ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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theNumbers game statement RESEARCH
13,338
Syrian refugees entered the US since May 2011
10,795
Syrian refugees entered the US Jan 1 - Sept 9, 2016
8.7M 13.5M
Research VP highlights progress on initiatives
expected to be displaced by end of 2016 Syrians are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance
DESIGN BY JULIA LAUER
From Syria to AA: A look at the refugee experience in Michigan
A documentation of some of the stories of displaced people coming to the state seeking safety She was stuck in Jordan, taking care of her three younger siblings while her parents were in the Daily News Editor & United States. There were a lot of Daily Staff Reporter times when Daboul felt as if she had no academic future and no possible Rania Daboul remembers having way to accomplish her dream of to call her older brother who was becoming a doctor like her brother. 6,000 miles away from her, anxiety She would call him, unable to building about her future. actually leave Jordan to join the rest NISA KHAN & CAITLIN REEDY
of her family, thinking she had no hope, that it was all over. After living in Jordan without her parents for two years, Daboul finally received the call from her family that they would be coming to United States, gaining refugee status after two long years, a process that should have only lasted six months. Daboul still remembers jumping
up and down on her bed the whole day. She was moving farther away from her native country of Syria, but she would finally be reunited with her family in yet another new country. She is now an LSA sophomore, and her family now calls Farmington Hills home ever See REFUGEE, Page 3A
In an exclusive interview, Jack Hu outlined new ‘U’ initiatives throughout past year ALEXA ST JOHN
Managing News Editor
Jack Hu, vice president for research at the University of Michigan, said last January his goals for his tenure as head of one of the nation’s best research facilities included improvement in undergraduate research opportunities, supporting faculty research initiatives and broadening multidisciplinary collaboration of projects across the University. In a one-year follow-up interview on Feb. 9, Hu reinforced the role the University’s Office of Research plays in launching new initiatives and making progress in future prospects —
particularly amid a changing social, technological and political climate. Hu highlighted in particular the goals of the office in terms of innovation and collaborative efforts with international industry partners. Partnerships completed throughout the first year of Hu’s tenure include those with Frontt Capital Management Ltd., a Chinese investment firm, for work on new driverless vehicle technology, and with the Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation. The BICI, Peking University and the University developed the concept of this global collaboratory and drove its agenda See VP, Page 3A
Central Student Government debates Poet reads New party collection Israeli-Palestinian lunch, student needs “eMerge”
CAMPUS LIFE
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
inspired by Trump win
The body also highlighted CSG’s responsibility to ensure voices are heard on campus
Terrance Hays’ works discuss race, popular culture and masculinity
A resolution to fund lunches to strengthen the dialogue between proPalestine and pro-Israel students on campus was vetoed by Central Student Government President David Schafer this weekend, but was brought up again at CSG’s weekly meeting on Tuesday. The authors of the resolution argued that the Schafer’s veto was unconstitutional and moved to bring the resolution back to a vote, which would need a two-thirds majority of support to override the veto. The override to the veto failed to pass with the required majority, with 14 votes in favor, 12 opposed and 1 abstaining. CSG Vice President Micah Griggs, an LSA junior, reiterated her reasoning for supporting Schafer’s veto of the resolution. “About this resolution, it was very one-sided, and I’m just being honest,” said Griggs. “Everything that happens on a national or international level does affect students on this campus. However, if I were to put forth a resolution that said I want to talk about police brutality and I need $200 for lunches, do you think this would have the same outcome as this resolution?”
KAELA THEUT
Daily Staff Reporter
The day after President Donald Trump won the election, critically acclaimed poet and educator Terrance Hayes immediately began writing. The result? A collection of more than 30 sonnets titled “American Sonnets for my Past and Future Assassins.” More than 70 students and faculty members gathered Tuesday night inside the University of Michigan Museum of Art to listen as Hayes read excerpts from his anthology of work, discussing concepts of race, popular culture and modern masculinity in a lyrical manner. The poet received the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 2014 for outstanding creative work and is the author of “Lighthead,” winner of the 2010 National Book Award. His most recent publication, “How to Be Drawn,” was a 2015 National Book Award finalist. Hayes said explicitly that most of the sonnets were written See POET, Page 3A
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The authors of the resolution stated they will continue their efforts to use legislative money to fund lunches that further the Israel Palestine dialogue highlighting the importance of a constructive effort to tackle the delicate subject on campus. Student Government representative Gaby Roth, an LSA junior, explained
why the resolution should be enacted despite the veto because of the nature of how power to spend allocated money is dictated in the Central Student Government constitution. “We feel that because this resolution was asking for funds from the legislative discretionary account, it should be the legislative branch that determines the
use of these funds,” she said. “And just as we wouldn’t have a place in determining the place of the executive funds, the same goes the other way. ” Rackham Student rep. Andy Snow supported Roth’s sentiments about the legislative branch’s power to use their allocated money without intervention from See CSG, Page 3A
HAYLEY MCLAUGHLIN/Daily
CSG president David Schafer discusses his decision to veto the Israel-Palestine lunches at the Central Student Government meeting in the Union on Tuesday evening.
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INDEX
Vol. CXXVII, No. 30 ©2017 The Michigan Daily
launches bid for CSG
The groups takes aims at issues surrounding identity and inclusion RIYAH BASHA Daily News Editor
Anushka Sarkar walked out early from the first Central Student Government mass meeting she attended freshman year. None of the faces in the room, she found, looked like hers. No representative present shared her IndianAmerican heritage, and barely any attendees were students of color at all. Sarkar, now an LSA junior, launched her campaign for University of Michigan student body president Monday night. She’s running alongside her vicepresidential candidate Nadine Jawad, a Public Policy junior. Together, the two head eMerge, the first and only party to announce its candidacy in this year’s race so far. Jawad, presently a CSG senior policy adviser, and Sarkar, a former chief programming officer, share four years of campaign experience between them; the ticket’s core team also features a number of student government veterans, many from the administration of current CSG President David Schafer, an LSA senior. Both boast extensive experience in crafting policy recommendations: Jawad See EMERGE, Page 2A
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6
SUDOKU.....................2 CLASSIFIEDS...............6 SPORTS....................7
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2A — Wednesday, February 15, 2017
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ON THE DAILY: CAMPUS WEATHER HEATS UP FOR VALENTINES When the temperatures were higher than normal in January, many believed the weather would get back to normal soon. Winter months at the University of Michigan normally consist of below-freezing temperatures and a lot of snow. But here, in the middle of February, some might say Spring Break has arrived early. Many students have expressed their appreciation of the sunny days. The Michigan Students account wrote on Twitter, “Ann Arbor’s sunshine and clear, blue skies is making me feel all kinds of happy today!” Despite a positive reaction to the warmth, a new study led by Ian Winkelstern, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University,
found this latest warming to be harmful to rising sea levels. The last time it was this warm, cold water that had melted from Greenland’s ice sheets was f lowing as far down the Atlantic Ocean as Bermuda, altering the ecosystem and chang ing the ocean’s climate. Winkelstern told the Michigan News this could destroy the coral reefs of Bermuda, f lood North A merica and cause Europe’s temperature to drop. “If a big enough chunk of Greenland falls off, which has clearly happened in the past and has clearly caused these dramatic changes in the past, there’s no reason to think it couldn’t happen again,” Winkelstern told the Michigan News. “We’re doing a pretty good job of melting it right now.”
Regardless of whether this warm-up is from the effects of climate change, get ready for the warm days and sunny skies to continue this weekend and next week.
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HAYLEY MCLAUGHLIN/Daily LSA English professor Walter Cohen presents on issues of the Jewish identity and modernist fiction in the Thayer building on Tuesday.
CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES “The Student Body” Screening WHAT: As part of Eating Disorders Awareness Week, come watch a film about a high-school student challenging statemandated body mass index tests with a discussion afterward. WHO: Body Peace Corps WHEN: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. WHERE: Trotter
“13th” Screening and Q&A
Chamber Choir and Percussion Ensemble
WHAT: A screening of the Oscarnominated film “13th,” which investigates the U.S. prisonindustrial complex. There will be a panel and discussion following the showing. WHO: Muslim Students’ Association WHEN: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. WHERE: Palmer Commons
WHAT: With Jerry Blackstone conducting, the chamber choir and percussion ensemble perform Tarik O’Regan’s Mass Observation. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: 8 p.m. WHERE: Hill Auditorium
Vinegar 101
Busty and the Bass
Are You LinkedIn?
WHAT: A class teaching the many uses and complexity of vinegar other than for cleaning or salad. Must sign up in advance. WHO: Zingerman’s Delicatessen WHEN: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. WHERE: 422 Detroit St.
WHAT: With their most recent LP, “Lift,” Busty and the Bass perform a set embracing their hip-hop and jazz influences. WHO: The Blind Pig WHEN: 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. WHERE: 208 S. 1st St.
WHAT: Learn how to build your professional network and learn how to find opportunities on LinkedIn with members from ResStaff and the Career Center WHO: University Career Center WHEN: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. WHERE: Couzen’s Hall, MPR
EMERGE From Page 1A championed affordable housing reform this year, while Sarkar advocated for increased mental health resources as a part of the Mental Health Leaders Network last year. eMerge’s executive candidates, though, are shaping their campaign around more than policy credentials. Together, if voted into office, the pair would be the first women elected on one ticket as president and vice president since at least 1993. Much of the excitement about eMerge’s launch, and indeed the party’s platform as a whole, centers around these questions of identity and inclusion. Driving the platform is Sarkar and Jawad’s aim to broaden the base of voices in student government, to include groups on campus not familiar with, or even faithful in, CSG. “It’s about representation and empowerment,” Sarkar said. “We want students to speak without us necessarily speaking for them. Some students don’t feel like CSG does anything for them …
CSG should listen and not be autonomous because 10 people in a room don’t know what’s best for 43,000.” Jawad, clad in hijab, is quick to clarify neither candidate represents all women of color. She agreed, though, that as a low-income LebaneseAmerican Muslim, the politics of representation greatly affected her time on CSG. The average member of CSG, a recent demographics self-survey reported, is white, hetereosexual and male — and 37.2 percent of the governing body comes from homes earning more than $250,000 a year. “Our identities are pivotal,” Jawad said. “There is power working with students different from yourself, and me being different is a new avenue for students who look like me. My identities haven’t been represented before. I want them to know this is a real thing you can do.” “I forced myself to break the homogeneity,” Sarkar said. “Some people told us not to run together as two women of color, and that to me was the most empowering thing. We can still win … we know how important it is to bring people who look like us to the table.”
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Current CSG Rep. Arlyn Reed, an LSA junior, hasn’t endorsed eMerge, but lauded Sarkar and Jawad’s credentials. “Even talking to my friends, a lot of people are asking if they can do it,” she said. “And they absolutely can. I think representation is important, and that this is really cool.” In a year fraught with racial tension and political anxiety, eMerge hopes to foster unity and collaboration, following much in the footsteps of Schafer’s stated goals. Many of its shortterm policy proposals, labeled “hold us to it,” were crafted with the entire student body in mind. Such initiatives include stronger Wi-Fi on the Diag and off campus, improved bathroom facilities and making phone and computer chargers available at on-campus study spots. Campaign Communications Director Cassie Fields, an LSA junior, said the goals are simple, but tangible. “We want to make it easier for students to be students, and (make) campus more accessible,” she said. “There’s no false advertising.” Jawad agreed small barriers to accessibility can often amount to significant hurdles. She strives to create a centralized hub for students to find both resources and avenues to lobby for even more. This year, Jawad helped launch the Leadership Engagement Scholarship, which is geared toward alleviating the economic burden of extracurricular activities. “Coming from economic hardship, I know how important it is to convey those resources,” she said. “The economic disparity is really reflected in student engagement.” eMerge accordingly weaves inclusion into most of its broader goals: creating mentorship programs for non-traditional, multilingual and first-generation students; connecting students to service opportunities and expanding in-state tuition benefits to undocumented graduate and non-traditional students.
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Michigan Alumni @michiganalumni
Open Stage Night
Today is also #NationalDonorDay. Read this amazing story about @ umichsoftball’s Aidan Falk and her sister.
WHAT: Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for the Ark’s open stage night featuring anyone with a twosong, or eight-minute, set. WHO: The Ark WHEN: 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. WHERE: 316 S. Main St.
Erin
Underground Yoga
@ErinArsenault98
WHAT: A yoga class featuring a mixed-level vinyasa and immersion in light and sound. Open to all skill levels. WHO: Southpaw Events and Underground Yoga WHEN: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. WHERE: 516 E. liberty St.
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REFUGEE From Page 1A since fleeing Syria more than six years ago. After members of her family were kidnapped and others received threats, her father’s side of the family decided to flee from Damascus, Syria to Jordan. Like so many others, their journey to the United States was a long and stressful one. Daboul’s older brother was already attending medical school in the United States when the family fled to Jordan. Once settled in Jordan, her parents decided to visit their eldest son in the United States. Once they were there, her parents decided to apply for visas and request refugee status. The process was supposed to take six months — Daboul’s parents ended up waiting in the United States for two years without permission to leave the country except for a two-week trip to see their children. Daboul, the eldest of the four children left behind in Jordan, took on the role of cooking, cleaning and, in a general sense, being the parent while waiting for the U.S. government to allow her parents to come back to Jordan and bring them to join the rest of the family in Michigan. “There were so many times in Jordan I would call my brother and be like, it’s over — I was a really dramatic kid,” Daboul said. “The day we found out we were going to America, I was jumping on the bed the whole day because I finally was able to join my parents and brother.” In 2011, the Arab Spring saw the end of two long-term administrations, Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Syria’s own protests developed into violence after the torture of 15 teenage boys who voiced support of the Arab Spring. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad continued an assault on his citizens, detaining hundreds and beginning the civil war known as the Syrian conflict. The Free Syrian Army and the terrorist movement ISIS were born out of the struggle against al-Assad, leading to more than 450,000 killed and 50 percent of the country’s pre-war population displaced. As of December 2016, there are 4,873,248 refugees from Syria worldwide. Daboul considers her family lucky since they left so early in the revolution and were able to move to the United States relatively smoothly, leaving before ISIS even became a prominent threat in the country. “To me, most Americans think the only issue is ISIS,” Daboul said. “It was mainly an opposition to the president and ISIS isn’t as big as the media makes it to be. I was in Syria five years ago and ISIS didn’t exist back then. It bothers me. This isn’t to say ISIS isn’t a big deal … but now everything people talk about is ISIS, which is a big deal and we need to get rid of it but you’re not talking about the other main issue at all
CSG From Page 1A the executive board. “First, I agree with them constitutionally,” Snow said. “And second, whether or not you like it, I want to understand, your thought process to take our money from us. Because that is what you’re doing.” The executive branch of Central Student Government has expressed its reservations for the proposed resolution because of its exclusivity and its lack of precise details regarding the time, location, size and mediation of the discussion lunches. However Devin Jones, an LSA senior who identified as a Palestinian student, noted the privateness of the proposed lunches were due to the sensitivity of the topic. “These are people who identify as pro-Israel, and then on the other side you have people who identify as pro-Palestinian...the reason it is closed is something that could be debated,” Jones said. “I personally do not believe in CSG coming in and sitting in on meetings, because the meetings are discussing personal things that you have to be a part of the
anymore.” Michigan’s population Michigan has the second highest population of Syrian refugees, with most residing in Troy and Dearborn. The state has the highest Arab population in the United States, containing 2 percent of the state’s population in 2015. Tawfik Azalem, director of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants in Detroit, said the group mostly settles refugees in Wayne and Macomb Counties — areas with large Middle-Eastern, Iraqi and Chaldean populations. “Michigan is a welcoming state and immigration is a really great opportunity to grow our state,” Azalem said. “I truly think diversity is power. Michigan and the specifically Detroit metro area is one of the largest Middle-Eastern populations in the country.” Patrick McLean, a Syrian American Rescue Network board member, explained many refugees settle in Michigan through the network of past Syrian immigrants — he referred to Dearborn as the “heart of Arab-American culture.” On Jan. 25, Ann Arbor City Council passed a resolution to protect immigrants from federal investigation — however, the city did not declare itself as a “sanctuary city.” This was in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order on the same day against sanctuary spaces that could potentially lose federal funding. The attempt at an immigration ban On Jan. 27 — International Holocaust Remembrance Day — Trump signed an executive order calling for suspended immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries such as Somalia, Yemen and Syria. Trump’s order in return faced exceeding amounts of backlash, with protests sparking across the country. However, some viewed the immigration halt as a means of protecting the nation. “Without question, what the current president is doing with his executive order is really creating a culture of fear among the refugee population and the broader immigrant population,” McLean said. “It is not going to make us safer — it has the potential to make us less safe, because it will make refugees and immigrant much more reluctant to deal with law enforcement and the broader community. It’s terribly misguided.” However, McLean found hope in the support he saw throughout the country. On Jan. 29, thousands crowded in the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, chanting “Let them in” and welcoming arrivals. The ban received mixed reactions on campus. LSA senior Adam Mageed, president of the campus University Muslim Coalition, said in late January the policy ignores refugees whose lives could be in greater danger. “I think that Americans are incredibly safe and take their safety for granted,” Mageed said. “Security at the cost of heavy discrimination isn’t security.” Some on the conservative side
communities to understand.” After the vote, some CSG representatives expressed disheartenment at how much the vote in support of the Israel Palestine dialogue lunch resolution had changed since last week, when the resolution was supported widely by the body. CSG representative Sheema Rehman, an LSA senior, also announced to the body that general lack of attention to the needs of the student body is a problem which should be addressed within CSG. She mentioned the student sit-in last week saying she believed it is CSG’s responsibility to be present at such events when students are protesting to have their voices heard on key issues. “On Thursday, Students for Justice held a sit in at the Michigan Union from 5-2AM showing student frustration at the lack of the University’s response and calling CSG and members of the administration to listen to student concerns,” she said “But what was even more disheartening was the fact that we had very little representatives show up at any point- and this was a seven hour time period. Student’s aren’t asking for you to do much accept listen.”
disagreed, believing the ban to be vital for national security. LSA junior Enrique Zalamea, president of the University’s chapter of College Republicans, said in an earlier interview that it was the government’s duty to uphold security. “I am a first-generation American, and I love this country, but I would rather have a more secure immigration process in order to reduce the risk of future terrorist threats,” Zalamea said. “It truly bewilders me to see so many people protesting what is essentially a vital step towards proving our national security.” After the ban was announced, University President Mark Schlissel said he would not turn over students’ immigration information. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, however, backed the order, insisting it was not a Muslim ban but “placing the security of Americans first.” Gov. Rick Snyder, along with 31 other governors, placed a temporary ban on the entry of Syrian refugees into the state following the terrorist attacks November 2015 in Paris. Snyder’s ban prompted many University faculty and staff to speak out against the governor’s actions. In an interview, that November, History Prof. Pamela Ballinger expressed her dismay with the states ban. “The growing chorus of governors who wish to block resettlement of Syrian refugees in their states is a worrisome, yet sadly predictable, response to the terror attacks in Paris,” Ballinger said. “These governors displace blame onto the literally displaced, victims forced to flee their homes as a result of the same extremist violence that shook Paris last week. Such a view ignores that the U.S. commitment to take Syrian refugees is already low, as well as the fact that the process of refugee vetting in the U.S. is a slow and careful one.” On Feb. 9, the federal court rejected the appeal for Trump’s travel ban on the basis that there was no evidence of that anyone had committed terrorist acts from the seven countries. Despite Trump’s claims the court had no power on his order, the ban was disabled. Yet uncertainty still reigns throughout the country — with refugees, immigrants, undocumented individuals and organizations unsure how to shape their futures based on the contentious political climate. The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants is a national refugee program, federally funded, that addresses the needs of refugees worldwide, supporting a transition to the United States. USCRI attempts to provide refugees with transportation, housing and other necessities in the first 30 to 90 days they are in the country. Other programs include aid in employment and family counseling. They also must have a health screening within the first 30 days of arrival.
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POET From Page 1A in response to his thoughts regarding a Trump presidency, and he said one sonnet was printed on orange paper — to emulate the color of the president’s skin. “Are you not the color of this country’s current threat advisory, and the poms-poms of a school whose mascot is a clementine?” Hayes read. “Light as a featherweight monarch, viceroy, goldfish.” Aside from the compilation of sonnets, Hayes also read longer poems from his 2015 work “How to Be Drawn.” In “American Sonnet for Wanda C.” he mused on the ways femininity is both portrayed and stereotyped. “Who I know knows why all those lush-boned worn-out girls are whooping at where the moon should be, an eyelid clamped on its lightness,” Hayes read. “Nobody sees her without the hoops firing in her ears because nobody sees. Tattooed across her chest she claims is bring me to where my blood runs and I want that to be here where I am her son, pent in blackness and turning the night’s calm loose and letting the same blood fire through me.”
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VP From Page 1A for global challenge-centered goals. Though other universities are also able to get involved, these three central participants have already applied this model to establish a global collaboratory in advanced manufacturing. The University has been on the forefront of driverless technology nationally and internationally with the creation of Mcity, the simulated urban-suburban driving environment located on North Campus that prototypes and tests automated vehicles. Carrie Morton, deputy director of the Mobility Transformation Center — established in 2013 as a partnership program within academia that expands to include industry and government — said Mcity is the MTC’s largest contribution to the University’s research interests. Morton highlighted its significance in terms of drawing partners and government involvement, especially through the Department of Transportation both statewide and nationwide. “We have been able to grow our research portfolio well beyond the technology and we’re starting to get a better understanding of how humans interface with these technologies, which is really important when we try to understand consumer acceptance,” Morton said. Morton outlined much of the progress that has been made with regard to intelligence infrastructure, including a new traffic control center, the launching of TechLab — an initiative with the Center for Entrepreneurship where early-stage companies are launched at the MTC — and having open connected and automated vehicles. This fleet of two vehicles, professionally established as driveby-wire vehicles, hold the goal of creating a platform allowing MTC researchers to speed innovation and reduce the normal barriers of working on these technologies. “We really have a wonderful glide path to be able to deploy what we learn in the real world very quickly,” Morton said. Hu also initiated a student Scholars Program through MCubed — which stimulates innovative research and scholarship through distributing real-time seed funding to multidisciplinary, facultyheaded research teams for undergraduates. $4000 is allocated for each accepted undergraduate participant for summer work. The graduate level program is similar but allocates $8,000 per student to those involved. “I’m very supportive of undergraduate research,” Hu said. “Everywhere I travel, people talk about their research experience, how undergraduate research really enabled them to be independent thinkers, define problems, solve problems, drawing
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 — 3A a conclusion or writing a report.” New Initiatives Another program of Hu’s is the Exercise and Sport Science Initiative, which aims to optimize health and athletic performance, co-directed by Kinesiology Prof. Ron Zernicke. The initiative involves collaboration from the fields of data science and analytics, new sport technologies — including design and prototyping — and performance optimization. Zernicke, who focuses on optimal performance, was appointed to co-direct the initiative with biomedical engineering Prof. Ellen Arruda last September. Zernicke said he has found Hu to be supportive of cross- and interdisciplinary research branching multiple sectors of the University in many ways. Though a new program, the ESSI has conducted research that could hold implications not only for athletes, but also for the medical field, particularly through recording technology useful for critical care units in terms of monitoring individuals’ life sciences measurements, care input and nutrition. Zernicke cited the ESSI as a way to solve social problems, establish a business venture and hold corporate partnerships, all within the multidisciplinary expertise of the University. “One of the intriguing things is that Michigan has the health system here — including the sports medicine — it has the athletics, and it has all of these other multiple schools and colleges,” Zernicke said. “What I was most impressed with Jack was that he basically saw this as a way of really integrating the breadth and depth of Michigan to look at significant societal needs and maintaining health and wellness.” DEI In terms of the role the office plays in University President Mark Schlissel’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan — a five-year plan aiming to create a more inclusive campus environment and promote a more diverse climate — Hu said he fully supports the University’s efforts. “We support the president’s plan and I also truly believe diversity is very conducive to innovation,” Hu said. “From a company perspective, I understand exactly why there is interest in this, because for any company that provides services or products, their customers are diverse, so you must understand their needs and preferences. You want your product team and marketing team and everyone to understand what your customers want … a diverse team is very good for innovation. Because we are a research organization, I believe in that as well.” Through service and research units, the Office of Research’s specific DEI plan aims to strengthen and expand the office’s educational offerings that promote the goals of the DEI, increase the diversity of its staff through
targeted recruitment strategies and improve external outreach to corporate partners, governmental agencies and foundations. Challenges One challenge Hu said he has faced includes involving differing sciences in University research. “We have been trying to promote the participation of the faculty and schools in the social sciences,” Hu said, specifying this particularly applies to Mcity. Hu highlighted understanding consumer behavior and acceptance to autonomous cars, legal and ethical issues with autonomous driving and a need for increased business models in response to autonomous vehicles are all facets of social sciences that can contribute to the studies of technology’s impact on transportation and employment opportunities. “If a lot of things are automated in manufacturing, service and transportation, then we don’t need that many drivers, we don’t need that many workers, so what do people do? This is a critical discussion I think the country as a whole needs to have.” LSA senior Adedolapo Adeniji, an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program social sciences peer advisor, said she has been involved with UROP since her freshman year. “I’ve found myself utilizing a lot of the skills that I learn through research in class,” Adeniji said. “I think people undervalue the role research can play in your everyday college life.” Adeniji said the issue is not the University’s lack of focus on social science research, but rather, a negative stigma attached to research that is not based on data science and mathematics. “I think there’s a common misconception that research is a hard science,” Adeniji said. “That research is math. That research is only for people who are pre-med, or that research is chemistry or physics ... and that’s a misconception I had when I came into college when UROP was introduced to me.” Both Morton and Zernicke expressed interest in further collaboration with the social sciences as well. “There’s such a strain on the talent pipeline right now,” Morton said. “The heart of what we’re doing that is so unique is providing this real-world data about how these technologies are used and how they’re deployed, and so getting further engagement with the social sciences will be really important for us in the next year to continue to get a glimpse into the future.” One initiative that Morton said has improved the multidisciplinary dialogue between Mcity and law students was the University Law School’s creation of two new courses focused on studying multifaceted issues within the MTC.
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Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4A — Wednesday, February 15, 2017
COREY DULIN | COLUMN
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IBRAHIM IJAZ | COLUMN
Selfies not for service
I
’ve been waiting for years marketing material. Don’t see for a show to be made the problem? At the center of this about photographers. issue is the greater conversation The thrill of following light, on voluntourism, the ugly seeking out stories American and the and composing white savior complex. masterpieces Unsurprisingly, many offers the perfect of these problems are ingredients for a evident in Art Wolfe’s captivating story. travels in “Tales by Enter: Netflix. Light” and in many Netflix recently of our ASB Facebook introduced the albums. Australian series When we, as “Tales by Light,” students, go abroad IBRAHIM which follows an in service, what IJAZ expert photographer do we stand to in each episode. Needless to say, gain? Are we widening our I binge-watched the first season, worldviews? Or are we going but something about the episode abroad for popularity and “Tribes” disturbed me. The show profit? In the end, it’s a mixture documents photographer Art of both. When Art Wolfe travels Wolfe in Papua New Guinea as he to Papua New Guinea out of a attempts to “record what might self-given obligation to preserve not exist too far into the future.” the cultures of indigenous He speaks throughout the tribes, he’s also focusing on the episode of his “obligation” to expansion of his photographic photograph the peoples, cultures curriculum vitae. And that’s and traditions of the places fine. But we have to be critical he visits. Is this photographer about serving abroad in order “running around third world to increase our social media countries objectifying their presence when doing so comes subjects to the fullest extent,” as at the cost of the service itself. one reviewer put it, any different It took a full year of reflection from the influx of so-called on my freshman year weekhumanitarian selfies seen on long ASB in Guatemala to come social media post-Spring Break? to terms with this. I went on As alternative Spring Breakers my first ASB as the student gear up for their trips of a lifetime, photographer in 2015 and took it’s imperative they strongly tens of thousands of photos consider replacing phones with for our host organization. The full-on philanthropy. photos were to be used for To get a sense for the selfie donor recruitment — in a word, epidemic — a selfidemic, if marketing. But to be fair, it was you will — everyone going on altruistic marketing with the an alternative Spring Break goal of sustaining development should pay a visit to the efforts in Guatemala. Each photo viral blog, Humanitarians of began with my asking to take Tinder. The page provides a their photo, a scrambled, “¿Puedo steady flow of Tinder profiles tomar tu foto?” and was followed featuring seemingly well-off by uncomfortable smiles amid a 20-somethings posing with firing of my camera shutter. impoverished individuals in Eventually it got easier to take foreign countries. It doesn’t take photos without receiving full long for an innocent selfie taken consent. I assumed everyone with a kid in a school, orphanage would want their photo taken or clinic to go through editing, and wouldn’t care what was to filtering and captioning, directly be done with the picture. The reducing it from memory to same kind of socially required
permission to photograph in the United States is thrown out the window when we, as student volunteers, begin documenting our trips. Throughout the “Tales by Light” episode, I uncomfortably watched as the photographer decorated multiple Papuans with paint and photographed them as fullfledged models. What would constitute participation in the modeling industry in the United States is free labor from the Papuan. But this is an idea that escapes many. When we post pics with our friends, we tag them, and they presumably receive the benefits of social recognition. When we photograph models, we pay them, either in publicity or money. Why don’t we afford these same benefits to the people (read: “fellow human beings”) we serve? I made a decision to put down the camera during my second year in Guatemala and couldn’t be happier with my decision. My focus shifted from self-promotion to service. My concern was no longer photographing the child on his way to getting his vitals checked, but checking his vitals and monitoring his health. So my greatest exhortation to anyone going on an ASB: Think about why you’re going. Think about the people you’re serving and what they deserve and whether or not you want to partially deliver. Don’t make the same mistakes I did; be deliberate in your presence and treat everyone with the same respect you wish to be treated with. A viral and satirical Instagram account, @barbiesavior, really drives the point home. Complete with captions like: “Just taking a #slumfie amidst this dire poverty and need. Feeling so #blessed and #thankful,” Barbie Savior highlights the issues we can get caught up in when we place posting over people. Ibrahim Ijaz can be reached at iijaz@umich.edu.
SUBMIT TO SURVIVORS SPEAK The Michigan Daily’s Opinion section is seeking additions to Survivors Speak, a series of first-person accounts of campus sexual assault and its corresponding personal, academic and legal implications. Submissions will be due by March. 10 at 11:59PM. Visit http://bit. ly/2kIeoMq for more information.
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NOTABLE QUOTABLE
We are aggressively going to continue the oversight responsibilities of the committee as it relates to not only the Russian involvement in the 2016 election but again any contacts by any campaign individuals that might have happened with Russian government officials. — Sen. Richard Burr, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Tuesday.
I
#LetLizSpeak
want to thank Senate if you tell her to. She was Majority Leader Mitch barred from speaking on McConnell. Not for the Senate f loor, so she said his public service record or what she needed to outside anything like that; of the Senate and I am not a fan of broadcasted it to him and do not millions of people. support any of his Whether or not you political beliefs. warn her against No, I want to thank doing something, him for accidentally she will do what she giving Democrats, feels needs to be feminists and anyone done. If anything, else who does not attempts made to agree with Trump’s silence her, like the COREY appointments or one on Tuesday, DULIN actions their next will just make more rallying cry. people listen to her and make By now, I’m sure everyone her message more potent. has seen the instantly iconic I hate the fact that attempts phrase “Nevertheless, She to silence progressive Persisted” or #LetLizSpeak female politicians continue on Twitter or Instagram. On to happen, but I love what Tuesday night, during a Senate follows. When Trump or debate on the nomination of McConnell try to dismiss Jeff Sessions, Democratic their opponents, the result Sen. Elizabeth Warren is never what they intended. (Mass.) read a 1986 letter With Trump, it was “Nasty written by Coretta Scott King Woman”; with McConnell in which King argued against it is “Nevertheless, She confirming Sessions for a Persisted.” In both cases, federal judgeship. But, Sen. these statements were McConnell interrupted her by reclaimed and used to band citing a rule, one that is rarely women together. They gave used, meant to keep a certain us great memes and slogans level of civility in the Senate. for shirts, but they also gave I’m not surprised that he many women something they tried to quiet his opponent. I could connect to. This shows would expect that from any that there are people, masses politician, especially one of people, who oppose the who refused to hold hearings limits Trump attempts to to fill the vacant seat left by set on freedom and who will Antonin Scalia, former U.S. support each other in the Supreme Court justice. But fight against him. I wonder what he thought Sen. Warren, and other would happen when he tried senators fighting against to shut up one of the most Trump, give me hope that he vocal Democratic voices in the will not just stomp on and country. Did he really think tear down what people have that a woman who exchanged worked hard to achieve. I blows with Donald Trump on need this reassurance. Twitter and joined protesters For the past few months, in a Boston airport following national political news has Trump’s travel ban would seemed like a constant stream stop speaking? of disappointments. Watching McConnell should have Trump be inaugurated as realized that any attempt to president, hearing the news silence her would have the of the confirmations of opposite effect. Sen. Warren Betsy DeVos as secretary of is not someone who will sit education and Jeff Sessions quietly in the background as attorney general and seeing
the anger and frustration of my friends leaves me worried. The people who are coming to power have records showing that they are unfit for these jobs and that they do not have everyone’s best interest in mind. They want to bring the old rules of the game back; the ones that say if you’re not rich, white and male, you may as well count yourself out and watch while the boys play. Seeing this political shift is discouraging, but this shift has forced people out of complacency. It has encouraged people to take a more active role in government; this is obvious by the amount of protesters at the Women’s March and even in late-night shows. It brings attention to the voices of minorities and other marginalized groups because Trump will affect everyone. Hopefully, this activism and inclusion will continue. We need to keep this attitude and sustain this energ y; we cannot allow the events Trump has orchestrated to become the norm. We need to stay vigila nt, not just right now but always, to ensure that the government is f illed with people like Elizabeth Wa rren, who does not just advocate for the rich a nd ig nore the concerns of minorities like Betsy DeVos or Jef f Sessions do. Warren’s actions, those of other senators speaking out against Trump’s nominations and actions and the protests that followed Trump’s election win and travel ban show that no one is going to quietly take their seat. People will speak whether Trump or Sen. McConnell want to hear it or not. Any attempt to silence us will only make us louder. If you try to stop us or to warn us, nevertheless, we will persist. Corey Dulin can be reached at cydulin@umich.edu.
SARAH KHAN | OP-ED
L
Mobilize against Trump
ast Tuesday, racist emails were sent to the University of Michigan computer science and engineering email list. Three days later, Students4Justice organized an emergency protest and sit-in to denounce white supremacy, racism and bigotry and to call for action by the University administration to create a more inclusive environment on campus. As the protest commenced last Thursday on the Diag, I sat in the Michigan Union’s quiet Reading Room, unaware that the organizers were planning the sit-in and protest in the same building. By afternoon the protesters could be heard marching down State Street, passionately chanting, “If you’re with us, join us!” and ascending into the Union, where they distributed a letter of demands directed to the University president, administration and Central Student Government. The attendees and organizers protested in the Reading Room as well, urging those studying and quietly working to join the protest. But a majority of people packed their things and left. The discomfort I felt when the protesters walked into the Reading Room and the reaction from those who decided to leave troubled me. Though I decided to join the sit-in, I was conflicted. Over the past few weeks, I have questioned how my anger toward the political climate can be channeled to effect change. Ending racism, misog yny and xenophobia calls for broad support and participation. With Trump as president, combating discrimination and seeking reparations for hate speech and crimes will be an ongoing struggle. White supremacists, like those who sent the racist emails, feel emboldened, no doubt, by Trump’s success in the election. Richard Spencer’s “Hail Trump” speech at the
“alt-right” conference in November is an example of this sentiment. So, the question remains: How do we build a broader political coalition to resist dangerous government actions and hateful speech? Sometimes, forceful protest will be necessary. Actions by the Trump administration, and his extremist supporters, have had a threatening impact on the lives of minorities, women and immigrants. His executive orders and cabinet appointees threaten to further disempower the already oppressed and vulnerable. These actions need to be opposed with strong, civil expressions of disapproval. Jeff Session’s appointment as attorney general presents an imminent threat to civil rights. The executive order banning refugees from several Middle Eastern and African countries was targeted toward Muslims and thus was discriminatory. Hate speech, like the racist emails, poses a threat to people’s lives by inciting violence against minorities. The list goes on. Furthermore, protests like the one in the Union or like the protests carried out in airports across the country in response to the Muslim ban should not wane. It is necessary to continue to advocate for the people whose lives are affected by hateful actions. In order to continue the momentum of resistance, however, we need broader coalition building: The organizers needed everyone in the Reading Room to join the protest. On campus, we strive to promote inclusivity. The initiatives set forth by the University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan have created programs to teach incoming students about diversity and political correctness during orientation. With good reason, then, we begin our college career cautious to approach sensitive topics.
But this poses a problem: Avoiding a controversial topic out of fear of criticism, or critically denouncing our peers for using potentially offensive language, limits discussion; it shoves difficult issues aside. In our classes we restrain ourselves from expressing our opinions on difficult issues — if we avoid talking about race, at least we won’t say anything racist. Associating ourselves with like-minded people protects us from having our opinions challenged. However, this inhibits us from developing a deeper understanding of the problems facing minorities. We need to create an environment where discussion about controversial issues is encouraged. So, engage in open dialogue. Work together to understand how non-politically correct language can have harmful implications. Be open to criticism and be willing to point out when assumptions about others are biased. If the vulnerable and disempowered in society continue to be threatened by actions from the Trump administration — and by his extremist supporters inciting violence — organizations advocating for change will need stronger coalitions to resist. Being open to speaking to people who look, sound and think differently than you do and reaching out to your peers, including the ones who are apolitical or generally apathetic, is crucial for mobilizing a broader base of allies over the next four years. Now is not the time to ignore the demands of those who feel threatened. And it is not the responsibility of minorities to teach the world why they must chant their demands so loudly. By working together we can build greater understanding and unity in the face of oppression. Sarah Khan is a Public Policy junior.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 — 5A
SOCIAL MEDIA COLUMN
FILM REVIEW
Romanticizing party culture
COURTESY OF I’M SHMACKED
UNIVERSAL PICTURES
‘Fifty Shades Darker’ is disturbing and unsexy Newest installment of book adaptation fails to arouse excitement again. So Ana happily reunites with Christian, whose favorite Daily Arts Wrtier ways of showing his affection are by telling her what to wear, There’s a scene somewhere eat, who to speak to, what to between the sixth and ninth do, how to think, and of course, hour of “Fifty Shades Darker” by forbidding (forbidding!) where a guy pushes Ana her from going on important (Dakota Johnson, “How to Be work trips. But it’s OK, see, Single”) against because he loves the wall, corners her and buys her “Fifty Shades her, refuses to beautiful dresses Darker” let her leave and and they have begs her to have lots of sex. Rave Cinemas sex with him. There’s Universal Pictures Ana kicks him a subplot in the crotch, where one of runs out and Christian’s old everyone in the audience sex partners stalks him and cheers. Two scenes later, the violently threatens Ana, and exact same thing happens only the way he subdues her — the it’s with Christian Grey (Jamie sheer power he has over her — Dornan, “The 9th Life of Louis is maybe the creepiest thing Drax”) instead of a random about the movie. It leaves one dude. Except this time, she thinking that this movie would doesn’t violently injure him, maybe work better as a deeply she just goes along with it and disturbed psychological we’re all super happy because thriller, only it still wouldn’t he loves her, I guess? be very good. This subplot is We know all this already, resolved in the first half of though, don’t we? We know the movie, but it’s hard to say how messed up and abusive exactly what happens to fill the this relationship is and how remaining hour, because the much it sucks that Hollywood movie thuds gracelessly from and the world glorifies it. scene to scene. After about And yet, despite going in 20 minutes, the characters knowing how coercive and fall into a horribly depressing manipulative Christian Grey routine: get dressed up, go to is, “Fifty Shades Darker” is a fancy party, have sex, fight, still deeply upsetting. have sex, sort of talk about the The film picks up several cause of the fight but not really weeks after the first one because there’s another party ended. The couple has been to get to. As you’d imagine, separated for a while because this gets old really fast, and, the last time they were as a result, a two-hour movie together, Christian beat Ana feels like it’s 60 years long. with a belt and she promptly Even the parts that are ran away. But it’s OK now supposed to be decent are because he’s changed, you see, miserable. The first “Fifty and he’ll totally never do it Shades” movie’s soundtrack ASIF BECHER
received a lot of attention and acclaim, but its sequel’s selection of pop songs isn’t nearly as strong. The soundtrack does the movie a disservice because it makes the “plot” even more predictable. Happy scenes of Christian and Ana having sex go with pop songs, sad scenes go with forgettable scored music. It makes the whole enterprise feel even more rote and familiar than it already did. The one saving grace is Dakota Johnson. Most of the cast seems like they really, really don’t want to be there, but Johnson, bless her heart, really does try. She has a subtle sense of comic timing that helps make her character far more likeable than she was in the first film, and gives her that much more agency. With Johnson’s help, the movie is actually kind of funny, but the kind of funny that sort of makes you wonder how the hell you ended up here and why bad things happen to good people. Leaving the theater after seeing “Fifty Shades Darker” has the viewer feeling like a slightly worse person than they were before. It’s not so much that it’s an incompetently made movie, it’s more that, for a movie that’s marketed to women as a sexy night of excitement, it’s such a bummer. The issue I take with it isn’t just that it’s offensive (and it is deeply offensive), it’s that it’s boring. And for a movie that’s supposed to be all about provocation, I can’t imagine anything worse.
NYFW REVIEW
Taoray stained by Trump TESS GARCIA
Senior Arts Editor
Apparently, Tiffany Trump was there. When I arrived at the venue for fashion designer Taoray Wang’s Fall Winter 2017 show, I knew her work was a favorite of Ms. Trump’s. Heck, I’d even seen photos of her front row at the previous season’s production. But when I took my seat on Saturday morning, I felt entirely certain that the President’s daughter would not be making her first public debut since the Inauguration at such an openly liberal function. Few paparazzi were stationed in the venue. The usual huddled pockets of celebrity onlookers
were nowhere to be found. No Trumps today, I assumed, and yet Tiffany remained the only thing on my mind. As I watched models parade down the runway, all I could think about was whether she would wear that pantsuit, how she felt about jewel-tones, if that slit was too high for the President’s daughter. Once we hit the oversized tweed pieces, I pictured the grown woman’s father barring her from wearing something so “unflattering.” I imagined Donald Trump tweeting a photo of the risque lace tops captioned “Sad!” Though I would gladly wear nearly every look from the show’s second half, my brain instinctively eyed every outfit from a “build the wall” perspective.
Wang’s color choice was nearly flawless, her craftsmanship precise. Even her fabric choices, from a remarkably fine velvet to a crumpled tweed, appeared innovative. Unfortunately, my Trump-infested thoughts prevented me from viewing her collection in all of its strongmeets-sexy-woman glory. I would love to go back to that day, to view that show through the eyes of someone who is not scared for the fate of their country. Tiffany Trump’s choice of dress may not be the difference between war and peace, but the world to which she belongs is cruel enough to dull even the brightest of sparkles. Tiffany, I would have loved it if your dad wasn’t the President.
Partying is something that will University to USC to even here always be intrinsic to the college at the University of Michigan. In experience. For college students, addition to parties, they promote a party represents an opportunity everything from college fall to be independent, and more festivals to spring break trips to importantly, it’s an excuse to be sorority recruitment. Toufanian young, wild and free (yes, I am and Ray have also monetized the quoting that Wiz “I’m Shmacked” brand Khalifa & Snoop Dogg by booking venues song). But while we near college campuses should embrace certain and throwing aspects of a fun college insane parties. “I’m party, we shouldn’t be Shmacked” has its ignoring the potential own merchandise and red flags that idealize it even spawned a few the college party imitator platforms, experience. including the similarly With the popular TotalFratMove SAM widespread growth and the unabashedly of social media and ROSENBERG explicit Old Row. In advancement in 2014, it was reportedly technology, big party colleges valued at $5 million. have incorporated the “go hard or What I find particularly go home” mentality, prompting dangerous about this platform is competition with other schools to not just how it normalizes binge throw large, crazy parties and have drinking and objectifies college them go viral in some way. One girls, but how it romanticizes party of the most pervasive purveyors culture. “I’m Shmacked” frames of this kind of unruly partying the culture of college parties as a comes from “I’m Shmacked,” an free-for-fall extravaganza, filled online entertainment platform with gorgeous girls, toxically that has capitalized on the college masculine guys and a whole lot of party scene through entertaining, alcohol. albeit provocative and problematic Some might argue that one of videos. “I’m Shmacked” ’s more beneficial Created by Arya Toufanian quality is its ability to show and Jeffrie Ray, “I’m Shmacked” prospective students what college implemented itself as the premier parties are like, which can help platform for showcasing the them determine what school’s “reality” of college parties when it party scene suits them the most debuted its first video in 2011, taken (note: “A new way to scout colleges” at a Temple University party. After is written in their Instagram bio). their online presence proliferated, However, I would counter that by video crews from “I’m Shmacked” saying that it promotes a negative, continued to visit universities all misleading and distorted portrait around the United States, where of college party life. A prospective they would record the wildest of student might watch an “I’m parties, usually held at fraternities, Shmacked” video and think these and edit them into highly stylized, are what college parties are like — five-minute clips, synced to a a place to shotgun beers, chugging blaring, frenetic EDM soundtrack. Four Lokos, watch girls twerk on Now with 130,000+ likes on each other and do stupid shit with Facebook, 449,000 followers on no consequences. Instagram and 37,000 subscribers In particular, “I’m Shmacked” on YouTube, “I’m Shmacked” profits off distributing amateur has become a nationwide videos sent by college students of phenomenon. In order to expand people binge drinking and heavy its online empire, “I’m Shmacked” drinking. However, these videos, has developed subaccounts for which are littered on the platform’s different universities across the Instagram account, neglect to country, everything from Indiana showcase just how dangerous
binge drinking can be. According to a 2015 article from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 37.9 percent of college students ages 18–22 reported binge drinking in the past month compared with 32.6 percent of other persons of the same age. Researchers also estimate that each year 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes. “I’m Shmacked” may not be directly responsible for these deaths, but they are complicit in perpetuating and glorifying binge drinking as normal and celebratory rather than fatal. As for objectifying women, “I’m Shmacked” uses college girls, most of whom are white, blonde and scantily clad, to promote their merchandise, spring break events and generally for entertainment. This is nothing new, of course. Objectifying women and binge drinking have been portrayed in several films and TV shows about college, such as “Blue Mountain State,” “Animal House,” “American Pie,” “Road Trip” and “Old School.” But the important distinction to make here is that because our generation has become so acclimated to consuming information and content from social media, “I’m Shmacked” has taken advantage of the virality of social media by reinforcing the stereotypes of college parties through the pictures and videos they post. Most people in our generation grew up obsessing over this idea that you have to throw the biggest, craziest and largest party in order to have fun. Parties can be fun, and they should be. People should feel like they can drink without having the compulsion to black out. Women should be able to dress in whatever they want at parties without being perceived through the male gaze of Instagram. If the kind of partying in “I’m Shmacked” videos is the “ideal” fun for college students, then maybe there should another platform that portrays college parties — and college life, for that matter — more accurately.
COMMUNITY CULTURE REVIEW
Curtis’s A2 homecoming ISABEL FRYE For the Daily
Ann Arbor native and saxophonist Caleb Curtis brought a welcoming party to the Kerrytown Concert House this past Sunday. Returning this time to perform with pianist Marta Sanchez, the duo was embraced by the Ann Arbor community. As I sat waiting for the performance to begin, talk over the latest changes to the local middle school and general catching-up filled the room. Socializing was a primary aspect to the atmosphere where everyone seemed to know each other. Largely community-based, the crowd was limited to an older generation, setting up a stark contrast to many jazz concerts I have attended here in Ann Arbor. The feeling of community contributed to the intimate setting of the Kerrytown Concert House. A hybrid of a living room and art gallery, there are two main seating sections that stretch the lengths of two rooms. The piano and performance space are set on a platform in the center room with both seating sections facing the stage. As stated by
Curtis, the venue provides a very “special experience” with “a lot of space for people to hear the instruments.” While there may be a significant amount of audience space, I found that the two different rooms provided vastly different listening experiences. Initially, I sat directly facing Marta Sanchez on the piano and Curtis playing from the front. The sound was direct and the two were in balance, as though perfectly set to volumes in a recording. From the other room, the sound of the saxophone was much more striking. The complexities of Curtis’s sound came out from this vantage point while the piano melted into the background creating an entirely new landscape. Hearing the complexities added to the live aspect of performance and created a more provoking experience. The Sanchez and Curtis duo concert was incredibly well put together. Playing from a range of jazz standards and original compositions of each of the musicians, the pieces kept a certain level of engagement from the audience. As musicians, their performance had unity and a deliberateness to each phrase. Despite being free of mistakes and an effortless
performance, I craved more: more communication between the artists and more engagement with the audience. The performance felt too planned at times, which took away from the live aspect I am so drawn to. In such a familiar setting, I would have hoped for more risks and taking advantage of the space to have fun. On stage, Curtis referred to the homecoming as a “relief from the stress of New York.” This came through in the performance; Curtis seemed to be taking a deep breath and focusing solely on playing. It was a familial affair as the crowd cheered on Curtis, and the duo took a step back from the pressures of the New York music scene. As a musician, I realized that the technical and musical aspects alone are not enough to create an extraordinary performance — it is authenticity that drives excitement into a performance. When an audience can witness risks being taken and become a part of the performer’s musical exploration, a profound power surfaces. The perfection of technique and rhythm are not enough; it is the uniqueness and individuality of a musician that creates an enduring and compelling performance.
Arts
6A — Wednesday, February 15, 2017
CONCERT REVIEW
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
TV NOTEBOOK
NICKELODEON
ATLANTIC
Circa Survive is electric at Royal Oak Band’s ten-year anniversary show celebrates their penchant for musical complexity and fervor, both onstage and in their studio DOMINIC POLSINELLI Daily Arts Writer
Last Friday, I once again found myself in a sea of mostly bearded, 20-somethings (apparently a common motif in my life) at the beautiful Royal Oak Music Theatre. This time, it was to witness one of emo rock’s most talented bands Circa Survive. In honor of its ten-year anniversary, the band performed their second LP On Letting Go in full, including two b-sides recently put out on Bandcamp with all proceeds going to the ACLU. Circa Survive are an astoundingly gorgeous band. Their music is absorbing, and their visual performance keeps up toe-to-toe. Last year, Circa did an anniversary tour for their first record, Juturna. While still a beautiful show, Circa decided to one-up it and go all out with their stage presence this time around. Two replicas of their iconic woman’s headturned-hot-air-balloon image from the album cover flanked each side of the stage, featuring mesmerizing projections timed to the music. In contrast to last year’s show, I found my eyes constantly sweeping the stage
from the fantastical light show and energy flowing through every member. A caveat to anniversary shows is that there’s no suspense to the setlist — the album is the setlist. There’s no thinking involved in pacing the set. When an artist has such expertly crafted material like Circa’s, they really can’t be blamed for wanting to continue playing them through. On Letting Go encapsulates the inimitability of Circa while still remaining an incredibly cohesive listen ten years later. Even with the addition of the heavier b-side tracks, the playthrough felt incredibly satisfying. Beyond the spectacular lights and sounds, the band members themselves add volumes to the merit of the performance. This was my third time seeing frontman Anthony Green in concert, and the enigmatic ecstasy in which he performs remains radiant. He commands the sea of fans with ease, hands grasping for him as they scream the words back in his face, attempting to pull off his unmatched growling falsetto. His bandmates follow suit, moving with the music, rarely stagnant. The entirety of the stage was as visually
dynamic as I’ve ever seen at the venue — the performance demanded absolute attention. Another prominent feature of the show (and anniversary shows in general) is the intensity of the crowd. The pit moved as one big mass as longtime fans let themselves go (no pun intended) to the music they’ve loved for years. United in their love, strangers and fans sing with each other, throw each other in the pit and boost each other to crowdsurf in their passion. The camaraderie amongst the crowd — especially those within the punk rock scene — adds a uniquely beautiful, dynamic element to the entire experience. Circa Survive is a band whose beauty, both sonic and visual, simply crackles with electricity. The complexity of their recorded music translates perfectly into performance. Every word and note were heard with the utmost clarity, and the band’s sparkling brilliance shone through every aspect of the show. Circa proved they know damn well how to put on an anniversary show for the second year in a row, this time outdoing themselves and more than satisfying the fans who have been with them since the beginning.
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RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, February 15, 2017
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By Ed Sessa ©2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
Daily Arts Writer
For some, television is an outlet for escapism from worldly problems and personal anxieties. But while that may be true for reality TV and other forms of vapid entertainment, television should be a medium that goes beyond just an escape. It should be proactive in informing the public about how to deal with issues that affect everyone. Recent programs like “Atlanta,” “Insecure,” “Bojack Horseman” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” are such cases that offer both subtle and overt commentary on today’s most prevalent topics — race, sexuality, fame, gender and mental illness. But perhaps the two programs that feel more relevant than ever are the brilliant Nickelodeon animated show “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and its just-as-brilliant spinoff “The Legend of Korra.” While both are currently off the air — “The Last Airbender” finished with three seasons in 2008 and “The Legend of Korra” wrapped up its four seasons in 2014 — their critical look at xenophobia, terrorism, social unrest and totalitarian populism makes for an eerie, albeit timely, foreshadowing to today’s milieu. In “The Last Airbender,” the messianic protagonist Aang spends the entire series learning how to “bend” the elements of earth, water and fire in order to defeat the evil Fire Lord Ozai and restore balance to the world. The
story is a classic powerful-heroversus-powerful-villain scenario, but “The Last Airbender” offers a mix of solace and intelligence by humanizing the characters, both the good and bad ones. Along with its terrific animation, intelligent writing, breathtaking action and droll humor, “The Last Airbender” is masterful in presenting moral dilemmas and giving practical solutions to those challenges. During the epic series finale, Aang, a non-violent airbender, is faced with the challenge of killing the Fire Lord, a power-hungry firebender. In the end, the writers make an effective, inspired choice to have Aang take away Ozai’s bending instead of killing him, which proves to be even more poetic in its reflection of the show’s recurring conflict between corruption and purity. Instead of resorting to complete destruction of another person, Aang shows restraint by taking away the only power that the Fire Lord possessed using a peaceful yet powerful tactic. However, even with “The Last Airbenders” ’s happy ending, a new evil force would inevitably appear again in the show’s excellent spinoff, “The Legend of Korra.” Set 70 years after Ozai’s defeat, “The Legend of Korra” tracks the journey of the new Avatar, a crafty waterbender named Korra, who must learn airbending in order to fulfill all four elements. In contrast to the Fire Lord and an amalgamation of other antagonists in “The Last Airbender,” “The Legend of Korra” introduced a new villain in every season, each more
powerful than the one before. Korra first engages in a hardfought battle against Amman, an anti-bending populist, followed by spirit-obsessed waterbender Unalaq, airbending anarchist Zaheer and totalitarian earthbender Kuvira. After each major clash, Korra grapples with the fear of being the sole savior of the entire world, knowing that she’ll be weakened as the forces of evil grow stronger. But similar to Aang in “The Last Airbender,” Korra finds the moral compass within her and fights for the greater good of humanity without resorting to simply annihilating the enemy. Of course, we don’t live in a world where people can manipulate classical elements through kinetic, supernatural abilities. But it is still satisfying and almost relieving to have shows with a remarkable amount of depth like “The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Korra.” Given the current tense sociopolitical climate, television plays an even greater role in shaping a viewer’s perception on the world, as well as offering consolation and clarity in times of confusion and profound distress. In an era where “alternative facts” and “fake news” have become embedded into the mainstream American consciousness, truth can often be found in places like television shows. So maybe next time, instead of mindlessly watching an episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” watch TV shows that can entertain and educate. Otherwise, how else are we supposed to make sense of the world?
02/15/17
02/15/17
‘Winter’s Tale’ at Miller the challenge lies in uniting the tragedy/comedy, and making it Daily Arts Writer all exist in the same world,” Bond said. Although the play is one of Every year, the Department of Shakespeare’s least popular, it is Musical Theatre puts on a studio one of Bond’s favorites. production of a straight play: No “Each character is strong, laymusic, no designers and no bud- ered, and has a nice arc, providing get. In comparison to the upscale a wonderful treat and challenge musical performances that come for actors — especially in an edubefore and after this one in the cational setting,” Bond said, “in department’s season, this show some ways it is a better, re-develis a refreshing and immensely oped version of Othello.” impressive change of pace. However, Marty McGuire, the This Thursday, the theatre other assistant director, said that department will the major theme of be presenting the play is transforShakespeare’s mation. “The Winter’s “The Winter’s “It’s ‘The WinTale” Tale.” Professor ter’s Tale,’ so there Malcolm Tulip is the transformaArthur Miller will be directtion of seasons Theatre ing, as he does happening, there’s February 16th, 17th each year, alongthe transformation side two student of time, and most & 18th @ 8 P.M. & assistant direcimportantly, the February 19th @ 2 tors: Senior BFA transformation of P.M. Acting Major people,” McGuire $18 General Zoey Bond and explained. “At the sophomore Actcenter of the play is Admission, $12 for ing Major Marty King Leontes, who students with ID McGuire. makes some bad “The Winter’s decisions, and as a Tale” tells the intrigue-filled result he has to transform from story of King Leontes of Sicily on that in order to be forgiven or in a quest for redemption. As one of this case also move on with his Shakespeare’s later plays, pub- life.” lished in 1623, the play is often Although the play and the considered one of the author’s entire theatre season was set tragicomedies or late romances. about a year ago, there is an Despite a happy ending (gener- unavoidable and eerie echo of ally speaking), death and the the show and our current politifantastically haunting elements cal climate –– the fact that “The situate the play evenly between Winter’s Tale” follows the story his more classical, delineated of a rash dictator is an accidental comedies and tragedies. irony that the production team “The first three acts feel like has not neglected to emphasize. a completely different play, so “The character of Leontes is GRACE HAMILTON
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis 2 Embossed cookie 3 Southwestern clay pot 4 Remove respectfully 5 First-class 6 Armpit 7 Squirt 8 Teacher’s deg. 9 Thought (out) 10 Make sense 11 Composer’s embellishment 12 Bracelet spot 13 Biblical verb 21 Toy inserts usually not included 23 Crescent points 25 Either “The Man Who Wasn’t There” director 26 Doe’s dear 27 Wind in a pit 28 Arm bone 29 Bull Run soldier 30 Over-theshoulder garb 33 In __: as placed 34 “Understood,” in hippie-speak 35 “Little Women” sister 37 Verbal nods
SAM ROSENBERG
COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW
Classifieds ACROSS 1 See 1-Down 5 Risk taker 10 Minimally 14 He sang about Alice 15 Ooze with 16 Bond’s first movie foe 17 Word with interest or service 18 Lavin of “Alice” 19 Water retainer 20 *More than is wise 22 River racers 24 Rose of Guns N’ Roses 25 Poetic pair 26 *Luxury resort chain 31 “__ to leap tall buildings ... ” 32 “David Copperfield” villain 33 Cain, to Abel, informally 36 *Dominated the election 41 Teachers’ org. 42 Sufficient, to Shakespeare 43 Working hard 44 *Complete with ease 48 Descends, as a rock wall 52 Fluke-to-be 53 Worried 54 Farewells ... or, homophonically and read top to bottom, what the first words of the answers to starred clues represent? 59 Fly in the ointment 60 Fly-fishing catch 62 Tennis score 63 Floor piece 64 “Maybe, just maybe” 65 Big name in furniture 66 Clairvoyant 67 Got by 68 See 58-Down
‘Airbender’ primed for future chaos
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a dictator of sorts who operates on the basis of his emotions, and makes very rash decisions that solely benefit him and how he appears to other people, without regards to how that might affect them,” McGuire said. “So, we have changed a couple things in order to draw the allusion a bit more strongly towards a certain political character in our country right now.” With that being said, and apart from switching the genders of some characters, not much will change from this production to the original. This is mainly a result of the low budget of the production. “The cool thing about having no budget is that you don’t have the money to really go time and place, so the time and place becomes androgynous and nonspecific,” McGuire said, “It’s this cool design mismatch of just what we had to create a very universal play with themes that are true to all times and places.” What’s best about these productions each year though, is not due to the mastery of Shakespeare, but to the students themselves who are given the freedom to take the creative lead. “It’s the perfect conglomeration of teamwork in the arts,” McGuire said. “I think that moving forward, as we try to create theatre that can relate to all people, of political persuasions, gender, we include all people in this process in order to allow as many voices heard as possible.” Following the performance on Friday, there will be a post-performance discussion moderated my director Tulip, also featuring members of the cast and crew.
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
ICE HOCKEY
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 — 7A
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Goaltenders balancing ‘M’ responds to poll pressure pressure, performance SYLVANNA GROSS Daily Sports Editor
LANEY BYLER
Daily Sports Editor
There’s no straight path to becoming a goaltender — no rulebook, no schedule written in stone. It’s just a little bit different for everyone. For freshman Jack LaFontaine, it started during a birthday party one day when he was six. There was a group playing road hockey, and the makeshift goaltender before him hadn’t been doing well — “He was getting shelled,” LaFontaine said — so they put him in the net. It didn’t seem like much at the time, but his stint in front of the net started a passion for hockey that would drive him to want to play competitively. After two years of badgering his dad, LaFontaine finally started playing organized hockey. At 12, he started to take it seriously, working out in the summers and playing more and more. Now, he’s a goaltender for Michigan. LaFontaine — along with senior Zach Nagelvoort and freshman Hayden Lavigne — make up Michigan’s starting rotation for goaltender. Often viewed as a player that can make or break a game, goaltending comes with tremendous pressure. Goaltenders have to be competitive, have to be focused and have to be responsive. They also have to truly want to be the person facing the tough shots. “They obviously want to get hit with the puck,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “It’s an unusual position, but they know that there is a reward for that. As far as the technical part of goal, you have to be a good skater,
W
ith two distinct possibilities for the future, the two outcomes of the past two weeks have been as different as night and day wfor the Michigan men’s basketball team. In the first seven-day span, the Wolverines suffered a disheartening eight-point loss to Michigan State in East Lansing, and after a midweek bye, lost to a subpar Ohio State team at Crisler BETELHEM Center by ASHAME four. In both of those games, Michigan displayed a combination of poor shooting from the f loor and defending in the paint that ultimately led to its downfall. Those two central problems have appeared sparingly at various points throughout the season, but when they finally showed up in full force, the Wolverines didn’t have a ready response. At the Breslin Center, Spartan forwards Miles Bridges and Nick Ward had a field day. Matched up against redshirt sophomore forward DJ Wilson and sophomore forward Moritz Wagner, respectively, Bridges notched a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds while Ward poured in 13 points on perfect 6-for-6 shooting. To add insult to injury, Michigan State’s defense held Michigan to just 33.9 percent shooting from the field and 26.9 percent from beyond the arc. While the Wolverines attempted to generate an offense along the perimeter, the Spartans took over in the middle and led the points-inthe-paint battle by 14. The situation grew dire against the Buckeyes, as Michigan simply couldn’t stop Ohio State down low.
you’ve got to be mentally tough. If you give up a bad goal — and everyone in the building knows it, your teammates know it — it’s not like you can take the puck and go down and get it back. You can’t score a goal; you just have to worry about the next shot. It’s a mentally demanding position as well as a physically demanding position.” Padded up in protective gear, goaltenders are faced with the ultimate challenge of guarding the net generally from five opposing players. When a team’s offense is at the other end of the ice, goaltenders are left alone in their defensive zone, tracking the puck for any potential scoring chances. Sometimes, it can be easy to forget about the other goaltender when the action is at the opposite end of the ice. But sometimes the player that’s left all alone in the crease can be the one that pulls a team together. “When we had Shawn Hunwick, he was our third goalie,” Berenson said. “And nobody ever expected he would play, but when he did play, the team played so hard for him because they liked him so much. He worked so hard and got no credit and no opportunity. When he finally got to play, they couldn’t play hard enough for Shawn.” After replacing the 200910 goaltender, Bryan Hogan, due to an injury, Hunwick wound up leading his team to a CCHA Tournament title and made two NCAA Tournament appearances. But even with team support, it can be difficult to handle the pressure of the position. Many often express that a goaltender’s job is mostly mental. As the last
string of defense before a puck goes in the net, it’s easy to blame goaltenders for goals. “If I have an office job, and I’m working from nine to five, and I make six mistakes that day, it’ll probably go unnoticed unless I bring them up to someone and say, ‘Hey, can you help me with these?’ ” Nagelvoort said. “If I go and play goalie and I make two mistakes, and the other team only makes one, we lose that game. “It’s being able to keep yourself mentally strong, and knowing that you’re going to make mistakes almost every night. (NHL goaltender) Henrik Lundqvist doesn’t get shutouts every game. The best goalies that have played the game get scored on in probably the majority of the games they play. It’s making peace with that in your head.” The pressure put on a goaltender is almost unparalleled. When a team wins, most look to the lead scorer or forwards for credit. But when a team loses, no matter by how much, goaltenders are often left to shoulder the burden. But for some, the pros outweigh the cons. For LaFontaine, it’s what motivated him to abandon road hockey for the real deal. And it’s what makes putting up with the work and the pressure so appealing. “After a win, when everyone comes to your crease, they’re pouring off the benches and they give you a little tap on the helmet,” LaFontaine said. “It’s nothing big, not like a massive hug, it’s just a little tap on the helmet and it’s the most rewarding feeling in the world. When you’re just lying across your crossbar and everyone is saying, ‘Hey, good job,’ it’s the best feeling ever.”
Four games are left in the No. 20 Michigan women’s basketball team’s regular season, and it’s never looked better — literally. It’s the first time under fifth-year coach Kim Barnes Arico and just the seventh time in school history that the Wolverines have won 10 games in Big Ten play — the record stands at 13 conference wins in the 1999-2000 season. Michigan (10-2 Big Ten, 21-5 overall) has also clinched a spot in both the USA Today Coaches Poll and the AP for the fourth time under Barnes Arico. But the success puts a “target on their backs” according to the Wolverines, and pushes opponents to play their hardest. “Everybody is bringing their best game to you, every night,” Barnes Arico said after a win against Iowa on Feb. 5. “So it’s incredibly difficult and we have some teams that are in the bottom of our league, but you go on their home court and you do life on the road in the Big Ten. “That’s what happens when you’re a good team. People start coming for you. And now, Michigan is circled on everybody’s schedule as a good team, let’s knock them off. So I think we’re going to face everybody’s best game.” The Wolverines have won six straight games, hold third place in the conference and are the only team in the Big Ten to shoot at least 40 percent from deep. The team is ranked first nationally in 3-point field goal percentage — shooting 40.8 percent — largely led by freshman guard Kysre Gondrezick, who ranks third in the nation with a 47.3 shooting percentage from behind the arc. Barnes Arico has compared Gondrezick to both sophomore
center Hallie Thome and junior guard Katelynn Flaherty, linking the athletes by their standout freshman performances. In some ways, though, Barnes Arico thinks being a freshman is the easiest year, despite the nerves from transitioning into college ball. Players like Gondrezick — and junior guard Jillian Dunston — keep the game “loose” and others feed off that energy. By the time players become
“Everyone is bringing their best game to you, every night” a sophomore or junior, though — like Thome or Flaherty — opposing teams set up double teams to defend, making it harder to maneuver around the court. This is the situation Thome faced Sunday in the Wolverines’ 75-66 win against Wisconsin. The first time the Badgers came to Crisler Center on Jan. 1, Thome broke away with a 37-point game. Yet, this past week, Thome managed just 13 points while Flaherty dominated the game with 35. Though Thome was still the second-highest scoring Wolverine on the day, Wisconsin knew to stop the 6-foot-5 center. But what has pushed the Wolverines past the adversity directed at their top scorers is the ability of the team to look for assists and to depend on the depth of the bench. “I think our team has gotten to the point where they have a great understanding of, ‘If we’re going to be a successful
team, we have to have more than one or two people that can score,’ ” Barnes Arico said. “We also have to have the ability to pass the basketball. When you have someone like Katelynn Flaherty who can score the basketball as well as she does but (can also lead) our team in assists, that’s pretty special.” Leading the team in assists is senior guard Siera Thompson, who has amassed 136 to date. The senior class is small, as it’s comprised of just guards Danielle Williams and Thompson. And the pressure to not only perform, but to also recognize their careers’ end, is taking its toll. “(Thompson), who has been tremendous for us for four years, for the last few games has really struggled to make her shots,” Barnes Arico said. “She just looks like she presses a little bit and I tried to talk to her a little bit yesterday on our day off, and she said, ‘You know, Coach, there’s only (four) games left in my career in the regular season and I want to be at my best and I want to be perfect for the team.’ ” But perfection may not be necessary, as the Wolverines seem to have the rest of the season firmly in check and are favored in the rest of their matchups against Indiana (7-5, 17-8), Michigan State (6-6, 16-9), Nebraska (1-11, 5-19) and Penn State (7-6, 17-8). If Michigan can keep afloat, it could be looking at its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2012-13. “The bigger picture is we just have to realize we’re being successful and keep doing what we’re doing,” Barnes Arico said. “Keep working extremely hard, keep practicing hard, but really try to enjoy the moment and really try to have some fun with it. “It’s the end of the season, the final stretch. Let’s try to enjoy it as much as we can.”
Night and day The Buckeyes outscored the Wolverines 26-8 in the paint and 19-4 in second-chance points, dominating them both in the post and on the glass. Ohio State’s trio of big men proved to be physical mismatches for Wilson and Wagner, who had the tall task of shutting down players with far more experience in the post. Forwards Marc Loving and Jae’Sean Tate led the way with 17 and 13 points, respectively, while center Trevor Thompson secured a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. “It is tough,” said Michigan coach John Beilein after the loss. “Those guys are young bucks in there playing for the first time, and they are going to get overmatched sometimes, and they’re going to get better.
We just gotta wait it out until they get there, that they’re not sitting next to me, that they know how to play without fouling and they know how to move their feet better.” Two consecutive losses to its two biggest rivals was certainly a tough pill to swallow, but their implications took a harsher toll. After the disappointing week, Michigan dropped to 4-6 in the conference — firmly in the bottom half of the standings — and sat on
the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament. With their postseason hopes on life alert, the Wolverines would need a dramatic resurgence to put themselves back into consideration. Still, the upcoming week featured a rematch against Michigan State and a trip to Bloomington, where Michigan hadn’t won a game in seven years. Two more consecutive losses looked like a real possibility for the Wolverines, and with games against No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 16 Purdue and Northwestern still left
“That’s never been the big adjustment we’ve had to make”
on the schedule, a sure death sentence. But in the two days between the Ohio State and Michigan State contests, dusk turned to dawn, a new week began and a new Michigan emerged. On Tuesday night, the Wolverines blitzed the Spartans from the opening tip. Shooting a scorching 75 percent from the f loor and 72.7 percent from beyond the arc in the first half, Michigan had a 55-29 lead at halftime. “If you say, ‘This is the only way we’re going to win,’ and you go, ‘We’re going to shoot threes all night,’ then all of a sudden you can get empty real quick,” Beilein said. “We are a good shooting team. That’s never been the big adjustment we’ve had to make.” While Bridges and Ward
ERIN KIRKLAND/Daily
Michigan coach John Beilein and the Wolverines have experienced two enitrely different weeks that have ultimately resulted in a 6-6 conference record.
still repeated their totals of 15 and 13 points, respectively, the Wolverines matched Michigan State with 34 points in the paint. Instead of being overmatched physically, Michigan overmatched the Spartans in terms of energy. Forcing 21 turnovers and scoring 30 points off them, the Wolverines wreaked havoc all game long, eventually blowing out Michigan State by nearly 30 points. Though the hot shooting didn’t travel with them to Assembly Hall, that persistent energy did. On Sunday, Michigan forced another 15 turnovers against Indiana and scored 20 points off them en route to claiming another double-digit victory. Wilson and Wagner proved to be bright spots rather than blind spots, turning it around on the defensive end. The duo acted as a thorn in the side of Hoosier center Thomas Bryant, limiting him to just eight points in the contest. They came up big on offense as well, as Wilson scored 13 points and Wagner notched a doubledouble with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Two decisive wins was clearly a dose of medicine, but their ramifications provide stronger relief. The Wolverines pulled themselves up to 6-6 in the conference — the final spot in the top half — and now sit as a projected 11-seed in the NCAA Tournament according to ESPN’s most recent Bracketology report. While there is still much work to be done, Michigan is still breathing. With six games left in their Big Ten season, the question remains: Will the Wolverines stay in the light of day or revert back to the darkness of night? Ashame can be reached at ashabete@umich.edu or on Twitter at @betelhem_ ashame. Please be kind.
Sports
8A — Wednesday, February 15, 2017
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Adcock reflects on current minor league career Michigan’s former left-hander is playing for the Tri-City ValleyCats, working his way toward the majors HUNTER SHARF Daily Sports Writer
Brett Adcock may no longer don the maize and blue, but he’s still a Wolverine. Following an impressive three-year career at Michigan, the Houston Astros selected the 6-foot left-hander in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He was the 127th overall pick out of 1,215 draftees, and now plays for the Houston’s Single-A farm team – the Tri-City ValleyCats. Adcock finished his college tenure with a 24-13 record – making him the sixth most winningest pitcher in Wolverine history. In addition to his impressive win total, Adcock ranks fifth in career strikeouts with 256. Adcock established himself as a legitimate major league prospect in his junior season, when he struck out 100 batters in 14 starts and 15 total appearances. His ability to strike out batters as a lefty – Adcock ranked fifth amongst left-handed pitchers in the NCAA with 11.49 strikeouts per nine innings – appealed to many major league scouts. The interest from the big leagues left Adcock with the humbling decision of whether to finish out his career as a Wolverine, or live out the boyish dream of playing professional baseball. “It was my time to take my play to the next step,” Adcock said. “I just felt like I was ready to go onto the next level.” There is a learning curve for any player going from the collegiate level to professional baseball. Adcock recognizes this difficulty, but credits the Michigan coaching staff for preparing him for the next level. “I feel like the (Michigan) coaches got me ready,” Adcock said. “The coaches definitely
EVAN AARON/Daily
Former Wolverine Brett Adcock left Michigan as the sixth most winningest pitcher in program history, and is now playing for the Astros’ Single-A farm team.
know what they’re talking about. They’re Division I coaches, they were hired in part to get college guys prepared for the minor leagues and the pros. They definitely did that for me. Honestly, I can’t thank them enough.” In fact, he even says the training regimen was more intense in college than the minors. Nevertheless, Adcock is
quick to point out that the level of play is still much higher in professional baseball than in college; dayin and dayout one plays against a team of exclusively the very best collegiate players. But unlike in college ball, where there is a team element, he is constantly competing with his minor league teammates to get a call up to the next level and ultimately a
“All of my college teammates helped prepare me”
chance at the big leagues. “When you get to minor league ball you don’t really have a team aspect anymore,” Adcock said. “Everyone is trying to get to the top and everyone is trying to get your job. In college, it’s a team aspect more than an individual one. You’re with those guys 12 hours a day, five to six days a week. We were all
together doing the same thing, pushing each other. I definitely miss it, (my advice to my former teammates) is to enjoy it.” The competitive nature of minor league baseball is simply a part of the process of becoming a professional. Luckily for Adcock, he has a former Wolverine in first baseman Carmen Benedetti going through the process with
“You’re playing and having fun doing something you love”
him. The two are not only teammates on the ValleyCats, but friends who – after three years playing together – will rely on one another both on and off the field in 2017, during their first full year in the minors. Adcock saw limited action in Single-A summer ball in 2016, appearing in just three games before tearing his meniscus fielding a bunt. In the summer between his freshman and sophomore years at Michigan, Adcock suffered a similar injury. Having gone through the injury and rehabilitation before gives him confidence moving forward. “I had meniscus surgery, I had the same kind of injury in college,” he said. “So I knew what was going to happen and how I was going to get through it.” In order for Adcock to rise up through the minor league ranks, he will have to come back strong from the injury and also improve his game, as about just 17 percent of MLB Draft picks see any time in the majors, according to BaseballAmerica. com. Adcock knows that to succeed at the next level he must stay consistent, throw more strikes and continue to improve. Despite going from an amateur to a professional, which includes earning a salary, Adcock notes that his mindset hasn’t changed. While it’s an added benefit to get paid, turning pro was never about making money. “The potential to get paid didn’t play a role (in my decision to go pro) because it’s not just the money,” he said. “You have to love (baseball) and appreciate that you’re not sitting at a desk nine hours a day. You’re playing and having fun doing something you love.”
BY THE NUMBERS Brett Adcock’s Michigan career
256
Career strikeouts — good for fifth in program history.
11.49
Strikeouts per nine innings — good for fifth in the NCAA in 2016.
24
Career wins, a total that made him the sixth most winningest pitcher in program history.
100
Strikeouts in 15 appearances on the mound as a junior.
statement T H E M I CH I GA N DAI LY | FE B RUA RY 1 5 , 2017
theNumbers
game
Changing trends in college admissions
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Wednesday, February 15, 2017 // The Statement
statement T H E M I CH I GA N DAI LY | FE B RUA RY 1 5 , 2017
Managaing Editor: Lara Moehlman
Photo Editor: Zoey Holmstrom
Managing Editor: Rebecca Lerner
Deputy Editors: Yoshiko Iwai Brian Kuang
Editor in Chief: Emma Kinery
Copy Editors: Danielle Jackson Taylor Grandinetti
In Excess: A Stream of Fashion Week Consciousness BY TESS GARCIA, SENIOR ARTS EDITOR
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his season of New York Fashion Week, I was lucky enough to assist the production team at an anonymous (shh!) designer label in a twoday, get-shit-done conquest leading up to their fall winter 2017 show. Here’s how it went down, in real time. Day Before Show 2:03 p.m.: My room key is MIA, my shoes are soaked and I just spent an entire 30 minutes next to Kyle Mooney on the train without saying a word. Craziest street style of the day has to go to my man, Winter Storm Niko. He’s wound up in every single photo, for better or worse. Look out, Vogue.com! I start my unpaid job at 3. Hopefully no one at the showroom is bothered by my discolored Nike combat boots. 4:21 p.m.: At Starbucks (again) on a break after working for an hour — grueling. The showroom is incredible, all glitz and gilded. Everyone is terribly nice. I organized expensive underwear for the expensive fashion show, took inventory
of more nice things and stripped models of their less expensive clothes, stuffing their limbs into colorful, avant-garde confections. One model told me all about the laser eye surgery she had in Australia. This coffee tastes like chorizo. I can’t find my water bottle. Sad! Two of my fellow interns just walked in. Have you guys seen a blue water bottle? No? I’m about to walk into a world-class showroom just to search for a half-broken water bottle. At least they’ll know that I mean business. I’m already bored here and I’m praying I will have some incredibly time-consuming task to go back to. That showroom is the bedroom my 12-year-old self so desperately wanted. Come to think of it, this life is all my 12-year-old self could have asked for. She would be so proud. 9:04 p.m.: All right, now it’s really over for the day. I run around town in search of a FedEx, only to find it hidden in the basement of a Sheraton (a Sheraton?), down the street from the showroom. I accidentally walk in on the
ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA STILLMAN
designer’s model fittings. I helped make the executive decision of what pants Kylie will wear to the show tomorrow. Full disclosure: She doesn’t own half of the merch in her Instagram photos. The designer loan is an age-old trick of the trade. My boss seems to like me, and I’m liking her more and more by the minute — if corporate love really does exist, I think I’ve found it. On my way out for the night, she gave me a shirt to wear to the show tomorrow: A politically charged plain white tee, listing the phone numbers of every state’s Congressional representatives. Tell me again how “frivolous” fashion is, Jake Tapper. Tell me again. Show Day 9:54 p.m.: I’ve been working since 10 a.m. Can’t talk. Too much. After-party in a few. The Morning After 9:38 a.m.: I’m feeling so many things — my legs are jelly and my stomach is growling. I’m proud and scared for the team all at once. Speaking only in terms of the 20-minute span in which models paraded the
runway, everything was perfect. Beautiful, kitschy pieces that hugged the body like a supermodel’s second skin. Logistically, though, last night was a textbook example of how one powerful person can foil an entire company’s expertly-planned production. I won’t go into detail, but imagine a GSI stepping into your semester-long group project only to swap out its most reliable members in favor of his or her friends. That would never happen (read: Leaders and the Best), but you get the picture. Last night taught me that what’s out of my control may suck, but that it will never take away from what is in my hands. Those seat cards I made? Mad awesome — Arial bold has never looked better. Gossip session with Fern Mallis? She’ll probably remember my name for three whole days. In all seriousness, I’m so proud of what I accomplished alongside the rest of my team. Their free Moët at the after-party was well, well deserved.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 // The Statement
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Changing How We Write About Trans Folx In Media BY ASHLEY TJHUNG, MANAGING MICHIGAN IN COLOR EDITOR
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t Michigan in Color, we pride ourselves on being a section by and for people of color, dedicating ourselves to producing inclusive content from all marginalized identities. Recently, in collaboration with The Statement, we published an article with contributions from several student leaders on campus. In the process, we accidentally published a contributor’s assigned birth name instead of her current name, Vidhya Aravind. Unfortunately, I, in my role as co-managing editor, made a mistake. In doing so, I caused undeniable harm to her individually, in addition to the trans community at large. A person’s chosen name is an important part of their identity and self. In assuming that Vidhya would keep her last name (which she did not), I unfairly took away that power by overlooking the complexity of names, and ignoring her Indian cultural heritage. It would be false to say that my privilege as a cisgender woman did not play a role in this. When transcribing Vidhya’s interview, I realized she had not provided her last name. It crossed my mind if I should ask what last name she wanted used, but in the chaos of production, I let myself to think “good enough.” I wrote the last name used in her uniqname rather than asking her, like I should have. That was both damaging and dangerous. Cis people often use dead names or improper pronouns when speaking with or about trans folx, creating discomfort and sometimes harm to the person’s mental health. Furthermore, news outlets often use dead names or improper pronouns for trans folx. High-profile examples of this include reporters continuing to use Caitlyn Jenner’s assigned birth name, rather than the name she chose for herself. The media has a prominent voice in the issue, and with power comes responsibility. Using the birth
names of trans folx in such a public sphere not only causes damage to their person, but can also put them in danger. Having information like birth-names publicly disclosed puts trans folx at a greater risk of being publicly outed or harassed. On a legal level, trans folx face high levels of institutional discrimination, particularly in their attempts to change their names. Even when courts approve of such changes, administrative processes to have their name present on all forms of legal documents are both difficult and burdensome. Besides names, trans folx often have little legal protection when it comes to workplace discrimination, or are forced to use facilities of their gender assigned at birth, rather than the one they identify with. This includes anything from bathrooms to prison cells. After my mistake, I sat down with Vidhya to discuss what needed to happen next. She explained her careful process in choosing her name — the cultural reason for claiming a new last name, and the ways she and those close to her have been processing and reacting to seeing her birth name in print. During this conversation, I realized how little I knew about the issues, or even the jargon surrounding trans folx. When researching for this article, I became frustrated with the lack of coverage on trans issues. While organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD, formerly the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination, attempt to educate and advocate for LGBTQ issues, few of the major news networks extensively cover everyday discrimination trans folx face. Coverage of discriminatory bathroom laws is plentiful, but information on trans discrimination in the workplace or the lack of trans representation in television and film are only available on advocacy sites and blogs. As a member of a news outlet, I recognize I am
part of the larger issue of misrepresenting trans folx and the issues they face. Beyond the individual mistakes behind misusing pronouns or birth names, we also need to do a better job of covering trans issues. According to a 2013 study by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, 72 percent of hate homicides violence crimes were against trans women, yet I find coverage of such violence minimal. The media claims to take a neutral stance when relaying news to the public. However, not educating ourselves on the ways privilege can manifest itself in our work can reinforce dominant narratives of silencing and erasure of the trans community. Privilege is the ability to ignore aspects of violence or discrimination against trans individuals. Some might argue that making an effort to cover specific situations of marginalized communities is working on a slant, but, in my opinion, not making more of an effort to cover these injustices is also showing bias. These issues are important to everyone — not just the trans community — and are necessary to fully understand the society we live in. We must be respectful of marginalized communities, vigilant in accurately representing them and their experiences and work to create space for communities to represent themselves. The media has a duty to offer platforms to those facing discrimination and, for trans folx, we are consistently failing. In context with society as a whole, we need to do better when it comes to being social justice advocates and allies to the trans community. My actions are just one in a stream of micro- and macro-aggressions Vidhya will face today. We must take it upon ourselves to continue our education, to acknowledge our own privileges and most of all, to understand when we cause harm and work to rectify it.
ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA STILLMAN
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Wednesday, February 15, 2017 // The Statement
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 // The Statement
The Numbers Game
Changing trends in admissions by Tim Cohn & Brian Kuang,
Daily News Editor and Deputy Statement Editor
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ocated in a predominantly middle-class Detroit suburb within a 20-minute drive of Ann Arbor, Plymouth-Canton Community School’s graduating class submits on average 300 applications to the University of Michigan each year. About one-third are usually admitted and choose to matriculate, according to Renee Eley, a high-school guidance counselor in the district. As an adviser to many students applying to the University over the years, Eley said there has been a noticeable trend toward higher competition in admissions. “It slowly keeps getting tougher,” Eley said. Eley said she has noticed an increasingly competitive admissions process turning away students whom she would describe as otherwise qualified, reflecting the increased selectivity of the application process. “Last year I had a student who had a 3.9 (GPA), and she was accepted at NYU and some other highly competitive schools, but then she was deferred at Michigan, so she ended up attending Michigan State,” Eley said. “There’s no reason she shouldn’t have been at Michigan, and that’s where we get confused, because we can’t really get straight answers.” In the 2009-2010 admissions cycle, the acceptance rate to the University of Michigan for all applicants hovered just under 50 percent. In the 2015-2016 cycle the acceptance rate was 29 percent. This shift has largely been credited to the implementation of the Common Application — an online college admission application that streamlines the application process to more than 600 colleges — five years ago, expanding the applicant pool.
Last October, the University released the latest enrollment figures for the freshman class of 20162017. The data showed a significant increase in socioeconomic diversity and the number of high schools represented at the University, though admissions officers at the University are need-blind. At the same time, the report showed some discouraging trends for Michigan residents looking to attend the University. From 2012 to 2016, the number of in-state students in the freshman class decreased by four percent, while the number of incoming out-of-state freshmen increased by 25 percent. Simply put, as the University expands its class sizes each year, out-ofstudent applicants are the primary beneficiaries. Over the course of the last two admissions cycles, the number of out-of-state students who matriculated has seen an upward trend, largely at the expense of Michigan residents. Forty-eight-point-four percent of the 2016-2017 freshman class represents out-of-state students, as compared to 46.5 percent in 2015 — an increase of 1.9 percent. Over these two admissions cycles, the instate student enrollment dropped by 254 students, leaving the percentage of in-state students of the entire student body at 51.6 percent. While Michigan residents, in general, have experienced greater competition in the admissions process, the University has implemented several programs to make itself more accessible to both instate and out-of-state students from low- and middle-class families. For in-state students the University has invested heavily in two programs, the HAIL scholarship and
Wolverine Pathways, which seek to improve the socioeconomic diversity of incoming classes. According to Kedra Ishop, the University vice provost for enrollment management, the HAIL scholarship encourages the enrollment of students of low socioeconomic backgrounds throughout the state of Michigan by providing them with additional financial aid. In 2016, the HAIL scholarship’s pilot year, the University enrolled 262 students as part of the program. According to an October interview with University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald, HAIL also serves as a way of ensuring that traditionally underrepresented minority students who come from lower-income families in Michigan have increased access to the University without violating Proposal 2 — a court ruling that effectively eliminated affirmative action policies at state colleges in Michigan. “The first year of our HAIL scholarship experiment was very successful,” Fitzgerald said. “We brought in 262 HAIL scholars from all around Michigan. Now, this effort primarily targets socioeconomic diversity because that’s what the state law allows us to do.” Another program implemented by the University to make itself more accessible to students of low socioeconomic backgrounds is Wolverine Pathways, a mentorship program piloted in 2015, for middle and high schoolers in Ypsilanti and Southfield, Mich. — two cities with significant populations of low- and middle-income families — that provides students with free tuition upon their successful completion in the program. And according to Ishop, the University has been largely successful on this front. She noted that the number of Michigan high schools that sent students to the University increased in the most recent admissions cycle. The push to improve socioeconomic diversity at the University has not just been limited to in-state students. For low- and middle-income students from out of state in recent years, the University has become more financially accessible by the increase in freshmen participating in the federal Pell Grants program. The number of students receiving Pell Grants — federal grants issued to low-income students — increased to 17 percent, up from 15.3 percent in 2015, and the number of first-generation students spiked by 5.7 percentage points. According to Fitzgerald this increase in outof-state enrollment is partially explained by University efforts to boost the geographic diversity of each freshman class. Fitzgerald also noted the University’s increase in financial aid packages to such PHOTO BY AMELIA CACCHIONE
students has allowed the institution to attract more out-of-state students that don’t come from uppermiddle-class and wealthy families. “We’ve grown a little bit in non-Michigan students … to diversify the student body,” Fitzgerald said in October. “We’re looking at students of all socioeconomic statuses around the country.” The trend toward greater out-of-state student enrollment at the University has not been without pushback among Michiganders. In the most recent election cycle, Carl Meyers — a Dearborn financial adviser and Republican — ran for University regent on a platform that focused on increasing in-state enrollment. “The University pushes the message that they are a world-class University and we have an obligation to take kids from around the country and the world — and that’s great,” Meyers said. “However, try and say that to a kid from the city of Detroit, Canton or Traverse City that gets the rejection letter that says, ‘We’re sorry, it was a competitive year and we wish you well on your academic endeavors.’ Their life is going to change. And because that out-of-state student took their spot, their life has changed.” ***** For the 2010-2011 admissions cycle, the University became the first flagship public university outside of the East Coast to switch to the Common Application, joining the ranks of lofty names such as the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Virginia, Dartmouth College, Northwestern University and Harvard University. In effect, the Common Application made applying to the University a quicker and more convenient process. As a result of the switch, many out-of-state admissions critics, like Meyers, believe the University has become inundated by out-of-state applicants simply because it’s easier to apply. “The Common App has facilitated students to ‘carpet bomb’ applications to different schools,” Meyers said. “When my son was applying to college, he had a friend who applied to 30 different schools. He was accepted to about 28 of them, and can only attend one. So what we’re seeing happen is that the Common Application clogs up the admissions system.” The switch intended to help the University compete against other highly ranked private and large public schools that also joined the Common Application. Ted Spencer, then University associate vice provost and executive director of undergraduate admissions told the Daily in 2009 that he expected an increase in the quantity, credentials and diversity of applicants as a result of the switch. Mary Sue Coleman, who was University president
PHOTO BY AMELIA CACCHIONE at the time, championed the Common Application as a means to ease the application process without forgoing holistic review of applicants. “For me it became a matter of why wouldn’t we want to make it easier for students to apply to Michigan?” Coleman told the Daily in 2009. Indeed, many high-school students outside of Michigan based their decision to apply to the University on the new, convenient online form. In the 20102011 admissions cycle, 39,570 applied for admission to the 2011 freshman class, an increase by 25 percent over the past year, with most of the growth in applicants coming from out-of-state. Julia Wiener, who was a high school senior from New York in 2011, told the Daily the Common Application likely played a role in increasing the out-ofstate applicant pool. Wiener herself was accepted to the University. “A lot of my friends applied to lots of different schools, and I think the Common App played a huge part in them applying (to the University of Michigan),” Wiener said. In a 2011 interview, then-University provost Philip Hanlon said he expected the number of applicants to be larger, but also less invested in the attending the University. He added that deferrals for early action also increased in response to the larger applicant pool. “(This year’s extra applicants) aren’t, perhaps, as committed to (the University),” Hanlon said. “You always expect that when an application process gets harder, it’s more committed people who apply.” The applicant pool continued to grow each year following 2010, with 55,500 applications submitted for the class of 2020. This represents a 85 percent increase from pre-common app levels. In the 2015-2016 application cycle, 10,959 applications were submitted by in-state students, who had an acceptance rate of 42.4 percent. 44,541 applications were submitted by students from other states
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actions by the Board of Regents, going back to the 1990s,” Meyers said in a recent interview with the Daily. “They began admitting more out-of-state students to solve their budget deficit — that was their safety valve. And their justification is that ‘we’re in a worldwide economy and we want to admit more students from other places,’ but the fact is they (the University) need more out-of-state students to balance their budget because they weren’t as vigilant as they should on the expense side.” University officials like Fitzgerald, however, reject Meyers’ claim that the number of out-of-state enrollees was a matter of revenue, instead arguing that international and out-of-state students add sought diversity to the class profile. Admissions to the University have been in flux in recent years because of several campus developments. Ishop said last November in an interview major administrative considerations — primarily the year-long renovations of dormitories, and past instances of over-enrollment — have spurred the University to reconsider their admissions strategy. Now that all scheduled dorm renovations are complete, Ishop says the University can continue accepting students at the same rate as this year’s freshman class, which grew by 618 total students to 6,689 freshmen. As a result, the admissions department is looking to “stabilize” the process for enrolling the freshmen class — or ensure the class size is controllable. This includes achieving the right balance between in-state and out-of-state students. “From 2014-2015, and from 2015-2016 there has been a modest increase in out-of-state enrollees …” Ishop said in an interview in November. “Now we are in the process of stabilizing the freshmen class size, we would like to get to a steady point between in-state and out-of-state enrollment.” Regent Ron Weiser (R) disagreed with Meyer’s characterization of admissions trends as well. While acknowledging that in-state applicants should receive preference from the University, Weiser also stressed the importance of geographic diversity, insisting that any change in enrollment figures must be taken in context with trends in the applicant pool at large. “It’s important we have diversity of where people are from as well as income,” Weiser said. “I’d have to have a lot more information to come to any conclusions … if you had out-of-state applications of qualified students double, and the in-states down … then those numbers aren’t bad.”
or countries, and these were accepted at a rate of 24.5 ing freshman from out-of-state can expect to pay percent. $45,410 in tuition and fees — not including housing With a more unpredictable applicant pool, admis- and other academic expenses. sions officials found it difficult to control yield rates Over the same period of time, the cost of tuition — the percentage of those offered admission who and fees for in-state residents also increased. ultimately matriculate to the University — and freshDuring the 1999-2000 academic year, an incomman class sizes regularly exceeded their guideline of ing freshman from the state of Michigan could approximately 6,000 students. In 2014, the Univer- expect to pay $6,338 in tuition and fees ($9,291 sity hired Kedra Ishop, a veteran admissions official adjusted for inflation). In-state freshmen coming from the University of Texas, to help curb over- to the University last year were expected to spend enrollment. $14,074 — an increase of about 51 percent over the The class of 2019 was cut to 6,071, but the fol- past 15 years compared to the almost 57 percent lowing year’s freshman class increased to 6,689; the increase for out-of-state freshmen. largest incoming class in University history. In sumThis financial incentive to admit more out-ofmer of 2016, Fitzgerald told the Daily that the new state students is part of the reason Meyers believes growth in enrollment was a deliberate decision in the University has recruited students from other response to the growing number of applications. states. “The number of applications continue to go up “The reason I believe we are here goes back to … and the University wanted to legitimately look at things carefully and say, ‘could we accommodate more of these students showing this great interest in coming to Michigan?’ ” Fitzgerald said. “Could we accommodate them without stretching ourselves too thin or at great additional expense? And what the University has decided is there is room for some growth as long as we can manage it properly and know what to expect.” The number of incoming freshmen increased by 618 students from 2015 to 2016, while the number of incoming out-of-state freshmen increased by 699 in the same time. ***** Amid the backdrop of this out-of-state flock to the University over the course of the past decade, one thing has remained true: The cost of attending the University continues to increase. According to University-released statistics, outof-state tuition and fees for incoming freshman during the 1999-2000 academic year were $19,761 ($28,968 adjusted for inflation). Today, an incom- PHOTO BY AMELIA CACCHIONE
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Wednesday, February 15, 2017 // The Statement
Personal Statement: The Ballad of Bubbie and Yashie
by Sam Rosenberg, Daily Arts Writer
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e park the car in their garage, which always smelled of tar and gas, and I run toward the elevator up to their room. When the elevator opens to their hallway, I sprint down to the end, all giddy and showered, dressed up for Friday night. I could immediately smell chicken and Bubbie’s perfume. The door opens and Bubbie gives me a big hug and a wet kiss on my cheek that I wipe off in feigned disgust. I make my way into the living room to see Yashie on the couch, reading the newspaper and drinking Scotch. I give him a big hug, taking in a whiff of his Old Spice cologne. My father greets Yashie with a friendly “How ya doing, Arthur?” while my mom, sister and aunt help Bubbie in the kitchen. I chomp on some hors d’oeuvres. After we light the Shabbat candles, Yashie takes out his prayer book and mumbles the blessing over wine — his eyes sharp with concentration and his Brooklyn accent thicker than ever. Then, I do the honor of blessing my mother’s savory challah, sensing my family’s anxiety as I cut the bread with my young, stubby hands. We feast and converse about our weekly highs and lows until our eyes grow sleepy and our stomachs bloat. Bubbie and Yashie were the names I called my maternal grandparents. The Yiddish term for “grandmother” is spelled “Bubbe,” but the fact that my family spelled it with an “I” somehow made it more special. As for Yashie, the term was made up by my sister, who couldn’t pronounce “zayde” — the traditional Yiddish term for grandfather — as a kid, so Yashie stuck. Growing up, Bubbie and Yashie were an integral part of my life. In the late 1990s, they moved from the retirement paradise of Florida to a comfortable apartment in Los Angeles, situated a few blocks from my elementary and middle school. Almost every week on Friday night, my family and I would gather for Shabbat dinner at their place. It was undoubtedly the best part of my week, not only because I got to see Bubbie and Yashie, but because their home was always a place for joy and comfort. During the eighth grade, I frequently walked to their apartment after school. Bubbie would give me milk and cookies (either Dunkers or Oreos), ask about my day and let me do my homework in peace. I’d pop into their bedroom to say hello to Yashie, who would be sitting in his plush, white reclining chair. For what it was worth, their presence in my life made me feel safe, known and loved. Bubbie and Yashie instilled invaluable lessons during my childhood that would serve me later in life. Yashie taught me how to play chess, to cover my mouth when I burped and to pick up my food with the fork facing up. Bubbie made sure I washed my face every night before I went to bed and every morning when I woke up, so I
could maintain my “shayna punim.” Bubbie and Yashie shared a magnetic warmth they carried everywhere they went — at birthday parties, bar mitzvah ceremonies and other family functions. But while they radiated liveliness, their eventual path toward death would lead to a period of pain for my family. The summer before my freshman year of high school, I started to notice a change in Bubbie. Her skin became unusually pale, she was a tad skinnier and she had a caretaker. My mother informed me that the liver cancer she survived a few years earlier, came back. That fall, I felt alienated by Bubbie as the cancer had swallowed the life out of her. She became emaciated and jaundiced, confined to the guest bedroom of my aunt’s house where she stayed during the final months of her life. For her final Hanukkah, she smoked medical marijuana to ease the pain. It was the first time in ages I saw a glimmer of the old Bubbie, laughing with delight in her pink bathrobe. But even then, I couldn’t enjoy moments like that because I knew it would be short-lived. After a particularly difficult evening in February 2012 — the evening I said my final goodbye to Bubbie — I experienced my first panic attack. It was in my bedroom that was re-done as a graduation present. Taking in the newness of my room and my farewell to Bubbie only minutes before, I felt overwhelming fright wash over me and I found myself sobbing uncontrollably. I felt like the world was caving in on me. Everything was changing too quickly. That night, I waited in restless agony until my father came into my
room at two in the morning. Through baited breath and tears, my mother informed me of Bubbie’s passing on the phone. For most of my childhood, Yashie suffered from a series of physical ailments — first to a cane, then a walker and finally a wheelchair. As he became immobile, his loquacious personality gradually disappeared, rendering him monosyllabic and catatonic. After Bubbie’s death, Yashie’s health continued to decline, forcing my mother and aunt to put him in several senior living facilities. Like Bubbie, I felt alienated by Yashie during the final months of his life. I was reluctant to visit him at the senior living homes. Instead of staying with Yashie during our weekly visits, I opted to take long walks around the neighborhood to cool off. I couldn’t bear to see my mother and aunt weeping as Yashie sat motionless in his wheelchair, closing his eyes and opening them every other minute. On his 90th birthday, I mustered up the courage to say goodbye — holding his soft, purple-stained hands and telling him I loved him and that I was sorry I wasn’t there for him when I needed to be. And for the first time in a while, I saw his mouth move to speak. The words were hard to hear and the sound was obscured by the oxygen mask glued to Yashie’s face. A week later, he passed away, my family standing over him as he exhaled his last breath. I remember a strange mix of relief and disbelief wash over me, knowing that I spent the past year mourning Bubbie and now had to spend another year mourning Yashie — their collective
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAM ROSENBERG presence was officially gone. There were a lot of things I wish I knew about Bubbie and Yashie. I wish I asked about what their lives were like growing up in New York and what their favorite movies and songs were. I wish they saw me graduate high school and go on to study at the University of Michigan. But then again I knew a lot about them. Yashie fought as a private in World War II and later took classes at Brooklyn College before working many jobs. His biggest venture was opening up his own business in New York, where he manufactured women’s clothing for stores like JC Penney. Most people called him by his middle name, Seymour, growing up. Bubbie didn’t have a middle name. She grew up in the Bronx, went to Alfred University and transferred to New York University. Afterward, she became an audiologist for preschoolers with hearing loss and later became a paraprofessional social worker. Both of their parents were Eastern European immigrants. Together, they were perfect, beautiful, fashionable and charitable. They were my role models. Sometimes, Bubbie and Yashie appear in my dreams. I’m not sure if it’s just my unconscious mind fabricating images and memories, but I’d like to think that they’re visiting me from beyond. I still try to imagine Bubbie’s infectious cackle and her delicious cooking. I yearn to hear Yashie’s jokes and catchphrases and how they made my family laugh hysterically. But most of all, I wish I could go back to that apartment and relive Shabbat dinner with Bubbie and Yashie, together again.
Wednesday, Februray 15, 2017 // The Statement
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Personal Statement: Alone, Not Lonely by Amelia Cacchione, Managing Photo Editor
T
he other night, I took myself out to see “La La Land” at the Michigan Theater. After countless recommendations from friends, I knew I had to go. The only showing I could fit in my day was at 9:45 p.m. on a Monday night, so naturally it was hard to find a friend willing to tag alone. I didn’t think twice because, frankly, I just really wanted to see it. I absolutely love being around people, but sometimes I like to do things alone. It doesn’t bother me. When schedules conf lict or when I’m the only one of my friends who wants to try a new restaurant, I won’t hesitate to take myself. Other times, I need a reprieve from the social exhaustion that comes with having Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts. Being in college is like having a giant sleepover with all of my closest friends, but instead of gossiping on air mattresses, we’re running around and writing papers while applying to jobs. It can be exhausting to have the same conversation 10 times a day, lamenting about my lack of sleep and abundance of reading assignments. My calendar is a quilt of colors, and, yes, sometimes I schedule time to sleep. Doing things alone alleviates the stress of planning and interaction. My thoughts can sort themselves out without the pressure of keeping up conversations. I wasn’t always this way. Freshman year, I felt weird doing anything alone on campus. It seemed like everyone was constantly hanging out with their new friends, and I felt pressure to always have someone by my side. It was exhausting, but it was the true college experience, right? It wasn’t until after I worked in New York City last summer that I realized being alone didn’t mean I was
lonely. Being from North Carolina, I was thrown into a place 600 miles from home where I didn’t know a soul. I was living with family in New Jersey and commuting two hours each way to work. My job ended at 4:30 p.m., and the last commuter bus didn’t leave until 9 p.m. — I wasn’t going to let those hours go to waste. Every morning I stuffed my camera and sneakers in a bag and left work with a new destination in mind. I took myself out to dinner in Little Italy and asked for a seat facing the window, so I could watch the parade of tourists and businessmen as they ate gelato on the sidewalk. I strolled along the Brooklyn Bridge and called home just to say, “Hey, I’m standing on the Brooklyn Bridge right now!” I went to the famous Junior’s Cheesecake, sat at the counter and read all of the laminated newspaper articles hanging on the wall. I listened to my favorite podcast as I walked around the lake in Central Park. One day, I was wandering around Chelsea Market and decided to stop for what would become the best taco I have ever eaten. The chef seemed to pick up on this as I stood at the counter savoring every bite. When I looked up with a smiling face covered in guacamole, he generously handed over another taco on the house. Another day after work, I bought a ticket and rode the elevator to the observation deck on the 102nd f loor of One World Trade Center. The deck had glass windows from the f loor to ceiling, and exhibits about the history of the city. While reading a display, I began talking to an employee who was standing nearby. I talked about my summer job and pointed to the roof of the building I worked in, far below where we were standing.
After some small talk, I learned we were both studying computer science. He originally studied in his home country of France, and was now working at the observation deck while taking night classes toward an American degree. After we parted ways, I thought about all of the people I pass in the dining hall or in the hallway that I never connect with because I’m too distracted by the people I’m already with. Being on my own prompted me to look for interaction outside of my comfort zone and talk to a stranger. All too often I see friends miss out on going to new places or meeting new people because they are too afraid to be seen alone in public. When it’s just you and your thoughts, it’s hard to ignore the voice in your head pointing out that everyone around you is with friends or family. Don’t get me wrong — there is value in shared experiences. But what if sitting alone in a cafe eating the same food as the strangers around you was considered a shared experience? Even when you’re sitting alone in a movie theater, you can hear everyone around you erupt into laughter at the punch line, right? Or what about two strangers appreciating the same painting in an art museum? Even a bunch of strangers standing 102 stories above the street below could be a shared experience. I’m grateful for my summer in New York City because it taught me the difference between being lonely and being alone. Ann Arbor isn’t quite as big as the city, but I still love to take myself on walks to the Arb or Main Street. I understand the initial strangeness in sitting alone in the row of a movie theater all by yourself, surrounded by couples and groups of giggling girls. But I’ve promised myself that being alone will never hold me back from doing what I want.
ILLUSTRATION BY MICHELLE PHILLIPS
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Wednesday, February 15, 2017 // The Statement
V I S UA L S TAT E M E N T: PROTESTS Members of The Michigan Daily’s photo staff captured various protests around Ann Arbor and Detroit. JEREMY MITNICK/Daily Protesters gather in the diag on February 9, 2017 in opposition of President Donald Trump’s travel ban and to stand in solidarity with those affected.
EVAN AARON/Daily
Pontiac resident Linda Hasson raises a sign at former Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein’s ‘Recount Rally’ outside Cobo Center in Detroit on December 11, 2016.
University professors and students protest outside of President Schlissel’s house after racist emails were sent last February 7, 2017.
EVAN AARON/Daily Attendees stream live videos of former Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein’s ‘Recount Rally’ in Detroit on December 11, 2016.
AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily
EVAN AARON/Daily Protesters stand in the Diag for a No To Trump rally Students for a Democratic Society on November 18, 2016.
CAROLYN GEARIG/Daily Pro-choice and pro-life activists protest in front of the Planned Parenthood location on West Stadium on February 11, 2017.