ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Friday, September 27, 2013
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Faults exist in summer camp safety, says director Exhibit explores Chinese fashion » PAGE 2
On panel, head of athletic camps admits to serious gaps in counselor checks By RACHEL PREMACK Daily Staff Reporter
TRACY KO/Daily
Models showcase the garments of fashion designer Xu Rui during the “To See the Invisible” exhibit at the Michigan Union Thursday.
DEVELOPMENT
Capital campaign branded ‘The Victors of Michigan’ to officially begin early November By SAM GRINGLAS Daily News Reporter
When the Michigan Difference capital campaign concluded in 2008, it was hailed as the most fruitful fundraising effort in University history. Five years later, senior University officials are preparing their vast networks of donors, alumni and brand power in
the hopes of replicating and surpassing the previous success. Though primed by a serious of record-breaking donations over the past year — including gifts from Stephen Ross, Charles Munger, Helen Zell, Penny Stamps and Jean and Samuel Frankel totaling over $400 million — the University hadn’t yet distinguished the campaign with a name. Thursday, the University officially introduced “The Victors for Michigan” as the campaign’s title, just over a month before its official launch on Nov. 8. In addition, the University announced details for the
campaign’s kickoff, including an outdoor celebration on Ingalls Mall and a primetime reveal at Hill Auditorium hosted by University President Mary Sue Coleman and campaign chair Stephen Ross. The University is asking students, faculty and community members to join donors and campaign volunteers at both events. In the evening, students will share “why Michigan needs victors.” University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said the campaign branding ties to the University’s “The Victors” video that was released earlier this month. Many of the themes stemmed from the
University’s extensive branding research that lead to the release of a new branding focus last year. In a May interview, Tom Baird, assistant vice president of development campaign strategy, said Lisa Rudgers, vice president for global communications, would likely play a role in naming the campaign, as well as adding a greater emphasis on social media. “The Victors for Michigan” campaign will focus on three overarching priorities. In the release, financial support was listed as the highest priority and has been repeatedly emphasized by top-level offiSee CAMPAIGN, Page 3
In candid discussion at a forum Wednesday night, the head of the University’s athletic camps acknowledged “significant gaps” in the University’s ability to ensure the safety of minors who participate in sports camps over the summer. More than 9,000 campers between the ages of 10 and 18 participate in 24 summer athletic camp programs offered by the University. Participating on a panel Thursday regarding the safety of minors on college campuses, Athletic Camp Administrator Katie Miranto expressed her concern that the Athletic Department doesn’t do enough to vet its counselors. “I can’t even describe to you how many gaps there are and how nervous I get over the summer,” Miranto said Thursday. “It’s very hard to sleep.” Athletic Department spokesman Dave Ablauf said in a statement that Miranto’s comments focused on how the camp should improve as well as issues that are actively receiving attention or have already been addressed. “All programs should constantly be looking for ways to improve —
and we’re no different,” Ablauf said. “There’s no way anyone could get everything right all the time. We were part of a public seminar to do just that — to be open and transparent about our strengths, as well as our areas of improvement.” One issue Miranto pointed out was the thoroughness of the department’s background checks on counselors. At the panel, Miranto said the department runs ICHAT Michigan background checks on potential employees. However, ICHAT criminal history records provided by the state of Michigan include only crimes committed in-state, according to the state’s website.. This means that crimes committed in staff members’ home states, including crimes that signify that they should not be around children, could be unknown to the University. At the panel, Miranto expressed concern at this fact, noting that the majority of the camp staff are from outside the state of Michigan, but Ablauf later clarified that only 33 percent are from out-of-state. Miranto said the department can’t afford to do a broader background check in the short time they have to vet counselors. The Athletic Department has a budget of $137.5 million for the 2013-14 year and projects a $8.9 million surplus. “That is a huge area of concern right now, but the way the system is built, it’s really our only option for cost reasons, for how fast we need to See CAMP, Page 3
HOUSING
ADMINISTRATION
Markley home to cockroaches, students report
Students and faculty weigh in on pres. search
University Housing cites next-door construction as reason for pests By JUSTIN DAWES For the Daily
Students in Markley are reporting some unwelcome visitors. There have been about two dozen complaints of cockroach sightings at Markley Residence Hall this semester, two of which occurred in food preparation facilities. The complaints began shortly after the start of a demolition project in the lot next to the residence hall. University Housing spokesman Peter Logan said the roaches are migrating from the Arbor Heights demolition site and entering Markley through open windows or doors with loose thresholds. University Pest Management services and Plant Operations have responded by taping off manholes. They will continue to monitor the premises every two weeks while also responding to
WEATHER TOMORROW
HI: 75 LO: 60
complaints, Logan said. Inside the residence hall, pest-management staff placed a food-safe treatment in the main kitchen and one in the former Hideaway restaurant, both areas with complaints. They have also placed roach-bait pesticides in living quarters and other areas with known cockroach activity. “And then when they do put down … roach bait, it’s placed out of the way of residents just so there’s no contact there,” Logan said. “Their approach is actually more towards monitoring and prevention than just broad application of pesticides in living areas.” Logan said the type of American roach found in Markley doesn’t thrive and probably won’t breed in the residence hall’s dry environment. The roaches are expected to return to the pipe systems after the project is finished mid-October. LSA freshman Natalia Estes, a resident of Markley, said she and others have seen multiple roaches. “You just hear people screaming, and you know there’s a cockroach,” she said. “We had one in here (our room) last week. It was See COCKROACHES, Page 3
Diversity and access focal points of public search forums By PETER SHAHIN Daily News Editor TRACY KO/Daily
EPA administrator Gina McCarthy speaks at the Environemental Law and Policy Program conference at Hutchins Hall Thursday.
EPA administrator kicks off conference on environment McCarthy reflects on record-long confirmation process, Obama By TYLER GRIN For the Daily
It wasn’t certain that she could get here, but finally the U.S. Senate decided it’d be alright. Thursday, the Environmen-
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tal Law and Policy Program hosted Gina McCarthy, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, for an address in Hutchins Hall on public health issues related to climate change. Her speech kicked off the program’s twoday conference on environmental law and public health, which ends Friday afternoon. McCarthy, nominated by President Barack Obama in March to fill the EPA’s top spot, was previously an environmental policy adviser to
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five Massachusetts governors — including former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The U.S. Senate confirmed her for the position in July after a record-long confirmation battle. McCarthy began her speech poking fun at her confirmation hearing, saying she would have been at the University earlier if the hearing had been shorter. “The confirmation wasn’t the smoothest of confirmation processes,” she said. During See EPA, Page 3
Vol. CXXIII, No. 140 ©2013 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
The Presidential Search Advisory Committee got an earful. And that’s exactly what they wanted. On Thursday, members of the University’s Board of Regents and the Presidential Search Advisory Committee heard from faculty, staff and students at two separate forums held on campus — soliciting feedback on the opportunities and challenges that await the University in the near future as well as what qualities they’d like to see in the next president. While not all regents or committee members were present, Alison Ranney, the University’s search consultant from Russell Reynolds Associates, took comments from speakers and help the audience better understand See SEARCH, Page 3
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................5
SPORTS.....................7 CLASSIFIEDS...............6 SUDOKU....................2
News
2 — Friday, September 27, 2013
MONDAY: This Week in History
TUESDAY: Professor Profiles
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers
THURSDAY: Alumni Profiles
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FRIDAY: Photos of the Week TOP LEFT Demolition crews tear down buildings on Division Street near Blimpy Burger Tuesday. (Virginia Lozano/Daily) BOTTOM LEFT Business sophomore Angie Pae works on her personal writing while participating in the Great Write Off at Espresso Royale on State Street Tuesday. (Erin Kirkland/ Daily) RIGHT LSA senior Nick Otto participates in the MHacks Hackathon with virtual reality goggles at Michigan Stadium Friday. (Ruby Wallau/Daily)
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CRIME NOTES
Staff infection WHERE: Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital WHEN: Wednesday at about 1:30 p.m. WHAT: University Police reported that cash and an iPod were stolen from an employee’s locker. A staff member was arrested and released in relation to the theft.
Packed pack WHERE: Chemistry Building WHEN: Thursday at about 5:15 p.m. WHAT: A backpack with a laptop and headphones was stolen Thursday, University Police reported. The backpack was reportedly stolen when it was left unattended in a lower-level room between 1 and 5 p.m. There are no suspects.
CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
Too hard to say no
Environment and health
WHERE: Northwood III WHEN: Wednesday at about 6 p.m. WHAT: A resident reported that after being solicited to purchase goods she gave the subject money. The subject is said to be a white female with short brown hair.
Mongolian festival
WHAT: A conference on environmental law and public health will cover environmental protection and public health values, pollution and others issues. WHO: Michigan Law Environmental Law and Policy Program WHEN: Today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. WHERE: South Hall
WHAT: The festival will feature three games: horse racing, wrestling, and archery, as well as a photo booth. WHO: Center for Human Growth and Development WHEN: Today from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. WHERE: Diag
President search forum
WHAT: The public forum is seeking input on the search for the next president. WHO: Campus Information Centers WHEN: Today from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Ross School of Business CORRECTIONS l Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@michigandaily.com.
Rack-jacked WHERE: 400 Block of State St. WHEN: Wednesday at about 1:30 p.m. WHAT: A bicycle was reportedly stolen from the bike racks near Mason Hall, University Police reported. It was reportedly stolen between 9 and 11:30 a.m. There are no suspects.
WHAT: The public forum is seeking input on the search for the next president. WHO: Campus Information Centers WHEN: Today from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Ross School of Business
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Pres. forum
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
1
California passed a law protecting celebrities’ children from paparazzi. According to Today Entertainment, Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill on Tuesday. Hollywood parents Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner actively supported the bill.
2
Wayne State University will hike its tuition by 8.9 percent for the 201314 fiscal year. This comes after the state has witnessed a 11.35-percent decrease in funding for higher education. >> FOR MORE, SEE PAGE 4
3
Burger King released a new item on their menu called “Satisfries.” According to Today Health, The fries have 20 percent fewer calories and 30 percent less fat than regular fries. They will cost about 30 cents more per serving.
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Confucius Institute hosts cultural fashion show Three-day exhibit features Chinese designer Xu Rui By ARIANA ASSAF Daily Staff Reporter
Thursday through Saturday, the University of Michigan’s Confucius Institute is bringing a unique multimedia fashion exhibit to the Michigan Union. Chinese designer Xu Rui created the exhibit, “To See the Invisible.” It focuses on expressing the ‘unseen’ in Chinese culture by emphasizing form in the evolution of and contrast between traditional Chinese clothing. Apart from traditional display, the designs were shown at a fashion show Thursday choreographed Sudoku Syndication by Zang Cunliang, a renowned member of the experimental Chinese physical the-
ater community. Rui’s designs incorporate the work of Jiang Kinor, an associate professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University who combines materials research and design into his work. His metalized textiles lend a holographic, 3-D effect to each piece, allowing them to take on new visual attributes when viewed from different angles. Rui, who hails from Beijing, is a professor and director of the fashion design department at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts and an active designer and lecturer. The idea of the exhibit was sparked by her interest in the inheritance of Han clothing and the exploration of culture behind traditional Chinese costumes. Rui’s motivation, she explained through a translator, was her search for a “symbol of Chinese cultural essence” that
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came from a different, more spiritual place than the normal historical and academic representations. She hopes University students who attend the exhibit will realize the importance of fashion and international culture. “Fashion in China is not restricted to the narrow geographical region and the unilateral folk custom,” Rui said. “It is an important branch of world ELIZABETH CONLEY/AP Onlookers watch as a large plume of smoke rises above an abandoned building on the corner of Martin and Pittsburgh culture with highly condensed, Roads on Detroit’s west side Thursday. unique qualities. It deeply influences the cultural system of the world.” Students, professors and community members have filtered in and out of the exhibit already. Associate Prof. Emily Wilcox, who visited the exhibit Thursday, said Rui’s designs are reminiscent of current trends in will include city and state lead- said. “We had to make sure they China. ers, and the emergency manager are well-used and targeted.” “(Tight-calved pants are) leading Detroit through the largIn addition, Kevyn Orr, the http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ really common to see in China, est municipal bankruptcy in U.S. city’s emergency manager and now I’m wondering if that’s history. appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder, where the fad came from, this The Obama administration has told the city’s two municipal research into Chinese culture,” DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. repeatedly has signaled it won’t retirement systems he wants to Wilcox said. government directed more than offer a massive federal bailout freeze Detroit’s pension plans LSA sophomore Erica Gray, $100 million in grants Thursday like the one credited with help- and move to a 401(k)-style sysadded that she had seen many to help bankrupt Detroit tear ing rescue Chrysler and General tem. aspects of Rui’s designs before down vacant buildings and spur Motors. The gathering follows a series but never realized they origijob growth, but the help falls far “There is not going to be a bail- of meetings with the White nated in China. short of the wider bailout some out,” Democratic U.S. Sen. Carl House to plot ways to pull “I’ve seen a lot of people in city leaders had sought. Levin told The Associated Press Detroit from a fiscal pit that this the U.S. wearing that, too, so it Gene Sperling, chief econom- on Wednesday. “We have enough summer made it the largest U.S. was fun to learn about the hisic adviser to President Barack problems with the federal defi- city to file for bankruptcy protory along with the fashion.” Obama, said the administration cit. We need to be creative and tection. scrounged through the federal look at existing programs. There Detroit has had a poor record budget and found untapped are still some funds there.” in making sure grant money is money that “either had not The funding announced by used properly and even spent at flowed or had not gotten out or Sperling will include $65 mil- all. not directed to the top priorities lion in Community DevelopIn 2011, Mayor Dave Bing for Detroit.” ment Block Grants for blight fired the director of the city’s But considering the Motor eradication, $25 million in a Human Services Department City is at least $18 billion in debt, public-private collaboration for after an internal investigation it will take a far larger infusion of commercial building demolition revealed $200,000 intended cash or historic deals with bond and nearly $11 million in funds for poor residents was spent on holders, insurance companies to ensure working families can office furniture for staff memand other creditors to correct live in safe neighborhoods. bers. the problem. Holder will announce $3 milThe following year, his office Sperling will join on Friday in lion that, in part, will be used to had to scramble to use about Detroit three other top Obama hire new police officers. About $20 million in grants that had aides — U.S. Attorney General $25 million also will be expe- been left sitting for demolitions Eric Holder, Transportation dited to Detroit to hire about 140 of thousands of vacant houses. Secretary Anthony Foxx and firefighters and buy new gear. The city’s Police Department HUD Secretary Shaun Dono“It wasn’t enough to try and also allowed a $400,000 grant to van. The closed meeting also free the resources,” Sperling lapse for a new armored vehicle.
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DETROIT
Man charged in hit-and-run death of 8 year-old boy A 47-year-old man has been charged in the hit-and-run death of an 8-year-old boy whose bike was dragged by an SUV in Detroit. Wayne County prosecutors say Alfonso Butler of Detroit is scheduled to be arraigned Friday on a charge of leaving the scene of an injury accident causing death. Butler was in custody Thursday. Prosecutor’s office spokeswoman Maria Miller says she didn’t know if he had an attorney. Police say Butler turned himself in to authorities Wednesday and acknowledged his involvement in the incident.
TORRANCE, Calif.
Toyota recalls 615,000 Sienna minivans Toyota is recalling 615,000 Sienna minivans in the U.S. because they can inadvertently shift out of park and roll away. The recall involves Siennas from the 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009 models years. Toyota said Thursday that the shift locking device can potentially be damaged. If that happens, the minivans can shift out of park even if the driver isn’t depressing the brake pedal. Toyota said it has gotten reports of 21 accidents and 2 injuries related to the problem. Owners will be notified of the recall by mail. Dealers will replace the shift-lock device for free.
UNITED NATIONS
United Nations Security Council discusses Iran The United States and the other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council said Thursday they were pleased by a new tone and attitude from Iran in talks aimed at resolving the impasse over its nuclear program and set a new round of negotiations for next month. After a group meeting and then a one-on-one session between Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Kerry called the talks “constructive” and said he was struck by a “very different tone” from Iran. But he stressed that words must be translated into action if Iran wants to prove it is not seeking to develop a nuclear weapon. “We’ve agreed to try to continue a process that would try to make concrete and find a way to answer the questions that people have about Iran’s nuclear program,” Kerry told reporters. “Needless to say, one meeting and a change in tone, that was welcome, does not answer those questions.”
NAIROBI, Kenya
Still dozens missing from Nairobi attack After almost a week, there is no precise death toll, no word on the fate of dozens still missing and no details on the al-Qaida-linked terrorists who attacked Nairobi’s most upscale mall. As al-Shabab militants struck two Kenyan border towns and threatened more violence, relatives of the mall victims wept outside the city morgue Thursday, frustrated by the lack of information and a holdup in the release of bodies of the victims. Roy Sam, whose brother, 33-year-old Thomas Ogala, was killed, said he had been going to the morgue since Monday, but workers there had not prepared his brother’s body, which was mangled by a close-range gunshot wound to the head — an apparent execution. —Compiled from Daily wire reports
the firm’s role in the selection process. The first of the day’s two forums, held at Hutchins Hall, was geared primarily toward faculty and staff from the Ann Arbor campus. The forum was the third so far, after one at the University of Michigan-Flint and one on the Medical Campus. Two more forums are planned for Friday, one at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and the other in Blau Auditorium, which will be geared toward the Ann Arbor community and general public. The forum opened with brief remarks from Regent Katherine White (D), the vice chair of the board, who said the purpose of the session was to help the committee better understand the needs and challenges facing the staff. The Presidential Search Advisory Committee is composed of seven faculty members and all eight members of the Board of Regents. The committee’s role, however, is purely advisory as the final decision of whom will be selected will be left to the regents. Search Advisory Committee members Lynn Perry Wooten, associate dean of undergraduate programs at the Ross School of Business; Jeffrey MacKieMason, dean of the School of Information; Tiya Miles, chair of the Afroamerican and African Studies department; and Regent Julia Darlow (D) were sitting behind the rostrum taking notes on speakers’ comments. Ranney briefly addressed the faculty, saying the purpose of hiring a search consultant is not to pick the next University president, but to assist the Board of Regents in finding qualified candidates. “What you’ll see is that this is really a discussion session, a listening session,” Ranney said. Several issues recurred throughout the faculty forum, including faculty development and retention programs, providing growth for basic research opportunities and not just applied research, refocusing on creating a diverse University and increasing cross-disciplinary collaboration. “We have a very unique position with Detroit not too far away and other urban areas that we can draw from,” James Logan, a BBA program outreach coordinator at the Business School, said. “I think it needs to be a focus of the strategic plan of the University, not a subset or an aside. … If we continue to go down this path of not improving declining underrepresented minority enrollment, it will send the message that we are not the leaders and best in our thoughts and our actions.” Many faculty members said they were not concerned solely with racial diversity, but also deeply worried about socioeconomic diversity at the University. Engineering Prof. Bill Schultz spoke in favor of increasing interdisciplinary opportunities at the University for faculty — something that has been a priority for students in recent years. Schultz said that because
EPA From Page 1A his introduction, Law School Dean Mark West said the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works asked McCarthy more than 1,100 questions during her hearing. McCarthy’s career started in public health, working in Canton, Mass. During her tenure there, the city discovered a mismanaged hazardous waste site, which was linked to high cancer rates. “It really was an opportunity for me to see how important environmental issues were to public health and how much people cared about them,” McCarthy said. She added that it was a turning point that focused her career toward both environmental protection and public health. During her address, McCar-
News the deans and heads of individual units are so powerful at the University, faculty often gravitate to one “silo,” instead of reaching out to their colleagues in other areas. “One (way to overcome that) is to give a little more power to the provost,” Schultz said. “They always say, ‘We don’t have any carrots to do this.’ It’s okay for them to hold a little bit of tuition and general revenue money to foster interdisciplinarity.” In an interview after the meeting, White, who is acting as spokeswoman for the regents during the search process, said she was intrigued to hear that there is a need for increased collaborative programs at the University — something that is often perceived to be one of the University’s strengths. “I was really struck by the repeated concern about collaboration across the disciplines and making that more available,” White said. “The University of Michigan is known for its interdisciplinary studies and work and research, but there were still concerns that there may not be resources that are easy to get across the disciplines, and I think we really have to look at that and make sure that we take that to heart.” Others added that, although the University is rapidly increasing its global opportunities for students and faculty, a future president needs to ensure that they are devoting sufficient attention to the Ann Arbor community and surrounding areas affected by economic hardship. “We don’t want to abandon our commitment to the local as we’re going more global,” said Gloria Thomas, director of the Center for the Education of Women. Later in the day, more members of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee gathered at the Modern Languages Building to hear from students about many of the same issues. Regents Mark Bernstein (D), Shauna Ryder Diggs (D) and Denise Illitch (D) were also in attendance. About 75 students, including many members of Central Student Government and large student organizations on campus, commented on many of the same issues that the faculty had addressed — as well as some others. Student leaders presented their findings from a campuswide survey that solicited feedback from the student body about what qualities they wanted to see in the next president as well as what issues should be prioritized during their administration. The results indicated that students want the next president to focus on holding down tuition and related costs fostering an inclusive and diverse campus environment, and developing quality capital campaigns. “The majority thought that cost of attendance should be the next president’s priority,” Kinesiology senior Jared Hunter, president of the University’s chapter of the National Panhellenic Council, said. In an interview after the forum, he added that annual tuition increases have made the University one of the most expensive public institutions in the nation.
“It is imperative that the president maintains academic prestige and expands experiential research,” Business senior Dalia Adler, chair of the University of Michigan’s Hillel governing board, said. Public Policy junior Bobby Dishell, vice president of CSG, said the University needs to reprioritize student input on major renovation projects and that fundraising efforts should be more equitable — a barb apparently criticizing a perceived lack of student input on the Munger Residence and Stephen Ross’ donation to his namesake business school and the Athletic Department earlier in September. One of the most passionate arguments came from LSA senior Tyrell Collier, president of the Black Student Union, who criticized the decline in minority enrollment at the University in the wake of Proposal 2 — which outlawed the use of affirmative action policies in 2006. Citing a Bloomberg Businessweek report from earlier this week, Collier said the University had failed to stanch the decline through alternative recruitment programs in districts with large numbers of underrepresented minorities. “I know the policies that we have been trying after its pass have not been working,” Collier said in an interview after the event. “There has been a 30-percent drop within a seven-year span of black students, which is completely unacceptable.” Collier’s sentiments were echoed by student speakers throughout the evening. Some said the minority communities, but particularly black students, felt as though they didn’t have a voice on campus and occasionally experience bias incidents from both peers and faculty. Other students also emphasized the socio-economic divide that exists at the University. Several students also spoke about sustainability and climate change — something they’d like to see the next president committed to. “The next president, as leader of the world-renowned academic institution, needs to make that sustainability is part of every student’s lifestyle,” LSA junior Becca Liebschutz said. In an interview after the event, White said she was excited to hear some student perspectives that are often addressed at regents meetings and by the administration, but seldom by students in a public forum. “What was different in this session, I thought, was kind of taking it to a new level, it’s this hope for integrating sustainability into the curriculum and making it more how we teach, how we train, how we educate, and that was something I had not heard before,” White said. While no timeline has been set for selecting a new president, historically, most recent candidates have been picked in November or December of the year preceding a president’s retirement. Coleman will step down in July. Those who were unable to attend a presidential search forum may emailUMich.President@russellreynolds.com with thoughts on priorities and challenges for the University and
thy applauded the University of Michigan for its Planet Blue Sustainability Program among other initiatives. “U of M has the only environmental justice Ph.D. program in the country” she said, adding that environmental justice was “capsulized” at the University in 1990 when two University professors founded a council dedicated to sustainability. Outside Hutchins Hall, a single demonstrator tried to gather signatures for a petition to ban hydraulic fracturing — often called fracking — in Michigan. McCarthy briefly commented on fracking during the Q&A session that immediately followed her speech, saying it wastes water and contains pollution risks, but could become economically and environmentally feasible with further research. A large portion of McCarthy’s address was devoted to global climate change. McCar-
thy said she received a “boost” halfway into her confirmation hearings when Obama made a speech stating that climate change is real and accelerated by humans. “It is a speech that I have been waiting for an American president to give for at least 15 years,” McCarthy said. The conference will continue on Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the McDowell Room in South Hall, and will include panels on environmental and public health topics. David Uhlmann, the director of the Environmental Law and Policy Program, moderated the question-andanswer session. “We’re very much looking forward to having a terrific turnout at the conference tomorrow and a lively discussion of the challenges we face, which the administrator talked about so eloquently today,” he said.
Friday, September 27, 2013 — 3
CAMPAIGN From Page 1A cials over the past year, including Coleman. In a February interview with The Michigan Daily, Coleman said the campaign’s strategy would call on students to share the impact giving has had on their University experience, especially as the University intends to ramp up donations earmarked for financial aid. “We need to fashion this in a way donors can get excited about the difference they can make in people’s lives, so a lot of this will be storytelling
COCKROACHES From Page 1A climbing up the wall.” Logan said roach problems are not unheard of at the University. In January 2012,
CAMP From Page 1A turn the background check around,” Miranto said. Ablauf later stated that background checks include selfreporting of any criminal history and online monitoring of camp employees. Miranto also said coaches at the camp receive no training in regards to sexual-abuse prevention. Coaches may interact with minors for a three-hour clinic or up to weeks at a time. Campers who stay in University Residence halls overnight are monitored by residential staff. The department said that camp directors, who train their own staff, are extensively trained. Instruction focuses on procedures, protocol, precamp logistics and child-safety training. Coaches are told not to spend one-on-one time with campers. LSA senior Lexi Erwin, senior outside hitter on the Michigan volleyball team, coached volleyball players at a University camp. Erwin said she and the other coaches walked them to the gym, dorms and dining hall, escorting them for most of the day. She said her training consisted of 30 minutes of street-safety lessons and two concussion-detection tests. When Miranto assumed her role at the University two-anda-half years ago, she said there was no central policy or resource in regards to safety policy for minors. The Jerry Sandusky case at Pennsylvania State University shifted Miranto’s previous finance operation role into one of safety and risk management. Since becoming the athletic camp administrator, Miranto has developed a policy to protect minors. She said it’s “by no means perfect.” She said her intention at the minor-safety seminar was to gather information from childcare experts to improve the policy. A typical risk at the summer camps, Miranto explained, is a student athlete escorting campers down hectic State Street. “The one that’s supervising and he’s walking and he’s texting,” Miranto said. “Is he really
about what students have done and what the impact of having various scholarships has been,” Coleman said. Whereas the Michigan Difference placed a significant emphasis on capital projects like new and expanded facilities, the next campaign intends to leverage fundraising dollars for extending classroom experiences with real-world immersion. In April, University Provost Martha Pollack said the campaign would also focus on securing funding for “publicgood” projects centered around four areas: human and environmental health, poverty and inequality, sustainable transportation and K-12 education.
South Quad Residence Hall’s café, Ciao Down Pizzeria, temporarily closed because of a cockroach infestation. “Ann Arbor is no different than any other city in the United States. We have cockroaches living in the sanitary systems.”
watching the kids? No, because we don’t have that training mechanism for getting the people that are properly trained that are watching the kids.” The camp is not accredited by the American Camp Association, a century-old nonprofit that has accredited more than 2,400 camps nationwide. The ACA’s 300 standards for health, safety and program quality are geared toward lengthy camps. Miranto said seeking accreditation for some of the short clinics the camp hosts “would not be feasible.” Collegiate athletic departments across the country host summer camps. Miranto said these camps typically function differently than the University’s. “Do they do it better?” she said. “I’m sure there’s absolutely schools that do it better than us right now.” Ablauf later noted in response to Miranto’s comments that the athletic camps are lauded nationwide as model structures for similar programs. The head coaches of each individual sport personally own their camps, Miranto said. The camps are limited liability companies, for which the University and coaches are not personally responsible for the actions of the company. This system allowed coaches to make a profit from their camps, an activity that’s not allowed by the nonprofit University. “You’re dealing, essentially, with third parties,” Miranto said. “Yeah, they’re employed by the University, but essentially a third-party vendor that’s coming on and giving you money to use your facility and they want to run their business the way they want to run it.” Miranto said the coaches’ preference to operate their camps independently can thwart the University’s mission for hosting young athletes: to establish future Wolverines. “We want them to be students here someday,” Miranto said. “We want them to maybe become our student athletes someday. So the experience that they get, and this is actually really challenging for us to disseminate to our coaches, is that experience could shape what they do in the future. ... We want them to be safe.”
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Opinion
4 — Friday, September 27, 2013
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Weeding through the laws Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MELANIE KRUVELIS ANDREW WEINER EDITOR IN CHIEF
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Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
FROM THE DAILY
Poorly performed funding
I
Wayne State is being punished for its unique student body
n 2013, fourteen Michigan public universities will split $534,700 in state funding that was originally intended for Wayne State University, one of Michigan’s top schools. On September 10, State budget director John Nixon notified Wayne that the university would be forfeiting its performance-based funding due to its 8.9-percent tuition hike for the 2013-14 fiscal year. The state’s performance fund program evaluates all universities by the same measures. Due to the universal standards that the state has set for all universities, Wayne has been unfairly punished for its unconventional approach to education. A funding system based on performance may seem intuitively beneficial by incentivizing improvement; however, the state needs to recognize that all educational institutions are unique and cater to differing populations and these differences should not be penalized. The state of Michigan participates in a performance pay program that funds schools according to their ability to meet certain criteria, such as graduation rates and STEM degrees earned. The state has $21.9 million to allocate to its 15 public universities — given that the institutions do not increase their tuition by more than 3.75 percent. Since WSU violated this statute, it’s no longer eligible for performance pay for the 2013-14 fiscal year. According to Wayne President M. Roy Wilson in a recent Crain’s Detroit Business article, “The concept of a performance funding system is fine, and I don’t really see any issue with that, but the metrics are particularly important,” he said. “One size does not fit all, and depending on the nature of the metrics you use you can penalize some schools and reward others.” Wayne contends that their tuition increase was planned and necessary. In an interview with The Michigan Daily, WSU director of communications Matthew Lockwood said, “We knew that we would be raising tuition; this wasn’t news to us. … (the tuition hike) will help us remain on stable financial footing so we can continue to offer the programs
and support that our students expect.” With the increased tuition, Wayne State University expects to gain $14 million in revenue this year — far more than the university would gain under Michigan’s performance pay program. Last year, Wayne received the lowest amount of performance funding from the state. By considering criteria such as the six-year graduation rate, Michigan’s performance pay program seems to overlook universities that attract a large number of students who are working part-time and are unable to finish in six years. This is an oversight that unfairly punishes schools that have an unconventional student body. Since Governor Rick Snyder took office in 2009, the state of Michigan has witnessed an 11.35-percent decrease in state funding for higher education. Universities must resort to tuition increases in order to compensate for these cuts in funding. There is something to be said about the performance pay program that clearly does not represent the students at Wayne. Blanket policies such as Michigan’s performance funding plan do not support low-income students who are working — and studying — to achieve their educational goals.
CHRIS TAKAHASHI | VIEWPOINT
Forget fracking, Michigan Earlier this month, the University announced preliminary findings from a twoyear study on the effects of hydraulic fracturing in Michigan. The Hydraulic Fracturing in Michigan Integrated Assessment is regarded as the most comprehensive study on hydraulic fracturing in the state to date. Featuring the research of seven University professors, the integrated assessment draws on various disciplines, ranging from public health to economics. Although the findings are conclusive for only the first year of the two-year report, they are nonetheless important. Integrated assessments are commonly prepared for policy makers, and since regulation pertinent to hydraulic fracturing is an active debate at the state level, this is a good step to take. At the present, the state of Michigan permits hydraulic fracturing. Well operators must follow certain guidelines, such as reporting chemical additives within 60 days to the state’s Department of Environmental Quality. However, energy companies are not required to publicly disclose chemicals used in the process. Because many of the chemicals used are carcinogens, citizens in Michigan and across the country are demanding public disclosure. Many companies claim that these chemical additives are proprietary, and are thus afforded a right to withhold the chemical content. States have taken diverse approaches to regulation concerning hydraulic fracturing. New York has issued a moratorium on the practice, while California had no regulatory oversight concerning hydraulic fracturing until very recently. This past Friday, California Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat, signed Senate Bill 4 into law, a measure establishing a permitting process and public disclosure system. Many of the key tenets of SB 4, including disclosure of chemicals, do not take effect until 2015. Ironically, the Western States Petroleum Association, a trade association representing oil interests in California, praised the regulation while environmental groups such as Sierra Club and Food and Water Watch pulled support for SB 4. The bill was significantly weakened through provisions added two weeks before the Senate vote Sept. 19. Commonly referred to as “fracking,” hydraulic fracturing has been described as a “game changer” for domestic natural-gas production by industry and energy analysts. The American Petroleum Institute has run
numerous commercials with one prevailing and convincing theme: Natural gas is the bridge fuel to American energy independence. The Hydraulic Fracturing in Michigan Integrated Assessment, in addition to another non-industry funded study done by Post Carbon Institute, should be consulted by policymakers before such a conclusion is established in Michigan. PCI fellow and geoscientist David Hughes examined 65,000 wells from 31 shale gas plays in the United States for his report. The key findings of the report conclude that the majority of shale gas comes from five plays, with overall production at a relative plateau since December 2011. Individual wells experience steep decline rates — ranging from 79 to 95 percent — after 36 months. In order to maintain production, thousands of new wells must be constructed each year, posing enormous financial costs. An estimated $42 billion must be spent annually to merely maintain production by drilling more than 7,000 new wells. In 2012, the value of shale gas was estimated at $32.5 billion. You may be thinking, “Why should I care about ‘fracking’ in Michigan?” After all, the state’s natural gas resources have not been tapped to the extent of Pennsylvania, and we probably will not be able to light the Huron River on fire anytime soon. However, the conversation regarding natural gas as an effective bridge fuel needs reexamination. The University’s report contains significant statements that have been relatively absent from the national debate on fracking for natural gas. Regarding the economics of shale gas extraction, University researchers conclude that the job-creation potential of fracking in Michigan will not “make or break” the state’s economy. Secondly, a significant oil or gas boom in the state of Michigan is “unlikely,” even with advanced technology such as hydraulic fracturing. If the economic picture sounds mediocre, there are very real and unquestionable impacts on public health, the climate and regional ecosystems that result from hydraulic fracturing. The economic and geological constraints of hydraulic fracturing alone underscore a need for stronger, long-term energy policy in the state. A majority of Michigan citizens already support increased renewable energy — increased fracking is not required. Chris Takahashi is an LSA senior.
The University is well known not only as a great school, but also for being in the quintessential college town of Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor is worldrenowned for being a liberal hotbed of art, music and youth activity. It’s also renowned for its unique and pro- MAURA gressive local LEVINE laws regarding the use, possession and distribution of marijuana. Students proclaim, usually in a haughty, above-the-law manner, that they can light up a joint on the streets and receive consequences no harsher than a parking ticket — but this isn’t quite accurate. University students should be more careful in their use of marijuana in public and understand that law enforcement has legal loopholes that allow them to get students in trouble. In 1969, the Detroit poet John Sinclair was imprisoned for giving marijuana to undercover police. Citizens organized a freedom rally in Ann Arbor — attended by John Lennon and Stevie Wonder at Crisler Arena — to boycott Sinclair’s imprisonment. Three days later, the state’s Supreme Court voted Michigan’s marijuana laws unconstitutional and ordered Sinclair’s release. A year later, the Ann Arbor government essentially voted to decriminalize marijuana. The city’s charter it states that violations of possession, use or control of marijuana will result in no more than a civil infraction, which is a non-criminal violation. This is similar to receiving a parking ticket. In the city of Ann Arbor, a $25 fine is all you might receive for smoking
marijuana in public. But here’s the catch. The University does not operate under the charter of the city of Ann Arbor. As a public university, the University’s land belongs to the state of Michigan, meaning students are subject to state laws and campus police enforcement if they are caught smoking on campus property. Many people celebrate Hash Bash in the Diag in the spring, thinking they will get nothing more than a simple citation. But last year alone, campus police made 16 arrests for possession of marijuana on the holiday. In other words, if you’re going to smoke in Ann Arbor, make sure you’re not on campus property. Actually, make sure you’re nowhere in public if you choose to smoke marijuana. What so many students fail to realize is that the unique decriminalized marijuana laws in the city of Ann Arbor conflict with federal law. The distribution and possession of marijuana is still federally illegal and is prosecuted similarly in some regards to other drugs such as heroin, LSD and ecstasy. There’s no “accepted medicinal use,” in federal laws, either, meaning the medical marijuana card you may possess means nothing to a federal officer. In the eyes of the U.S. government, marijuana is still illegal. Federal agents can (and will) still arrest you for the use, distribution or possession of marijuana and charge you criminally — whether or not you are in the city of Ann Arbor. The only force who will honor the city ordinance is the Ann Arbor Police Department.
Contrary to common misconceptions, even if you are in the city of Ann Arbor and you possess a Michigan-issued medical marijuana card, you’re still not invincible. Even medicinal marijuana is limited in Michigan. You can only have 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana or 12 plants at one time. Furthermore, in an opinion by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004 during the Gonzales v. Raich case, it was determined that the commerce clause allows the federal government to prohibit “local cultivation and use of marijuana, despite state law to the contrary.” The Court decided that the marijuana market was national in scope and thus fell under Congress’ jurisdiction. In other words, federal agents can always get you in trouble, no matter what city you are in or what kind of a medical card you possess. Students need to understand the contradictory laws and jurisdiction issues if they so choose to use marijuana in Ann Arbor. We are lucky to live in such an accepting city with progressive laws, but we are still citizens of the United States. So before you light up in public, understand your rights and your legal limitations. The federal government holds final power in the area of marijuana, and they will exercise that right, despite the unnecessary target of harmless students. The law is the law and when you choose to break it, you choose to subject yourself to the consequences — student or not.
The federal government holds final power in the area of marijuana.
— Maura Levine can be reached at mtoval@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, Eli Cahan, Eric Ferguson, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Patrick Maillet, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Harsha Nahata, Adrienne Roberts, Paul Sherman, Sarah Skaluba, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe ERIC FERGUSON | VIEWPOINT
Limit NSA’s scope
You’ve made a phone call or sent an e-mail or text message in the last few weeks, right? You called your parents to check up on them, or texted your friend so you could meet up on Friday night. Maybe you had to call University Health Service to set up an appointment or e-mail a professor about an assignment. Or perhaps you’ve been so busy that you have no idea how many people you’ve contacted. In that case, you’re going to want to drop the National Security Agency a line. Thanks to Edward Snowden, it’s public knowledge that under the authority of the Patriot Act and with the approval of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the NSA has been collecting a vast array of communications as part of its efforts to conduct surveillance on those it suspects are involved in terror plots. This may not surprise you — after all, gathering intelligence in order to prevent terrorist attacks is the NSA’s raison d’etre. But the means by which the NSA has pursued this information is the subject of intense debate. According to Time magazine, an FISC order gave the NSA blanket access to the call records of millions of Verizon customers and allowed installation of agency equipment directly onto AT&T and Verizon network equipment, which comprise a significant portion of the country’s communications networks. While President Barack Obama suggested reforms to these policies would be somewhat helpful in alleviating citizens’ concerns, the reforms don’t go nearly far enough. If we truly value privacy and are adamant about operating within a system of laws, nothing less than immediate restriction of the NSA’s power to col-
lect communications pertaining to U.S. citizens in bulk pending a full review of the FISC’s opinions and their constitutionality is acceptable. Obama’s response to these concerns consists of a number of reform measures he outlined in August. He says that these measures will introduce oversight and transparency into the NSA’s process while maintaining the agency’s ability to do its job. Some kind of action is clearly necessary, as, according to The Washington Post, there were more than 2,700 violations of agency rules in 2012. These range from simple human errors to an instance where an analyst blatantly operated in violation of a court order. These violations and a new awareness of the various programs used to collect data have contributed to the privacy debate. But Obama’s reforms aren’t sufficient, and they barely address what is perhaps the most unsettling part of the whole affair: the role the FISC has played in permitting the NSA to seize so much information with so little evidence of its usefulness. Until recently, all of FISC’s decisions and the legal rationale behind them were classified information and as such were unreachable for scrutiny from any outside party. The only reform specifically aimed at FISC is the addition of an “adversarial voice” to the court’s proceedings. If that single voice is able to alter the system, my faith in both FISC and NSA might stop falling by the day. This seems more than unlikely, especially considering how the Associated Press has reported that the final report of the NSA review panel will have to be reviewed by the White House before being released to the public.
Worryingly, the implications of leaving the NSA’s bulk collection programs in place — or subjecting them to a mere review and allowing them to continue to operate in the meantime — depend largely upon the character of those the NSA has chosen to work within the program. According to NBC News, there are roughly 1,000 people who have the same system administrator access to NSA files as Snowden did. In other words, there are a thousand points within the agency that an outside party could target in order to gain access to information about citizens who aren’t even a target of an investigation. In the short run, these restrictions will certainly reduce the NSA’s capability to conduct surveillance. Losing the call-collection program and others like it would have a slight but entirely justifiable negative effect on national security, as they are only a small part of the government’s intelligence apparatus. The entire NSA is just one of sixteen government entities involved in intelligence-gathering. Moreover, the NSA’s track record of using bulk data to thwart terrorist plots isn’t exactly stellar — it has been key in stopping a single plot. Enough is enough. At present, the body of evidence effectively establishes that the NSA — with FISC’s authorization — has violated Americans’ privacy on a massive scale. Freezing NSA’s bulk collections programs while their constitutionality is reviewed would reaffirm the federal government’s commitment to obey the law and protect its citizens’ privacy. Eric Ferguson is a Public Policy junior.
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Arts PERFORMANCE PREVIEW
TV REVIEW
Katzman to take new, personal direction By REBECCA GODWIN Daily Arts Writer
ABC
“Let’s go to the mall today.”
‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ pilot too safe to be super Whedon takes his ‘Avengers’ realm to the small screen By KAYLA UPADHYAYA Managing Arts Editor
Three years after “Dollhouse” came to an end, Joss Whedon returns to television with “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” B Disney’s fullthrottled Marvel’s attempt to Agents of bring its Marvel S.H.I.E.L.D. super-franchise to the ABC Pilot network. Tuesdays Agent Coulson (Clark at 8 p.m. Gregg, “The ABC Avengers”) lives, thank God (or Thor). He’s back in action at Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.), a C.I.A.like shadow agency of supers and normals working together to fight baddies and protect the public from information it isn’t ready for, like those flying aliens who wreaked havoc on New York City in Whedon’s “The Avengers.” Don’t worry if you didn’t catch the 2012 mega movie: The characters spend plenty of time bringing you up to speed, at times overdoing it with the exposition. “S.H.I.E.L.D.” comes out of the gate with a lot going for it. It’s a prepackaged idea with a built-in audience, and everything from the swelling strings to the stunning fight choreography makes the pilot feel not all that different from watching a big-screen superhero origin story. While the cinematic
production values enthrall, a “Marvel movie every week” premise, despite sounding fun on paper, simply isn’t sustainable, nor is it all that compelling. But this is Whedon we’re talking about — the genreslayer himself. The man sticks to his own superpowers in the “S.H.I.E.L.D.” pilot, which he directed and co-wrote with “Dollhouse” writers Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen. For one, he has once again crafted a dream team of complex characters. Coulson is already a fan favorite, but the pilot introduces us to the other faces of “S.H.I.E.L.D.,” like Brett Dalton’s Grant Ward, who’s shown as a stiff, individualistic field agent who Coulson hopes to turn into a team player. Chloe Bennet steals the show as the wickedly smart but impulsive hacker Skye, who’s a part of the Anonymouslike group the Rising Tide. Ming-Na Wen kills it as Agent Melinda May, who reluctantly re-enters the field upon orders from Coulson and turns out to be one of the toughest agents on the “S.H.I.E.L.D.” payroll, and relative newcomers Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge provide geeky banter as the tech and science geniuses Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons (affectionately referred to as FitzSimmons). Their quips are full of the sharp, meta punches Whedon excels at. The pilot is at its most powerful when its characters are fully aware of the universe in which they exist. Just as Whedon’s “Cabin in the Woods” deconstructed torture porn and held up a mirror to the slasher genre, “S.H.I.E.L.D.” teases its own genre, poking self-aware fun
at the ridiculousness of comicbook worlds. When Coulson emerges from darkness to deliver a snappy one-liner, he pauses to muse on his own melodrama. “With great power,” Skye begins in a serious tone, “comes a ton of weird crap.” Ultimately, there’s a safeness to the pilot that’s atypical for a Whedon production. But with his previous television projects, Whedon could throw away conventions and expectations because the shows were underthe-radar enough to get away with it. With “S.H.I.E.L.D.,” Whedon is situated in the mainstream more than ever before. His political capital in Hollywood (he’s up there with J.J. Abrams as one of the most powerful men in the industry at the moment) gives him creative freedom not all creators possess, but only to an extent. Disney’s the boss in the end. Whedon once wondered what it would look like if the woman walking alone down a dark alley were the one the sinister creatures of the night feared instead of the other way around. From that thought, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was conceived. Whedon continued to subvert tropes throughout the series and in his other work, and that kind of rejection of norms is what could elevate “S.H.I.E.L.D.” from an “X-Files”-plus-superheroes procedural to something that packs a little more punch. The pilot’s self-awareness achieves this to an extent, but still plays out as a fairly by-the-numbers origin story. Sure, watching Coulson fly away in his bright red car is fun, but give me more of that biting human emotion you’re so damn good at, Joss.
MUSIC NOTEBOOK
Reflecting on the 10 years since ‘Speakerboxxx’ By KENDALL RUSS Online Arts Editor
Outkast’s Speakerboxxx / The Love Below turned 10 Monday. Think about that for a second. Sure, it has been 10 years since we’ve heard Outkast’s last great record. But it has also been 10 years since you awkwardly rubbed against a fellow sixth grader to “Hey Ya!” at your first middleschool dance. It has (hopefully) been 10 years since you took to Xanga to spew that hormonal, pre-teen #angst. For most of you, that’s half of your life.
You can’t shake it like a polaroid picture anymore. By now, there are plenty of reflections on Speakerboxxx / The Love Below’s importance,
Friday, September 27, 2013 — 5
influence (would we have Janelle Monáe without The Love Below?) and, ultimately, impact on Outkast’s demise. And while the album plays and feels as well 10 years on as the giant fur Big Boi sports on the album cover, it’s hard to shake the lingering sense of gap, permeating with nostalgia. Forget the music for a moment, and think about your life. Now, are you where you wanted to be 10 years ago? Is 20 too young to pine for youth? Maybe. Probably. But just reading that makes me wish for a time when I didn’t say things like “pine for youth.” Most of us may be too young to have any real responsibilities, but how many of us still spout pretension, desperately striving for the esteem of others? How many of us fluff our résumés and apply for jobs we morally oppose but think we need to get rich and become miserable in the process? Ten years ago, I may have worried too much about which two popped polo collars I would match with my puka shell necklace, but I always tried to worry about more important
things — like whether or not we were having pizza for dinner. “Baby, take off your cool / I want to get to know you,” Three Stacks and Norah Jones croon on The Love Below track, “Take Off Your Cool.” The song shines in its simplicity, and it’s one that resonates with me today in a way that “Unhappy,” “Roses” and “Hey Ya!” don’t. It’s really easy to fall into a negative feedback cycle of anxiety and inauthenticity, of aiming at that high-paying job both your current and 10-year-old selves would abhor. Take off your cool and be authentic — but don’t be selfish, and don’t succumb to cynicism. Instead, be honest — with yourself, your friends and your ambition. Big Boi gives us some advice on “Unhappy:” “Let strangers play while you graduate and move on / True happiness is not acquired and you won’t find it for sale.” It’s as true today as it was 10 years ago. We may not have been listening when we graduated elementary school, but we can’t afford to ignore it now.
If you were to ask University alum and musician, Theo Katzman, what effect the University had on him as an Theo artist and as Katzman a person, he would tell you Saturday that it was the at 8 p.m. “single most The Ark influential experience of $15 his life.” But Katzman, who has an upcoming performance at Ann Arbor’s famous nonprofit club, the Ark, developed a passion for music at a young age, which he described as an “evolutionary accident.” “My father was a jazz musician by profession and he played on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,’ ” Katzman said. “And then my mom’s parents were both classical musicians, my mom’s father was in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. So I come from a history of music.” Music came naturally to him, starting not with an instrument, but with his voice and his mom. “I’ve been singing since I was a little kid, and I didn’t know it was a thing. I was just singing with my mom,” Katzman said. “My mom has a beautiful voice and loves to sing, so singing came very naturally to me. I was always doing it.” Singing eventually transitioned into playing instruments: guitar, drums and bass. His interest for instruments pointed him toward songwriting, which started his “high school doldrums” phase.
However, don’t expect to hear any of his music from that time. “They were just typical teenage heartbreak songs, which you’ll never hear,” Katzman said. “They’re buried somewhere.” His abilities as a songwriter developed, and he spent several years in a variety of different bands, including My Dear Disco, which also included Michelle Chamuel, fellow alum and recent runner-up on NBC’s “The Voice.” But finally in 2011, Katzman decided to venture out on his own and self-released his album, Romance Without Finance. “Quitting (My Dear Disco) in favor of starting my own band was a big step for me and that took a lot of faith and confidence,” Katzman said. “It was an attempt to conquer my fear that I wouldn’t be able to achieve my own identity in music.”
Musician to bring stories to the Ark. In a couple of years, though, Katzman has managed to make a name for himself and has consistently drawn large crowds to his shows. This summer, he toured across the country as the opening act for Darren Criss, a University alum and star of FOX’s “Glee.” “It was a super, awesome, joyous time (to open for Criss),” Katzman said. “To open as an artist was incredible. By the second show, I felt like all the fans knew all the words to my
songs, some of them I hadn’t even recorded yet.” Katzman has decided to introduce a couple new songs, beyond his own personal experiences, for his next album, which he hopes to put out in 2014. “My whole catalog (of songs) up to this point is all personal experience as opposed to storytelling,” Katzman said. “I’m starting to move a little bit more into the realm of storytelling with some of my new stuff that isn’t released yet.” Those include his newest single, “Pop Song,” which he debuted on the tour this summer with Criss. The song was officially released September 19, but fans all over the internet had been waiting anxiously for a while to purchase the official release. Several mishaps on Katzman’s part (“My bad, guys,”) had led to the single being delayed for several days. Katzman intends to release a couple more singles before putting out his second album, but his overall hopes for the future range from the simple — which basically involves him maintaining his status as an independent artist and playing music to people who want to hear it — to the ambitious. “I feel inspired to recreate the demand for consumersupported music. As we’ve transitioned to the new internet model, people are saying that, ‘Oh, the music industry is failing,’ ” Katzman said. “I don’t agree. I think it’s just changing and I want to be one of the guys out there flying the freak flag of ‘Hey, it’s all good, we’re still doing it.’ ”
Arts
6 — Friday, September 27, 2013
PERFORMANCE PREVIEW
Vocalists to unite for A Grand Night Multiple singing groups to come together at Hill By PAIGE PFLEGER Daily Arts Writer
It’s rare to have a group of almost 350 people gathered for the same purpose, and even rarer still to hear 350 voices singing A Grand the same song. At the third Night for annual “A Singing Grand Night for Singing,” Sunday at 4 p.m. audience members can Hill gather in Hill Auditorium From $5 for such an experience this Sunday. The event stemmed from recognizing the gap in showcasing choral abilities at the University. The bands on campus had Band-O-Rama, the orchestra had the Halloween Concert, yet no event brought each choir together — then, “A Grand Night for Singing” was born. The event includes groups such as the Men’s and Women’s Glee Clubs, the Orpheus, Chamber and University
Choirs, as well as excerpts from the musical theater and opera program’s current productions. “It’s both wonderful and terrifying,” said Director of Choral Activities Jerry Blackstone. “There is a great deal to do in a very short amount of time with a whole lot of folks. We have to be very organized and very focused so we can get everything done. People are excited to hear each other.” School of Music, Theatre & Dance junior Nora Burgard, a vocal performance major, will solo in the Chamber Singers piece, “Festival Te Deum” by Benjamin Britten, conducted by Blackstone. “I had never really been good at anything in school,” Burgard said of her pre-singing past. She started off in middle school and later went on to study privately. “Doing something like singing was really exciting to me,” Burgard said. “To be able to share something so fun with other people, and something I was actually good at.” Burgard performed in “A Grand Night for Singing” her freshman year, and recalled the impact of the event: It was the moment she realized that the University and vocal performance were for her, and that she was in the exact right place to make singing her career.
“Last semester, I had a solo as well at the (University of Michigan) Museum of Art. I was so scared by the end of the solo (that) I had sweat so much my glasses were at the end of my nose,” Burgard said, laughing. “I am thrilled and excited to have a solo at Hill, but I just hope I don’t sweat all over everyone.” Hill Auditorium is a worldrenowned performance venue, and the stage has seen the likes of Bob Marley and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. “It is awesome, awe-inspiring,” Blackstone said, speaking of the legacy of Hill. “It is exciting to walk onto that stage and feel the energy that room always produces and the energy that always happens when there is a good crowd. There is something very special about making music together with your friends and your colleagues in that environment and on that stage — knowing what has gone on before, and knowing what will follow. “It’s a very special place acoustically, it’s a very special place emotionally and musically. The tradition is remarkable.” “A Grand Night for Singing” gathers audiences around a University community that comes together one night a year, joined by their love for the art of singing, in any number of capacities.
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RISING FROM THE ASHES
GLASSNOTE
“Where’s my brie?”
Phoenix frontman talks France and fame By ERIKA HARWOOD Daily Arts Writer
With five albums, a Grammy and a perfectly strange collaboration with R. Kelly under its belt, French rock group Phoenix has assured the world that it’s unstoppable. With the release of its latest album, Bankrupt!, last April, the band embarks on a new tour with a stop in Ypsilanti on Sept. 29 at Ypsilanti’s EMU Convocation Center. With the enormous success that surrounded 2009’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, the album that for the most part introduced the band to American audiences, it would follow that stress levels would run high for the group, but lead singer Thomas Mars has a different perspective. “I think we’re less anxious and stressed out about it,” Mars said. “It’s more of a reward, this
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tour, than anything.” Since forming in the late ’90s, the group has developed an extensive and varied discography. However, Phoenix tries to keep its sets as fresh as possible in order to avoid being stalled in the past or being viewed as a “greatest hits band.” “We always approach the show with playing everything that’s new ... There are other things that are included, but they’re not the main part of the show,” Mars said. “I think that, with this idea, that something always has to be new. Even if it’s an old song, it has to somehow mold or melt with another song so you see it in a new way.” A prime example of seeing its songs in a different light is exemplified through the introduction of R. Kelly on stage during a set at Coachella this past April, the band’s biggest show to date. Together they performed a mash-up of the group’s “1901” and R. Kelly’s “Ignition,” a show that seemed just as unlikely to the band as it did to the audience. “We never thought about (collaborating with R. Kelly) because we never thought our music would work together,” Mars confessed. “There were no rehearsals. He came up on stage pretty late. Everything was very stressful and made it a better experience.”
Paris-based band to come to Ypsilanti for the first time. As for when R. Kelly compared Phoenix to the Beatles in a recent interview with Pitchfork, Mars said, “I pretended that I didn’t hear that just for my mental health. I blocked it out of mind.” For most people, that kind of high praise from an R&B superstar would result in a head big enough to consume a small city-state, but the group manages to stay grounded thanks to their families and hometown, Paris. “I think the luxury that we have now is that we can play whenever we want and we can stop whenever we want, so we sort of steer our own ship. That took a lot of time for us to do
that,” Mars said of the band’s ability to spend time with their families. “The other guys, they live (in Paris), so they get back often. I go back pretty often ... It’s a good hometown to have because it will always be the same. That’s sort of what you want with your hometown. It’s there, it’s not changing and it’s comforting.” The comfort of a hometown is more of a necessity during the constant travelling, but that’s all part of the excitement of touring for Mars. “I like the weird places. When I saw ... how do you say it, Ypsilanti? I’ve never heard of it, but I thought it sounded cool. I like the places that you’ve never heard of. I’m more excited to play places in between or in the middle, places I wouldn’t go to,” he said. “More than Vegas or L.A. There’s usually more excitement.” Despite his love for touring in the hidden crevices of America, Mars has one major gripe with its venues. “The one thing that’s frustrating is that sometimes when you play in the U.S., the shows are 21 and over. When I was a kid, I saw shows when I was 10, 12, 13, and I never would have started a band if I went to a show after 21. I think when you’re after 21, it’s too late. It’s stupid.” Even with a massive tour, gears have started to turn for the next record, but don’t expect a release in the near future. “Everything you start with, you never end up choosing. It’s always a struggle ... almost the first year,” Mars said. “It usually takes us a year to come up with one decent song, and then the other ones come together, so I’m just curious to get that one song ... the song that’s good enough so the others can exist.” For now, Phoenix’s focus is the upcoming tour, where each show will provide an unexpected adventure for both the band and its audience, since Mars claims that it’s “never really prepared.” But, he added, “that’s what makes us interesting.” While this laid-back method to its madness may result in disaster for most bands, looking back upon the years of Phoenix’s headlining shows, world tours and successful albums, unpreparedness seems to be working out pretty well.
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Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Fridau, September 27, 2013 — 7
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Standout Osika poised to lead By MICHAEL KESSLER Daily Sports Writer
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Junior defender Chloe Sosenko nearly went to Central Michigan, but after a coaching change, some phone calls and faith, she ended up playing soccer at Michigan.
Sosenko quieting doubters By JAKE LOURIM Daily Sports Writer
Junior defender Chloe Sosenko has become a fixture in the Michigan women’s soccer starting lineup. Which is strange, because until Christmas of her senior year of high school, she thought she would be going to Central Michigan. Those plans changed, and a key player was added to the Wolverines’ program. Sosenko is Michigan’s premier outside defender, its best one-onone defender and one of its most consistent contributors, playing 522 of the Wolverines’ last 550 minutes — she sat only when they trailed Butler and needed extra attackers. Still, Sosenko would be 130 miles north of Ann Arbor if not for a Central Michigan coaching change, some phone calls to Michigan coach Greg Ryan and his faith in the hard-working underdog from 20 miles up the road.
Shivraman said. “When your own teammates are unable to be critical of a player like Chloe, you have that leader in you.” It wasn’t long before Sosenko was showing her ability on the practice field. “At practices, she really caught our attention,” Shivraman said. “You have a 14-year-old going against a 17- or 18-year-old. Right there, she caught our eye. She was not out of place. She felt very comfortable in that environment.” Sosenko became one of the best players Shivraman has coached, earning second-team all-state honors her senior year and being elected captain her junior and senior years. Three months later, she started all over as a member of the Wolverines. Sosenko was set to continue her career by moving onto Central Michigan. She liked the Chippewas’ style of play and their coach, Tom Anagnost. But that winter, Anagnost took the job at Miami (Fla.), changing everything. ***
*** Sosenko has always had to prove herself, but she first caught the eye of her Brighton (Mich.) High School coach, Deepak Shivraman, at her freshman tryout. Sosenko could compete with the seniors because of her composure, and those players don’t come around often. “We said, ‘We’ll take her,’ ” Shivraman said. “Generally, with some of the younger players, it takes a little bit of time to get acclimated. … With Chloe, it was right away, she was ready. We never looked back. She played like a veteran, she practiced like a veteran, it was fantastic.” She stayed after practice to work on finishing scoring opportunities and became one of Brighton’s biggest weapons. Shivraman was ready to name Sosenko a captain as a sophomore because of her leadership. “You know you’ve got a captain quality when you can’t find any players who are critical of her,”
When Anagnost left, it forced Sosenko to weigh her options. Go with Anagnost to his new job at Miami? Too far away. Go to Michigan State? Didn’t have space on the roster. Stay at Central Michigan? Sosenko, who was named an Academic All-Big Ten honoree last season, knew there were better options on the table. That left Sosenko with one option: become a Wolverine and not play soccer. Three years after her high-school career started to blossom into a college future, it appeared her dream would die. “All my friends and family were shocked that I even considered that option,” Sosenko said. “I started to realize that the reason for going to school was academics, and I’m not going to play soccer the rest of my life.” Sosenko tried to be happy with going to Michigan, but she wasn’t complete. She had the opportunity to get a top-notch education, but it wasn’t perfect. “Every time I went through
my pros and cons list, something felt incomplete,” Sosenko said. “I didn’t have that confidence in any of the decisions I was making. I felt lost, and then once this opportunity came around, it was literally a no-brainer.” Then, Ryan came knocking. He said he first got a call from Sosenko’s club coach with the Novi Jaguars, Paul Tinnion. Things moved quickly, as they had to. Ryan invited Sosenko for a visit after their first phone call. He saw her play twice during the season, and that was all he needed. On the visit, Sosenko said Ryan was talking with Michigan assistant Dean Duerst as if Sosenko were coming. Ryan turned to her and said, “I haven’t even asked you — are you going to come here?” After what seemed like a sure decision, months of wondering went into the next word. The decision seemed to be between going to a better academic school and not playing soccer or going to a smaller school and playing soccer. It turned out there was a third option: join Michigan as a walk-on. “Yes,” Sosenko said quickly. With that word came a moment of peace. *** Like Shivraman, Ryan liked Sosenko immediately. “What impresses me most about Chloe is that she’s tenacious,” Ryan said. “She’s that player that refuses to get beat. That separated Chloe from a lot of players, and that’s something I didn’t know about her.” Once Sosenko gained the confidence in her ability, her role grew. In her first two weeks in preseason camp as a freshman, she earned a small scholarship, then later a larger one. Sosenko now has a major assignment: each game, she marks the best outside player for the other team. If that player switches to the other side, Sosenko follows her.
Opponents expect to have to account for senior forward Nkem Ezurike and senior defenders Shelina Zadorsky and Holly Hein, but Sosenko often surprises them. “Chloe is constantly stepping onto the field ready to prove herself,” Ryan said. “When she has to play against the best attacking player every week, I know she’s stepping out there going, ‘I’ve got to prove myself again today.’ ” Sosenko’s rise at Michigan happened as quickly as it did at Brighton. First was her first college assist against Oakland on Aug. 21, 2011. Then her first goal against DePaul on Aug. 28 of that year. Then her first start against Western Michigan on Sept. 9. She surprised everyone — except Shivraman. When he called coaches at other colleges about Sosenko, they were skeptical because of her 5-foot-4 height. “It’s a joke to me,” Shivraman said. “It always makes me laugh. These are coaches who have no idea.” Last season, Sosenko played in all 24 matches and started 23. This season, she has played in all eight and started seven. She was set to play at a MidAmerican Conference school, and now she’s starting for the No. 13 team in the country. Anagnost was fired after two seasons at Miami. Last season, Michigan trailed Central Michigan in the NCAA Tournament until Sosenko assisted on the game-tying goal with 40 seconds left. Sosenko played all 95 minutes, and the Wolverines won in overtime en route to their first Sweet 16 since 2003. Anywhere else she went, things would have worked out differently — for Sosenko and for Michigan. That was in the past. Friday night, Sosenko will make her eighth straight start for the Wolverines, helping them chase their first-ever Big Ten regular-season title. That would have surprised everyone three years ago. At least until they saw her play.
The transition to college can be challenging. Enrolling halfway through the academic year certainly doesn’t make the process any easier. Tacking on a starring role on the Michigan women’s track and field team? All in a day’s work for standout redshirt sophomore Shannon Osika. Joining the Wolverines halfway through the 2011-2012 season, Osika made an immediate impact as a freshman, earning All-Big Ten first-team honors and running the 1,200-meter leg of the Big Ten-winning distance medley relay. It might have been overwhelming for some, but the soft-spoken, even-keeled Osika took it all in stride. “I didn’t really expect anything, I just wanted to come in with an open mind,” Osika said. “I knew the other girls had been training, I did a lot of work too coming in, so I knew I’d be able to transfer over pretty well. But it was just exciting to be a part of that top group because there are a lot of good strong runners on the team.” Much of that top group, however, was reaching the end of their collegiate careers, leaving behind a youth-laden, inexperienced squad looking for underclassmen to step up to the plate and establish the future of Michigan cross country and track. Osika was in a perfect position to oblige. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Osika adapted to the collegiate environment so fluidly; not only did both of her parents run track in college, they were both coached by Michigan coach Mike McGwire. That Osika ended up at Michigan herself, then, is no coincidence. “What I really wanted was to be on a team where the girls are really close, and are excited to go to practice,” she said. “And I really liked coach McGuire, so it just seemed like a perfect fit.” While Osika found her perfect match at Michigan, the Wolverines could not have been happier with her consistent production. Following her shortened, yet breakout freshman season, Osika returned in 2012 for her first full season of collegiate competition as a redshirt freshman. And she didn’t disappoint. Playing a major role in Michigan winning the Big Ten and Great Lakes Region titles in the 2012 season, Osika was rewarded with All-Big Ten secondteam honors and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award. But she wasn’t done yet. During the indoor track season, she finished 14th in the mile
run, her signature event, at the NCAA Indoor Championships, and made the All-America second team. All in all, the year could not have gone better, but Osika was quick to shift the focus away from her past achievements and toward her upcoming sophomore season. “I’m really happy with how it went, I think it was a really good season,” said Osika. “But I’m really excited for this season too because we did lose some top girls, but a lot of people are stepping up. So while it’s great that we had a great season, I think we’ll have an even better one this year.” Though Osika’s pedigree may have foreshadowed her current standout status for the Wolverines, her general demeanor, described by McGuire as “shy,” is certainly not a typical trait of an athlete on a team. But that’s only because Osika prefers to let her running do the talking, leaving behind a modest, unassuming backdrop that only accentuates her talent and potential on the track. This is not to say she doesn’t feel the pressure of a young squad looking for a rock to rely on. Far from it, in fact. “I feel it a little bit, but it’s not bad pressure,” she said. “It’s good, it’s motivating and encouraging. We’ve talked about it, and we’re pretty excited about taking that leadership role and keeping the ball rolling.” In that vein, Osika said she stepped up her offseason routine, putting in more miles and working to be more fit than she was a year before. The early results have certainly been encouraging. She defended her title in the season-opening Michigan Open event, winning Big Ten Athlete of the Week in the process. Though she has been sidelined the past few weeks with a shin injury, she hopes to be back for Michigan’s next event at the Rim Rock Farm Classic on Oct. 5. Considering Osika’s acrossthe-board success in both cross country and track and field, one might be hard-pressed to discern her favorite of the two sports. But Osika refuses to play favorites herself. “Cross country is my favorite when it’s cross country season, and track is my favorite when it’s track and field season,” Osika said. “I think that’s a good way to look at it, too. I never want to just compete, I want to embrace the season I’m in.” It’s an attitude befitting an athlete who always keeps her sights focused straight ahead, letting her maturity, poise and talent shine through every step of the way.
After summer of training, Bektas, Bolender ready for season By CLAIRE KINTNER For The Daily
With tournament play just getting underway for the Michigan women’s tennis team this past weekend at the Wolverine Invitational, a new and improved work ethic was brought to the court to start the season. After a long summer of individualized training, the team seems excited to make some breakthroughs this year and is certainly ready to redeem itself after a loss to No. 7 UCLA in last spring’s NCAA Sweet 16. Junior Emina Bektas and senior Brooke Bolender trained and competed both at home and around the country this summer before transitioning back to the team environment. Bektas came onto Michigan’s tennis radar early in her freshman year when she was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned All-America honors in singles while cruising to
a 33-10 record in doubles. As a sophomore, she was a two-time Big Ten Athlete of the Week and earned a berth in both the NCAA singles and doubles championships. Now, as an upperclassman, Bektas finds herself in a leadership position and is ready to make some strides in her game, both physically and mentally. She went 2-1 last weekend in singles in the Wolverine Invitational, with a key win over Tulane’s No. 23 Klara Vyskocilova. “This summer was more productive as a whole,” Bektas said. “After freshman year, I took a lot of time off and felt slower and a little more burnt out, but this year has been easier. I’m excited to see what I can do.” Most of Bektas’s summer was spent with Bolender, as the two traveled and followed a proper training regime of lifting three times a week, playing two hours of tennis a day and running when there was time in between.
FILE PHOTO/Daily
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Junior Emina Bektas lifted three times a week this summer, played two hours of tennis a day and ran in between.
Senior Brooke Bolender sealed Michigan’s fourth straight Big Ten title with a win over Ohio State last year.
While back in their respective hometowns, Bektas and Bolender were able to have more freedom with their individual coaches and even had the chance to play in tournaments against some Big Ten rivals. “Competition-wise, this sum-
mer was really good for me,” Bektas said. “I wasn’t expecting much, but Brooke and I took the doubles title at the Women’s Hospital Classic in (Evansville, Ind.) in July, and I took the singles title as well. I felt like things were starting to pick up, which
made me really want to get back to the team and keep going with the momentum.” Bolender is definitely one to keep an eye on this season as well. The Florida native was the first Michigan freshman to win 30 matches in a season — setting a new record with 35 singles wins — earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year as well as AllBig Ten. Her sophomore year, she was named to the All-Big Ten team and began to play with Bektas, advancing to the semifinals at the USTA/ITA Midwest Regional tournament. As a junior, she was voted captain, had an extraordinary 7-0 win over Ohio State to seal the Wolverines’ fourth straight Big Ten championship and, along with Bektas, was the nation’s fourthranked doubles pairing. She went 3-1 at the Wolverine Invitational last weekend. “The back-to-school transition has been a little tricky for me
personally,” Bolender said. “I’m taking my elementary education classes in the morning, which means I’m sometimes left to practice on my own. As a whole, though, everyone is coming in with high expectations, and the work ethic is really solid.” As for her summer competition, Bolender said, “I was a little disappointed with the singles outcomes in most of my individual tournaments back home in Florida, but Emina and I played really well together in Evansville, and it was great to compete outside of our dual matches. I can’t complain about that. There was even good and bad this past weekend, but that just shows what I need to work on. “I know I’ll work through the struggles and get better this year.” Next up, the Wolverines are set to compete inthe Riviera/ITA Women’s All-American Championships in California from Sept. 28-Oct. 6.
Sports
8 — Friday, September 27, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
In ‘Fourth and Long,’ a look into scandal-ridden sport By EVERETT COOK Daily Sports Editor
In an era when getting access to one college football program is hard, author John U. Bacon decided to immerse himself in four of them. In his new book, titled “Fourth and Long: The Fight for the Soul of College Football,” Bacon immerses himself with a quartet of Big Ten programs — Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Northwestern — to get a clearer picture of the operations of college football in its current, scandal-ridden state. The book, published by Simon & Schuster, came out on Sept. 3 and can be purchased at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, the MDen and Literati Bookstore, among other retailers. While every program and school had their own subplots and information, perhaps the most interesting chapters covered the Penn State program the year after it received impossibly strict punishments from the NCAA the year after the Jerry Sandusky scandal. In one of the most turmoilous situations in the history of college football, Bacon had complete access to the players, coaches and
LUCIA SOFO/Daily Collegian
Penn State coach Bill O’Brien gave John U. Bacon unrivaled access to Penn State.
meetings, and it showed. The most telling section came in the week after the sanctions were handed down, when the NCAA ruled that Penn State players could transfer anywhere without penalty. Players like thensenior linebacker Michael Mauti had to convince the team to stay together, even while knowing
that the Nittany Lions weren’t bowl eligible and would be facing severe scholarship reductions in the upcoming years. For the last two years, almost every bit of news out of Happy Valley has been negative. Bacon’s reporting flipped the view back onto the players and new coach Bill O’Brien, showing that inside
the walls, not everything was crumbling. “The week after the sanctions, they were trying to field enough players to fill out the schedule,” Bacon said in a phone interview with the Daily. “I didn’t realize and appreciate how close it was to actually closing. I was equally surprised and impressed by how much effort it took from the coaches, staffers and players to keep that thing from falling apart. It was not a task operation. It was not dumb luck. “If they had done anything less than what was done, Penn State might not have had a team last year.” Bacon — who grew up in Ann Arbor, teaches a class at Michigan and wrote a book two years ago about the Rich Rodriguez tenure — has been around the Wolverines long enough to know most of Michigan’s interworkings. But there were still some surprises behind the curtains in Ann Arbor, so to speak. “One of the better surprises was just how hard working the band is,” Bacon said. “I really didn’t fully appreciate that even though I’ve been around it my whole life. That was a very happy aisle to turn
FOOTBALL
EA Sports to end NCAA Football series in ‘14 By JAKE LOURIM Daily Sports Writer
Former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson was on the cover of EA Sports’ latest college football game, NCAA Football 14. Now, he may be the last player to ever grace the cover. EA Sports announced Thursday that it won’t publish a new NCAA Football video game next year and will re-evaluate the decision in the future. That came after the NCAA announced in July that it would not renew its license agreement with EA
Sports because of concerns with using athletes’ names and likenesses. Cam Weber, the general manager of American football for EA Sports, released a blog post Thursday, saying, “We are evaluating our plan for the future of the franchise.” The contract expires in June 2014, but the NCAA said it made the decision in July to give EA Sports advanced notice. The NCAA logo cannot appear on the game because of the contract, but the schools, conferences and bowl games negotiate individu-
ally with EA Sports about using their logos. Weber mentioned “increased questions surrounding schools and conferences,” but did not elaborate. Weber based the company’s decision on the NCAA’s recent lawsuits with student-athletes. “We have been stuck in the middle of a dispute between the NCAA and student-athletes who seek compensation for playing college football,” he said in the statement. “Just like companies that broadcast college games and those that provide equipment
and apparel, we follow rules that are set by the NCAA – but those rules are being challenged by some student-athletes.” EA Sports also faces lawsuits with student-athletes, and Weber said the company was working to resolve them. Charles Woodson (1999) and Desmond Howard (2006) were the other two Michigan athletes on the cover. In April, EA Sports announced Robinson would be on the 2013 cover after winning an online vote, that drew 5.7 million votes, to determine the cover man.
to. Also, the budget was an eyeopener. How much goes in and where it goes. Even if you’re accustomed to certain things, certain things in there still surprised me.” By the end of the book, it’s clear to the reader that the system is broken. There were enough stories out of Penn State alone to know that massive television contracts and money had corrupted the people supposed to be running the operation. But for Bacon, the saving grace was in the players, not the suits in charge. “By meeting the players at all the schools, it restored my faith that this things is worth protecting and saving,” he said. “The players I encountered had a better sense of what college football is supposed to be about and a stron-
ger moral compass than many of the people who are leading the enterprise. While that’s wonderful, that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. I’m not getting cynical about the players in the same way I’m getting cynical about the NCAA.” In a backwards way, it’s the players — the amateur athletes — saving the adults, the multi-millionaires. “The players were much more sincere than even the most optimistic fans could ever hope for,” he said. “Taylor Lewan came back. What does that tell you? The Penn State players were being lured in the parking lot, knowing they could probably get some money to go other places. Almost all of them stayed. That’s amazing. The biggest surprise is that the biggest believers in college football are the players, not the people running it.”