ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Ann Arbor, Michigan
michigandaily.com
Buying Silence:
U-M spent $1.26 million over six months in confidential agreements with employees attempting to speak out think the University has done something wrong and you wanted to file a complaint … with (the University’s Office for Institutional Equity) or the (federal) Department of Education or the (State of Michigan’s) Department of Civil Rights, there is nothing in that agreement that precludes you from doing that,” Fitzgerald said in an interview with The Daily. “It says disparagement, it doesn’t mean you can’t disagree with University policy. People do that every day around here.” In an email to The Daily, a former employee currently in an agreement with the University supported St. John’s characterization of these agreements. This employee declined to be identified for fear of legal damages; their agreement is not part of the ten reported in this
SAMMY SUSSMAN, ZAYNA SYED & SAMANTHA SMALL Daily Staff Reporters
On March 8, 2010, professor Edward P. St. John was removed from his teaching position in the School of Education. He had 24 hours to notify his students and no means to appeal his removal. St. John believed his removal stemmed from disagreements he had with the policy opinions of his dean, Deborah Ball, in the Provost’s Achievement Gap Task Force, a University-wide advisory panel on diversity in higher education. He had two options going forward: He could accept his removal or challenge it in court. On June 4, 2010, St. John sued the University for denial of due process, violation of whistleblower laws and breach of contract among other wrongdoings. St. John told The Daily the University began making verbal settlement offers to his lawyer. Each potential settlement contained a confidentiality clause, a non-disparagement clause, a settlement of St. John’s lawsuit and a proposed payment to his bank account. This confidentiality or non-disclosure clause would have permanently prevented St. John from speaking of the terms of the settlement. The nondisparagement clause would have further limited St. John’s speech, permanently preventing him from speaking poorly of the University or his
experiences there. After rejecting two offers of increasing monetary value, St. John was offered $500,000. He alleges the University described this amount as the most that could be paid without the Board of Regents being notified. This proposed settlement agreement is not unique. An investigation by The Daily into agreements reached between the University and former employees from November 2018 to April 2019 uncovered 10 such agreements across different schools and departments. These settlements do not appear in public University documents. These agreements include “gross lump sum”
payments by the University totaling more than $1,265,000. Of this sum, approximately $1,016,000 was paid to former employees. $149,000 was paid to law firms representing these employees. “Any settlement where you get money is going to be money for silence,” St. John said in an interview with The Daily. “(They) are buying silence.” University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald disputed St. John’s characterization of these agreements as “buying silence.” “If you sign an agreement and you still
article. “Misconduct by my superiors caused me to seek counsel, and eventually we arrived at a separation agreement including a nondisparagement clause,” the employee wrote. “Coming out of an adversarial situation, such language can only be seen as silencing. There is no way I could recount my experience with my former school, comment on its procedures, or speculate on its motives without risking that the University find it ‘disparaging.’” See SILENCE, Page 3
ILLUSTRATION BY CASEY TIN
GOVERNMENT
Mother works on ‘Bobby’s Law’ after son’s death Legislation would solidify parents’ rights in situations with life-sustaining treatment EMMA RUBERG Daily Staff Reporter
After doctors at Michigan Medicine took 14-year-old Bobby Reyes off life support on Oct. 15, Reyes’ mother Sarah Jones is working to pass legislation cementing the rights of parents in similar situations. Jones is currently working with state Rep. Joseph Bellino, R-District 17, on a bill that could require doctors to gain parental consent before removing minors from lifesustaining treatment. It would also likely guarantee families the right to find other facilities and request a transfer, as well as to file a stay in court. They bill, which they are calling “Bobby’s Law”, is modeled after similar legislation in Arizona, known as “Simon’s Law.” Reyes suffered an asthma attack on Sept. 21 while driving with his mother and went into cardiac arrest before arriving at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. After being airlifted to the hospital, doctors declared Reyes brain dead. William Amadeo, the family’s attorney, filed an immediate request for a 48-hour stay before doctors could revoke life-sustaining treatment. During this time the family was working to find another hospital willing to facilitate a transfer of Reyes. Washtenaw County’s 22nd Circuit Court initially ordered
Michigan Medicine to delay taking Reyes off life support. Weeks later, Trial Court Judge David Swartz ultimately allowed doctors to conduct a second test confirming their status and to remove life support, citing a lack of jurisdiction over the case. Michigan Medicine Spokesperson Mary Masson explained the decision to remove Reyes from life support. “Our health care team at Michigan Medicine continues to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Bobby Reyes in this heartbreaking situation,” Masson told The Daily in an email. “By law in Michigan, an individual is dead who has sustained either irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions or irreversible cessation of all function of the entire brain, including the brain stem. Continuing medical interventions is inappropriate in these cases from both a clinical and ethical standpoint.” Grant Meade manages policy development for Bellino and said the firm does not expect the bill to face much opposition if it reaches the floor. He also explained how the law currently stands and why Reyes’ parents were not able to prevent him from being taken off life support.
GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know.
Read more at MichiganDaily.com
Follow The Daily on Instagram, @michigandaily
ILLUSTRATION BY JACK SILBERMAN
U-M students, faculty reflect on century-old engineering honor code Community members recommend updates to system for violation investigations BARBARA COLLINS Daily Staff Reporter
From their first day as students at the University of Michigan’s College of Engineering, students are introduced to the Engineering Honor Code, a set of standards in place to discourage academic dishonesty. The Engineering Honor Code has been in place at the University for more than 100 years. By following the principles of the Honor Code, the document says, engineers at the University will become successful. “The standards for personal integrity demanded by the Honor Code are a reflection of the standards of conduct expected of engineers,” the Honor Code reads.
“These standards allow fairness among students to ensure that no unfair advantage is gained and an equal learning opportunity is given to all students.” George Sprague, assistant director of retention and academic support services in the College of Engineering, said the Engineering Honor Code defines academic dishonesty under four categories: seeking an unfair advantage, copying and plagiarism, inappropriate use of resources and inappropriate collaboration. One unique aspect of the Honor Code allows examinations in the College of Engineering to be unproctored. Sprague said students have told the College of Engineering that this practice makes them feel trusted by the University.
For more stories and coverage, visit
michigandaily.com
INDEX
“It makes (students) feel that they have more real world experience, whereas they don’t feel as though somebody is hovering over a button in terms of how that has been juxtaposed to other units,” Sprague said. “They say it hasn’t been that that’s a negative experience elsewhere as much as they enjoyed the positive aspects that they have here.” Engineering sophomore Madeline Horvitz said she has noticed the difference in the way exams are proctored in LSA and Engineering. With these differences, she said the Honor Code grants students a level of trust that she appreciates. “All of my math and physics exams were proctored, and for engineering, the professors are like, ‘All right, I’ll be sitting outside
Vol. CXXIX, No. 43 ©2019 The Michigan Daily
of class if you guys have any questions, but until then just go ahead,’” Horvitz said. LSA sophomore Victor Li is double majoring in Cognitive Science and Computer Science through LSA. Though he is not in the College of Engineering, Li has taken classes at the College to fulfill his Computer Science requirements. Horvitz and Li both said they have not seen anybody cheat even with no supervision during exams because most people focus on completing their own exam. “If someone wants to cheat, it’s probably easier for them to cheat because no one’s looking at them to see if their eyes are on other people’s exams,” Li said.
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 CLASSIFIEDS................6
See HONOR, Page 2
SUDOKU.....................2 ARTS...................5 SPORTS.................7
News
2 — Tuesday, December 10, 2019
MONDAY: Looking at the Numbers
TUESDAY: By Design
WEDNESDAY: This Week in History
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
THURSDAY: Twitter Talk
FRIDAY: Behind the Story
DESIGN BY KATHRYN HALVERSON
Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com
MAYA GOLDMAN
TOMMY DYE
Editor in Chief 734-418-4115 ext. 1251 mayagold@michigandaily.com
Business Manager 734-418-4115 ext. 1241 tomedye@michigandaily.com
NEWS TIPS
news@michigandaily.com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR tothedaily@michigandaily.com
EDITORIAL PAGE
opinion@michigandaily.com
PHOTOGRAPHY SECTION
ARTS SECTION
photo@michigandaily.com
arts@michigandaily.com
NEWSROOM
SPORTS SECTION
734-418-4115 opt. 3
sports@michigandaily.com
CORRECTIONS
OLIVIA CELL/Daily The Michigan Figure Skating Club performs old classics and new favorites at their holiday show performed at Yost Ice Arena Monday evening.
ADVERTISING
corrections@michigandaily.com
dailydisplay@gmail.com
Editorial Staff FINNTAN STORER Managing Editor
frstorer@michigandaily.com
she thinks improvements equipped to handle any of the HONOR GRACE KAY and ELIZABETH LAWRENCE should be made to the system current circumstances and From Page 1 Managing News Editors news@michigandaily.com for violation investigations I think their flexibility for Senior News Editors: Sayali Amin, Rachel Cunningham, Remy Farkas, Leah Graham, Amara Shaikh to ensure the process is more other people to innocently get Assistant News Editors: Barbara Collins, Julia Fanzeres, Claire Hao, Alex “I haven’t really noticed it up-to-date and runs smoothly. harmed means they need an Harring, Angelina Little, Madeline McLaughlin, Ben Rosenfeld, Emma Stein, because I’m always focused on At the beginning of the update,” Horvitz said. “Their Zayna Syed, Liat Weinstein my things.” semester, Horvitz said she intent is nice, but their outcome JOEL DANILEWITZ and MAGDALENA MIHAYLOVA Cases of Engineering Honor sent a message in a group chat isn’t.” Editorial Page Editors tothedaily@michigandaily.com Sprague said the majority Code violation are referred to for environmental engineers Senior Opinion Editors: Emily Considine, Krystal Hur, Ethan Kessler, Miles the Engineering Honor Council, asking if anyone had completed of honor code violations come Stephenson, Erin White a group of 20 student volunteers a homework problem. Horvitz from coding assignments. He MAX MARCOVITCH and ETHAN SEARS who oversee Honor Code said a person in the group chat said the College of Engineering Managing Sports Editors sportseditors@michigandaily.com management and investigate all sent back a photo of his work, is currently working on ways to Senior Sports Editors: Anna Marcus, Aria Gerson, Ben Katz, Mark Calcagno, Theo Mackie, Tien Le cases of violations. and the conversation was improve the process of Honor Assistant Sports Editors: Bailey Johnson, Bennett Bramson, Connor Brennan, “(The Engineering Honor reported by another individual Code violation investigations. Jacob Kopnick, Jorge Cazares, Rian Ratnavale To resolve cases in a more Council) really do serve as in the group chat. ARYA NAIDU and VERITY STURM that peer-to-peer voice of Horvitz said she received timely fashion, Sprague said his Managing Arts Editors arts@michigandaily.com accountability,” Sprague said. an email from the College of team began offering the option Senior Arts Editors: Clara Scott, Emma Chang, Cassandra Mansuetti, Sam “They also serve as a great voice Engineering before Fall Break for an expedited investigation Della Fera, Trina Pal Arts Beat Editors: John Decker, Sayan Ghosh, Mike Watkins, Ally Owens, in March 2019. of advocacy, so when (students) about her case, saying it may process Stephen Satarino, Izzy Hasslund, Margaret Sheridan see something that may raise take four to eight months to Compared to the traditional concerns, they have a great resolve. Though the incident process, the expedited process ROSEANNE CHAO and JACK SILBERMAN Managing Design Editors design@michigandaily.com student body representative occurred before Fall Break in takes approximately three Senior Design Editor: Sherry Chen force that can go and be 2019, Horvitz said her case weeks to resolve. “Essentially, students have advocates for those students has not been investigated yet ALEXIS RANKIN and ALEC COHEN going through a process.” due to the backlog of cases, the opportunity to come in and Managing Photo Editors photo@michigandaily.com According to Sprague, 891 even though she was told by an then admit responsibility for Senior Photo Editors: Alexandria Pompei, Natalie Stephens, Alice Liu, Allison Engkvist, Danyel Tharakan violations were investigated advisor that her case would be an alleged violation,” Sprague Assistant Photo Editors: Miles Macklin, Keemya Esmael, Madeline Hinkley, said. “They can also identify under the Engineering found innocent. Ryan McLoughlin Honor Code during the 2018“I have to wait an entire folks that are potentially not 2019 academic year. The semester to be seen for responsible, so their cases can ANDREA PÉREZ BALDERRAMA Statement Editor statement@michigandaily.com number of violations have something I’m already deemed be dismissed, and we try to Deputy Editors: Matthew Harmon, Shannon Ors increased over time because innocent for, although I don’t get those wrapped up and as quickly as possible.” College of Engineering began have that official innocence,” http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ Sudoku Syndication SILAS LEE and EMILY STILLMAN Sudoku Syndication http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ implementing the Measure Horvitz said. “I should be In addition to the expedited Managing Copy Editors copydesk@michigandaily.com deemed innocent, our process, Sprague said his team Senior Copy Editors: Dominick Sokotoff, Olivia Sedlacek, Reece Meyhoefer work looks nothing alike employed an intern during CASEY TIN and HASSAAN ALI WATTOO and I didn’t solicit the the summer who investigated Managing Online Editors webteam@michigandaily.com work. The advisor himself cases to help the process move Senior Web Developers: Jonathon Liu, Abha Panda, Ryan Siu, David Talbot, Samantha Cohen said, ‘You look to be at a faster pace and to catch up innocent, your case should with backlogged cases. ELI SIDER HARDprobably be wrapped MEDIUM “We’re dangerously close to Managing Video Editor video@michigandaily.com Senior Video Editors: Ryan O’Connor, Joseph Sim up once you actually being fully caught up,” Sprague get investigated quite said. “We have started the final NA’KIA CHANNEY and CARLY RYAN Michigan in Color Editors michiganincolor@michigandaily.com quickly.’ The only problem assignments of investigations Senior Michigan in Color Editors: Lorna Brown, Samuel So, Ana Maria is I have to hold this over from the Winter 2019 semester, Sanchez-Castillo, Efe Osagie, Danyel Tharakan my shoulder for four to and we are actively completing Assistant Michigan in Color Editors: Harnoor Singh, Nada Eldawy, Maya Mokh eight months.” expedited processes for cases Horvitz said she has that have been submitted as CATHERINE NOUHAN had other friends in the recently as a week ago from Managing Podcast Editor College of Engineering this Fall 19.” MADALASA CHAUDHARI and HANNAH MESKIN Managing Social Media Editors As an LSA student, Li said who have been indicted by Senior Social Media Editor: Allie Phillips the Honor Code unfairly. the only difference he has She suggested the College seen between the two schools of Engineering consider is how they handle cases making updates to its of academic dishonesty — MOLLY WU Creative Director system to make the process while Engineering students RYAN KELLY ZELJKO KOSPIC move more quickly, such are referred first to the Sales Manager Special Projects Manager as establishing a vetting Engineering Honor Council, ROBERT WAGMAN ANITA MICHAUD process for cases and LSA students are directly Marketing Consulting Manager Brand Manager creating a separate team referred to a dean. to investigate Computer “It doesn’t affect me any Science classes since differently than LSA, where The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during they generate the most there is no honor code and the fall and winter terms by students at the University OF Michigan. One copy is violations. you get referred to a dean © sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. © sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the HAVE DOES HOPE IT SPARK JOY? puzzle by sudokusyndication.com “Given the fact that (for cheating),” Li said. “I Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for September-April are $250 and year long subscriptions are $275. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription the policies are so many feel like there’s not much of a rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. decades old and are not difference.” Generate and solveGenerate Sudoku, and Super Sudoku and Super GodokuSudoku puzzlesand at sudokusyndication.com! solve Sudoku, Godoku puzzles at sudokusyndication.com! of Software Similarity cheat detection system about five years ago, Sprague said. “Some students were caught off guard at the level of detail that the cheat detection system was able to capture,” Sprague said. “Any piece of work that (students) turned into the College of Engineering has real a real potential of being run through MOSS, this cheat detection system. It’s going to be compared against not only the work of everyone in their class, but all work that’s been uploaded in that system for the past five years, as well as resources that have been uploaded up from online resources.” Now that more students are being made aware of how precise the cheat detection system can be, Sprague said they have seen the number of violations drop dramatically. During the Fall 2019 semester, Sprague estimated his team has received under 100 violations. Horvitz said she thinks the Honor Code is a great component to the College of Engineering and shows a level of trust for students. However,
SUDOKU SUDOKU
4
9 7
8 2
6 9
6
5
6 1
7 2
1
3 4
7
2
8
3
4
1
8
5
2 8
5
7
5 2
7 2
1
5 3
9 4
5 8
9
Business Staff
9 7
9
1 6
8 9
7
4 6
9 7
6 8
5
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SILENCE From Page 1 experiences negotiating these agreements with the University and other entities. “Non-disparagement agreements prevent the public from knowing (of ) all kinds of harassment and discrimination,” Prescott said. “These aren’t proved-in-court wrongs, but they are things that the two parties agree may have gone wrong. And usually they exist without the payer agreeing that something has gone wrong.” Fitzgerald confirmed that these agreements are not routinely disclosed to the Board of Regents or the public. “We can’t comment on the specifics,” Fitzgerald said. “But again, routinely, I can only tell you what is the pattern. And that is that these kinds of settlements do not require Board approval.” The 10 agreements obtained by The Daily, furthermore, do not necessarily represent all settlement agreements reached during this period. Nine of these agreements were obtained by The Daily through a Freedom of Information Act request. This request was limited to agreements signed by two Senior Human Resources representatives, Roberta Young and Linda Dabrowski. (Neither Young nor Dabrowski responded to The Daily’s email requesting comment for this article). The 10th has already been publicly reported. It also remains unclear whether this sum represents the University’s total expenditure on settlement agreements over this period of time. A review of the University’s fiscal year 2018-2019 budget reveals no specific designation for these payments. In an interview with The Daily, Fitzgerald said these costs are not specifically designated in the 2018-2019 budget because they are divided by school or unit. He also said these payments are typically listed as salaries. “The payments themselves are usually borne by the unit where the employee works,” Fitzgerald said. “Depending on the situation, you wouldn’t typically find the money, because it’s a part of that departmental budget.” As such, the money from these settlement agreements do not show up in public reports on the University’s budget. “Separation agreements with individual employees are not routinely reported to the Board,” Fitzgerald said. The Daily contacted all 10 former employees in the agreements reached between November 2018 and April 2019. All declined to comment. The nature of their agreements prevents them from disparaging the University and discussing the terms of the agreements. The Daily spoke with New Jersey-based employment lawyer Neil Mullin, an outspoken critic of nondisparagement and nondisclosure agreements and Gretchen Carlson’s attorney in her sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News. He criticized these agreements for promoting a culture of secrecy. “If you want to eradicate discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct, you should let the light of day shine,” Mullin said. “Taxpayer money is being used to protect harassers and discriminators. Taxpayers should speak up about this.” AN ISSUE OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM Prior to his removal, St. John was celebrated for his successes in education policy while at the University. He had played a pivotal role in establishing partnerships with Detroit Public Schools and aided in the granting of awards and partnerships totaling over $3 million. St. John has long been considered an expert in higher education policy. By the time
he came to the University of Michigan in 2004, St. John’s focus research had moved to diversity in education. The vice provost placed St. John on the Provost’s Achievement Gap Task Force. His opinion was sought on issues of inequality at the University. He served on this committee with Deborah Ball, his dean, and Stephen L. DesJardins and Annemarie Palincsar, both School of Education colleagues. The Daily reached out in an email to Ball, DesJardins and Palincsar. All declined to comment for this article. The Daily obtained a copy of St. John’s court filing. In this document, St. John details a meeting he had with Dean Ball on March 8, 2010, about his teaching. The filing claims Ball said she was removing him from his teaching position — meaning he would still be employed by the University, but not allowed to teach — based on “new information” she’d acquired. As St. John’s filing notes, he was given “no warning, no ability to prepare to notify his students, teacher assistants, or staff about the modifications to his employment.” He also noted his teaching evaluations had been “consistently higher than the (School of Education) average.” After contacting his former students, he “received strong support that his teaching style … was engaging and to the highest level.” Disagreements around diversity strategies in these meetings underlie St. John’s lawsuit. He describes them as issues of “academic freedom.” “I ran into a problem with respect to an academic freedom question,” St. John said. “The new dean got involved in some similar committees and so forth and they began taking it in a direction that I felt was inappropriate … It was an infringement on my teaching.” St. John knew it would be difficult to win a lawsuit against such a large institution, but he saw this as the only way to get his teaching rights back. “When someone brings a case, you go from the area of public discourse to closed litigation,” St. John said. “You know before you do it that you can’t exactly sue your institution. I just felt that there was a bigger problem in
It’s not meant to silence people; it’s meant to not get in a fight with people once they settle.
my department.” St. John said the only way to continue to speak publicly about his experiences at the University was to reject this settlement offer. “I refused to take money if it meant not speaking as I am now,” St. John said. “Universities just calculate what they think the value of something is and then they make you stay quiet.” These settlement packages are similar to those in the corporate sector, St. John explained. While this might have offered him a more profitable and switch resolution to his case, he was uncomfortable sacrificing his rights to speech. “In the private sector we used to call them blowout packages,” St. John said. “I just could not see ending my career that way. Money wasn’t an issue.” These potential agreements are essentially an admittance of guilt, St. John said. Such settlements are an easy way for any institution — especially a large university with an $11.9
News billion dollar budget — to keep these wrongdoings private. “In a general sense, once they start making offers, they are admitting they’re wrong. But you can’t speak to it,” St. John said. “Corporations — and universities are now corporate entities, even public institutions like Michigan — do what they can to cover their tracks.” THE AGREEMENTS The terms of the 10 agreements The Daily obtained through a FOIA request are nearly identical. The employee agrees, “to the extent allowed by law, not to make unfavorable or disparaging communications” regarding the University. Fitzgerald characterized
Act. “We use (FOIA) as the process to release information, so we see that as a way to provide information through an orderly process that is … consistently applied to similar documents,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s actually not uncommon for employees to actually want more confidentiality, but the University always includes that phrase in these separations agreements.” Ally Coll is the president of the post-#MeToo lobbying organization the Purple Campaign and the author of a Washington Post editorial about sexual harassment law. In an interview with The Daily, Coll spoke of the detrimental effect non-disparagement and non-disclosure provisions can have on an employee’s ability
It’s hard to find a university where this hasn’t happened. If you believe in students, if you believe in society, it’s really hard to tolerate what they’re doing.
these agreements as a mutual understanding between the University and a former employee to “be civil” about their potential disagreements. “It’s … a way of being nice to each other, sort of being civil about this,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s not meant to silence people; it’s meant to not get in a fight with people once they settle.” Mullin, however, spoke of the silencing effects of these agreements. “They conceal from the public a public danger and wrong,” Mullin said. “Nondisclosure agreements — or NDAs as we call them — allow bad actors to remain in the workplace because people don’t know about them.” In her work representing clients alleging harassment and discrimination, Prescott frequently learns the identities of alleged perpetrators, but the rest of the public stays in the dark. She questioned the balance between the public’s right to know about wrongdoing and the University’s rights to keep complaints confidential. “How do we balance those interests around individuals’ ability to resolve something and the public’s interest to know what is going on?” Prescott said. “I drive around Michigan, and I look left, and I look right, and I see a company who has harassed some racially or sexually, and I can’t talk about it. And I kind of think to myself, ‘That place, I’ll never do business with them.’ But nobody else ever knows.” The agreements also contain a non-disclosure provision: The employee and University “will not disclose (the agreement’s) contents to third parties except as required by law.” Fitzgerald disputed the idea that this clause is meant to limit the disclosure of
to explain their previous employment history. “When you use those two practices together, it has the effect of keeping people silent about this misconduct and underlying treatment,” Coll said. “A lot of times nondisclosure agreements keeps them (from) … speaking out about how their agreements get resolved.” These agreements were negotiated either when employees agreed to retire from the University or when they sought to pursue employment elsewhere. If employees sought work elsewhere, the University included a commitment to neutral references. The meaning of “neutral reference” remains unclear. Coll explained that with this clause, these agreements would leave a hole in an employee’s resume as they sought employment elsewhere. “They can’t explain the circumstances under which they left their previous job,” Coll said. “It creates a hole in their resumes and … with a non-disparagement clause on top of it, it is really difficult in a job interview.” Some of these agreements, particularly those to lower-level employees who previously drew smaller salaries, contain a provision commonly referred to as a “no-rehire” clause. This clause prevents the employee from any future employment at the University of Michigan. “There may be circumstances, with whatever is leading to this separation, that would say, ‘This is a person that we should not rehire in another position,’” Fitzgerald said. “It doesn’t mean you can’t be rehired somewhere else, (it) just means you won’t be rehired at the University of Michigan.” Coll described no-rehire provisions as problematic,
this provision. Its intent, he explained, is to allow for the release of the settlement under the Freedom of Information
particularly with lowerincome workers in lower-level positions. “I think no-rehire clauses
Tuesday, December 10, 2019 — 3
are particularly nefarious,” Coll said. “It basically removes all of these future potential employers who are the types of employers where your experience is going to be more relevant … We see people get locked out of entire industries that way.” In the context of the University, Coll noted that these would prevent these employees from working in another school or unit. “Where are they going to find another job? If you’ve moved your whole family there and it’s not really an option to move to another city, then you might be interested in finding a position in a different department where your harasser doesn’t work,” Coll said. “If (the University) is taking that away in these agreements, that’s further limiting (the employee’s) ability to move on.” The agreements also contain a provision ensuring that employees cannot take future legal action against the University. To make sure employees do not break their agreements, Coll said organizations often times send cease-and-desist letter. “Often times, what you’ll see is organizations will use cease-and-desist letters as a first step if they just have a rumor that somebody is speaking about it,” Coll explained. “A cease-anddesist letter is a warning shot — a legal letter saying, ‘If you don’t stop speaking … we will take legal action.’” Should the University claim the employee has broken this portion of the agreement, the forced arbitration clause prevents resolution of this claim in the court system. Arbitration is sealed, meaning these disputes would never become public. In some agreements, the University’s obligations to uphold the non-disclosure and non-disparagement portions of the agreement, unlike the employee, fall under neither potential monetary penalties nor forced arbitration. THE EFFECTS Non-disparagement and non-disclosure agreements have garnered public criticism in the wake of the #MeToo movement, as reporters have revealed how famous men such as Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer and Bill O’Reilly used these legal devices to prevent the disclosure of their alleged sexual harassment and misconduct. Coll spoke of the scrutiny these sorts of agreements have faced over the past two years. “In the wake of #MeToo, we’ve seen companies and state legislators and lawmakers take action to stop the use of these types of agreements,” Coll said. “That has been effective in a number of settings, but it obviously hasn’t reached every industry or workplace.” New York, California, Arizona, Vermont and Washington have all recently banned the use of nondisclosure agreements, which includes non-disparagement clauses, in settlements involving sexual harassment or misconduct. Recently, New Jersey banned non-disclosure in settlements involving
any kind of harassment or discrimination, not just limited to sexual misconduct. Maryland’s new law
requires employers with 50 or more employees to publicly disclose how many of their settlements include a nondisclosure provision, among other requirements. Tennessee prevented all employers from asking their employees to sign nondisclosure provisions relating to sexual harassment as a condition for employment or from renewing NDAs. It is the taxpayer’s right, local lawyer Sarah Prescott said, to know how funds are being spent by public universities. “State laws around freedom of information prevents state actors, including the University, from shielding payments,” Prescott said. “If there’s a payment of money, those can’t be concealed because it is the taxpayer’s dime, and taxpayers and other citizens have a right to know where the money is going.” Prescott cautioned that these agreements can be effective in shielding both taxpayers and the University from huge legal fees. “How much was the exposure for the taxpayer that was resolved with that $1 million in payouts? There might have been $8 million in exposure … The University might have … managed that liability in a very effective and efficient way,” Prescott said. “I can make a good case that the University has examined potential wrongs and potential damages and has made a good case to right the wrongs and address it.” When asked why an employee in an agreement might not be willing to speak to The Daily, Coll noted the power balance between the University and former employees when it comes to legal resources. “An institution that has many lawyers at its disposal, that’s the power disposal that’s at (play),” Coll said. “There’s a huge power differential at play here, both legally and financially, on both sides.” Should the University seek to recover damages for an alleged breach of this agreement, Coll suggested the University would be able to easily recover money paid to employees. “The most common situation you see is someone ( being offered) a settlement of their salary for a year (paid) out in 4 payments,” Coll said. “If they break their nondisparagement agreement, and they already got two payments, they would almost certainly not get any further payments, and they could bring an action to recover the money that was already paid.” Coll remains concerned these agreements suppress allegations of wrongdoing. She suggested they allow companies to avoid addressing potential issues of harassment and discrimination. “The harassment has remained in the shadows and has kept people silent about those issues,” Coll said. “They have allowed organizations and leadership at organizations to avoid actually addressing the underlying issue.” Though the University is a public institution, Coll compared these practices to those of a private corporation. “I’m not surprised to hear that large organizations, especially big schools … operate in many ways similar to large corporations,” Coll said. “I do continue to be surprised to learn that organizations are continuing to use that practice today, two years after #MeToo went viral.” This problem is not unique to the University of Michigan, St. John said. Attempts at “buying silence” happen across the public and private sectors every day. “It’s hard to find a university where this hasn’t happened,” St. John said. “If you believe in students, if you believe in society, it’s really hard to tolerate what they are doing.” Samantha Small can be reached at sdsmall@ michigandaily.com. Sammy Sussman can be reached at sbsu@michigandaily.com.
Opinion
4 — Tuesday, December 10, 2019
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
CHLOE PLESCHER | COLUMN
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com
MAYA GOLDMAN Editor in Chief
MAGDALENA MIHAYLOVA AND JOEL DANILEWITZ
FINNTAN STORER Managing Editor
Editorial Page Editors
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Alanna Berger Zack Blumberg Emily Considine Joel Danilewitz Cheryn Hong
Krystal Hur Ethan Kessler Magdalena Mihaylova Mary Rolfes Michael Russo
Timothy Spurlin Miles Stephenson Joel Weiner Erin White Lola Yang
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of The Daily’s Editorial Board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
NOAH HARRISON | COLUMN
The perils of refusing to call out Eddie Gallagher
L
ast week, in a move that defied the wishes of Pentagon officials, President Donald Trump blocked the removal of Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher — an accused war criminal — from the Navy SEALs. In addition, Trump restored Gallagher’s rank, and the debacle led to the firing of Navy Secretary Richard Spencer who had argued against Gallagher remaining a SEAL. In a final letter to Trump, Spencer acknowledged his termination and stated Trump does not have “the same understanding” of the “rule of law … good order and discipline.” Spencer’s letter is scathing, and for good reason. Gallagher’s retention of his rank and SEAL pin is entirely unwarranted and defies the moral standards we should uphold in our military. To recap Gallagher’s case: In 2017, Gallagher was deployed in Iraq with Navy Seal Team 7. In Iraq, Gallagher allegedly stabbed an unarmed, teenage ISIS prisoner and took trophy pictures with the body. Gallagher was reported by others in his platoon, and after a Navy investigation, Gallagher was charged with premeditated murder, shooting at civilians (in other incidents), threatening his subordinates to not cooperate with the investigation and taking photos with the dead insurgent. He was also charged with obstruction of justice for threatening to kill SEALs who report him. Prior to his trial, Gallagher received considerable support and attention from several conservatives, including 18 House Republicans, Fox News commentator Pete Hegseth and Trump, who intervened to move Gallagher to “less restrictive confinement” in March. Conservative support for Gallagher intensified after the lead prosecutor in his case was removed for misconduct. Still, Navy prosecutors believed their case was solid: Gallagher had posted trophy photos with the corpse, Gallagher appeared to admit responsibility for the killing in text messages and several eyewitnesses testified they saw Gallagher stab the prisoner.
However, the legal case fell apart when Corey Scott, another witness who was conveniently granted immunity, changed his story on the stand and claimed to be the one who killed the prisoner by covering his breathing tube. In the aftermath, Gallagher was acquitted of murder but found guilty of taking a trophy photo with the prisoner’s corpse, for which he was demoted.
Republican members of Congress and everyone who rushed to defend Gallagher are to blame for this debacle Now to be clear, while Scott’s dramatic reversal torpedoed the Navy prosecutors’ legal case, abundant evidence points to Gallagher’s guilt. When pressed on the stand by prosecutors as to why he changed his story, Scott responded that Gallagher did not have to go to prison. Scott’s dramatic reversal did not spur the other witnesses to change their testimony, nor does it explain Gallagher’s text messages in which he admitted culpability for the killing. Navy prosecutors were so confident Scott’s testimony was a lie they explored the possibility of charging him with perjury, but ultimately concluded there was not a viable legal path to do so. One final key point is that no one, not even Scott, denies that Gallagher stabbed the prisoner in the neck — though Scott claims the stabbing did not appear fatal. Gallagher’s acquittal provided a potential point of closure in the saga. Unfortunately, conservatives doubled-down on their bizarre commitment to defending a clear-cut war criminal, keeping the case in the spotlight. Trump publicly mulled pardoning Gallagher, reinstated his rank and ultimately intervened to allow Gallagher to retire as a SEAL. This creates a
mockery of the independence of the military-justice system and strains the separation of military and political affairs. In the wake of Spencer’s ouster, Defense Secretary Mark Esper expressed frustration that the Gallagher case has been so “distracted” and “dragged on for so long,” confirming that Trump made the final decision to block his removal from the SEALs. Esper is correct that the case has been long and distracting, but the larger shame is the self-inflicted black eye for the United States military. Our military rightfully prides itself on being just, precise and professional, but this well-earned reputation is impugned by the commanderin-chief’s vocal support for war criminals – and it is not just Gallagher. Trump, conservative media, Republican members of Congress and everyone who rushed to defend Gallagher and other American war criminals are to blame for this debacle. Gallagher is not a good man, and he clearly does not exhibit the character demanded from those who represent the U.S. in uniform. However, his case offers a lesson on how we react to the wrongdoings of those who serve. Those who serve our country and our communities — whether as soldiers, police officers, firefighters or first responders — make great sacrifices and are deserving of our sincere and solemn respect. However, with their sacrifice comes great responsibility, trust and power. Whether it be a soldier who kills unarmed prisoners or a police officer who racially profiles, we must be willing to call out those who violate the responsibilities they are entrusted with. Most of those who serve are good people — even heroes — but our reverence and respect for them does not preclude us from demanding high standards. In fact, unwillingness to discourage the misconduct of wayward service members cheapens and erodes the respect that virtuous service members have rightfully earned. Noah Harrison can be reached at noahharr@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.
SUBMIT TO SURVIVORS SPEAK The Opinion section has created a space in The Michigan Daily for first-person accounts of sexual assault and its corresponding personal, academic and legal implications. Submission information can be found at https://tinyurl.com/survivespeak.
A
Resist diet culture in the new year
s the new year looms, so do resolutions of weight loss. Dieting to lose weight is the second most popular resolution in the United States for 2019, with exercising to get into shape being the first. Even though only 64 percent stick with their resolutions after January and only 46 percent after June, every year Americans pledge to lose weight. Diet resolutions feed into our fatphobic society, worshipping thinness and degrading fatness. In fact, data from 2010 show that Americans spent over $60 billion on dieting and diet products. Women’s magazines advertise weight loss at every grocery store check-out lane and social media is littered with cleaneating accounts and weight-loss promises. Even television hosts Jenna Hager and Hoda Kotb nervously weighed themselves live on air before starting their intermittent fasting diet. Moreover, Michigan is the only state with a civil rights law prohibiting a workplace to fire someone because of their weight. While some cities have similar protections, the other 49 states have no state-wide laws. All of these contribute to our nation’s diet culture. From intermittent fasting and the keto diet to low-fat diets, you usually have at least one friend trying something new in an attempt to lose weight. Fad diets continually cycle, brainwashing people into believing they will actually work. About 95 percent of people who lose weight from diets will regain the weight (and possibly even more) within one to five years. Additionally, there are more side effects to fad diets than temporary weight loss. Dehydration, weakness, nausea, headaches and general lack of nutrients are some of the side effects from fad diets. I suffered from these same side effects when I was actively in my eating disorder. Unfortunately, dieting does not only affect adults. Teenagers
and kids are just as subject to dieting and fatphobia. According to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, teenagers aged 14 to 15 who dieted moderately were five times more likely to develop an eating disorder and those who heavily restricted their diets were 18 times more likely to develop an eating disorder. This was coupled with unhealthy weight control behaviors. According to researcher Dianne NeumarkSztainer, teenage boys and girls engage in skipping meals, smoking, vomiting, laxative use and fasting. Diet culture is an issue that affects every age and gender. And for those already eating-disordered, diet culture perpetuates eating disorders and makes “a full recovery almost impossible.” For me, much of my time in outpatient treatment involved coping with societal triggers and evading diet culture, especially near the holidays. This is not to say never try to lose weight or be ashamed if you have. Everyone has different reasons to lose weight. For some, it is because of compromising health conditions where it is important to work with doctors and dietitians to create a sustaining meal plan to remain healthy. But by doing so, one can still help resist diet culture. There are multiple ways to counteract diet culture. First, use the Health at Every Size logic and guidelines — weight loss or gain is not necessarily a sign of improved health. Excluding extreme cases, people can be healthy or unhealthy at any weight. Personally, I know skinny and fat people who are healthy as well as some who are unhealthy. Weight is not the sole determining factor of health, yet society continually shames fat people even though being extremely underweight is ultimately more dangerous than the counterpart. Furthermore, through fad diets and fatphobia, our culture glorifies eating disorders for fat
people, while showing concern for eating disorders in thin people. Society degrades fat people while putting thin (and emaciated) people on pedestals. Therefore, equal access to care is necessary. But equal access cannot happen until society reframes their thinking around fat people. It is important to reflect on your own weight biases and actions. Second, acknowledge your thin privilege, if applicable, and use it to help resist diet culture. Though a newly popular phrase, thin privilege has implications everywhere, especially in seating. Knowing you are able to comfortably sit in movie theaters, doctors’ offices, planes and restaurants means you have thin privilege. This is not a bad thing; people did not ask for it. Thin privilege is merely a result of a fatphobic society. However, people can choose to acknowledge their thin privilege and become involved in activism. From asking how to help, welcoming fat people to sit next to you or participating in Weight Stigma Awareness Week these small actions can help fight the nationwide fatphobia that diet culture encourages. Finally, do not give out unwarranted health advice. Health advice should come from professionals, such as doctors or dietitians. However, make sure your doctor or dietitian is part of the Health at Every Size movement, as even professionals can be fatphobic. There is no one way to cure diet culture. It is a $60 billion industry. However, we can perform small acts of resistance to not only help ourselves but others impacted by diet culture and the fatphobia within the culture. Fat people deserve the same treatment as thin people. Weight is not a measure of worth. It is time our society reflects that. Chloe Plescher can be reached at chloebp@umich.edu.
KIANNA MARQUEZ | COLUMN
We should embrace aggressive climate plans
W
hile speaking at the Democracy Alliance meeting held in Washington, D.C. this month, former President Barack Obama criticized farleft policies promoted by the current Democratic presidential candidates. He acknowledged that growth as a country is possible without having to change everything about it, stating, “This is still a country that is less revolutionary than it is interested in improvement. (Americans) like seeing things improved. But the average American doesn’t think that we have to completely tear down the system and remake it.” By referencing some of the passionate and aggressively liberal presidential candidates such as Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Obama brings into discussion whether we should have the mentality of creating revolutionary change or implementing gradual change. In other words, he addresses the monumental changes that certainly should be made for this country but questions their effectiveness if executed comprehensively at an immediate rate. Some aspects of Obama’s legacy could certainly serve as an example for institutionalized positive change in our country. However, the aggressive institutional approaches taken by the Democratic presidential candidates are necessary for the amount of attention the climate issue requires for positive change. In the face of looming climate devastation, Sanders has demonstrated his support for the Green New Deal and has catered his climate plan towards addressing the major issues outlined in this nonbinding legislation. Essentially, Sanders’s plan consists of phasing out infrastructure dependent on fossil fuels, implementing planting techniques to sequester carbon and targeting oil, gas and coal companies for prosecution, altogether reducing carbon emissions in the United States 71 percent by 2030. His plan relies heavily on the decisions of members of Congress to pass his proposed legislation, evidently
striving to embed the importance of climate care into the law of the land. While this plan is projected to cost $16.3 trillion over the decade during which it is implemented, it is also projected to ultimately save the United States economy $21 trillion over 30 years through averting the costs of infrastructural damage from natural disasters that would occur from intense climate events. Following the departure of Gov. Jay Inslee from the Democratic presidential candidate race, Warren adopted ideas from his campaign that focused heavily on combating climate change. She states in her new climate plan: “While his presidential campaign may be over, his ideas should remain at the center of the agenda.” While she has demonstrated her foundational support for the Green New Deal, Warren also considers public health care, environmental justice and policies that prevent exploitation of tribal and public lands as necessary and major considerations for an allencompassing agenda. Similar to the plan proposed by Sanders, Warren’s plan would be funded substantially by the reversal of the Trump administration’s tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations. In essence, Sanders, Warren and other Democratic presidential candidates have demonstrated the projected economic feasibility of their climate plans to the public in an effort to amplify the importance of the issue. When attempting the most optimal plan to address the climate issue, we are caught between making a plan that is feasible and considering the likelihood of facing irreversible climate devastation. In the present reality, we truly have no way of knowing how successful one plan could be over another despite the projected outcomes each one has. We are faced with these questions as we address the climate issue: Is trying to implement this radical plan better or worse than not trying? Should we instead adopt a more realistic policy proven to guarantee some progress? Considering the current decline of our environment today,
aggressive approaches are the only possible methods for restoring the environment to the extent necessary for living beings to not fall into permanent extinction. Thus, regardless of their feasibility or lack thereof, we should be of the mindset that we need monumental reconstruction to achieve climate restoration. Today, not enough institutions prioritize this mentality in their decision-making for the economy and public policy. As a result, it’s up to us to seek what institutions and society fail to present to us and to understand that no step forward is counterproductive to our existence, despite the costs that it may carry. We must hold each other accountable for the ways we think and the actions we take, knowing that positive outcomes of our actions only occur when we make the moral decision. Here on this campus, we are blessed to even have the choice of how we react to the climate issue. We take for granted the fact that our lives aren’t at stake when we choose to be wasteful. We forget that the impacts are monumental on disadvantaged communities and that they have no choice but to decide to survive. The climate catastrophe is growing more volatile and tainted everyday, something that we are out of touch with because of our privileges in this community. Thus, we should act like our reaction to this issue determines our own survival because the necessary impact we need to fix the state of the environment will only start to begin on the day that everyone chooses to act for it. In light of this, we should all support the people fighting for everyone’s survival through revolutionary climate policy. Most of those who serve are good people — even heroes — but our reverence and respect for them does not preclude us from demanding high standards. In fact, unwillingness to discourage the misconduct of wayward service members cheapens and erodes the respect that virtuous service members have rightfully earned. Kianna Marquez can be reached at kmarquez@umich.edu.
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Tuesday, December 10, 2019 — 5
COMMUNITY CULTURE NOTEBOOK
FILM REVIEW
Snow from the blue sky DANA PIERANGELI Daily Arts Writer
A24
‘Waves’ moves between love, family and grief in America
American teenage experience with warmth and honesty and a complete lack of judgement. Daily Arts Writer Yet, just when you think Tyler’s arc is about to be resolved, the very worst happens. The “loss” I I don’t quite remember what I expected out of keep hinting at finally occurs, and it’s worse than “Waves,” director Trey Edward Shults’s (“It Comes you could ever have possibly imagined. A character at Night”) latest A24 film. Its promotional material we’ve come to know and trust does something so is frustratingly vague, describing the plot of the horrifying, so devastating, you ask yourself, how movie as nothing more than an African-American will this family ever recover? How can they possibly family in Florida coping with a “loss.” I realize now, go on? How can they ever smile again? How can we ever smile again? though, the reason All of a sudden, this for this. To reveal family is broken, the anything more aspect ratio shifts about what happens and the world is in “Waves” would changed forever, spoil the movie and transformed into dampen the sheer something scary force of its impact. State Theatre and cold and I wasn’t prepared impossibly lonely. for this movie. I A24 But then Luke, wasn’t ready. I was played by Lucas crushed by it, but Hedges (“Boy I wouldn’t trade Erased”) comes the experience for along and makes anything. So I won’t everything better. say much more about the plot either, to ensure that you may watch Not perfect, not back to the way it was before, but the film unfold in the same way I did. But I can better. He makes us smile again. He gives Tyler’s write about just how incredible this film is and how sister Emily, the star of the movie’s second act, a new lease on life. He provides her with an escape alive it made me feel. “Waves” is a film consisting of two acts, the from the oppressive grief that now holds dominion first taking place before the big “loss,” the second over her parents and home life. By being with him, by being held by him, she occurring afterward. The finds a way to heal, or at first act centers around least a way to begin to work Tyler (Kelvin Harrison toward healing. Jr., “It Comes at Night”), Emily and Tyler’s parents a more-or-less typical find a similar solace in one high school senior dealing another, though it takes with more-or-less typical time, and they actually high school problems. He come to resent each other is supported by a loving and place their anger onto step-mother (Renee Elise each other immediately Goldsberry, “One Life to following the loss. But once Live”), a devoted, though they are finally ready to admittedly over-aggressive, confront each other’s guilt father (Sterling K. Brown, and pain, they readily fall “This Is Us”) and a shy into each other’s arms, just but loving younger sister like Emily and Luke did. (Taylor Russell, “Escape Maybe “Waves” is Room”). He loves wrestling too sentimental, too and his girlfriend (Alexa melodramatic for some. But Demie, “Euphoria”), and is that such a bad thing? though these perfect parts I’m reminded of a quote of his life are tainted by a by the writer Jeanette severe sports injury and a Winterson, who wrote that pregnancy scare, his life “to tell someone not to be is still, for the most part, emotional is to tell them to normal, at least by American be dead.” Watching “Waves” standards of teenhood. and second-handedly taking It’s still riveting to on this family’s pain was watch. Tyler’s world, painful. But I also felt these gorgeously filmed and set characters’ joy and their to a wonderful soundtrack, incomparable love and including songs by Kendrick devotion for one another. Lamar and Animal Watching “Waves” feels Collective, is endearing — like anything but being it pulls you right into its dead, and I’ve never felt atmosphere. Shults does a more alive while watching rare, extraordinary thing: a movie. He films the contemporary ELISE GODFRYD
Waves
Shults does a rare, extraordinary thing: He films the contemporary American teenaged experience with warmth and honesty and a complete lack of judgment
“I’ve never seen snow coming from the sky before!” With a face full of wonder, my freshman friend from California spun around outside without a coat, giggling at the first snowfall of the year. Childlike glee took over my six-foot tall assistant director in the middle of musical rehearsal. The half of the cast that came from warm states either ran outside to join him or smiled through the window. But the rest of us just sat back and laughed thinking, You’re going to hate it in a week! I was born and raised in Michigan. Michigan winters mean pure white snow turns to gray slush in a matter of hours, cars get trapped in the driveway from overzealous snowplows, freezing walks to the bus stop and highways jams from blinding sleet. I, of course, still feel a twinge of excitement when I wake up to dusted rooftops and iced trees. But that only lasts for about 30 seconds, or until I remember I have to walk to class or clear off my car, and I begrudgingly leave my warm bed and embark into the cold. For most of us jaded Michiganders and northern state residents, the snow lost its magic long ago. Of course we want a white Christmas and maybe even a snow day, if we’re lucky, but for the most part, it’s a nuisance. But in the huge out-of-state population that the University of Michigan becomes home to, some students have never seen snow before. Freshmen are often in awe of their first snowfall,
and even upperclassmen still get a thrill from the first of the season. Snow to them doesn’t necessarily mean slush-covered jeans and traffic jams. They just see a beautiful scene that rivals a Hallmark Christmas movie. For those who see snow as a standard occurrence, we haven’t felt that way in a long time. But seeing our friends’ faces light up at the first sign of winter, we start to remember the magic we once felt. Another one of my California freshman friends FaceTimed her mom the day of the first snowfall. Countless Instagram stories showed the snow-covered campus, window views and friends in fluffy scarves. I told one of my best friends to look out her window, and she texted me back “IT’S CHRISTMAS.” Snowmen appear in the diag, a block M crop circle covers Palmer field, snow angels grace the North Quad courtyard. My friends from California remind me how I felt when snow excited me. When a new coating of snow meant snowball fights with my dad and igloo building with my sister. When we would peel off our sopping wet snow pants and seven other layers to drink hot chocolate so hot that the marshmallows melted. My California friends remind me of the look on my sister’s face when we thought we were going to have a green Christmas, but instead woke up Christmas morning to a snowy scene: a Christmas miracle. My heart has been frozen to snow for a while, but seeing my friends’ joy at their first or just a fresh snowfall is enough for me to start to thaw. So thank you, California friends, for making snow magical again.
BOOK REVIEW
Gritty personal growth in ‘Pagan Virtues’ poems often refer to botched romantic efforts, which unfortunately come off as creepy or Daily Arts Writer misogynistic. He recalls watching a topless woman on a beach as she read one of his Toward the end of a life, the accumulation of books. He further explains his desire to ask regret seems an inevitability, with a minefield her “What is pleasing (her)” every time she of mistakes laid out throughout the decades. smiles during her reading. Another time, he Stephen Dunn’s poetry collection “Pagan describes one man’s feeling that flirting has Virtues” enables Dunn to walk himself and the been negatively impacted by the introduction reader through these mistakes as he endeavors of media encouraging the use of statements like to change the tone of each misstep from regret “May I?” shortly before that man wishes that a to acceptance. Dunn has mixed and, at times, particular woman would wear a more revealing unclear results in attempting to do so, with his dress. In this case, it is unclear whether cynical style of humor sometimes obscuring his Dunn is projecting his own ideals onto this feelings despite creating a more enjoyable read. unnamed man or discussing a sort of person he His humor often strengthens the collection, experienced in the past. The extent to which though, reflecting his divided thoughts rather both these events reflect his present beliefs is unclear. These segments than being a deliberate are wildly distasteful, but it ploy to mislead or confuse is important to consider the his audience. But each passage of time after these mistake is not equal in errors later in the reading magnitude, and Dunn when deciding whether or could have benefitted not the displayed sentiments from greater clarity when apply to Dunn’s current self. discussing this in certain Also worth considering is the passages. fact that, at the time of writing Dunn’s sentiments this collection, Dunn was are transported to the happily married to his wife of reader through one of many years, so it is likely that two approaches. His he is putting himself into the more anecdotal poems shoes of his former self when are shielded by a layer of discussing other women, emotional ambiguity: the rather than truly wishing he perspective of his former had not ended up with his wife. self blends together with Even so, the inclusion of such his reflective opinion on segments is so jarring and offthe event, sometimes to W.W. NORTON putting that it feels as though the point that the two become indistinguishable. While the execution Dunn could not have written them without the of these stories seems lackluster in isolation, intention of being remorseful for his past gross they usually succeed in giving context to the misconceptions. Dunn may not even be the second approach — poems that provide a more man depicted by the unnamed man at all. But unfortunately, this cannot be clearly direct analysis of Dunn’s hindsight, offering specific feelings in a general sense. The settings ascertained. While other poems depict from the former allow one to connect the dots profound regrets for past mistakes, the language and understand the broader picture of Dunn’s of the problematic poems themselves is not life. On an initial reading, these connections remorseful enough to keep the reader from mimic those of a scatterbrained detective’s feeling great discomfort with Dunn. Many bulletin board, but generally are clarified when great poems leave plenty of work for the reader when it comes to extracting the intricacies of revisited. “The Errors” is one of the more telling the author’s meaning, but Dunn simply cannot poems from the second category, giving clear afford to take these liberties when dealing insight to Dunn’s manner of reflection. The with such sensitive and problematic subject catch? This poem is placed beyond the halfway matter. If people have changed after and felt point in Dunn’s collection. Up until then, the remorse for a dark time in their lives where reader is unsure of Dunn’s methods, which is they were unequivocally wrong, coming clean particularly dangerous for certain poems. In and apologizing does not merit admonishment. “The Errors,” he projects his own interactions Without the certainty of where Dunn stands, with past mistakes onto the second person. the anecdotes cannot serve their (hopefully) He writes, “The errors you’ve made and keep intended purpose. Dunn’s overall acceptance and prolonged making / linger and indict you long after / they’ve become instructive.” Dunn reveals that regret of past faults allows his readers to his relationship with past faults is on neither relate to him, although not completely to extreme of the regret-acceptance spectrum. He darker times in his life. His brutal honesty in spite of what’s doesn’t just wallow best for his image in self-pity; he heeds reinforces his the advice that his narrative of regret, mistakes provide but sometimes to prevent their Stephen Dunn the reader yearns duplication, but part that this honesty of him still wishes W.W. Norton be accompanied the mistakes never Nov. 19, 2019 by a more explicit happened to begin portrayal of with. While Dunn current feelings. acts in the present, he still cannot help but think in the past, often One shouldn’t read “Pagan Virtues” with the the distant past, from time to time. This comes intention of reprimanding Dunn’s past self, Rather, it is about using Dunn’s flawed years to define “Pagan Virtues.” Dunn’s anecdotes are not always fully to reconsider his own history and, from it, forgivable even as they are explained. They pave a better future. ANDREW PLUTA
Pagan Virtues
A24
Arts
6 — Tuesday, December 10, 2019
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
COMMUNITY CULTURE REVIEW
SMTD’s ‘A New Brain’ is easy & entertaining SAMMY SUSSMAN Daily Arts Writer
When I first read about “A New Brain,” I thought the concept seemed absurd. An autobiographical show about a composer who suffers a chronic brain injury before a deadline for a show he’s writing, and that involves a humanized frog? I couldn’t imagine how it would unfold. The Department of Musical Theatre’s Studio Production of “A New Brain” easily put my concerns to rest. It was a simple, humorous and compelling rendition of the work. It was exactly what I’d hope for in a studio production: Minimal staging and costume, yet entertainment nonetheless. The humorous tone was quickly established in the beginning of the show, as the main character’s order at a restaurant turns into a quirky song about restaurant food. This dualism between the characters experiencing and commenting on the plot continues throughout. When the main character, Gordon Michael Schwinn, played by SMTD junior Jack Mastrianni, collapses at the restaurant and is rushed to the hospital, the ensemble made up for the limited props and lighting in this studio production. From an ensemble member running around with a flashing headlamp (to represent an ambulance) to two curtained dividers constantly being wheeled around the stage, this work had a decidedly modest feel. This simplicity allowed for some simple interjections of humor. A drill being held aloft by the doctor, SMTD senior Hugh Entrekin, during the operation scene, for example, added to what was otherwise a rather frightening scene of a man going into a chronic brain procedure. The doctor’s medical posters had a humorous, lightening effect, especially when simple smiley and frowning faces at the bottom of these posters were meant to signify the life-altering nature of these procedures. The show featured Schwinn’s latest musical composition — a musical for children hosted by a man named Mr. Bungee, played by SMTD junior Matthew Sanguine, who dresses in a green sports jacket and frog hat. Bungee exists as both
a personification of Schwinn’s artistic work and as a character in his own right, demanding that Schwinn make his composition deadline despite his hospitalization. Besides Bungee, many of the other characters integral to Schwinn’s life exhibit easily identifiable stereotypes taken to absurd extremes. There was the main character’s boyfriend, SMTD junior Luke Bove, a man so obsessed with sailing that he can’t cut his vacation short to make Schwinn’s surgery. And there was the main character’s mother, played by SMTD senior Madeline Eaton, a doting figure who gifts her adult son with a teddy bear and spoon-feeds him in an attempt to help him recover. The hospital workers, too, represent a few key medical stereotypes. The operating doctor cannot help but react with excitement to every brain injury. At one point, as he learns of a chronically injured patient on another floor, he eagerly fist bumps Schwinn. The two nurses represent the two ends of the nursing spectrum: One pampers Schwinn, while the other frequently SMTD criticizes him. One of the funniest moments in the show came right before Schwinn’s operation, as the nurses asked him about his family medical history. The ensuing song, “Gordo’s Law of Genetics,” pontificates on the genetic dominance of unfavorable traits. “Smart or dumb / dumb will predominate,” the ensemble sings. “Fat or thin / The fat will predominate.” The choreography in this song accentuated the humor, the lines about “fat or thin” accompanied by an imaginary rounded-stomach gesture. This was not particularly outrageous humor but it was intelligent, unpredictable and incredibly well-executed. It wasn’t meant to offend or to moralize, but it was smart and engaging. I left the theater impressed with the Department of Musical Theatre, the writing of James Lapine and the music, lyrics and story of composer William Flinn. It was amusing and entertaining, and for a studio show, if not a general University production, what more can one ask?
Release Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Chinese sauce additive 4 Olympic swimming star Ledecky 9 L.L.Bean competitor 14 Listening organ 15 Stereotypical Pi Day celebrants 16 “Drab” color 17 Handel’s “Messiah” et al. 19 Creepy film motel 20 *Fruity adult beverage 22 Put in the mail 23 Cowboys QB Prescott 24 Well-worn pencils 26 “Keystone” police 28 *Black-spotted orange flower 33 Prefix with center 34 __ Valley: Reagan Library site 35 Strand at a ski lodge, say 37 Pitcher’s stat 38 *Toy pistols used on stage 41 Prefix with natal 42 Asian food breadcrumbs 44 Novelist Leon 45 They, to Thierry 46 *Toy car brand 49 Artist Warhol 50 “The Good Earth” mother 51 Some SAT takers 52 Olympian bigwig 55 Canoeing challenge whose first word can precede the start and whose second word can precede the end of the answers to starred clues 61 Safe places? 63 Talus 64 Orange Muppet 65 Not tight enough 66 ER VIPs 67 Cockamamie 68 Beginning 69 Automated spam creator
DOWN 1 Cat’s cry 2 Indian cover-up 3 Concert keyboard 4 Rap on the door 5 Sleek, in car talk 6 75% of a quartet 7 Pop star 8 Ancient mystic 9 Position at work 10 Enduring work 11 Baptism or bris 12 Like Olympic years, numerically 13 “Wild” 1800s region 18 Oolong and pekoe 21 1921 play that introduced the word “robot” 25 Euphoria 26 Stay fresh in the fridge 27 Celeb with her “OWN” network 28 Andalusian aunt 29 Little rascal 30 Lively baroque dance 31 Red Square shrine
32 Give in 34 Grouchy look 36 Prone to prying 39 Oftenbookmarked address, briefly 40 Grafton’s “__ for Noose” 43 “80’s Ladies” country singer 47 “Yee-__!” 48 Surround, as with a saintly glow
49 Graceful steed 51 “Ni-i-ice!” 52 Cube root of acht 53 Merit 54 Forearm bone 56 Part of, plotwise 57 Boxing ref’s calls 58 “Anything __?” 59 Opposite of exo60 “Don’t play” music staff symbol 62 Date regularly
R E P A I N T
E V E N U P
T E L L M E
E R E S
G E E K
MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW
YOUTUBE
Take a little journey to Eroda. Meet my artist friend, Harry
eat tacos together, go for a bike ride and dance upon a hilltop. The fish, however, grows larger and larger by the day and its Daily Arts Writer species races back to Eroda to find it. This leaves Styles with no option other than to release it back into the ocean. The entire Harry Styles came out with the music video for “Adore You” village unites to help him in this endeavor. This effectively just a week short of his upcoming album Fine Line’s release. clears the clouds cast over Eroda, transfiguring everyone’s The single’s release, however, was supported by an elaborate, frown “into the unmistakable shape of a whale’s tale.” In all its cheeky, abstract glory, the music video echoes the meandering advertising campaign that spanned several months. Together, Harry Styles and director Dave Meyers built song’s message on doing anything for the person you love. the fictional city of Eroda from the ground up, with the song at Styles may not “walk through fire” for his fish friend, but he the very base. Targeted Twitter ads promoting Eroda emerged does almost everything he can to show his appreciation for in October around the release of Styles’s “Lights Up” music its company, from knitting it a sweater to frantically seeking video. Scattered subtly throughout the campaign were arrows fishbowl replacements to match its increasing growth. His relationship with a fish adds a quirky, lighthearted element pointing to a fine line (or, rather, Fine Line). Extensive Twitter threads unraveled as quickly as details for against the gloomy backdrop — it’s a lot more fun than the album, with conjectures and conspiracy theories running screencaps would convey. But that’s not what makes the rampant. Eroda was immediately recognized as fictional, only music video so impressive or effective at consolidating Styles’s a map drawing on its website to counter the case. The ties back message on love and its freedom from isolation. The video to Styles were tongue-in-cheek once news of this mysterious ad tells a story perfectly in tune with the song, but its pithy layers campaign broke. Eroda spelled backward is “adore,” a direct beyond the song’s lyrics make it artistically captivating. The connection to “Adore You.” This idea was further supported by video gains the bulk of its meaning from abstract gestures, a slogan on the website that read: “Welcome to Eroda! We Adore like the extended fish out of water metaphor and the shape You.” A comment on the Eroda Twitter feed also claimed to of Eroda as a frown. But these symbols are not static and they’re not there for the sake of have booked a visit for December symbolism. Rather, the transience for Dec. 13th — an option that is of these abstract visuals and one, unavailable and, two, the explanations envisions them same day as Fine Line’s release. as complex assets to the story. Claims of the island’s notoriety We don’t care about the fish for for cherries, watermelon and Harry Styles what it represents; rather, we strawberries also emerged, with Columbia Records appreciate that it has an impact on songs from Fine Line’s tracklist the protagonist of our story and also referring to these fruits. One moves the plot along in tandem of Styles’s new band members with the song’s progression. also has the same voice as the The marketing campaign only took this clever video announcer for the Eroda ads. A bench seen on an Eroda Twitter feed is purportedly located in St. Abbes, Scotland, where Harry up another caliber. It not only heightened anticipation for shot the “Lights Up” video — the list of references to Styles goes Styles’s music video release and album, but developed a on and on, but you get the point. The ad campaign was clever complex story arc for Styles’s art. Whereas most artists rely and successful in garnering attention and interest in Styles’s on their on-screen personality and overall effect on others to carry anticipation for their work, Styles developed an new work, regardless of whether the targets were fans or not. The “Adore You” music video confirmed fan theories with artistic marketing ploy to bounce off the anticipation of his Meyers and Styles’s elaborate and luscious Eroda landscape. fans for his new work. The social media ads were developed The video spans seven minutes with the history of Eroda over a long period of time, with attention radared to the presented prior to that of Styles’s character. The video starts movements of fans and followers over the internet. “When like the beginning of a “School House Rock” episode, an they found (something) we adjusted and/or leaned on it to animated globe whirring before it pans into the Isle of Eroda. make sure that they could further go down the rabbit hole,” Located near England and “shaped unmistakably like a says Columbia digital media director John Salcedo. The social frown,” the island is home to a forgotten, bleak fishing village media ruse, more effectively than his robust Saturday Night ripe with superstition. A perpetual spell of “resting fish face” Live double feature as a host and musical guest or Graham is cast upon every native’s face until Styles’s character is born Norton performance, brought traction for “Adore You” and with a literally blinding smile. This casts him into solitude and Fine Line. This tactic puts Styles’s artistic flare at the center isolation, forcing him to leave home until one day, he meets a of his celebrity. His artistry doesn’t strive for attention, but literal fish out of water with a smile much like his. “Loneliness rather appreciation as complex and beautiful pop music. This is an ocean full of travelers trying to find their place in the separates Styles from his boyband past by putting his artistry world,” the narrator puts it simply. From there, the music at the core, not stifling and reworking his personality to better video details Styles’s relationship with his fish friend. The two fit a strain or audience for attention. DIANA YASSIN
Adore You
COMMUNITY CULTURE NOTEBOOK
ARTH; or, on making bad art STEPHANIE GURALNIK
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
M C S M O P
A R O U S E S
Y A R D A G E
S K I D
G A A M H I C I R M O E A T M I T O L O
By David Poole ©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
D J S N A I B A R R I O O R A H A M O O D I N O O S E O K E N F A Y E R E S O O F T H U L T L E O
E M R A N E
S H B I O V A R A D G S O D I T V O A T E
P O L E N T A
A Y L E L S
I P O R N E
M A R I T A L
E V I L E S T
D E P A R T S
12/10/19
12/10/19
Daily Arts Writer
“Arth” Definition: (noun) a piece of really, really bad art. Etymology: Early 21st century, a Kerrytown porch filled with exhausted artists who missed liking their art form. You are an artist. You are tired, and that cold you’ve had for about two months is still nestled in your nose and throat. It is December, and there are four collaborations due, two final performances, a surplus of overly-personal journals to write and turn in — and it all has to be done in three days. Every artist I have encountered in the past week has been utterly exhausted, creatively bankrupt and nervous. The pressure is on to show what they’ve learned in neat, shiny presentations. When looking at art, my mind generally breaks whatever I’m consuming into two evaluative categories: Technicality and heart. Technicalities are whatever can be taught, like if a charcoal drawing of an apple actually looks like an apple. Heart is whether or not it looks like the artist particularly cared. Or is “heart” too tacky? It’s that indescribable sense of enjoyment that you get from seeing something honest, if that’s not too overused as an art-related buzzword. It’s the same honesty you get when seeing a cartoon version of someone as opposed to an oil portrait of them. When actors improvise on stage before sinking into character. When musicians throw together a slap-dash
cover of a country song in the 10 minute break in orchestra. This element of honesty is driven by recognizing the people creating the art as people rather than “artists.” When this element is present, we do not see art as removed and polished, but as something a person made. There is an element of beauty and aesthetic spectacle in high budget ballets or a 100 piece orchestra; that is a fact. But my favorite pieces of art have always been those where you can see the seams, where the process is not only evident in the final product, but a part of it. It’s like speaking with an incredibly confident and self-aware person. You like them because they know who they are and they are comfortable with it. Often, this is the art that is the artist’s favorite to make. Particularly when you’re an art student, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the pressure to commodify your art, to always be thinking about how to market yourself and how to make your work clean and palatable. These are useful skills, but they can suffocate unadulterated and experimental creativity and, in turn, an artist’s love for their art. You are an artist. You should make arth. Bastardize your own art form. Boldly leap into one in which you have zero skill or proficiency. Host a reading specifically for bad iPhone Notes poetry, fingerpaint with your friends or write a song about the neighborhood cat’s secret life. Arth is bad. Arth is not polished. It is experience based, personal, creative throw-up. It is compost: It is the eggshells from your goat cheese omelette, the banana peels from those pristine pancakes you made last Sunday and the orange rind from your citrus scone endeavor. It is leftovers and garbage, yes, but it is also what helps your garden grow and stay healthy.
But my favorite pieces of art have always been those where you can see the seams, where the process is not only evident in the final product, but a part of it
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Tuesday, December 10, 2019 — 7
Wagner gains confidence with In win over ‘Cuse, Michigan shows performance against Hawkeyes lessons learned from early season CONNOR BRENNAN
JACK KINGSLEY
Daily Sports Writer
Daily Sports Writer
The game’s result was no longer in doubt. With a 14-point buffer and just over a minute remaining, the Michigan men’s basketball team was assured its first Big Ten win of the season over Iowa. Off a long defensive rebound, though, even with no need to push the ball in transition, two Wolverines saw an opportunity ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily Freshman wing Franz Wagner scored 18 points on Friday against Iowa. anyway. After sending an outlet pass to in all four games, Wagner also Despite a somewhat slow start and sophomore guard David DeJulius, looked a step slow. Offensively, he the occasional miscue, Wagner has freshman wing Franz Wagner shot 28.5 percent from behind the gradually gained confidence with hightailed down the floor. The arc and 36 percent overall. It was each and every game. The latest Hawkeyes were retreating a little even more glaring on the defensive showing against the Hawkeyes too casually for their own good, end, where Wagner had some was merely a glimpse of what his and Wagner was about to take full missed assignments, and at times, teammates and coaches had raved about over the summer. advantage. Almost telepathically, let his guard down. DeJulius read the situation and This was especially true against “Every game I feel better out hoisted a pinpoint alley-oop from the Cardinals. Wagner was given there,” Wagner said. “It takes a the tall task of guarding their little time, but I felt good out there 30 feet out. Wagner finished it off with a leading scorer, Jordan Nwora, and today.” Added Howard: “Like I tell two-handed flush. struggled to contain him. “I think against Louisville, off Franz, you just gotta stick to the The crowd inside Crisler Center erupted, the Michigan the ball, I played good defense,” process. Because it’s tough for a guy bench jumped to its feet in Wagner said last Thursday. to only have one practice and come excitement and Wagner strolled “Maybe I could’ve communicated in and play three games in a row. It away smiling ear-to-ear. The fact a little more. On the ball, I can wears on you, and then when see that the sequence increased the definitely do a better job. He’s a that your shot is flat or you shoot Wolverines’ lead to 16 points was really good player though and you an air ball or you miss a layup or you travel, you can get down on trivial. What the slam meant in the have to give him credit.” Against Iowa, Wagner seemed yourself. That’s something we grand scheme of things was much to turn a corner on both ends. don’t want him to do because he’s more meaningful. The 103-91 win over Iowa He looked aggressive on offense, a big part of our team.” Howard never wavered from pushed Michigan to 8-1 on the scoring 18 and getting to the foul season. For Wagner, though, Friday line 10 times. Defensively, he held his decision to start Wagner as night was just his fifth college the Hawkeyes’ second leading soon as he was ready. He gives a game. The heralded freshman, scorer, Joe Wieskamp, to just seven solid Michigan roster even more of a scoring threat going forward who played professionally in points on 2-of-6 shooting. Germany last season, was forced to “Franz gave us great and valuable minutes at a sorelysit out the first month of the season production,” said Michigan coach needed spot. In the closing minutes of the Juwan Howard. “It was great that after fracturing his wrist. When he returned to action, he played with a lot of confidence game, knowing what the moment he was thrown right into the fire, — not saying he didn’t play with a had meant to him, Howard gave starting all three games of the lot of confidence before. But, when Wagner a high-five and some Battle 4 Atlantis — against Iowa you see the ball go through the encouragement near the sideline. “He just asked me if that felt State, No. 17 North Carolina and basket a few times, it gives you a good,” Wagner said. “It was after No. 6 Gonzaga — and playing gratifying feeling.” While it was Wagner’s best that dunk and I said, ‘Yeah.’ 30 minutes against top-ranked “... It felt good hanging on the performance of the season, it Louisville. Despite showing positive flashes wasn’t necessarily unexpected. rim again.”
The Wolverines were in a familiar situation. Midway through the fourth quarter of its Thursday matchup against Syracuse, the game seemed to be slipping away from Michigan — just as it had in the Nov. 23 loss to Notre Dame. Sophomore forward Naz Hillmon forced a turnover and drew a foul on a converted layup in transition early in the fourth quarter to cut the Syracuse lead to four, and it looked as though the momentum had shifted to the Wolverines. But Hillmon missed the free throw, and the Orange made 3-pointers on their next two possessions. Suddenly, Michigan trailed by 10 — its largest deficit of the game. Just as they had against the Fighting Irish, the Wolverines got anxious, leading to turnovers and missed shots. In that game, Michigan made just one field goal and turned the ball over six times over the first 6:30 of the fourth quarter, during which Notre Dame went on a 12-3 run. Thursday, the Wolverines missed all three of their attempted field goals and committed two turnovers over the two-minute stretch after Syracuse extended the lead to 10. The Orange had
the game firmly in hand. Against the Fighting Irish, Michigan did little to adjust. It continued to sit back in a zone, and Notre Dame continued to break it. The Wolverines looked demoralized as the Fighting Irish continued to score with ease. “We couldn’t get a defensive stop or consecutive defensive stops,” said junior forward Hailey Brown after the loss. “When you’re not making shots, even though you’re getting the right shots, if you’re not getting stops it’s hard to win that way.” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico and the players showed Thursday that they had learned their lesson. With just under six minutes left in the game, the Wolverines unveiled a stifling full-court press. They had shown this look from time to time throughout their past few games — even for a few possessions in the first half against Syracuse — but they had never looked as energized in the formation as they had down the stretch of Thursday’s game. Michigan’s press forced six turnovers, and the Wolverines finished the quarter on a 14-5 run to force overtime. Michigan continued to press in overtime and forced five Orange turnovers, leading to an 84-76 win.
OLIVIA CELL/Daily
Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico was glad her team cut down on turnovers.
This defensive switch was the clear turning point in the game, but the Wolverines would not have been able to consistently press without taking care of the ball. In the loss to the Fighting Irish, Michigan had seven turnovers in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines were constantly playing in transition, so they couldn’t get set in a fullcourt press even if they wanted to. Since that game, they have worked hard to improve their ball security. “We have a bunch of practice guys that come in every day and we have been doing drill after drill of high pressure, high pressure, high pressure,” Barnes Arico said. “People doubleteaming you. Six players against five of us, putting us in uneven numbers. Four of us against three. Just trying to simulate facing long, pressure-type teams.” Against Syracuse, the Wolverines only turned the ball over twice in the 10 minutes after they began to press. As Michigan began to come back, the Orange switched to a full-court press of their own, but the Wolverines didn’t get flustered. Sophomore point guard Amy Dilk never tried to force the ball up the court on her own. She made smart, quick passes to avoid traps and get the ball past half court with relative ease. “We had four (turnovers) in the second half against a team that picks up and pressures the way that they do,” Barnes Arico said. “I thought Amy Dilk was phenomenal. When you have to go against pressure 94 feet for 40 minutes, that’s pretty tough to do. She handled it exceptionally well.” The loss to Notre Dame was a clear wake-up call for the Wolverines, and they showed what they learned from it in a similar game against Syracuse.
Exhibition of potential Talented underclassmen lead way in exhibition quad meet win on Saturday, showing what could come this season ABBIE TELGENHOF Daily Sports Writer
Four. The number of freshmen on the Michigan women’s gymnastics team. Three. The number of freshmen who competed in the Wolverines’ exhibition meet — the Michigan Quad in Crisler Center against Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan. Two. The number of Michigan gymnasts who competed allaround, including freshman Sierra Brooks. One. The place Brooks finished in the all-around category. In the exhibition, the Michigan freshmen class brought its stellar reputation to the floor. And the beam, and the bars, and the vault. Three of the four freshmen — Gabby Wilson, Nicoletta Koulos and Brooks — made their collegiate debut. An exhibition meet is a unique experience, allowing gymnasts to showcase routines and test things out in a lowstakes environment. There isn’t always the same level of pressure to perform, something the freshmen class capitalized on. “I just tried to do as best I could,” Brooks said. “I just tried to keep that mentality throughout the meet. Don’t try to change anything too drastically because people are watching and you’re in Crisler.” In a team win for the Wolverines — with a final score of 195.975 — all four events were covered by the three freshmen: Koulos on floor, Wilson on floor, bars and vault and Brooks competing all-around. Koulos, despite multiple falls during her floor routine, scored a 9.075. She also did an exhibition on vault, bars and beam.
“Nicoletta Koulos fell on the floor and I’m not going to say that I’m not surprised,” said Michigan coach Bev Plocki. “We have pushed her a little bit. She’s going to be great. I have no doubt in my mind that she’s going to be great.” Wilson’s performance on three of four events also trended in a positive direction. On vault, she tied with Brooks for first out of the Michigan competitors, and tied for second between the four teams with a score of 9.825. On floor and bars she added valuable points to the Wolverines’ team-score. She also did an exhibition on beam. Brooks was one of two Michigan gymnasts who competed all-around — the other was the NCAA national champion on the beam event, sophomore Natalie Wojcik.
Brooks posted an all-around score of 39.425 on her way to being the all-around champion of the meet. She was also the bars champion with a score of 9.925. Overall, the freshmen accounted for almost 40 percent of Michigan’s 195.975 points. Out of that 40, Brooks contributed 50.5 percent of those points. With the loss of two key seniors, Olivia Karas and Emma McLean, the Wolverines looked to replace their six lineup spots with these freshman. The freshmen’s positive early performances shows steps in the right direction in filling those spots. “I think we did really good, like, for our first time in Crisler,” Brooks said. “It was awesome that everybody was able to contribute.”
I think we did really good, like, for our first time at Crisler.
LILY ISRAEL
Daily Sports Writer
An exhibition match is usually one to give the seniors and captains a solid pre-season tuneup. It’s an opportunity to give the freshman a walkthrough at Crisler Center for what’s to come. But they aren’t supposed to be the ones carrying the team. The freshmen are supposed to perform like freshman and the seniors are supposed to perform like seniors. But not for the Michigan women’s gymnastics team. In an exhibition quad meet on Saturday, the underclassmen, especially freshman Sierra Brooks, propelled the Wolverines to the win. Michigan competed against Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan. The Wolverines scored 195.975 points and Central Michigan finished second with a score of 194.500. “It’s always an exciting time of the year, but it’s also a difficult time of year,” said Michigan
MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily
Freshman Sierra Brooks placed first in the all-around competition during Saturday’s exhibition meet win for Michigan.
coach Bev Plocki. “This falls at really not the best time of year … but it just happens to be when it is. We still have a month. I guess the good news is we still have a month.” Competing in her first collegiate meet, Brooks was the all-around champion with a near-perfect score of 39.425. One of only two Michigan gymnasts to compete in all four events, Brooks highlighted her performance with her bar routine, posting a score of 9.925. “It’s really exciting,” Brooks said. “I came in, I didn’t try to like have an overall (day), I just tried to do as best I could. I just tried to keep that mentality throughout the meet, and just do the routines that I’ve been doing inside the gym.” Sophomore Natalie Wojcik placed fourth all-around. She had an impressive floor routine, scoring a 9.900. Wojcik upgraded the difficulty of her routine midway through last season, adding a full-on. She wasn’t able to perfect it last year and it has since been an emphasis in practice. As the reigning national champion in the beam event, Wojcik performed strongly in her beam routine — her favorite event — scoring a 9.875. This was not near her best from last season, but she is working on shaking off the early season rust. Because this was an exhibition meet, all teams were allowed to compete with six gymnasts in addition to two exhibition players. Unlike a regular-season meet, regardless of the two exhibition scores the first six gymnasts in the lineup were scored. Plocki capitalized on this opportunity and entered eight gymnasts in each event. “We tried to treat it for the most part like a regular meet,” Plocki said. “This is a great dry run for our athletes, for our event staff, for everybody. In a regular meet, we would probably only put our lineup in
one exhibition.” Regardless of the win, like any beginning of the season, the meet was not flawless. “As a team, we have been working a lot on landings and just cleaning up any little small thing we can,” Wojcik said. The Wolverines started strong in their first rotation on vault. But the pressure of competing in Crisler Center for the first time this season, and for the freshman first time in their careers, slowly set in during the beam and floor events. “It’s just being able to compete beam in a pressure situation without giving in to some of the negative thoughts that go through your head and being nervous,” Plocki said. “Those routines we will make over and over and over again in the gym.” The biggest mistakes came during these last two events. Four gymnasts fell off the beam during their routines, all managing to get back on and finish their routine. During the floor event, freshman Nicoletta Koulos fell during her last pass through. Plocki attributed this to Koulos’ ongoing recovery from several knee injuries. “(We will) be able to get everything ready to go into that first real meet and be able to clean up some of those little mistakes we had today,” Plocki said. Coming out of this meet, Plocki is confident that, if her team stays healthy, it will have considerable depth and be able to rotate gymnasts in their lineup to keep them fresh and healthy and improve as the season progresses. One might look at Michigan’s season last year and see minimal if any room for improvement. But not for the Michigan women’s gymnastics team. “There’s always room to improve,” Plocki said. “If you are not trying to improve you’re falling behind because everybody else is improving.”
Sports
8 — Tuesday, December 10, 2019
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
The good, the bad and the ugly: Michigan hockey at the halfway point BAILEY JOHNSON Daily Sports Writer
One game past the halfway point of this season, it’s no secret that the Michigan hockey team’s year hasn’t gone to plan. At 6-10-2 overall and 2-7-1 in the Big Ten, the Wolverines are nowhere close to what they expected of themselves entering the season. In the first half, Michigan suffered through a sevengame winless streak and only swept its opponent once — Oct. 18-19 over Lake Superior State, which currently sits at 5-141. The Wolverines were swept on the road at Ohio State and in a home-and-home against Michigan State. In short, it hasn’t been pretty. The Daily breaks down the good, the bad and the ugly halfway through the year: The good Sophomore goaltender Strauss Mann has been a clear bright spot for the Wolverines. A year after Michigan finished 59th of 60 teams in save percentage at .887, Mann is 12th in the nation with a save percentage of .931 and allows just 2.06 goals per game, good for 14th out of 71 goaltenders. Michigan has given up the seventh-most shot attempts in the country this year, so the Wolverines have had to rely on Mann as a backstop — sometimes much more than Michigan coach Mel Pearson would like. Regardless, Mann’s performance has been impressive and sorely needed after the debacle that was Michigan’s goaltending last season. “I love the guy,” said freshman defenseman Cam York on Friday. “Nothing seems to faze him. He just stands on his head every game. We need him badly. When he plays really well, he gives us a chance to win every game.”
In front of Mann, the Wolverines have been sound defensively. They give up 2.17 goals per game on average, good for 11th in the nation. Last weekend, Michigan allowed just two goals at even strength — and just four total in the series — to Penn State, which has the highest-powered offense in the country at 4.29 goals per game. Despite giving up quite a few shot attempts, the Wolverines and Mann have kept things together on the back end and not given up many goals. Michigan has given up more than three goals in a game just twice on the year and has shut out its opponents twice. “I like this team,” Pearson said Saturday after a series split against Penn State. “I like our goaltending. I like our team defense against maybe the best offensive team in the country.” The bad The Wolverines scored a power-play goal in the first period at Ohio State on Nov. 1. Three weeks later, Michigan scored a power-play goal at New Hampshire. In between those two tallies, the Wolverines went 0-for-12 with a man advantage. As it turns out, Michigan’s 3-of-5 performance on the power play in its exhibition game Oct. 6 was a bit of an outlier. Things have been looking a bit better of late, but the Wolverines’ power play is still 42nd in the country at just 16.2 percent. Pearson and associate head coach Bill Muckalt, who runs the power play, have made repeated changes to both units because of injuries and a desire to switch up what isn’t working, and the result of that has been two power-play units that are still struggling to find a rhythm. Last year, the Wolverines finished 44th in the nation at 15.6 percent, and that was part of why Pearson had Muckalt take over the power-play duties
this season. But so far, things haven’t improved all that much. The ugly You knew this was coming. The ugliest part of this team is, without question, the offense. The Wolverines average 2.17 goals per game, 49th in the country. Of the teams that have scored fewer goals than Michigan’s 39, none have played as many games as the Wolverines have. Michigan scores on 6.7 percent of its shots — third-to-last in the nation. Freshman forward Johnny Beecher leads the team with nine points from a team-best five goals and four assists. York is tied for second with senior forward Jake Slaker at eight points, and then three skaters
have six points apiece and four have six. In contrast, Penn State’s top producers have 23, 21 and 20 points, respectively. A lack of offensive output is clearly hindering this team, and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s causing it. Michigan is fourth in the country in shots on net with 584 and ranks third in total shot attempts with 1,078. Its Corsifor percentage — a measure of how many shot attempts a team generates compared to the number it allows — is 51.2 percent, which is just above average and means the Wolverines generally outshoot their opponents. Pearson and his players
have frequently commented on Michigan not getting bounces this season, and at times, it’s sounded like an excuse for a team that can’t score. But with such a high shot total and such a low shooting percentage, there may be some truth to it. College Hockey News tracks Corsi-for percentage and Twitter user Recovering Ops publishes a chart comparing Corsi-for percentage and PDO — which is essentially a measure of luck — each week. To calculate PDO, a team’s shooting percentage is added to its save percentage. Average is considered to be 100 percent, and Michigan is just below that mark right now while being above average in Corsi-for
percentage. The numbers suggest the Wolverines have been a little bit unlucky, but probably not unlucky enough to account for their anemic offensive numbers. And Michigan has also battled the injury bug this year, with Beecher, York, Slaker and senior forward Will Lockwood all missing multiple games. But this team is pretty deep at forward, and at the beginning of the year, Pearson expressed excitement about the offense. Senior forward Nick Pastujov said Michigan was going to be able to score at a high rate with all four lines. That clearly hasn’t happened. Instead, it’s been far, far uglier.
ALEC COHEN/Daily
The Michigan hockey team sits at a disappointing 6-10-2 overall and 2-7-1 in the Big Ten halfway through its season after splitting a series with Penn State.
DESIGN BY ALEC COHEN