan, which guar-
antees any student in Texas in the top 10 percent of their high school automatic admission to public universities in the state. Though the SAT and ACT have been shown to exhibit a racial bias, this plan will be extremely difficult for DAAP to implement without a working relationship with the administration, which they currently lack and have stated they have no interest in starting. All parties agree mental health resources need improvement, and we appreciate this collective desire to change the status quo, but newMICH is the only party that plans to fully expand both Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center and Counseling and Psychological Services to North Campus. In 2014, CAPS launched their embedded model, which places counselors in specific schools and colleges to meet an increase in demand for mental health resources. Though three of these counselors were assigned to North Campus schools in July 2014, the need for mental resources for students on North Campus still has not been met and newMICH’s plans best address this discrepancy. Additionally, newMICH candidates have also stated that they have a good relationship with the director of CAPS, a connection vital to a productive CSG-CAPS partnership. At the CSG debate hosted by the Daily on March 11, newMICH spoke of their plans to add 11 counselors to decrease the University’s 1:1,300 student to counselor ratio to 1:1,000. The party’s specific plan to improve mental health resources demonstrates knowledge of the system and what exactly needs to be done that is not found among their opponents. While each party stressed the importance of preventing sexual misconduct, we found that newMICH’s plan has the most specific goals. In addition to expanding SAPAC to North Campus, newMICH wants to work to change SAPAC’s 24/7 crisis hotline to a 24/7 in-office presence. In contrast, Your Michigan wants CSG to serve as an “ally” to SAPAC to create culture shift and plans to expand the Panhellenic Peer Educator program to other clubs and sports teams. We appreciate both initiatives, and would hope that any winning party would try to incorporate their opponent’s ideas. An interesting addition to the mental health conversation on campus came from DAAP. At the CSG debate hosted by the Daily, they suggested the increase in mental health problems came directly from the lack of an inclusive environment on our campus. DAAP aims at solving mental health by addressing campus culture issues first. newMICH has the candidates and the ideas to make a change on campus. They will advocate for better mental health resources, more effective resources for victims of sexual misconduct and an increase in student voice on the Board of Regents. A CSG governed by newMICH would make incremental changes in the right direction.
ELENA HUBBELL | OP-ED
When not to speak out
I believe there’s a sense of achievability that comes with being on a college campus, especially one as prestigious as this university’s. We all came to Ann Arbor with the belief that our experiences here would be life-changing; that we would, in some way, make an impact on our surroundings and be remembered by the students following after us. Ever since freshman orientation, we’ve been told that we’re the “leaders and best” because we’ve been accepted into the University of Michigan, and therefore we will someday change the world. And despite the endless hours of stress that this institution will end up putting us through, there’s a sense of invincibility, a sense of invulnerability, that comes with being a University of Michigan student. In many ways, this type of environment suits a college campus. It helps to foster ideas and creativity, and it encourages students to take the risks that will make them better workers and thinkers in the future. It’s this type of selfconfidence that has inspired great thinkers and scholars for millennia. Accepting challenges that may or may not be out of one’s league has become a crucial part of the college process, and college campuses foster an environment that tells everyone they can and will succeed at whatever project they take on. Failure is a taboo word, never discussed and never accepted. But Icarus flew too close to the sun, and likewise, Michigan students sometimes overstep their bounds. This happens all over the campus, when students decide to talk about topics they don’t necessarily understand, arguing for or against certain positions and then taking action based on those discussions. Especially in the case of social justice, students feel that because they took a sociology course or attended a protest that they are qualified to speak on behalf of a marginalized group they may not be a part of. In some ways, this can be a positive thing; at least people are aware of and discussing issues that really are important to the world. But on the negative side, what type of information is being spread? Is this information truly helpful to the marginalized group, or is it actually working to
silence and oppress these individuals more? I recently attended a discussion about anxiety and depression where the facilitators had not been trained to talk about the specific topic at hand. As a result, one of the facilitators inadvertently insulted a participant for the decisions they made with their body. In their defense, the facilitators were very receptive to the criticism they received from the attendees. In my opinion, the organization, who does do great things on campus and of which I am a proud member, should have been more sensitive and hired trained professionals to host this dialogue. This type of insensitivity is also prevalent in discussions regarding sexual assault on campus. I recently heard someone running for Central Student Government talk about this topic using heteronormative pronouns, with “her” referring to the survivor and “him” referring to the perpetrator. Using this type of language demonstrates a lack of awareness, as people within the LGBTQ community face sexual violence at a distressing rate and is detrimental as it takes away the voices of the people within this community, discouraging them from seeking help. Here at the University, we are told that we can do anything. On this campus, people have found the inspiration to become doctors, writers, movie stars and politicians. This environment has cultivated some of the best learners and thinkers of our time. As students here, we are constantly being told that nothing is out of reach and that our work will someday change the world. But we are never told that in some situations it’s not our place to speak out, that it’s OK to be quiet. Although it may be hard, sometimes admitting you don’t know enough about an issue to act on it is the most impactful thing a person could do. I will freely admit there are a lot of issues I would not be confident to speak out on, knowing that my well-intentioned words could accidentally harm someone. In this type of situation, the best course of action is to educate oneself before moving forward. Elena Hubbell is an LSA freshman.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
The other library
T
he Undergraduate Library isn’t the only place in town to get books, though I’m sure many students don’t know about the alternative: the Ann Arbor District Library, or AADL for short. For students from out of state or even out of town, SUSAN AADL probably doesn’t factor LAMOREAUX highly into their day-to-day routine. This strikes me as strange, simply because I’m so deeply in love with this library and all it offers to the community. Sure, there are weeks that go by when I don’t venture down William Street to do homework among childheight bookshelves in the warm and brightly colored kids’ section, but barely a week passes when I don’t at least set foot inside of the downtown library. More often, I’ll make a quick stop to check the hold shelf and peruse in search of new comics while I wait for my bus to pull up across the street. I grew up reading in this library, or at one of its four other branches around town, and AADL has always been a part of my life. I can’t really imagine waiting for the bus without first going across the street to check for books on hold. Laura Raynor, a Youth and Adult Services librarian who has worked at AADL for many years, emphasized that the library’s mission is to reach as many people as possible and to serve the public in whatever way makes the most sense. “We’re always thinking about our population,” she said in an interview with the Daily. “Who are we trying to reach? And how can we do that in creative new ways that will keep the library vital in the community.” Because of this, the library has been working to expand its collection in recent years by making objects such as art prints, book-club kits and household tools from telescopes to sewing
machines available for checkout. “We’ve really thought carefully about what should be available for checkout that won’t compete with the local businesses in town,” Raynor explained. While I mainly go for the books, it’s always fun to walk past the art prints and watch kids play with the music mixers or magnifying glasses on display. “Programming is one of our priorities, and we reach out to all ages,” Raynor said. In addition, AADL offers a number of programs — from video game tournaments to workshops on getting published — that are free to the public. Aside from imparting skills or just offering a good time, the events also foster a sense of community, allowing friends and families a chance to do something fun together or giving people the chance to connect and make friends over their shared interests. The thought that many students at the University don’t know about such an impressive and versatile resource right here in town is somewhat of a downer for me. I’ve found books at AADL that for whatever reason weren’t available in the University’s library system, and I’ve passed many a productive hour getting homework done at the spacious tables present in every branch. I’ve picked up unusual titles at the Friends Book Shop, a wonderfully affordable place for usedbook shopping inside the downtown location. I’ve even won a couple of gaming tournaments in my day. This is why I was thrilled to learn AADL has been forging new connections with the campus community in recent years. Booths on the Diag and visits to classrooms have helped to spread the word about the library’s services, as have collaborations with the University’s library system. Certain events such as Proyecto Avance: Latino Mentoring Association meetings, which pair students in the Residential College’s Spanish program with families seeking help with English as a second language, and Nerd Nite, a fun monthly trivia event held at the bar LIVE, have served to expand AADL’s reach all the way to
people of my own age group. I find it interesting that some students, then, might come to know the library through these outreach programs, while my understanding of AADL comes from years of exploring its offerings. Raynor emphasized that no matter how innovative AADL tries to become by incorporating technology and new materials into the catalog, the traditional collection of books, magazines and movies still sees a lot of use. Raynor says visitors come to the library seeking a place of comfort. “They can find quiet here — all of the stereotypical library things are still in place, because we still see the need is there.” For her, being a librarian is about watching kids grow up at the library, where they can develop a life-long love of books and learning. That passion is present inside any branch of AADL, which truly serves as a focal point where members of the vibrant Ann Arbor community can come together and learn — from the resources around them as well as from one another. At the end of the day, I go to the public library because it’s free, it’s convenient and it’s familiar. It’s what comes to mind when one thinks of the word library. In many ways, I did much of my growing up between the old brick walls and metal shelves, and among the thousands of pages and stories contained in just the downtown branch alone. I don’t intend to stop using this collection, even with all the resources on campus that are made available to me because of my student status. That may be partly because, even for those with no library card, it’s always free to walk down William Stret and step through those doors. Students who are interested can apply for a card for free. With or without that, find a good book or your favorite TV show on Blu-ray, grab an open table or study room and stay as long as you want. Susan LaMoreaux can be reached at susanpl@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Claire Bryan, Regan Detwiler, Caitlin Heenan, Jeremy Kaplan, Ben Keller, Minsoo Kim, Payton Luokkala, Kit Maher, Madeline Nowicki, Anna Polumbo-Levy, Jason Rowland, Lauren Schandevel, Melissa Scholke, Kevin Sweitzer, Rebecca Tarnopol, Ashley Tjhung, Stephanie Trierweiler, Hunter Zhao
Obama’s strategic nomination
O
n a beautiful spring day last week, President Barack Obama strolled into the Rose Garden and executed what might be the most brilliant political move of his presidency. He introduced Merrick Garland, an unimposing figure who was BRETT visibly moved by GRAHAM his nomination to the highest court in the land. The 63-year-old jurist called it “the greatest honor of his life” before correcting himself, noting that he could not forget the comparable honor of his wife agreeing to marry him. Garland came off as incredibly likable and given the political climate, the president’s move is ingenious. And yet I cannot help but be partially disappointed. In all likelihood, Merrick Garland will sit on the Supreme Court. Nothing is definite, and I will avoid making the brash claims that some senators and journalists have made over the course of the last week, but the current situation favors President Obama and his party in a handful of ways; therein lies the genius. Senate Republicans have made it abundantly clear that their position will not change. Majority leader Mitch McConnell commented that the GOP’s unwillingness to consider any nominee was “about the principle, not a person.” Just six senators have indicated they would be willing to meet with Garland, and only Mark Kirk (R–Ill.) has called for an up-or-down vote. There will be no vote before the election in November. For Democrats hoping to reclaim the Senate and for Hillary Clinton, Obama’s pick is great news. What better demonstration of Republican obstructionism than refusing to even hold a hearing for someone who is consistently said to be moderate, fair and qualified? According to the
Martin-Quinn scores, ironically, Garland would sit firmly on the court’s liberal wing; but what matters is the public perception and the narrative that voters see played out in the media — that he is a centrist and an effort at compromise on the part of the president. How can GOP senators like Pat Toomey, Kelly Ayotte and Rob Portman, all seeking reelection in battleground states, defend this action? Add in Donald Trump as the presumptive nominee and suddenly the Republican Party becomes defined by immaturity in 2016. Meanwhile, Merrick Garland not only paints the Democrats in the light of maturity and compromise, but he also highlights hypocrisy and partisan gridlock on the other side of the aisle. Recently, the prospect of a confirmation vote after the election was ruled out by Senate GOP leadership, with McConnell saying he “can’t imagine that a Republican majority in the United States Senate would want to confirm in a lame-duck session.” But talk is cheap. Should Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders win in November (not exactly a tall order against The Donald), why would conservatives wait for the next, undoubtedly more liberal, nominee? The next president will nominate two to three justices to the Court as it is, and if the Democrats win big in November, rejecting Garland would mean allowing a sizable liberal majority. Obama’s nomination of a centrist allows him to play good cop/ bad cop with his successor, which strengthens Garland’s chances at confirmation. For all of these reasons, the nomination of Merrick Garland is a demonstration of impeccable political strategy on the part of the White House. But that doesn’t mean he’s the perfect nominee for the country, especially for the seat he is about to fill. Antonin Scalia, though a staunch conservative with little in common with Garland, was a vocal advocate
for diversity on the bench. In his dissent from the ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that ruled samesex marriage constitutional, Scalia bemoaned how unrepresentative he and his colleagues were of the country at large. The Court, he wrote, “consists of only nine men and women, all of them successful lawyers who studied at Harvard or Yale Law School,” and Garland would continue this trend. Before Scalia’s passing, eight justices grew up on either the East or West Coast, with four coming from New York City alone. All but one have been a circuit court judge. Garland would make the fourth Jewish justice on the Court and the fifth white man. Writing opinions takes more than legal expertise — it often takes life experience. When conferring on civil rights cases in the late 20th century, the justices turned to Thurgood Marshall for his experience as an African-American man in a previously segregated society. When deciding cases on the topic of campaign finance, Sandra Day O’Connor, the only justice at the time who had ever run for office in her career, shed important light on the context of the legal question. But what does Merrick Garland bring in terms of diversity? He’d be the only justice on the bench from Illinois. That’s about it. No one can deny that Merrick Garland’s nomination is a political move. Whether it’s meant to embarrass Senate Republicans or give Hillary Clinton a boost with moderates in November is yet to be seen. But what is nearly certain is that President Obama’s third nominee to the Court is brilliant, fair-minded and professional. Given the current political landscape, he will likely sit on the Supreme Court someday in the near future. Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of judicial diversity, which may have to wait for the next administration. Brett Graham can be reached at btgraham@umich.edu.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW
Improv Fest at ‘U’ By NATALIE ZAK Daily Community Culture Editor
The lights are beating down as Ross senior Lauren Barrett and her teammates in Midnight Book Club stand frozen in place on stage. Sweat drips down 1st Annual her face as the person whose University hands fate- Improv fully clapped Festival moments before carefully Sat., 6 p.m. decides how & 9 p.m. he or she will approach the Rackham situation. Sec- Auditorium onds later Barrett has moved Free off stage and the next scene with new characters and players is already unfolding before the audience’s eyes. An example of Freeze Tag, one of the many kinds of long-form improvisation groups like Midnight Book Club perform, this skit involve two or more members of the group acting out strange and hilarious storylines that begin, grow and progress from a word suggested by the audience. The interactions can range from two moms at Lollapalooza to parents casually talking about how much they can’t stand their son as the players continuously tag one another in and out of scenes. But unlike short-form in which bits have no relation to each other, the ideal goal of long-form improv is to tie the unrelated events and characters together in the end in order to create a storyline that originated from nothing but group member’s imaginations and gut reactions. “So many people at Michigan are interested in comedy but have had limited exposure to it because it’s centered in LA, Chicago and New York. That’s why I’m so excited to have a festival here,” Barrett said in an interview with The Michigan Daily. “Improv can be an artform especially when it goes right.” President of the University’s improv group Midnight Book Club and brand ambassador for Funny or Die University of Michigan, Barrett has been interested in improvisation and comedy since the age of 18 and is now able to bring the University its first annual improv festival. Due to a stroke of luck in the form of the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company, Barrett and fellow improvisers from groups around campus had seized the opportunity to bring comedy to the mainstage of Rackham Auditorium on March 26. “The Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company reached out to
Kelsey Fox, a member of ComCo and asked how to get a show here on campus,” Barrett said. “Rather than forward that information onto the University we kind of just grabbed onto it.” Along with LSA sophomore Kelsey Fox and LSA senior Ryan McDonough, Barrett reached out to several other groups not only from the University but other schools and independent companies, as well. “We want this to be the first of a long series of festivals. The idea is that we’ll get the groundwork set with a couple of Michigan teams, a couple of other schools, a couple independent teams and a couple of professional teams. And from there it’ll just keep growing,” Barrett said. With teams such as University of Iowa’s Paperback Rhino and George Washington University’s receSs, this festival will present not only the skilled comedians that are hidden on our campus and others, but the skills of professional independent groups as well. ImprovOlympic and Second City, the two biggest performance theaters in improvisational comedy, both centered in Chicago, have produced comedians ranging from Del Close to Gilda Radner to Chris Farley. Now, they serve as places in which improvisers can get together and create. Independent groups from iO like Alterboyz and Wet Bus are two that Barrett, Fox and McDonough have reached out to to perform at Rackham Auditorium this Saturday. Alterboyz, an independent, allfemale team, and Wet Bus, an iO team housing some of Midnight Book Club’s founding members, are performing in ten minute sets besides receSs, Paperback Rhino, the University’s own Comco, Midnight Book Club and Funny or Die University of Michigan, with UCB Touring Company rounding out the event in a 90-minute set. Through grants and sponsorship from various University organizations, Fox and Barrett have managed to raise over $9,000. Funds will cover everything from props to airport transportation for the various groups. Up until two and a half months ago, this festival barely existed other than hypothetical situations dreamt up by Barrett and other improvisers. But once UCB Touring Company reached out, the event grew swiftly and chaotically as it overcame many of the time and space constraints with which it was presented. Because of this, Barrett remains optimistic about the potential for future
festivals. “Next year, I want to get more improv groups on campus involved. Every single group on campus that has a call to comedy has a stake in this festival,” Barrett said. “We found out two and a half months ago about UCB — this festival didn’t exist until then. We just wanted to make it happen so right now it’s at it’s smallest stage but we want to make it big.” What differs from the typical University events put on at Rackham and Hill Auditorium is that this is improvisational comedy — it is silly and strange and unpredictable. Unrehearsed and on the spot, teammates play off one another’s visceral decisions. Although most of the time it is for the hilarity of the audience, there is also an undertone of caution that must be exercised in comedy on college campuses, especially when performed in this large a magnitude. “In terms of what material is okay … in general we’re on a college campus so we have to keep in mind that one in so many people have been affected by something,” Barrett said. “At my age, my experiences are too narrow to make a thoughtful comment on the spot about a certain issue. My rule of thumb is just don’t. If you’re good enough you won’t have to rely on controversial humor to make the audience feel interested. There’s a common expression that goes, ‘Unless you’re about to make a comment about race at the Key & Peele level, just don’t.’ ” And this is an accurate evaluation to make, since well-intentioned comedy can be easily misinterpreted and easily taken too far. But this is not the atmosphere Barrett, Fox, Donough and the participants are trying to create. Rather, it will be one of fun and funniness, a point Barrett passionately emphasized. “Here’s your exposition: The audience can expect the event to be on March 26, in Rackham Auditorium, from 6-7:30 pm and then 9-11:30 pm. The audience can expect to have fun because that’s what matters most. They can expect to live, laugh, love, cry, sob — it’ll be the pursuit of life, love and happiness but most of all, it’ll just be fun.” There is endless talent at the University found in the countless improvisation groups that hold their performances in backrooms of the Michigan Union and classrooms in the Ross School of Business. Through this festival, Barrett and her co-conspirators will be bringing these intimate, concealed environments to the mainstage in a grand endeavor to begin a new tradition at the University.
FILM REVIEW
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 — 5A
TV REVIEW
ABC
Boy on the right can call me on my cellphone hunnay.
‘Nashville’ wedding By SHIR AVINADAV Daily Arts Writer
There’s nothing like a wedding to bring deep-seated family issues to the forefront. Rayna (Connie Britton, “Friday Night Lights”) and BDeacon’s Nashville (Charles Esten, Midseason “EnlightPremiere ened”) tumultuous past has Wednesdays finally found at 9 p.m. its resolution in their mar- ABC riage. But what should seemingly be a happy occasion for the two deserving characters ends up being a rollercoaster of doubt and family drama. After the years of alcoholism and bitter fighting that have plagued Deacon’s relationship with Rayna, the two have overcome more painful experiences than many other TV couples to finally tie the knot. Though the two are finally happy, Rayna’s overprotective sister Tandy (Judith Hoag, “Armageddon”) can’t bring herself to share in their joy after everything Deacon has put her sister through. It’s understandable, but still a banal point of conflict for the episode. Her dislike for Deacon seeps into the minds of Maddie and Daphne (Newcomers Lennon Stella and Maisy Stella), who are already feeling conflicted about their mother’s nuptials. Pretty much your average celebrity mom getting married to the recovered alcoholic love of her life family dynamic. The family goes to great lengths to keep the wedding private, but the location and date are of course eventually leaked to the tabloids. In a spontaneous moment of postrehearsal dinner action, Deacon attacks a particularly tenacious reporter who sticks his camera in Maddie’s face. For some reason, her father trying to protect her from media parasites causes Maddie to become terrified of her father and the thought of him
and her mother getting married (though their wedding is all she’s wanted since discovering that he’s her birth father). Poor Daphne, the youngest and inevitably neglected member of the family, also has reservations about her mom marrying someone who’s her sister’s birth father but not hers. Going along with the show’s efforts to make Rayna both a acclaimed country singer superstar and devoted mother, the various conflicts threatening her wedding are neatly resolved in just a few calm, reasonable conversations with her sister and daughters. That’s essentially how most of the show’s conflicts end — with a family-friendly, unsatisfying, dull invocation of emotional reasoning. While handling all this with her usual poise, Rayna must continually reassure Deacon that their wedding should happen. Though it’s hard not to support their relationship, which Deacon has worked hard to reclaim, it’s disappointing to see him as the anxious shell of a man agonizing over losing it all at any sign of trouble. While the show doesn’t fall into the trap of once again creating irrevocable conflict at Deacon’s expense, turning to textbook family conflict falls short of the show’s typically thoughtful and compelling dramatic narrative. With Juliette’s (Hayden Panettiere, “Heroes”) absence sorely felt in the episode, the triviality of some of the drama is especially salient. Her character adds allure and drama to the series, drawing us in with her brazenness and emotional plights. While she receives treatment for her postpartum depression, Avery (Jonathan Jackson, “General Hospital”) helps sustain her public image and care for their daughter. This culminates in an abrupt emotional meltdown at Rayna and Deacon’s wedding, when he can no longer stand lying to the wedding guests about Juliette’s whereabouts. The consequences of Juliette’s struggles are especially moving, given Hayden Panettiere’s real-
life grapple with PPD. Though the show had no way of predicting that Panettiere’s reality and Juliette’s storyline would intersect under unfortunate circumstances, her story demonstrates the show’s ability to tackle difficult topics with poignancy and depth. With one of the show’s most well-written central characters temporarily gone, there’s even less content to hold our attention, leaving the remaining characters floundering to hold the story up. While there’s still some drama left to go around without Juliette, it’s not much to stretch through the remainder of the season. Layla still reels from the death of Jeff, who fell off the roof trying to save Juliette from killing herself. It’s apparent something’s brewing in her mind as she quietly sulks through the episode. Though we can’t blame her for hurting, her pattern of falling victim to forces in the series more compelling than her, then bouncing back with some ego-driven, half-baked plan to stir up trouble is getting a little old. I’m honestly not really sure I even care what she’s up to this time, and it seems like the writers were more interested in delivering an audience-pleasing TV wedding to the show’s fans anyways. Rather than continuing the show’s dramatic momentum, the midseason premiere serves more as a chance for the audience to catch their breath. The wedding itself offers an overarching resolution to one of the most riveting storylines of the series, forcing the show to have to think up sources of tension elsewhere. The remaining subplots either tie up loose ends from conflicts in previous episodes or introduce inconsequential problems that are immediately resolved within the episode itself. Though the midseason premiere feels more like a conclusion than a new beginning, the soapy nature of “Nashville” has the potential to galvanize new subplots that will reenergize the series. But if the show’s going to do so, it’s going to have to do it quickly.
COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW
‘Counting’ explores SMTD does Mozart modern urban life By ALLIE TAYLOR Daily Arts Writer
By JOE WAGNER Daily Arts Writer
At the Ann Arbor Film Festival on March 16, filmmaker Jem Cohen (“Museum Hours”) joked that Adocumentary is often Counting called the Michigan bastard child Theater of the dramatic nar- The Cinema Guild rative film, so the essay film, the city symphony film, and the diary film must therefore be the bastards of documentary. He described his most recent film, “Counting,” as a combination of those three. Told in 15 chapters, “Counting” is an exploration of modern urban life. Finding beauty in the smallest of things, the film discovers and rediscovers the intricacies of the city. Each section varies drastically in length and is unique, powerful and impactful in its own right. The film travels through locations, not creating a linear narrative but rather forming a slideshow of moving images.
Cohen has kept a large archive of shoots throughout his career and over the past three years, he has accumulated footage from New York, Moscow and Istanbul. In “Counting” he combines these three locations to construct his film. The shots are not complicated nor particularly difficult to achieve. Cohen shoots the city from the street, always on the go. He depicts what it feels like to be walking on the boardwalk in Coney Island or through the Red Square. Cohen gets his hands dirty showing the little things that make the city come alive. He shows trash stuck in place — slowly revealing that place is in a gigantic tangled tree and the tree is in a parking lot in Istanbul. Everyday objects become pieces of art. Description can’t do justice to the images Cohen has captured. The film is beautiful and spacious. Cohen chooses not to make a clear and firm thesis so as to not dictate the viewer’s thoughts on the film as a whole. The film allows for the viewer to interpret it in their own way. Certain sections may speak to some view-
ers and other sections will speak to others. But this is part of the beauty of Cohen’s film — its openness allows for interpretation and study of urban life, modern life and the movie itself. The clearest, and possibly most impactful, section of the film is “Three-Letter Words” in which Cohen photographs people moving through Manhattan with audio of leaders of the NSA testifying before Congress. This section is by far the most heavyhanded. However, this is not a bad quality in this instance. In a film where the viewer is able to wander, study images and interpret them how they like, it is refreshing to be given a clear cut message from the filmmaker. Although the film is successful, it is no doubt difficult. Lasting nearly two hours with essentially no dialogue or narration, except text, it is not for those who bore easily. But it is the lack of these two things which allow the viewer to take the time to analyze and understand the images Cohen presents. “Counting” is a long exploration of the modern urban experience in an avant-garde yet accessible form.
From March 24-27, The School of Music, Theatre & Dance will put on a production of Mozart’s last great opera, “Così Fan Così Fan Tutte” at the Lydia Tutte MendelsThurs. 7:30 sohn Theatre. p.m., Fri. 8 p.m., “Così Fan Sat. 8 p.m., Tutte” liter- Sun. 4 p.m. ally translates to “Women Lydia are like that;” Mendelssohn it is a com- Theatre edy following the story of Reserved Seating two women, $28/$22 Fiordiligi and Dorabella, and their respective beaus, Ferrando and Guglielmo. As the men are bragging about the fidelity and commitment of their women, a misogynistic older friend of theirs, Don Alfonso, bets 100 gold pieces that, if they follow everything he says, their women will betray them. Through a series of comical antics and schemes, the relationships take tumultuous turns, and all characters are faced with confusion and confronted with situations regarding their own faithfulness.
An incredibly immense amount of work has gone into this production: the opera was cast in October, and the performers got their scores in November. Music rehearsals began in January as soon as the Winter semester began, with staging beginning mid-February. Rehearsals with the live orchestra started a few weeks ago, and rehearsals on the Lydia Mendelssohn stage began just last week. “The whole process has been an absolute blast,” said Josh Lovell, a first-year Masters student, in an interview with The Michigan Daily. “This is a very intense show for all of us. It’s great to do this as a part of the University of Michigan, where you are working with professionals who can coach you along the way.” Lovell, who worked professionally with the Pacific Opera Victoria in Canada prior to beginning his studies at the University, will be playing the lead role of Ferrando, one of the two men trying to prove their significant other’s loyalty. “Mozart writes realist stories with realistic characters that are all about the human condition. It’s a story that anyone can connect to,” Lovell said of “Così Fan Tutte.” “It’s not totally blown over the top — it is so real.” “There’s such a high level of excitement,” said Amy Petrongelli.
Petrongelli plays the role of Despina, a servant who is bribed to help Don Alfonso in getting Fiordiligi and Dorabella to be unfaithful. “Everybody is hungry. Everybody wants to be the next big thing. It creates such a fun atmosphere,” Petrongelli said of her cast mates. Lovell agreed, saying “(The high level of excitement) builds a really nice momentum between the learning and performing process.” The opera is in Italian, but there are supertitles above the stage that will translate everything that the performers sing. “Sometimes operas can get really confusing, but we’re talking about love and relationships, and it’s set in modern day, so it will be really easy for the audience to understand what’s happening,” Petrongelli said. The whimsical nature of Mozart’s composing style is evident through the humorous elements present in the music, acting and storyline. “It’s really funny. It’s like a classical chick-flick.” Lovell said. “Così Fan Tutte” is loved by international audiences, and is seen as one of Mozart’s three great operas, along with Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro. Residents of Ann Arbor will have the opportunity to see this opera come to life next weekend.
Arts
6A — Wednesday, March 23, 2016
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
HEALTH COLUMN
COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW
Acclaimed author Veganism is easier than you think comes to Literati Tom Bissell talks new book tracing Christ’s apostles By MERIN MCDIVITT Daily Arts Writer
Renowned writer Tom Bissell travels the world for his books, dealing with Eastern European law enforcement, rocky landings in the Arctic and instability in war-torn Afghanistan and Iraq along Tom the way. For Bissell his latest novel, Reading “Apostle: Travels Among Thurs., 7 p.m. the Tombs Literati of Twelve,” Bissell traced Bookstore the footsteps of Free Jesus’ original followers to better understand their complex legacy. In a recent interview with The Michigan Daily, he reflected on his provocative career thus far. His career has spanned not only continents, but genres. Often described as a travel writer by the press, Bissell and his publishers often shy away from this label as being overly narrow for a writer that covers everything from video games to history to contemporary world issues with eloquence and humor. “I’ve been innovative or stupid enough — which is a fine line, really — to write a bunch of books that defy easy categorization,” Bissell said. “Most of them are technically travel books, and I like seeing them in the travel section, but often times they wind up getting shelved or grouped with other books that address the same subject matter but aren’t travel books.” Bissell lets his own fascinations be an extension to his own voice through
his prolific writing, which extends far beyond the book world into online columns and frequent appearances in magazines, anthologies and other publications. The only common thread that runs through this diverse body of work seems to be his own sense of curiosity — a driving interest in understanding the things that others take for granted, whether it be the latest edition of “Grand Theft Auto” or a thousand-yearold religious movement.
He reflected on his provocative career thus far. “There’s travel but also a lot of history, for better or worse, because I enjoy writing about it, but I think that’s what creates this perception of categorical hybridization,” he explained. “Back when I taught, I used to do a class called ‘Weird Nonfiction: Geoff Dyer, Joan Didion, Ryszard Kapuscinski, John D’Agata, Eula Biss.’ I think, in my heart of hearts, that’s where I’d like to be shelved.” All the international intrigue that has defined his career as a writer belies a small town upbringing in Escanaba in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. “When I was a kid, Escanaba seemed like the center of the universe to me,” Bissell said. “I knew it wasn’t London or Paris, obviously, but not until I got out and about did I realize how comparatively sheltered life truly was there,” Bissell said. “This came as quite a shock to me, naturally. Yet Escanaba remains a hugely important part of my life and imagination. I love being from the Upper Peninsula.” But this protected, isolated
UP life wasn’t quite what it appeared. The foundations of Bissell’s writing life were established back then, in large part due to the influence of several friends of his father — wartime companion Philip Caputo and Jim Harrison, both well-respected writers who exposed Bissell to the realities of their world. “It was probably the biggest gift a young wanna-be writer in the Upper Peninsula could have had. Being a writer never seemed to me like an impossible goal,” he said. “And from hearing them talk about their lives, I knew it wasn’t glamorous. It was hard. Very hard.” Bissell’s latest book, eight years in the making, brought him to another corner of the world to satisfy an itch he has always had. It began with “a deep and abiding interest in early Christianity — how it began, what happened to it — and my own desire to get to the bottom of what I actually felt about this topic I’d read so much about and lived with in my head for so long,” he explained. His search for these answers, as personal as they were universal, took him throughout the ancient world and led him to plenty of texts, some as old as time and others hot off the presses. For the aspiring writers of tomorrow, Bissell said there is no magic formula to success, particularly in travel or nonfiction, both notoriously finicky genres prone to constant reinvention and short attention spans. All he could offer is trust — in your own skills, and even more than that, in curiosity. Always complaining that no one ever writes about something you’re obsessed with? Do something about it. “Write what you’d like to read,” he said. “And try to get paid for it.”
Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
W
henever I think “vegan,” the person who comes to mind isn’t some earthy yogi, but rather his stark opposite: Ron Swanson from “Parks and Recreation.” If you haven’t seen the show, HAILEY I’ll give you some MIDDLEBROOK insight as to just how obsessed this man is with meat. For instance, when he finds his soul food: “I’d go to a banquet in honor of those Somali pirates if they served bacon-wrapped shrimp.” At a restaurant: “Just give me all the bacon and eggs you have ... I worry what you just heard was ‘give me a lot of bacon and eggs.’ What I said was, ‘Give me all the bacon and eggs you have.’” And finally, when he walks in onco-worker Chris Traeger doing yoga: “There’s a hot, spinning cone of meat in the Greek restaurant next door. I don’t know what it is, but I want to eat the whole thing.” Don’t get me wrong; Ron Swanson is hilarious. But the guy’s dietary habits, to put it nicely, are not something to emulate in real life. There’s never reason to eat an entire cone of meat. Or all the bacon and eggs. And according to hundreds of dieticians, doctors and scientists, there’s really no reason — close your ears, Ron — we need meat or eggs in our diets at all. But before all the Ron Swansons of the world run away, or even the more moderate, chicken and greek yogurt inclined eaters scram, hear this article out. (It might make you run a little faster — in a good way.) “Veganism,” both a diet and
a philosophy, can be loosely defined as a lifestyle that abstains from consuming animal products. Like vegetarians, vegans exclude meat from their diets, but they also reject dairy products, eggs, honey — all foods produced by animals — as well as processed foods with traces of animal, such as marshmallows that contain gelatin. Instead, vegan diets are plant-based, majorly consisting of unprocessed grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes (mainly beans), seeds and nuts. They may sound like squirrels, but vegans are slowly but surely taking over the world. Though humans have been eating plant-based diets since our ancient scavenging days (berries and edible mushrooms, anyone?), the term “veganism” was properly coined in 1944 by Donald Watson, former secretary of the UK’s Vegetarian Society. At the time, vegetarianism was growing more popular, largely for ethical reasons. Soon, discussions surfaced about not only the maltreatment of animals in the meat industry, but also the unethical exploitation of animals for dairy and eggs. In the decades that followed, veganism gained traction, especially in the 1960s countercultural food movement. Then the 2000s brought a surge of vegan support: In 2004, Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s bestselling “China Study” argued that animal products are the real culprits in causing cancer and other diseases; the book prompted a group of filmmakers to produce “Forks Over Knives” in 2011, focused on case studies of people who improved their health by nixing a meatcentered, high-sugar American diet. Though vegan proponents have been met with criticism — largely stemmed by doubts that veganism provides enough
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protein and other nutrients to be healthy — the American Dietetic Association affirms that a properly planned (read: you’re not only eating apples), plant-based diet is perfectly healthy. What does a vegan meal look like? It might be a rice bowl with black beans, avocado, roasted sweet potatoes and pico de gallo, tortilla chips on the side. Or macaroni and “cheese,” noodles topped with a creamy blend of butternut squash and roasted peppers. If your mouth is watering, don’t worry — these steaming bowls of plant-based goodness are right here in Ann Arbor. To learn more about veganism — and yes, eat that rice bowl — I visited The Lunch Room, Kerrytown’s all-vegan restaurant. After devouring my lunch, I met Phillis Englebert, co-owner of the restaurant, to pick her brain about veganism and see what her advice would be for college students interested in adopting the diet. In particular, I asked what the biggest misconception people had about veganism was. “Four things,” Phillis said. “First, everyone thinks they won’t get enough protein. They don’t realize there’s protein in everything, even vegetables.” She pointed to my empty bowl of rice and beans. “See that? You just ate a bowl of protein.” She continued, “Then they’ll think a vegan diet won’t fill them up. And that they’ll need supplements to make up for lost nutrients. Finally, people will say that it’s just too hard to figure out — too much sacrificing of food, too much planning for meals, too weird.” For Phillis, cooking vegan meals has become like second nature. An on-and-off vegetarian since she was 16, Phillis adopted veganism in 2007 when she discovered she was lactose intolerant. Before opening The Lunch Room in 2013, she and co-owner Joel Panozzo hosted vegan dinner parties with their friends, which eventually led to operating a vegan food cart in Mark’s Carts on Main Street. Customer reactions — from vegans and non-vegans alike — were so positive that The Lunch Room was born. “Looking around this room, I’d bet $100 that not one person is vegan,” Phillis said. There wasn’t a small crowd, either. Turns out, you don’t have to be vegan (Exhibit A: myself ) to enjoy fresh, tasty, satisfying food that boosts your health and doesn’t break your bank. A hearty bowl of rice and beans, for example, was just $6 — a hell of a lot cheaper than Ron Swanson’s 16-ounce ribeye. I also asked Phillis what her advice would be for a college student who was considering veganism. “First of all, you need a good vegan cookbook,” Phillis said. (Her favorite is “Isa Does It,” available at Literati.) “You need about a dozen pantry staples, like grains, beans, spices and dressings. Then it’s all planning; I make a huge salad with grains, roasted veggies, nuts, chickpeas and dressings every weekend, and that’ll be my lunches for the week.” Phillis said it’s all about experimenting and roasting, tossing together nuts and grains and fresh produce to make a meal that satisfies you. She added, “And feel free to stop in The Lunch Room, if you ever want to talk to a living, breathing vegan.” And if I had to guess, I’d say they’re probably living and breathing better than the rest of us.
Middlebrook is on her third bowl of beans and rice. To give her some seasoning suggestions, email hailharp@umich.edu.
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
FOOTBALL
Mone back to 100 percent in practice After broken leg in 2015 fall camp, defensive tackle prepared to step in By JAKE LOURIM Managing Sports Editor
Already dominant for most of last season, the Michigan football team’s defensive line has yet another contributor healthy again for 2016. Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Bryan Mone, who missed all of last season with a broken leg, is back to 100 percent and practicing in full during spring camp. In fact, he has been practicing since the team’s Citrus Bowl trip to Florida and believes he could have played in the game, but by sitting out, he saved an extra year of eligibility. Seven months ago, Mone was in the middle of his second fall camp as a Wolverine and appeared ready to be in the rotation at defensive tackle as only a sophomore. When he went down with an injury last August, he didn’t initially think it would keep him out. He told head athletic trainer Paul Schmidt, “Just strap me up and I’m good to go!” It wasn’t that simple, Schmidt told him. The leg began to swell up in the days after the injury, and Mone’s worst fears became reality. “I really didn’t know it was going to be a season-ending injury,” he said.
He then spent the season on the sideline, watching Michigan’s defensive line grow into one of the best in the country. He said that having to watch the team play gave him extra motivation to get back on the field as quickly as he could. “The thing that hurt me the most was not being able to help out the team, especially when we were struggling,” Mone said. “And of course, I’ve got too much love for the game of football. When you love something and it goes away, you’re heartbroken.” After weighing 320 pounds at the start of last season, he has slimmed down to 309 and become faster as a result. He worked back into his routine in Florida because he wanted to get one last shot on the scout team against firstteamers such as fifth-year senior center Graham Glasgow, and now he’s back and ready to go. “I feel amazing,” he said. “I’m still a little rusty on little stuff like my technique, especially my feet and my hands. That’s what I need to fix the most, but I feel like I’m stronger, more explosive, faster.” By the end of last season, with players such as Mone and defensive tackle Ryan Glasgow injured, the Wolverines were just trying to plug the gaps on the interior of the defensive line. Now, they’re back to having legitimate competition at those positions. Even among the returning contributors, Mone has stuck out as a viable contributor. “No rust at all,” said fifth-year senior defensive tackle Matt Godin. “He’s played really well.”
“I feel like I’m stronger, more explosive, faster.”
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 — 7A
Poggi, Hill now at fullback By JACOB GASE Daily Sports Editor
The last time Khalid Hill carried the ball in a game, he was 10 years old and just learning how to play football. The carry went for 60 yards — but not a touchdown — and it marked the final highlight of what Hill described as a “great” but brief career as a youth football running back. Now a redshirt junior on the Michigan football team, Hill — recruited as a tight end by former coach Brady Hoke — may soon find the ball in his hands again. After a mutual decision between Hill and current head coach Jim Harbaugh, sparked in part by Hill’s performance as an injury replacement against BYU last season, Hill will move back off the line of scrimmage and transition to the fullback position this year. He’s not alone in that regard — former defensive lineman and fellow redshirt junior Henry Poggi, who made the switch to offense last season and played several snaps at tight end, is also making a full-time move to fullback in 2016. Though playing in the backfield versus on the line of scrimmage sounds fundamentally different on paper, tight ends and fullbacks don’t function that differently in Harbaugh’s offense, making the transition a little more seamless for two players with tight end experience. “They’re basically the same thing — the tight ends just run a lot more routes,” Hill said. Hill, who previously stood tall on the line and focused on his routes, has worked extensively on playing lower and blocking in the backfield. And of course, matching up with players like senior cornerback Jourdan Lewis and redshirt sophomore safety Jabrill Peppers instead of
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Redshirt junior Khalid Hill should find himself blocking more after moving from tight end to fullback this season.
defensive linemen brings a new set of challenges. “At fullback, you’re four or five yards deep in the backfield,” Hill said. “You come out of the backfield and either you’re in the hole or you’re going outside to block a guy. You’ve gotta worry about a DB or somebody who’s quick or agile — like Jourdan Lewis is one of the hardest players to block because he can move and dip, and Jabrill is another one.” Neither Hill nor Poggi is averse to blocking, though. Harbaugh has regularly valued a hardhitting style in his fullbacks — his frequent usage of then-senior Sione Houma last season is a prime example — and the new fullbacks have been quick to embrace that mindset.
“There’s always gonna be some sort of physical play during it,” Poggi said. “I like that a lot. I like coming downhill and smashing skulls with guys. (We) get the ball, too, which is very nice — something that we’ve been working on.” Such is another benefit of being a Harbaugh fullback — not only are they frequently used in blocking situations, but they get their fair share of touches as well. Last season, Houma and then-fifthyear senior Joe Kerridge combined for 57 carries, 246 yards and six touchdowns. Houma had never run the ball or scored a touchdown in his first three years on the field at Michigan, but he became a go-to goal-line option last season,
“There’s always gonna be some sort of physical play during it.”
getting 43 carries and finding the end zone five times. Hill and Poggi have zero combined career rush attempts between them, but that hasn’t deterred them from taking advantage of their chance to see the field. Kerridge and Houma have already laid out the model, and their successors know they’ll have plenty of chances to follow it. “(Harbaugh) gives us a lot of opportunities,” Hill said. “He wants everybody out there to get their chance to go do something good. “I feel like replacing those two guys is gonna be tough, because they set a standard. Me and Poggi, (Bobby) Henderson, we’ve all been working to fill those steps that they had.” After 10 years, Hill may not have another 60-yard run in him, but if recent history is any indication, he might just get another chance to make it to the end zone.
Blanco, Montemarano carry Betsa dominates, Wolverines to run-rule win twirls one-hitter SOFTBALL
Michigan’s offense capitalizes late in rout of Western Michigan at home
By AVI SHOLKOFF Daily Sports Writer
By TYLER COADY Daily Sports Writer
As Michigan junior righthander Megan Betsa watched the ball land in right centerfield, the Western WMU 0 Michigan MICHIGAN 8 bench jumped to its feet. A new sense of life emanated in the Bronco dugout, but only for a fleeting moment. Without hesitation, Betsa walked back to the circle, received a command from the Wolverine dugout, and tossed a first-pitch strike. Before long, Western Michigan’s Ivy Schaaf was trudging back to the dugout, as Betsa struck her out to put an exclamation point at the end of a dominant, one-hit performance. “I think I did a really good job of staying in my process,” Betsa said. “I got rid of bad thoughts really quickly, which is something I haven’t done very well this season.” Betsa’s 14 total strikeouts proved more than enough as the Michigan softball team (22-2) eased past the Broncos, 8-0, in six innings at Alumni Field on Thursday. The second-ranked Wolverines started quickly as senior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence drew a walk and immediately stole second base. With Lawrence in scoring position, senior shortstop Sierra Romero — who is hitting near .500 — ripped a double into the outfield to bring her home. Whereas the Wolverines’ 14-1 win over Eastern Michigan last week featured an outburst of runs in the early innings, the offense needed more time to click at the plate against
AMANDA ALLEN/Daily
Junior third baseman Lindsay Montemarano snapped out of a slump with two hits and two RBI against Western Michigan.
Western Michigan (9-13). “I thought we could have swung a lot better,” said Michigan coach Carol Hutchins. “I would like to see us be more attacking and hit the ball harder and farther.” Junior third baseman Lindsey Montemarano answered Hutchins’ call. The junior has struggled with a batting average hovering below .200, but she rectified her problems against the Broncos. With senior pinch runner Mary Sbonek on second base, Montemarano laced her fourth double of the season into left field to increase the Wolverines’ lead to 2-0. “I think the biggest competitor for me is myself and my mind,”
Montemarano said. “I’ve let that control too much because I want to do so well, so bad … but I need to remember the game doesn’t change, and playing at home allows (me) to calm down.” With two outs in the third inning, Montemarano proved to be a timely hitter once again as her single scored senior right fielder Kelsey Susalla to make the score 4-0. “Well, (Montemarano) had to start somewhere,” Hutchins said. “I told her today, ‘If you want your batting to go up, swing.’ “We just need her to be more aggressive, and I was really pleased she came out swinging at the first pitch.” In the fourth inning, sophomore
“I think the biggest competitor for me is myself and my mind.”
first baseman Tera Blanco, hitting a staggering .446, drove in the ever-on-base Romero and junior left fielder Kelly Christner. With a six-run cushion and a no-hitter in hand, Betsa went back to work in the fifth and sixth innings. Strikeouts continued to pile up, and Michigan’s fielders had little reason to move. Though Betsa lost her no-hitter in the sixth inning, her commanding outing set the stage for a run-rule victory. “A no-hitter is something difficult to do,” Betsa said. “It was just one hit, not anything major, so I just moved onto the next pitch.” In the bottom of the sixth, freshman pinch hitter Natalie Peters started the inning with a single. Romero advanced on a fielder’s choice before making her way to second on an error. With runners on second and third, Blanco finished the game with a double that scored both Peters and Romero.
Early this season, junior righthander Megan Betsa struggled to pitch to the level that made her an All-American last year with a 31-5 record and a 1.72 earnedrun average. She walked batters as often as she struck them out, struggling at times with her command and failing to get hitters out in important moments. But on Tuesday at Alumni Field, Betsa seemed to put that behind her. She pitched a onehitter to help lead the No. 2 Michigan (22-2) softball team to an 8-0 victory over Western Michigan (9-13). Betsa dominated every facet of the game, allowing just two Broncos to reach base. After a marathon 10-pitch at-bat in which Western Michigan second baseman Melissa Palmer itched out a walk to lead off the game, Betsa retired the next 16 hitters she faced, striking out 12. She finished her outing with a seasonhigh 14 strikeouts, just two short of her career-best mark of 16. Part of Betsa’s success can be attributed to her extended rest in between starts — an eight-day period. During this time, she continued her usual drills of spinning the ball and practicing pitching in the zone. Both Betsa and Michigan coach Carol Hutchins explained that the Wolverines participated in a special activity this week because of their earlier-thanusual game. “We threw live this week at practice against our own hitters, (which is) always challenging,” Betsa said. “It’s a mentality thing, so I can get everything feeling right before I get out there.” The drill certainly helped. From the first inning onward, she showed her authority from the circle. Betsa had tremendous control of the Bronco lineup — of the 20 batters she faced, she got two strikes on 17 of them. She also
walked only one batter. Betsa demonstrated poise in the circle, frequently battling with the offense as Western Michigan’s batters refused to go down easily. “It feels nice to be able to throw that many pitches and (the hitters) see whatever differences they’re seeing and they’re getting their swings off and (I’m able to) get them fooled,” Betsa said. “That’s what I do best, fool hitters. My job is to spin it and make ‘em swing and miss.” For Hutchins, it is imperative that Betsa to maintains her composure throughout the game. Should she lose it, she’ll struggle to find the zone. In some earlier games this year, Betsa tended to fall behind in the count and failed to recover, causing unnecessary walks and base runners. “The only time she gets herself in trouble is when she doesn’t have confidence or focuses on the hitter,” Hutchins said. “(Betsa) was clearly focused on her pitches today and that’s the kind of Megan that can have a lot of success for us.” Betsa did not allow a hit through the first five innings and was one out away from her fourth career no-hitter until a two-out double by Palmer. The Wolverines were well aware of Betsa’s special moment, and Hutchins sought to keep her in the game in order for her to reach the milestone. Sophomore right-hander Tera Blanco warmed up in the bullpen toward the end of the game, but Hutchins ultimately chose to leave Betsa in to finish. Michigan should be excited that its top pitcher has returned to her All-American form as the Big Ten season begins on Friday. Hutchins, for one, remains steadfast in her belief in Betsa. “I have a ton of confidence in Megan,” Hutchins said. “The only concern I have is Megan’s confidence in Megan. That’s the only confidence that matters.”
Sports
8A — Wednesday, March 23, 2016
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Michigan routs San Diego Siera Thompson WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
sets assists mark
Wolverines win third straight to charge into WNIT quarterfinals
Senior point guard breaks Jenny Ryan’s 2013 record
By BRAD WHIPPLE
By LELAND MITCHINSON
Daily Sports Editor
Daily Sports Writer
It took the San Diego women’s basketball team two and a half minutes to score its first basket. By that point, SAN DIEGO 51 MICHIGAN 78 though, it was already too late. Behind an explosive firsthalf performance Tuesday night, Michigan jumped out to a 22-point lead at the break by outshooting, outrebounding and outhustling the Toreros. In the end, the Wolverines earned a 78-51 win and an entrance into the WNIT quarterfinals, where they’ll face either Ohio or Temple. En route to the 26-point victory, Michigan showed that this year’s team — which is averaging 84.7 points in the postseason for the team’s fifth straight 20-win season, most wins at home (14) and most single-season assists (578) — may be best equipped to win a WNIT Championship. With it, the program would hang its first banner. “I was really happy with the way that we jumped on them,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. “Our defense early on led to our offense. We pressured them, we made them feel uncomfortable and (we) were able to block out and get rebounds early and that led to some transition.” That transition offense gave the Wolverines a quick 14-2 advantage, and their defense gave up just nine points in the first quarter. San Diego’s offense couldn’t generate
AVA RANDA/Daily
Sophomore guard Katelynn Flaherty bounced back from a sluggish performance Saturday with 24 points Tuesday.
anything without guard Malina Hood, whom junior guard Siera Thompson keyed in on right away. Thompson dominated the one-on-one matchup, limiting Hood to five points and forcing her to commit three fouls in the first half, resulting in just 10 minutes of playing time. “Having her out was critical to our success,” Barnes Arico said. “We did a great job of attacking her early on and setting the tone and really drawing fouls. That was the difference in the game.” With the Toreros’ all-time leading scorer and 3-point shooter out of the picture early on, sophomore guard Katelynn Flaherty couldn’t be stopped for Michigan. Flaherty, who finished with 24 points, bounced back from her slow start against Bucknell on Saturday and came out firing on all cylinders against San Diego. With three 3-pointers, Flaherty surpassed 100 on the season, becoming just the second Wolverine to do so and joining Kate Thompson, who hit
EMPLOY MICHIGAN
110 in 2012-13. But it was Michigan’s impenetrable defense that fed into the offense’s success. The Wolverines outrebounded the Toreros, 25-14, on the defensive glass, minimizing San Diego’s second-chance opportunities. Sophomore forward Jillian Dunston, junior guard Danielle Williams and freshman center Hallie Thome combined for 16 boards, and the Toreros — whose tallest player is 6-foot-2 — didn’t stand a chance under the glass. “We knew that they are pretty athletic and that they were gonna go after the board, and our block-outs were gonna be really important,” Barnes Arico said. “That was our number one goal today — to outrebound them. Rebounding was top on the list, and I thought we did a pretty good job of that.” Late in the second half, though, Thome went up for a rebound and had her legs swept out from under her. She fell on her back, hit her head on the floor and took a minute to
get up. After sinking two free throws, she came out for the rest of the game. “It’s just scary when people fall that hard,” Flaherty said. “She’s OK, and I think she’s gotten a lot tougher this year in those situations and goes to get up and shake it off, so just I’m very proud of her.” Luckily for Michigan, it had enough of a scoring cushion to play without her down the stretch. The explosive first half gave Michigan an overwhelming edge, making a San Diego comeback highly improbable. With 14 firsthalf points each, Flaherty and senior guard Madison Ristovski led the Wolverines to shoot 64 percent from the field and 80 percent beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes. Better yet for Michigan, it was not only relentless for one half but for all 40 minutes — something the Wolverines struggled with in the beginning of the year but are now getting a grasp on in the postseason when it matters most.
If there were any question as to Siera Thompson’s role on the Michigan women’s basketball team, one look at the stat sheet Tuesday would leave no doubt. The junior guard was the hub of the Wolverines’ offense, dishing out assists left and right, and in the WNIT third round, she added to that legacy. In the final three minutes of the first quarter of Michigan’s game against San Diego, two assists from Thompson to sophomore guard Katelynn Flaherty pushed Thompson to 168 on the season and gave her sole possession of the Wolverines’ single-season record in the category. “The way she controls the game for our team and the way she finds her teammates and the way she’s so unselfish in passing up open shots to make an easier shot and to make a pass is incredible,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. “I just think she’s our floor leader and has an unbelievable amount of confidence with the basketball in her hands.” The assists record was previously held by guard Jenny Ryan, who totaled 167 assists in the 2012-13 season. Ryan went on to finish her time at Michigan ranking second on the program’s career list. Along with her knack for finding open teammates and getting them the ball in a position to score, Thompson
can step up and score when she needs to. She led the team with 19- and 20-point performances in the first two WNIT games. “I think that’s my maturity level over the years,” Thompson said. “I know, as a freshman, if I didn’t score as many points, I would be down or not be as effective on the court, and I think I’ve learned that it’s not about me, it’s about the team. So however I can help the team win, if that’s getting assists or stops, it doesn’t always have to be scoring for me.” Thompson’s five assists on the night led the Wolverines, who totaled 20 in the contest and ended the game with 578 on the season, surpassing the team’s 2014-15 season total and program record of 570. Flaherty and senior guard Madison Ristovski were just behind Thompson with four assists each against the Toreros. “We definitely work on extra passes, just having the open shot and not the contested shot,” Thompson said. “We work on that as guards. I know the guard group works on that all the time, driving and kicking it, looking for open people.” The team has greatly benefited this season from its ability to get the ball to a variety of different scoring options, led by Flaherty, who surpassed 100 made 3-pointers on the season on Tuesday, and freshman center Hallie Thome, who was averaging 15.5 points per game this postseason heading into Tuesday’s game. “I think that our assists are at a higher level because we have multiple people that can score the basketball,” Barnes Arico said. “And people are trying to make extra passes and find their teammates.”
Breakdown: Notre Dame By JUSTIN MEYER Daily Sports Writer
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The No. 7 Michigan hockey team heads to Cincinnati to face off against Notre Dame in a first-round NCAA Tournament matchup on Friday. It’s the first time the two ex-CCHA programs have met since the Wolverines were eliminated from postseason contention with a loss in that conference’s championship game in 2013. The Fighting Irish (15-5-2 Hockey East, 19-10-7 overall) are not so different than they were three years ago. They will pose a stringent defensive challenge to Michigan’s high-flying offense. The Wolverines (12-5-3 Big Ten, 24-7-5) are the hotter team heading into the weekend after capturing the program’s first Big Ten Tournament title, but March hockey remains highly unpredictable. The Daily breaks down the matchup:
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Michigan and Notre Dame haven’t played since the 2013 CCHA title game, which the Fighting Irish won, 3-1.
Goaltending
Special Teams
Offense makes the best defense
Notre Dame ranks 14th in the nation with a 2.31 goals-against average, led primarily by standout goaltender Cal Petersen. Petersen owns a top-15 save percentage — .928 — as well as the highest percentage of available minutes played among all Division I goaltenders — 98.5 percent. Drafted in the fifth round, Petersen was not considered a grade-A goalie prospect, but he has challenged that notion with a startlingly high level of play this season. The sophomore improved his save percentage by 10 points from his first collegiate year and has been the foundation of Notre Dame’s success all season. Michigan’s senior netminder, Steve Racine, has been decidedly less confidence-inspiring this year, but has elevated his play over the last two months. In the Big Ten Tournament, Racine stopped 70 of 75 shots and made several big-time saves in the final against Minnesota. Racine’s save percentage of .919 ranks just 41st among collegiate goaltenders. His play over the past few weeks has been enough to extinguish any lingering goalie controversy, but Petersen still takes the edge here with ease.
Michigan’s power play has been clicking at unsustainable levels for nearly a month, creating some gaudy statistics. The Wolverines are converting 31.8 percent of all power play attempts into goals on the season, and no opponent has been able to effectively disrupt Michigan’s extra-man attack in some time. Notre Dame may have just the antidote, though, boasting a penalty kill that allows goals on just 16 percent of attempts. The even-strength defense is also prone to getting hot, allowing just 13 goals in eight games in the month of February. This is an elite defensive team, no matter the circumstance. Both contenders are also respectable on the other ends of the special teams battle — though Michigan’s penalty kill has suffered over the last few weeks — but the contest to watch will be the Wolverines’ power play against the Fighting Irish kill. Friday will answer what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. Whichever team emerges from that spectacular collision will likely be headed to the next round.
Notre Dame is a stout defensive team, but it hasn’t played anyone quite like Michigan this season. The Wolverines lead college hockey with 4.89 goals per game — the highest average in 15 years. No doubt about it — either team is going to need to score plenty in order to win this game. Even with Petersen’s impressive performance this season, a 2-1 contest seems exceedingly unlikely. Perhaps the best indicator is the Fighting Irish’s non-conference tilts earlier this season with Big Ten foes Penn State and Minnesota. Notre Dame split both two-game series, conceding 19 total goals. The Irish have shown an ability to post high goal totals on occasion, but it has been too rare to suggest an ability to match Michigan. The clash of styles makes for an interesting guessing game, but it seems doubtful that Notre Dame will have much hope shutting down Hobey Baker frontrunner, freshman Kyle Connor and the rest of the CCM line. The Fighting Irish do have a habit of jumping out to early leads, but will need offensive production of a scale not yet seen this season to compete with the Wolverines.
Edge: Notre Dame
Edge: Push
Pick: Michigan 5, Notre Dame 3
Edge: Michigan
statement T H E M I C H I G A N DA I LY | M A RC H 2 3 , 20 1 6
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Wednesday, March 23, 2016 / The Statement
t h e s t at e m e n t
the tangent
ZOEY HOLMSTROM/DAILY
Magazine Editor: Karl Williams
Photo Editor: Zoey Holmstrom
Managing Editor: Laura Schinagle
Deputy Editor: Nabeel Chollampat
Creative Director: Emilie Farrugia
Design Editor: Shane Achenbach
Editor in Chief: Shoham Geva
Copy Editors: Emily Campbell Alexis Nowicki Jose Rosales
Copy That: I Don’t Write T H O U G H T B U B B L E : SERVICE GROUPS
BY BIZ DOK AS
“
Oh, I edit, I don’t write,” is my standard response to any and all questions about what I do at The Michigan Daily. I fact-check and correct grammar; those are my two responsibilities. Sure, as a whole, our section is responsible for upholding the integrity of the paper by making sure we don’t print incorrect facts or misspelled names. But functionally, most of my time is spent Googling obscure City Council members and deleting commas. Our section is one big group of grammar nuts generally confused as to how people are unable to conduct basic Internet research, full of bitter loathing every time we’re forced to delete an Oxford comma (bite me, AP, they’re important) and extremely well-versed in the art of leaving snarky copy notes that end in a passive-aggressive question mark to make them seem like suggestions. We’re too eloquent to be all that fun at parties, and our desk tends to be one of the more quiet ones in the newsroom. And I love it. But every once in awhile I look up from whatever 846th article about the deer cull I’m reading over and pause. I love it, but I also love the anonymity and the shield that accompanies it. I’m not the one with the opinions, and I’m not held accountable for anything. Second-handedly accountable, sure, but whatever misprint or other offense the public is up in arms about is always directed at the writer, not the editor. I avoid the dirty work and long hours and lounge in the safety net that comes from being able to sweep by and make everyone else’s opinions look pretty, and leave my own in their carefully guarded box. And the fact that I love that is a bit of an issue. Because it’s not like I don’t have opinions, I just don’t like passing judgment on a subject until I feel as though I’ve been properly educated on it and have taken the time to think it through. I collect perspectives, hoarding as many different opinions as I can to try to get a glimpse of the bigger picture. But a side effect of this is a crippling uncertainty, a barrage of options that does not lend itself well to being pared down. Look at it this way: I had some two months’ notice to write this article and yet here I am, writing it two hours before it’s due, because it took me two months to properly formulate my opinions on not having opinions. And it’s
not like the neutral is a valid option — I can’t decide if an “I don’t know” feels more like a cop-out or a neon dunce cap, although it most often best describes what I think. It’s not that I don’t have adequate information on the subject, but that I just don’t know which bit is most applicable to how I view the world. Needless to say, the gestation period tends to last longer than the duration of your average conversation, so I often find myself having to prematurely spit out half-formulated ideas that are graceless at best and offensive at worst. But luckily, I don’t write. I think maybe I’ll just stick to my bubble and keep restructuring dangling participles in peace.
“On campus I am involved with Alpha Phi Omega, a coed service fraternity. I joined APO as a freshman after randomly talking to someone in a dining hall, and my friends and I all joined that semester. It has been an amazing experience to meet other students passionate about service, and I’ve had experiences I never would have had otherwise.” – LSA sophomore Lauren Smith
ILLUSTRATION BY EMILIE FARRUGIA
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 / The Statement
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on the record: march madness “I’ve never been a part of a game like that, never saw one. I still really don’t know what happened. We played the game the right way, even at the end.” — BILLY KENNEDY, Texas A&M University men’s basketball coach, after his team won its second round game against University of Northern Iowa in double overtime after being down 12 points with 44 seconds to go.
“I like to have the ball in my hands in those kinds of situations because I believe in myself. I just let it fly and knew it was going in. I can’t really explain the feeling. It was my first real game winner like that. It was a lot of excitement.
“One and done is a special, special thing. And you just don’t get to have bad days. But this is where this program’s at. Next year we’re going to try to win a national championship, and the year after. And if I ever tell you I’m not, write the obituary.”
—BRONSON KOENIG, University of Wisconsin guard , after hitting a gamewinning three-pointer against Xavier University in the second round.
—TOM IZZO, Michigan State University coach, after a first-round loss to Middle Tennessee State University.
My Cultural Currency: I’m An Immigrant B Y TA N YA M A D H A N I
I
don’t really like to tell people I’m an immigrant. It’s not because I’m ashamed of my South Asian identity; this column is proof enough that I’m very much the opposite of that. It’s because when, freshman year, I told my friend’s boyfriend that I can’t vote because I’m not an American citizen, the first thing he thought to say was, “Wow, you speak really good English.” I speak English very well.
ILLUSTRATION BY SAMUEL BERTIN
Ugh, of course. Even when I was being hit with a micro-aggression, the first thing I wanted to do was insufferably correct his grammar. But I was too stunned to really say anything to him, and my friend, who was standing next to him red-faced, apologized to me later that day for his behavior. The apology didn’t matter, but I didn’t tell her that. “It’s fine!” I said. “It’s totally not a big deal.” It was though. A big deal, I mean. It was a big deal because in that moment I felt like I was 8 years old again, sitting alone in my 2nd grade classroom in Texas on the verge of tears because my classmates had made fun of the way I talked. Or when I was put in the special education classroom because I refused to speak and instead of finding out why an 8-year-old girl had suddenly gone mute, my school had decided that the best thing to do was to isolate her even more. Or when I would stand in front of the bathroom mirror, hidden from my parents, and practice sounding American. Or when I would make up excuses every day to get sent to the school nurse’s office so that I could go home early. Or when I would purposefully make myself trip up while reading paragraphs out loud from our textbook, so that I could blend in with everyone else because they couldn’t get through a simple sentence without needing help. By the third grade, through diligent practice, I had modeled my elocution to be perfectly American and blended in seamlessly with other American kids. Things also improved when I moved to Michigan in fifth grade and I embraced Midwestern culture
whole-heartedly. My school district had the privilege of a diverse student body — teachers, not so much, but that’s for another column — and I quickly made friends who, while not all immigrants, had a strong cultural identities. Soon, I didn’t feel like an immigrant — I was part of the South Asian diaspora, a subculture that thrived on auntie jokes and purchasing bootleg DVDs of Bollywood movies from a local Patel Brothers. A culture that collectively agreed that dancing against the backdrop of East-West music remixes was the only socially permissible way to get involved in our rich history. A culture that thrived on making cruel jokes at the expense of “fobs.” In high school, when someone from India had moved to my suburban hometown, I said nothing when people made fun of the funny way he talked and the “weird” clothes he wore. For a long time, I thought I’d disassociated myself from the unkind nature of the South Asian diaspora’s dominant attitude. Instead, I focused on social movements that I thought deserved more support from our community — like #reclaimthebindi — and became acutely aware of our media underrepresentation, as well as the egregious acts of cultural appropriation that occur at our culture’s expense. But then, in college, when someone complained about the “fobs” that hang out in North Quad, I said nothing. The truth of the matter is, the diaspora at large, no matter how much we harp on and on about our struggles and cultural appropriation, will never understand what it feels like to be a South Asian immigrant. It’ll never understand what it’s like to have someone laugh behind your back at everything you say, to have your credibility questioned in a professional environment simply because of the way you speak or dress, or to have your own people reject you just because you’re from a homeland from which they claim to have a proud heritage. And until my friend’s boyfriend had reminded me, I’d forgotten these things too. So yes, what he said was hurtful and aggravating, but, more than anything, it was humbling.
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Wednesday, March 23, 2016 // The Statement
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 // The Statement
DAVID SONG/Daily
LEFT: LSA senior Milan Crawford is a member of Alpha Phi, a Panhellenic Sorority. RIGHT: LSA senior Reid McManus is the former National Pan-Hellenic Council president.
Divided We Stand: Greek Life at the ‘U’ By Lara Moehlman, Daily Staff Reporter Milan Crawford is used to being the only Black girl in the room. She attended CranbrookKingswood, an elite, predominantly white private school in Bloomfield Hills. She was also competitive in swimming, a sport with notably few Black athletes. But when on break during her freshman year, Crawford, now an LSA senior, told her family members that she had pledged Alpha Phi, one of the University of Michigan’s 16 Panhellenic sororities. In return, she remembers receiving looks of confusion. Many of Milan’s family members were part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, a historically Black Greek life council composed of nine fraternities and sororities known as the “Divine 9” on their respective college campuses. Crawford is one of few minority women in her sorority and within the University’s Panhellenic community. Choosing to rush a Panhellenic sorority rather than one of the “Divine 9” was a personal decision that came down to her comfort and experience operating in predominantly white spaces — a multicultural choice many students on campus find themselves facing, even as Greek life considers ways to approach diversity and inclusion. *** Diversity, or lack thereof, isn’t an isolated challenge on campus. This past September, University President Mark Schlissel launched a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategic Planning Initiative in an effort to improve the campus climate across every school and college. A Diversity Summit held this past November additionally served as a platform for students and faculty members to directly express their ideas and concerns they have surrounding issues of equity and inclusion on campus. While the planning process is underway, with the release of official plans scheduled for Spring 2016, several programs have already jumpstarted the president’s push for an improved racial climate, resulting in visible improvements on campus. One such program, the HAIL Scholars program, short for the High Achieving Involved Leader, seeks to improve the recruitment of economically disadvantaged, high-achieving students from throughout the state through increased resources and full-tuition scholarships. While minority enrollment increased this past year for the first time since 2005, diversity, equity and inclusion on campus is still a prevalent issue not only within academic and administrative spheres, but within the social one as well. Overall, underrepresented minority enrollment increased by 12.8 percent, and the number of Black students increased by 4.82 percent. The University’s Greek life community is one in particular slowly working to improve enduring racial divisions. Twenty-five percent of this campus is involved in Greek life, and when the term “Greek life” comes to mind, activities such as the Mud Bowl, Winterfest and St. Fratty’s Day undoubtedly follow. Giant houses that line Hill Street and Washtenaw Avenue are common associations, but
what many don’t realize is that these fraternities and sororities comprise just two of the four Greek councils on this campus. Greek Life at the University is comprised of four groups: the Inter-Fraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and Multi-Cultural Greek Council. It’s been a tumultuous year for the University’s IFC/Panhellenic community following several ski trips gone awry last February. Mary Beth Seiler, who has been the director of Greek life at the University for the past 37 years, is also set to retire amid many reforms currently underway within the Greek community. Each reform is set to combat such campus issues as alcohol abuse, sexual assault, the relationship between the city’s police department and the campus community and diversity. Seiler said there is no denying that racism was once present in Greek life. “Historically, honestly, there has been discrimination,” Seiler said. “Absolutely. That’s why we have organizations that were founded as African American, Jewish, Catholic ... There was outright discrimination. Nobody can really deny that.” She added that the disproportionate sizes of the separate Greek Councils pose a barrier to mixing and socializing between the councils. For instance, she says, a social event between a 200-person Panhellenic sorority and a 30-person NPHC Fraternity might pose discomfort for minority students involved. In addition, IFC/Panhel’s Greek Week, one of their largest events, falls around many NPHC organizations’ Founders Days — an important, busy season of tradition within the NPHC community. Nonetheless, Seiler said there has been a push within the past year to promote awareness of the separate councils and their unique traditions within each organization. This push starts with encouraging members of the four councils to attend the philanthropic, cultural and social events of the four different councils. “Are we where we want to be? No, absolutely not,” Seiler said. She noted that she strives to improve relations and communication between the four councils, but that she also believes it’s important for them to maintain their own identities within such diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. “When we find those times we can actually collaborate and do something together — that’s great, but the goal is not to do everything together necessarily,” Seiler said. She went on to say that many people ask her about the inherent issue of inclusion in organizations historically founded for certain races, ethnicities and religions within the four councils. She explained that she believes the separate councils and individual Greek organizations that cater to specific identities are an important source of comfort for students of different backgrounds on campus. “Not everybody wants to be in a 200-member sorority no matter what, so the fact that
DAVID SONG/Daily
LSA senior Arnold Reed discusses racial relations in Greek life.
there are options is good,” Seiler said. “And I think, especially at Michigan, making your organization intentionally diverse — and some students feel like that’s what they should do — you know, they should reach out more to students with different identities, and while that may sound very noble, you have to realize: Well, maybe that’s not what they want.”
“Historically, honestly, there has been discrimination,” Seiler said. *** LSA senior Arnold Reed, a former Black Student Union speaker, said his NPHC fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, has been a source of comfort for him as a minority student on a campus with more than 43 thousand students, less than 5 percent of which are Black. While both he and LSA senior Reid McManus, an LSA senior and former NPHC council president, said equity and inclusion between the four councils has gradually improved on campus over the past year with the creation of the Greek life task forces, they added that the University has a long way to go to achieve equity and inclusion. Both Reed and McManus identified a general lack of awareness among the four councils as a major barrier between the organizations. The councils don’t mix often, they explained, due to a lack of knowledge of each other’s traditions and events. Reed said he would specifically like to see more IFC/Panhel members demonstrating
a willingness to learn about NPHC’s unique traditions, such as twirling canes — a tradition sacred to Kappa Alpha Psi. “When people see that for the first time, they’re not really sure what to make of it,” Reed said. “But I appreciate the organizations who, when they see us do that, they’re respectful and they say ‘Hey, what do you call that? What is that? That’s really cool. What’s the history behind it?’ As opposed to, I’ve had other organizations when I’ve had it in my hand try and grab it.” Reed added that NPHC has a strong history of reaching out to other minority groups on campus, as demonstrated by its 27th annual multicultural talents show “Night at the Set” held earlier this year. “I think just on an exterior level people tend to feel more comfortable with people that look like them,” Reed said. “Nothing is necessarily wrong with that; however, our organization has tried to make its recruiting efforts very diverse ... I think it really just depends case by case.” And while he understands some organizations within the four councils choose not to interact with other councils out of comfort, Reed says he is hopeful that members within each community don’t feel as though the opportunity to socialize with other councils isn’t there. “Whether or not you choose to interact with each other across councils, I don’t want people feeling as if there’s a wall there,” Reed added. McManus attributed the apparent separation between the four councils to potential differences in students’ motivations behind joining Greek organizations in the first place. NPHC, for instance, attracts students seeking to continue the legacy of their parents, aunts or uncles. Both McManus and Reed chose to join Kappa Alpha Psi because of the influence of family members who were also members on their own college campuses. IFC
and Panhel, McManus said, is more of a social draw for students than one of culture and legacy. McManus pointed out another potential social barrier between students across the University’s four councils: their pre-exposure to different races and ethnicities. McManus explained that, because he went to a diverse high school, he came to the University with a certain level of comfort operating in all different racial and ethnic communities, whereas some of his friends, in both NPHC and IFC/Panhel alike, attended schools dominated by a specific race. “I don’t think there’s a divide in how we socialize with each other,” McManus said. “I think it’s that some people don’t know how, just because they haven’t had to or haven’t been exposed to it. I feel like a lot of the white students that come to this University — they don’t know about the organizations within the NPHC and what they can offer. It’s not their fault because they just haven’t been exposed to it.” McManus also pointed out a stereotype he finds harmful that, he said, is often applied to men and women of color who choose to join IFC or Panhellenic organizations: that they don’t want to be within their culture. “A lot of people say ‘Oh, they’re washed. They don’t wanna be with their culture,’ ” McManus said. “But I mean, I’ve talked to them, and they’re actually really cool individuals. They just decided that’s what they wanna do just because they grew up around not really knowing the African-American community.” In reference to the stereotype, McManus added: “I don’t like that. A lot of my friends are white, and if I had joined an IFC fraternity I wouldn’t want that.” *** Looking back on her time at the University, Crawford says her experience as a member of Alpha Phi was only positive. She said she feels fortunate she has never experienced instances of racism as a minority woman in a Panhellenic sorority. She did, however, say that national headlines following instances of cultural appropriation and racism in Greek organizations — both at the University and on other college campuses — upsets her. In 2013, for instance, the University’s chapter of Theta Xi planned to hold a “ratchet” themed party, complete with an offensive Facebook event description and a photo that parodied Black culture. “You hear that and you’re just like ‘Why the hell would I wanna join or be a part of anything like that?’ ” Crawford said. “And it makes sense. I don’t know how you change an entire culture.” “It’s kind of opened my eyes, and I don’t wanna say that I’ve been ignorant this whole time, but I’m starting to see things and realize that ‘OK, I understand that I’m the only African American in my pledge class or chapter, but how can I use that to educate my peers?’ ” Crawford said. She added that, as a woman of color operating in an overwhelmingly white space, she often feels lacking in a space for open dialogue. “When things like that tend to come up I’m
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silent — and I don’t like that I’m like that,” Crawford said. “I’m not very open about throwing my opinions on people, but when things like that come up, I feel like me speaking up can give my friends a new perspective, but I guess I’m not comfortable having those types of conversations around them.” On the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on campus, Crawford says she sees significant room for improvement within the IFC/Panhel community. She recalled telling her mother she was excited after seeing three or four girls of color walk through the Alpha Phi house during a recent formal recruitment process. “I wish that it was something that wasn’t so rare. It’s slowly but surely getting better, but there needs to be so much more that’s done,” Crawford said. Crawford echoed McManus’ thoughts on a severe lack of education and awareness among IFC/Panhel organizations of the traditions
“Whether or not you choose to interact with each other across councils, I don’t want people feeling as if there’s a wall there,” Reed added. and events of MGC and NPHC organizations. For instance, she said she believes a mandatory community meeting, held earlier this year by Schlissel to address issues of alcohol abuse, sexual misconduct and other issues that have put Greek life at the center of attention both on campus and across the nation, was the first time members of all Greek life organizations came together. She added that the IFC/Panhel could significantly benefit from increased interaction with the MGC and NPHC communities. “There’s just so many different perspectives,” Crawford said. “You learn so much from someone who is completely different from you. There’s people from so many different backgrounds and so many different cultures and so many races and I feel that Panhel and IFC is very closed off to that and I think it’s a problem.” To minority women thinking of rushing Panhellenic sororities, Crawford highlighted confidence and self-awareness as crucial pieces of advice. “Always make sure that you’re confident in yourself,” Crawford said. “When you hear these disgusting things in the news, and you hear these headlines, and you hear what’s going on and you’re hearing about the Black Lives Matter movement, it’s really easy in a situation where you are the minority to start not to be self-aware and you start feeling uncomfortable and feeling judged. It’s really easy for that to happen.”
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Wednesday, March 23, 2016 // The Statement
Blossomed by Natalie Gadbois, Daily Gender and Media Columnist
A
s a kid, I convinced myself that I had “almostinsomnia.” Every night I would melodramatically toss and turn, my body tired but my mind whirring on. Unlike an actual insomniac, I would always fall asleep, usually only one or two hours after I had first climbed into bed. But as a bored kid growing up with an astonishingly comfortable life, I loved to create my own problems. So I told myself I was an insomniac. While my physician father recommended actual physiological solutions to my problem — drink less water at night, don’t read in bed, exercise more — I was too impatient. I started telling myself stories, fantastical imaginations of my future. It became a strange pattern; I would stay up late the first time I created a story, planning and executing an elaborate tale. The nights thereafter I would retell it to myself, the comfortable familiarity of my own fiction lulling myself to sleep. I wouldn’t create stories of fantasy or magic; no princesses or dragons dotted my dreams. Instead — in perhaps the first indication of the self-indulgent pragmatist I would become — I was always the center of the story, and they were always closely realistic fictions of what I hoped my life to become. When I was 10, obsessed with “Footloose” and with dreams of becoming an elementary school teacher, I pretended that as a teenager I would meet Kyra Sedgwick (yes, “The Closer”) in a park with her two children. You see, her husband Kevin Bacon would be filming a movie in the area, and Kyra would be so taken with me that she’d insist that I babysit their kids, even bringing me to glamorous Los Angeles for the summer. When I was 15, prone to unrequited crushes and an incessant love of Harry Potter, one particular story took hold. I was in my twenties, living in London, single and successful and empowered, when I was called into a meeting with Daniel Radcliffe, and asked to manage his charity. The specifics of the charity were unclear, but our love affair was fully fleshed out, the details developed and redrawn as I fell asleep each night. I found security in these details, in taking these admittedly impossible ventures and grounding them in the day-to-day. Daniel and I would live in the city but spend a month each summer at my parent’s Lake Michigan cottage. I would become beloved by the Brits for my sweet as pie American goodness, but would personally struggle with a life in the public eye. I knew these creations could never be real, but developing these worlds slowed my mind down enough to let me sleep. In real life, I wasn’t flashy or popular. While I was a happy person, my day-today life was free of much excitement. In my freshman yearbook, someone wrote that I “seemed nice and smart.” When I ran for student council, a friend overheard a boy asking, “Who’s Natalie Gadbois?” Another girl answered, “You know, that nice girl who looks like Matilda.” My best friend’s mom told me I would “blossom” in college, and I internalized that concept, believing that when my time came, it
PHOTO COURTESY OF NATALIE GADBOIS
would be spectacular. I was OK with being known as just that nice, smart girl, because I looked ahead to my own exciting future. It thrilled me what wild machinations my future could hold. I just had to wait, and to dream. Hence, the stories. They continued as I grew older, even as I entered college, and I did seem to blossom, my life really becoming exciting and adventurous. But the futures I created always held more — places to go and people to fall in love with and jobs to have. The stories became more realistic, or at least more grounded in my personal reality: rekindling a romance in some warm, far-away city with a friend I had long had feelings for; moving to a big city, meeting exciting men at book parties and museums; quitting a corporate job and developing a television show with a best friend. As recently as six months ago, there was still a joy in charting the infinite paths my twenties could
take. Now, I find it harder and harder to fall asleep, and these stories almost become menacing. I’m lucky that as a graduating senior I know where I’m working and living after college ends. I know that I am lucky, and I’m excited. But I’m also terrified. All these years of imagining, of creating an adult future, of dreaming of blossoming. All the possible imaginations of my future that I’ve cultivated for years are funneling into one actionable reality. My future is being anchored in ways I never envisioned. I’m going West; I always thought I would go East. I’m working the corporate job Natalie Gadbois-Radcliffe would have scoffed at. The close friends that accompanied my exploits are all moving in the opposite direction from me. In college, I blossomed. Sometimes I’m afraid in adult life I’ll wilt — or, at least, that I won’t live up to my dreams.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 // The Statement
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The Ethics of Identity by Alyssa Brandon, Daily News Editor
ILLUSTRATION BY EMILIE FARRUGIA
“Dipped in chocolate, bronzed in elegance, enameled with grace, toasted with beauty. My Lord, she’s a Black woman.” I read this quote often — one of my favorite quotes from Yosef A.A. Ben-Jochannan — and when I do, it makes me feel positive and confident about who I am. I read this quote and I want to take a deep breath and yell from my chest that I am a confident, complex and phenomenal Black woman. Funny thing is, I don’t get to really do that so much in my writing. In fact, I’d have to say this is honestly the first time I’ve been able to be forthcoming about being Black in my writing. You see, as a news journalist for The Michigan Daily, I feel like I never get the chance to share that nugget of information with my readers — or that I’m really supposed to for that matter. Of course, that may lead one to ask why the fact that the person writing this article happens to be Black matters in the first place. I myself hadn’t really thought about that until a few weeks ago, when an associate at the Daily told me her professor had incorporated an article I wrote, which was about a campus event dealing with intersectionality within the Black community, into a mandatory course for students on residential staff. My associate told me that during a class discussion on the article, one of her classmates said she thought the author, meaning me, probably didn’t know what she was talking about since she’s not even Black. Of course, you can imagine the look on everyone’s faces when my associate kindly corrected her, and shared with the class that I am indeed, Black. After she told me what happened, the first thing that came to mind was, “Great! She couldn’t tell I was Black, so there’s no way she can think I was being biased in my article!” But then, I thought, how can I really be OK with this? This girl completely misidentified me. Not only that, but because she misidentified me, she was critical of my credibility as a journalist. Is this really what I want my readers to do? Am I really all right with my identity being hidden and misunderstood like this? Being the journalist that I am, I did some searching to try to find some answers. Of course, as usually tends to happen, I realized the issue here is much deeper. Let me start by saying, I really can’t blame this girl for thinking I’m not Black. I’m the only Black student involved in the News section. Not to mention the name Alyssa doesn’t exactly scream, “She’s black!” What can I say? My mom loved Alyssa Milano in “Who’s the Boss?” So, I can see how she was able to think I’m not Black. That makes sense to me. The part that’s really leaving me puzzled is how the conclusion that I wasn’t Black was used to argue that my work wasn’t credible. In fact, I’ve learned that it’s supposed to be quite the opposite. Ethical journalism standards have taught me that I have to suppress parts of my identity in order to remain objective in my work. I’ve learned my job as a journalist who sometimes writes about the Black community requires me to suppress my identity as a Black woman in order to be unbiased. Why? Well, as our friend in
that residential staff course inadvertently showed, my identity as a Black woman apparently makes a big difference when it comes to the objective quality of my work. The principles of objective journalism and their popular perception made me feel that because I’m Black, I will inevitably agree with every Black person I interview for my articles. It made me feel that I will always vote for the candidate that promises to do the most for the Black community. It made me feel that I can’t always write about things related to diversity on campus because I will identify too much with some of the students of color I may need to interview for the story. Objective journalism made me feel that being Black means I’m going to be too opinionated, so when I write, I should strive to be just a name on a page with no interests, no passion and certainly no identity. Objective journalism taught me that if I truly want to be unbiased in my writing, then I absolutely cannot be Black. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this way of thinking about ethical journalism standards was all wrong. All Black people don’t have the same experiences. All Black people don’t support the same political candidates. All Black people don’t agree on every issue. I cannot accept that being Black is code for a specific set of beliefs, experiences and interests that I must lay aside for the sake of being ethical. My identity is much more complex than just being a Black woman; being Black is who I am, but it doesn’t completely define my views, my interests or my experiences. I respect ethics and I understand my responsibility as a journalist to share nuanced and objective information with my community, but I just can’t bring myself to believe that being Black makes my coverage of specific issues biased. Am I a writer who happens to be a Black woman or am I a Black woman who happens to be a writer? I don’t know, and I may never know. I do know that I love to write and when I’m writing is when I really feel like I’m being myself and doing something that really matters. I hope one day, my readers will be able to appreciate me for the Black woman that I am and glean my passions and interests from my writing. So with that, for the first time, let me introduce myself to you. My name is Alyssa Brandon. I am from Romulus, Michigan and I am a junior studying communication studies and Japanese language and culture. I love romance novels, American history, sushi, travel and a nice, hot cup of green tea with a shot of steamed lemonade every now and then. I’m a woman who has had many struggles, but I believe there are many victories in store as I discover my true assignment for the world. And, I’m Black, dipped in chocolate, bronzed in elegance, enameled with grace, toasted with beauty. My Lord, I’m a Black woman. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
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Wednesday, March 23, 2016 // The Statement Jon Visger of JR JR performs the band’s song “Gone” at the rally.
V I S UA L S TAT E M E N T:
S A N D E R S R A L LY Photos by ZOEY HOLMSTROM/ Daily
Speakers at a rally for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) on March 7 at the Crisler Center stand on the stage and sing “This Land” to end the event.
Joshua Epstein of JR JR dances in the crowd during the band’s set.
Nate Ruess of fun. performs his song “Carry On” at the rally.
GRANT HARDY/Daily
On January 20, 2016, LSA and business senior Haider Malik vocalizes frustration over the Bacha Khan University killings in Pakistan at the Diag.
HALEY MCLAUGHLIN/Daily Nate Ruess and JR JR take the stage as Sanders finishes his speech.
Lead vocalist Tyler Joseph performs “Holding On To You.”
Members of the Ann Arbor Alliance for Black Lives lead a walk in the memory of Aura Rosser from the League to the pedestrian bridge over Washtenaw Ave on January 20, 2016.