ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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ADMINISTRATION
Santa Ono inaugurated as 15th UMich President U-M community members gather to officially inaugurate University President Santa Ono into office Tuesday Allen Liu, associate professor of mechanical engineering and chair of the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs, welcomed Ono on behalf of the University faculty and expressed his hopes for a fruitful partnership between the faculty and Ono. “I’m confident that under Ono’s leadership we will grow and prosper as an institution,” Liu said. “On behalf of the faculty, I will once again give my warmest welcome to Ono, and we look forward to having a positive and collaborative relationship with Ono for many years to come.” Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist welcomed Ono on behalf of the state of Michigan and spoke about the University — his alma mater — and its value as a place of empowerment for its students. “The University of Michigan is nothing if not a place where people come to respond to cynicism with sincerity and despair with determination,” Gilchrist said. “That embodies who we are as Michiganders: bold problem solvers who are not afraid to think outside of every box.” Hanna Holborn Gray, former president of the University of Chicago, spoke about the challenges that come with working in higher education, which she said she believes Ono will face during his presidency. “The world of higher education is struggling, today, with a widespread sense of crisis, a time of questioning and sharp conflict over the quality and constant performance of its institutions, of doubt as to whether higher education is doing its job, uncertainty as to what that job should be and how it should be
BRONWYN JOHNSTON & MILES ANDERSON Daily Staff Reporters
Hundreds of students, faculty and community members at the University of Michigan gathered in the Hill Auditorium Tuesday afternoon to officially inaugurate and install University President Santa Ono into office. Delegates and representatives from nearly 50 other universities also attended the ceremony. University Provost Laurie McCauley opened the ceremony, welcoming Ono and commending him for his work thus far at the University. McCauley also described Ono’s ability to match the present needs of the University. “During every major chapter in history … our presidents have been responsible for asking the fundamental question: how can the University of Michigan contribute to the public good in this moment?” McCauley said. “Today I’m so proud to say, without a doubt, that we have found someone worthy to ask and answer that fundamental question.” Victor J. Dzau, president of the United States National Academy of Medicine, spoke after McCauley and mentioned that Ono is the first Asian-American president in the University’s history, going on to describe Ono’s ability to connect with a community. “(Ono) is driven by his mission and values, which allowed him to persevere through challenges and provide steady compassionate guidance through difficult times,” Dzau said.
accomplished,” Gray said. Gray went on to express her confidence in Ono’s ability to face the challenges she described. “You understand the current problems very well, and you will confront them, as you have always done, with determination, openness, with patience and courage, consulting widely and wisely to reach solutions that will command respect,” Gray said.
Professor Earl Lewis, director and founder of the U-M Center for Social Solutions, spoke in a video message played in the auditorium about the importance of service in the role of a university president. Lewis also urged the students, faculty and staff to work with Ono to enact change. “Today, I call on the University of Michigan community to engage, to challenge when called for, to support when necessary, to advance
always, to care deeply and to believe in the power of this great institution to transform lives, and thereby the world,” Lewis said. The speeches were interspersed with performances from U-M professors, students and Ono’s brother. Following the speeches, Paul Brown, chair of the Board of Regents, formally installed Ono as U-M president. Ono went on to address the
audience, giving thanks to the leadership, faculty, staff and students of the University, as well as those who spoke at the ceremony and his family. “Thank you again, all of you, for this opportunity and for your faith in me,” Ono said. “It is a singular honor and privilege to be inaugurated today to serve as the University of Michigan’s 15th president.”
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ANNA FUDER/Daily President Santa Ono speaks at his inauguration in Hill Auditorium Tuesday afternoon.
GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATION
Governor Whitmer and Chris Wallace GEO protest interrupts Ono’s inaugural discuss intersections in media and politics procession route Gov. Whitmer and Chris Wallace discuss journalism and public policy at a Ford School event
The Graduate Employee’s Organization holds protest along procession route for the inauguration of University President Santa Ono
SAMANTHA RICH
MILES ANDERSON
Daily News Editor
Daily Staff Reporter
About 600 University of Michigan students, faculty and community members gathered in the Rackham Auditorium Wednesday evening to hear from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and CNN news anchor Chris Wallace about the intersection of politics and media. The event was hosted by Wallace House Center for Journalists, Ford School of Public Policy and U-M Democracy & Debate as part of the ongoing Democracy in Crisis series which hosts conversations with journalists and public servants to discuss the role of the press in protecting democracy. University President Santa Ono opened the event by emphasizing the importance of civil discourse on political issues, specifically highlighting the role of the media in this realm. “In today’s stifling atmosphere of political tribalism and partisanship, it is so much more essential that we make
Members of the Graduate Employees’ Organization gathered to protest on the Diag Tuesday afternoon, directly in the path of the planned procession route for the inauguration of University President Santa Ono. The protest occurred the day after GEO announced the filing of an unfair labor practice charge against the University of Michigan. During the protest, GEO members toted signs demanding a living wage for graduate workers and circled the block “M” at the center of the Diag. The protesters also shouted chants in support of GEO’s demands. “Three percent won’t pay the rent,” the protestors chanted. “Cut tuition, not our wages.” In an interview with The Michigan Daily, GEO president Jared Eno spoke on the ongoing contract negotiations between GEO and the University. “HR has suggested that (graduate workers) take an effective pay cut,” Eno said. “The March 1 deadline for a tentative
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every effort to safeguard our democracy through education, civic engagement and wellinformed debate,” Ono said. “And journalism, especially tough, fair-minded journalists such as Chris Wallace, have essential roles in this continuous work of informing, challenging and revealing.” Wallace began the conversation by asking Whitmer how she plans to reduce gun violence and ensure students feel safe at Michigan state schools and colleges, especially in the
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wake of the mass shooting at Michigan State University that left three students dead and five in critical condition. Whitmer said various gun reform bills making their way through the state legislature right now are critical first steps in preventing future mass shootings, but are not the entire solution. “It is maddening that in this country — only in the U.S. — the number one killer of young people is guns,” Whitmer said.
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contract agreement has passed over the break, and HR does not seem to have taken that seriously. (Affording rent, housing and medication) are serious problems that grad workers need to work with the administration to solve and folks are fed up with a lack of serious engagement from HR at the negotiation table. That’s why folks are out here.” Eno said GEO chose to protest on the Diag during the academic procession to maximize the visibility of their cause. “Grad workers are not able to ignore not being able to pay for rent, food, medication,” Eno said. “And that means the folks in the University (can’t) ignore it either.” LSA junior Connor Zahler told The Daily he thinks GEO chose an effective time and place to hold their protest and he supports their demands. “I think (the protest is) an effective way to get attention on (GEO) and to get attention to their demands,” Zahler said. “I respect what they’re doing. I think that the demands are pretty understandable.” University spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen wrote in an email
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to The Daily that the University is committed to negotiating a fair contract and is awaiting a response from GEO about their compensation offer. “The university remains committed to negotiating a strong, fair, and forward-looking contract agreement with our GSIs and GSSAs,” Broekhuizen wrote. “Our negotiators patiently await the union’s response to the compensation offer the university proposed nearly a month ago.” During the installation ceremony following the procession, Paul Brown, chair of the U-M Board of Regents, remarked on the protests outside, saying the presence of both the GEO members and the Michigan Marching Band as the procession entered Hill Auditorium captured the essence of the University. “When (the Regents) were walking in, Regent (Jordan) Acker turned to me and said ‘The Michigan Marching Band playing The Victors next to students protesting, if that isn’t Michigan, I don’t know what is,’” Brown said. “And it is. That was great, and that’s one of the things that makes this University so great.”
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