ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Ann Arbor, Michigan
AFFR IM ATIVE
michigandaily.com
AC TIO N
RUBY WALLAU/Daily
LEFT: Protestors gather outside of the Lincoln Memorial in preparation to march to the U.S. Supreme Court with the organization By Any Means Necessary in support of affirmative action Tuesday. RIGHT: Western Michigan University sophomore Tabrian Joe, a BAMN organizer, gathers outside of the Lincoln Memorial before marching to across the National Mall to the U.S. Supreme Court Building.
Students take State’s Prop 2 hits Court to Washington to see history U.S. justices hear oral arguments on ballot initiative By TAYLOR WIZNER AND K.C. WASSMAN
BAMN leads march on National Mall toward court By TAYLOR WIZNER AND K.C. WASSMAN Daily News Editors
WASHINGTON, D.C. — When a bell sounds in the U.S.
Daily News Editors
Supreme Court it signifies the a moment of ceremonial importance: The justices each put on their robes, shake hands with one another and take their honorary seats. As the bell rang at 1 p.m. Tuesday, it also stood for the culmination of hours, months and years of people waiting on the sidelines to hear the court’s See WASHINGTON, Page 5A
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Affirmative action in Michigan has once again taken center stage in the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court heard oral arguments Tuesday for Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, which questions the legality of a 2006 amendment — commonly
known as Proposal 2 — to the Michigan State Constitution that bans race-based preferences in college admission process. The court must weigh whether or not a state ban on race- or sex-based admissions is in violation of the 14th amendment’s equal protection cause. The case brings up questions of unfair burden put upon minority communities, who would have to take to courts to change admission policy instead of that institution’s governing body. The case came to the U.S. Supreme Court after the state appealed the Sixth Circuit Court’s decision, which struck down equal protection
FACILITIES
By JENNIFER CALFAS Daily Staff Reporter
Though its home in North Hall will likely be razed, the University’s ROTC program will live on. At the monthly meeting of the University’s Board of Regents on Friday, the regents will consider a project to renovate space in several buildings to accommodate the relocation the University’s Army, Navy and Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps offices from North Hall. Once the project is approved, another request will be made to demolish North Hall to make way See COLEMAN, Page 5A
Endowment report, construction projects on agenda for regents Thursday meeting to take place on Flint campus By SAM GRINGLAS Daily Staff Reporter
AUSTEN HUFFORD/Daily
Michele Norris host of the NPR show “All Things Considered” and founder of the Race Card Project delivers the University’s 2012 MLK Day Convocation address. Norris will be University’s 2013 Winter Commencement speaker.
Former NPR host to speak at Winter Commencement Norris helped bring Race Card Project to campus By PETER SHAHIN Daily News Editor
Michele Norris, a renowned journalist, will be the 2013 Winter Commencement speaker and receive an honor-
ary Doctor of Humane Letters at the commencement ceremony, the University announced early Monday. Five other distinguished individuals hailing from a variety of fields will also receive honorary degrees from the University. Norris is best known for being a former host of All Things Considered, National Public Radio’s flagship radio show. She was the organiza-
when research gets risky What happens when research abroad collides with unrest?
» PAGE 4C WEATHER TOMORROW
HI: 57 LO: 40
court’s verdict. John Bursch, the state’s solicitor general, represented Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, who appealed the Sixth Circuit Court’s decision to the court. In his allotted thirty minutes of time, Bursch argued that it is up to each state to determine whether or not they would like race-based admissions. During his opening statements, Bursch noted it’s unclear whether or not diversity has declined at the University in the wake of Proposal 2. He said the 2010 change in the mandate for reporting race, which allowed students See ADMISSIONS, Page 3A
ADMINISTRATION
Coleman outlines need for lab space Pres. says upcoming renovations will provide better biology areas
concerns, based on precedent set in Washington v. Seattle School District No. 1. In that 1981 case, the Court found a statewide initiative for a neighborhood-school policy put an unconstitutional burden on racial minorities by reordering the decision-making process. In order for the court to overturn the Sixth Circuit Court’s ruling, five of the eight participating justices – Justice Elena Kagan having recused herself from this case – would have to rule against the lower court’s decision. If the justices are split in a 4-4 vote, the ruling is automatically deferred to the lower
GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know.
tion’s first Black female anchor. During her time as anchor, Norris regularly interviewed leading statesmen, academics and scientists, cultural icons and professionals from around the world. She currently heads the Race Card Project, a nationwide initiative that gathers perspectives on race and aims to foster dialogue on the subject. The University teamed up See NPR, Page 3A
At its monthly meeting on Friday, the University’s Board of Regents will consider a number of construction and renovation proposals — mostly moving along pre-approved plans. Meeting at the Flint campus, the governing body will also officially receive its 2013 endowment report, which measures the performance of the University’s massive nearly $7.5-billion portfolio. REGENTS TO APPROVE SCHEMATIC DESIGNS FOR THE EARL V. MOORE BUILDING RENOVATION Though the regents approved $23,270,000 for the Earl V. Moore Building’s renovation lastNovember, the board will vote Friday to approve the project’s schematic design and slight budget increase.
The Moore Building, the North Campus facility that houses a portion of the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, will receive upgrades and expansions to classroom spaces as well as infrastructure updates. The revised budget — which now totals more than $24 million— will allow for 4,600 additional square feet of mechanical space that was not included in the initial estimate. The renovations to the facility will include changes to both the first and second floor’s north wing. These changes will increase the number and size of practice rooms and will relocate offices originally moved for practice room expansion. The larger part of the project, a 34,000-square-foot building addition named the Brehm Pavilion, will include three classrooms, a large lecture hall, piano labs, a jazz and percussion suite, a rehearsal hall, lobby and space reserved for future expansion. The schematic designs also call for updates to the building’s fire detection and alarm systems. See ENDOWMENT, Page 5A
wolverines fall short Michigan’s not-so-happy ending in Happy Valley.
NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Planning Commission discusses zoning MICHIGANDAILY.COM/
INDEX
Vol. CXXIV, No. 11 ©2013 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
» INSIDE NEWS......................... 2A OPINION.....................4A ARTS...........................6A
SUDOKU..................... 3A S TAT E M E N T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 C S P O R T S W E D N E S DAY. . . . 1 B
News
2A — Wednesday, October 16, 2013
MONDAY: This Week in History
TUESDAY: Professor Profiles
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
THURSDAY: Alumni Profiles
FRIDAY: Photos of the Week
DA N C E , DA N C E
UNANIMOUS VOTE CONDEMNS BAN ON BLOOD DONATIONS FROM GAY MEN
The opposition at Berkeley is notable because several other major universities in the United States are currently evaluating their own options to the recently passed bill, including sending a letter to President Barack Obama, as the Berkeley student government agreed to do. Princeton campus all clear after reports of gunshots At 8:25 p.m. last Tuesday, reports of gunfire at Princeton University’s Nassau Hall circulated. The Princeton University Department of Public Safety notified students of the reports 20 minutes later through Princeton
CRIME NOTES
Alert, a University-wide e-mail system. “Report of gunshots at Nassau Hall. Stay away from the area. Updates to follow,” the e-mail read, according to the Daily Princetonian. At 10:30 p.m., the University alerted students that the situation was “all clear” via the University’s Twitter account. Despite the official alert, it was later stated that reports of the incident were unfounded. No follow-up action was taken, according to the Princetonian. Graduate Student Sherry Yin and Spanish Lecturer Jose Fernandez-Garcia dance in Mason Hall for MTango on Tuesday.
Eating your cake, too
To the window, to the wall
Brown Bag organ series
Sibande On Campus panel
WHERE: 1500 East Medical Center WHEN: Monday at about 1:20 p.m. WHAT: Security received a report that a cake was taken from a fourth-floor nutrition room, University Police reported.
WHERE: Inglis House WHEN: Monday at about 9:40 p.m. WHAT: A garage window was found broken. The lock was intact and no property was missing, University Police reported. No entry was apparently gained.
Unexpected visitor
The keys to my heart
WHAT: Local musicians perform 30 minutes of organ solo music. WHO: Scott Hyslop, Director of Music at St. Lorenz Church in Frankenmuth WHEN: Today from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. WHERE: School of Public Health Building I
WHAT: Three professors and curators discuss the campus-wide events centered on South African artist Mary Sibande. WHO: Institute for the Humanities WHEN: Today at 12:30 p.m. WHERE: 202 S. Thayer, Room 1022
WHERE: Fleming Administration Building WHEN: Monday at about 12:45 p.m. WHAT: After being issued a trespass warning earlier, a subject was in the building around 12:30 p.m., University Police reported. He later left the area.
WHERE: 1500 East Medical Center WHEN: Monday at about 3:55 p.m. WHAT: A set of keys were reportedly stolen from a women’s locker room on Sept. 27 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., University Police reported.
MORE ONLINE Love Crime Notes?
Get more online at michigandaily.com/blogs/The Wire
Newsroom
News Tips
734-418-4115 opt. 3
news@michigandaily.com
Corrections
Letters to the Editor
corrections@michigandaily.com
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
Arts Section
Editorial Page
arts@michigandaily.com
opinion@michigandaily.com
Sports Section
Photography Section
sports@michigandaily.com
photo@michigandaily.com
Display Sales
Classified Sales
dailydisplay@gmail.com
classified@michigandaily.com
Online Sales
Finance
onlineads@michigandaily.com
finance@michigandaily.com
Matthew Slovin Managing Editor Adam Rubenfire Managing News Editor
CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
Support series Medical school WHAT: This afternoon workshop procrastination workshop aims to work with students who continuously grapple with meeting deadlines. The event is part of a performance-enhancement series held every Wednesday. WHO: Couseling and Psychological Services WHEN: Today at 4:15 p.m. WHERE: Michigan Union, Room 3100
KIRBY VOIGTMAN
EDITORIAL STAFF
VIRGINIA LOZANO/Daily
— BRANDON SHAW
ANDREW WEINER
Editor in Chief Business Manager 734-418-4115 ext. 1252 734-418-4115 ext. 1241 anweiner@michigandaily.com kvoigtman@michigandaily.com
Berkeley students oppose FDA blood ban The University of California, Berkeley’s student government, the ASUC Senate, unanimously passed a bill last week that opposes the Food and Drug Administration’s lifetime ban on blood donations from gay men, The Daily Californian reported. Caitlin Quinn, a student-government representative, said she opposed the regulation while addressing the assembly in their weekly meeting. “After talking to some community members, I figured as the queer-endorsed Senator I should take a stand against this institutionalized form of homophobia,” Quinn said in an e-mail to The Daily Californian.
420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com
WHAT: Students are invited to prepare for medical school interviews by addressing their own concerns and practicing with a partner. WHO: The Career Center WHEN: Today from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. WHERE: Student Activities Building, The Career Center
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
1
Populations of moose are experiencing a sharp decrease, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Twenty years ago, Minnesota had 4,000 moose; now, the population is fewer than 100. Scientists remain unsure about the exact cause.
2
Even in areas of unrest, students and researchers pursue their studies. The Statement looks into how the University balances research and risk abroad. >> SEE STATEMENT, SECTION C
3
A sports supplement that is rocking the bodybuilding world is derived from the same chemical as methamphetamine, The Boston Globe reported. The FDA cannot review these new findings due to the shutdown.
mjslovin@michigandaily.com arube@michigandaily.com
SENIOR NEWS EDITORS: Alicia Adamczyk, Katie Burke, Peter Shahin, K.C. Wassman, Taylor Wizner ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: Ariana Assaf, Jennifer Calfas, Hilary Crawford, Ian Dillingham, Will Greenberg, Sam Gringlas, Matt Jackonen, Rachel Premack, Stephanie Shenouda, Christy Song
Melanie Kruvelis and opinioneditors@michigandaily.com Adrienne Roberts Editorial Page Editors SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Dan Wang, Derek Wolfe ASSISTANT EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald
Everett Cook and Zach Helfand Managing Sports Editors
sportseditors@michigandaily.com
SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS: Alejandro Zuniga, Jeremy Summitt, Neal Rothschild, Rajat
Khare, Daniel Wasserman, Liz Vukelich ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS: Greg Garno, Alexa Dettlebach, Daniel Feldman, Erin Lennon, Lev Facher, Max Cohen
Kayla Upadhyaya
Managing Arts Editor
kaylau@michigandaily.com
SENIOR ARTS EDITORS: Elliot Alpern, Brianne Johnson, John Lynch, Anna Sadovskaya ASSISTANT ARTS EDITORS: John Bohn, Sean Czarnecki, Max Radin, Akshay Seth, Katie Steen, Steven Tweedie
Adam Glanzman and Terra Molengraff Managing Photo Editors
photo@michigandaily.com
SENIOR PHOTO EDITORS: Teresa Mathew, Todd Needle ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS: Katherine Pekala, Paul Sherman, McKenzie Berezin, Ruby Wallau, Patrick Barron
Kristen Cleghorn and Nick Cruz Managing Design Editors Haley Goldberg Magazine Editor
design@michigandaily.com statement@michigandaily.com
DEPUTY MAGAZINE EDITOR: Paige Pearcy
Josephine Adams and Tom McBrien Copy Chiefs
copydesk@michigandaily.com
SENIOR COPY EDITORS: Jennie Coleman, Kelly McLauglin
Austen Hufford
Online Editor
ahufford@michigandaily.com
BUSINESS STAFF Amal Muzaffar Digital Accounts Manager Doug Soloman University Accounts Manager Leah Louis-Prescott Classified Manager Lexi Derasmo Local Accounts Manager Hillary Wang National Accounts Manager Ellen Wolbert and Sophie Greenbaum Production Managers The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April) is $195. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press.
College Democrats campaign Entrepreneurship clinic in Virginia over Fall Break helps students innovate Volunteers canvass for McAuliffe, educate community By KRISTEN FEDOR For the Daily
Friday, members of the University’s chapter of College Democrats traveled to Virginia during Fall Break to work on gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe’s campaign. Campaign trips over the short break are a tradition for the group. For 2012, members of the College Democrats traveled to volunteer for President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign in Akron, Ohio. LSA senior Sonja Karnovsky, treasurer for the College Democrats, said it’s important for members to see how political organizing works outside of greater Ann Arbor.
“Our campaign work is about finding candidates we can get behind and help them out in any way we can — to make sure that Democrats win across Washtenaw County, the state of Michigan and the entire U.S.,” Karnovsky said. After a failed bid for the Democratic nomination in Virginia’s 2009 gubernatorial election, McAuliffe is now the Democratic nominee for the 2013 race against Republican candidate Ken Cuccinelli. According to averages by Real Clear Politics, McAuliffe is polling seven points ahead of Cuccinelli. In the past, McAuliffe served as the national finance chairman of both former President Bill Clinton’s 1996 campaign and as chairman of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. McAuliffe was also the chair-
man of the Democratic National Convention in 2000 and served as its chairman from 2001 to 2005. Volunteers from the University were based in Henrico County, Virginia, just outside of Richmond. They spent the weekend canvassing, knocking on doors of Democratic voters, making sure they knew when Election Day was and votingsite locations. LSA junior Mary Bridget Lee, communications director of the College Democrats, spoke of the buzzing atmosphere. “People knew about the campaign, and they were excited to vote,” she said. LSA junior Meg Scribner, chair of the College Democrats, also elaborated upon the notion that cross-country travel is vital to the mission of the organization. Scribner attributed the excitement around the Virginia gubernatorial contest to the widespread national attention that it has garnered in an offyear election. As a swing state, the results from Virginia can often shift momentum in one party’s favor, looking toward future presidential elections as well. “If a Democrat wins the governor seat, then it is going to be much more on the Democrats’ side in 2016,” Scribner said.
Law School offers legal guidance to student innovators By ALLANA AKHTAR Daily Staff Reporter
The University is a hotbed for innovation. A co-founder of Google, the inventor of the iPod and the former CEO of Skype are all University alums. Plus, the University’s Office of Tech Transfer said last week that a record number of inventions — 421 — were born at the University in the past fiscal year. And, in an effort to reach out to promising undergraduates, the University launched its Master of Entrepreneurship Joint Degree, sponsored by the College of Engineering, the Ross School of Business and the Office of Technology Transfer. But University students, who continue to share business ideas and develop projects, may be unaware that there are numerous resources on campus to help them navigate the often-confusing legalities that come with starting a company. The Law School’s Entrepreneurship Clinic, part of the Zell Entrepreneurship and Law Program — also known as ZEAL — was created in January 2012 to
offer legal guidance to University student entrepreneurs. So far, the clinic has already represented over 30 clients. Common legal concerns of startups include forming a particular type of company, intellectual property issues and finance documentation. The clinic was the brainchild of University alum Samuel Zell — ZEAL’s namesake and a major University donor — and Evan Caminker, dean emeritus of the Law School. “Michigan is a very entrepreneurial campus,” ZEAL Director Erik Gordon said. “We have students from every college, undergrads, graduates, who are constantly coming up with new businesses — and they need help.” For example, Gordon explained that students who start working together on businesses are usually unaware of the legal liabilities of their partnership. He said it’s important that students seek legal help so they understand what they’re getting into. The clinic also provides opportunities for Law students to develop relationships with other students who could become their post-graduation clients. Law Prof. Dana Thompson, director of the clinic, said the clinic allows students to go
beyond the walls of the Law school and become immersed in the “entrepreneurial ecosystem” on campus. “It’s a great opportunity for student venturers who are at the Engineering School or Business School or other schools to really see the importance of addressing legal issues as they’re setting up their company,” she said. Along with the Law School Clinic, the Schools of Engineering and Business also have entrepreneurial clinics set up in their respective colleges to provide support services to current student entrepreneurs. The clinic it also holds workshops at MPowered programs and the TechArb for general legal information and is currently developing educational materials. Thompson encourages student entrepreneurs to attend office hours, which are “open to anybody on campus who’s an entrepreneur in figuring out a particular answer to a legal question they may have and we also provide general information about that legal topic.” Office hours are held Fridays from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the Center for Entrepreneurship located in the Duderstadt Center and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Zell Lurie Institute in the Ross School of Business.
FOLLOW THE DAILY ON TUMBLR, IF YOU’RE INTO THAT. Visit us at michigandaily.tumblr.com. THERE WON’T BE (TOO MANY) PICTURES OF PUPPIES, BUT IT’LL STILL BE WORTH IT.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 — 3A
COLEMAN From Page 1A
NEWS BRIEFS DETROIT
Power goes during Game three of ALCS in Detroit A power outage interrupted Game 3 of the American League championship series for 17 minutes. The lights high atop Comerica Park went out and the videoboards were dark between the top and bottom of the second inning, delaying the game between the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers. “It appears there was a cable failure in the vicinity of the ballpark that compromised the feed to the stadium,” DTE Energy Co. spokeswoman Vanessa Waters said. “That caused the equipment to trip. Crews are investigating the cause of the cable failure and which equipment was effected by the failure.”
LYONS, Mich.
Tesla Model S fire worries investors The removal a 156-year-old dam in Ionia County has been delayed as officials develop a plan for protecting an endangered freshwater mussel discovered in the Grand River downstream of the aging structure. Biologists from Central Michigan University this month are finishing a survey of snuffbox mussels, which have been found on the gravel river bottom about 100 feet from the dam. The mussel was added to the federal endangered list in 2012 because of a 62 percent population decline from habitat loss, dam construction, pollution and the effects of invasive species, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.
Tire-maker Hankook to build $800M plant in Tennessee South Korean tire-maker Hankook announced Monday that it will build its first North American plant in Tennessee, creating 1,800 jobs. Hankook, the world’s seventhlargest tire maker, said it will build the $800 million facility in Clarksville. Construction on the 1.5 million-square-foot facility is scheduled to begin by next year, and it will begin making high-end performance tires by early 2016. Seung Hwa Suh, Hankook’s vice chairman and CEO, called the construction of the U.S. plant “the next natural phase for our continued growth.” He told reporters that the decision to build the plant in Tennessee was the result of a year of discussions with state officials, and he cited the central location and existing auto industry as major factors.
VIENNA
Iran’s foreign minister in pain at nuclear talks Beyond having to deal with six world powers making demands on his country’s nuclear program, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has another pressing problem: back pains so intense he’s had to use a wheelchair. Zarif heads the Iranian delegation at key talks this week with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. He apparently wasn’t keen on sharing his ailment with the public. Instead of leaving his posh Geneva hotel by the main exit hours after returning from the talks and complaining of back pains, he was wheeled out of the service entrance and into a waiting van Tuesday. European Union spokesman Michael Mann said the pains did not stop Zarif from having a “cordial” dinner Monday evening with Catherine Ashton, the top EU diplomat convening the talks. —Compiled from Daily wire reports
JOHN GIBBINS/AP/ UT-SAN DIEGO
Former San Diego mayor Bob Filner, left, stands with counsel in court before he pleads guilty on state charges of felony false imprisonment Tuesday.
Ex-San Diego mayor pleads guilty to sexual assault charges Filner to be sentenced to house arrest and probation SAN DIEGO (AP) — Former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, driven from office by sexual harassment allegations, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a felony for putting a woman in a headlock and to less serious charges for kissing another woman against her will and grabbing the buttocks of a third. The pleas came less than two months after the 10-term congressman defiantly said he was the victim of a lynch mob and insisted he would be vindicated of the sexual harassment claims by at least 17 women if due process was allowed to run its course. His accusers included a retired navy admiral, a university dean and great grandmother. Filner said little on Tuesday beyond “guilty” when a judge read the charges against him — one count of felony false imprisonment and two counts of misdemeanor battery. Under a plea deal, the state
NPR From Page 1A with Norris to bring the project to campus in February. Norris also continues to contribute to NPR as a special correspondent and occasional host. Before joining NPR, she worked as a correspondent for ABC News, earning professional acclaim for her contributions to the network’s coverage of the Sept. 11 attacks. She is also the author of The Grace of Silence: A Memoir, a 2009 book that takes a retrospective look at her own family’s story in the context of America’s history of race relations. Norris received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and studied journalism at the University of Minnesota. In an interview Friday, University Provost Martha Pollack said Norris’s time on campus during LSA’s “Understanding Race” theme semester and the Race Card Project demonstrated a commitment to cultivating a dialogue on diversity. Norris also delivered the Martin Luther King Jr. Day convocation in 2012. “She’s a journalist of major social issues — and the University is very concerned with social issues,” Pollack said. “We have enormous regard for her integrity and commitment to understanding and celebrating diversity in this country. Those are things we value as well.” During one of her discussions on race earlier this year, Norris said the University’s contribution to the Race Card Project has given her exceptional learning opportunities and insights. “Michigan definitely has a place in history for all the things it’s pioneered, so there’s a very natural partnership between the University and the Race Card Project,” Norris said in February. “Since we began this year, responses have been pouring in, and they run the gamut.” The other five individuals receiving honorary degrees from the University are: Willard L. “Sandy” Boyd: The Rawlings-Miller professor of law and former president of the University of Iowa will receive an
attorney general’s office will recommend Filner be sentenced to three months of home confinement and three years of probation. The maximum possible sentence for a false imprisonment count is three years in prison and one year for each count of battery. Filner restrained a woman against her will at a fundraiser on March 6, applying additional force after she resisted, according to the plea agreement. Filner put her in a headlock, his attorney, Jerry Coughlan, told reporters. He also kissed a woman without permission at a “Meet the Mayor” event on April 6 and groped another victim at a May 25 rally to clean up Fiesta Island in Mission Bay. None of the victims were identified. Filner, 71, did not comment after the hearing but his attorney said the former mayor “profusely apologizes” for his behavior. “I think he wants to redeem his original legacy, which was a wonderful one, and put this behind him,” Coughlan said. “He’s been jogging, he’s been getting therapy, talking to friends, trying to come to terms with how to deal with these
kinds of problems. It’s a fulltime job.” Filner resigned Aug. 30, succumbing to intense pressure after the parade of women accused him of sexual harassment. He had held the office for less than nine months of a four-year term and was San Diego’s first Democratic mayor in 20 years. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department opened a hotline for complaints about Filner in July and said it would deliver findings to the attorney general’s office for possible prosecution. The state attorney general’s office later confirmed that it launched a criminal investigation “This conduct was not only criminal, it was also an extreme abuse of power,” California Attorney General Kamala Harris said. “This prosecution is about consequence and accountability. No one is above the law.” Sheriff Bill Gore said the hotline received more than 200 calls and investigators interviewed nearly 90 people. Filner’s attorney said prosecutors were eager to strike a deal before a grand jury began hearing testimony about Filner’s behavior. The grand jury probe will no longer go forward.
honorary Doctor of Laws. Boyd received two degrees from the University of Michigan: his LLM in 1952 and his SJD in 1962. After serving as the University of Iowa’s president from 1964 to 1969, he served as the president of the Chicago-based Field Museum of Natural History from 1981 to 1996. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and helped establish the Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center, which is dedicated to providing information and aid to Iowa-based nonprofits. William Higuchi: A pharmaceutical scientist and former member of the University’s faculty, Higuchi will be granted an honorary Doctor of Science. Higuchi received his doctorate in pharmaceutical chemistry and biopharmaceutics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1956 and was at the University of Michigan from 1962 to 1982, having served as the Albert B. Prescott distinguished professor of pharmacy and as a professor of dentistry. He is currently a professor emeritus at the University of Utah. As a Japanese-American, Higuchi was interned in a relocation center in Wyoming during World War II and has remained active in the preservation of the former site. He also received the Order of the Rising Sun — the highest generally conferred honor awarded by the Japanese government — in 2011 for his work in both pharmaceuticals and “improv(ing) the social status of Japanese-Americans.” David Satcher: A former U.S. surgeon general who served under both the Clinton and Bush administrations, Satcher will receive an honorary Doctor of Science. Satcher served simultaneously as surgeon general and assistant secretary of health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 1998 to 2001 and then solely maintained the surgeon general role until 2002. He is the only four-start admiral to serve in those positions. Since leaving public service, Satcher has worked in various roles at the historically black Morehouse College School of Medicine in Georgia and is cur-
rently the director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute within the school. Satcher has criticized disparities in health care provided to racial groups in the United States and supports a single-payer healthcare system. Satcher will serve as the winter commencement speaker at the Flint campus and will receive his honorary degree there. Lou Anna Simon: The current president of Michigan State University will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws. Simon served as the institution’s provost from 1993 to 2004, when she was appointed to her current position. Simon received national attention in 2006 by joining University President Mary Sue Coleman in opposition of the passage of Proposal 2, which banned the use of affirmative action in the admissions process. She has also made economic development a focal point of her presidency, looking for innovative ways to improve Michigan’s competitiveness. In 2012, Simon was selected as the chair of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Executive Committee, the organization’s governing board made up of the highest university presidents and chancellors from around the country. Helen Herzog Zell: A 1964 University graduate and executive director of the Zell Family Foundation, Zell will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws. In March, the foundation made thelargest donation in the history of LSA, giving $50 million for a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program, which was named in her honor. The foundation has also made high-profile donations to the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University and gave $10 million to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Her husband, Sam Zell, a real estate mogul and former owner of the Tribune Company in Chicago, has also received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University. The Winter Commencement ceremony will be on Dec. 15. —Daily Staff Reporter Sam Gringlas contributed reporting.
for new construction, according to a communication to the regents by Tim Slottow, the University’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. Slottow wrote that ROTC personnel will be spread across the Chemistry Building, Willard Henry Dow Laboratory and the Ruthven Museums Building. The approximately 15,000 square feet of office space renovated for the program’s use will include administrative functions, physical fitness rooms and student commons in the Chemistry Building and Dow Laboratory. Approximately 6,000 square feet of the Ruthven Museums Building will provide classrooms and storage for the military training program. Funded by investment proceeds, the renovation project will cost $4 million, and will be designed by architectural firm SmithGroupJJR — a contractor used frequently by the University. The project is slated for completion in spring 2014 and will provide 19 on-site construction jobs. Reports of North Hall’s imminent demolition to make way for a new science building surfaced last month, when faculty and students said the project is still in the planning process. University spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald declined to comment at the time because no project has been formally presented or approved by the regents. University President Mary Sue Coleman said Monday that the Chemistry Building, North Hall, the Kraus Natural Science Building and the Ruthven Museums Building are in need of renovation to better accommodate the modern needs of the biology and museum programs. Moving the ROTC is apparently the first step in preparing for more major construction and renovation projects. She added that providing better biology laboratory space is now a top facilities priority for the University. The Kraus Natural Science building — although beautiful on the outside — cannot house biology research laboratories. “We’ve sort of taken it and pushed it to its limits,” Coleman said. Since North Hall is in a preferable location, it will be a part of the larger construction plan, Coleman said. Although it’s not yet clear what North Hall’s location will hold in the future, Coleman said the University is working to renovate these buildings so they will be able to house the advanced systems necessary for modern research. Some concrete plans for renovations and construction will be finalized this academic year, though the projects will be sequenced over time. “We don’t want to make a mistake because these dollars are too precious to do something that isn’t well thought out,” Coleman said.
Coleman added that the North Campus Research Complex was not a suitable location for teaching facilities or biology laboratories — even as a flex location during the construction process. According to sources close to the project planning, the project to construct a new biology laboratory space in North Hall’s current location will provide a new facility for the University’s programs in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. These two programs are currently located in the Kraus Natural Science Building and the Ruthven Museums Building — both close to North Hall. Biology Prof. Robert Denver, associate chair of research and facilities for the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, confirmed the North Hall renovation project earlier this month. If the building will hold this purpose, Denver said the plan will likely include open-concept lab spaces that could serve the biology and other science departments. “The current building is a very old building,” Denver said. “We’ve been in it for 98 years and haven’t really received any significant renovations in that time. Things are falling apart. It’s very difficult to do modern, life-science research in this building.” Originally constructed in 1899 through 1900 as a 140-bed homeopathy hospital, North Hall has served a variety of functions during its time as a campus building. After the Homeopathic Medical College was discontinued by the University in 1922, the building served as an extension of the main University Hospital. Shortly before the United States entered World War II, the building was given over to the Navy ROTC for office space and training purposes. It has been an ROTC facility ever since. Since its construction, North Hall has been dwarfed by the nearby Dentistry Building, Chemistry Building and, more recently, the Life Sciences Building. In 2003, University officials were considering renovation plans for the dilapidated structure, as its foundations had been damaged by nearby construction projects. As recently as 2011, the regents approved a $1.3-million renovation for the building, focused on infrastructure systems and accessibility. University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said last month that the North Hall demolition plans have been developing for some time. Although he could not include details about the timeline of the construction or the purpose of the renovated space, Fitzgerald said the project “will try to solve multiple problems on campus.” — Daily News Editor Peter Shahin and Daily Staff Reporters Sam Gringlas and Ariana Assaf contributed to this report.
Eleanor Catton wins Booker Prize 28-year-old New Zealander penned ‘luminous’ winner LONDON (AP) — Youth and heft triumphed at Britain’s Booker Prize on Tuesday, as 28-year-old New Zealander Eleanor Catton won the fiction award for “The Luminaries,” an ambitious 832-page murder mystery set during a 19th-century gold rush. The choice should give heart to young authors of oversized tales. Catton is the youngest writer and only the second New Zealander to win the prestigious award — and her epic novel is easily the longest Booker champion. Catton said after accepting the award that she didn’t think about the length of the book while she was writing it,
“partly because I was inside it for the whole time.” “It wasn’t until I received the proof of the book that I thought, ‘Jeepers, this is actually quite heavy,’” she said. “I’ve had to buy a new handbag, because my old handbag wasn’t big enough to hold my book.” She thanked her British publisher, Granta, for protecting her from feeling the commercial pressures around a tome that could be seen as “a publisher’s nightmare.” Travel writer Robert Macfarlane, who chaired the judging panel, called “The Luminaries” ‘’dazzling,” ‘’luminous” and “vast without being sprawling.” “It is beautifully intricate without being fussy,” Macfarlane said. “It is experimental ... but does not by any means neglect the traditional virtues of storytelling.”
Opinion
4A — Wednesday, October 16, 2013
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
and ADRIENNE ROBERTS
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
MATT SLOVIN MANAGING EDITOR
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
Closing channels, adding burdens The U.S. Supreme Court should favor invlusive governance
T
his week, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments on Michigan’s Proposal 2, a ballot initiative passed in 2006 that outlawed race and sex as a decision factor in public university admissions and public-sector hiring. Since then, minority representation has plummeted at the University, and the law has been overturned in federal court. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, a staunch opponent of affirmative action, is now appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. This case, Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, differs from the 2003 case Grutter v. Bollinger, in which the Court upheld the University’s use of race as a factor in admissions decision. In part as a result of that ruling, Proposal 2 was put on the ballot for Michigan voters a few years later. Instead, the argument in Schuette is over the ballot initiative itself and whether voters can eliminate policies that are ruled constitutional. Supporters of affirmative action argue that Proposal 2 violates equal protection as it places undue burden on minorities. Typically, protests against policies like those regarding affirmative action, legacy preference or other “special considerations” for admission are brought before a university’s governing body, like the University’s Board of Regents. The ballot initiative is unfair because those wishing to challenge it cannot go to the Board of Regents — the democratic institution set up particularly for this purpose. Instead, they instead must amend the state constitution — a difficult task by design. It would require a twothirds majority in both chambers of the state legislature, another ballot initiative or a special constitutional convention for an amendment to pass. This places minorities at an unfair advantage to change the policy, denying them their equal treatment under the law. Other groups like veterans, parents or legacy students don’t have to
go through this difficult process. Furthermore, ballot initiatives were not originally part of the democratic repertoire. The Progressive party added the mechanism in the twentieth century as a way to get ordinary citizens more involved in directly changing and influencing government and to make government more responsive. Recently, however, the mega-wealthy and special interest groups have used referendums to influence policy to their liking. Additionally, people who voted for Proposal 2 — also called the “Michigan Civil Rights Initiative” — may have been misled by the title that appeared on the ballot. The wording of the ballot initiative took advantage of inadequately informed voters who support civil rights — a dogma not furthered by abolishing affirmative action. Proposal 2 closes avenues to democratic change to minorities. According to Judge R. Guy Cole Jr. — the author of the opinion from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit — “the majority may not manipulate the channels of change so as to place unique burdens on issues of importance to them.” For that reason, the U.S. Supreme Court should strike down this amendment. If any real solution is to be found, minorities and marginalized communities must be free to represent their own interests in a way that is equal and fair.
AARICA MARSH | VIEWPOINT
A temporary solution
WASHINGTON, D.C. — University President Mary Sue Coleman once said, “Diversity is an old, old wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era.” Oh, never mind — I guess that was Ron Burgundy in Anchorman. Unlike Burgundy, Coleman and University administrators seemingly understand the concept and implications of diversity. As soon as students begin their admissions applications, they’re bombarded with the importance of diversity at the University. However, school demographics paint a very different picture. The enrollment of minority students has significantly dropped since the implementation of Proposal 2 — which banned race and genderbased affirmative action in the state of Michigan — in November 2006. Seven years ago, the University was considered a frontrunner in embracing diversity. The class of 2017 — current freshmen — is 7.3 percent African American, 5.6 percent Hispanic and 1.1 percent Native American. Unfortunately, undergraduate enrollment for people of color has dropped by approximately one-third in six years. 2012 statistics indicate that African Americans constituted 4.6 percent of the undergraduate population, Hispanics 4.3 percent and Native Americans 0.17 percent. Since Proposal 2 was enacted, the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights By Any Means Necessary, the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and many University professors and students have worked to overturn the amendment in Michigan. BAMN immediately filed a lawsuit against the ban, citing violation of the 4th amendment. In December 2006, a different case, Cantrell et. al v. Granholm, was brought forward by the ACLU and NAACP Legal Defense and Education fund on behalf of University students and faculty. The Cantrell side relied heavily on the notion that Proposal 2 created an unequal political process where people could lobby the University’s Board of Regents to admit more students from their interest group — athletes, legacies, students from the Upper Peninsula, etc. — except for interest groups concerned with race. The two cases were consolidated early on due to their similar positions about the constitutionality of Michigan’s ban on affirmative action. Proposal 2 was upheld in the district courts in 2008 and then overturned by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2011. The case was then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and accepted the justices in March 2013. Oral arguments were heard on October 15. As the attorneys and justices settled in for their hearing, four police officers lined the steps anticipating protesters who had not yet arrived. Three officers were stationed closer to the Supreme Court doors while five others roamed the perimeter. Loud whistles, chanting and a
megaphone announced the arrival of BAMN members and other affirmative action supporters. They appeared in front of the court steps as 10 more police officers drove up on motorcycles. Chants echoed throughout the area. “They say Jim Crow, we say hell no!” “Integration now, segregation never!” “Black, Latino, Arab, Asian and White, by any means necessary we will fight!” Several University students stood among the crowd where the majority of protesters were from minority populations. The demographics were drastically different than Michigan classrooms where oftentimes a minority student may be the only person of their community present. In these situations, the burden of representation becomes very severe. “It’s discouraging. It’s frustrating. It makes you doubt yourself. You have to fight and try to work so much harder,” noted Education senior Ariam Abraham. Abraham said she many times took the lead on group projects because she didn’t want to be associated with society-created stereotypes of Black people. LSA sophomores Lewis Graham and Chris Ransburg, both Black, affirmed Abraham’s experiences. In a chemistry class of over 200, Graham could count on one hand the Black students in his class, creating pressure for him to work harder and be better. Ransburg felt similarly: “I want to stand out. If I mess up, it’s not just me that’s messing up.” It’s indisputable that the University’s minority population has been dwindling since 2006. As a result, minority students are forced to represent their entire population creating unfair burdens and obstacles. Diversity doesn’t just benefit minorities. It benefits everybody through new understandings of people who are different from you. So is affirmative action the answer to creating diversity among college campuses? It is regularly noted that the basis of the problem lies not in college admissions but in the continuing oppression of minority students through education, geographic and socio-economic means. “It’s the mentality of people that needs to change,” added Adelia Davis, an LSA freshman at the protest. Unfortunately, these problems can’t be solved overnight. Affirmative action may not be the ideal solution to create a more diverse campus. There are obvious flaws. It often perpetuates the idea that minority students are only accepted due to their race. It ignores the struggles of lower-income students. It doesn’t help retain minority students after they are accepted. Affirmative action cannot solve any of these problems. It is a temporary solution for much larger issues. But while these issues are being worked on, it will have to do. Aarica Marsh is an LSA junior.
W
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Rock, Paper, Scissors ASHINGTON, D.C. — “What’s strongest? The rock, the paper or the
scissors?” A group of about 40 kids, each no older than 12, stood across the street from the U.S. Supreme Court listening to their tour guide JAMES — a stocky, grayhaired man with BRENNAN a short beard. “None of them, right? Well, that’s just like Washington.” In theory, this analogy is quite apt. Each branch of government is assigned no more power than any of the others, able to overrule decisions through checks and balances. But as we all know, government is hardly this balanced or simple. The courts often overpower all other branches, while some presidents expand executive power beyond constitutional limitations. Like our system of governance, affirmative action is far more complex than we’d like it to be. Both sides of the debate over Michigan’s 2006 ballot proposal that banned most forms of race and gender-conscious admissions argued in front of the strongest branch of government Tuesday. It was made clear that neither the Court nor affirmative action are as easy to understand as rock, paper, scissors. “This is about the political process” After speaking with Mike Steinberg, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, it was made abundantly clear that the usual debate about the merits of race-conscious admissions wouldn’t be on the table. What was at stake, according to Steinberg, was the right of minorities to be treated equally in the political process. Proposal 2 did not simply outlaw an unpopular policy by referendum, but it created a separate and unequal process for minorities to lobby for their interests. The state has made it so any minority group that wants to request the University Board of Regents to consider race has to gather thousands of signatures, run an entire statewide campaign and overturn a ballot proposal. Citing precedent in a similar case that
involved busing, Seattle v. Washington, Steinberg believes that Proposal 2 creates two separate and unequal playing fields based on race. Caroline Wong, national organizer of By Any Means Necessary, gave me similar arguments, asserting that Proposal 2 is reminiscent of Jim Crow Laws. When challenged on the legality of overturning a ballot proposal democratically decided on by an entire state, Wong cited an amicus brief by dozens of history professors drawing parallels to state laws designed to disenfranchise minorities. According to Wong, stopping minorities from petitioning universities is just another attempt to subvert people of color without actually codifying racism — a violation of the 14th amendment. General misunderstandings While Wong has demonstrated understanding of the complex legal reasoning in the fight against Proposal 2, her arguments were a rarity among BAMN protesters outside the court. University students told me they came to fight for race-conscious admissions, greater diversity and equality for people of color. When asked why the Supreme Court should exercise its ultimate power and throw out a popular ballot initiative, they struggled, clinging to simplistic reasons and failing to move beyond a single frame of mind. One University student cited the fact that a majority white state passed the law, only doing so to maintain white privilege. Another University student rattled off facts about dropping minority enrollment, but could only explain the need to overturn Proposal 2 as a matter of racial justice and whites outvoting minorities. A University of California, Berkeley student admitted she couldn’t articulate why Proposal 2 was unconstitutional, but simply reinstating affirmative action was reason enough for her to come protest. A national organizer, speaking into a megaphone, accused the majority of Supreme Court justices of being racist. This dissonance isn’t just on the side of BAMN. Attorney General Bill
Schuette wrote an op-ed in the Detroit Free Press on Sunday purely attacking the merits of affirmative action, never once mentioning Proposal 2 — let alone the issues at hand in the case itself. Some opponents of affirmative action are also fully ignorant to the state of race-based admissions as a whole. Multiple Black students explained that some white students concluded they were only admitted to Michigan because of affirmative action, a sentiment I’ve heard in person plenty of times. Apparently, some opponents of affirmative action don’t even realize that the University has been barred from using race in admissions for the better part of a decade. Confusion is the only constant I don’t feel a great deal more enlightened after Tuesday. Maybe I didn’t learn a whole lot because affirmative action is an issue I vigorously follow and defend. Maybe I’m unimpressed because I ran for student government with a BAMN-sponsored party as a freshman and worked for the ACLU. Or maybe I’m just frustrated that people still don’t understand affirmative action. Since the first time I stood up against my entire high school government class to argue in favor of affirmative action, I have rarely seen coherence in interpreting a race-conscious admissions policy. Proponents seem to only defend it because they feel they’re supposed to, while opponents are blind to the realities of racism. Affirmative action is a complex policy with pros, cons and a lot of moving parts. It can’t be opposed simply because it “sounds” discriminatory, and it can’t be defended and implemented because “diversity is good” and “we want justice.” Affirmative action is a complicated, constantly evolving issue — if you decide to take a stance, understand that. While it would be nice if affirmative action were as simple and neat as a game of rock, paper, scissors, it simply is not.
Affirmative action is a complex policy with pros, cons and a lot of moving parts.
—James Brennan can be reached at jmbthree@umich.edu
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan, Eli Cahan, Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Adrienne Roberts, Paul Sherman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
GARRETT FELBER AND AUSTIN MCCOY | VIEWPOINT
Student protest and aff. action
The recent We Are Michigan protest and U.S. Supreme Court hearing on affirmative action calls to mind the long history of student protest on campus around racial diversity. Building a more inclusive campus requires an understanding of past anti-racist student movements. After Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968, 100 Black students locked themselves in an administrative building to address low Black enrollment. Their demands included the appointment of Black administrators and the establishment of a U-M Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship. The lock-in resulted in the establishment of the scholarship and the institution of the Center of Afroamerican and African Studies (CAAS, now the department of Afroamerican and African Studies) in 1970. This takeover initiated student movements that mobilized coalitions, articulated explicit demands and utilized direct-action protest strategies to create a more inclusive campus for students of color. In 1970, the studentled Black Action Movement organized a massive protest to draw attention to racial disparities on campus. Students fought for a Black Student Center, tuition waivers, additional funding for the MLK scholarship, and most importantly, a University commitment to a 10-percent goal of Black enrollment within three years. The administration initially agreed to only the enrollment goal. BAM responded by taking hundreds of books off the shelves in the library, interrupting classes, picketing parking garages and blocking State Street. These disruptive tactics caused LSA attendance to drop by 75 percent. The strikers gained more power by enlisting white students and organized labor. The University agreed to devote more resources to achieving the 10-percent goal by the 1973 academic year and increase financial support to CAAS. The multiracial United Coalition Against Racism renewed the fight for minority rights in 1987. Two hundred students blocked Fleming Hall and
issued 12 explicit demands. These focused on the unfulfilled promise of minority enrollment, anti-racist education and low numbers of Black faculty. UCAR also demanded the University close in recognition of MLK Day; the University refused to cancel classes to commemorate the day until six years after it was declared a national holiday. Most significantly, students reasserted the minority enrollment issue broached in 1968. Black students remained a mere 5 percent of the student body. The University drafted the “Michigan Mandate” — a comprehensive plan to increase diversity on campus. Last week’s demonstration mirrors the Mandate’s core ideas: commitment to diversity, representation of minority groups and a pluralistic community. The Mandate aimed for students of color to represent at least a third of the student body by the end of the 1990s. The University glowingly reported a 39 percent increase of students of color. It even assured this growth would lead to 14 percent Black enrollment by 1996, matching the state population at the time. The University’s confidence in 1991 contrasts sharply with our current climate. For example, Black and Latina/o enrollment is under 5 percent. A partial explanation to the rollback of minority enrollment is the affirmative action debate of the last decade. In the early 2000s, Michigan nearly reached BAM’s original goal of 10 percent Black enrollment. However, Proposal 2 banned consideration of race, sex and religion in University admissions. Since the passage of Proposal 2, the Black student population has dropped from 6.5 percent in 2006 to 4.6 percent in 2012. Still, widespread confusion about the meaning and efficacy of affirmative action remains. One obscuring argument is that the dismantling of affirmative action led to a more positive climate for students of color. Carl Cohen, a University of Michigan professor who spearheaded the Proposal 2 initiative, told the Daily in 2011: “When you see Blacks on our campus
now, they didn’t get here with preference. You can’t look down your nose at minorities at Michigan now . . . And I think that’s a great thing for the minorities. They don’t have to excuse themselves.” The hostile response to the recent viewpoint by LSA senior Dan Green reveals the fallacy of this argument. Commenters challenged him to reveal his GPA, ACT score and tuition costs, after he wrote about the discomfort he feels as a Black Detroiter in Ann Arbor. Affirmative action does not cause a hostile campus climate. It is the already-existing negative perceptions about the inferiority of students of color. For some, affirmative action becomes a convenient scapegoat. As the examples of BAM and UCAR demonstrate, grassroots student activism has driven efforts to create a more diverse and supportive campus. These actions have been led by students of color, but have always comprised white allies, faculty/staff and others from the campus community. They relied on a combination of direct-action protests, explicit demands and disruption of normal campus operations. These tactics succeeded in building leverage for students who otherwise had little decision-making power in University policies. However, struggling for a more inclusive university should not fall squarely on the shoulders of those underrepresented. The University must take more than a “wait and see” stance and facilitate broader dialogue about these issues. Student activists should build on the rich history and lessons of student protest on campus. And all students must educate themselves about how privilege functions in university life. Only through the combination of strong student protest, education and an active administration can we begin to realize the aspirations of this legacy of activism. Garrett Felber and Austin McCoy are PhD students in the History and American Culture Departments.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
ADMISSIONS From Page 1A enrolling in a state University to check multiple boxes to denote their race, contrasted with the previous system in which the students were only allowed to select one box. This change, Bursch argued, makes it more difficult to determine diversity. Bursch argued that it’s the University’s job to find ways to achieve diversity through raceneutral means. Bursch noted that Texas employs a top 10 percent program, in which statefunded schools admit the top students from every school. He said this program, which the University does not employ, has helped increase minority performance at socioeconomically disadvantaged high schools. He said the Court added scrutiny to the minority admissions by allowing race-based preferences, but limiting the extent to which they can be employed. “It cannot be unconstitutional for the people to choose not to use (race preferences) anymore, to accept this Court’s invitation in Grutter, to move past the discussion about race and into a race-neutral future,” Bursch said. Grutter refers to Grutter v. Bollinger, a landmark case in 2003 in which the legality of the affirmative action admissions policies of the University’s Law School were upheld. Justice Sonia Sotomayor was the first justice to speak, centering her questions around the possibility that the amendment intends to segregate schools. Bursch said this was not an effort to segregate, and it’s a university’s prerogative to achieve diversity with race-neutral practices. He said institutions can do that by eliminating preference for legacy students or focusing more on applicants’ socioeconomic diversity. “The question is whether the people of Michigan have the choice through the democratic process to accept this Court’s invitation in Grutter to try raceneutral means,” Bursch said. Bursch argued that as the court is in a “post-Seattle world,” in which court decisions involving race should have the goal of improving diversity in the future and not trying to change past behaviors. “There’s a difference between favoring diversity as an abstract concept on campus, whichGrutter clearly allows, and remedying past discrimination, which
was the point of the bussing in Seattle,” Bursch said. After Bursch concluded his initial argument, Mark Rosenbaum, an attorney for the NAACP and American Civil Liberties Union who argued in favor of the plaintiffs, said he did not believe Seattle was an example of absolving discrimination practices but an effort to improve diversity. Rosenbaum, who is a Law School lecturer, argued that the change in the political process of applying to a university is harder for students who cannot use race to their benefit just like other students may have a difficult time because they didn’t participate in extracurricular activities or hold other qualifications. Many of the justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Anthony Kennedy questioned Rosenbaum about the change in the political process in deciding what qualities preferences should be given to, and how it affects students. “The political process itself has not become outcome determinative; that the political process itself be a place where we can air these discussions, but not create it in a separate and unequal way to make the — to actually make the decision itself through the process,” Rosenbaum said. Rosenbaum continued, arguing that putting a racial classification in the constitution makes an ‘ordinary political process’ into an ‘extraordinary political process,’ to which Chief Justice Roberts countered, questioning whether or not race should be a factor first place. “You could say that the whole point of something like the Equal Protection Clause is to take race off the table,” Roberts said. “Is it unreasonable for the State to say, ‘Look, race is a lightning rod.’ ” Rosenbaum concluded by noting that race is not entirely off the table under the Equal Protection Clause as shown by the court’s ruling last term on Fisher v. Texas and reiterating that Proposal 2 racially divides the political process of university admissions. After Rosenbaum exhausted his time, Shanta Driver, national chair of By Any Means Necessary — a coalition that supports affirmative action —, asked the court to uphold the Sixth Circuit Court’s decision and to return the Fourteenth Amendment back to its “original purpose to protect minority rights against a white majority.”
News Justice Antonin Scalia immediately questioned Driver’s interpretation of the amendment and asked her to provide an example of a case of the current court that confirms her view that the fourteenth amendment only protects minorities, which Driver could not. Justice Stephen Breyer also entered the discussion, giving Driver hypothetical situations about employment based on preferences and asking her where the line is drawn in regards to preferential treatment for jobs and admissions. In response, Driver said she believes the Seattle ruling provides the line and that the court should uphold the precedent set in that case. Justice Samuel Alito questioned Driver about when exactly the problem with Proposal 2 becomes an issue in the admissions-decision process. After back-and-forth between the two, Sotomayor stepped in to provide her opinion, which Driver said summed up the point she was attempting to make. “I thought the line was a very simple one, which is if the normal academic decision-making is in the dean, the faculty, at whatever level, as long as the normal right to control is being exercised then that person could change the decision,” Sotomayor said. “It’s when the process has changed specifically and only for race, as a constitutional amendment here was intended to do, that the political doctrine is violated.” Driver’s final moments in front of the Court centered on whether or not affirmativeaction programs are beneficial to a minority group specifically, or to the University as a whole, as ruled in Grutter. This discussion stemmed from the earlier points made by Bursch about minorities benefiting from Prop 2. Driver combated this in her final moments by saying 90 percent of Black voters in Michigan voted against the proposal and that whether or not affirmative action is beneficial is for a different case, specifically the already resolved Grutter. The oral arguments concluded with a four-minute rebuttal from Bursch, which emphasized thatSeattle is not a direct parallel to this case. Lawyers involved in the case posit that the deciding vote will likely come from Kennedy, who questioned specific arguments from both sides but said he had trouble distinguishing between the ruling on the Seattle case and the debate over Proposal 2.
Amnesty: Hundreds killed in Nigerian military detention Freed detainees testify to cruel treatment, lack of medical care LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Hundreds of people are dying in military detention from shootings, suffocation or starvation as Nigeria’s security forces crack down on an Islamic uprising in the northeast, Amnesty International said Tuesday. More than 950 people died in military custody in the first six months of this year, according to “credible information” from a senior Nigerian army officer, the rights group said. The Associated Press reported in August that hundreds of people detained by security forces in northern Nigeria have disappeared. The new Amnesty International report may help explain what happened to all those people — a horrifying result for their loved ones who are still searching for the missing. Military and government officials did not immediately respond to phone calls and emails requesting their comments. If the number of deaths in military custody cited by the Amnesty International is accurate, that means Nigeria’s military has killed more civilians than the extremists did during the first half of 2013. Amnesty International called for an urgent investigation. Detainees “were reportedly
shot in the leg during interrogations, provided no medical care and left to bleed to death,” the London-based human rights group said in the report, which includes testimony from freed detainees. The AP reported three months after President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe on May 14 that hundreds of people were being rounded up in night raids. The state of emergency gives a Joint Task Force of soldiers, police, intelligence and customs and immigration officials the right to detain people and move them from place to place, as well as the right to search without warrants. Distraught relatives, human rights organizations and journalists have asked the army, the police, intelligence services and government officials where the arrested people are, but have received no answers, the AP reported. Amnesty International says dozens of bodies are being delivered by soldiers to the mortuaries of the main hospitals in Maiduguri and Damaturu, capitals of Borno and Yobe states. Human rights activist Shehu Sani of the northern-based Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria told AP in August that he believes thousands had been detained. Amnesty International said those killed were detained as suspected members or associates of Boko Haram, an armed Islamic extremist group that has
claimed responsibility for attacks that have killed hundreds of Muslim and Christian civilians this year in their mission to overturn democracy and force Nigeria — Africa’s most populous nation which is almost equally divided between the predominantly Muslim north and mainly Christian south — to become an Islamic state. Boko Haram itself routinely commits human rights abuses, gunning down schoolchildren, health workers, government officials, Christian pastors and moderate Muslim clerics. In 2009, security forces bombed and destroyed the Boko Haram headquarters in Maiduguri. The sect’s leader, Mohammed Yusuf, was killed in police custody. Amnesty International said most of the deaths it documented at the hands of security forces took place at the Presidential Lodge guardroom and a detention center in Damaturu, and at Giwa Military Barracks in Maiduguri. “The details of what happens behind locked doors in these shadowy detention facilities must be exposed, and those responsible for any human rights violations brought to book,” said Amnesty International’s deputy Africa director, Lucy Freeman. Amnesty International quoted a second senior army officer as saying: “Hundreds have been killed in detention either by shooting them or by suffocation. People are crammed into one cell. There are times when people are brought out on a daily basis and killed.”
WASHINGTON From Page 1A take on Shuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, which questions the legality of a 2006 amendment to Michigan’s constitution — commonly known as Proposal 2 — that bans raceor sex-based admissions policies at the states’ public colleges and universities. After the arguments concluded, University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said in a statement that the University values diversity but is firm in its admission practices. “The University of Michigan places a high value on achieving a richly diverse student body,” Fitzgerald said. “It is a cornerstone of our academic character and excellence. Proposal 2 has made admitting a diverse student body more challenging. And, as we indicated in our brief, we do not believe that one can assess the impact of Proposal 2 by looking at the experiences of other institutions in other states operating under other laws.” Lawyers arguing on behalf of the coalition, including Mark Rosenbaum, attorney for the NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union and Shanta Driver, chair of the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, said they thought the oral arguments went well, citing some of Justice Anthony Kennedy’s statements as particularly encouraging. “We wanted to see if there was any responsiveness from any of the other five justices to our argument, and I think we achieved that goal.” Driver said in an interview after the oral arguments. “I think where we saw the openness was on Judge Kennedy, but none of the justices seemed that comfortable with (Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette’s) argument.” Michael Steinberg, legal director of the ACLU of Michigan, also said he thought the arguments went well for the Coalition. “Given the questions that were asked, we’re very optimistic that
ENDOWMENT From Page 1A The project will provide 38 construction jobs and is slated for completion by fall 2015. REGENTS TO CONSIDER CONSTRUCTION OF TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH SITE Pending the regents’ approval, the University will move forward on plans to construct a mobility transformation facility — a testing ground for automated and connected vehicles. The College of Engineering and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute have proposed the project in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Transportation. As part of the collaboration, MDOT has provided grant money to fund part of the $6.5-million project, the rest made up by University sources. The University’s Transportation Research Institute announced the establishment of the Michigan Mobility Transformation Center during a threeday symposium last May. The center seeks to implement new technologies into vehicles in order to make advancements in vehicle efficiency and safety. At a site located off of Huron Parkway between Plymouth and Hubbard roads, the University will construct simulated urban
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 — 5A the court is going to do the right thing,” Steinberg said. “They seem to understand that a separate, unequal system for students of color to lobby for programs that will help them is unfair and unconstitutional.” Schuette, the petitioner in the case, said in a merit brief presented to court that past precedent and the Constitution should uphold their argument. “The people of Michigan concluded that not having affirmative action in higher education was the best policy for the state,” Schuette wrote. “Nothing in the Constitution bars the people of Michigan from making that choice.” In an op-ed to the Washington Times Schuette elaborated on his position saying that the real problem with underrepresented minorities in colleges lies within our public schools. “This legal challenge against Michigan’s constitution misses the point. The problem that needs to be solved is this: too many minority students are trapped in failing public schools. The system is failing them,” Schuette wrote. “Graduation rates are far too low; illiteracy far too high. This is where drastic change and reform are needed.” Before, during and after the oral arguments, protesters from the By Any Means Necessary, a national organization that advocates for affirmative action, held a rally that started at the Lincoln Memorial. The group marched from there to the Court’s steps, rallying supporters of race-based admission policies. As people exited the Court after oral arguments, members of the rally shouted “Detroit, what do we want? Affirmative Action. When do we want it? Now.” Among the faces in the audience listening to the chants were Education senior Ariam Abraham and University alum Laura Washington. Both said they drove from Michigan on Monday to hear the case and support the affirmative-action ideals iterated by BAMN. Abraham said that, as a minority student at the University, she has seen changes in the envi-
ronment on campus during her undergraduate years. She came to the court to show support and act as a face for the people who will be directly affected by whether or not affirmative action is reinstated in the state. “For me, I just understand the role that affirmative action plays at the University and the role not having it plays at the University,” Abraham said. Abraham and Washington listened to the plaintiffs’ arguments and said it seemed like the lawyers spelled out their arguments well. “I definitely think that the justices had their biases. It’s hard to tell when you’re swaying them, and when they’re combatting you constructively or when they are doing it with malintent,” Abraham said. “It was difficult for me to distinguish between the two so I’m not sure what to expect.” Washington, a 2012 graduate, said she was interested in comments several of the justices made that might show how they’re swaying on the case. “There was a lot of backand-forth for Sotomayor, who was standing up for affirmative action, it was very noticeable that she was in support of it,” Washington said. “Kennedy was asked a lot of questions, which was interesting. Based on my research of the case, I wasn’t sure if he was going to be a swing vote or not. But it seemed like that could be a likelihood.” A group of students from Michigan high schools also traveled to Washington, D.C. to demonstrate and march with BAMN. Markeith Jones, a student at Lutheran Northwest High School in Macomb, Mich., said he organized the trip because he felt strongly about affirmative action. “I took it offensively that they would try to block minorities from going to these different Michigan colleges. I took it personally,” Jones said. Jones, who is considering applying to the University, said he is unsure if he would want to go to a school that would have a less diverse student body.
streets, roads and ramps to mimic real driving conditions. To complete the facility, site modifications will include road construction, storm water management and electrical infrastructure. In a communication to the regents, Timothy Slottow, University executive vice president and chief financial officer, said design plans are scheduled to begin immediately with the firm Mannik & Smith Group.
THE STEPHEN M. ROSS ATHLETIC CAMPUS
UNIVERSITY TO AWARD PROJECT BIDS FOR MUNGER GRADUATE RESIDENCE, PENDING FRIDAY APPROVAL While demolition has begun at the site of the planned Munger Graduate Residence, the regents will green-light University administrators to seek construction bids and award contracts. The projected is expected to cost $185 million, funded by University Housing resources and a $100-million gift from Charles Munger. The University announced Munger’s donation last April and approved the building’s schematic designs last month. According to the schematic designs, Munger Graduate Residence will provide housing for 630 students in seven-bedroom apartments. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2015. ATHLETIC CAMPUS TO OFFICIALLY BE RENAMED
Following another recordbreaking private donation, this time a $200-million donation from real-estate mogul Stephen Ross, the regents will vote to rename the University’s athletic campus the “Stephen M. Ross Athletic Campus.” Last month, Ross directed his $200-million gift to be divided equally between his namesake School of Business and the Athletic Department. His donations to the University have totaled $313 million — including a $100 million gift that prompted the University to rename the Business School in his honor. In a communication to the regents, Slottow and Athletic Director Dave Brandon said the name change is “in recognition of his exceptional generosity in providing the finest facilities to University of Michigan studentathletes.” The Stephen M. Ross Athletic Campus will include University property adjacent to athletic facilities south of Hoover Street, between State and Main streets. Also on the Athletic Campus, the regents will vote on branding the Softball Center in honor of University alum Donald R. Shepherd, whose donations to the University have totaled $25 million. Shepherd has previously supported the Women’s Gymnastics Training Center, the Michigan Marching Band and scholarships
Arts
6A — Wednesday, October 16, 2013
TV REVIEW
No trajectory for ‘Arrow’ season two
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
FILM NOTEBOOK
Not enough story or emotional development to soar By ALEX INTNER For the Daily
The goal of some series is to keep viewers interested by relying on an ongoing story arc. For others, the goal is Bto tell a single story each Arrow week. “Arrow” tries to mix Season two the two, giv- premiere ing our hero a Wednesdays villain to beat at 8 p.m. each week while build- CW ing a story arc over the course of the season. Its second season premiere struggles to mix these elements, and in the end, the episode-long storyline prevails while any attempt at establishing a longer arc falls by the wayside. Season one of “Arrow” ended on a huge cliff hanger, with the poor area of the city, the Glades, exploding and Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) escaping his role as The Hood. The season two premiere deals with the story of the week following the explosion. Those who lost loved ones take revenge on those who “simply let it happen,” while Amell focuses on doing a lot of character work with Queen. The episode shows the impact of his best friend Tommy’s death and his inability to stop the eruption of the Glades. Queen hates that his best friend died thinking of him as a murderer, leading him to question his identity as The Hood. His struggle is one of the more interesting elements of the premiere, even if there’s no doubt that Oliver doesn’t return to his vigilante life.
COLUMBIA
Fun Fact: Wilson makes a cameo in this film.
CW
Is he aiming at Tom Hanks?
Some actors have the ability to take great material and elevate it to another level by inserting personality into their characters and bringing emotion beyond what’s written on the page. Amell is a capable actor, but he doesn’t elevate the material. He has started to inject some personality into his character, which is an improvement from where he was in the pilot, but his performance still lacks enough emotion. Aesthetically, “Arrow” figured out how to use a CW-sized budget very well, creating action sequences that are not expensive but definitely have an impact. The creators rely on practical effects rather than using large amount of CGI. What results is
Classifieds
a very gritty, realistic look for a superhero show, more in the style of “Batman Begins” than “The Avengers.” The premiere fails to foreshadow what’s going to happen in the upcoming season. The episode ends with Oliver reclaiming his identity as The Hood, but that only gives closure to the premiere. As for right now, there isn’t a clear arc guiding the story from here. One of the things “Arrow” did very well last season was creating a great story arc that progresses week-to-week. The premiere does not appear to do that. It can always happen later, but in order to keep the interest of viewers, a premiere needs to set up the upcoming season.
Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
FOR SALE
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Tower site 6 “That last piece of cake is mine!” 10 Hemingway nickname 14 Once __ time ... 15 Shield border, in heraldry 16 Skunk’s defense 17 Roulette choices 18 Roulette, for one 19 Baltic native 20 Some boxing wins 23 Not bare 24 Large expanse 25 Cause a stir 31 Bath accessory 33 TV talk pioneer 34 March composer 35 Destructive Greek god 37 Like May through August, literally 40 Bar order 41 Use Comet on 43 Rejection from the top 45 RMN was his vice president 46 Sitcom security device that often defeated its own purpose 50 Bread, at times 51 Salad cheese 52 Where to find the starts of 20-, 25- and 46Across 59 Winter coat 60 Michigan city or college 61 __ Janeiro 62 Part of a plot 63 Pleased 64 Navel phenomenon 65 Tools for Wolfgang Puck 66 Italian noble family 67 Fancy moldings DOWN 1 Burger King supply 2 For each one
3 Recipe instruction 4 Supplement nutritionally 5 Race ender 6 Outcome of successful negotiations 7 Camaro __-Z 8 A bit down 9 Dojo instructor 10 Game divided into chukkers 11 Arabian Peninsula seaport 12 Tools for Wolfgang Puck 13 Gallery showing 21 Senegal’s capital 22 Swimmers Crocker and Thorpe 25 Rudder’s locale 26 Coin-tossing attraction 27 Gooey lump 28 Upholsterer’s choice 29 Previously owned 30 Cut the skin from
31 Like “padre,” e.g.: Abbr. 32 BP subsidiary 36 Drag to court 38 Like some millionaires 39 Expensive 42 Pear variety 44 Lake on the New York border 47 Silo filler
48 Hogwarts castings 49 Thoughtful 52 Cuzco native 53 Muffin grain 54 Flock females 55 Latin I verb 56 Single 57 “Garfield” canine 58 “Cheers” actor Roger 59 Maple yield
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
HONDA 2000 ACCORD EX‑ 5 speed manual, new tires, 1 owner, all records, excellent throughout. 91,000 mi, $6,425, (734) 662‑9723
FOR RENT *AVAILABLE FALL 2014* Large 3 bdrm. house. On Campus. 945 Woodlawn. Contact Mike at 734‑276‑3876. 6 BR HOUSE 417 N. Thayer avail. May 2014 ‑ 3 bath, 3 prkg. spaces, wshr./dryer. No smoking, no pets. 734‑996‑1991 CENTRAL CAMPUS 6 and 7 bedroom houses great furniture/decor ethernet and wireless free laundry and parking for rent NOW for May 2014 www.horvathproperties.com or call (734) 972‑7368
xwordeditor@aol.com
10/16/13
WWW.CARLSONPROPERTIES.COM 734‑332‑6000.
SERVICES THESIS EDITING. LANGUAGE, organization, format. All Disciplines. 734/996‑0566 or writeon@iserv.net
HELP WANTED
By Pam Amick Klawitter (c)2013 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
10/16/13
‘Captain Phillips’ an act of historical censorship By JOHN BOHN Daily Community Culture Editor
Those who saw the theatrical trailer to “Captain Phillips” this summer should remember the opening: From beyond the radar screen, a blip materializes. Captain Phillips walks to the deck to see a small skiff headed toward his ship. He’s under fire! Now the pirates have taken over the bridge! When they are allowed to speak, the pirates tell the crew over the telecom “in one minute, I will kill your friend.” So scary! So violent! What I gathered from this trailer was that “Captain Phillips” would be the most dehumanizing and neglectful treatment of an overwhelmingly complex political and economic horror story that Hollywood could conceive. Interestingly, the consensus among critics is that “Captain Phillips” provides a nuanced treatment of the pirates, which may have come as a surprise for those who, like me, had no hopes. Indeed, against all expectation “Captain Phillips” does provide some background to the pirates. But before we jump into this, let me just state my case clearly: This is a highly distorted representation of facts. As with every work of art ever claiming to be “based on true events,” it is a carefully selected and constructed “representation” of these events, which in this case, actually happened along the Horn of Africa in April 2009 and not in the Mediterranean Sea where it was re-created in early 2012. So how then is this film carefully selected and constructed, and more immediately, why should you not go see this film? True, there is a 10-minute scene at the beginning of the film set in a Somali fishing village that attempts to provide some explanation as to the social and economic world from which the pirates emerge, one of impoverishment and desperation. Later on, there is even a more specific reference
to the corporate exploitation of the sovereign-less Somali waters that initially prompted the hijacking by Somali fishers, who had no chance in competing with opportunistic commercial fisheries. But this latter fact gets mentioned just before Captain Phillips, held hostage in a getaway ship, calls the pirates “more than fishermen.” Based on how the pirates have been portrayed thus far in the film, the subtext is clear. The pirates are clearly using the excuse of corporate exploitation to justify what is, in reality, a greedy pursuit of money.
Capitalist catastrophe rewritten as moral fable. All throughout the film, the pirates constantly talk about money. “We’re going to make a lot of money,” they say, chasing after the Maersk Alabama. When Captain Phillips offers them $30,000 to not take the ship, the movie seems to say that for an impoverished Somalian, that should totally be enough! Heck, the pirates (the director finds necessary to include) just got six million dollars from a previous hijacking. What more do you want? Never mind the fact that many of these million-dollar ransoms the pirates demand are actually demands upon corporations to clean up the Somali coastline, which they have used as a cheap dumping ground for hazardous waste. This act of historical censorship even swings the other way, giving the union workers a bad rap. After the pirates’ first failed attempt to rob the ship, the workers complain that they have been treated wrongly by Maersk and would like to make
appeals to their union. After hearing this, Phillips writes to his wife back home that he has a “new crew to get in shape.” For what is the proper solution in this unjust scenario? You still need to do your job — a theme that could have been written by infamous Nazi bureaucrat Adolph Eichmann. To add insult to injury, the film portrays these workers as scared, helpless and lazy compared to the fearless Eichmann-cum-Phillips. Turning Phillips into the hero, a choice that a recent CNN interview with the crew questions, seems to say that what is valued in our political climate is a worker who rises to the occasion because, in truth, there is no one who will protect you against workplace injustice after 40 years of union-busting that began with Reagan vs. air traffic controllers in 1981 and has recently manifested itself in “Right to work” legislation passing in Michigan and 23 other states. Stop complaining. Do your job. Fittingly, there is no mention of the lawsuit against Maersk. This is not even to mention the questionable narrative of Phillips’s “self-sacrifice” in handing himself over to the pirates, but all of that can be found online. Tragically, first-time Somali émigré actor, Barkhad Abdi, who plays the leader of the pirates, Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse, has to navigate this distorted world with everything against him. The best he can do is humanize against the grain, and he does so incredibly well. Tom Hanks, who plays Captain Phillips, was probably the best choice for the part, and one of the few things that director Paul Greengrass gets right. Hanks has been praised for his roles as the (white, male) “everyman.” He provides this horrifying rewrite of history with just what it needs: rounded facial features, a pudgy frame, twinkling eyes, a completely non-threatening veneer to a film that asks us to willingly walk to our own graves.
BECOME A PART OF THE DAILY ARTS DREAM TEAM. JOIN OUR MUSIC, TV/NEW MEDIA, FILM, COMMUNITY CULTURE OR FINE ARTS BEATS.
LOCAL ANN ARBOR Restaurant seeking MANAGERIAL help. Please send resume to P.O. Box 468 Chelsea, MI 48118
OR BECOME A BLOGGER!
WWW.STUDENTPAYOUTS.com Paid survey takers need in A2. 100% FREE to join. Click on Surveys.
E-mail arts@michigandaily.com to request an application.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
TV REVIEW
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 — 7A
ALBUM REVIEW
CW
His peacoat is so oversized.
No hopeful future for ‘Tomorrow’ CW recycles story for unexceptional ‘People’ By JOE REINHARD For the Daily
CW’s “The Tomorrow People” offers a look at the future of humankind, the next evolutionary step when people develop Cunbelievable superhuman The abilities. What Tomorrow it doesn’t offer, People unfortunately, is anything parPilot ticularly original. Despite its Wednesdays tagline — “Dif- at 9 p.m. ferent is Dangerous” — the CW series starts off pretty mundane and safe. The pilot introduces Stephen Jameson (Robbie Amell, “1600 Penn”) as a teenager going through changes seemingly unique to him: He’s developing superpowers. He soon discovers that these powers aren’t as unique as one would initially think. Turns out he’s one of the Tomorrow People, a group of people who mark the next evolutionary step for the human race. Like the others in this group, Stephen has a genetic mutation
that gives him powers which include (and are limited to) telepathy, telekinesis and teleportation. Now, pilots have a lot going against them. They have little time to go over some very important information and hook the viewer, and to this show’s credit, the exposition-laced dialogue isn’t too hard to swallow, and the action scenes fulfill some sense of fun. But the show chooses to enter into well explored territory, the ever-popular-peoplewith-superpowers genre, and so far it hasn’t presented anything worth noting. Instead of relying on its own inventive ideas (of which there are few), it mainly draws from the inventive ideas of the past, only to do little with them. In particular, it borrows heavily from “The Matrix,” with what’s shaping up to be the classic Chosen One plotline, and pretty much rips off “The X-Men”; only the X-Men are a little more diverse and exciting when it comes to their super powers (and their personalities). Therein lies the problem with the characters: They don’t leave the viewer with much of an impression. Amell as Stephen isn’t particularly compelling or charismatic, while the rest of the cast, which includes Mark Pellegrino (“Supernatural”) as the cryptic villain Jedikiah Price, does little to breathe life into the story. The
unoriginal premise needed strong characters to make the viewer especially care, but for now, the show’s just rather bland. That isn’t to say there’s no fun to be had. Fans of the recent flood of superhero movies will probably find something to like here. The decent special effects lead to enjoyable fight and chase scenes, while the futuristic score sets the tone well. From a plotting standpoint, the show spends its hour wisely, setting up a handful of mysteries and ending on an intriguing note. If anything, the series has faint potential. For now, though, it’s hard to look past the unimaginative opening act. The premise and characters aren’t especially unique, and what’s worse, one could run by a checklist of popular sci-fi franchises over the past 50 years and immediately spot the multiple similarities. Granted, this show is a remake of a British TV program from the 1970’s, so some parallels can be forgiven. A remake does have the responsibility of making itself relevant again, however, and this show just hasn’t done that — at least not yet. Until that happens, stick with the first season of “Heroes” to get your fix of superpower action and fun. “The Tomorrow People” ’s future doesn’t look very promising.
TV REVIEW
‘Vanilla Ice Goes Amish,’ but Amish hope he goes home By EMILY BODDEN Daily Arts Writer
Boasting a name that sounds like it’s straight from The Onion, “Vanilla Ice Goes Amish” is equal parts bizarre and Bsweet. DIY’s questionable Vanilla Ice new programGoes Amish ming choice does not miss Pilot the mark fully, instead land- Saturdays ing in an amus- at 10 p.m. ing place all its DIY own. The premise of the show finds Vanilla Ice joining an Amish community where he learns their traditional approach to construction and design. Apparently that’s what people do after their 15 minutes of fame are up. All kidding aside, Vanilla Ice seems to have been working, or at least dabbling, in the construction field for quite some time, because when he helps demo and remodel a kitchen, he knows the lingo. First off, Vanilla Ice isn’t his real name. Shockingly, the man we (at least those of us with a working knowledge of the 1980’s) know as Vanilla Ice bears the Christian name Robert Matthew Van Winkle, and so the nice Amish community that takes him in calls him Rob. Which seems very normal for
a 45-year-old, one-hit-wonder white boy who decides to try his hand at construction in traditional Amish fashion. Another big hurdle that the production team manages to circumvent is the perception that the Amish community is supposed to shun cameras. Clara, the house owner in the premiere, demonstrates that, despite being taught to avoid technology for her 60- or 70-some years, she has more natural talent in front of a camera than Vanilla Ice. While she comes off charming and sweet, Vanilla Ice yells — presumably in an attempt to speak coherently during all of his interviews and voice-overs. Evidently media exposure does not equate to competency.
Alright, stop, collaborate with the Amish. While Vanilla Ice comes off as respectful and sincere to the community, he’s still a huge tool, referring to himself as having “Vanilla Ice Charm.” It’s unclear whether it would have been better or worse if he used a more updated approach to that concept and attempted the use of “swag.” His outdated slang
somehow seems fitting coming from a middle-aged man who dons two giant earrings while in Amish Country. Other faux pas in the series premiere that stand out include his continual wearing of jeans (with a zipper) and a hoodie (also with a zipper) and driving an Escalade to his homestay. The clothing choice comes off as mildly offensive after he completely disregards the nice man he is living with who kindly explained that the Amish do not allow zippers on their garb. The choice of an Escalade filled with a camera crew and an old superstar produces laughs. Did the production team not think of how inappropriate it was, or were they instead trying to create blatant dichotomies between where Vanilla Ice comes from to where “Rob” will end up? Overall, the show holds some sense of potential. Not as dramatic or trashy as the type of programming seen with celebrities of similar popularity on VH1, but not quite as enticing as hit HGTV shows like “Property Brothers,” “Vanilla Ice Goes Amish” stands on its own ridiculous feet. If “Vanilla Ice Goes Amish” were an ice cream cone, it would be a scoop of plain vanilla with a sad scattering of rainbow jimmies that may convince viewers to give it another go before passing complete judgment.
MONKEYWRENCH
“Can I borrow your oversized peacoat?”
‘Bolt’ recaptures energy of classic-rock era By ADAM THEISEN For the Daily
While most middle-aged artists are expected to just tour behind their old hits and put minimal effort into new B+ albums, Pearl Jam continues Lightning to work hard to make every Bolt new release Pearl Jam significant. The band is Monkeywrench far removed from its early 1990’s-megastar glory days, but it still keeps up a devoted fanbase through its top-notch live shows and generally solid studio albums. After following up early success with an experimental (and some would say self-sabotaging) mid-career interlude, Pearl Jam has put out a series of back-to-basics, rock ‘n’ roll records, of which Lightning Bolt is the latest. Firstly, Lightning Bolt does not feel like an album that was recorded in 2013. The band’s love for vinyl and classic rock shines through in the guitarheavy, riff-driven tracks, and while the anachronistic style can be off-putting for listeners wanting something more forward-thinking, those searching for old-time rock ‘n’ roll will find nothing better. Pearl Jam is still a master at crafting rock songs and executing them perfectly. Despite its members now being in their late forties, the band sounds like it has found
the fountain of youth on the first half of Lightning Bolt. Guitar solos command attention and every song sounds tightly focused. Lead single “Mind Your Manners” swaggers with punk rock energy and immediately shows that singer Eddie Vedder sounds just as he did in the old days. “Sirens,” the mid-tempo second single, falls short of the platinum standard set by classic Pearl Jam ballads like “Black” because of its generic production and lack of subtlety, but the band saves it simply because at this point in its career, its musicianship and songwriting chops are impeccable. Even when one part of a song falters, the experience and talent of the musicians keeps the whole ship from sinking.
Pearl Jam throws it back with oldschool style. After two songs in the middle of the album that drag on for too long and immediately drop from memory, the second half of Lightning Bolt contains quieter, more reflective songs. The acoustic guitar plays a much larger role on this half, and the tracks seem to be influenced by Vedder’s solo project, Ukulele Songs. His strong, invigorated
voice fills the music with joy. Though the second half features a less immediate style and therefore makes somewhat less of an impression, loose, relaxed tracks like “Swallowed Whole” and the folky “Sleeping by Myself,” as well as syrupy sweet closer “Future Days,” highlight it. Arguably the best song on the album, “Future Days” feels destined to be a first-dance song for newlyweds, as Vedder looks forward to what will come with his lover, blissfully uncaring about any impending troubles. “I got my own way to relate!” Vedder proclaims on the first track of Lightning Bolt, declaring to the listener that Pearl Jam has nothing to prove to anybody besides themselves. The band is at a point in its career where it can just do what it enjoys, and the results of this mindset are fantastic. Pearl Jam remains firmly outside of any clear time period or trend, and even two decades removed from its most well-known songs, the band has an uncanny ability to recapture the energy of its early days without sounding old or repetitive. Lightning Bolt doesn’t revolutionize the genre, but its variety of different tones will engage those simply looking for an entertaining rock record. Longtime fans of the band will love this album, and even listeners who haven’t paid attention to Pearl Jam since the 1990’s will find themselves pleasantly surprised by the strength of the songs and by how well the band has matured.
PEEP THE DAILY ARTS BLOG, THE FILTER. WWW.MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE+FILTER
8A — Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Arts
TV REVIEW
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
TV REVIEW
ABC
“Why is Jafar here?”
FX
Head Witch in Charge.
‘Coven’ bewitches In Murphy’s world, anything can happen By ALEC STERN Daily Arts Writer
If the colder weather and falling leaves weren’t enough to remind you that it’s October, our television screens Aare once again filled to the American brim with zomHorror bies, witches, ghouls and Story: Coven ghosts. Among Pilot the signature Wednesdays Halloween programming, at 10 p.m. Ryan Murphy’s wonder- FX fully weird anthology series, “American Horror Story,” made its return last week. The new iteration, subtitled “Coven,” delves into the history of witchcraft and the fictitious witching scene in New Orleans. Many of “Horror Story” ’s signature actors are back and joined by exciting newcomers in this wild and alluring new chapter. “AHS: Coven” starts out distinctly and surprisingly straightforward. Series staples Jessica Lange (“King Kong”) and Sarah Paulson (“Mud”) play mother and daughter who both attended Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies. These “exceptional young ladies” are, in fact, witches. Paulson’s Cordelia Foxx now runs the school, which has enrollment of four students including “AHS” alum Taissa Farmiga (“The Bling Ring”) and Emma Roberts (“We’re The Millers”). Kathy Bates (“Harry’s Law”) also stars as Delphine LaLaurie, a reallife, 19th-century serial killer in
whom Lange’s character Fiona takes a special interest. It’s worth noting that, on paper, nothing about “American Horror Story” should work. Dylan McDermott wrestling a ghost in a leather suit should feel silly. Lange performing a campy rendition of “The Name Game” in the middle of an asylum-set horror series should make you cringe. But this is “American Horror Story,” which means any conventional wisdom does not apply. Murphy has created a world so bizarrely and perplexingly enticing that the words “should” or “shouldn’t” don’t exist. Kathy Bates as a historical character hell-bent on having her own real-life Minotaur? SURE. Just sit back, enjoy and try not to question why it’s so amazingly compelling. It just is. In terms of ambition, “Coven” already feels more “Murder House” than “Asylum.” Whereas the latter came out guns blazing from the very start (Nuns! Mad Scientists! Aliens!), “Murder House” was arguably a more subdued saga, focused on its singular haunted house storyline. So far, “Coven” seems to follow “Murder House” ’s delicate footsteps, introducing one, witches-as-the-oppressed dramatic narrative. With that being said, the after-show season preview suggests that like “Asylum,” “Coven” will get crowded (Zombies! Frankenstein!). Naturally, most of the premiere episode, “Bitchcraft,” is about fleshing out the tone of the miniseries, which isn’t quite nailed down yet. Though all three iterations have a distinct “AHS” feel, “Murder House” and “Asylum” were able to establish enough tonal and thematic differences to set them apart from one another. Cocreator Murphy has described “Coven” as a lighter series than its predecessors — he set out to
make it an easier watch than the exceedingly dark “Asylum.” While the premiere establishes this feeling a bit, it didn’t quite strike the right balance between the desired playfulness and the horror, at times feeling neither here nor there. Regardless, the actors in “AHS” have consistently outshined the series’ plot or tone, and “Coven” is no exception. Lange continues to deliver a master-class performance as a witch determined to defy the aging process. Evan Peters (“Kick Ass”) and Farmiga have a beautiful chemistry together as strong here as it was in the first season. It’s also no surprise that Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett (“Olympus Has Fallen”) are perfect in their spellbinding (if you will) roles as rival sorceresses. “Bitchcraft” is also one of the scarier entries in the “AHS” series. Beginning with a truly frightening 1830’s torture sequence, followed directly by the revamped, hair-raising opening credits, the premiere doesn’t let viewers forget that this is, as promised, a horror story. All in all, “Coven” is a pleasing start for a series that usually finds its stride somewhere in the middle. Most of “AHS” ’s standout episodes, including “Rubber Man” and “Unholy Night,” begin to emerge around the eighth episode of each 13-episode run. Fans of the series will no doubt be glued to their screens, as leads Lange and Paulson are as mesmerizing as ever. “Bitchcraft” is a welcomed reassurance that three seasons in, “AHS” hasn’t lost any of its strange mojo. And judging by some of the sexy deaths (literally, deaths-by-sex) in the premiere, it’s clear this is still the disturbing, outrageous, crazy-good “American Horror Story” we know and love.
Unoriginal, uninspiring ‘Wonderland’ By KELLY ETZ Daily Arts Writer
The allure of a fantasy world lies in the possibilities. Interest is created in the unknown, in seeing the unusual or the unexpect- C+ ed. Originally, “Once Upon a Once Upon Time” played a Time in on this interest, creating Wonderland a charmingly Pilot CGI-ed world unlike any- Thursdays thing else in the at 8 p.m. TV landscape. ABC Unfortunately, its spinoff “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” fails to live up to expectations. The problem isn’t that “Wonderland” can’t stand on its own, only that its unoriginality is so obvious. Plunging the technicolored splendor of Lewis Carroll’s well known children’s story into darker, grittier territory is nothing new. Tim Burton literally did that three years ago. And remember the miniseries “Tin Man,” Syfy’s edgy reimagining of “The Wizard of Oz”? The point is, “Wonderland” may have met better success in keeping true-to-the-source material, with a fantastical world dizzyingly drenched in primary colors and literally overflowing with ideas. As it stands, Alice’s (Sophie Lowe, “Beautiful Kate”) confine-
ment in a Victorian-era asylum feels less like a twist and more like a cop-out. Lobotomies aside, even the imagining of Wonderland is oddly restrained. As a series obviously unconcerned with likeness to reality, the computer-generated backdrops are less than inspiring. At least the White Rabbit (John Lithgow, “This is 40”) has a bit of style, hot pink Lennon glasses notwithstanding.
Don’t venture down this rabbit hole. The plot centers around a freed genie called Cyrus (Peter Gadiot, “Night Wolf”) whom Alice meets on her subsequent trips into Wonderland. Inevitably, the two fall in love and, after a highly inconceivable proposal ( just how old is Alice supposed to be anyway?), are about to start living happily ever after. Enter the Red Queen (Emma Rigby, “Demons Never Die”) and totally randomly, Jafar (Naveen Andrews, “Lost”) with an evil plot to capture Cyrus and make Alice think he’s dead. Underneath all the exposition is a nice, basic adventure plot — the quest to find a lost love. The actors, at least, aren’t
holding anything back. Lowe — who plays Alice as an asskicking adventuress, brandishing “Drink Me” bottles like mini hand grenades — is the driving force of the premiere. Hopefully, on her way to finding her lost love, she’ll stumble upon some better-written dialogue. It’s the Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha, “Shank”), however, who brings the pilot alive. Bantering with Alice every step of the way — in a truly fantastic British accent — the Knave is the comic relief, perpetual eye candy and potential love triangle all rolled into one. The secondary cast tarnishes some of the sheen of the two leads. Bottled hottie Cyrus barely makes an appearance, while Rigby overacts her heart out as the Red Queen. At one point, she even tears up. It’s like watching a really intense scene in a high school play. Andrews as Jafar is fine, and the fledgling chemistry between the two villains makes them better together than apart. Creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz — who both worked on “Once Upon a Time” — along with Zack Estrin (“Zero Hour”) should have had an easier time with “Wonderland.” Instead, the premiere takes on all the questionable elements of its predecessor without any of the ingenuity. As a teen-angst fest, it sort of works. As a successful series in its own right? Barely.
ALBUM REVIEW
‘Still’ soothes head and heart By HANNAH WEINER Daily Arts Writer
There’s a Slate article circulating that writes off the “roots revival movement” of our generation, dismissing bands like Mumford A & Sons and the Lumineers as Let’s Be Still purely valuable for their “attrac- The Head and tion of collec- the Heart tivity, even of Sub Pop surrogate family.” If you agree with this argument, you should steer clear of The Head and the Heart’s new album, Let’s Be Still. Because of the band’s inclusiveness, because of its mimicking a surrogate family and because the artists emanate this kind of tenderness, The Head and the Heart have a fan base that takes pride in this musical comfort. The band’s first album gave people the warmth of music that can be played to fit all scenarios; songs like “Rivers & Roads,” “Down in the Valley” and “Cats & Dogs” offer security in the swelling vocals, the rustic guitar and the catchy harmonies. The music is like a hug, a thick fuzzy blanket or a hot mug of tea for the head and the heart. In Let’s Be Still, the comfort has maximized. Songs like “My Friends” and “Another Story” reacquaint us with the familiar folksy sounds of Charity Thielen, Jonathan Russell and Josiah Johnson, uniting voices in lines like, “When I’m down / you pick me up / my friends.” For most of the album, they slip into their cozy groove of piano, drums, guitar and vocals that crescendo and finally fade out with a profound, universal message.
SUB POP
“We’re a big family. Sike. We’re not.”
Whether they’re singing, “Gone are the days when the wind would brush my face” or “You are in grandmother’s wisdom,” Russell’s sensory details touch on universal symbols of home, love and safety. There’s a reason we keep returning to indie-folk bands like The Head and the Heart; for many, it provides the wholehearted sense of family that’s impossible to dislike.
Feels like hot chocolate. But Let’s Be Still doesn’t stop here, confining the band to a particular sound. Instead, The Head and the Heart expand its sound with more energy. Just listening to the opening track, “Homecoming Heroes,” introduces us to a side of the band we haven’t met before — it bounces on upbeat drums, dances happily on piano keys and sings with a happiness and confidence that was hidden on the last album. Charity Thielen’s angelic (and at times spunky) voice leads us through “Springtime” and “Summertime,” giving Russell’s vocals a break and exciting indie-folk fans
who’ve been waiting to hear her break away from the harmonies. It’s not necessarily an entirely new sound, but it’s nuanced — Thielen freshens the track list with her pristine vocals. Similarly, “Shake” unexpectedly presents the audience with electric guitar and synths (gasp!). Yet this introduction doesn’t shock listeners because it matches the energy that wavers throughout the album. Instead, it makes us tap our toes, bounce and tap — a phenomenon that fans of The Head and the Heart may not understand from their typically relaxed and introspective songs. Don’t worry, those songs still exist on Let’s Be Still. “Another Story,” a song meant to reflect on the Newtown tragedy, distills Russell’s rustic voice on an inspirational and emotional track. He sings, “The sun still rises even through the rain,” and despite its clichéd messages, the music offers us reassurance. It’s comfort music, no doubt. There’s no shame in listening to music for its emotional value; everyone needs a security blanket or mug of hot chocolate every once in a while. Everyone needs their head and the heart soothed, and every once in a while, everyone needs to just be still.
SportsWednesday B
The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | October 16, 2013
RUBY WALLAU/Daily
U P IN TH E A IR
RUBY WALLAU/Daily
TERRA MOLENGRAFF/Daily
Penn State 43, Michigan 40
Senior kicker Brendan Gibbons (top) misses a field goal wide left at the end of the third overtime. Redshirt junior linebacker Jake Ryan (left) played in his first game since an ACL tear. Michigan coach Brady Hoke (right) blamed a late penalty on himself.
A team searching 5 Things We Learned: Penn State for an identity By EVERETT COOK Daily Sports Editor
STATE COLLEGE — he ball
T
danced through the night air and up into a blur of white and ZACH a glare of HELFAND lights. Freshman cornerback Channing Stribling waited
for it to come down near the one-yard line and so did Penn State’s Allen Robinson. It emerged from the glow, a loud and charging object close enough for Michigan to grab and put away, just like Penn State had been. Stribling jumped first but too quickly. As he came down, the ball slipping above his fingers, Robinson jumped and snatched it away. The crowd turned rapSee HELFAND, Page 3B
1. Michigan badly needs some help on the offensive line.
The problems on the offensive line were supposed to be fixed when redshirt sophomore guard Chris Bryant replaced redshirt sophomore center Jack Miller in the starting lineup against Minnesota two weeks ago. Bryant is bigger, and the move allowed Graham Glasgow to move from guard to center, which was seemingly a better fit for the redshirt sophomore.
The switch in the offensive line also allowed for some stacked formations, where fifthyear senior tackles Taylor Lewan and Michael Schofield — Michigan’s best offensive linemen — would line up on the same side of the ball. This was supposed to be the big, nasty Wolverine offensive line. Instead, Michigan was blown off the ball against Penn State. The stacked offensive line was sniffed out and rendered useless almost immediately. Bryant was replaced at one point, while
Lewan left the game at halftime and never returned due to an apparent head injury, though Michigan coach Brady Hoke said Monday that the injury had more to do with his hip than anything else. Make no mistake, Michigan lost this game because of its inability to move the Nittany Lions off the line of scrimmage. The run game never got going, which completely halted the passing game. Hoke said that Lewan will play against Indiana next week, but if the undisclosed symptoms of the apparent head injury
don’t fix themselves shortly, the already struggling offensive line is going to be in a world of hurt. 2. Michigan’s offense isn’t anything without a running game. This, too, ties into the struggles of the offensive line, because if the holes were bigger, the running game would be much improved. But without halfback production, Michigan’s offense is going to be difficult to watch the rest of the year. Penn State came into the game See LEARNED, Page 3B
Behind depth of offense, the Wolverines hold off late barrage by RIT By GREG GARNO Daily Sports Writer
ROCHESTER, NY — The Michigan hockey team had been here before — just last season, in fact. With a 3-1 lead a year ago, the Wolverines allowed the Rochester Institute of Technology back into the game to force overtime.
The Tigers ultimately scored in overtime to upset Michigan and kick off one of the roughest seasons in recent memory. Fast forward one year, and Michigan was staring at the same scenario after it surrendered a four-goal lead to RIT in the second period on Saturday. But rather than succumb to the surge this time, the 11th-ranked
200 MILES NORTH
n As the Michigan football team was losing it in Penn State, the hockey team was figuring it out against RIT. SportsMonday column: Page 2B
Wolverines responded thanks to freshman forward Even Allen, whose goal late in the period proved to be the game winner. Michigan closed the third period with two more goals to win 7-4 and remain unbeaten two games into the season. “I like the start of the game and I liked the end of the game, but I didn’t like the middle part,
obviously,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “You could see this coming.” Junior forward Phil Di Giuseppe had two goals while junior forward Alex Guptill had a pair of assists to lead the Wolverines in front of a crowd of more than 10,000. The score, though, didn’t indicate the lopsided shot total, as
Michigan was out-shot 46-27. “We weren’t playing as hard, and as smart and as defensive as we should have,” Berenson said. “Pretty much everything happened in our zone.” Allen’s goal, which swung the momentum back in Michigan’s favor, looked like more of an accident than a shot attempt. Tiger goaltender Jordan Ruby, in the
UPSET TUESDAY
n Freshman Lars Eckenrode picked a good time for his first collegiate goal in Michigan’s first win over a ranked opponent this year. Page 2B
midst of repositioning himself, misplayed the shot from outside the left circle and never saw the puck slide behind him. Michigan kicked off the scoring less than three minutes into the first period, when Guptill slid through the right circle and glided the puck to an untouched Di Giuseppe, who was waiting in See DEPTH, Page 3B
SportsWednesday
2B — October 16, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPORTSWEDNESDAY COLUMN
Meanwhile, in Rochester ...
A
t the same moment, 200 miles apart, the Michigan football and hockey teams were finding out what kind of team they would be. At Penn State, the football team’s 52-yard field goal had just fallen short to send its game, once seemingly in hand, ZACH into overtime. HELFAND At the same time, the Michigan hockey team had just blown its own four-goal lead in Rochester, N.Y. With the football game destined for late drama, few Michigan fans were paying attention to this early-season hockey game. But as the football team struggled with its identity — should they run late behind a besieged line? Pass and risk a turnover? Would they gamble or play it safe? — the hockey team was finding something about its own. The Wolverines had just made a statement in their season opener against Boston College earlier in the week. Now, up 4-0 over Rochester Institute of Technology after just 20 minutes, “we kind of thought we were on top of the world,” said senior forward Derek DeBlois. The puck dropped for the second period at 8:03 p.m. At that exact moment in Happy Valley, the football team began its drive with 4:18 remaining in the game. For both teams, the nightmare was about to begin. For the hockey team, it came by way of penalties and turnovers and defensive-zone breakdowns. Michigan was “demolished,” said senior defenseman Mac Bennett. With a minute to go in the second period, the lead had disappeared.
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Michigan coach Red Berenson said his team builds a profile throughout the season. On Saturday, the Michigan hockey team started to mold its character.
It was 4-4. Michigan scored a late goal in the second period and walked into the locker room. Outside, a crowd of 10,556 — close to twice the size of Yost Ice Arena — had turned frenzied. Nine freshmen had made the trip. Together, in the locker room, they waited. The Wolverines had been here before. A year ago, in the season opener, Michigan went up 3-0 against RIT in the first period. Then RIT tied the game in the third. The Wolverines were stunned. They would lose just 14 seconds into overtime. From there, the season spiraled downward. Michigan won the next night against RIT, but would soon fall below .500 and never recover. After blowing the chance to sweep on opening night, the Wolverines wouldn’t sweep a series until February. A lack of resiliency dogged the
team. Now, in Rochester, Michigan coach Red Berenson entered the room. “He was angry — for good reason,” Bennett said after practice Tuesday. “And he kind of gave it to us.” “A year ago,” Bennett continued, “if they tie a game and it’s 4-4, I’m not sure we’re winning that game.” In fact, that sentiment was a theme for the day. Before Bennett, senior forward Derek DeBlois and then sophomore forward Andrew Copp each, unprompted, said different versions of the same thing: “We would’ve had guys doubting whether we were going to win that game,” Copp said. In the locker room Saturday, after Berenson finished his diatribe, the team sat there. Two hundred miles south, Michigan
and Penn State had just entered overtime. In Rochester, players said, the locker room had a strange vibe. Nobody panicked. Nobody doubted, Bennett, DeBlois and Copp all said independently and unprompted on Tuesday. When the third period started, senior defenseman Kevin Clare blocked a shot. So did junior forward Zach Hyman. “All these guys were stepping up out of nowhere and will do anything for each guy in that locker room,” DeBlois said. At 9:18 p.m., freshman forward Tyler Motte scored his first career goal, just as Penn State scored a touchdown in quadruple overtime to end the game. The hockey team now led 6-4, and would soon add a seventh goal. Afterward, Copp said, his teammates told him matter-offactly they never actually thought
they’d lose. On Tuesday, Berenson sat in the big armchair in the room Michigan uses for interviews at Yost Ice Arena. He rested his arms on the cushions and spoke deliberately and softly about a team building its own personality over the 40-plus games in a season. “You’re building the profile,” Berenson said. “It’s not like you’re waiting to see it come out and it’s a final product. It’s never a final product, but at least you’ll see glimpses.” The stigma of last year’s failure to reach the NCAA Tournament still hangs over this team. Bennett mentions “last year” so often, he now apologizes for it. Last year, Bennett said, the team was never close-knit until the end, when they made a desperate run for a tournament berth. Last year, Berenson said,
they never knew what they were going to get from the goaltender. Last year, DeBlois and Copp said, RIT would’ve been a loss. “We’re still answering questions from last year,” Berenson said. But the feeling is already different this year. Bennett thought the team needed to be closer, so he made sure teammates were playing paintball together, going to the movies together, having barbecues and dinner. Tuesday night, a few guys on the team went to the Red Wings game together. The win over Rochester meant very, very little. The team knows that. But Bennett felt something as the team left the arena Saturday night. He tried to describe that on Tuesday. As Bennett spoke, he sat in the big armchair at Yost. He rested an ankle on his knee. In this pose, with his arms resting against the chair, the senior and captain looked almost grandfatherly. He struggled to articulate what he knew about his team after two games. “I don’t think we have an identity quite yet,” he said, after a moment. Before he spoke about what he felt after the game, he thought for several more seconds. When he began, he spoke slowly and thoughtfully. In his pose and diction, he resembled — eerily, but yes, it was there — his coach. “If we want to get something done, all it takes for us to say is ‘Alright, we need to go do it,’ and actually go out to do the work to do it,” Bennett said. “And it really showed in that third period, and it was something that I was really, really proud of.” -Helfand can be reached at zhelfand@umich.edu or on Twitter @zhelfand
Racine standing out early Eckenrode guides ‘M’ to upset over Creighton By JEREMY SUMMITT Daily Sports Editor
Something the Michigan hockey team lacked last season was a true No. 1 goaltender. Thanks to an 8-1-1 record in his last 10 games last year, sophomore Steve Racine earned the starting job and hasn’t NOTEBOOK diverted much from the late-season rally. In the Wolverines’ 7-4 win at Rochester Institute of Technology on Saturday, Racine posted a career-high 42 saves on 46 shots. Michigan coach Red Berenson said he was the best player on the ice that night. Even though Racine had been named the starter in the weeks leading up to the season opener, Berenson didn’t know how long that would last. He went as far as saying Racine could be the top option for a week or for the entire season, but changes would arise if needed. Senior defenseman Mac Bennett said the team has full confidence in Racine, but Berenson wasn’t so quick to place his goaltender on a pedestal. “Obviously he’s got off to a good start, so good for him,” Berenson said. “I think that’s just a confidence builder. I don’t think you’re ever set unless he wins 10 games in a row, and you can say he can’t get any better than this.” Racine came into last season recovering from hip surgery, which meant he wasn’t fully conditioned by the season opener. Because of the setback, Racine could hardly garner any momentum in the times he received the starting nod. Racine says he worked harder than ever this summer to get back in shape and continue to get better. The early results are promising, and his process to get there hasn’t slowed down. Racine has already stayed after practice multiple times to work with goaltender coach Josh Blackburn on small changes he can make between the pipes. “At the end of the year, he got some confidence and he got some momentum,” Berenson said. “He got established a little bit and had a better summer, and he’s coming back as a number one now. It’s his
By MIKE PISCIOTTA Daily Sports Writer
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Sophomore forward Andrew Copp won the inaugural Big Ten First Star Award.
job to lose.” FRESHMAN CLASS COMING TOGETHER: Michigan’s success will continue to depend on how well the 10-man freshman class progresses throughout the year. Multiple upperclassmen have mentioned that this freshman class is one of the most mature they have seen in their time at Michigan. Whether through maturity or raw talent, four of those freshmen have made their mark by registering at least one point in the first two regular-season games. “The freshmen have been stepping into big roles early, and they’ve all been playing great hockey,” said senior forward Derek DeBlois. Freshmen forwards Alex Kile and JT Compher have each seen time on the first line with DeBlois and sophomore Andrew Copp, gaining valuable experience from the two alternate captains. “I like playing with them because they show great leadership, and they’re two of our better offensive players, I’d say,” Kile said. “It was an honor just to be recognized and put on their line.” In the defensive zone, freshmen Mike Downing and Nolan de Jong have played significant roles on the
penalty kill, allowing the opposition just an 18-percent conversion rate. Senior captain Mac Bennett has openly expressed how smart a player de Jong is, and that he really loves being paired with him on the blue line. GUPTILL’S BACK : After missing the first two games due to a suspension for off-ice issues, junior forward Alex Guptill made his return to the lineup against RIT. With two assists — one coming in his first shift — his offensive presence was felt immediately. “He’s a leader up front in terms of the points we need,” Bennett said. “In his first shift, he popped in an assist so that has to be huge for his confidence.” Guptill was paired on the fourth line with freshman Evan Allen and junior Travis Lynch in what Berenson called a test to see if Guptill was conditioned enough to play at game speed. He was forced to miss over a week of preseason practice, too, because of the suspension. But thanks to a number of special-teams situations, Guptill also received time on the first line with DeBlois and Copp, where he’ll likely play this weekend when Michigan visits New Hampshire.
After a disappointing loss to Penn State on Friday, the Michigan men’s soccer team (1-2-2 Big Ten, 5-4-3 overall) came up big Tuesday night. Late in the second half, CREIGHTON 0 1 MICHIGAN with the game destined for extra time, freshman defender Lars Eckenrode guided home a corner kick to give the Wolverines a 1-0 victory against No. 12 Creighton. This was Michigan’s first win against a ranked team this year after losses to No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 7 Northwestern. “We played well,” said Michigan head coach Chaka Daley, referring to those losses. “But gave away goals at the wrong times.” From the start of the game, Michigan’s attack looked dangerous. In the third minute, junior midfielder Marcos Ugarte played a ball into the path of sophomore forward James Murphy that was deflected by a Creighton defender. The ball landed at the feet of redshirt sophomore Colin McAtee, whose shot went high and wide. As the half progressed, the Blue Jays’ (6-4-2 overall) pressure intensified, as they kept the majority of possession. Despite keeping the ball for long periods of time, Michigan was able to catch Creighton on multiple counterattacks that were thwarted by Creighton goalkeeper Alex Bolowich. In the 34th minute, sophomore forward James Murphy’s shot was blocked by a Blue Jay defender and the ball landed at senior midfielder Fabio Pereira’s foot. What looked like a certain goal was saved by Bolowich, who had eight saves on the day. “We didn’t gift any chances to Creighton,” Daley said “We kept it solid in the back.”
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Redshirt junior goaltender Adam Grinwis made three saves Tuesday.
The Wolverines’ back line played a stellar game. The unit allowed a potent Blue Jay attack just three shots on goal and kept scoring opportunities to a minimum throughout the game. “We stayed with (our) men and focused on clearances,” Eckenrode said. “We didn’t allow them any space.” The Blue Jays’ best chance of the game came in the 28th minute after a brief rain shower. Creighton junior forward Zabarle Kollie stole the ball from Eckenrode in the midfield and quickly passed the ball to sophomore midfielder Timo Pitter. Pitter, on a breakaway with only the goalkeeper to beat, slipped on the wet field, allowing the Wolverine’s defense to recover and clear the ball. After the intermission, Michigan brought on freshman forward Yamann Sahlool
and switched to a more attacking style of play. Immediately after entering the game, Sahlool made an impact. After latching onto a pass from Pereira in the 78th minute, Sahlool made his way into the box and forced a one-on-one save from Bolowich with the game still scoreless. “(Sahlool) is always a danger,” Daley said. “He’s always a threat.” The breakthrough for the Wolverines came in the 77th minute. Pereira whipped in a corner that landed at the feet of Eckenrode who shot the ball past the oncoming Creighton goalkeeper, giving him his first career goal and the Wolverines a 1-0 lead. This marked the first time Michigan has beaten a ranked team at home since last October, when the Wolverines beat Akron 1-0 in overtime.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
GAME STATISTICS Team Stats First Downs Rush/Yards Passing Yards Offensive Plays Total Offense Kick returns/yds Punt returns/yds Comp/Att/Int Punts/Avg Fumbles/Lost Penalties/Yards Time of Possession
Michigan 21 54/149 240 83 389 6/154 0/0 15-29-2 6/40.8 2-1 7-62 36:13
Penn State 24 44/85 305 89 390 2/39 3/26 23-45-2 4/44.8 2-2 5-56 23:47
M I C H I G A N Player
C-A
Yds
TD
Int
Gardner
15-28
240
3
2
Totals
15-29
240
3
2
RUSHING Player
Att
Yds
Avg
Lg
TD
Gardner
24
121
5.0
19
0
Toussaint
27
27
1.0
12
0
Green
3
1
0.3
3
0
Totals
54
149
2.8
Player
No.
Yds
Avg
Lg
Gallon
7
95
13.6
25
1
Funchess
4
112
28.0
59
2
Dileo
1
13
13.0
30
Chesson
1
9
9.0
9
0
Butt
1
6
6.0
6
0
Hayes
1
5
5.0
5
0
Totals
15
240
16.0
59
3
19
0
RECEIVING TD
0
PUNTING No. Yds Avg
Wile
6
245
Totals
6
245
Lg
40.8
51
40.8
51
KICKOFF RETURNS Player
No.
Yds
Avg
Lg
Dileo
3
66
22.0
25
0
Norfleet
3
88
29.3
34
0
Totals
6
154
25.7
34
0
TD
PUNT RETURNS Player
No.
Yds
Avg
Total
0
0
0.0
Lg
TD
0
0
with the No. 19 rush defense in the country. Good, but that doesn’t excuse how awful the Wolverines’ rushing attack was Saturday. Fifth-year senior running back Fitzgerald Toussaint finished with 27 yards on 27 carries. Without a 12-yard first-quarter run, Toussaint would have averaged 0.6 yards per carry. Time and again, he would receive the ball on first down and be swallowed up immediately. Plain and simple, it was boring, predictable and ineffective. Hoke has said that he’s cautious to use Gardner on the ground more, even if he’s the most efficient runner on the roster, because of a concern for injury. Still, redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner’s rushing numbers are significantly better than anyone else’s. He rushed for 121 yards Saturday, averaging five yards per carry, and leads the team in rushing yards while averaging more than two yards a carry more than Toussaint. With defenses like Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State coming up, offensive coordinator Al Borges needs to figure out a better way to run the offense if the running game doesn’t improve. Right now, it all goes through the idea of a punishing running game, which is a nice concept unless you don’t actually have the personnel or coaching to properly execute a punishing running game.
TACKLES Player
Solo Asst
Ross III
6
Morgan
3. Gardner and his turnovers scare Hoke and Borges.
Tot
4
10
6 2
8
Bolden
5 1
6
Taylor
4 1
5
Wilson
2 3
5
Wormley
4 0
4
Gordon, T.
3
4
Washington
2 2
4
Ryan
3 0
3
Clark
2 1
3
Beyer
2 1
3
Houma
2 0
2
Ojemudia
2 0
2
Chesson
1 1
2
Stribling
1 0
1
Countess
1 0
1
Black
1 0
1
Henry
1 0
1
Gallon
1 0
1
Gardner
1 0
1
Gordon, C.
0
1
1
Hill
0
1
Avery
0 1
Totals
1
DEPTH From Page 1B
1 1
46 24
Hoke can say all he wants about trusting Gardner, but the reality is, Hoke can’t trust him. Not when Gardner throws the types of interceptions he did in the first half against Penn State, which single-handedly kept the Nittany Lions in the game. Michigan could’ve sealed the game in the second half with a few sustained drives, but with
70
P E N N
S T A T E
PASSING Player
C-A
Yds
TD
Int
Hackenberg
23-44
305
3
2
Totals
23-45
305
3
2
RUSHING Player
Att
Yds
Avg
Lg
Belton
27
85
3.2
13
TD 1
Zwinak
8
25
3.1
12
0
TEAM
2
-2
-1.0
0
0
Robinson
1
-6
-6.0
0
0
Hackenberg
6
-16
-27
0
0
Totals
44
116
2.6
13
1
RECEIVING Player
No.
Yds
Avg
Lg
6
97
16.2
29
James
6
67
11.2
20
Robinson
5
85
17.0
36
Belton
3
26
8.7
9
0
Carter
2
24
12.0
14
0
Felder
Anderson
1
Totals
23
7
7.0
305
13.3
TD
7
0
36
3
No. Yds Avg
Lg
4 179 44.8
66
Totals
4 179 44.8
66
KICKOFF RETURNS No. Yds Avg Lg 25
Jones
1
Olson
1 14 14.0 14
Totals
2 39 19.5 25
25.0
25
TACKLES Player
Solo Asst
Tot
Hull
4 6
10
Carson
2 8
10
Jones
5 4
9
Olaniyan
4 4
8
Wartman
1
7
8
Amos
5
2
7
Willis
4
2
6
Lucas
2
2
4
Baublitz
1 3
4
Barnes
2 1
3
Williams
2
Zettel
2 1
1
3 3
Obeng-Agyapong 1 2
3
Poquie
1 1
2
Keiser
1 1
2
Thompson
1 1
2
Johnson
1 1
2
Smith
1 0
1
Chiappialle
1
0
1
Zerbe
1 0
1
Gaia
0
1
Total
42
48
By MAX BULTMAN
The last time the Michigan and Auburn men’s swimming teams were in a pool together, it was March, and the Wolverines were celebrating an NCAA championship. This time, the two teams faced off early in the season, with back-to-back meets over the weekend in South Bend, Ind., when Notre Dame played host to the two national powers Friday at the Dennis Stark Relays, which also included Cleveland State and Valparaiso. Saturday, the Wolverines, Fighting Irish and Tigers all stuck around to compete in a highly anticipated double-dual meet. “(Saturday’s) meet was one of those meets that everyone in the country is looking at,” said Michigan coach Mike Bottom. The Wolverines squeaked out an 190-186 victory over second-place Auburn on Friday, then turned around with two emphatic wins the next day, beating Auburn, 195-103, and Notre Dame, 201-99. “We really surprised ourselves with how well everyone was swimming,” said senior Connor Jaeger. “It’s just really exciting.” One of the most dramatic moments came Friday, when junior Bruno Ortiz touched out Auburn’s Alex Press by 0.06 seconds in the 400-yard freestyle relay — the race that ultimately decided the invitational. The defending-champion Wolverines actually trailed Auburn, 100-88, at the midway point Friday, in part because of a disqualification in the 400-yard individual medley relay. There were no such mistakes Saturday, as the Wolverines cruised to two big wins while finishing first in the first six events along the way. Michigan opened the day with a pool record of 1:27.85 in the 200-yard medley relay and did not look back. The Wolverines
claimed the four fastest times in the 1,000-yard freestyle, as Jaeger crushed his own pool record by eight seconds with a blistering time of 9:02. Jaeger also won the 500-yard freestyle with senior teammate Sean Ryan coming in second. “I think how close the relay meet was yesterday motivated people to come out really strong.” said senior John Wojciechowski. Wojciechowski was a major part of the strong showing, winning both the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke to go along with relay wins in the 400-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relays. Despite swimming mostly butterfly last season, Wojciechowski has stepped up this season to fill a huge team need at backstroke since Miguel Ortiz graduated. “We needed a backstroker, at the beginning of the year, and Wojo said, ‘Hey, I can do that!’ ” Bottom said. The Wolverines dominated the 200-yard individual medley, senior Kyle Whitaker and sophomore Dylan Bosch finished first and second, respectively, before going on to win the 400-yard freestyle relay. The relay dropped nearly two seconds off their time from Friday to Saturday, which Bottom credited to his team’s constant drive to improve. “They didn’t look at it like we won,” Bottom said. “They looked at it like how to get better.” Jaeger and the Wolverines will look to continue to progress on Oct. 25 when they travel to Bloomington to compete against Indiana and perennial powerhouse Texas in another earlyseason challenge. “The whole reason you have these kind of meets is so that our team gets better,” Bottom said, “The idea that we have someone like Auburn and Notre Dame to race gives us a chance to be in a competitive situation and make changes.”
again,” Di Giuseppe said. “I think it just made us realize that the game wasn’t over. I thought they did a great job of coming back, but I thought we did a better job making sure we won that game.” Freshman forward Tyler Motte scored his first goal of the season with just under five minutes remaining to put the game out of reach before sophomore forward Andrew Copp added another to make the margin of victory seem much worse than it actually was. “We maybe thought it was going to be a little easier, but it’s never easier,” Berenson said. “It’s all out, or you’re going the other way.”
somebody to win the game,” O’Brien said. “We could sit here and trade field goals all day. I think eventually it was time for somebody to win the game, and I had the opportunity to do it. I felt like it was time to go for the win.” The Nittany Lions converted, and four plays later, they found the end zone. The players swarmed victorious running back Bill Belton in the corner of the field. Nearby, Gibbons walked past the celebration alone, helmet in hand. He inhaled and let out an animated breath. For a while, Gardner didn’t move. He looked up, hand on his chin, no expression on his face. “It hurts,” Gardner said after the game. “Lose in overtime, if you let it take a toll, it will,” Hoke said. And now Michigan stares at a crossroad. The conference is weak enough that every team left on the schedule is beatable, even Ohio State. Yet there are no easy games from here on out, beginning was a pesky Indiana team next week. For a 5-1 team, Michigan teeters close to the edge. It had hoped to come into this atmosphere and forge an identity from a messy but victorious string of early games. Instead, what emerged from the white sea of Beaver Stadium is a team as confused as ever.
For the Daily
TERRA MOLENGRAFF/Daily
Redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner leads the nation in interceptions.
Gardner’s propensity to give the ball away, Borges stopped giving him the opportunities to do so. Time after time, it was Toussaint with the ball going nowhere and Gardner standing in the backfield like a decoy. The offense stopped moving, and the game eventually went to Penn State. If Borges and Hoke would rather keep pushing a run game that was clearly going nowhere than give the ball to their best offensive player, there’s a problem there. At some point, Michigan is going to have to figure out whether Gardner is better suited running the ball 20 times a game than throwing the ball into the hands of defenses, which he has done more times than anyone else in the country. With the offensive line struggling and the running game put on hold, this is Gardner’s offense to make do with. Understandably, Hoke and Borges aren’t ready for that, and it shows. 4. In Gardner’s defense, who is he throwing to? Michigan’s second-best wide receiver is a converted tight end that dropped two passes in the end zone against Penn State. The tight end, sophomore Devin
Funchess, ended up having a productive day with four catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns, but the point stands. The best Wolverine wide receiver is fifth-year senior Jeremy Gallon, who has 31 catches on the year. Funchess has 19. Their 50 combined catches is 10 more than the rest of the team combined, which has totaled 40 catches. Those two can’t do it themselves, and neither can Gardner. Michigan’s wideouts were thought to be a problem before the season, but nothing this bad. Losing redshirt freshman wide receiver Amara Darboh before the year was obviously a big blow, but it’s time for someone not named Funchess or Gallon to start making an impact. Bold Prediction: Hoke’s home winning streak will end this season. In his third year as coach, Hoke still hasn’t lost a home game in 18 tries, but that streak is going to end soon. With the way the offense has been playing and three tough Big Ten games on the docket (Indiana, Nebraska and Ohio State), Hoke won’t end 2013 undefeated in Ann Arbor.
“I thought (Guptill) got off to a great start,” Berenson said. “He was effective tonight, and that’s just his first game.” Junior forward Zach Hyman fed both Di Giuseppe and sophomore forward Boo Nieves for the third and fourth goals, respectively, as Michigan closed the period on top. But RIT took advantage of seven penalties by the Wolverines in the second period, scoring four goals in less than ten minutes. An early whistle gave RIT the chance to strike back when forward Mike Colavecchia tore through the defense single handedly and poked the puck past sophomore goaltender Steve
Racine. Racine faced an onslaught of shots from the Tigers, laying out time after time to turn the puck
the other way. Despite struggling to corral the rebound at times, he still finished with 42 saves. “I thought (Racine) kept us in the game in the second period,” Berenson said. “Even though
they scored four goals, he made some point-blank saves on guys that were wide open, that should never have been wide open.” The defense, though, looked disorganized in its own zone during the second period and in other spurts during the game, leaving RIT forwards with too much time to set up. Tiger forward Ben Lynch took advantage when he found himself in the right place four minutes later. A deflection off the pads of Racine went into the slot where Lynch fired the puck into the upper right corner to reenergize the crowd. “Obviously, you have to get off your toes and start working
a team without an identity. The offense isn’t sure what it is. The line was blown off the ball for much of the game. Even with Gardner extending drives with the scramble, the Wolverines still finished with 2.8 yards per attempt on the ground against Penn State. Fifth-year senior running back Fitzgerald Toussaint finished Saturday with 27 yards on 27 attempts, the lowest yardage for a back with that many carries in program history, according to Andy Reid of Rivals. com. At times, the passing game has been a force. Gardner completed 15 passes against Penn State for 240 yards and three touchdowns. But constant turnovers make throwing the ball a dicey proposition. Gardner had three more of those Saturday. With about 90 seconds remaining, Michigan had the ball within field-goal range on the Penn State 27-yard line after nine straight runs chewed up the clock. Score a field goal here, or get a first down, and it would render moot any late heroics from Robinson or Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg. It was third-and-9 and Michigan faced a choice: go for the kill with a pass, or call a run and risk a 44-yard field goal. The Wolverines hesitated and sent in the wrong play. Instead of calling a timeout, Michigan took a delay of game penalty. Instead of passing, Michigan called another run and lost another three yards. The 44-yard field goal became 52. Instead of risk-
ing that, Michigan called a pooch punt, which netted 15 yards. The problem was, the defense, in its own way, is still looking to define itself. It’s close, but not yet a defensive juggernaut, like Michigan State, because the defense is incapable of generating big negative plays. The defense has bailed out the team more than once, but it is too young to be consistently dominant. Penn State drove 80 yards in 29 seconds and made it look easy. Yet Michigan still had a chance to win before overtime. Gardner threw 25 yards to Gallon. Though Gallon stepped out of bounds with eight seconds left, Gardner spiked the ball, wasting a second. Gardner completed another pass for five yards. Now seven seconds remained. But even the coaching staff suffered from an identity crisis against Penn State. Through more than two years, Michigan coach Brady Hoke has established a style of aggression. If he erred, he’d do it going for a fourth down instead of punting, going for the win instead of the tie. But when Michigan had the chance to ice the game for good, it turned to a running game that was doomed as soon as the play call came in. “We had all kinds of opportunities at every position,” Hoke said. “As coaches we had opportunities. And we all, we’re in this together, and we all have to make sure that we’re taking advantage and executing when those opportunities come.” Each time those opportunities
came, Michigan looked timid. On a team still searching for its core competency, apprehension ruled as the game hung in the balance. Against Notre Dame two years ago, with eight seconds remaining, Hoke had opted for one more chance to win the game. He called a long fade to the end zone. Roy Roundtree caught the pass with two ticks left. Now, with seven seconds remaining, Hoke called for a 52-yard field goal. Fifth-year senior kicker Brendan Gibbons’s try was true, but short. In overtime, the Wolverines had to choose again: would they risk the pass or play for the field goal with the ineffective rushing game? Offensive coordinator Al Borges called nine runs compared to five passes in the four overtime periods. Bad luck, too, plagued the team: Michigan had a 40-yard field goal blocked, and Gibbons — usually automatic — missed a 33-yard field goal to the left. Yet the Wolverines never threatened the end zone. In the third overtime, Frank Clark jumped on a Penn State fumble. Michigan just needed points, any points, to win and stay unbeaten. Yet on third-and- 1 before the missed 33-yard attempt, the offense couldn’t pick up a yard with a Toussaint rush up the middle. Penn State won the game with an authoritative decision. Faced with fourth-and-1, needing a field goal to tie, Penn State coach Bill O’Brien didn’t waver. “I felt like it was time for
“It’s all out, or you’re going the other way.”
1 0
Butterworth
Player
‘M’ passes early test
2
PUNTING Player
front of the crease to drive the puck home for an early powerplay goal. After he missed the exhibition loss to Waterloo (Ont.) and season-opening win over Boston College, Guptill brought a forceful presence around the net that frustrated a porous RIT defense. Guptill added another assist nearly two minutes later when the Tigers left another forward alone near the crease. This time, it was senior forward Derek DeBlois who knocked in the onetimer.
October 16, 2013 — 3B
MEN’S SWIMMING
LEARNED From Page 1B
PASSING
Player
SportsWednesday
1 90
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/ michigandaily
HELFAND From Page 1B turous. One quarterback sneak later and the score was tied, thrusting the game into a frenzy and the Michigan football team into a four-overtime battle to claim not only the victory, but also some semblance of an identity in this timid, discordant half of a season. After 55 minutes and 27 seconds full of failed opportunities, Michigan would have four more chances. Each time, Michigan’s decisions or execution exposed a team unsure of its personality. Each time, the Wolverines failed to convert After the 43-40 loss to Penn State on Saturday in four overtimes, Michigan has reached the halfway point of the regular season. Each game peels off a new layer from this enigmatic team, yet after each game, the Wolverines know precious little more about themselves. Is Gardner more likely to throw for 300 yards or for three turnovers? Will the offensive line move anyone off the ball? Can the defense be elite? Definitive answers continue to elude. Saturday, when the ball came down into Robinson’s hands with a minute left in regulation, the center fell apart and the game descended into a loud madness. Decisions presented themselves with remarkable speed. Here, teams rely on their strengths. What would Michigan rely on? After six games, Michigan is
-Helfand can be reached at zhelfand@umich.edu or on Twitter @zhelfand
SportsWednesday
4B —October 16, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Redemption at State College Back to basics By JUSTIN MEYER
By LIZ VUKELICH
Daily Sports Writer
Daily Sports Editor
On a rainy Sunday in State College, the No. 19 Michigan women’s soccer team erased a heartbreaking 2012 tournament loss, a 12-game winless streak at Penn State and 11 years of history when 1 MICHIGAN senior forPENN STATE 0 ward Nkem Ezurike crossed the ball to senior midfielder Tori McCombs. McCombs fended off a defender in front of the net to corral the ball and sent a shot past the keeper. The goal earned the Wolverines (4-1-1 Big Ten, 10-2-1 overall) a 1-0 win against No. 11 Penn State and their first-ever victory in Happy Valley. The game also marked the women’s soccer program’s first win over Penn State (4-2-0, 10-30) in 11 years, though Michigan settled for several draws recently, including a loss in penalties at last year’s Big Ten Tournament. “I think we all knew we were going to put one of them in,” McCombs said. “The way we were beating their outside defenders, and the way Nkem and (freshman) Madi Lewis and (sophomore) Corrine Harris were going to the goal, we just knew.” Michigan coach Greg Ryan said the way to beat Penn State has always been to counterattack because of its offensive skill and aggressiveness. The Nittany Lions have won the Big Ten championship for 15 consecutive years with this brand of reckless offense, often sending eight players forward. “Penn State was already frustrated with us, because last year they tied us twice,” Ryan said. “They had made statements in the press like, ‘We need to come out and make a statement against Michigan.’ They wanted to put five or six goals up on us. It opens up opportunities for you to score, but you’ve got to withstand the pressure of so many people com-
It’s pretty evident that the Michigan football team has relied more on the ground game since redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner has shown his turnover problem with NOTEBOOK his arm. So, that means it’s time to give the majority of carries to … Gardner? Against Penn State last weekend, Gardner took on the role as lead rusher. Fifth-year senior running back Fitzgerald Toussaint ran for a measly 27 yards on 27 carries, as opposed to Gardner’s 121 yards. “I don’t like it, but you do what you have to do to win the game,” said offensive coordinator Al Borges. “End of discussion. If nobody’s getting any yards, then you’ve got a problem.” Michigan coach Brady Hoke denied that Gardner running the ball had anything to do with the fear of interceptions — rather, he wanted to force Penn State to use up all of its timeouts. Hoke made sure to reiterate the point Gardner is not kept on a short leash because of his arm. But after Gardner had 24 carries against the Nittany Lions, there are discussions about how realistically sustainable that is, especially given the concerns that running could put him in a position where he could get injured. “I don’t think it’s wise to have Devin take more hits,” Hoke said. “Who’s going to play quarterback it he takes all those hits?” When freshman Shane Morris’s name was offered as a possible replacement for Gardner should he become injured, Hoke immediately brushed it off and became defensive. “You have to be conscious enough about the team,” he said. “And (Gardner’s) had 10 starts, right? 10 starts. He has improved
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Senior midfielder Tori McCombs had Michigan’s winning goal against Penn State, its first ever win in Happy Valley.
ing at you.” Sunday, though, Penn State’s offense wasn’t enough as the Wolverines’ back line, and freshman goaltender Taylor Bucklin, held the Nittany Lions scoreless, withstanding 21 shots and seven corners. Michigan’s counterattack, on the other hand, began producing chances early; the Wolverines nearly connected on a ball from Madisson Lewis to Ezurike in the 26th minute. The game continued to open up in the second half, with Ezurike missing just wide from point-blank range in the 51st minute. “My No. 1 message was hang tight early on,” Ryan said. “We
were getting layups in the first half.” McCombs said the goal, her first of the season, was the culmination of the effort this Michigan team has put in against Penn State since she was a freshman. After they took the lead, however, the Wolverines needed a herculean effort to keep the Nittany Lions off the scoreboard. “Taylor has just been so steady and so mature for a freshman goalkeeper,” Ryan said. “The defense played great in front of her. They were limiting Penn State to shots under a lot of pressure.”
“It was a whole team effort behind the ball.”
Added McCombs: “I think at one point even Nkem was playing defense for us. It was a whole team effort behind the ball.” Bucklin, who made seven saves in Sunday’s contest, now owns five career shutouts in her first season for Michigan and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and Freshman Player of the Week after the game. The preparation for Bucklin starts hours before game time when she says she visualizes herself making the big saves to get herself in the right state of mind for warm-ups. The Wolverines’ coaching staff is thrilled with the technique because their freshman goalkeeper has become one of the best in the Big Ten with a .53 goals- against average. Ryan said that every game in the Big Ten will be a challenge, but that his team can beat anyone.
every week.” STRIBLING SPECULATIONS: In a game like the one against Penn State, it’s easy to wonder if the Wolverines might still be undefeated entering the midway point of their season had things been done differently. But had freshman defensive back Channing Stribling jumped about half an inch higher, it’s extremely likely the game wouldn’t have been thrust into four overtimes. Stribling was a fingertip away from breaking up a 36-yard pass from Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg to wide receiver Allen Robinson during the Nittany Lions’ drive to tie the game with 27 seconds remaining. Stribling is a name that has repeatedly come up when discussing Michigan’s secondary. In spite of the miscue Saturday, defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said he’s usually impressed with Stribling in practice — Stribling is usually the one breaking up passes and making big plays during practice. Hoke agreed. “He’s come on,” Hoke said. “If there’s anybody I would want back there, I’ll be real honest, in the secondary to make the interception, it would be Strib. We wanted to get him in the game because of exactly what we asked him to do.” RYAN REPORT OVER: Saturday officially ended any guesses about when redshirt junior Jake Ryan would make his season debut after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last spring. Ryan dressed, took to the field and made his presence felt almost immediately after he stuffed a Penn State 4th-and-1 near the beginning of the first quarter. “I don’t think there were any ill effects,” Hoke said. “I think he ended up playing 31 or 32 plays. It was great to have him out there. I think he brings something to our team.”
THE MICHIGAN DAILY TOP-10 POLL Each week, Daily sports staffers fill out ballots, with first place votes receiving 10 points, second-place votes receiving nine, and so on.
1. ALABAMA (15): On a basketball court, Kentucky might have actually had a chance to win.
2. OREGON (2): Its cheerleaders wore custom contact lenses on Saturday. This is getting a bit ridiculous.
3. CLEMSON : Boyd, did Tajh have a subpar day.
6. LOUISVILLE: STILL undefeated. Still, no one cares.
7. FLORIDA STATE: The Seminoles remain jealous of all the attention the Redskins continue to get.
8. LSU: Les Miles is legitimately a crazy person.
4. OHIO STATE: During the bye, the Buckeyes avoided being associated with the Big Ten for a day.
9. MIAMI (FL): A booster may or may not have paid us to include the Hurricanes in this.
STAFF PICKS The Daily football writers do their best to predict, against the spread, what happens in the 2013 football season.
Zach Helfand
Matt Slovin
Everett Cook
5. TEXAS A&M: Johnny Manziel seemed to hurt his knee on Saturday. People talked about it.
10. SOUTH CAROLINA: Clowney’s return to ‘D’ forced Arkansas to pull out early in this one-sided affair.
Luke Dwyer, Michigan hockey goaltender
Liz Vukelich
No. 1 Alabama (-27.5) at Kentucky
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
No. 2 Oregon (-14) at Washington
Oregon
Oregon
Washington
Oregon
Oregon
No. 3 Clemson (-24.5) vs. Boston College
Boston College
Clemson
Boston College
Clemson
Clemson
No. 5 Stanford (-9) at Utah
Stanford
Stanford
Stanford
Stanford
Stanford
No. 7 Georgia (-8) vs. No. 25 Missouri
Georgia
Georgia
Missouri
Georgia
Missouri
No. 8 Louisville (-19) vs. Rutgers
Louisville
Louisville
Louisville
Louisville
Rutgers
No. 9 Texas A&M (-6.5) at Mississippi
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Mississippi
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
No. 10 LSU (-7) vs. No. 17 Florida
LSU
LSU
LSU
LSU
LSU
No. 11 UCLA (-25) vs. Cal
Cal
UCLA
UCLA
UCLA
UCLA
No. 12 Oklahoma (-14) at Texas
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Texas
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
No. 14 South Carolina (-6) at Arkansas
South Carolina
Arkansas
South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina
No. 15 Baylor (-17) at Kansas State
Baylor
Baylor
Baylor
Baylor
Baylor
No. 16 Washington State (-1) vs Oregon State
Oregon State
Oregon State
Washington State
Oregon State
Oregon State
No. 18 Michigan (-3) at Penn State
Michigan
Penn State
Michigan
Penn State
Michigan
No. 19 Northwestern (+10) at Wisconsin
Northwestern
Northwestern
Northwestern
Northwestern
Northwestern
No. 20 Texas Tech (-15) vs. Iowa State
Texas Tech
Texas Tech
Texas Tech
Texas Tech
Iowa State
No. 23 Northern Illinois (-23.5) vs. Akron
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois
No. 24 Virginia Tech (-9) vs. Pitt
Virginia Tech
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Virginia Tech
Michigan State (-10) vs. Indiana
Michigan State
Indiana
Indiana
Michigan State
Indiana
Purdue (+14) vs. Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska
This Week
9-11
7-13
9-11
9-11
11-9
Overall
90-70
81-79
101-59
87-73
statement OCTOBER 16 , 2013
when research gets risky
2C Wednesday, October 16, 2013 // The Statement
online comments
issue 10/9/13
science of it all: dancing with molly
Personal Statement: Papa By Alicia Adamczyk “How powerful. God bless you.”
– USER: ‘82Grad
Visual Statement: Black Homecoming By Teresa Mathew “This article was so short concise and beautiful! I’m glad you went, and of course even happier that you enjoyed it. Great point on the ludicrous criticism for why you shouldn’t have attended.” – USER: Naim Edwards “So a black homecoming is ok. But not a white one. How about no. White discrimination exists. You want to cut out white people from social programs. then don’t be offended when we do the same.” – USER: Teme “While it is true that white discrimination exists, I think we as white people need to realize that what we face occasionally is nothing compared to what minorities face everyday. All they did was create a space where they were able to celebrate who they were, something that isn’t always possible. Especially here in on this campus. If you wanted to be a part of it, you should have gone.” – USER: Erica Nagy Personal Statement: 3 a.m., welcome week. By Jon Horford “This is an incredible statement. A commentary such as this requires a lot of thought and reflection, but to be able to tailor those feelings into such a lucid and descriptive narrative is truly something special. Thanks for sharing, Jon. I’ll have to try to make a point to talk to you more in class.”
THE
– USER: Elliot Huckleberry Wills Begle
statement
Magazine Editor: Haley Goldberg Deputy Editor: Paige Pearcy Design Editor: Alicia Kovalcheck
Photo Editor: Teresa Mathew Illustrator: Megan Mulholland Editor in Chief: Andrew Weiner
Managing Editor: Matthew Slovin Copy Editor:
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past month, you’ve heard Miley Cyrus’ hit song “We Can’t Stop,” and — by the transitive property — if you’ve heard said song, then you’ve also heard the infamous line: “… dancing with molly.” Cyrus isn’t singing about dancing with the American Girl doll or actress Molly Ringwald of “Sixteen Candles” and Brat Pack fame. No, she is, of course, singing about the illegal amphetamine drug known on the streets as Molly, or in its purer forms, as MDMA or Ecstasy. Over the past two months, Molly was cited for causing multiple deaths, bringing the party drug into the mainstream news. Olivia Rotondo, a 20-year-old University of New Hampshire student, died at the Electric Zoo music festival in New York after uttering, “I just took six hits of Molly,” according to The Daily Mail, causing the festival to cancel its final day. The major chemical used to make MDMA comes from sassafras trees, the same plant that gives us the harmless American classic — root beer. However, Molly cannot be given the same “harmless” moniker. Molly is a happy drug, a drug that causes the user feelings of euphoria. It does this through altering brain chemistry and
increasing the amount of serotonin present to interact with serotonin receptors. Neurotransmitters are released from neurons and cause cascading effects throughout the body, resulting in symptoms like muscle contraction or hormone releases. When a neurotransmitter, like serotonin, is released from a neuron, it exists in the space between the releasing neuron and the receiving neuron as it searches for the receptors that will allow it to cause a specific effect. After interacting with the receptors, it is removed to avoid an overwhelming and exaggerated response. Transporters work to collect the neurotransmitter and move it back into the releasing neuron, eliminating it from the space where it could cause a cascade. MDMA, Molly, Ecstasy — whatever you want to call it — binds to the transporters so serotonin interacts with receptors for a relatively long time, causing an unnatural response. Because serotonin influences some emotional pathways — such as those controlling empathy and happiness — users experience a heightened sense of euphoria, among other effects. But Molly
by paige pearcy
can change the brain chemistry to a point that can make it impossible to return to a normal level of happiness through sensitization of the receptors — when the receptors no longer cause their expected response due to repeated and longterm exposure to serotonin — making the drug highly addictive. This can cause more issues, since unnatural amounts of a brain chemical isn’t going to be harmless. Serotonion syndrome can result from having too much serotonin activity, and taking too much Molly, as reported in the news lately, can be fatal. Because the neurotransmitter is involved in many different physiological pathways, when it causes problems in those pathways the body can lose control. Unfortunately the symptoms — such as kidney failure, high blood pressure and seizures — can have a quick onset, making it difficult if the situation is life threatening to have adequate medical treatment. The practice of cutting drugs with other drugs also makes Molly risky. MDMA is frequently cut with another stimulant, methylone, and sold also as Molly. Mixing drugs compounds the likelihood of detrimental effects. Though Miley makes Molly sound harmless, perhaps Miley will be dancing with a hospital stay instead of those apathetic looking teddy bears next time she parties with Molly.
Tom McBrien Josephine Adams
THE
Jennie Coleman
No. 497:
Parents weekend = Eat at restaurants you usually can’t afford weekend.
No. 498:
Instagram another picture of fall leaves — we dare you.
rules
No. 499:
If the walls of Rick’s could talk, they’d tell you where you lost your phone ... and your dignity.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 // The Statement 3C
statement on the street: How do you recharge during midterms?
“
on the record
“Lose in overtime, if you let it take a toll, it will.”
– BRADY HOKE, Michigan football coach, about Saturday’s 43-40 overtime loss to Penn State.
PHOTOS BY TERESA MATHEW
“I go on YouTube and I’ll watch videos ... Jenna Marbles, and whatever is popular at the moment. Or I’ll go on Instagram.”
“I’m in an a capella group, and singing those songs really help me. ‘I Love It,’ that is pretty perfect for midterms for me.”
“I play the piano, so I like to go in the Union or any where I can find a piano just to calm me down.”
Jackie Wold, LSA freshman
Shan He, Engineering junior
Jehan Jawad, LSA junior
“Even if I were equipped with Mother Teresa’s bravery and Virginia Woolf’s eloquence, I’d still be hesitant to assert my feminist ideals in response to a friend’s demeaning language.”
– JAKE OFFENHARTZ, Daily opinion columnist, on being a male and a self-identifying feminist.
“Michigan has this huge appeal of diversity — or that’s the way that they market themselves. But when you get here it’s completely different.”
”
– CHLOE BROWN, LSA senior and co-founder of We Are Michigan, a student organization focused minority enrollment.
trending #pleaseturnon #TigersvSoxs #FeyPoehlerGlobes
AP PHOTO/ Evan Vucci
The government pushes their debt ceilling drama closer to a Thursday deadline when the Treasury hits a borrowing limit. What’s at stake? Only economic catastrophe and the first-ever default.
AP PHOTO/Ann Heisenfelt
The two-year-old son of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson died this weekend from severe injuries, according to ESPN. Peterson and the toddler’s mother were separated, and the mother’s boyfriend allegedly abused the toddler, causing the injuries.
#haim #AdrianPeterson #18footer #Kardashiansplit #Malala
AP PHOTO/Catalina Island MARINE INSTITUTE
An 18-foot-long oarfish was found by a marine science instructor off the coast of Southern California this weekend. According to CBS News, oarfish live at depths of more than 3,000 feet, making them difficult to study. The fish was already dead when discovered.
Though she didn’t receive the Nobel Peace Prize, 16-year-old Malala Yousafzai’s story definitely inspires. Malala, who is from Pakistan, was shot in the head by the Taliban last October when she defied orders that girls could not attend school. She lived, and continues speaking out in support of global education.
AP PHOTO/Frank Franklin II
4C
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 // The Statement
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 // The Statement
5C
THE BALANCE OF RESEARCH AND RISK By Adam Glanzman
W
hen LSA senior Leah List traveled to Egypt this past summer, she expected to spend two months studying women’s rights, not to witness the largest protest in human history less than two miles from where she was staying. In June 2013, tens of thousands of protestors descended upon Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt to both protest and support the new government — the nation’s first democratically elected. Just a month into her program, List and other University students in the country had an option unavailable to most people confronted with the violence that came with the demonstrations — they could leave. “The night that Morsi was overthrown, they said, ‘Alright that’s it. We’re getting you out of here. You are going to be leaving in the next 48 hours,’ ” List said. “It was a sleepless couple of nights.” From archaeological digs in Syria to social work in Haiti, researchers from the University of Michigan are working on all continents, even in conflict zones, as a part of academic pursuits. The risk of encountering regional turmoil while conducting research abroad has not discouraged Michigan students from traveling for research. Archaeology Prof. Sharon Herbert, the director of the University’s Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, has been working in Israel since the 1970s and Egypt since the 1980s, and has experienced a fair share of conflicts. Herbert and her team of University of Michigan and University of Minnesota student-researchers work on an archaeological site called Tel Kedesh, located less than two miles away from the Israeli-Palestinian border. Their team was forced to evacuate Israel in July of 2006, following the commencement of what is now known as the 2006 Lebanon-Hezbollah War. Rockets launched from Palestine into Israel became commonplace for the researchers at the time. It wasn’t until 4 a.m. or, “normal wake up time,” on July 14, 2006, when Herbert realized that a full-on war had been declared between Israel and the Palestine. She and her co-director had to make quick decisions regarding their tenure in Israel. “I went into the Wi-Fi spot and started surfing the web to see what was really going on, and that’s when I saw it was a war,” Herbert said. “It wasn’t just ‘ha boom boom,’ they were calling it a war … They were showing the hits in the Galilee and they were kind of circling us.” Assistant Researcher Sarah Rabe who had just earned her undergraduate degree at the University was working on the architecture of the Tel Kedesh site. She had worked with Herbert since freshmen year, but this was their first experience in the field together.
“Our first thought was that it wasn’t going to last very long and that it was going to be resolved in a couple of days,” Rabe said of the war. Coincidentally, Herbert and her team were nearing the end of the field season and had just begun their final photographs. Nonetheless, they decided to immediately stop further work and began to store all loose materials and supplies with plans to leave the country within two days. The team worked day and night over the weekend in order to leave on Monday morning. “If I hadn’t gone to these digs in Israel every time people thought it was dangerous, I probably never would have gone,” Herbert said. “I’m a pretty good assessor of risk, but there was some luck involved.” Evacuation When students are studying or conducting research abroad and a crisis arises, the University will take measures to ensure that the safety of students is not compromised. List was living in the region of Cairo known as Zamalek, less than two miles away from Tahrir square, where the protests took place this June. Though List was close to the protests that eventually turned violent, she doesn’t recall feeling unsafe. “No one was really thinking about us or worrying about us, they were upset with the government, so if there were any building they were attacking, it would be government buildings,” List said. According to List, Michigan was one of the last universities to evacuate their students from the area. She believed it showed that the University made all efforts possible in order for the students to safely remain in the country. Prof. Geoff Emberling, an assistant research scientist in the Kelsey museum, said the University does a superb job weighing the importance of research in potentially violent regions. “They have been appropriately cautious in having students and faculty do research in areas of active conflict,” Emberling said. “They have struck a great balance in terms of letting research go on in areas that might seem from the outside to be untouchable.” John Godfrey, assistant dean of International Education at Rackham Graduate School, described the University’s responsibility to protect its students while simultaneously allowing research to go on as a “balancing act.” When there is clear and present danger, the University has “to act seriously and quickly,” Godfrey said. “On the other hand, our students of all levels, not just undergraduates, frequently need to go to places that entail a certain element of risk in order to do their research or their professional training.”
Other students and researchers affiliated with the University agree with Emberling and Godfrey. Athena Kolbe is a graduate student studying in Haiti — the island nation that suffered from a deadly earthquake in 2010 and has faced a chlorea epidemic that has killed more than 8,300 people to date, according to The New York Times. Kolbe said one of the main reasons she chose to study at the University was their support of her research. “I’ve seen how different universities deal with the idea of students working overseas, and I think we’re lucky that we work at a school where they’re realistic about what overseas research is like and willing to work with each student,” Kolbe said. Godfrey has been instrumental in creating the standards and policies that govern University students who study abroad. These regulations are organized into the international travel registry program, which began in 2002. The University was one of the first academic institutions to have such a program, and other schools have asked for advice toward the development of their own international registries. “These (evacuation) decisions are always broadly consultative,” Godfrey said. “There’s a gathering of a significant amount of information — from news sources, from the State Department, from people who may be on the ground.” While many steps are taken before students leave, he emphasized
that decisions must be made quickly especially if student lives could be at risk. “Number one, we look for evidence of immediate risk to individuals … civil violence, unrest or infectious diseases,” Godfrey said. “The second thing we look for is how difficult it might become to remove somebody if the situation deteriorates very quickly, if transportation gets shut down.” Going abroad elsewhere Other institutions have recently come under question for their inaction following the recent terrorist attacks in Nairobi, Kenya. Colin Smith, a junior at Kalamazoo College on the west side of the state, was studying abroad in Nairobi on September 21 when the upscale Westgate Mall was attacked by militants affiliated with al-Shabbab, resulting in the death of 72 people. If it weren’t for a late change of plans, Smith and his host family would have been eating brunch at the very mall where the attacks occurred. When Smith was informed that there was bloodshed in Nairobi, he immediately contacted his family and friends in the United States to tell them he was safe. Kalamazoo administrators, however,
waited three days before contacting the families of the students who were in Nairobi. “One of the students called the (Center for International Programs at Kalamazoo College) 24 hours after the incident, and initially didn’t get a response, she called again and eventually got an answer,” Smith said. “The CIP officer didn’t even know there was a terrorist attack. This is 24 hours after the event.” Smith was aware that administrators at Kalamazoo could do very little to tangibly change the situation. But he at least expected the school to recognize a crisis had occurred and inform students about the emergency protocol. Following the incident, Kalamazoo College released a statement that said “Our last intention was to have them feel like they were abandoned or not cared for by the CIP or the College.”
War. A student on her team developed acute appendicitis and was forced to undergo immediate emergency surgery in a local hospital. “The doctors are very good, but the facilities are terrible. There was somebody else’s blood on the sheets,” Herbert said. “Before we got in the ambulance I said, ‘I need your mother’s phone number,’ and he looked at me and he knew that I would only use his mother’s number if he died.” Herbert, who said she is not “a believer,” recalls sitting on the roof of their apartment the previous night and thinking, “God please let him live and I’ll never dig again.” “I was so scared he was going to die,” she said. The surgery was a success.
Difficulties of studying in areas of conflict
A common sentiment among researchers and students interviewed for this story is that the media often sensationalizes what is going on in areas of the world where there is war or conflict. “One of the things that really frustrates me when people read the news here is, first of all, it tends to be somewhat overzealous, it has to be dramatic, they want to sell headlines,” said List, who studied in Egypt. “I think people tend to forget that most of the country is just normal people trying to get by, trying to live their normal lives.” While at times it can certainly be dangerous to conduct research in regions of the world where there is active conflict, Emberling added it’s important to remember that turmoil in a country often does not mean that the safety of an entire nation is compromised. “Often there is a huge gap between the international media coverage and the perceptions of danger, and the on-the-ground experience of what is actually occurring,” Emberling said. When students and researchers decide to work in certain regions of the world, they often know from the start that there is the potential for things to go awry. In some cases this means that students may have to be evacuated, as was the case in Egypt this past year. Other circumstances require researchers to learn to work around ongoing conflict, while still furthering their studies. “Conflict touches the lives of everyone I know in the eastern DRC,” Shaw said. “All of my friends here have lost people close to them because of the war.” Herbert said students and researchers have the responsibility to continue to conduct research and advance global knowledge. “You know, you could get killed anywhere,” Herbert said. “I say if you don’t take risks you don’t get anywhere, and I know this is so trite, but you’re giving into the bullies, and I don’t want to do that.”
When conducting research abroad, students often run into problems that are non-issues in the United States. Charlotte Maxwell-Jones is a University graduate student studying pre-Islamic ceramics in northern Afghanistan. “Doing research here is different because there aren’t resources at every corner like there are at U of M,” Maxwell-Jones said. “Practicalities are sometimes difficult.” Access to Internet or cell service can be rare and often unreliable, as was exhibited during a Skype interview with Graduate student Jonathon Shaw, who is studying in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Losing the connection for the fifth time, Shaw said, “This is a Congolese reality you’re experiencing.” Gathering the necessary resources to complete one’s research can also be a difficult task when working in certain regions of the world. Shaw, who is studying the recent history of the DRC, runs into these problems on a regular basis. The country is going through a war that stems from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, according to The New York Times. “Most of the documents in the region that I’m in have been destroyed in conflict so you end up trying to piece together an archive,” Shaw said. “There aren’t really centers of data right now because of the conflict.” However, the lack of reliable services and commodities can on some occassions have far more serious implications when the health of a student is involved. Herbert recalls her closest brush with disaster in Egypt during the First Gulf
An artifact in the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. Adam Glanzman/DAILY.
The media’s portrayal of conflict zones
6C
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 // The Statement
Invisible Women by Alicia Adamczyk
W
hile visiting a women’s prison in 1989 to produce a video for the inmates and their children, Art & Design Prof. Carol Jacobsen was struck by what she saw — or rather, what she didn’t see. The women in the prison — many serving life sentences — weren’t violent, career criminals or drug-addicts as popular culture would have Jacobsen believe. Rather, they were often victims themselves, mistreated by the society that had sent them away. Following that visit in 1989, Jacobsen created the Michigan Women’s Justice & Clemency Project, an organization that works to free women in prison convicted of murder but who acted in self-defense against an abuser. In 2000, according to statistics from the United States Justice Department, 25 percent of women said they were raped and/or physically assaulted by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner or date at some point in their lifetime. That’s one in four — which equates to roughly 3,222 female undergraduates out of the 12,889 enrolled at the University during Fall 2012. Broken bones and bruised skin are, unfortunately, not the end of the story. Women are disproportionately affected by domestic abuse, accounting for 85 percent of the victims of intimate partner violence. The average prison sentence for men who kill their intimate partners is two to six years; for the women who kill their partners, the average sentence is 15 years. Approximately 90 percent of women in prisons in the United States have been victims of domestic or intimate partner violence. For the Michigan Women’s Justice & Clemency Project, and Jacobsen, these are statistics in need of change. “I discovered who the so-called ‘murderers’ are in our U.S. women’s prisons,” Jacobsen said of her first visit to the prison. “Most (women) acted for their own survival, and I was shocked and hooked for good.” Jacobsen began working with Lynn D’Orio, an Ann Arbor-based criminal and family attorney, in 1994 and the two began visiting women in prison and writing clemency petitions to free some of them. So far, they, and a slew of rotating volunteers and interns, have helped secure the freedom of nine women who would otherwise have served life sentences. In the first week of October this year, they sent 10 petitions to Gov. Rick Snyder to help women in similar situations. --Writing a petition to the government can take months. Jacobsen and her team meet
with women whose cases have a chance to be petitioned, or those that offer clear evidence of domestic abuse and that the abuse played a factor in the crime. They then collect medical and court records, previous petitions and even letters from family members, attesting to the character of the women. Victoria Adams, a graduate student in the School of Public Health, interned for the project over the summer to gain experience in legal advocacy for victims of sexual assault. She helped Jacobsen research and interview the 10 women whose petitions were sent to Lansing. Beyond the resiliency of the women she met, Adams said the most surprising aspects of working with the project were the incon-
and Awareness Center, said while there’s no definitive answer to the question, a lack of resources and support is almost certainly at the heart of the issue. “For women who have killed their partners, because they’re in imminent threat of their lives, that is so many times the resort that they came to because there were no other options, because the system failed them,” Rider-Milkovich said. Fortunately, the system has improved. Over the last 40 years, Michigan state law has attempted to address domestic abuse in supportive and responsive ways. This includes the creation of shelters as well as the passing of various laws — including legalizing the use of deadly force to protect oneself from an
“It’s sexism. Plain and simple. Women aren’t supposed to be violent, but there are violent women.” — Attorney Lynn D’Orio
Michigan Women’s Justice and Clemancy Project
sistencies and unfairness she encountered in the legal system. The discrepancies in conviction rates served as a wake-up call. “I think a lot of times (the judges) see themselves in the men who are involved in the crime, or just the men in general,” she said. “I think knowing (the victim) might be what leads them to much higher conviction in women, and much more leniency in men.” D’Orio, who acts as the legal director for the project, explained the discrepancy more bluntly. “It’s sexism. Plain and simple,” D’Orio said. “Women aren’t supposed to be violent, but there are violent women.” But what would drive a woman to kill her partner? Holly Rider-Milkovich, the director of the University’s Sexual Assault Prevention
attempted sexual assault and banning marital rape — and better education for police officers, judges and legislators on how to handle a domestic-abuse situation. Rider-Milkovich said the number of women imprisoned for killing their abusers has decreased dramatically during the same period, with women escaping an abusive relationship in non-violent ways. But according to the project, there is much more to be done. Jacobsen and D’Orio believe the state should provide more resources to domestic abuse victims, as well as women in prison. They also recommend Michigan institute a Habeas law like one on the books in California which would allow abused women to apply for special clemency. D’Orio specifically advocates for a change
in the state Sentencing Guidelines that would allow previous domestic abuse to be taken into consideration to help mitigate the punishment. “They look for all the bad marks and don’t look for anything that might explain it,” D’Orio said of the current guidelines. “Self-defense law needs to be changed or additional instructions should be given to juries.” Rider-Milkovich recommends a preferred-arrest policy in place of the current mandatory arrest policy. Under the current policy, the abuser or the victim of abuse can be arrested, and often police will arrest both parties if it is not absolutely clear who is at fault. A preferred-arrest policy would fix this problem, according to professionals like Rider-Milkovich, because police would have more discretion on who to arrest, if anyone. As Rider-Milkovich explained, the abuser in the vast majority of domestic abuse situations is the male partner. She also recommends the implementation of more women’s shelters and courses in prison. While she agrees that the state law has made significant strides in recent years, Rider-Milkovich said there are still many women in prison for crimes committed before the legal system caught up. “We can feel really good about the progress we’ve made as a society and it’s easy to forget those women who were left behind in the system ... because they’re in prison and they’re away from our minds and away from our sight,” Rider-Milkovich said. “It ends up impacting women who are invisible to us as a society.” For now, the futures of the 10 women Jacobsen submitted petitions for are all but certain. “We are grateful that Governor (Jennifer) Granholm granted as many clemencies as she did, and angry that they were so few, so politically safe and so racially unfair,” Jacobsen said. “We hope that Governor Snyder will support clemency for more women who did not receive fair trials based on the facts of their cases.” Granholm could not be reached for comment. D’Orio is hopeful that the Snyder administration will offer more support for the project than previous administrations, though she admits she has no idea how the scene will play out. “We’re showing the governor a personalized story and saying ‘This person’s life should be spared,’ ” she said. “That’s a lot of work.”
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 // The Statement
7C
Dear Unnamed Woman with Child by Phoebe Young
ILLUSTRATION BY ALICIA KOVALCHECK
Dear Unnamed Woman with Child, (I am still painting you!) When I was younger I found it difficult to understand that my artwork could not be seamlessly translated from my mind onto the piece of paper or canvas that was before me. I had trouble accepting that something always got lost in translation. Poetry and writing were no less risky; even if I did manage to put my thoughts on to the page in the right way, the meaning of my work would inevitably vary from reader to reader. I cannot forget the frustration I felt one day in eighth grade when, after reading a poem out loud to my English class, a classmate raised his hand and said, “Yeah … what was that about?” Nowadays, I find myself with an even greater challenge: explaining a piece of art that I myself have not fully given meaning to. It is a simple acrylic painting no bigger than two and a half feet in length and two feet in width. It sits high up on our mantel in the dining room, half-finished as it has been for two years now. It began on a long weekend when I was 15. I had been sorting through a vast collection of National Geographic magazines in
our bookshelves when I came across an article called “A Life Revealed.” There she was. A woman named Sharbat Gula who had been photographed in 1985 in a Pakistan refugee camp. The cover photo that captured her haunting green eyes is iconic. But the issue I picked up was more recent: it was from 2002, the photographer had gone back and photographed her 17 years later. The photos I saw of her were startling, she looked as though she had seen things well beyond her years. She was still as sinister and striking as she had been in her first photo but she had lost her innocence. I had to paint her. The painting that now sits in my dining room has elicited many responses from guests. Many don’t understand it. Others are startled by its religiosity. When they look to me for an explanation, I can only throw up my hands and tell them to make what they will of it. It is the face of Sharbat Gula, only she has a golden crown and she is holding a child dressed in white. They have halos surrounding them. When I describe it now it sounds undoubtedly religious, though I had never intended for it to be such a strong statement. I had only meant to paint her face. The addition of the religious element
was an afterthought. It was simply meant to be a sort of what if? I saw her eyes on that cover, and I felt as though I was seeing something divine, something that ought to be honored. She was so entrancing, yet so startling. That was all. It was not meant to be any more or any less. But after having to explain my intentions to dozens of bewildered guests, I realized that I was entirely aware of what I was making. I had made the painting with the intention of questioning. This was a divine woman, she had children when they went back to visit her — she was angelic but not benevolent. She was what I imagined Mary to be like — tough, wary, worn and hypnotizing. Christian or not, she was divine. We can never be sure that each viewer will arrive at the same conclusion as we do when we create artwork. It is an act of courage and faith, it is like sending someone on a path to a destination without a map and hoping they notice the same things along the way, hoping they feel the same way upon arriving at that destination — without any certainty that they will make it there at all. But perhaps this risk of losing meaning in
translation of our art is not altogether a bad thing. Perhaps we should encourage ourselves to risk losing some of our artistic meaning in the act of translation. Because when we subject our art to different interpretations, we walk away with a richer understanding of our own meaning. We are forced to ask ourselves what we really mean. In doing so, we gain perspective in a way that could never be achieved on our own. Translating meaning into art is a difficult and frustrating task. We must be willing to part with some parts of our vision. We must know that not all of it will be properly translated. But, we must also know that not all of our meaning can be entirely envisioned in the beginning. Art is a living, breathing, evolving thing that we must be willing to open up to the world. We must be willing to wait for it to come back to us, knowing that once it does, the translation of it will be all the more beautiful and comprehensive. Sincerely, Phoebe Young Phoebe Young is an LSA freshman.
8C
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 // The Statement
I N S TA G R A M S H O O T- O U T
Two Daily photographers document their travels to Pennsylvania State University and Washington, D.C.
Terra Molengraff
Ruby Wallau