ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Wednesday, September 3, 2025
CAMPUS LIFE
Festifall brings students, clubs together on Ingalls Mall ‘Festifall is a cornerstone event for the University of Michigan student experience.’
GRACE PARK
Daily Staff Reporter
On Wednesday, the University of Michigan’s Center for Campus Involvement hosted Festifall on Ingalls Mall, providing thousands of students with the chance to explore the various student organizations, academic programs and departments at the University. This year, the central campus portion of the event was split into three sessions instead of two and the Diag was closed for construction. As a result, most tabling occurred on Ingalls Mall and in front of the Rackham Auditorium. In an email to The Michigan Daily, Jennifer Walker, lead manager for CCI Student Organizations, wrote about the large size of the event. “With more than 1700 organizations on campus, the event showcases the wide variety of interests and passions that students bring to the University community,” Walker wrote. “This year, 982 student organizations and university departments, along with 25 vendors, participated in Festifall across two events: one event on Central Campus and one event on North Campus.” Walker also wrote the event was created to let students explore the diverse organizations on campus and find ways to get involved in campus life.
Akul Gunukula/DAILY
LSA junior Arnav Bhaskar introduces students to MedAchieve at Festifall Wednesday evening.
“Festifall is a cornerstone event for the University of Michigan student experience,” Walker wrote. “More than just an event, it’s a celebration of the vibrant and diverse student organization culture on campus. By bringing together hundreds of student organizations and university departments in one place, Festifall gives students a unique opportunity to explore their
interests, meet new people and build community.” In an interview with The Daily, Rackham student Ren Kamykowski, Peer Facilitator for the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center, said she hoped to increase the center’s visibility on campus through Festifall. “We really believe that it’s important for us to be out here and in community with people,
making sure that our name is out there, that our resources are out there, that people know about us and are comfortable to come see us (and) check out our resources,” Kamykowski said. LSA senior Isabella Hack, FirstYear Relationship Sexuality Talk facilitator for SAPAC, told The Daily in an interview she wanted to promote the center’s services to everyone, but especially students who may be new to campus.
“I think that the biggest thing for us is making sure, one, that first year students know where to go when they need help, regardless of what kind of help that is,” Hack said. “Then, for everyone, making sure they know there’s opportunities to volunteer, know there’s a safe space on campus for any reason that they really feel comfortable with.” In an interview with The Daily, LSA junior Ryan Hong, president
of Global Medical Missions Alliance, said he hoped Festifall would help his organization to recruit more members. “We’re just looking to find new members,” Hong said. “Since we’re a new organization that started last year, we’re just looking to expand our reach on campus, just to let people know the love of Jesus. We’re looking to make a Christian fellowship on campus that looks to serve the community locally, but also abroad through missions such as to Mexico.” In an interview with The Daily, LSA freshman Addie Scott said she particularly enjoyed the energy and experience of attending Festifall. “I kind of like the energy here,” Scott said. “It’s really fun, and everyone’s really nice and you get a bunch of free stuff. There’s a lot of really cool opportunities that I didn’t even know existed, and that it’s worth checking out.” Walker wrote she hopes Festifall will continue to serve as an opportunity for students to find ways to get involved in the University community. “The hope for Festifall is that it continues to grow as a signature U-M tradition; one every student can look forward to,” Walker wrote. “Festifall will continue to be a welcoming space where students can discover opportunities, make friends and engage with the wide range of student organizations on campus.”
NEWS BRIEFS
Michigan Medicine discontinues gender affirming care for minors The University of Michigan will no longer provide gender-affirming care for individuals younger than 19 due to a federal criminal and civil investigation.
EMMA SPRING Daily News Editor
The University of Michigan, along with Michigan Medicine, announced Monday that they will no longer provide genderaffirming care — including puberty blockers and hormone therapies — for individuals younger than 19, citing a federal criminal and civil investigation against the institution. In an email to The Michigan Daily, Mary Masson, director
GOVERNMENT
of public relations at Michigan Medicine, confirmed the ban. “At this time, we will be discontinuing these therapies for all individuals under the age of 19,” Masson wrote. The shift comes as genderaffirming care has become the subject of nationwide legal battles following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January restricting such treatments for minors. The Trump administration also cut federal grants supporting transgender
health research earlier this year. While access to genderaffirming care remains legal in Michigan, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched an investigation in June into the case of a physician assistant who alleged she was fired by Michigan Medicine for requesting a religious exemption from performing gender-affirming care. In mid-July, the University and Michigan Medicine received
a subpoena from the HHS as part of a national probe. Two weeks later, on Aug. 1, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a multistate lawsuit challenging the administration’s use of criminal prosecution threats to restrict care and pressure health care providers. In the statement issued Aug. 25, University Public Affairs officials acknowledged the seriousness of the decision and wrote it would continue working with affected patients and families.
“We recognize the gravity and impact of this decision for our patients and our community,” the statement read. “We are working closely with all those impacted, and we will continuously support the well-being of our patients, their families, and our teams. We are deeply grateful to our clinicians for their unyielding commitment to providing the highest quality care, and to all of our team members for their dedication to helping our patients, and to supporting
each other, as we navigate these changes together.” Research has found that interruptions in genderaffirming care are associated with elevated risks of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and self-harm among transgender youth. Such therapies are not unique to transgender care, and have been prescribed to treat conditions such as precocious puberty — when children begin puberty unusually early — and other pediatric endocrine conditions.
Lt. Gov. talks running in 2026 gubernatorial race, federal policy challenges
‘What I want to do is, first and foremost, build a Michigan where people know they can stay and succeed regardless of what they want to pursue.’ CHRISTINA ZHANG Daily News Editor
The Michigan Daily sat down with Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II in Ann Arbor Wednesday afternoon for a campaign event during Festifall. As a candidate for the Democratic nomination in Michigan’s 2026 gubernatorial election, Gilchrist discussed what sets him apart from other candidates, how he plans to support Michigan residents in the face of changing federal legislation and improving affordability in the state. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. The Michigan Daily: With your background in technology, local government and as lieutenant governor, what perspective do you believe sets you apart from other candidates in the 2026 Michigan gubernatorial race? Garlin Gilchrist: I graduated from here with a degree in computer engineering and computer science, wanted to be
a software developer and I felt like I had to leave Michigan to pursue the opportunity. What I want to do is, first and foremost, build a Michigan where people know they can stay and succeed regardless of what they want to pursue. Now my background, having worked in technology as a software developer, is unique. There’s nobody else in the country that has my background who’s a statewide elected official. I understand what that means specifically for creating opportunity for Michiganders going forward, where you have artificial intelligence and other forms of technology that people have a lot of anxiety about — specifically what they’re going to do to the industries that matter in Michigan. I understand that technology; I’m the person who can make sure those companies don’t take advantage of Michiganders and that we have a human-centered approach to our economy going forward.
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TMD: The state Senate recently released a report that said Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” could create a $2 billion hole in Michigan’s budget, specifically through cuts to Medicaid, forcing state leaders to make tradeoffs between other funding priorities. How would you address these challenges as governor? GG: The Trump administration basically committed a hostile act of violence to the people of Michigan with that legislation that is, frankly, something that’s going to bring a lot of death. I call it a “MAGA murder budget,” not a beautiful bill, because there are people who get their health care through Medicaid who are going to die faster. There are hospitals in rural Michigan that are going to close because of those Medicaid cuts. There are people, kids, who are going to be hungry because they’re not going to get the food assistance that they need. That is really dangerous for Michigan. My focus is prioritizing the people who are getting hit hardest, fastest and deepest by
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this legislation: pregnant women, children, seniors, people living with disabilities, especially developmentally disabled adults. We got to triage those impacts, and I’m really focused on making sure that we can take care of those people. TMD: As students, many of us are thinking about whether to stay in Michigan after graduating or move elsewhere. As lieutenant governor, you’ve led efforts to fund Michigan’s infrastructure workforce and expand housing. Looking ahead, how do you plan to make Michigan a place where young people want to build their lives and careers? GG: I’ve been to all 83 counties in Michigan at least three times and in every single community people tell me about their concerns about affordable and available housing. I’m 42, but I talk to people my age and younger who don’t feel like they’re ever going to be able to afford a house. Part of what my work has been thus far is to put 40,000 new units of housing online across the state
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of Michigan. I’m going to continue to make sure people know that they can live here in Michigan, that they have a pathway to be able to forgive their student loans while they’re committed to living here in Michigan. When I say “stay and succeed in Michigan,” that means afford to be able to stay and succeed and pursue your dream. I want
people to know that they’re going to have job prospects that are broad, that aren’t just focused in one particular industry of mobility and manufacturing. I want people, regardless of what your ambition is, to know that you can do it and pursue it here in the state of Michigan.
CONTINUED AT MICHIGANDAILY.COM
Isai Hernandez-Flores/DAILY Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II sits for an interview at the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan building Wednesday afternoon.
INDEX Vol. CXXXVI No. 16 ©2025 The Michigan
NEWS.......................1 ARTS........................4 PHOTO......................6
OPINION...............8 SPORTS..................10