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Tuesday, January 28, 2020

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Third debate town hall talks engagement, campus safety

Central Student Government hosts meeting to address common concerns JULIA RUBIN & DOMINICK SOKOTOFF

Daily Staff Reporter & For The Daily

International students face issues during summer internship search

DESIGN BY CHRISTINE JEGARL

Graduates, undergraduates discuss roadblocks with finding jobs, applying to programs asking about applicants’ citizenship status FRANCESCA DUONG Daily Staff Reporter

In 2018, Engineering senior Barry Chen went to his first and last career fair to look for aerospace engineering internships. Before the fair, he had already done research on which companies would be willing to hire international students. “When we had a career fair, we had a list of companies, and we could also check if they want to sponsor international students,” Chen said. “I checked it, and turns out very few of them (sponsor), although there are some. Many of them give answers like ‘we

may sponsor,’ but it’s not for sure. Maybe it depends on the job they want to offer you, maybe it depends on the spots available for internships.” Despite the research he had done, after spending his day talking to multiple companies, he realized he wasn’t going to receive an offer because of his immigration status. Chen looked further into companies and realized that many jobs require a United States citizenship or a green card or a higher educational degree. “I understand it’s not possible for me to find intern(ships) while I’m still undergrad,” Chen said. International students have

a choice of F-1 — or student visa — employment options while they are at the University. The most common are Optional Practical Training and Curricular Practical Training for short-term employment, such as internships. Currently, the processing time for OPT applications is more than 90 days. In the case of Rackham student María Alejandra Rodríguez Mustafa, the processing time caused her to lose an internship offer during the summer of 2019. “I got an offer, but I got it very late, so it was very hard to do all the paperwork,” Mustafa said. “So in the end, the timing was not great because I could not start and

be continuing with the company for the time they required me. I could not go.” For full-time jobs after graduation, companies must be willing to sponsor an international student and submit an H-1B, or visa for temporary workers, on their behalf. This visa allows them to stay for up to six years. However, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, there is a congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 H-1B visas and an additional 20,000 “advanced degree exemption” for the 2020 fiscal year. In addition, according to the American Immigration Council, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration See INTERNSHIP, Page 3

Though the presidential debate to be hosted at the University of Michigan is nine months away, Central Student Government held its third presidential debate town hall Monday night in Pierpont Commons to discuss student engagement, inclusion and safety. Less than half of University students voted in the last presidential election, a rate which Catherine Carver, operations co-lead of the 2020 Debate Initiative, called “extraordinarily low.” Carver said the Debate Initiative hopes to increase student turnout and engagement in the democratic process as a whole by hosting voter registration drives, soliciting student input and launching a campus-wide theme semester in the fall. “A key part of a democratic society doesn’t mean just going to the voting booths, but that there are other things we can do to be active and engaged citizens,” Carver said. Though the Debate Initiative

ACADEMICS

wants students to engage with the democratic process beyond the night of the debate, Carver acknowledged student frustrations about the limited number of seats available to students at the debate itself. The Crisler Center can accommodate close to 13,000, but only 800 to 1000 seats will be available for the debate in total. The Commission on Presidential Debates, the nonprofit that produces the debates, will receive one-third of the tickets, and distribute a portion to the University to allocate. The remaining twothirds will be reserved for political parties. The Debate Initiative will be facilitating viewing parties across campus for students not selected to watch in the Crisler Center. CSG and the Office of Student Life recognized the climate surrounding the debate will be politically charged and may make some students feel uncomfortable or unsafe on campus. CSG president Ben Gerstein, Public Policy junior, and Laura Blake Jones, Dean of Student Life, created the Campus Climate Advisory Council, a standing body that See TOWN HALL, Page 3

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2 Historic houses may be destroyed A Burger SACUA looks to for College of Pharmacy building joint shuts redesign Homes on the corner of East Huron Street, Glen Avenue at risk of destruction by ‘U’ down two locations subgroups ANGELINA BREDE

Committee explores lighting pollution, new judicial review body, 1U campaign SHEHREZ CHAUDHRI Daily Staff Reporter

The Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs met Monday to discuss restructuring committees and the upcoming debate. The meeting started off with members approving the notes from their previous meeting. Joy Beatty, chair of the committee, put forth issues to be discussed such as upcoming visits from the Student Relations Advisory Committee and the Edward Ginsberg Center for Community Service Learning regarding civic engagement among students. Committee members discussed having Catherine Carver, the operations co-lead for the 2020 Presidential Debate Initiative, meet with members and inform them on the presidential debate planning at the University of Michigan in October 2020. “Part of the goal for that would be to have Senate Assembly members engage brief ly in how all of us can be thinking about how to build See SACUA, Page 3

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Three historic homes located on the corner of East Huron Street and Glen Avenue, currently owned by the University of Michigan, may be demolished for a new College of Pharmacy, according to November 2019 advertisement for the sale and removal of the houses. The proposal for a new $121 million, 130,000 square foot building was approved in May 2019.

According to a project proposal, the current College of Pharmacy has narrow structural bays and shallow f loor-to-f loor heights which do not allow for reconfiguration into modern classroom and laboratory spaces. The new building will have more space to accommodate for academic, research and student needs. University spokeswoman Kim Broekhuizen said in an email to The Daily if the houses are not purchased and moved from the current

site, they will be demolished in the upcoming summer. “There haven’t been any proposals submitted to purchase, and if that remains to be the case, over the summer they would be demolished,” Broekhuizen said. Ann Arbor historian Susan Wineberg, who lives in the District, said she was disappointed with the decision to demolish these houses. “I broke it down to myself as being bad for three reasons,” Wineberg said.

“One is, of course, historical because of the people who occupied those houses. It’s important to the University of Michigan. The second reason is architectural because they’re very good representations of three different architectural styles from 1891 through 1905 and they’re in very good condition. The third reason is an environmental one because we say the greenest building is the one that’s already built.”

See HISTORIC, Page 3

NATALIE STEPHENS/Daily One of the historical houses on East Huron street that could be demolished to make way for a new College of Pharmacy building.

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INDEX

Elevation Burger, owned by ‘U’ alums, unexpectedly closes its Ann Arbor shops JULIA FORREST Daily Staff Reporter

This past week, both of Ann Arbor’s Elevation Burger restaurants unexpectedly closed permanently. A small sign on the door alerted customers to the closure and thanked them for their business. University of Michigan alumni Sarah and Mike Tayter opened the organic burger joint in downtown Ann Arbor in 2015. Elevation was known for its 100% organic, free-range and grassfed beef and offered a selection of vegan and vegetarian burgers, sandwiches, fries, milkshakes and salads. With one location on Washtenaw Avenue and another on East Liberty Street, the Virginiabased chain was accessible to Ann Arbor locals and students. Hira Khan, LSA junior and Elevation regular, expressed disappointment at the restaurant’s sudden closing because it is just one of many local Ann Arbor businesses that has shut its doors in the past year. “I just thought it was really sad in general just to see so many places in Ann Arbor closing, especially when Elevation Burger was I think familyowned, so it’s really sad to see that happen,” Khan said. Khan also elaborated on Elevation’s inclusive menu, explaining that it See BURGER, Page 3

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NATALIE STEPHENS/Daily An art exhibition showcasing photographs by Declan Han, a Chicago based photojournalist, with a collection of photos capturing some of the greatest events during the civil rights movement hangs in the Duderstadt Center on North Campus.

Vietnamese Student Association hosts show celebrating culture

About 500 members of the University community attended dance event themed ‘Ignite Your Flame’ at Power Center Saturday night DELANEY DAHLSTROM Daily Staff Reporter

About 500 community members gathered at the Power Center Saturday night to witness Đêm Việt Nam, a celebration of Vietnamese culture through different styles of dance. The theme this year was “Ignite Your Flame.” One of the performances was a traditional dance with lotuses to teach the audience about Vietnam’s values and history. The lotus, which is the national flower of Vietnam, represents purity, commitment and optimism. LSA senior Ashley Doung, president of the Vietnamese Student Association, expressed her excitement about the organization’s growth. In previous

years, the VSA hosted the show at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, a smaller venue. “DVN show tickets sold out within hours of being released,” Doung said. “Due to the overwhelming support from the community, we realized that we had to expand and host this show at a larger venue.” Doung said the VSA prepared extensively before the show to become accustomed to the new venue. “Building up to the day of the show, this week has been impossibly hectic for all who were involved,” Doung said. “Especially because this is our first year at this venue, all of DVN Board and VSA Board were very detail-oriented and cautious in planning the show out logistically … Behind the scenes, from the final dress rehearsal to the

end of the show, this year’s DVN went just as smoothly, if not even more than previous years.” LSA junior Olivia Gardiner attended her first VSA performance this year and said she enjoyed learning about Vietnamese culture. “I don’t think I realized how much I would learn about Vietnam and their values through dance,” Gardiner said. LSA sophomore Sadia Farha commented on the venue of the performance, noting the audience size. “I am really surprised at how full the Power Center is tonight,” Farha said. “I was not expecting that many people to come out to support, but I’m really glad they did.” Doan Thi An Hien, a Fulbright foreign language teaching assistant for Asian Languages and Cultures, said the

performance reminded her of home. “DVN was an authentic and touching reminder of my home country with traditional áo dài và nón lá (conical hat),” Doan said. “I was remarkably proud to see many students of Vietnamese classes on and backstage. I firmly believe this experience will have positive impacts on their learning attitudes and purposes.” Doan said she was proud of VSA members and brought friends from other backgrounds to witness the performance. “I noticed that the audience was so diverse,” Doan said. “I invited some Fulbrighters from Belgium, India and Indonesia. They were impressed by the professional teamwork, tremendous effort for every single performance by VSA.”

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DANYEL THARAKAN/Daily A hip-hop dance performed at the Vietnamese Culture Show: Ignite Your Flame, presented by the Vietnamese Students Association, at the Power Center Saturday night.

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HISTORIC From Page 1 The homes were all built before 1944. When acquired by the University, the houses all served as various administrative buildings. The home located at 1007 E. Huron, currently serves as a supplemental building for the LSA administration. Charles Whitman, railroad tycoon and State Commissioner of Railroads, built it in 1891 and the University bought the home in 1936. Wineberg said the community was largely kept in the dark on the discussion about plans for demolishing the houses before the University confirmed this location for the College of Pharmacy. “One of the things I wish they had done was let us know of other sites that would be considered for the Pharmacy

School,” Wineberg said. “I still think there might be more appropriate places to look for a School of Pharmacy than in a neighborhood of houses.” The second house, located at 1015 E. Huron, was the first place of residence for the University’s Alpha Chapter of Nu Sigma Nu, which is the oldest medical fraternity in the United States. Spier and Rohns, a famous Detroit architectural firm that also designed the University’s Kelsey Museum of Archaeology and the Gandy Dancer restaurant, built the second home. The house is currently unoccupied. Wineberg said she believes the demolition of these homes would be contradictory to the University’s commitment to sustainability. “The whole question of sustainability is something that they’re (the University) proposing and yet this is not a sustainable behavior,”

News Wineberg said. “Lots of things have been dismissed about demolition not being a green thing to do, so wanting to be green and tearing down buildings are contradictory.” The house located at 1027 E. Huron was built in 1895 and purchased by the University in 1938. It was built for Josephine Murfin, whose son later became a regent for the University. It is currently the location of University’s Telefund, a fundraising initiative as part of the Annual Giving Department. Wineberg expressed her displeasure at the University’s decision to destroy historical buildings she has worked for years to protect, especially as these houses are a few blocks away from her own home. “It affects me personally, too because I’m thinking ‘Oh, they’re creeping down Huron and pretty soon they’re going to be in my backyard,’” Wineberg said. “The last of my 30 years

Tuesday, January 28, 2020 — 3

of life have been devoted to preserving Ann Arbor’s historic buildings, so of course it’s important to me. I think they’re unusually important buildings that represent what the town was like in the 19th century and its connections to the University.” Pharmacy student Kevin Hosseini said since the College of Pharmacy’s teaching, research and office spaces are distributed across different locations on campus, a new building in the historic district will be helpful in meeting students’ needs. “The building is very old, so of course I am excited for the new building and believe it will help future students focus on their studies by having their own building rather than sharing with the LSA college,” Hosseini said. “The one limitation to the current building is simply limited studying space.” DESIGN BY TAYLOR SCHOTT

INTERNSHIP From Page 1 Services conducts a lottery if the cap is hit within the first five business days to choose which petitions for visas are processed. Because of his frustrating experience at the career fair and finding internships, Chen said he does not plan to attend another fair. To open up his job prospects and cultivate his interests, Chen said he is planning on attending graduate school and has been focusing on using his summers for research instead. According to Chen, his struggle is shared by many international students. Though some are able to find jobs at big companies, the opportunities are few. Some large companies, like Google, have branches in multiple countries. Rackham student Siyin Zheng said she tried applying to the U.S. branch of global organizations but found she was discouraged from doing so by the companies. “Some specific companies will tell you that they have branches in China or in other countries,” Zheng said. “So, if you are an international student, unfortunately, we encourage you to apply to those

TOWN HALL From Page 1 will be composed of students from across campus, with inclusion and equity in mind. Gerstein told The Daily the CCAC application will soon be sent to all students by email, and the Council will select students with the goal of representing a diversity of student voices. “The main thing we’re trying to ensure … with the selection of groups and the way we’ve sort of put together the CCAC, we hope it’s representative of the larger organizations on campus that already reach hundreds and thousands of students,” Gerstein said. “Our goal would be for those who are members of this who aren’t in any of those organizations, who do not have access through any of those organizations, to represent the individual student experience, maybe that’s not in the organizations represented.” Gerstein said many decisions

positions in your own country.” LSA freshman Lola Yang is from Canada and said she is already facing difficulties gaining work experience through internships. Yang said she is looking to find internships in the U.S. because there are more opportunities aligned with her interests in journalism and language immersion. “Canada is a good country, but there aren’t as many opportunities,” Yang said. “For opportunities I’m looking for ... there just isn’t an environment like that.” Yang and Chen both said it is important to find internships in the U.S. if someone wants to continue living and working in the country after graduation. Yang said going home could put one at a cultural disadvantage. “For international students, once you go home, you can be really out of touch from the country that you attend college in,” Yang said. “If you do want to gain experience and grow, you need to start looking out for opportunities early on.” Engineering junior Sara Bashir is a Canadian citizen and green card holder. As a nuclear engineering major, she said many of the jobs she seeks are government contracted and require U.S. citizenship. “It’s just frustrating because

a lot of times my advisor will forward us emails about internships or opportunities, and the first thing I do is check — does it say that you have to be a U.S. citizen?” Bashir said. Bashir is now looking for work in Canada since she is barred from government jobs in the U.S. To open up more opportunities, she has worked at Michigan Medicine because it doesn’t require U.S. citizenship. “Because medical physics is the least restrictive in terms of clearance levels, it kind of guided me into the field,” Bashir said. Mariella Mecozzi, senior assistant director of PreProfessional Services at the University Career Center, said in an email to The Daily that international students face unique challenges during job or internship search processes. “Job searching is hard for all students, but international students have the additional challenge of having to operate within the restrictions and timelines dictated by their visa type and having to adapt to different cultural norms,” Mecozzi wrote. “As for the reasons why things are the way they are, the U.S. is not alone in having rules governing employment eligibility. U.S. employers are required to

check the work authorization of every worker they hire or they can face stiff penalties.” The job or internship application form can also prove to be a frustrating process for international students. Zheng said her past experiences with these online applications were frustrating because they asked whether she was an international student or not. “When you apply for a job and fill out a form, there is an option that you need sponsorship in the future or not, are you an international student?” Zheng said. “If you click yes, sometimes the computer will automatically kick you out. You may not even have the opportunity to do the next step.” Mustafa said she encountered similar experiences and heard that once students check the box marking them as international, their application can get filtered out of the system. “It’s really frustrating, right?” Mustafa said. “Because you cannot lie, but then you know that by checking that box, you’re probably getting an automatic out.” Outside of status, international students said they also face another barrier — language. In an email to The Daily,

regarding student participation and engagement, including debate day transportation and class attendance, will not be decided without student input. The CCAC will begin biweekly meetings in February and transition to weekly meetings in the fall. John Seto, deputy director of

that DPSS plans on utilizing student input in the process. He also said student concerns about residence hall security will be integrated into safety planning. In response to a student question about how political demonstrations will be handled, Seto said law

our communities that are on the margins or people that may feel the extra police presence is actually a threat,” Seto said. Austin Glass, Rackham student and CSG representative, attended the town hall to learn more about what will be done to ensure a sense of safety for students. In an interview with The Daily, Glass said he appreciates the level of planning thus far, but urged students to keep a close eye on the process. “Academically and educationally, (the debate) provides a lot of opportunities, but there are a lot of safety and cultural challenges … There are a lot of students, and I’m one of them, who have a lot of questions and a lot of concerns,” Glass said. “And that’s not to say they’re showstopping concerns, red f lag, call-theshow-off concerns, but I think that their concerns deserve the level of planning that’s going into this right now, and it deserves our attention to make sure that doesn’t fall off.”

Academically and educationally, (the debate) provides a lot of opportunities, but there are a lot of safety and cultural challenges … There are a lot of students, and I’m one of them, who have a lot of questions and a lot of concerns.

operations for the Department of Public Safety and Security, emphasized the importance of collaboration in the process of securing the campus. Seto said partnerships with other law enforcement organizations have already been established at the local, state and national levels and

enforcement will protect free speech and the right to associate, but will not tolerate destruction of property or harm to students. Seto also stressed the nuances in policing the event. “A large police presence does not always equal feeling safer, especially with a lot of

BURGER From Page 1 provided halal foods for her and friends when dining hall options were not available. Khan said Elevation had become a regular hangout spot for the past three years. “A lot of me and my friends, our freshman year, when the dining halls weren’t halal, would always go there to eat because they were one of the two restaurants on campus that had halal food,” Khan said.

February 10, 2020

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Kerri Boivin, director of the Michigan Engineering Career Resource Center, said international students often struggle with language and lack of awareness about U.S. business culture. “We encourage international students to immerse themselves in campus-based cultural experiences such as intramural sports, residence hall activities, student organizations and project teams,” Boivin said. “We’ve seen that those who take tangible steps to step outside of their comfort zone in some of these areas have been able to navigate the U.S. job search with more effectiveness than others.” Zheng said she has felt overlooked as an applicant because English is not her first language. “I’m not native speaker,” Zheng said. “In this case, I might not be as competitive as other native speakers. I feel like those companies may feel like, ‘Okay, those native speakers meet my needs, so why bother other international students?’’” To better improve her prospects, Zheng is involved in Graduate Rackham International and uses the University Career Alumni Network to conduct informational interviews. She also attends company

SACUA From Page 1 the presidential debates into our already existing classes and thinking about the themes of participation and democracy,” Beatty said. The committee also discussed lighting standards for the University and Ann Arbor light pollution. The city of Ann Arbor is in the final stages of its light pollution policies. The committee said the University needs to keep up with the city’s policies and outline the steps they are taking to address this issue. Senate Assembly Member Neil Marsh brought up electronic voting as a potential agenda item. The members also discussed the policies surrounding the proper use of e-voting and whether e-voting was a good way to carry out SACUA elections. MaryJo Banasik, director of the Faculty Senate Office, outlined the issues that need to be addressed before the electronic voting platform is in place. “I just want to make sure that the system is up and ready in time,” Banasik said. “If we’re going to use the voting platform then it needs to be set up so that there’s a U-M login, so that it’s secure and our IT surfaces are working on securing that and may have to have a contract for procurement services and they have been working on finalizing that. So if all those items are done then it should be available to use.” The committee also addressed the possibility of reorganizing underutilized committees. Members drafted their reasons for

information sessions to network and visits the University Career Center to have her resume critiqued when gearing up for the career fair. When asked how international students could better improve their application prospects despite the challenges, Mecozzi emphasized the importance of using University resources, creating strong connections and researching the field when job hunting. “Take a multi-pronged approach to your job search by becoming more knowledgeable about the type of opportunities you are pursuing,” Mecozzi wrote. “But perhaps more important than anything, (leverage) online networks and mechanisms to connect with alumni and other individuals currently working in your chosen industry or job function, like the University Career Alumni Network, LinkedIn, etc.” While these approaches work for some, Mustafa said the University could do more to help international graduate students. She said she believes the current resources are targeted towards the domestic students rather than international students, particularly when it comes to graduate students.

merging, discontinuing or starting new committees and sent those concerns out to other senate advisory committee members. The committees discussed merging the committees that are not as active, like the Tri-Campus Committee and CIU, with those that are more productive like the Committee on Civil Rights and Liberties. They said this would increase their overall reach and give them more of a mandate to act on issues. “We thought if we could put those three together that would be a way to make sure that there would be enough meat for all of them to sink their teeth into,” Beatty said. Senate Assembly member David Potter led the discussion on forming a committee for judicial review. They acknowledged these mergers would also result in some members being bumped off of certain committees due to lack of space. “A faculty judicial committee is a pretty standard feature on campuses,” Potter said. “Potentially we might be able to find a way to expand the curve especially in cases of grievances.” Senate Assembly member Sara Ahbel-Rappe reintroduced the One University Campaign and supporting the Dearborn and Flint campuses, which was brought up in previous SACUA meetings. “It seems like a time we really need to try to think about the One University issue and how to support the other campuses,” Ahbel-Rappe said. “We should devote some love to answering this question.”

Opinion

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Citizens United — a catalyst for corruption

n mid-January, the United States had the pleasure of celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the controversial Citizens United v. Federal Election Committee Supreme Court case. The case was filed against the FEC by the political action committee Citizens United over reg ulations on funding and restrictions on advertisements before elections. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, or BCR A, prevented corporations or special interest groups from funding political advertising through their general treasury. The District Court for Washing ton, D.C. upheld the law, but the case was appealed and overturned in the Supreme Court. Corporations had the same rights as individuals when it came to spending money on campaigns, it was decided. In the decade since the case was decided, the political landscape has morphed into something entirely unrecognizable. In the 2010 midterm elections, campaign expenditures skyrocketed from $64 million to $294 million. Nearly half of that money came from newlyformed Political Action Committees (PACs) that are able to conceal their donors. This “dark money” had been present since Buckley v. Valeo in 1976, a Supreme Court case that eased disclosure requirements for political donations. But, in the wake of the Citizens United decision, these donations now have a sheen of legitimacy. The numbers continue to rise, and over a billion dollars were spent on advertisements for the 2018 midterms. The years following the decision also gave rise to a new group of donors. Although this group is small in number, they have a disproportionate sway over the electoral process. Out of the $4.5 billion dollars raised by super PACs in the past eight years, $1 billion came from only 11 people, who are from both Republican and Democratic backgrounds. Funnily enough, two of the men on the list were Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer, both of whom are now running for president. Bloomberg spent a record $100 million dollars in a month, furthering the financial bar for entry. The shockwaves the ruling sent through the legal system are even felt in the chaos

of the Trump impeachment trial. Lev Parnas, one of Rudy Giuliani’s associates and one of the fig ures central to the Ukraine controversy, apparently cozied up to the Commander in Chief at an event held by the president for donors to Trump’s PAC, America First Action. The donations came through via a limited liability company to conceal the identity of Parnas and his cohort, Igor Fruman. Through this, he was able to begin negotiations with Trump about the Biden investigation and the obstruction of the American ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. The Citizens United case allowed Parnas to conceal his true intentions and easily stay under the radar.

Americans overwhelmingly want to see a decrease in political spending. A few more examples of dark money in politics compromising officials can be seen in the reluctance to combat price-fixing in the medical industry and the utter incompetence in legislating big tech. In 2019, the industry that spent the most on lobbying was the health sector, coming in at about $594 million. A majority of that was spent on combating legislation that involved price control on certain drugs, while another sum of it was spent on combating the Trump administration agenda to decrease drug prices. The indust r y ’s ef for ts to sta ll reg ulations stings in t he face of t he absurd a nd unaf fordable pricing for prescription dr ugs. In terms of tech, compa nies like Facebook a nd Google have been investing heav ily in lobby ing. Their spending ha s been ra mping up in t he face of privacy concerns a nd unfa ir ma rket practices, obv iously t r y ing to inf luence law ma kers to get of f t heir proverbia l backs. It ’s incredibly dif f icult to f ully gauge how much Capitol Hill ha s been compromised by lobby ing a nd da rk money, but t he mere fact t hat we have to consider t he prospect is t he impet us to reform.

Despite t he f r ust rating state of ca mpa ig n f ina nce, one t hing rings t r ue. A merica ns over whelmingly wa nt to see a decrea se in politica l spending. In 2018, Pew Resea rch determined t hat 77 percent of people believe t here should be limits in place on expendit ures. It ’s a bipartisan conviction, with 71 percent of rightleaning people and 85 percent of left-leaning people supporting limits on money in politics. Recently, we’ve seen candidates denounce donations from PACs of questionable origin. Candidates for president have shown it’s indeed possible to sustain a race on small donors. Candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have both sworn off PAC donations altogether, each raising millions of dollars. Despite jokes about his wine cave fundraiser, Pete Buttigieg has raised nearly half of his $50,000,000 from small individual contributions of $200 or less. Grassroots campaigning has become more and more popular. Tides are changing, but the influence Citizens United has had on the way politicians approach fundraising is clear. Dark money is sickeningly pervasive, keeping us guessing about whether or not our elected officials serve the people or special interest groups. Constituents have noticed and are trying to combat that with campaigns that draw from smaller donors. Large scale donors have upped the scale to match, with players like Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer quite literally buying themselves a bid for the nomination. It’s only been a decade, but the nature of campaigning has been irrevocably warped. That doesn’t mean all is lost: There are still things that people can do to help. Phonebank for or donate to smaller-scale campaigns, contact your local representatives to voice your concerns and stay aware of how your favorite politicians make their money. The website opensecrets.org keeps track of all funds spent by politicians on campaigning, making it incredibly easy to hold them responsible for their allegiances. In the face of overwhelming odds, it is of the utmost importance that you stay vigilant and stop our democracy from crumbling under the pressures of the corporate elite. Sam Fogel can be reached at samfogel@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.

The importance of the Asian American vote

ver winter break, I binged the recent season of “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” on Netflix. In one episode, “Don’t Ignore the Asian Vote in 2020,” Minhaj sat down with presidential candidates to discuss why Asian Americans — despite being one of the fastest-growing racial populations — are severely underrepresented in politics. During the 2018 midterms, Asian Americans made up only 3 percent of the electorate. However, Asian Americans make up 10 percent of the electorate in competitive swing states like Nevada and Virginia, and they are expected to make up 5 percent of the 2020 electorate. This will likely have a lot of influence in the 2020 elections, especially with the currently crowded Democratic primary field. The historical lack of outreach to Asian Americans has contributed to low voter registration and turnout. Andrew Yang, entrepreneur and presidential candidate, admits the problem is that politicians didn’t reach out to Asian Americans. According to a 2018 Asian American Voter Survey by AAPI Data, the majority of Asian Americans had little to no contact from Democrats or Republicans. This includes community organizations and individual candidates. The reality of a majority-white party that depends mostly on voters of color, yet lacks the resolution to reach out to these communities, has become clear. Candidates like Yang and former candidates like Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, encourage the public to engage in politics by showing that Asians and people of color can be political leaders as well. The overall underrepresentation of people of color in politics was clear on the all-white Democratic debate stage in January. A once diverse primary field has shrunk down to only three non-white Democratic candidates. Even Yang, who has

been consistently polling within the top seven candidates and raised over $15 million during the third quarter, didn’t make the cut for the debate. The solution, though, isn’t necessarily having more candidates and politicians of color. The problem itself, as explained by Eugene Scott from the Washington Post, is that most of the issues “discussed at the debate — including health care, the economy and the environment — are race-related.” And yet, people of color, especially Asian Americans, are left out of the conversation. These issues concern and most significantly affect people of color, compared to white Americans, but candidates fail to show devotion to getting these communities involved. In his episode, Minhaj interviews Asians in New York City, and they voice their concerns related to “immigration, student loans and small business.” Having grown up in NYC, I have seen first hand that Asian-owned businesses dominate the city, from cafes to restaurants to salons. The Census Bureau reported that “between 2007 and 2012, the number of U.S. businesses owned by Asian-Americans rose 23.8 percent.” This growth is 10 times more than that of all United States firms over the same period. Asians will arguably benefit the most from a strong economy and, as a growing voting block, can influence economic policies. This can be seen in the 2018 midterm elections, a year where immigration was — and currently is — a widely debated topic. The voter turnout rates for both U.S.born and naturalized Asians, the second-largest immigrant group, were up by more than 10 percent compared to 2014. Asian American voter turnout rates have always lagged behind those of other racial groups. It is estimated that about 3 in 10 eligible Asian voters cast ballots in 2018 despite there being a whopping nine million eligible

voters. However, today’s secondgeneration Asians, like Andrew Yang, are getting involved in politics and the younger Asian American generations are becoming eligible to vote. Hopefully, we can encourage Asian participation in politics and remind politicians that we are part of the conversation as well. As a Democratic-leaning block, the Asian American vote definitely isn’t one to be ignored in the Democratic primaries and the upcoming election. I recently had the chance to listen to Edie Goldenberg, professor of political science and public policy at the University of Michigan. In 2017, she helped start the Big Ten Voting Challenge, a non-partisan initiative dedicated to increasing voter registration and turnout among college students across college campuses. At the University, Goldenberg started the student group, Turn Up Turnout (TUT), to increase voter registration and turnout among all communities on campus. The Edward Ginsberg Center for Community Service and Learning is spearheading the efforts through student-driven tabling at campus-wide events and orientation, panel discussions, workshops and social media campaigns. As younger generations begin to outvote older generations, we as young voters need to start addressing the problems of underrepresentation and involvement in politics not only among Asians, but other racial groups. We can start by registering to vote and reaching out to all of our communities, starting with our peers. We can get involved and volunteer with TUT, or do our own part by registering to vote before the democratic primaries. Jenny Gurung can be reached at jennygrg@umich.edu.

REID DIAMOND | COLUMN

Nuclear power — bridging the divide on climate legislation

uclear power remains the United States’ largest carbon-neutral source of energy, and in order to transition to a carbonneutral economy by midcentury, we must increase our reliance on nuclear power. In contrast with the majority of environmental propositions to date, nuclear power has strong potential for bipartisan support, stemming from demands for carbon neutrality as well as demands for national security. As such, a revival in nuclear power is the only realistic way to bridge the political divide on climate legislation in the U.S. and catalyze an approach to the climate crisis that is proportional to its severity. Support for nuclear investment is diverse, and consequently politically viable in a divided congressional environment. Nuclear technology is pertinent in both the industries of nuclear power and nuclear weaponry, meaning that the benefits of nuclear investment are twofold. Interests in carbon neutrality and interests in nuclear deterrence and global nonproliferation are both satisfied by investment in nuclear power. According to every realistic estimate, nuclear power is essential to reaching carbon neutrality by mid-century and staying below a rise in temperature of two degrees celsius. Meanwhile, in order to remain at the forefront of global nuclear policy, the U.S. must build credibility by sustaining nuclear investment. This amalgam of political support is perfectly exemplified by recent bipartisan support for a bill from the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for nuclear investment in energy and military applications. Almost every Obama-era environmental regulation was fought to the bitter end by Republican congressmen, and President Donald Trump began his onslaught of environmental deregulation almost as soon as he was inaugurated. But that narrative isn’t holding true with nuclear power. Trump even claimed that the country must “reinvigorate the entire nuclear fuel supply chain,” claiming that the U.S. should

pursue “national security and non-proliferation goals.” Obviously, Trump’s motives are rooted in national security goals, but the ends justif y the means. Nuclear power is a bipartisan enigma, and in order to realistically reach carbon neutrality in the U.S., green energ y goals must reorient around nuclear power. While the support for nuclear power is diverse and bipartisan, it isn’t quite broad enough to enter mainstream political views. Parroting of outdated arguments has trapped many politicians in an echo chamber of nuclear neglect. Even presidential hopefuls are stuck in this fallacy.

Political support for nuclear power makes it the ideal path forward. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. and former Vice President Joe Biden all reject nuclear power as they confidently cite outdated evidence. The fact is that new technology in the industry makes nuclear power safer, cheaper and better for the environment than it was even a decade ago, and politicians need to wrap their heads around this change. The barriers to any significant deployment of nuclear energy aren’t technical or scientific, they’re purely political and social. Some may argue against nuclear energy because of concerns about safety or costeffectiveness. To start, nuclear incidents have been few and far between. With 17,000 cumulative years of reactor operation worldwide, only three major incidents have occurred. Yet in the radioactive wake of Fukushima, political skepticism of nuclear power heightened, and nuclear legislation became taboo. The nuclear industry is still rebuilding its public

image after nearly a decade of political neglect. But new nuclear technologies have undeniably made nuclear power a safer option, and political perceptions are slowly shifting as well. Due to growing demands for carbon neutrality and national security, accompanied by safer technologies, politicians are slowly regaining confidence in nuclear power. To bolster the credibility of nuclear energy, future nuclear legislation must include these new technological advancements that address the perceived concerns regarding safety and efficiency. This requires significant investment in existing reactor designs that tout increased simplicity, and thus increased safety and costeffectiveness. If we’re serious about the significant reduction of carbon emissions, we have to be for the idea of nuclear power. If we’re serious about the maintenance of nuclear deterrence and international non-proliferation goals, we have to be for nuclear power. We need radical change and we need it now. Though green legislation is an extremely partisan issue, receiving almost no support from Republicans in Congress, the widespread political support for nuclear power makes it the ideal path forward for the U.S. As a result of technological advances that boast increased safety and cost-effectiveness, nuclear power is now both economically and ecologically practical. Moreover, in this treacherous political climate, there’s no chance we can even begin to address our situation with partisan ideas. Nuclear power won’t single-handedly get us to carbon-neutrality by 2050, but it’s a giant leap in the right direction. We need to stop dreaming of a political utopia and play the hand we were dealt. In order to successfully address the climate crisis in the U.S., we must swiftly enact legislation that significantly invests in the next generation of nuclear power. Reid Diamond can be reached at reiddiam@umich.edu.

Arts

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Tuesday, January 28, 2020 — 5

ARTIST PROFILE

TV REVIEW

Slywotzky, UPO kick off another promising year JACK WHITTEN For the Daily

COMEDY CENTRAL

‘Norah from Queens’ sits in shadow of ‘Broad City’ JUSTIN POLLACK Daily Arts Writer

It’s been nearly a year since “Broad City” concluded its run, leaving a hole in the heart of anyone who watched — especially for Comedy Central. The apparent heir to this is “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens” which should fit in just fine, once it settles down. After Awkwafina’s recent string of success in high-profile films like “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Ocean’s 8,” and after becoming the first Asian-American woman to win a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her role in “The Farewell,” she now steps into what could be her hardest role yet: filling the shoes of both Abbi and Ilana. It’s extremely difficult to judge a show based on its pilot, as that first episode serves as an introduction into the show’s universe rather than an actual episode of the show. But, in attempting to establish the various relationships and dynamics of “Nora From Queens,” the similarities to “Broad City” become unavoidable — and they really just make me wish I was watching “Broad City” instead. Rather than focusing on the relationship between friends in their twenties, it’s Awkwafina and her family. One thing that remains the same, however, is that it’s a comedy about an entertainingly oddball young woman trying to make meaning of her life as she works strange

jobs, gets high and makes the most of living on a tight budget. Comparing the show to “Broad City” is not the issue at hand. After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery. Once you stop comparing them, however, the problems become apparent. The editing and fast pace are supposed to provide the show with a sort of comedic energy, but Nora’s storylines are almost

Awkwafina Is Norah from Queens Series Premiere Comedy Central Wednesdays @ 10:30

too short to become invested in. Fans of Awkwafina will feel her personality and creativity through some goofy montages, but that isn’t enough to stop the show from burning out fast. Nora lives with her widowed father, Wally (BD Wong, “Jurassic Park”), and her unfiltered grandma (Lori Tan Chinn, “Orange is the New Black”). After being mocked for her hoarder-

like messy room and made fun of by a neighboring teenager for still living at home, Nora decides it’s time to move out. She’s going to get a job, an apartment and live the life she set out to live a decade before … except, she’s not! After a predictable set of escalating twists, she ends up right back at home by the end of the episode. In all fairness, this first episode gives us a taste of what’s to come. Nora’s failure to show any sort of growth tells us that her family will play a major role in the series, making this an ensemble comedy. The scenes with her family got the most laughs and present the most possibilities for humorous interactions, which is why I have a feeling the show will improve. The pilot relies on Awkwafina to carry all the comedic weight in far too many of the scenes. This is mostly a function of her character trying to be something she’s not — an adult — which results in the episode being something the show isn’t going to be — a show about her becoming an adult on the fly. As I tried to make meaning out of the various roadblocks, in some instances literal ones, it became increasingly clear there was no meaning to make. Far too many storylines led to dead ends rather than open up possibilities for Nora’s character. “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens” should be able to find its footing, escape the similarities to “Broad City” and hopefully find its own path forward, but it’s going to take Nora much longer than it took Abbi and Ilana to grow up.

When an orchestra finishes a musical performance, there’s usually a moment of silence and stillness. The musicians hoist their bows in the air, lift reeds and mouthpieces from lips and lift drumsticks off the kettles. The audience waits as the last note finishes rings through the hall before showering the ensemble with applause. This scene did not occur Nov. 19 of 2019. University Philharmonia Orchestra conductor Adrian Slywotzky’s right hand, suspended in midair after delivering the final cutoff, came crashing down onto his podium. His baton, enclosed around his fist, came to a halt atop the final pages — the barnstorming ending, if you will — of Dvorak’s Sixth Symphony, finely completed under his direction. “I remember that moment, too, because I sort of surprised myself when I heard the stick hit the stand … ” Slywotzky said. “By the time you get to the end of a piece like that in a performance, you feel the weight, the substance of all the work that was done ... it’s a very triumphant moment.” That moment, the polished performance which preceded it and a semester of seamless transition in the orchestra’s leadership, were statements Slywotzky — a first-year conductor at the U-M School of Music, Theatre and Dance on a one-year contract — made by letting his job performance do the talking. But when he sat down to do some actual talking, he struggled to isolate his modus operandi. It took 20 minutes before it crystallized into words, though it’s apparent to anyone who watches him conduct a single measure. Slywotzky revolves around his love of the music and doing it justice. In an industry full of musicians with personal and political extracurriculars on their agendas, that is a beautiful thing. *** Adrian Slywotzky played violin seriously growing up, but entered Yale University thinking he would wind up in a career that musicians call “something else.” Four years later, he graduated with a B.A. in

architecture, but not all had gone according to that plan. “Late in the game (I) made the decision to go into music instead,” Slywotzky said. “Getting my master’s in violin performance ... that was a very long transition.” A mainstay during this transition was Yale University professor of violin Kyung Yu, who taught Slywotzky throughout his time as a Yale undergraduate. “The fact that Kyung was ... able to support me and my violin playing ... during a time when I didn’t think I was going into music professionally was crucial for me,” Slywotzky said. His introduction to conducting was gradual as well, beginning as an assistant of a student-run ensemble. Slywotzky’s interest in conducting turned into a passion, and after a trio of graduate degrees — master’s degrees in violin performance and orchestral conducting at the Yale School of Music, and a terminal degree in the latter at U-M — Slywotzky boasted an extensive resume filled with study under the world’s finest teachers in both fields. Diplomas in hand, he returned to the Northeast and began racking up diverse work experience, be it in a prominent role with the nationally acclaimed Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras or leading a New Haven, CT-based series of contemporary music. “The fundamental thing is the same for every orchestra — everyone wants to sound good, and the difference is how to help each orchestra get to essentially the same goal,” Slywotzky said. “We’re all on the same path.” In his interim capacity, Slywotzky succeeds former School of Music, Theatre and Dance faculty member Oriol Sans, now in his first year as director of orchestral activities at the University of WisconsinMadison. His are large shoes to fill. “I have the highest admiration for (Oriol) ... I wanted to continue his work to the best of my ability,” Slywotzky said. “Naturally things are going to be different ... (but) it wasn’t my goal to change anything.” Slywotzky’s expertise when dealing with the string section, informed by his many years of playing in ensembles as illustrious as the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, is evident at every

Equating ecological and personal loss in ‘Ledger’ EMILIA FERRANTE Daily Arts Writer

Jane Hirshfield’s ninth book of poetry is an elegy to her lost sister and the world she used to live in, the world that had her sister in it. The collection was strangely uplifting, however; Hirshfield deals with the challenging topic of death by creating poetry that finds wonder in mundanity. In fact, her book isn’t really about death at all. Rather, it is the aftermath of death in her own mind, the way she deals not with the death itself but with the way it changed her worldview. In her poem “Vest,” she compares her memory to a “pocket holding the day / of digging a place for my sister’s ashes,” then comes to a realization of her own mortality in the next line when she writes, “the one holding the day / where someone will soon enough put my own.” Death doesn’t hang like a dark cloud over “Ledger.” Instead, it intertwines with life — in nature, in everyday objects, in the author’s own ponderings. Throughout the collection, the poems work together to create a unified philosophy of how life goes on after death: by taking nothing for granted, by finding beauty in the everyday and by contextualizing a life in terms of nature.

Despite grappling with these complex ideas throughout the collection, Hirshfield makes room to play with form and sound. For example, in the section of the book with similarly titled poems like “My Doubt” or “My Dignity,” the final poem is called “My Silence.” Calling this piece a “poem” proves that

Ledger Jane Hirshfield Knopf Publishing Group Mar. 10, 2020

it has pushed the boundaries of the genre, because there are no words after the title — just blank space. It forces the reader to reckon with actual silence, rather than its idea distilled into verse. Hirshfield also includes two “assays,” which at first seems like a misspelling of “essay,” because these pieces are

essentially mini-essays, written in prose and in a somewhat academic tone. In a play on words that would require a google search for most readers, the word “assay” means to examine something in order to assess its nature. One piece, then, serves as a play on words as well as an extension of the meaning of “poetry” by its very inclusion in this collection. Hirshfield uses the dichotomous framework of something either “continuing” or “not continuing” to express everyday things we take for granted. In the poem “I Wanted to Be Surprised,” she writes, “What did not surprise enough: / my daily expectation that anything would continue, / and then that so much did continue, when so much did not.” Implicitly, because of the context given by the rest of the collection, life is what “did not” continue for her sister; still, Hirshfield chooses to first highlight the remarkable fact that other things — most things — did. ‘The word keeps spinning’ is repeated to the point where the words lose their meaning. Hirshfield takes this concept and forces the reader to relearn it, writing, “I did not keep walking. / The day inside me, / legs and lungs, kept walking.” She separates her own experience from the rest of the world, sending them briefly on two separate tracks. In

rehearsal and performance. Through repertoire spanning from Classical to 20th Century, he worked diligently to create a unique sound true to the musical period and composer. Considering the group’s performance of Haydn symphony No. 99; written in the 1790s, Slywotzky elected to be faithful to the style in which it was originally played by doing away with any vibrato in the string sound. The process of weaning the strings from their vibrato, often used as a crutch to mask poor intonation, was tenuous, but ultimately a key ingredient for an authentic performance. The freshman conductor made an administrative change invisible to audience members but instrumental to the growth of the violinists of the group: rotating the players all over the two violin sections. “UPO players should have the experience of playing second violin and first violin and playing in the front and playing in the back,” Slywotzky said. “ ... we’re all going to have those seats in our professional lives, so why not learn them here?” His repertoire choices are far from fan favorites, but his conviction in their value bled onto his musicians and their audience if the standing ovations by the latter are any indication. “The Brahms Serenade (No. 1) ... it’s just a piece I’ve admired for a long time ... I thought it would be a fun project for the orchestra,” Slywotzky said. “The Beethoven, I think the second symphony is a little bit underappreciated, partly because the third symphony made a huge splash and continues to be so influential ... (in the second symphony Beethoven) expanded the dramatic possibility of the symphony.” When asked about his career trajectory after this year, Slywotzky was tight-lipped. “I’m very happy to be here, doing the best I can while I’m here,” he said. “It’s written somewhere in the stars.” Even with jobs in his field shrinking, he radiated no concern about the future — only satisfaction in his current work. What more could a school want out of a professor?

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Sudoku Syndication

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SUDOKU

EASY

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

1 4

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ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

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Release Date: Tuesday, January 28, 2020

01/28/20

9/8/08 2:05 PM

WHISPER “Mingi uses “Crtl P” to paste”

645AR. Carti and Gunn have been at it for years, with Carti starting in the mid 2010s and Gunn in the early 2000s (2004!). Keed, on the other hand, is just getting his start after sneaking his way into the arena around 2016 and gaining notoriety in 2019. Then there’s 645AR, the absolute newcomer in this battle for supremacy, who entered the arena in 2019. Who will win? Who will fail? Who will come in off the top rope and turn heads? Stay tuned to find out. Contestant Profiles Playboi Carti After a mere couple of years of toiling under the surface and releasing countless songs on SoundCloud, joining forces with Atlanta’s Awful Records crew and later joining A$AP Mob, Carti is now a bonafide rap star and has shown no signs of slowing. The notably reclusive Atlanta rapper drops infrequently and at a whim, but when he does drop, he takes the world by storm with some of the simplest songs ever recorded. With Carti, the line between chorus and verse is blurred. In fact, it’s nonexistent most of the time. His choruses are his verses, and his verses are his choruses. Every song he makes is catchy, and he doesn’t really have much to say, often rotating through a set of a few lines and ad-libbing constantly. Carti even uses his voice as an instrument, rapping in various versions of a high-pitched yap and his now signature “baby” voice. He strips Atlanta-style trap music down to its simplest elements. Listen to “Magnolia,” “wokeuplikethis*” and Young Nudy’s “Pissy Pamper.” They’re buoyant and playful, but most importantly, they’re infectious earworms that stick with everyone ranging from the casual listener to the diehard fan. Playboi Carti is an absolute behemoth in the derivative rap game and will be difficult to take down. Westside Gunn Having recently signed a deal with Eminem’s Shady Records and a management deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, Westside Gunn and his crew Griselda are poised for big things. The Buffalo, NY crew is known for making hardnose revivalist New York boom-bap and features two outstanding rappers in Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher. However, Westside Gunn is the standout player. He takes the boom-bap sound where no rapper ever has. His song “The Cow” is a prime example of this. All the signifiers of boom-bap (gun talk, drug talk, slick talk and bizarre, esoteric references to things like professional wrestling and high fashion) are there, but that’s it. There is no fanfare to it. The music is barebones, and it’s capturing the attention of rap purists everywhere. On the surface, his songs sound like typical fare, but it becomes quickly apparent that they are anything but typical. The wordplay and lyricism is present, but it’s not as complex. He leans almost as heavily on ad-libs as Carti, but he’s tasteful about it, belting out a hearty “doot doot doot doot doot” every few lines. Gunn also doesn’t use typical song structure, depending more on his verses and flows than hooks. Westside Gunn brings boom-bap music to its most primitive state. He’s an absolute wildcard, and that’s why he’s gaining notoriety across the scene. Lil Keed Who would’ve thought that Young Thug would already be the most influential artist of his generation? Me, that’s who. In his brief career, Thug has influenced countless rappers, but none have

ascended to the same heights as Lil Keed has. In this proposed derivative rap world, Keed is certainly the most derivative, but he leans into it and fully commits. He takes the yelpy exuberance of Young Thug and forms his entire career around it. And just like Thug, Keed isn’t very invested in making normal trap music. Instead, he wants to make trap music that sounds good, and he does just that on his recent release Long Live Mexico. He uses more typical structures, but nothing about his delivery and flows are typical. On his standout track “HBS,” Keed does everything he can to challenge what it means to actually rap. His flows are bouncy and simple. They are perfect extensions to his beats, only breaking free to occasionally let out an autotune-drenched shriek. Even when Keed pushes his delivery to a lower register, he still sounds triumphant and outright overjoyed. Lil Keed is happy to be here, but that doesn’t mean he’s not aiming for something more. As his career develops, it’ll be interesting to witness how he uses his unconventionality to his advantage. 645AR 645AR has literally appeared out of nowhere, but it’s a good thing he did. No other rapper is challenging rap as we know it like he is. He’s a pretty standard trap rapper, but with a twist: he raps almost exclusively with his pitch shifted to the heavens. His voice is so high-pitched that it’s difficult to discern what he’s rapping about. His style has been referred to by Twitter users as “Mickey Mouse rap,” a hard descriptor to beat. Songs like “I Want the Money” and “One Way” are normal trap songs delivered through a heliuminfused lense, but his most recent track, “4 Da Trap,” is where he really starts to shine. “4 Da Trap” is a sickly sweet trap tune about his roots and how he’s now created his own movement. As he raps, he pushes his voice to the limits of human hearing, and the internet is loving it. 645AR won’t be turning many heads now, but he’s just getting the Mickey Mouse trend started and could soon be a real force, or at the very least a critical influence for those to come. The Fight Sadly, there is no way to tell who the real winner of Derivative Rap King of the Hill will be. It’s all based on personal preference, but in the current arena, personal preference is changing by the minute. Currently, Playboi Carti is still dominating, but that could change at any moment. Any one of either Westside Gunn, Lil Keed, or 645AR could easily take the attention away from Carti, but that’s the great thing about the current scene — prominence changes so quickly, each rapper could get their chance in the spotlight. Regardless, each rapper is going to continue to tinker and augment their respective sounds. Playboi Carti is going to continue to capture the attention of the masses with his accessible-yet-challenging trap experimentations. Westside Gunn is going to continue to appeal to old heads and new fans alike with his boom-bap redux style. Lil Keed is going to continue to publicly question what it means to actually rap. 645AR is going to continue to do whatever it is that he’s doing, and people are somehow going to dig it. Each rapper has the ability to create genre-altering music and is already showcasing that ability, so it’s only a matter of time until each artist is their own king of the hill that is derivative rap music.

Sports

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Tuesday, January 28, 2020 — 7

Michigan hockey’s summer of painting houses ROHAN KUMAR Daily Sports Writer

By early April at the latest, the college hockey season wraps up for all teams. That leaves players with a break of around five months before starting up again. Such a gap allows players to return home to visit their families. Plus, they can work to fine-tune individual aspects of their games to be better prepared come fall. But the summer break also gives the student athletes an opportunity to take up jobs they wouldn’t have time for during the strenuous season. Senior forward Nick Pastujov and his brother, junior forward Michael Pastujov, are two members of the Michigan hockey team who have taken advantage of that. “They had a summer job and they were painting the houses,” Michigan coach Mel Pearson said. “I don’t know, I think that only lasted one summer. I don’t think they properly drew up the estimates very well, because they seemed to be getting a lot of work and I don’t know if they were making much money.” It was the summer of 2017, right after Nick’s freshman year and before his brother had suited up for the Wolverines. The two of them worked in Michigan for Student Painters. The company hires college students and gives them a chance to learn business management skills by letting them paint houses and handle related business logistics. The Pastujovs’ youngest brother, Sasha, had already been playing hockey in the state at that time. So, sometimes, the

WATER POLO

Offensive adjustments help Wolverines in win LILY ISRAEL

Daily Sports Writer

KELSEY PEASE/Daily

Senior forward Nick Pastujov spent a recent summer painting houses with his brother, Mike, for extra money.

older brothers painted things for Sasha’s teammates. Other times, they painted for some of their own friends. The majority of their work was exterior, but the duo also painted the inside of Eric Nystrom’s house. Nystrom — a former NHL player and first-round pick — is similar to the brothers in that he, too, spent time with the U.S. National Team Development Program before four years with the Wolverines. “That was cool spending time with him and painting his house,” Mike said. “It was fun.” Nick employed other teammates for a few of the jobs. For instance, James Sanchez — who now plays for Arizona State after transferring from Michigan — joined the crew once. Another time, senior defenseman Griffin Luce

I don’t know if they were making much money.

helped Nick paint two decks in the scorching heat. “Basically what I remember is that it was probably one of the hottest days of the summer,” Luce said. “And both Nick and I got pretty severely sunburned. I didn’t reapply sunscreen. But it was a fun time. He paid for my lunch. He gave me some benefits for working for him.” Nick and Luce came across challenges that day. Normally, Nick would power wash a deck before repainting. But on this occasion, the prior paint had a sort of stickiness to it and wasn’t coming off with ease. So, the two had no choice but to roll up their sleeves, get down and scrape the old paint inch by inch under the sun. The struggles didn’t stop there. They also had to carefully tape

multiple dowels near the deck’s railings before repainting. In short, it was an eventful day. When it comes to hockey, there’s likely a dispute as to which of the Pastujov brothers is the better player. But when it comes to painting, there was no competition. “I was probably quicker,” Nick said. “He got tired pretty fast.” Added Mike: “Nick definitely takes more precision strokes and he uses a lot more tape than I do.” A return to painting in the future is unlikely for the Wolverines. Mike mentioned that all the hours spent working outside made for a difficult summer, and Luce is on the same page. “It was a pretty taxing job I would say for sure,” Luce said. “I don’t know if that’s in the future of my career.”

I don’t know if that’s in the future of my career.

After playing its first three games in the Michigan Invitational over the weekend, the No. 7 Michigan water polo team (5-3) thought it had made all the adjustments necessary for its offense to dominate in its final game against No. 9 UC Santa Barbara. The team went 2-1 in its earlier tournament contests, but its nailbiting victory was fueled not by experience from earlier matches, but by mid-game adjustments and a stout defensive performance against the Gauchos. When the two teams played last weekend in California, the Wolverines were efficient in their power plays, but that efficiency fell flat in their second meeting. Michigan thought it could attack UC Santa Barbara with the same strategy. But it was wrong. “I’m sure that they went back, they watched film,” Michigan coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi said. “They made their adjustments ... we had to make in-game adjustments to counter their adjustments.” In the first half, Leonardi opened up the lineup more — due to fatigue setting in after a long weekend invitational — rotating in more players at a time and going deeper into the roster. But as the game became closer and closer, Leonardi needed to tighten up the roster due to some mental lapses and personnel breakdowns. The adjustments, mainly offensive, allowed sophomore center Erin Neustrom to get better looks and draw more exclusions. “A lot of my game is how teammates get the ball into me,” Neustrom said. “We have been doing a great job of that this year and my position is just feeding off of them.”

The Wolverines needed offensive adjustments to beat a team for the second time in one week, but their overall defensive strategy remained the same. “Our defense contained them,” Leonardi said. “You hold a team like that who I feel like is high octane. They play really fast. They are going to create a lot of scoring opportunities so kind of keep our defense in check.” And a more productive offense allowed for the defense to shine and play one of their best games to date. Praised by her coach as “one of the best goalies in the country,” senior goaltender Heidi Ritner had eight saves and two steals. Once the defense locked in after a shaky start to the second half, the Gauchos’ offense fell flat, allowing the Wolverines to maintain their slim lead. “Ultimately you could look from the side of my bench,” Leonardi said. “The facial expressions of the athletes that we’re facing, you could tell that once we locked in defensively they really struggled to move the ball and create opportunities to score.” Junior defenders Emily Ritner and Sofie Pontré also shined in the game. Ritner had the most difficult matchups of the game, guarding the team’s finisher. In addition to her strong defense, where she tallied one steal, she added two goals on offense. As the center defender, Pontré guards the best weapons and does all the team’s dirty work. Pontré scored one goal and added one steal defensively. “(Emily) really came out of her shell and really grew this game,” Heidi, her sister, said. “I’m super proud of her. She had some big blocks on defense and some big goals on offense so she really helped us with the W.” Added Leonardi: “Those two positions, if you can lock people down and contain them, then that’s a win in itself.”

Big lineup helps unlock Varejão ‘M’ beats UCSB to go 3-1 on weekend JACK KINGSLEY

JOSH TAUBMAN

It was almost too easy for Izabel Varejão. The freshman center, defended by a Rutgers guard six inches shorter than her, received a pass from sophomore guard Amy Dilk in the post with her back to the basket. Without hesitating, she faked one direction, pivoted the other, and knocked down a turnaround jumper to put the Michigan women’s basketball team up 20 en route to a 71-57 win on Sunday. But this mismatch didn’t come because the Wolverines ran a play that forced a guard to switch onto Varejão. Instead, it was a choice the Scarlet Knights made due to the lineup that Michigan had on the f loor, which featured Varejão, sophomore forward Naz Hillmon and junior forward Hailey Brown — all players who typically play in the post. “There were times when Izabel was defended by (a shorter guard), and we were able to post her up,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “So really trying to take advantage of the mismatches that we’re gonna have if we go with that big lineup.” When senior forward Kayla Robbins suffered a season-ending ACL injury last weekend against Nebraska, the Wolverines lost a key part of their most common lineup. Without a clear sixth player on the team who could step into Robbins’ spot on the wing, Barnes Arico looked to experiment with some different lineups. While the big lineup wasn’t used in the second half — Brown picked up her fourth foul just four minutes into the third quarter — it was arguably Michigan’s most effective group, giving Rutgers problems on both ends of the court. While the Wolverines’ style of play changed significantly with this lineup, it was clear that they were comfortable in

The final shot came barrelling in, but Heidi Ritner was never worried. The senior goaltender had her defense in perfect position and the ball sailed harmlessly over the net. That strong defensive effort led the No. 7 Michigan water polo team (5-3) to a 7-6 victory on Sunday against No. 9 UC Santa Barbara (6-3) to close out the Michigan Invitational. Playing their first games in front of home fans, the Wolverines opened up with an 11-8 win against No. 21 Wagner (1-3), which they dominated from the start. The team struggled against No. 5 UCLA (8-1) and took a tough 12-4 loss before bouncing back with a 7-4 win against No. 11 Pacific (2-3). The final match of the day against the Gauchos, though, ended up being the most thrilling of the weekend. “That game had so many different things that symbolize what a championship match looks like,” Michigan coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi said. The game kicked off with an influx of fouls and a lack of scoring. Each team took a power play but could not capitalize. It was not until halfway through the first quarter that junior

Daily Sports Writer

For The Daily

EMMA MATI/Daily

Freshman center Izabel Varejão found success playing in a big lineup.

their new roles. Three-point shooting was more of a focus, as Brown moved from the post to the wing, giving Michigan the true deep threat that it had been lacking on the perimeter. The Scarlet Knights devoted much of their attention to Hillmon and Varejão in the paint, giving open 3-point chances to Brown and senior guard Akienreh Johnson. Defensively, the Wolverines switched to a zone, and their length down low allowed them to close out on shooters and prevent Rutgers from getting the ball to its bigs — often resulting in bad passes when it was attempted. Michigan forced five Scarlet Knights turnovers in the six minutes the three bigs were on the f loor together. Most importantly, this lineup allowed Varejão to get comfortable and stay on the f loor. Varejão has shown f lashes of high-quality play, but poor defense, foul trouble and decreased offensive production have kept her off the f loor in Big Ten play. Sunday, she played 19 minutes — her most in almost a month. The biggest change for her was the zone the Wolverines played for much of the game with her on the f loor. Varejão has shown immense offensive talent at times, but recently, teams have gone after her on the defensive end, drawing

fouls from her and forcing Barnes Arico to take her out before she can get into a rhythm. The zone took pressure off her defensively, limiting one-on-one matchups and keeping the ball on the perimeter. “Most freshmen come in and don’t know how to defend, have never had to defend, don’t really know the toughness of what it takes to play in the Big Ten,” Barnes Arico said. “I think that’s what Izabel is learning now, how to be strong, how to be tough, how to be physical, and how to defend.” Because she was able to stay on the court, Varejão had her best offensive game. She scored eight points — tied for her most since late November — and added two assists, both of which came on tough passes not typically seen from a center. “She came in with a confident mindset, playing defense, getting her shots off,” Hillmon said. “(Varejão) is instant offense, honestly. She’s trying to work on the little things so she can stay on the court, like defense and rebounding, but she was really confident today.” Barnes Arico identified Varejão as someone who would need to step up in Robbins’ absence. Sunday, she found a lineup that helped get the most out of her.

attacker Maddie O’Reilly opened the scoring with her thirteenth goal of the year. She leads the team in points and has set the tone on offense. “We’ve tried to maximize her shot selection and she’s doing a great job,” Leonardi said. “She’s just naturally confident, which takes time, but I like her mindset when it comes to playing.” Added O’Reilly: “I’m a junior now. I’m trying to be a leader as much as possible.” Her confidence helped elevate the rest of the team in the second period. The Wolverines traded goals with UC Santa Barbara, but largely dominated the pace of play. Several players hit the crossbar and kept up the offensive pressure. Junior defender Emily Ritner buried a shot in the back of the net with a minute left to put the Wolverines up, 4-2, at the half. Michigan was in control, but the game felt far from over. “I thought they were going to get opportunities to at least get back into it.” Leonardi said. “We had to be able to finish the game.” After Michigan made it 5-2 with an early third quarter goal from Erin Neustrom, the Gauchos stormed back. They scored two goals within a minute to trim the deficit to 5-4 entering the fourth.

UC Santa Barbara tied it up just forty seconds into the final period. The Wolverines took back the lead with goals from junior defender Sophie Pontre and junior utility player Kathy Rogers. Michigan held a 7-5 lead and looked on their way to an easy finish until a Gauchos goal with a minute remaining suddenly made it a one-goal game again. UC Santa Barbara loaded up for one final push to tie the game, but ultimately, the defense held. “(I was) just making sure everyone was calm and composed,” Ritner said. “Everyone knew we were going to walk out with the W.” Ritner, who had eight saves on the day, led the strong defensive effort from her goal. She made some difficult saves early on to keep the game close and stood tall when it mattered most. “I have one of the best goalies in the country,” Leonardi said. “She makes this look easy.” In a game of ebbs and flows, the Wolverines were able to squeeze out a 7-6 victory. They now shift their focus to the Stanford Invitational next weekend. Having shaken off the early season rust, they are now beginning to find an identity. “(It starts with) our defense.” Leonardi said. “Our defense and our confidence.”

ALEC COHEN/Daily

Sophomore Erin Neustrom scored in the third quarter of Michigan’s win over UC Santa Barbara on Sunday.

Sports

8 — Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

MEN’S BASKETBALL

SIMPSON SUSPENDED SENIOR POINT GUARD WILL MISS TUESDAY’S GAME AT NEBRASKA

Asha Lewis / Daily

Design by Jack Silberman

Suspension doesn’t spell season’s end Simpson violated team policies, won’t travel, Juwan Howard says B

efore Monday, the circumstances of the Michigan men’s basketball team could probably be categorized as run-of-the-mill adversity. A star player goes down with an injury. The team loses four straight games — its longest losJACOB ing streak KOPNICK since 2015 — and five of its last six. The star player comes back and suffers another injury. A series of unfortunate events culminating into a bleak situation. And that’s all it was supposed to be. Until senior guard Zavier Simpson was served with a suspension. While the details of the suspension are still unclear and coach Juwan Howard is keeping the details in-house, Simpson will be sitting out Tuesday’s game at Nebraska. The Wolverines’ identity is crumbling before their very eyes, they’re seemingly losing their composure and everyone and their mother is throwing out the word crossroads. The question now becomes whether or not to slam on the panic button as quickly as possible or take a more measured approach to the whole affair. Since sports fanatics are famously known for making long, drawn-out decisions on how to feel about a given situation, I’m sure the public reaction will be more reprehensive, akin to simply saying, “Well, that sucks.” Except it’s not. Everyone’s going to be screaming and Tuesday’s game in Lincoln will serve as a complete and utter indictment on the team and its

postseason hopes. Win and your hopes are alive. Lose and you’ve booked a oneway ticket to the NIT. Granted, with a healthy roster and no self-inflicted wounds, the Wolverines trounce Nebraska. With the Cornhuskers sitting comfortably in the basement of the Big Ten and ranked 131st on KenPom.com, Michigan has the talent and experience to get the job done nine times out of 10. This game shouldn’t be a question. But the fact that it is now doesn’t mean the team is cooked. There is a monsoon of factors working against the Wolverines. Perhaps things should be taken day-by-day. Take it from Howard himself. “We’re not drowning in our own tears or drowning in a lake,” Howard said. “It’s not the end of the world. The mood of our team is we’re solutionbased. We’re gonna roll up our sleeves, figure out how we can get better as a group and guys are in the gym working hard, and they had a great practice yesterday, and we expect to have a better practice today to prep for Nebraska.” Sophomore guard David DeJulius — expected to be the starter in Simpson’s wake — could very well step up and prove to be as effectual as the missing leader. After all, it was in Simpson’s sophomore campaign that he emerged as the defacto leader of his squad. Simpson could come back stronger than ever, having used the suspension as a lesson and ready to lead his team from the bottom to the brink. DeJulius has shown flashes this season and could be a perfectly apt placeholder for Simpson, averaging 7.7 points per game and a much-improved player efficiency rating of 14.3. Look as far back as the game

against North Carolina when Simpson went out in foul trouble — DeJulius stepped up and led the Wolverines on a gamedeciding run. “Dave knows how to get to his spots and make shots, and that’s something that he does really well,” junior guard Eli Brooks said after mentioning the game against the Tar Heels. “So I just try to help him with being able to lead the team and getting people in the right spots.” Currently, there are too many unknowns to make a definitive statement about this season, so don’t believe anyone who would tell you otherwise. What is known, though, is that Simpson made a mistake, is being punished and will show the world what kind of person he is in his response over the coming weeks. But in the meantime, treat the 2019-2020 basketball season as Howard is treating this suspension — witness its events day-by-day and reevaluate after Nebraska. Freaking out over a late-January game in a season in which Duke lost at home to Stephen F. Austin, the Big Ten seems committed to not having a single one of its teams enter the NCAA Tournament and college basketball’s best player is sitting out solely to spite the NCAA is a fool’s errand. Look at this game for what it is on paper — one of the conference’s worst teams attempting to steal a win from a sorely short-staffed, high-potential team. Because if everyone comes back healthy and educated, a road game against the Cornhuskers may look more and more like a low point rather than a crossroads. Kopnick can be reached via email at jkopnick@umich.edu or on Twitter @jkopnick.

DANIEL DASH

Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan men’s basketball team has suspended senior point guard Zavier Simpson for one game, coach Juwan Howard announced on Monday. “While we are disappointed with what has transpired with Zavier, we know there are always lessons to learn and grow from,” Howard said in a statement. “We take these matters and consequences very seriously. Moving forward, we will continue to handle this matter appropriately within our program and basketball family.” Simpson informed the team of his suspension via text message on Sunday night, according to senior center Jon Teske. He will not travel with the team to Lincoln. While the exact cause of the suspension is currently unclear, it was labeled a “violation of team policy.” Brendan Quinn of The Athletic reported that it is related to a weekend traffic incident.

The Wolverines will now be without the nation’s assists leader when they travel to Nebraska on Tuesday night. The length of the suspension will be “re-evaluated” following Tuesday’s game, according to Howard. Howard declined to share a timeline of events, noting it was

We know there are always lessons to learn and grow from. going to be kept “in-house.” Mired in the program’s longest losing streak since 2015, Michigan sits in sole possession of 12th place in the Big Ten standings. When the Wolverines attempt to right the ship on Tuesday, they will now be forced to do so without a player who’s given them at least 37 minutes in five of the last six games, leaving

a major void in the rotation. Beyond Simpson’s ballhandling capabilities, Michigan is losing its loudest on-court voice. Simpson’s leadership has been lauded throughout his tenure in Ann Arbor and, most recently, Howard has made a habit of likening him to Tom Brady in that regard. On Tuesday, the Wolverines will be tasked with filling the void. Howard, Teske and junior guard Eli Brooks all voiced a desire to take a collective approach in doing so. Though Howard told reporters on Monday afternoon that he hasn’t selected a starting lineup replacement, sophomore guard David DeJulius seems to be the likeliest candidate to start in Simpson’s place against the Cornhuskers. Tuesday’s game will be the first time the Wolverines’ starting backcourt does not include Simpson in more than two years. “(Simpson) was disappointed for many reasons,” Howard said. “Overall, he knows the team is going to miss him. He knows he let his teammates down.”

WHAT MICHIGAN IS MISSING WITHOUT ZAVIER SIMPSON 33.7 MINUTES PER GAME 12.8 POINTS PER GAME 8.3 ASSISTS PER GAME