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Thursday, March 30, 2017
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Examining the ties between race and tenure: underrepresented minority faculty count remains stagnant
DEI strategic plan proposes change in hiring and recruiting practices, as candidates of color still encounter implicit bias MATT HARMON Daily Staff Reporter
Along with efforts to increase student diversity on campus, the 42-page Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan outlines the need to increase diversity among faculty. As of the plan’s launch last October, the percentage of underrepresentedminority tenured faculty at the University of Michigan has not changed from 2011 to 2016, according to records compiled by University Public Affairs. In a headcount of total tenured
and tenure-track faculty between 2011 and 2016, the total percentage of all minorities increased by 2 percent—from 24 percent in 2011 to 26 percent in 2016, according to the Faculty Headcount report from the Office of Budget and Planning. The percentage of female tenured faculty also increased: from 30 percent in 2011 to 34 percent in 2016. While these numbers appear to show a gradual increase in faculty diversification that the DEI plan can improve upon, Alec Gallimore, the dean of the College of Engineering, said Asian populations account for a large
percentage of University faculty and can warp diversity statistics. “I knew that we could not have 20-something percent underrepresented minorities on the faculty at the University of Michigan,” he said. “That didn’t make sense. Asian-Americans, in any field like engineering … are often overrepresented in terms of percentage of students and faculty versus underrepresented minorities, which are obviously underrepresented.” The underrepresented minorities included in the data — composing categories of Black,
Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander, and two or more races — show a more flatlined percentage between the years the data covers. From 2011 to 2016, the proportion of such faculty stayed at 10 percent. In an interview, Chief Diversity Officer Robert Sellers, vice provost for equity and inclusion, said the data shows more work has to be done to increase diversity among faculty, but also noted figures from individual colleges may look different. “I think it’s very complex,” Sellers said. “I think we have a ways to go to diversifying our faculty to
look broader and look like the larger society and larger community. That’s one of the reasons why we’re doing our DEI work. At the same point in time, those numbers themselves, while important, don’t tell the whole story. They look different in different contexts and different spaces.” According to an excerpt from the College of Engineering’s annual Office of the Provost report provided by Gallimore, women make up 20 percent of engineering tenure and tenure-track faculty and underrepresented minorities make up 6 percent. Advance gathered
eMerge considers campus involvement Gender pronouns following low CSG election turn out
data from 2016 on LSA and the Medical School, which reported an LSA tenure and tenure-track underrepresented-minority percentage of 6 percent and a Medical School (Basic Sciences) percentage of 5 percent. Tabbye Chavous, the director of the National Center for Institutional Diversity and Education and a professor of education and psychology, said the larger data for all minorities and women should not give a false sense of security in the University’s efforts to improve diversity. The See TENURE, Page 2
CAMPUS LIFE
RESEARCH
examined at dialogue
Recent Central Student Government election had lower voter participation than 2016
Conference on climate highlights legal action
Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center to host a series of events
This year’s Central Student Government elections saw significantly lower numbers of voter participation in comparison to recent years. According to an email interview from Public Policy senior Jacob Pearlman, the CSG election director, a total of 7,989 students, or 17.9 percent of the student body, voted in this year’s presidential and vice-presidential election. In 2016, voter turnout came in at 19.1 percent of the student body, while in 2015, 20.1 percent of students voted. Engaging with the student body has been a priority for CSG in recent years, especially considering the fact that many students attribute their decision not to vote to a lack of knowledge of what CSG is and what specific actions the body takes throughout the year. For LSA sophomore Chang Yang, this year’s CSG elections were not something she felt was very prevalent around campus. “I just felt very disconnected, to be honest, from the CSG campaigns to begin with,” Yang said. “They were just some things that kind of happened in the background. I would have to see more of how much CSG plays in the roles or the effects it has on the actual student body, or how effective it is in doing things for me, to care more about voting
For the Daily
The University is home to about 45,000 students of different genders, races and religions, but these differences are not discussed on a daily basis. With the intention of addressing this issue and creating a campus fostering the inclusion specifically of people of all genders, the Sexual Assault Prevention Awareness Center has partnered with the LSA Student Government to create a dialogue series. By fostering a safe and “brave” discussion space, the first of this series, held Wednesday night, hoped to normalize the use of gender-neutral pronouns and the explain stigma that surrounds them. Led by two coordinators — LSA sophomore Eve Hillman, a SAPAC peer educator, and LSA junior Elaina Rahrig, an LSA SG member — the discussion group reflected the diverse campus environment.
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in their elections.” Pearlman agreed that this sort of unfamiliarity from students with their governing bodies has provided reason for them not to take part in elections. He also highlighted instances in which students made their decisions not to vote based on issues they may have encountered with previous administrations. “Low turnout could be attributed to students’ disenchantment with the
outgoing CSG leadership,” he said. “I’ve talked to countless students who felt as though the promises made last year to bring more transparency and inclusivity to CSG went unfulfilled — and it made students feel as though their voice and vote did not matter this year.” When it came to the voting process itself, Pearlman explained that a campus-wide email was sent to students to
let them know the polls had opened. These polls, which were available at vote.umich. edu, were open for 48 hours. Once they closed, results were automatically tallied online and CSG members filtered out ballots from unenrolled students and, according to Pearlman, the ballots “which were deemed vulgar or inappropriate.”
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CSG Student Voter Turnout 20.1%
19.1% 17.9%
7,989 total votes (2017)
% of Students Who Voted
ELIZABETH LAKE
JORDYN BAKER
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73.3%
of student voters voted for the eMerge party, the most votes any party has ever received
2015
2016
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Panelists talk strategy on state, global levels after Trump deregulation ANDREW HIYAMA Daily Staff Reporter
About 70 people gathered Wednesday night in North Quad Residence Hall for the 2017 Climate Blue Spring Symposium, titled “With or Without US?” The symposium included a presentation of students’ findings from the 22nd Conference of Parties, hosted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Marrakech, Morocco, as well as an expert panel of environmental scientists and policymakers. Climate Blue is a group comprising University students and faculty, businesspeople, nongovernmental professionals and public servants representing the University’s delegation to the Conference of Parties. Acknowledging the Trump administration’s failure to address climate change, many speakers at the event stressed the importance of strengthening local, state and international policy.
2017 DESIGN BY JULIA MARGALIT
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Vol. CXXVII, No. 56 ©2017 The Michigan Daily
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6
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SUDOKU.....................2 CLASSIFIEDS...............6 SPORTS....................7
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2 — Thursday, March 30, 2017
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ON THE DAILY: SQUIRRELS GONE WILD Squirrels are a prominent facet of the University of Michigan campus. From the University’s Squirrel Club, which meets twice a week to feed the squirrels, to the regular postings of pictures of these friendly rodents to social media— there is no question that squirrels are a staple of the University experience. Corey Seeman, director of Kresge Library Services at the Ross School of Business, is no stranger to this population. Since beginning photography as a hobby in 2007, Seeman has taken tens of thousands of images of squirrels, he told The University Record. He said he has
Tweets
taken at least one picture of squirrels every day for the past nine years. All of his photographs can be viewed on his Flickr photo gallery, which displays these furry animals inhabiting all parts of the Michigan campus. Squirrels in the snow, squirrels in trees and even squirrels enjoying peanuts are all on display in his 321-page photo gallery. There is no question that Seeman’s “got squirrels,” so it only seems fitting that the introduction to his gallery reads “Got Squirrels? I do.”
KABUKI
- ERIN DOHERTY
ARNOLD ZHOU/Daily Bonnie Dixon, partner of Japanese law firm Atsumi & Sakai, discusses kabuki in the School of Social Work Building on Wednesday.
University Unions @UMichUnions
Best of luck to @umichwbball as they take on Villanova tonight at Chrisler for a seat in the finals of the NIT Tournament! Go blue! University of Michigan @UMich
The Cube, donated by the Class of 1965 and created by alumnus sculptor Tony Rosenthal, was installed in 1968. #UMich200
CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Beyond the Ballot Box
Environmental Criminal Enforcement
Andrew D. Martin
Palestine Film Festival
“Insurrection: Holding History”
WHAT: As part of the 2017 Miller-Converse Lecture Series, Leonie Huddy, a professor from Stony Brook University of New York, will address partisan identity and political action in the electoral politics system. WHO: Center for Political Studies WHEN: 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. WHERE: Institute for Social Research, Room 6050
WHAT: Join the Environmental Law and Policy Program for its conference on environmental criminal enforcement. The conference will feature eight prosecutors who will discuss criminal and environmental law. WHO: Environmental Law WHEN: 4:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. WHERE: South Hall, Room 1225
WHAT: Attend the opening night of the Ann Arbor Palestine Film Festival and enjoy James Adolphus’s short “The Warren” and Udi Aloni’s feature “Junction 48.” WHO: Ann Arbor Palestine Film Festival WHEN: 7 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. WHERE: Rackham Amphitheater
WHAT: Award-winning play “Insurrection: Holding History,” directed by Timothy Douglas from the Dept. of Theatre and Drama, will open on Thursday night. The play is based on the Nat Turner uprising. WHO: SMTD WHEN: 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Walgreen Drama Center, Arthur Miller Theatre
Student Late Night
Brown Bag
“A Night for Us”
WHAT: Attend the eighth annual Student Late Night event at the UMMA, which was inspired by the 200th birthday of the University. Enjoy art projects, music courtesy of WCBN and free food for an exciting night. WHO: UMMA WHEN: 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. WHERE: Museum of Art
WHAT: Morgan Jerald, a graduate student at the University, will talk about the consequences of stereotypes for a Black woman’s well-being. WHO: Department of Psychology WHEN: Noon to 1 p.m. WHERE: East Hall, Room 4464
Sterilization and Social Justice
TENURE From Page 1 National Center for Educational Statistics reported in 2013 the national underrepresented minority percentage of all faculty as roughly 11.8 percent. When calculated, Stanford University’s 2015 underrepresented-minority faculty statistic was roughly 11 percent. “It think it reflects progress and, unfortunately, data that are often stronger than other higher education institutions,” she said. “That said, I don’t think we should be satisfied. … We have a lot of work to do to increase those numbers.” Through the DEI rollout and public statements this year, President Mark Schlissel has stressed the importance of diversity in academia multiple times. In October, he said he wants everyone to be able to work and improve the quality of education at the University. “We cannot live up to our full potential as a university unless everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute and to benefit,” he
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said. Sellers said this current lack of diversity for tenured faculty limits the ability of the University to expand its pedagogical horizons to truly innovate. “It’s not just diversity in terms of the demographics, it’s diversity with respect to the nature and the content of the scholarship and pedagogy that’s being delivered then is really important,” Sellers said. “We know that having diverse perspectives leads to more creative problem solving, leads to more problem-solving solutions and ultimately to more effective problem solving.” Sections of the DEI underline the consequences a lack of diversity has on the University. The overarching plan also created a working group under the Office of the Provost to investigate how best to incorporate faculty DEI contributions in tenure reviews. “Women and underrepresented minority faculty are more likely to report experiences of bias and exclusion and are more likely to report not having influence and voice within their departments,” the plan reads. While the DEI mentions
WHAT: Attend a one-day mini-conference to listen to interdisciplinary scholars address the practice and context of medical sterilization in relation to social justice. WHO: Dept. of American Culture WHEN: Noon to 5:00 p.m. WHERE: Tisch Hall-, Room 1014
plans in place at the University and new initiatives to increase faculty diversity, Chavous said concrete action and visible results are different than simply listing resources. “The elements are in the plan,” she said. “There’s real attention and resources to support units in recruiting faculty and developing better practices for recruitment … and attention to issues of retention, but I think the magic will come in the implementation. The plan, the elements are there, the resources are there, accountability is there but I think it will be critically important to pay attention to implementation.” After working on and researching the tenure track for a number of years at the University, the actual process for being promoted to tenure is another hurdle limiting a diverse faculty body. The number of panels formed and decisions made to award tenure ultimately involve dozens of University faculty: department professors, department chairs, deans, the president and the regents are all consulted in the decision. Because of the large number of people involved in promotional decisions, Gallimore argued implicit bias can stifle diversity of tenured faculty, according to University sources. Bias in the hiring process, he said, is a large cause of the University’s lack of diversity and colleges’ administrators should try and work to acknowledge bias and improve hiring practices. “We all suffer from unconscious bias,” Gallimore said. “That’s what part of being human is about, and the question is how do we recognize that we all suffer from unconscious bias, how do we recognize that people who, for example, write letters also suffer from unconscious bias and how do we compensate for that when we’re evaluating potential faculty members, having discussions about faculty members, frankly about promotion and tenure, etc.”
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@ProfADM
Proud of the thoughtful work by @LSASG to help encourage public service and leadership by all students. #Kudos #LSAstudents
ya boy @YaDumb
WHAT: Attend the Canterbury House’s monthly event highlighting artists of color in Ann Arbor. This month, “Modern Element” will perform. WHO: Artists of Color in Ann Arbor WHEN: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. WHERE: Canterbury House
class times come up so fast like where did that 2 and a half hour break go
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Thursday, March 30, 2017 — 3
Stop asking Black boys 20 questions about why they don’t play sports DEI GSSAs answered MICHAEL HEYWARD MiC Columnist
We are currently in the thick of March Madness, a time of year when it seems as though everyone is an expert in all things basketball. People are filling out brackets, making bets and anxiously watching as many games as they possibly can. This time, more than ever, I am reminded of one of the things that annoyed me most during my childhood, along with being the cause of a lot of anxiety and decreased self-esteem. When I met new people, usually adults, or saw family members whom I did not see on a regular basis, they would ask me, “Do you play any sports?” Now this in itself is harmless. Every given year, I was one of the tallest people in my grade. After my awkward pre-teen phase, I slimmed down and started to work out at my mom’s gym occasionally. It was not unusual for people to comment on my “athletic” physique, and the affirmation was a positive reinforcement. It really was no surprise that people thought I would be an athlete. In reply to the aforementioned question, “Do you play any sports?” I would simply say no and smile. However awkward, all of this is fine and completely normal. Sports are a big part of American culture and most of my peers played them. So what was the issue? It lay in one word: Why?
Now this always seemed like a very loaded question, and I never knew exactly how to respond. I would say, “I’m just not into them,” or something of the sort. If I was lucky, they would leave it at that; however, sometimes they would say some pretty demoralizing things. One family member even told me that I was “a waste of height and size.” This comment bothered me for obvious reasons, but mostly because it seemed like people were never interested in all of my other qualities and interests. I enjoyed reading books on presidential history, catching up on politics and cooking new foods. For a short period in middle school, I played baseball and ran track. Though I liked the challenge and opportunity to spend time with my friends outside of school, I knew that I was not an athlete. I actually fractured my ankle sliding into home base and was forced to wear a cast and then a boot for the better part of a year. Nonetheless, this piece is not at all my attempt at criticizing athletes or organized sports. I am not oblivious to the many positive effects that sports can have on youth: the ability to bond as a team, have a sense of responsibility and opportunity to compete with peers by constructive means are just some of the benefits. In more urban communities, specifically, sports can be pivotal in establishing a relationship between a coach and his players where many of
them may not have a paternal figure in their lives. Sports can also give an out to students looking to escape violence and other disadvantageous situations. However, in the Black community, sports are sometimes viewed as the only way to prosperity. This could be because the entertainment industry has for so long capitalized on the athletic ambitions of Black boys in conjunction with the general public’s appetite to consume such media. This, all the while collecting the lion’s share of multi-million dollar profits. For example, about three in four NBA players are Black; however, owners in the league are almost exclusively white. I want my point to be clear: Stop asking Black boys why they don’t play sports because it is in turn reducing them to your entertainment. Instead, start seeing Black boys as intellectuals. Start seeing Black boys as artists, public servants and CEOs. Let’s encourage more Black youth to code, draw and write columns for their school paper. The world needs more Black leaders, and today’s kids have to be inspired to chase those dreams. And with all of that being said, it is crucial to still acknowledge that kids can be whatever they want in life. So, if after you’ve encouraged him to be ambitious, and that Black boy wants to be a basketball player, go to the bleachers and cheer him on.
What being in “The Vagina Monologues” taught me EDITH ZHANG MiC Contributor
During the intermission after the student-written portion of “The Vagina Monologues” on Friday night, I was walking through the audience to find my friends and ask them if they were enjoying the show. Along the way, I was stopped by a girl I didn’t know. “That was amazing,” she said, “Thank you so much for producing this show.” I thanked her right back for the praise. As I walked away, she and her friend starting discussing “Beauty in Color,” a piece I casted and wrote with a Black girl (shoutout to Aaliyah Jihad at New York University) about white beauty standards affecting our love lives. I still remember writing that poem. We were both still in high school, both had never had serious boyfriends, both still virgins. And yet, somehow we had stories. Men shouting about wanting “to fuck an Asian / Black girl like you.” Saying that we were pretty for an “Asian / Black girl.” Calling us “unique” and “different” because of our skin. Though we had barely ever spoken before, our stories poured out of us — of being left at school dances, in cars, abandoned for someone lighter, blonder, feeling insecure, inferior, ugly, undesirable, alone. And here, where we felt the most alone, we looked at each other, strangers at first, and realized we were not alone. Stories are very important to me. They’re how we share and hold memories. They’re how we learn more about people. They can be passed down through time, keeping languages and traditions alive. They can make you cry. They can make you laugh. They can help you learn how to care about people and sympathize with a struggle that may not be your own. They can help you feel less alone. I’ve been attending “The Vagina Monologues” since freshman year. The first year, I was in the crowd. While watching, I realized that I had lost my virginity before I even touched my vagina. It never occurred to me that the vaginal canal could be a space for me and not him. The
second and third years, I was in the cast. When I performed “The Village,” a piece created from the stories of Bosnian women who were raped during the Bosnian War of the 1990s, I had difficulty connecting to the subject matter. I did not even know where Bosnia and Herzegovina was on a map, let alone know anything about war or assault or any theme covered in the piece. What made me learn empathy was realizing that the events discussed were not isolated to just that war. Learning about the Rape of Nanking in an Asian Studies course made me realize that I was naive to think that rape as a war tactic was unique. It’s disgusting, inhumane, painful, real and common. Maybe it’s dumb that I started to understand once the victim was Chinese. But with a familiar face, I started being able to imagine myself there. Learning that story is how I learned to sympathize. And this year, I produced the show with Clare Fairbanks, an LS&A junior, as the director. I wanted to produce “The Vagina Monologues” because I wanted to change “The Vagina Monologues.” The show had been receiving criticism for being a cis-white-feminist show. I can’t really deny the accuracy of that statement. But I felt like there was something there to save. There is value in a name and a brand with draw and power. The year prior the director, Angelle Antoun, an LS&A senior, started to add student-written monologues to the show. These were the stories that I wanted to see on the stage. Real representation of who we are as a campus, in all our diversity, tragedy and comedy. Yes, I wanted there to be more racial diversity. Yes, I wanted more than one token trans piece. Yes, I probably rejected a lot of great, fantastic, white actresses who deserved parts to get the faces I wanted to see. I wanted people in the audience to be able to look up and feel like they were being heard when listening to someone else speak. The girl who complimented the show during intermission, she was Asian. I hope she liked “Beauty in Color” because she saw herself in the story and saw that people were fighting for her.
And oh my god, is fighting tiring. I cried six times in one day last week. I couldn’t stay in class. When asked, “Why do you think Asians do not appear as often in racial protests?” I replied, “Because it’s easier to ignore the pain than feel it when it’s not your own,” and ran out of the room. Honestly, I wish I didn’t feel as intensely as I feel. I wish I could look at a listicle trivializing the events in our pre-show on a University of Michigan-sponsored website and write off as a joke. Just a bad review. But it’s not about a bad review. It’s not just one dumb guy. It’s the fact that I’m well aware that all I did with all my time, the hours of rehearsal, casting, sourcing material, worry — was to put on one little show — a drop in a bucket. All I wanted was for people to listen. I forgot how people can sit their ass in a chair for two hours and hear every word but not listen at all. It’s the fact that I know the review probably won’t be removed, even though we were misquoted and he never asked us if he could use the words we wrote, even though we clearly stated that he had to. That the material was sensitive, private. That even when you do the best job you can and things go better than you thought they would, of course — of course — it’s never enough. That there are many people who think I’m crazy for being mad at all. That people think I’m crazy to think that anything would change. That I think I’m crazy sometimes that I even try. That you can watch someone telling you about something deeply personal, something the people closest to them may not know, just because they want to feel understood, just because they hope that hearing them will help you be understood, and you can still push them down. How can you look them in the eye and not feel something too? It’s the fact that there is so much fighting left to do. I am so tired. But I have to. But we have to. The pain must be felt and shared until it fucking stops. There must still be hope that one day it’ll stop, and that every little performance pushes us in that direction. That is what “The Vagina Monologues” has taught me.
additional questions answered. Please share this with faculty, staff and student leaders engaged in DEI work. Our objective is to work with MiC Contributors administrators to fairly compensate graduate student DEI labor, but without your help, UM leadership During contract negotiations will not seriously consider our this year, the Graduate Employees’ proposal. Organization issued a proposal to create 23 paid, unionized graduate 1. How do we know that unpaid student positions dedicated to student diversity labor actually implementing Diversity, Equity exists? and Inclusion strategic plans at the We believe the University’s University of Michigan. This plan priority should be to create paid to create DEI Graduate Student student positions, and not to collect Staff Assistants was developed by more data on whether this is an campus leaders involved in DEI issue. Student-led organizations organizing and represented a from across the campus community grassroots, bottom-up, initiative to have endorsed our campaign align the University’s DEI values because their membership is with real-world practice. GEO is aware of unpaid diversity labor committed to seeing the proposal’s as a problem in their schools. We acceptance because it directly have also collected anonymous contributes to equity on campus in stories and examples from graduate a systematic way. students who have engaged in Last month, Academic Human diversity labor by helping their Resources rejected the proposal schools or departments implement during bargaining sessions with DEI strategic plans. Members of GEO, and our communities have our organizing coalition know responded: So far, 42 organizations from experience that students are and more than 1,100 students, routinely asked by administrators faculty and staff have expressed to help with DEI planning and their endorsement of our campaign implementation. This labor to Pay Students for Diversity Labor. tends to be informal, ad-hoc and Despite broad support for the uncompensated. creation of DEI GSSAs, many UM administrators are still 2. The University already unwilling to discuss the merits provides space for student input of the proposal with us. We in the form of town halls and the believe this may be because of DEI student advisory boards. confusion about the specifics of Why is it necessary to create our proposal. Here we respond to formal positions for students 20 frequently asked questions and when an existing mechanism for common misperceptions regarding feedback exists? the creation of DEI GSSAs, Our petition, and our statement some of which were generated we published in The Michigan through conversations with the Daily, are also a source of student administrators who were willing feedback; graduate students see to speak with us. We invite anyone the value of officially recognized in the community, especially and compensated roles within the administrators, to reach out to us DEI implementation infrastructure directly if you would like to see that adequately value their time DEI CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, GRADUATE EMPLOYEES’ ORGANIZATION
and expertise. Hiring GSSAs to play a key role in implementation would integrate student voices into strategic planning at a level equal to that of faculty and staff. 3. Why should students carry the burden of doing DEI labor at all? Faculty and staff should be implementing these strategic plans, not students. In order for the strategic planning process itself to be both equitable and inclusive, students must be part of the DEI implementation infrastructure. Students deserve an opportunity to be involved in a greater capacity than simply sharing feedback in town hall settings. The real value of DEI planning lay in the details — details that students need to understand intimately. When student engagement is absent from the implementation process, mistakes are made that force students to respond reactively. By allowing students to help execute programs, DEI GSSAs would serve a proactive role in ensuring policies and programs address students’ needs. 4. Students’ role is to receive services from the University, not provide them. It is not their responsibility to do DEI work. Shouldn’t we reduce or eliminate the student diversity labor burden altogether instead of paying for it? Students are already providing DEI labor. This work should be recognized, valued and formalized. Students often find themselves doing DEI labor because it contributes to their survival, and because they (and their departments) know they are the
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Opinion
4 — Thursday, March 30, 2017
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SARAH LEESON | COLUMN
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MICHAEL SUGERMAN AND VICTORIA NOBLE | COLUMN
T
So much for our send-off
here has been a great deal of justifiable outcry from graduating students with regard to the University of Michigan’s decision to replace a traditional commencement address with a multimedia presentation that stitches together past speeches. This deviation from the status quo on the University’s 200th birthday feels counterintuitive. Why break from tradition for a celebration that is steeped in it? Though it may not be the University’s intention, replacing the big-name speaker with a video compilation makes a major milestone (for the class of 2017 and the University alike) seem like an afterthought. There are myriad reasons members of the graduating class are disappointed and angry, but the crux is that the University’s administration largely ignored our voices en route to designing the commencement ceremony. The finalized lineup comes after more than 1,000 students signed a petition protesting the elimination of a traditional commencement speaker, and after the Bicentennial Office received survey results revealing that 97 percent of respondents expressed negative opinions about replacing the commencement address with a video. University spokeswoman Kim Broekhuizen wrote in an email, “The university has worked for the last year to gather student input on the bicentennial commencement and involve students in planning this special occasion.” But multiple student leaders raised concerns to members of the University administration to no avail. Engineering senior Clare Hyde, who served as a representative on the Bicentennial Commencement Student Advisory Committee, said in a statement to The Tab that when she brought up the survey results showing student resistance to the multimedia presentation, a staff member responded, “We’re going to try to focus on the graduating students, but that’s going to be hard.” Similarly, LSA senior Aaron Cahen, who led Central Student Government’s liaison efforts with the Bicentennial Office, said in an interview that even though he and several others told the administration the video presentation wasn’t a good idea, “It doesn’t appear that pretty much any of it (our suggestions) was incorporated in any way, shape or form.” Systems were put in place for student involvement here, so where was the disconnect? Why was it that students were sought out and asked for their input, only to produce results that don’t ref lect that input? Clearly, the Bicentennial Office and the graduating class had different ideas about the role bicentennial celebrations should play in
commencement. Music, Theatre & Dance Prof. Malcolm Tulip, who is responsible for creating the nowinfamous video presentation, previously said in a press release the video will allow graduates and their families to “gain a sense of their place in the university and nation’s history.” Understanding the greater context of one’s experiences is important — who are we to face and attempt to tackle the problems of this world without understanding how they’ve come to exist in the first place? In this sense, a compilation video of past speeches actually has the potential to be great by weaving a unique narrative from the combined voices of others. To be fair, the forthcoming “multimedia presentation” is something we’d be excited to see on YouTube or Facebook. But we’re just not interested in watching a historical hype video on the jumbotron at graduation in lieu of a live address. Our frustration is that the University seems to have abandoned making commencement a reflective, standalone experience for graduates in favor of creating a reusable, promotional sizzle reel. The administration had an opportunity to integrate bicentennial celebrations into our commencement in a way that highlighted the best aspects of both. The concern now is that the bicentennial will overshadow our commencement and, consequently, devalue the accomplishment of graduating. So much for a positive send-off. In her statement to The Tab, Hyde speculated that getting rid of the traditional keynote speaker was a move by the University to control the message given at commencement, and claimed that the decision is “merely an attempt to be non-controversial after some previous speeches.” This may refer to Michael Bloomberg’s address at last year’s commencement, which generated national headlines for criticizing university administrations that “bow to pressure and shield students from (controversial) ideas through ‘safe spaces, ‘code words’ and ‘trigger warnings.’ ” University President Mark Schlissel has previously espoused the importance of engaging with “the conflict of discordant ideas and opinions.” If Hyde’s allegations are true, few decisions could be more contrary to this practice than refusing student requests for a graduation speaker in an effort to prevent potential controversy on the University’s 200th birthday. Some students have also suggested that the University may have had difficulty finding a big-name speaker and therefore decided not to have one at all. The irony is that the administration had ample opportunity to hire an amazing keynote speaker — and we know
this because some incredible people will be in attendance at commencement anyway. Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning composers will perform a song they wrote for “La La Land,” and no fewer than 10 incredible alumni will also be at the event to receive accolades. We’d prefer a keynote speech from any one of these extremely accomplished graduates to not having one at all — even if these folks aren’t as famous as former President Barack Obama or ex-Twitter CEO Dick Costolo. However, without a keynote speaker or an alternate way to tailor the event to the graduating class, the alumni awards seem jarringly out of place. The heavy focus on alumni at commencement has led some in the graduating class to believe, even if it’s not true, that the event is primarily focused on building alumni relations and bolstering fundraising efforts. It feels like the University has appropriated our commencement ceremony to organize a fundraising ploy that honors its most successful previous graduates. That’s hard to swallow when some current graduates-to-be have just finished paying tuition and others haven’t begun paying off student loans. We’re proud of our alumni, and believe these inspiring people more than deserve the awards they’re receiving. But, as many students have expressed, commencement isn’t the time or place. Ultimately, CSG President David Schafer, an LSA senior, said in an interview that he’s learned “things don’t end well” when students aren’t consulted on the issues that directly affect them. “Students have their finger on the pulse in ways that no other constituent or stakeholder at this University has,” he said. We overwhelmingly agree. Commencement is case in point. Even if the ceremony still has the power to be meaningful and memorable (which it does), it was not handled in a way that reflects our constituency’s feedback. The reality, then, is that the University is leaving a bad taste in the mouths of the people it was supposed to celebrate — and that’s an unfortunate way to culminate our experiences here. Most University graduates remember who delivered their commencement address, even if they don’t remember the minutiae of the speech itself. At this school, we’ve come to understand commencement as a defining moment of our education, something we all work toward and a memory meant to last a lifetime. The University prides itself on grooming the Leaders and the Best; this decision fails to meet that standard. It’s not too late to fix it. Michael Sugerman can be reached at mrsugs@umich.edu. Victoria Noble can be reached at vjnoble@umich.edu.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and op-eds. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while op-eds should be 550 to 850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.
Roll with the punches
I
f there’s one thing that Possibly the most frustrating I can recommend to thing that I went through, though, incoming University of was when I had to petition for my Michigan students, it would be honors writing course from my to eat your macaroni previous university to straight out of the count as my first-year pan (no extra dish writing requirement to clean — life hack). here. The non-honors After that, though, I writing course that would say everyone I could have taken should understand at my old school that there is a really was automatically good chance that accepted at the you will be victim of University as counting some sort of horrible for this freshman SARAH administrative requirement, but LEESON nonsense at least once, the more advanced and that handling it with some alternative wasn’t. I had to flexibility and humor is definitely submit paperwork, syllabi and going to save you some grief. an extensive write-up about that This university is huge and writing course for the school to most of us have at least one even consider that this honors instance of special circumstances course could count. that mess with transcripts, That’s ridiculously frustrating, schedules, living situations or one right? of myriad bits of minutiae that As irritating as that whole compose the everyday experience thing was, though, I can’t say that of college life. it was completely unexpected This extends outside of since, in my experience, living in school too; our world can seem an organized society sometimes like one long stream of random just means dealing with series administrative annoyances. And, of unfathomable oddities. In while there are plenty of online essence, a lot of life is just one long resources to check in with to “what the hell?” feeling followed figure things out, ultimately, it’s by resigned sighing. What up to the individual to make sense actually counts is how we handle of it and figure out how to handle these moments of frustration. it without losing his or her mind. It might be easiest to write To illustrate this, I was these things off as meaningless a transfer student after my confusions, things that we freshman year, and I can point to just might have to live with as approximately 6 million personal unchangeable, but these same examples of administrative points of annoyance could also be nuances that have tried to screw opportunities to prove to yourself me over. There was a mistake in that you are an agile person, sending my transcripts first, then willing to roll with the punches. my prerequisites were jumbled Stress can lead to anxiety, or it in the system, then I found out can be viewed as a chance to rise that when my credits from my to the occasion. quarter-system school were For instance, with my transfermoved to the semester system, credit petition, was I annoyed it gave my transfer classes odd and confused about why I had thirds of credits that I had to to do it? Absolutely. That saga figure out how to distribute neatly was an unprecedented amount to stay on track for graduation. of nonsense and hurdles, even
for me (and I go out of my way to seek out more nonsense). But I also decided that, because it was a necessity that I had to power through, I at least had the power to decide how to view the process. For me, I’d like to look at that undertaking as being both an average tale about being prepared to wade through some paperwork to get things completely straightened out — the more traditional view on such an event — and also a tale of my new school challenging me to be the proactive, assertive person it wanted me to be and to fight for my desired result — the less traditional way of looking at this. As someone who is about to graduate and move onto a new step in my life, this outlook on nonsense as an opportunity for interpretation or reflection can be very comforting. I don’t know what’s waiting for me out there, but I know that, for the most part, I can take life how I want, and decide what lessons to take away from what I find. Assuming that there’s a whole lot of nonsense waiting for me out there to tease apart and analyze, I have full confidence in myself to work these things out, largely from my chance to prove I can whenever things get strange and annoying. If I can deal with all of the obstacles that transferring presents and choose to find a positive lesson in that, then I can almost definitely deal with whatever gibberish I encounter outside of school in a meaningful way. Really, though, the little bits of annoyances in life can add up to an overwhelming amount if you let them. But not only will you be happier — the people around will thank you if you take life with a grain of salt and roll with the punches. Sarah Leeson can be reached at sleeson@umich.edu.
ASHLEY ZHANG | COLUMN
Seeking light in the darkness
M
onday, March 20, was things started to turn around the International Day at my high school’s all-night of Happiness, a day senior party, when an astrologist that would’ve gone otherwise saw my depression in the stars. unnoticed to me had “You have been in a I not serendipitously dark place since the stumbled across a winter of 2014,” she “Happy Acts” wall read with startling that asked me how accuracy, “but things I would go about will turn around spreading happiness. this fall.” Somehow, The answer came to those words were me with surprising the ember of hope I ease: “I will share never knew I needed. happiness by: Critical as I was ASHLEY showing people that about astrology and ZHANG life gets better.” I fortune telling, I was was surprised, because a also desperate for some divine little more than a year ago, I sign that there was light in my would’ve thought that I had future. When one unexpectedly no happiness to give. presented itself, I took it. Clinging I’ve long been known as to the hope that my stars were the happy girl, with a smile right, I gave life a chance, and ever-present on my face and a it’s carried me through the penchant for laugher but few aforementioned fall into a spring people know that, for a period of full of life and happiness. about two years at the end of high I still don’t know if I believe school, the smiles were more of a in astrology, but that astrologist facade. I’m not sure exactly when undoubtedly saved my life. It it began, but there became a time was not grand nor life-changing when I would dread waking up to anyone besides myself, but and facing the day, and trudge through the smallest pinch of through it with complete apathy. hope, she gave me a lifeline. If I I was filled with self-loathing, my had followed through every time self-esteem was at an all-time low I seriously considered suicide, and thoughts of suicide pervaded I never would’ve seen today, my life on a daily basis. It was a when I am finally content and miserable way to live — if it could at the pinnacle of my happiness. even be called living. Again, I’m not exactly sure when Although I was never my perspective on life began diagnosed, a subconscious part to change, but some time along of me recognized my symptoms the way, it felt like a curtain was for what they were. I didn’t dare lifted, revealing the beautiful tell anyone, because I was the world that depression had happy girl, and happy girls who hidden. It’s difficult to describe, grow up in the lap of privilege but the whole world seems don’t get depressed — at least, clearer, and even the simplest of they don’t have any reason to be. things, such as a sunny day or a Of course, I was plagued with Diag squirrel, can put a genuine many of the problems commonly smile on my face for the rest of the faced by teenage girls — high- day. I lived for so long in a dark school drama, a severe lack of haze that it is important to me sleep and the stress of school to treasure each and every day of — but in a world full of “real” clarity. If anything, I’m grateful problems so much more serious for that period of darkness, than mine, it felt silly to think because it gave me a much greater that my problems warranted appreciation for life. sadness and depression. My diary My journey to where I am took the brunt of my private today was a slow one, which dark thoughts, while I pasted involved lots of self-reflection and on a smile and forced laughter journaling, an attempt at fixing in public, because that was what my sleep schedule and the gradual was expected of me. declaration of independence of my The end of my senior year self-worth from arbitrary things, of high school was a dark time, such as grades, other people’s as anxieties about college built opinions or a number on a scale. on top of existing anxieties, but Tyler Knott Gregson’s poetry
about chasing the light helped me in realizing that happiness is not something that simply happens; it must be sought, even in the darkest of times. It has been arduous, but being patient is well worth it, because the clarity that comes with a healthy state of mind is exhilarating. Positivity is the best lens through which to view life. Of course, I still struggle with putting things into perspective sometimes and sadness strikes everybody, but now, I can finally say that I’m a happy girl and mean it. I do not tell this story for attention or sympathy; I tell it because I see so many people around me dealing with similar struggles, and I pledged on a “Happy Acts” wall that I will share happiness by showing those people that life gets better. Sharing my testimonial is the best way I know how. If just one person reads this and decides to live another day — a day that could potentially offer a glimmer of hope or a hand of help — I’ll be happy. It’s so easy to tie one’s self-worth to things like school and develop tunnel vision as the semester hurtles toward its end with astonishing speed, but it’s best not to forget that life is beautiful and very much worth living, worth persevering in the midst of depression. It’s important to remember that there are a number of resources that Counseling and Psychological Services offers for those who are struggling — resources I would’ve loved to have access to as a high school junior — and that many university students experience feelings of inadequacy, depression or anxiety. You are never alone. Perhaps my method of spreading happiness is not quite as affectionate as others’ — most of the responses on the board proclaimed that they would spread happiness by hugging more people, smiling at strangers and telling people that they are loved — but I believe that it is effective. After all, the clichéd saying that life gets better is a cliché because it’s true and offers hope. And hope is why I’m here today, the happiest I’ve been in a long time. Ashley Zhang can be reached at ashleyzh@umich.edu.
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL
Thursday, March 30, 2017 — 5
COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW
COURTESY OF HOTEL DALLAS
‘Hotel Dallas’ conjures up Cold War era Americana ‘The Encounter’ is where dreams and reality collide
COMPLICITE
Ceaucescu was deposed in 1989, Romanian private enterprise Daily Film Editor exploded; many of its leaders adopted J.R. Ewing’s cowboy “Hotel Dallas,” a fantasy- aesthetic to build credibility laden documentary by Livia in the eyes of Romanian Ungur and Sherng-Lee Huang, customers. One such baron is made for that strange is a Mr. Ilie, “the Sunflower intersection of Cold War buffs King of Slobozia,” who built a and fans of “Dallas,” replica of the an American soap Ewing estate, “Hotel Dallas” opera about a Southfork, 55th Annual Ann wealthy Texan oil as well as a Arbor Film Festival family that ran replica of the throughout the Eiffel Tower. Michigan Theater ’80s. The show had It’s all a bit been broadcast in ridiculous, state socialist-era especially Romania because its autocratic as Ilie, in his Kool-Aid redruler, Nicolae Ceaucescu, had colored aviator sunglasses, hoped to use its melodrama sings an extended folk song to to propagandize the harms of explain his riches. capitalism. The plot backfired, Ungur and Huang also take as Romanians grew to watch the care to recreate scenes from show in admiration; the wealth fictional and actual history of the fictional Ewing family (with children) — the television proved too tantalizing for state show’s famous sequences socialism’s restrictions and the and Ceaucescu’s execution wide viewership hastened the — to continue a trend that regime’s collapse. has been proliferating among Ungur and Huang’s recent documentaries. The documentary revisits Romania reenactments join “The Look of to explore how the TV series Silence” and “The Wolfpack.” shaped the country’s fabric. I’m not as convinced by Narrating and participating the appeal of this brand of in much of the film is Ungur, filmmaking. The reenactments a Romanian, alongside Patrick are sometimes cute and Duffy, who played Bobby Ewing sometimes strange, but never (the righteous, handsome quite leave an impact that this brother to ruthless baron TV show meant something J.R.) in the television show, to all Romanians, past and though for a non-viewer of present, in a way a talking the show like myself, that fact head interview would. That isn’t entirely clear. As Duffy being said, some sequences are meanders through Romania, delightful to watch, including Ungur longs for an artists’ life a reenacted scene in which in New York, while sporting Bobby dies and calls out, “Don’t the denim clothes and cowboy move to the countryside. The hat her viewership of “Dallas” future is rapid urbanization,” has precipitated. over a sorrowful requiem. “Hotel Dallas” begins with After about 30 minutes, the a set tour of the show, noting film begins to trail with a fullthat the rodeo ring built for throated discussion of space the hundredth episode is and time. The importance is only a third of the size of a clear: that “Dallas,” a uniquely standard one, but with wide American soap opera could anamorphic lenses, the space have such meaning in a country appears larger. This may be a like Romania and would determinative metaphor for the foreshadow its transformation, film — “Dallas” had an outsized is a clear example of this impact on Romanian society in collapsing of space and time. But a way none of its producers or must it be literally debated and its American consumers could explained by dining Romanian have ever imagined. After philosophers? Or must we DANNY HENSEL
witness Ungur be placed inside a box by her mother, transporting bread to her cousin? These sequences seem pointless, and at the very least over the top. Still, an extended sequence as Ungur sits in the box, illuminated by a camera obscura telling the story of a New York artist remains one of the most stunning natural cinematic effects I’ve ever
‘Hotel Dallas,’ a fantasy-laden documentary, is made for that strange intersection of Cold War buffs and fans of ‘Dallas’
seen; Ungur looks to physically exist in the theater, her curled body seemingly popping off the screen. Immediately preceding the film was a six-minute short film, “La Madra Buena,” directed by Sarah Clift. It was bright and fun, a brief tale of a mother searching far and wide to fulfill her son’s birthday wish: a Trump piñata. The film is incredibly timely, given the President’s calls for strict border security, especially with our southern neighbor, and contains a plethora of wonderful visual gags. It may not be a treat to everyone (though in an Ann Arbor theater crowd it received an overwhelmingly warm welcome), but the dreariness imparted by the pouring rain outside has no cure like good ‘ole political bashing.
NITYA GUPTA Daily Arts Writer
He is speaking behind you. No, he is right next to you, whispering into your ear. No, he is standing directly in front of you, just a few inches away. This Thursday, Friday and Saturday, UMS will present “The Encounter” at the Power Center, a show performed by Complicite company. The show is a unique performance that relies solely on audio. Simon McBurney, the director and performer of the one-man show, uses a binaural microphone, which is a 3D audio technology that recreates audio as it is heard by the human ear instead of artificially splitting sound into right and left channels. The audience wears headphones during the entirety of the performance, and Simon speaking into the microphone is the only theatrical component to the show. “The microphone projects the direction of the sound, so to the audience, it could sound like he’s right behind them … or they could hear twigs in the jungle,” said Mallory Shea, UMS Marketing and Media Relations coordinator. “It really transports the audience into a different space and time.” The performance follows the true story of National Geographic photographer Loren McIntyre in 1969. Loren got lost in a rainforest in Brazil and ended up spending time with the people of Javari Valley. Simon recreates Loren’s experience using the binaural microphone, delving deep into the limits of human consciousness. “You don’t really feel like you’re in reality anymore,” Shea said. “Dreams and reality are going back and forth and in-between to the audience … it’s about the power of sound in forming imagination.”
The show is inspired by the book “Amazon Beaming” by Petru Popescu, which features McIntyre’s journey. From this starting point, Simon began brainstorming ideas to piece together the show. As part of this process, he traveled to Brazil, where he met descendants of the Mayoruna people, documenting his trip through a video diary. After this journey, Simon used his experiences to finish his work.
UMS presents “The Encounter” Power Center March 30 @ 7:30 p.m. March 3, April 1 @ 8 p.m. Students: $12-$20, Regular: $36 - $75
“The Encounter” ran for three months on Broadway, and it is set for its California debut in April and May after being performed in Ann Arbor. This is not the first performance Ann Arbor has experienced by McBurney, who has performed three other shows in the city since 2004. “Simon loves coming back to Ann Arbor because he really believes in our audience’s ability to understand and grasp his work,” Shea said. “Our audiences have forwardthinking people who are open to things that are different, and he really appreciates that about our audience. We still hear from people about how much they really loved the experience, more than 10 years later.” Simon co-founded the show’s company, Complicite, in 1983. The company is based in London, and has played in over 40 countries across the world, winning over 50 awards
for its productions. Complicite is well-known for the extensive research and development that goes behind its productions. The company has also become famous for
Simon McBurney, the director and performer of the one-man show, uses a binaural microphone, which is a 3D audio technology that recreates audio as it is heard by the human ear
its distinctive stage language, which they develop using a combination of creativity with sound, lighting and video design. Complicite continues to experiment with new technology to bring compelling ideas to the stage. “The Encounter” itself has won several awards since its debut in 2015, including the Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh International Festival, The Evening Standard Award for Best Design, The Knights Illumination Award for Best Production and most recently, The Stage Award for Innovation.
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COMMUNITY CULTURE COLUMN
Remaking the original Oh, how we love old stories: The fairytales, children’s books and movies of the past carry a fondness that we have developed towards these cherished characters, scenes, images and songs. I can vividly remember dance parties with my sisters, as my mom videotaped and the soundtrack of “The Lion King” played as we danced. I also recall our excitement toward watching “Cinderella,” “The Little Mermaid” and of course, “Beauty and the Beast.” I deemed Belle to be my favorite of the princesses, for I saw a resemblance of myself in her — namely her long brown hair and her love for books. So here we are years later, remembering how much we adored these stories. We cannot keep them locked up in the past, nor do we desire to because little by little, they find their way back into our world. When they arrive, they come in many
forms of adaptations — they have moved to Broadway or new films or even emerge in new literature. We then remind ourselves of the themes and lessons that fill these stories,
I don’t know if we can really pinpoint any one way we’re supposed to be consuming art
and we are eager to enjoy them again. We don’t just come across
these “new” versions of beloved tales by accident. We rush to see the revivals or the remakes because we are so eager to consume what we love about the past. We want to see what we once saw. In his recent film review in Variety Magazine of “Beauty and the Beast,” Owen Gleiberman writes: “I keep
BAILEY KADIAN comparing ‘Beauty and the Beast’ to the animated version, which raises a question: Is that what we’re supposed to be doing?” I don’t know if we can really pinpoint any one way we’re
supposed to be consuming art, but I do wonder about the question he poses. Do we approach these “remakes” to old stories with the expectation that they will mirror the stories we once loved? Or should we alter our expectations to accept the inevitable differences that come across the window of time between the old story and the creation of the new? Gleiberman goes on to write: “We’re drawn in to see the old thing … but we want it to be new.” We hope to find a way to recognize the changes when they come, while also hoping we can willingly greet them. We wish to “approve” this new form of characterization or added scene and accept that it is one more way to enhance the already wonderful story. We consume art within a culture that is addicted to nostalgia. We look to old
fairytales or movies, thinking about how we can recreate our first experience with it, how the new film, Broadway revival or adaptation reconstructs that old, or how I now sit in a movie theater watching the new “Beauty and the Beast,” and it
There is a bit of danger that comes while seeking nostalgia makes me remember the fiveyear-old girl who is dancing in the home videos. Rarely do I find anyone who prefers the remake to the original. We want something new from stories like “Beauty
and the Beast,” “Cinderella” or “The Lion King,” but we also want to keep the feelings that were evoked from the original versions. When “The Lion King” moved to Broadway, I remember seeing it and still imagining that it was the film. It wasn’t that the Broadway version had reduced the brilliance of the film; it was just different. I think the differences are difficult to fully accept in exchange for what once was. There is a bit of danger that comes while seeking nostalgia, as we try to remake a feeling or a time that is long in the past. Though art can bring about its memory, it also reveals the striking reminder of the inherent impossibility of such recreation. Perhaps, the revival or remake of that once loved story reveals to you the changed nature of your own self — and it’s up to you to accept it.
Arts
6 — Thursday, March 30, 2017
ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
CONCERT REVIEW
COURTESY OF EMELINA
ATLANTIC
‘Emelina’ a dreamy film Portugal. The Man show Ann Arbor Film Festival entry a crossroads of fiction & fantasy enthralls Detroit audience urban and rural landscapes to create a fictional land from real Daily Arts Writer places — a painterly spectacle of wanderlust and wistfulness. Gabriel Ortega Hernandez’s The city is both familiar “Emelina” is a dream- and foreign. Jorge, a character like cinematic taken on by experience that a number “Emelina” intertwines of actors fiction and reality throughout 55th Annual Ann within 67 minutes production, Arbor Film Festival of breathtaking is lost within Michigan Theater cinematography, the clutches of captivating scenery Emelina. He and vivid narration. finds himself The somewhat fantastical only through exploration and story of the film is recounted interaction with the city, an in second-person perspective, expedition into the self as making it a perfect mix reflected by the overwhelming between the postmodern Italo skyline of Emelina. Through Calvino and the magical realist Jorge’s eyes, Emelina is Gabriel Garcia Marquez. What an unanswered question, at first seems like a fragmented therefore its existence remains mosaic of disparate lists is a mystery to the audience. After expertly weaved into a cohesive Jorge’s description of Emelina, narrative that is simultaneously the narrator goes on to tell a self-aware and poetic. sequence of events focused on The film is centered on two what Jorge forgot to say about travelers, Adela and Jorge. At Emelina. This blatant selffirst, the narration focuses awareness is reminiscent of on Adela’s perspective, but it something out of the mind of shifts to Jorge as he relates his Spike Jonze, turning even more experiences in the fictional meta with every frame. city of Emelina. Emelina While the film highlights looks like any other city; the beauty of the journey, it there are signs and parks and also provides an insightful crosswalks and tall buildings. critique on urbanization and Yet, Emelina feels more like abuse of surveillance by the a lucid dream than a present government. Emelina is both reality. Jorge falls asleep one a paradise and a prison — to place and wakes up in another. escape is harder than it seems. Hernandez takes footage from Emelina communicates BECKY PORTMAN
Classifieds
habitat in connection to humans in the 21st Century, not the clichéd 4th Grade science fair diorama with which we
While the film highlights the beauty of the journey, it also provides an insightful critique on urbanization
so often associate the word. Emelina’s habitat refers to the places we occupy, the spaces we find comfort in and the way we learn to define “home.” “Emelina” is a visually stunning, innovative approach to storytelling through film. The film itself is bursting with creative energy and lyrical intrigue. Hernandez creatively captures the mystery of Emelina, leaving the audience craving more. “Emelina” feels like a dream within reality while offering a refreshing new take on the tasteful cocktail of fiction and fantasy.
AVERY FRIEDMAN Daily Arts Writer
It was hazy — in the good way. It was the type of hazy that masks certain sights under layers of lights and smushes certain sounds into a wall of indistinguishable goosebumps. The type of haze that acts as an overarching, sensory-activating blanket that primes a crowd to notice the details, subtleties and quirks that define a band, even if they don’t know every song on the setlist. Portugal. The Man was engulfed in that haze on Saturday, as the band kept the sold-out crowd of Detroit’s Majestic Theater captivated for the entirety of the fogfilled set. Body to body, from the front row to the bar in the back, the audience grooved along, varying pace and intensity with the band, jigging to playful opener “Creep in A T-Shirt,” pounding out angst to hit single “Hip Hop Kids.” Throughout the show, lead singer and guitarist John Baldwin Gourley was stationed on the far left side of the stage, rather stagnant beneath the shadows of the stage lights, while bassist Zachary Carothers energetically commanded the right. Carothers acquired much of the crowd’s attention, taking shots and jumping around,
even as Gourley’s falsetto propelled each song with his urgent but f loating tone. Behind the two frontmen, a giant LCD backdrop oozed psychedelic images, similar what you’d expect at a slightlycreepy Tame Impala concert. At times it looked like a lava lamp — f luorescent, multicolored paint dripping down a wall in
Behind the two frontmen, a giant LCD backdrop oozed psychedelic images, similar what you’d expect at a slightlycreepy Tame Impala concert
patterns that neglected the laws of gravity. Other times, these visuals f lashed twirling, androgynous mannequins, interspersed with what looked like an intricate pinwheel of
grey, blank corpses. Introducing their most popular hits, the band cultivated hype by displaying the title on the screen, letting the crowd prepare itself just before. Three songs in, “Modern Jesus” fizzled onto the screen in turquoise block letters, while red and yellow paint strokes swirled in the background. But there were striking moments in the haze too, particularly as the crowd gradually recognized Portugal’s instrumental cover of The Beatles’ “(I Want You) She’s So Heavy.” “Heavy” is truly the most accurate word to describe it, as three minutes of syncopated cymbal smashing, organ wailing and guitar screeching built to a warping crescendo. The people just couldn’t get enough, loudly resisting after the group closed the show with their iconic “Purple Yellow Red and Blue.” Predictably, the audience stuck around, chanting for an encore. Their voices were heard as the band returned, perpetuating the electricity for just two more songs. Displaying remarkable endurance in delivering their signature edgy energy, Portugal. The Man lit up the Majestic Theatre; and their intoxicating haze lingered as fans f lowed onto the moonlit sidewalks of Detroit after the amps unplugged.
Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW
RELEASE DATE– Thursday, March 30, 2017
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
SERVICES
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 “Yeah, sure!” 6 Some CPAs and MBAs 10 __ bean 14 What choir members have to carry 15 Lined up, with “in” 16 2001 Winslet/Dench title role 17 Hero makers 18 Window shopper’s buy 19 Bottle part 20 Double-helix molecules 21 Stat for which Babe Ruth’s 457 is the singleseason record 23 Site of many Ansel Adams works 25 Online chortle 26 Wide awake 28 Joan __ 32 Aplenty 36 Carmelite, perhaps 38 Muffin topper 39 What the groups of circled letters graphically represent 42 Labyrinth 43 Plop down 44 Legal scholar 45 “Obsessable series” movie channel 47 What “two” meant to Paul Revere 49 Bow __ 51 Billboard charts 56 Tart vodka cocktails 60 Petunia part 61 Greenish blue 62 Use the escalator, about half the time 63 Plant swelling 64 What a stet cancels 65 Alternatively 66 Cheap mags 67 Old jet-set jets 68 Bob or dog attachment 69 Canines, e.g. DOWN 1 Irrigated grain field
52 Expectant mom’s 2 Courtroom figure 33 Vet school subj. 3 Hippy dances? 34 Joel’s “Cabaret” words 4 Italian cookie co-star 53 Inscribed pillar flavoring 35 Hinted-at hidden 54 Lead on 5 Filmmaker meanings 55 Blockbuster Craven 37 AFC East team 56 Some TV screens 6 Holly Golightly’s 40 Sis or bro 57 They work better creator 41 Grade of when they focus 7 Place for annual excellence: Abbr. 58 Dairy Queen pledging 46 Cab alternative order 8 Chaplin of 48 Opposite of 59 Lucky streak “Game of guzzled 63 Skillful, Thrones” 50 Cube’s dozen facetiously 9 Balloon 10 Elite Eight ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: survivors 11 War god 12 Target of many a New Year’s resolution 13 Poses 21 Floor installers 22 Savior of Scout and Jem, in “To Kill a Mockingbird” 24 Filly, eventually 27 Mild rebuke 29 End of a ball game? 30 Great American Ball Park team 31 COLA component 32 69-Across holders 03/30/17 xwordeditor@aol.com
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NEON NATION
Riff Raff is apparently still attempting to do rap things, so to remind us all of his one-time relevance in the sphere of music, Jody Highroller released the music video Tuesday for “Root Beer Float Ghost,” a single off January’s Aquaberry Aquarius. Within the first 30 seconds of the video, its overtly introspective theme becomes clear. Each shot of the Houston-raised rapper shows him alone in a bathroom either facing a mirror or despondently comforting himself. Seemingly outdated warplike transitions direct our attention to Tommy Girl (real name: Tomi Dibiase), who belts a phony hook, one that definitely isn’t made better as the camera repeat-
edly focuses on her for a few seconds too long. Still, comfortability (or a
“Root Beer Float Ghost” Riff Raff NEON NATiON
lack thereof ) defines a video that can’t establish any semblance of it. Before Riff Raff talks up his “Attempt to stay sober with syrup in soda,” he’s spewing something about “Phoenix Suns, Scottsdale / I broke blocks at Harvard, shook dive at Yale.” He somehow keeps a straight face amid spitting something that many might have initially thought was a joke, and
it’s all just a bit off. Riff Raff built a (temporary) legend out of his virality. In past releases his character — which really isn’t a character — played as something of at least amusing entertainment value, resonating with the overly-ironic and overlybranded masses because of it. Here, however, we get three minutes and 41 seconds of confusion that really just falls short of everything, entertaining, somewhat serious or not. In title alone a single named “Root Beer Float Ghost” would’ve seemed to organically lend itself to an interesting novelty of a music video. It didn’t. - JOEY SCHUMAN
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Thursday, March 30, 2017 — 7A
Wolverines’ bats overpower Central Michigan HUNTER SHARF Daily Sports Writer
For a moment, the air evaporated from Ray Fisher Stadium. Fans stared at sophomore left-handed pitcher William Tribucher laying on the mound covering his face with his glove. A hard-hit line drive appeared to have ricocheted off his head. Fortunately, prior to hitting Tribucher in the chin, the ball was deflected by his shoulder and he was able to get up and finish off the last batter of the inning. “He’s tough,” said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “I didn’t know what I was going to see when I went out to the mound. I was expecting to see at least a little blood, but I saw no blood. He took it off the chin, got back up and said ‘I’m fine.’ ” In two innings of relief, Tribucher allowed one unearned run on three hits. Besides this scary instance, there was nothing but smiles for the No. 22 Michigan baseball team (1-2 Big Ten, 19-6 overall) in its 13-4 victory against Central Michigan (0-0 MAC, 10-14 overall). The Wolverines’ offense accumulated 15 hits and scored 13 runs – the team’s second-highest run total of the season. Additionally, every starter reached base for Michigan. “It’s just been (the team’s) approach,” said junior first baseman Jake Bivens on the team’s recent offensive surge. “Sticking to the plan and getting quality at-bats and that carries over to the next guy and the next guy. Everybody doing their job and trying to play in their comfort zone.” The Wolverines had a complete team performance in which they put runs on the board early and often. After producing a run in the first inning off a bloop single to center by junior third baseman
Drew Lugbauer, Michigan’s offense exploded with four runs in the second. The Wolverines quickly loaded the bases after senior catcher Harrison Wenson was hit by a pitch, an infield single legged out by sophomore right fielder Jonathan Engelmann and sophomore second baseman Ako Thomas singled to right. In the following at-bat, with senior centerfielder Johnny Slater up to the plate, Central Michigan catcher Blake Cleveland gave up a passed ball – allowing Wenson to score. In the same at-bat, Slater blasted an RBI triple to right that narrowly stayed in the ballpark – he leads the team with
four triples on the season. After an error from Chippewa first baseman Evan Kratt allowed another run to score, Michigan led 5-0. Upon adding an additional run in the fifth off an error by Central Michigan shortstop Alex Borglin, the Wolverines’ offense again erupted in the seventh. An inning that featured seven runs was highlighted by a monster tworun homerun by Lugbauer. The ball sailed over the right fielder’s head, out of the stadium and over the neighboring indoor track and field facility. Bakich credits his team’s recent offensive firepower to
“He took it off the chin, got back up and said ‘I’m fine.’ ”
“quality at-bats” in which guys are fighting off pitches and working the count. While Michigan’s offense was on a tear, the team’s pitching was also impressive – allowing only one earned run. Despite a successful outing from the game’s starter Alec Rennard – in which he allowed no walks, no runs and three hits on just 47 pitches – Bakich pulled the junior right-hander after just four innings. The decision was made in order to make Rennard available either Saturday or Sunday against Penn State. Heading into their first Big Ten home series of the season, the Wolverines are coming off three straight wins, in which they have outscored their opponents by 25 runs. This type of run differential should give Michigan the confidence it needed as it goes into its upcoming weekend series.
CLAIRE MEINGAST/Daily
Junior right-hander Alec Rennard pitched four scoreless innings against Central Michigan in the Wolverines’ victory.
BASEBALL
Versatility proves X factor in ‘M’ win ROBERT HEFTER Daily Sports Writer
Senior centerfielder Johnny Slater stepped up to the plate in the second inning with two runners on base. Slater had been moved to the ‘2’ spot in the batting order and in his second at-bat of the game, he launched a ball deep into the outfield for a triple, sending leadoff hitter and sophomore second baseman Ako Thomas and sophomore right fielder Jonathan Engelmann home. The No. 22 Michigan baseball team routed Central Michigan, 13-4. The win comes a day after the Wolverines shut out another MAC team, Toledo, 12-0. The offensive surge for the team is a new development as over the course of the 24-game season so far, it has recorded 223 hits and 152 runs. The success of the team over the past weeks raises some questions: What could be the X factor? How is Michigan going into its long home stretch on such a hot streak? One of the answers is its versatility. In the game against the Chippewas on Wednesday, the Wolverines switched up their batting order to gain a competitive edge over their foe. Among the notable changes were Slater moving up to hit second and junior third baseman Jake Bivens moving to hit sixth in the order. And clearly, it worked. “(I) just wanted to get Slater up, (more at-bats),” said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “He’s got a lot of confidence and hitting a lot of balls hard.” Slater produced a multi-RBI triple, and Bivens dropped two singles and picked up a run. “I try not to change my approach too much, honestly,” Bivens said of moving to sixth. “I
know I have good guys in front of me and they’re going to get on base, so I just try to drive them in and do my job.” One thing that Bakich emphasized throughout the season has been committing to quality at-bats, no matter the outcome. “We had 30 quality at-bats yesterday and 31 quality at-bats today,” Bakich said. “… Obviously, everyone looks at batting average and slugging and on-base, but we look at quality at-bat percentages.” This versatility was evident in the latter innings of Wednesday’s game as Bakich made several substitutions. Sophomore first baseman Jimmy Kerr entered the game for Bivens and redshirt freshman designated hitter George Hewitt entered the game, both producing hits. “If you go in our indoor cages you’ll see a weekly winner for highest quality at-bat percentage guy,” Bakich said. “We just want to look at who has the most productive team plate appearances, who’s hitting the ball hard, who’s having the most competitive ABs.” This top-down approach to creating a culture in which quality at-bats are king is one of the reasons why the team can switch around the lineup so easily and explains the recent success. The outlook from the game against Central Michigan is that the Wolverines are a versatile team that have a multitude of players who can hit anywhere in the lineup. As quality at-bats are the hot commodity in the locker room and on the field, the game against the Chippewas put that on display. Michigan takes an approach to the game that quality at-bat percentage should be another column on the stat sheet.
Rebounding guides Struggles at the plate continue for ‘M’ Michigan past Nova
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MAX MARCOVITCH Daily Sports Writer
NATHANIEL CLARK Daily Sports Writer
Normally, if the Michigan women’s basketball team shot just 26 percent from behind the arc, the Wolverines would be in trouble. Wednesday night was not the case of normal circumstances, as Michigan still topped the Wildcats, 65-61, and advanced to its first ever WNIT championship game. The Wolverines can thank their performance on the glass for their victory, as they outrebounded Villanova, 40-33. “(Rebounding) was something we spent a lot of time talking about,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. “We needed to give ourselves second-chance points. We thought we could have an edge on the offensive glass, and we really tried to have our team crash. Given our team’s second-chance opportunities, we didn’t have to defend through the entire shot clock.” The rebounding disparity between the two teams was most notable on offense, as Michigan nabbed 10 offensive boards to the Wildcats’ three. The Wolverines outscored Villanova in the paint, 34-14, and scored 10 second-chance points while not surrendering a single such point to the Wildcats. In the last three minutes of the third quarter, Michigan nabbed three offensive boards — two by sophomore center Hallie Thome and one by sophomore guard Nicole Munger. Thome scored six second-chance points in that stretch, including a buzzerbeating layup that gave the Wolverines a 52-38 edge. “I know that my teammates are going to put me in the right position to score,” Thome said.
“If they’re not passing me the ball that means they’re packing the paint. We have a good enough team where other people can step up.” It was defensive rebounding, though, that proved critical in the waning moments of the contest. With 32 seconds remaining, Villanova had cut what was a 52-36 Michigan lead into just a five-point deficit. The Wildcats had made seven of their last nine shots and looked poised to make it a one possession game. But Villanova guard Adriana Hahn missed a 2-point jumper, and junior forward Jillian Dunston pulled down a rebound. Dunston then found senior guard Siera Thompson, who quickly drew a foul and made one free throw, stalling the Wildcats’ late momentum. “We work on rebounding every day,” Dunston said. “I think we knew that they were a bigger team than us, so rebounding was a big thing for us.” The Wolverines’ next opponent — Georgia Tech — knows a thing or two about winning with boards. Despite shooting just 18 percent from long range, the Yellow Jackets defeated Washington State, 69-61, in large part because they out-rebounded the Cougars, 50-35. And indeed, winning the battle on the glass was key to Michigan’s 92-52 win over Georgia Tech on Dec. 1. The Wolverines outrebounded the Yellow Jackets, 44-38 and nabbed 29 defensive boards to Georgia Tech’s 15. If Michigan can repeat that success against the Yellow Jackets, the Wolverines will have an excellent chance to win their first ever WNIT championship and raise a banner in Crisler Center for the first time.
“We needed to give ourself second-chance points.”
Players were crossing the plate like pedestrians at a turnstile in a New York subway station. Eleven different players had hits and eight had tallied RBIs — including the first career hit for freshman catcher Abby Skvarce and first RBIs for freshman shortstop Madison Uden. After five innings Sunday, the game against Penn State came to a merciful ending, with a crooked number on the scoreboard (17) and a ubiquitous sense of relief permeating the team. But Michigan coach Carol Hutchins still kept her guard up. She wasn’t ready to declare the “tightness” that she believed to have been plaguing the offense all year a thing of the past. “We’ll see,” Hutchins said. “Certainly in a game like that, when you jump on them and you’re up by five, you’re not tight. And when you’re not tight, you do play better… you’re going to face a lot of good pitchers. Good pitching
in softball means you have to persevere until you get some timely hits.” The offensive renaissance was much-needed for a team that has struggled mightily at times this season, but the blowout and sweep against a team it has traditionally dominated — with this being the 28th straight victory over the Nittany Lions — didn’t mar the inconsistencies that have plagued the Michigan offense. The win didn’t change one troubling fact: the Wolverines’ offense has struggled against the top-quality pitching it has faced this season. Michigan has faced eight starting pitchers this season with an earned-run average below 2.00. In those games, the team has averaged just 1.625 runs, including three shutouts. The problem is made more apparent by the Wolverines’ current 2-6-1 record against ranked opponents. On Tuesday against an overmatched Central Michigan team, Chippewa pitcher Rachael Knapp — who has a 1.66 ERA —
held Michigan’s offense down. Knapp surrendered just two runs on the day, keeping the game competitive. Hutchins thinks the offensive disparity stems from more than just physical difficulties. “We’ve got a lot of kids who can really swing bats, we have some kids that can swing well, and when we’re on we’re all on — we’re very contagious,” Hutchins said. “And when we’re off we’re all off. So in my mind (the struggles) are from the neck up. We need to get a little bit tougher, we need to get feisty and fight. We’re going to have to fight for what we want, and to be a good offense they’re going to have to fight to be a good offense.” To some extent, these struggles are to be expected; good pitchers are harder to score against. But they also shed some light on the room for improvement that still exists. For a team that will need to beat good pitching in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments if it hopes to accomplish its goals, its success will largely be predicated
on improvement in that area. No. 6 Minnesota — the Wolverines’ prime competition in the uncharacteristically competitive Big Ten — carries one of the best pitchers in the country in right-hander Sara Groenewegen. The senior boasts a 0.57 ERA in her 85 innings this season. No. 22 Wisconsin will also be a potential foe in the Big Ten this season. They have a duo of starters with ERAs below 1.50. No. 2 Florida — the team that has served as the primary thorn in Michigan’s post-season side — has a tandem of dominant pitchers, including Kelly Barnhill, who already shut the Wolverine lineup down in a 2-1 defeat earlier this season. The list could, and will, go on. The Michigan softball team has its anchor atop the rotation — senior Megan Betsa will always be the backbone of this team. But if it continues to struggle against quality pitching, Michigan will have troubles when it matters most.
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Sophomore second baseman Faith Canfield has thrived at the plate for Michigan, but the rest of the Wolverines need to learn to succeed against superior pitching.
Sports
8A — Thursday, March 30, 2017
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wolverines defeat Villanova, 65-61, advance to finals of Women’s National Invitation Tournament ETHAN WOLFE Daily Sports Writer
“Woo-whee!” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico has said it many times in postgame interviews this season, but none of those instances had the bravado like the exclamation she made when she entered the media room Wednesday night. It was the emotion of a coach whose team has been put through the wringer, but is inches from getting a taste of salvation. The Wolverines’ WNIT semifinal matchup against Villanova was perhaps the most significant game in Michigan women’s basketball history, and the Wolverines made it look like clockwork to advance to their first WNIT title game. The contest wasn’t without its hiccups. Up 15 at one point in the final quarter, Michigan saw its margin dwindle to as little as four, but Barnes Arico’s team willed its way to maintain a 65-61 victory. At the final buzzer, the team was hopping and skipping in jubilation before it waved to the crowd and entered the tunnel. Regardless of what happens in the Wolverines’ championship matchup Saturday, they have had their best season in program history, and are riding the momentum of their biggest win to date. But even if you were at Crisler Center on Wednesday, you would hardly know just how important it was for them to get over a hump that has halted them in the past. Michigan has fallen short the previous two seasons in the WNIT semifinals, with losses to UCLA and Florida Gulf Coast. Disappointment is something that has been all too familiar for the Wolverines this season — headlined by missing out on the NCAA Tournament — but as junior forward Jillian Dunston put it, “determination” trumped nerves to overcome the semifinals hurdle.
“It was absolutely incredible,” Barnes Arico said. “For the disappointment that we have gone through, and for our kids to rally and get past the game and the opportunity to play in a championship game — It’s really special.” Determination and disappointment beget the litany of goals that Michigan has sought since the March 13 selection show: proving the NCAA selection committee wrong, and most importantly, winning for the seniors. “The NCAA selection committee made a mistake,” Barnes Arico said. “We thought that on the night of the selection show and hopefully we are showing them that they did. “Our team has rallied behind (senior guards Danielle Williams and Siera Thompson). They have raised the level of their game another notch. They’re going out with everything they have. One more day, one more opportunity to put on that Michigan uniform. … It’s really special for our seniors and it’s special for our whole program. Each year they’ve been able to do things that haven’t been accomplished the year before.” On Saturday, the Wolverines will face a familiar opponent in Georgia Tech — who they beat on the road by 40 points on Dec. 1 — in unfamiliar championship territory. History tells us that Michigan will have no trouble against the Yellow Jackets, and if the Wolverines do become WNIT champions, then they could look ahead to next season having written a new chapter of history. “If you look around Crisler there is not one (banner) in there for women’s basketball. And that has been one of our goals,” Barnes Arico said. “To all our alumni, to anyone who’s been involved in our program, for them to walk into Crisler and see a banner for women’s basketball’s success would just be a special moment for our entire program.”
SYLVANNA GROSS Daily Sports Editor
Senior guards Danielle Williams and Sierra Thompson, junior guards Jillian Dunston and Katelynn Flaherty and sophomore center Hallie Thome walked onto the court before tip-off, ready to push through a barrier that the Wolverines have faced before: the Women’s National Invitation Tournament semifinals. The Michigan women’s basketball team (11-5 Big Ten, 26-9 overall) was in this exact position a year ago — and the year before that — making this the thirdstraight attempt at crossing over into the finals of the WNIT. And finally, this year, they did just that — beating Villanova, 65-61. “This is the third time we’ve been in the final four,” Dunston said. “So (the mentality) was more of determination than nervousness. “It feels awesome. We felt like we’ve come so far, just to do the same thing again. It feels great what we actually got to accomplish. But we’re not done yet.” The Wolverines hosted the Wildcats (11-7 Big East, 20-14 overall) at Crisler Center for the semifinal of the WNIT on Wednesday, where Michigan has gone 19-1 on the season. In the first quarter, with a little over five minutes to go, the score stood locked at seven. Thompson had managed a 3-pointer and Thome and Flaherty had both secured layups. After bringing the ball downcourt, Thome stood underneath the basket struggling
against a pair of Villanova post players — a position she typically finds herself in. Dunston swooped in and grabbed the ball from her teammate’s hands and quickly extended up, easily placing the ball in the hoop. “It’s definitely frustrating,” Thome said, who finished with a team-high 22 points. “But I know my teammates are going to put me in a position to score, and if they’re not passing the ball, they’re packing the paint. I just got to trust my other teammates, like (Dunston).” With 1:30 left to go in the opening quarter, Michigan was frustrated with the back-andforth nature of play — neither team ever held more than a twopoint advantage — but Flaherty changed that by stepping back and burying a deep three, pushing her team to a fourpoint lead. To finish out the quarter, the Wolverines were having trouble creating space in the paint. With time ticking down and only one second left, Dunston again made a play for Michigan and took a jumpshot from the right of the post, beating the buzzer. The game entered the second quarter, 17-11. The Wildcats responded with quick threes by guards Alex Louin and Adrianna Hahn. The duo was expected to make impressive 3-point shots entering the matchup, as it makes up the majority of the team’s backcourt. Freshman guard Kysre Gondrezick could have assisted in staving the duo off, but was still absent due to personal reasons. Heading into halftime,
“I think the NCAA selection committee made a mistake...
Michigan and Villanova had each attempted 28 field goals, but the Wolverines held the slight edge — going 11-for-28 to the Wildcats’ 10-for-28. The second half started off with back-to-back deep 3-pointers by Villanova’s Hahn, tying the score at 32-32. In response, Michigan quickly posted six points, two each from Flaherty, Dunston and Thome. Similar to Dunston’s buzzerbeater a period before, Thome managed a quick bucket just before the third quarter ended. The play left the Wolverines up, 48-36, after a quiet buildup of breakaway point accumulation. Michigan had held the Wildcats to four total points in the quarter, while the Wolverines went on a 16-point run. “(Michigan coach Barnes Arico) just told us to have fun,” Dunston said. “She said, ‘You got to do it now more than ever; there’s 20 minutes left,’ and that hit us all pretty hard.” Villanova didn’t give up, though, and went on a 10-0 run in a 1:44 span within the first half of the final quarter. Michigan had given up its 15-point lead and was left leading by just five. The momentum was threatening to turn the into an awful reminder of its previous semifinal contests. But Barnes Arico called a time out with 5:23 left between her and a possible WNIT Championship appearance. The atmosphere at Crisler was tense. Nobody was ready to witness the third-straight year of Wolverine devastation. Nobody wanted to miss Michigan’s opportunity to show the NCAA
Tournament selection committee exactly what its snub meant to the Wolverines. “I think the NCAA selection committee made a mistake,” Barnes Arico said. “Hopefully we are showing them that they did.” The rallying cry that the Wolverines have made their mantra is to do it for their seniors, Thompson and Williams. The latter, who has been referred to as the “mom” of the team even though she has not seen the minutes that Thompson has, made an impact on the defensive end of the game with some key rebounds. “(Williams) has worked her butt off,” Thome said. “So, it’s definitely exciting to see … (she) has always put the team first, and is one of the best teammates you can have. To see all of her hard work pay off, and to see her able to play these minutes is just really exciting. “It’s a great moment for Danielle, and I’m very proud of her.” The final minutes of the game were touch-and-go, eventually leaving Michigan in the bonus. Thompson went 1-for-2 on her free throws, giving the Wolverines a 63-57 lead with 23.5 seconds left. Then she repeated the process, putting Michigan up, 64-61, with 11.1 seconds left. Flaherty took the next bonus. She swished the first, but missed the second. It was 65-61 with seven seconds remaining. Finally, a collective breath was let out by the crowd. Villanova couldn’t overcome the gap. The clock hit zero. The Wolverines had finally done it. Michigan was in the WNIT finals.
...hopefully we are showing them that they did.”
ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily
Senior guard Siera Thompson converted from the charity stripe down the stretch to help Michigan defeat Villanova.