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ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Wednesday, November 20, 2013
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RACE ON CAMPUS
#BBUM goes viral on Twitter Black Student Union campaign shows what it’s like to be Black on campus
VIRGINIA LOZANO/Daily
Elizabeth James, program manager for Department of Afroamerican and African Studies, speaks with students at a forum on race sponsored by DAAS, We Are Michigan, Black Student Union and Students of Color of Rackham, at the Michigan League Tuesday.
Forum confronts race relations Following #BBUM, students address how campus climate can be improved By RACHEL PREMACK Daily Staff Reporter
Following the viral #BBUM Twitter campaign initiated by the Black Student Union to bring awareness to issues faced by people of color on campus, BSU and multiple other University groups held a forum Tuesday night to focus on tangible solutions. More than 150 people attended the event, which ended with two proposals: Rackham student Garrett Felber’s plan for an affirmative action teach-in next year and Rackham student Maite Rodri-
guez-Caballero’s request that the next University president focus on establishing a betterfunded, more convenientlylocated Trotter Multicultural Center. The current location is east of the intersection of South University and Washtenaw Avenues. The Black Student Union, Rackham Graduate School’s SCORE, the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies and We Are Michigan were all sponsors of the event. LSA senior Tyrell Collier, BSU’s president, said three more initiatives following the nationally-trending Twitter campaign will be announced as early as the end of this semester. Before planning specific actions to further the community’s goals, attendees spoke about their own campus experiences. This followed Tues-
day’s Freeze Out protest and the #BBUM trending campaign. Students discussed their frustration with the lack of change that has occurred on campus despite administration emphasis on diversity. Some discussed how they were tired of the treatment they receive at the University, others regarding how the Black community needs to be more unified. LSA junior Rolly Abiola, the Trotter student manager, said she was exhausted by the University’s lack of action to ameliorate its attitude towards minorities, despite promoting itself as liberal and diverse. “I am sick and tired of the way this university continues to silence us,” Abiola said. “I keep getting up and I keep talking because I am afraid of what will happen if I stop.”
LSA senior Ozi Uduma cried when she admitted that she often didn’t wish to be at the University, but her voice gathered strength as she discussed the warm relationships she holds with her fellow female students of color. “I hope that we learn to love each other better, love each other f iercely, love each other strongly,” Uduma said. “This movement cannot work unless we love each other.” Leon Howard, a residence hall director and president of the Association of Black Professionals, Administrators, Faculty and Staff — said minority staff and students have parallel experiences. “Instead of being the only Black person in the room, you might be the only Black person on a committee,” Howard said. See FORUM, Page 5A
By ALICIA ADAMCZYK and SAM GRINGLAS Daily News Editor and Daily Staff Reporter
University students took to Twitter in droves Tuesday afternoon to share their experiences as Black students in Ann Arbor and bring attention to issues of race and diversity on campus using the hashtag #BBUM. The campaign, initiated by the University’s Black Student Union, has built up over the past few days before trending nationally on Twitter Tuesday. The hashtag gained momentum after the student organization distributed an e-mail to community members and other campus groups encouraging them to participate in the online conversation. LSA senior Tyrell Collier, BSU’s president, said the #BBUM campaign was planned to raise awareness of the experiences of Black students and for the BSU to collect subjective data it can couple with University statistics to address pressing issues Black students face. Collier said BSU encouraged students to tweet both nega-
CAMPUS LIFE
RESEARCH
Profs engage in spirited debate on Jewish foods Campus Hillel asks faculty what’s better: Latkes or Hamantashen? By ALLANA AKHTAR Daily Staff Reporter
Tuesday, members of the University community came together at the University of Michigan Hillel to contest one of the most controversial questions in the history of Judaism: Which food is better, the latke or hamantash? Latkes and hamantashen are both essential foods in Jewish culture. Latkes are fried potato pancakes traditionally eaten on Chanukah, the Jewish festival of lights, served with sour cream or applesauce. Hamantashen are triangular pastries eaten on Purim, a holiday commemorating the Jewish people’s survival in the ancient Persian kingdom. The pastry is often stuffed with sweet fillings such as nuts, dates, cherries, chocolate or cheese. The University of Chicago hosted the first Latke-
WEATHER TOMORROW
HI: 45 LO: 36
Hamantash debate in 1946. Not able to find a definite conclusion to the mighty question, the university decided to rehash the issue annually. Since then, other universities such as Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Amherst College and Harvard University also put their best professors to the test finding the superior dish. Tuesday evening, the University finally joined these schools to debate the superiority of the two time-honored Jewish cuisines. LSA junior Paul Feingold, who brought the debate to campus, began the night by welcoming both Jews and “righteous gentiles” and introducing moderator Tilly Shames, executive director of Hillel. Feingold said he hoped the event would bring students together for a humorous evening and help them see professors in a more relaxed and fun environment. “One of the big goals here we have at Hillel is to get new people through the door all the time and engage new students into the See DEBATE, Page 5A
tive and positive experiences, though the tweets have been predominantly negative, which he expected. He said the issue is especially pressing on campus because while the University frequently discusses ways to increase diversity, many communities have yet to witness tangible results. “I would like to see the lives of Black students valued more,” Collier said. By 10 p.m., over 10,000 tweets included the hashtag from Ann Arbor and beyond. “I don’t think this is a problem specific to the University, I think it’s an experience that Black students at predominantly White universities across the nation are facing,” he said of the far-reaching responses. Black enrollment at the University has fallen precipitously over the past decade largely due to Proposal 2, an amendment to the state constitution that bans affirmative action policies that was passed by Michigan voters in 2006. The proposal, formally named the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, bars the University from considering race in its admissions process. Immediately after the passage of the proposal, University President Mary Sue Coleman gave a dramatic address on the Diag promising to maintain the University’s commitment to diverSee TWITTER, Page 5A
Med. School engages in partnership with Indian institute
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By Any Means Necessary organized a Rally at the diag Tuesday.
Detroit students rally on campus against Prop. 2 BAMN buses in high-schoolers to protest in Diag By ALICIA ADAMCZYK and CHARLOTTE JENKINS Daily News Editor and Daily Staff Reporter
Over 100 people, including students from local high schools in Ann Arbor and Detroit, attended a march and rally Tuesday afternoon held by organizations including By Any Means Necessary, the
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Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights, and Fight for Equality. Organizers said the march had multiple purposes, including the “overturn of Prop 2, the restoration of affirmative action, an increase in the enrollment of black, Latino/a and Native American students and in-state tuition and financial aid for immigrant students who were brought to the United States as children,” according to a press release.
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Protesters chanted, “Black, Latino, Asian and White, by any means necessary we will fight,” and held posters with slogans and flags from the represented high schools and the University. University alum Kate Stenvig, a national organizer for BAMN, said regardless of the laws in place regarding affirmative action, the University should be doing more to increase minority enrollment. University Police officers arrived at the Diag following a report of a large crowd. See RALLY, Page 5A
Vol. CXXIV, No. 33 ©2013 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
Expanded relationship provides opportunities to medical students in India and Ann Arbor By RACHEL PREMACK Daily Staff Reporter
The trip to India by a University delegation led by University President Mary Sue Coleman hopes to spur renewed academic engagement with the world’s largest democracy’s rising economy. Following Coleman’s previous trips to Brazil, China, Ghana and South Africa, the delegation’s fourday exploration of Mumbai and New Delhi, the nation’s capital, had expansive and renewing effects on the University’s partnership with four of India’s most prominent institutions. She also connected with alumni while making her first trip to the nation. One of the institutions the delegation is connecting with is the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. See PARTNERSHIP, Page 5A
NEWS......................... 2A OPINION.....................4A SPORTS.......................6A
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News
2A — Wednesday, November 20, 2013
MONDAY: This Week in History
TUESDAY: Professor Profiles
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers
THURSDAY: Alumni Profiles
Liberty U student killed by police munity is deeply saddened by this tragic event and is prayerfully supporting all those impacted,” Jerry Falwell Jr., Liberty’s president, said in a statement. University of Delaware fraternity brothers acquitted in hazing death Two University of Delaware Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity brothers were found not liable in the 2008 death of a freshman student, The University of Delaware Review reported Monday. In November 2008, Brett Griffin, 18 at the time, attended a pledge event at the fraternity.
CRIME NOTES
During the party, he became unconscious and was left alone in a room. He began to foam at the mouth, 911 was called and he died later that night. His autopsy showed that he had ingested an entire fifthsized bottle of Southern Comfort liqueur, resulting in a blood alcohol content of .341. Alcohol poisoning was noted as the cause of death. The lawsuit against the brothers argued that former chapter president Jason Aaron and former pledge master Matthew Siracusa were liable for his death. — CAROLYN GEARIG
WHERE: Art and Architecture Building WHEN: Monday at about 11:20 a.m. WHAT: A bin of sewing needles and two staple guns were reportedly removed from a storage room sometime after September, University Police reported. There are no suspects.
WHERE: 700 block of South University WHEN: Tuesday at about 12 a.m. WHAT: A male harassed two subjects hanging fliers, University Police reported. The suspect is described as a Black male wearing a shiny gray jacket. He fled in a silver Ford SUV.
Crash into me
Missing tablet
WHERE: 1800 block of Bonisteel WHEN: Monday at about 9:15 a.m. WHAT: Two vehicles were involved in a roadway accident, University Police reported. The vehicles did not sustain damages and there were no injuries.
WHERE: 710 E. University Avenue WHEN: Monday at about 10:45 a.m. WHAT: A tablet was reportedly stolen from a locked office sometime last week, University Police reported. The case has been closed.
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EDITORIAL STAFF Matthew Slovin Managing Editor Adam Rubenfire Managing News Editor
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Nickels’ Arcade was decorated for the holidays with lights and ferns Monday.
CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
Need a needle? Flight or flier
FRIDAY: Photos of the Week
SAINT NICKELS
MALE STUDENT SHOT BY CAMPUS OFFICER AT ALL-FEMALE DORM
A 19-year-old Liberty University student died Tuesday morning when he was shot by a public safety officer at an all-female dorm at the school’s Lynchburg, Va., campus, The Liberty Champion reported. Lynchburg police responded to a call around 4 a.m. A physical altercation then occurred between the student and a police officer, who then shot the student. It is unclear whether the student was armed. Police said the officer shot at the student at least twice. The officer was taken to the hospital for treatment and was later released. “The Liberty University com-
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THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
Concussions in sports talk
Jewish deli in America
WHAT: Discuss legal issues and challenges facing professional athletic associations regarding concussions. WHO: Kid’s Kitchen WHEN: Today from 11:50 a.m. to 1 p.m. WHERE: South Hall Room 0225
WHAT: Join Dickinson College Judaic Studies Professor Ted Merwin for an exploration of the Jewish deli’s evolution. WHO: University Library WHEN: Today from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. WHERE: Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library Gallery
Trombone ensemble
Dialogue with the dead
For women in business, it’s more than a numbers game. Read how the women of the Business School pave their own way in a male-dominated world. >> FOR MORE, SEE THE STATEMENT
WHAT: The University of Michigan Trombone Ensemble will perform a free concert open to the public. The concert is directed by David Jackson and will include music by Bach and Debussy. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: Today at 8 p.m. WHERE: Walgreen Drama Center, Stamps Auditorium
WHAT: Explore the implications of displaying human remains in a museum setting as well as the reactions of visitors to such an exhibit at the Mutter Museum in Philidelphia. WHO: Museum Studies Program WHEN: Today from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. WHERE: Museum of Art Auditorium
JP Morgan Chase finalized a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice for knowingly selling risky mortgage-backed securities leading up to the financial crisis, The Washington Post reported. The settlement will total $13 billion.
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“Selfie” has been selected as Oxford English Dictionary’s Word of the Year, the Los Angeles Times reported. Selfie was first used in 2002 by an Australian who posted a photo on the internet captioned with the new word of the year.
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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.
Early N.M. votes oppose New bill offers tax relief late-term abortion ban to keep students in state Initial results show 56 percent of voters against proposal ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A closely watched, first-ofits-kind proposal to ban lateterm abortions in New Mexico’s largest city was trailing in early returns Tuesday. Initial results from 50,000 early and absentee ballots in Albuquerque showed 56 percent of voters against the proposal, while 44 percent supported the ban on most abortions after 20 weeks. City officials said more than 36,000 votes that were cast Tuesday remained to be counted. The municipal election was being closely watched as a posSudoku Syndication sible new front in the abortion wars, which have traditionally
been waged at the federal and state levels. The vote capped an emotional and graphic campaign that drew national groups and hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising, pictures of abortion victims and one protest comparing abortion to the holocaust. Police were stationed near polling places around the city as protesters from both sides tried to persuade voters who were lining up before the polls closed. One school reported an hour wait. Michelle Halfacre said she cast her ballot in favor of the proposal, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks except to save the mother’s life. “I had an abortion when I was young, and I regret it,” Halfacre said. “I don’t believe in it.” But Jonathan Cottrell, a crisis
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Proposal would give Mich. graduates tax credit toward loan payments
hotline volunteer, said he voted against the proposal because he believes it marks the beginning of a “slippery slope to ban abortion in general.” “I feel that women have the right to choose what to do to their body,” Cottrell said. NARAL Pro-Choice America By SHOHAM GEVA President America Ilyse Hogue Daily Staff Reporter said this is the first municipal ballot on abortion that she Contingent upon the pasknows of, and her group was sage of Senate Bill 408, recently watching the election closely. graduated students looking for A legal challenge is expectemployment will receive a stateed if the referendum passes. sponsored incentive to work in Attorney General Gary King, a Michigan. Democrat, has said he believes The bill, which was voted out the measure is unconstituof committee and sent to the full tional. state Senate last Wednesday, The issue was put to voters would give graduates of private after former Operation Rescue and public Michigan schools a interns and anti-abortion “mistax credit equal to 50 percent of sionaries” Tara and Bud Shaver the annual payment on their stumoved here three years ago to dent loans for each tax year they http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ target Southwestern Women’s live and work in Michigan. Options, one of a handful of In a statement, state Sen. clinics in the country that perGlenn Anderson (D–Westland), form late-term abortions. the bill’s sponsor, characterized Tara Shaver said her group, it as one part of a bigger overProject Defending Life, gathall approach to address rising ered signatures to get the tuition costs and the growing measure on the city ballot need for a more educated workafter failing to make headway force. in the Democrat-controlled “My legislation addresses two Legislature. significant problems in MichiAsked if other cities with gan — the growing student loan late-term abortion clinics debt crisis for college graduates might be targeted in the future, and the economic brain drain we Shaver said: “We are encouragexperience when our students ing people to see what can be move to other states after gradudone at the city level. ... We are ation,” he wrote in the statement. starting to get calls from people “The credit would be a financial asking us how to do what we incentive for graduates to stay in have done.” Michigan.”
In a written statement, State Rep. Jeff Irwin (D–Ann Arbor) agreed that the bill could have a positive effect, but suggested that more could be done to keep graduates in Michigan, such as improving the public school system. The tax reduction per person would be capped at 20 percent of the average annual tuition for Michigan schools, and graduates would be eligible to receive the reduction for up to five years. The bill defines an eligible graduate as someone who has completed at least a bachelor’s degree at any of Michigan’s private or public colleges and universities. An analysis performed by the Senate Fiscal Agency estimates that the bill would reduce state revenue by $29.4 million for the 2013-2014 fiscal year, and has projected that it could cost the state up to $152.9 million by the 2017-2018 fiscal year. While those numbers are large, they don’t necessarily represent a net loss for the state. Don Grimes, a senior research associate at the University’s Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy, pointed out that the demographic this bill is aimed at — newly graduated students with at least a bachelor’s degree — have both a high-earning potential and are very likely to leave the state without incentives like this. “If you can keep (recently graduated students) here for five years, the probability that they will stay in the state after that
increases dramatically, and the state will keep all of their additional income tax payments, which would have been lost if they had moved out of the state,” he said. Grimes added that “people who earn bachelor’s degrees tend to be big net contributors to the state and local government budgets, and they pay much more in taxes than they cost the state and local government in extra services.” LSA junior Lisa Tencer, president of the University chapter of Pure Michigan Talent Connect, a group that encourages students to stay and work in the state after graduation, said from a student standpoint, the bill definitely makes Michigan a more enticing post-graduation option. “According to USA Today, 44 percent of the U-M class of 2011 were in debt when graduating,” said Tencer. “This is a growing concern to many of my peers who would indeed find this tax credit extremely attractive. Many cities such as New York City and Chicago seem more attractive to graduates because of the higher rate of pay and larger population.” A similar bill, HB 4182 — which included recommendations and research from the University chapter of the College Democrats and the Roosevelt Institute — was introduced to the State House in February 2013 by state Rep. Andy Schor (D–Lansing). It has been in committee since April.
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The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
NEWS BRIEFS JACKSON, Mich.
204,000 homes still without power after storm, winds Utility crews in Michigan are working around the clock to restore power to about 204,000 homes and businesses still without electricity following a damaging Midwestern storm and days of high winds, officials said. The work comes as temperatures across the state dropped into the 20s and 30s following the damaging weather that began Sunday, knocking out service to at least 631,000 utility customers in Michigan. Utility crews were boosted Tuesday by improving weather along with hundreds of additional workers from different states.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.
Va. congressman stabbed, son commits suicide Virginia state Sen. Creigh Deeds, a Democrat who rose to be gubernatorial nominee in 2009 despite his reserved demeanor and humble farmland roots, was stabbed early Tuesday, apparently by his son, police said. Gus Deeds, 24, was found at his father’s house in rural western Virginia, dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. Authorities were still piecing together a motive and the circumstances that led up to the stabbing, but “we’re leaning towards it being an attempted murder/suicide,” Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corrine Geller said at an afternoon news conference. She said that finding wasn’t yet definitive.
NEW YORK
New York City bans tobacco sales to anyone under 21 Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed landmark legislation Tuesday banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21, making New York the first large city or state in the country to prohibit sales to young adults. During a brief ceremony at City Hall, Bloomberg said raising the legal purchase age from 18 to 21 will help prevent young people from experimenting with tobacco at the age when they are most likely to become addicted. City health officials say 80 percent of smokers start before age 21. The mayor, a former smoker, also signed legislation setting a minimum price for all cigarettes sold in the city: $10.50 per pack. The same new law bans retailers from offering coupons, 2-for-1 specials, or other discounts.
BEIRUT
Suicide bombers kill 23 in attack on Iranian Embassy Suicide bombers struck the Iranian Embassy on Tuesday, killing 23 people, including a diplomat, and wounding more than 140 others in a “message of blood and death” to Tehran and Hezbollah — both supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The double bombing in a Shiite district of Beirut pulled Lebanon further into a conflict that has torn apart the deeply divided country, and came as Assad’s troops, aided by Hezbollah militants, captured a key town near the Lebanese border from rebels. The bombing was one of the deadliest in a series of attacks targeting Hezbollah and Shiite strongholds in Lebanon in recent months.
—Compiled from Daily wire reports
Wednesday, November 20, 2013 — 3A
Residential College courses Science Cafés open to all students, majors educate students School looks to change closed-door perception By AMIA DAVIS Daily Staff Reporter
For years, one question has continued to haunt Residential College administrators: “Can I take an RC course even if I’m not in the RC?” Administrators say they’ve consistently answered the question, mostly in the affirmative: All students are allowed to enroll in RC courses, excluding RC First-Year Seminars, regardless of what college they are enrolled in. The Residential College is an undergraduate program within LSA. The college works to challenge students to be creative, think outside the box and take responsibility for their education. All RC students live in East Quad Residence Hall for their first two years of undergraduate study. As of 2011, RC majors are also available to non-RC students. The RC majors offered include
Arts and Ideas in the Humanities, Drama, Social Theory and Practice, Creative Writing and Literature, and an Individualized Concentration program. Students are also allowed to take RC Intensive Language courses with permission from the instructor. The languages offered include French, German, Spanish, Russian and Latin. The RC also hopes to offer Japanese again in fall 2014. Taking a semester of an intensive language course is fast-paced — equivalent to taking two semesters of a normal LSA language course. According to curriculum specialist Charles Murphy, most RC courses are composed of more than half LSA and other nonRC students. He said students might be confused because of the RC’s past. “It’s a pretty wide-open game,” Murphy said. “We were closed off for over 45 years. It’s hard to change that perception.” Despite these facts, there is often widespread confusion on campus on whether or not non-RC students are allowed to enroll in the courses. Lecturer
Henry Greenspan said the Residential College has tried to get the word out for many years, including working closely with LSA advisers and student organizations. “We want to keep the door as open as possible,” Greenspan said. Most non-RC students are unsure if they can enroll in RC courses because the issue is rarely addressed. LSA junior Alexandria Haimbaugh, who has taken many multiple RC courses, said the classes were scarcely discussed during orientation. “It made it seem like it was a separate thing,” Haimbaugh said, adding that the classes have given her perspectives that traditional courses have failed to offer. LSA senior Madeline Dunn, who has also taken many RC courses, said the instruction she’s received from the RC has allowed her to think outside of the box. “I’ve been opened up to new things most LSA students don’t know,” Dunn said. “The teachers are more creative and expect more from you.”
Zimmerman served divorce papers while in prison for assault Florida man was charged with thirddegree felony by girlfriend SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — George Zimmerman’s girlfriend said he tried to choke her about a week ago during an altercation that was not initially reported to police, a prosecutor told a judge Tuesday during Zimmerman’s first court appearance on domestic violence-related charges. Samantha Scheibe feared for her life because Zimmerman mentioned suicide and said he “had nothing to lose,” according to Assistant State Attorney Lymary Munoz. After the hearing, Zimmerman’s public defenders said he did not appear to be suicidal and expressed confidence he would be acquitted of any wrongdoing in Monday’s domestic dispute. Hours later, Zimmerman was released from jail after posting $9,000 bond. He was seen walking out of the jail smiling and getting into a car. Judge Frederic Schott ordered him to stay away from Scheibe’s house, wear a monitoring device and refrain from contact with her. He was forbidden from possessing guns or ammunition or travelling outside Florida. Zimmerman has been charged with aggravated assault, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. He also has been charged with battery and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors. An arraignment was set for Jan. 7. The judge said Zimmerman’s previous brushes with the law were not a factor in the conditions he imposed, but he did cite the new allegation of choking as a reason for the bond amount. Earlier this year, Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges in the fatal shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin in a case that drew worldwide attention. The Justice Department has been investigating whether to file civil rights charges against Zimmerman related to Martin’s death, and a department spokesman said Tuesday that it would announce its decision soon. Zimmerman, 30, wore gray jail garments and handcuffs during the hearing and spoke only when answering yes or no to the judge. Public defender Jeff Dowdy said Zimmerman’s family has been supporting him finan-
cially. “I would think it would be difficult for George Zimmerman to get a job in central Florida,” he said. In an affidavit filed Tuesday, Zimmerman asked for a public defense, saying he has liabilities and debts of at least $2 million and no income. He said he had less than $150 in cash on hand. Dowdy and another public defender, Daniel Megaro, said Zimmerman was not suicidal. “He doesn’t appear to be a danger to himself or a danger to anybody else,” Megaro said. Zimmerman has previously used a website to raise money for his legal and living expenses, including $95,000 spent on bail in the Martin case. The site also says tens of thousands of dollars were spent on living expenses and security. The most recent posting on the site, weeks before Zimmerman’s acquittal, said the fund ran out of money in late May but raised tens of thousands more after public requests for help. A link to donate via PayPal did not appear to be working Tuesday. In this latest scuffle, both Zimmerman and his girlfriend called 911 and provided dueling descriptions to dispatchers about the argument at the home she rented where Zimmerman was also staying. Scheibe accused him in the emergency call of pointing a gun at her, smashing a coffee table and then pushing her outside. Zimmerman also called dispatchers, denied pointing a gun at her and blamed her for the broken table. The girlfriend told deputies the ordeal started with a verbal argument and that she asked Zimmerman to leave the house. Her account in the arrest report says he began packing his belongings, including a shotgun and an assault rifle. She says she began putting his things in the living room and outside the house, and he became upset. At that point, the report said, he took the shotgun out of its case. Zimmerman told his girlfriend to leave and smashed a pair of her sunglasses as she walked toward the front door, the report said. Scheibe told deputies he pushed her out of the house when she got close to the door. “You point your gun at my fricking face,” Scheibe is heard telling Zimmerman on a 911 call. “Get out of my house. Do not push me out of my house. Please get out of my house.”
Seconds later, she told the dispatcher, “You kidding me? He pushed me out of my house and locked me out. ... He knows how to do this. He knows how to play this game.” Moments later, Zimmerman called 911 from inside the house to tell his side of the story. “I have a girlfriend who, for lack of a better word, has gone crazy on me,” Zimmerman said. Zimmerman then said he never pulled a gun on his girlfriend and that it was she who smashed a table. He also told the dispatcher that Scheibe was pregnant with their child and that she had decided she would raise the child on her own. When Zimmerman started to leave, “she got mad,” he said. Seminole County Chief Deputy Dennis Lemma said at a news conference that Scheibe was not pregnant. He also said Zimmerman was compliant and unarmed when deputies came to the house. On Tuesday, Dowdy said he could not confirm whether the girlfriend was pregnant. The arrest on Monday was the latest legal problem for Zimmerman since he was acquitted last summer of criminal charges in the fatal shooting of Martin. Zimmerman has said he shot the 17-year-old to defend himself during a fight in February 2012 inside a gated community in Sanford, just outside Orlando. Relatives of Martin, who was black and unarmed, accused Zimmerman of racially profiling the teen and instigating a fight. Zimmerman, who identifies himself as Hispanic, said he shot the teen in self-defense. The case sparked nationwide debates about race and self-defense laws. In September, just months after his acquittal, Zimmerman was accused by his estranged wife of smashing an iPad during an argument at the home they had shared. Shellie Zimmerman initially told a dispatcher her husband had a gun, though she later said he was not armed. No charges were ever filed because of a lack of evidence. The dispute occurred days after Shellie Zimmerman filed divorce papers. George Zimmerman was served the papers while in custody on the latest charges, said Shellie Zimmerman’s lawyer, Kelly Sims. In 2005, he had to take anger-management courses after he was accused of attacking an undercover officer who was trying to arrest Zimmerman’s friend.
on modern issues Monthly sessions at Connor O’Neill’s combine food, presentations By BRIE WINNEGA For the Daily
If the informative atmosphere doesn’t get you to attend Wednesday night’s Science Café, the free food might. One Wednesday every month, students, faculty and community members alike flock to Conor O’Neill’s Irish pub on Main Street to learn about and discuss current science-related news. Guests are invited to arrive at 5:30 p.m. on the evening of the Café to find a seat at one of the pub’s banquet room tables and enjoy free appetizers. At 6 p.m., presenters take turns introducing themselves to the audience, explaining their area of work and involvement with the evening’s discussion topic. Audience members at each table are then invited to talk amongst themselves and have questions answered by the presenters. During the remaining half hour of the Café, the audience reconvenes to continue discussing the issue in a large group format. The program derives its name from the Café Philosophique movement that began in France in 1992. Scientists in the country worked to educate the public on current scientific issues by holding gatherings at popular meeting places. The Ann Arbor Cafés began in 2007 under the initiative of Kira Berman, assistant director for education at the University’s Museum of Natural History. Berman decided to introduce the program after realizing that much of the museum’s programming was targeted toward young people and not the adult Ann Arbor community. She wanted to create a relaxed environment that would allow scientists to interact and share information with the public. “The larger goal is scientific literacy,” Berman said. “It’s to help the public understand University of Michigan research and its value, to help people be engaged in issues of science that relate to public policy and to help people enjoy learning about science.” The Science Cafés are open to everybody, and Berman chooses
topics based on what science is being reported in the news. LSA junior Jaykob Wood, a frequent participant in the cafés, said they’re both educational and entertaining, providing the public with an opportunity to learn from researchers in a given field. “The audience is interested and asks many questions,” Wood said. “It’s very interactive as well. People are encouraged to spark conversation and ask questions concerning the issue in the second half of the dialogue.” Wood is looking forward to this month’s Café, which will take place Wednesday night and cover issues regarding high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” — a method of natural gas mining that has seen an increased popularity in and around Michigan. Assistant Engineering Prof. Brian Ellis, Biology Prof. Knute Nadelhoffer and Kim Wolske, a research fellow in the Business School, will host. Berman said the Café will teach the public about the dangers that fracking may pose. “We’ll learn what the potential is within our state for the development of this industry, what we know about where the concern areas are and what the right kind of regulation would look like,” Berman said. October’s Café topic focused on the honeybee crisis in the United States due to a monocrop agriculture system. One of the presenters during the Café was Lisa Bashert, director of the Ypsilanti Food Co-op’s Local Honey Project. Bashert said she liked being able to connect with and inform a large audience that she normally doesn’t have the opportunity to reach out to. “One thing that I continuously learn from audiences is how truly disconnected people are from the natural environment and natural systems,” Bashert said. The Science Cafés are working to remedy this disconnect, Bashert said. “It certainly helps the public understand the questions that are faced with public policy and understand some of the solutions that might be being tried at the moment and help to form an informed opinion,” Berman said. “If you enjoy talking to people about current events and current issues, and even politics, the Science Café would be something you would enjoy.”
CHECK OUT THE STATEMENT, THE DAILY’S WEEKLY MAGAZINE, FOR A LOOK AT HOW WOMEN FIND THEIR WAY IN THE BUSINESS WORLD.
Opinion
4A — Wednesday, November 20, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
PETE WANGWONGWIROJ | VIEWPOINT
Victors for whom?
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
Smarter streets Local ordinance dangerous to both drivers and pedestrians
O
n Nov. 19, Ann Arbor City Council voted 8-3 in favor of repealing the city’s contentious crosswalk ordinance. Under the ordinance, drivers had to stop whenever a pedestrian was at or approaching a crosswalk — regardless of what traffic signs and lights were signaling. While the ordinance attempted to improve pedestrian safety in a town that increasingly pushes drivers to “share the road,” the law has put both walkers and drivers in danger. Though the city council’s decision to overturn this dangerous law is in the best interest of all Ann Arbor’s travelers, it must be followed with substantial improvements to the city’s crosswalks. In July 2010, the city’s crosswalk ordinance went into effect, stating, “When traffic-control signals are not in place or are not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall stop and yield the right-of-way to every pedestrian approaching or within a crosswalk.” Prior to the ordinance, the city followed state law, which calls on drivers to yield to pedestrians walking through crosswalk on the driver’s side of the road. While the distinction between the local and state laws seem slight, supporters of the ordinance argued that the law, supported by Ann Arbor Mayor John Hiefjte, would give the city’s pedestrians the upper-hand. But in the three years following the ordinance’s passage, there hasn’t been a significant reduction of pedestrian-vehicle accidents — in 2012, 60 accidents occurred in the city, compared to the 36 accidents in 2006. While it’s not clear if those numbers reflect a more dangerous environment for drivers and pedestrians or simply a rise in commuters, they do suggest that Ann Arbor hasn’t become safe, despite the promises of the ordinances’ proponents. The language of the ordinance may, in fact, lend itself to more distracted drivers. Under the ordinances, drivers have to watch for pedestrians in a wider area as well as check their rear-view mirrors to make sure they would not be rear-ended should they stop abruptly for a pedestrian crossing the street.
Perhaps most importantly, the lack of publicity surrounding the ordinance diminished its potential benefits. Just one year after the law’s passage, Erica Briggs, a city planning commissioner and board member for the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition, argued most people are unaware that they’re supposed to stop at crosswalks. The lack of information surrounding the ordinance is an especially dangerous element when out-of-towners are considered. Without clear, uniform signage around all the city’s crosswalks, tourists coming into Ann Arbor are likely to not know about their responsibilities as a driver. If the city council passes ordinances to improve safety, the dissemination of information is crucial to go along with the passing of these ordinances. City council should also consider improving the existing crosswalks before implementing further pedestrian regulations. Many of Ann Arbor’s crosswalks are poorly lit, if at all, and have limited signage to alert drivers to pedestrian crossings. Increasing lighting, signs and roadway stripes will improve pedestrian safety and alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians. In December, the city council will bring the ordinance to a vote once again, due to a law that mandates two rounds of voting to overturn a city ordinance. The council should continue to stand against the ordinance while bringing in new safety features for the city.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan, Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Adrienne Roberts, Paul Sherman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
DAVID WEINFELD | VIEWPOINT
A heartfelt message
On Nov. 13, on the top floor of C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, I spent the evening examining the dozens of heartwarming, telling photographs that filled the room for the Save A Child’s Heart Photo Exhibition. So often, Israel is associated with conflict, but the exhibition highlights one of the most successful humanitarian efforts in Israel beyond the conflict. The photographs, taken by diverse and acclaimed photographers, tell the story of the work done by Save a Child’s Heart, an Israelibased international humanitarian project that aims to improve pediatric cardiac care for children in developing countries. Each picture told a story, aiming to capture the emotions, the patients and the doctors associated with SACH’s wide-reaching efforts. Each picture was tastefully well done, and I felt the impact that SACH has had on children in need of cardiac care. The photographs depicted the emotions felt by the SACH patients. In some pictures, children looked somber and afraid. In others, the children looked relieved and happy. It was powerful to see glimpses of the humanitarian work of Israelis. At the same time, the photo exhibition saddened me. It’s unsettling to know that so many children in underprivileged areas suffer and that so many don’t have a resource like SACH available. Despite all of their success, SACH will never be able to cure every ailment, but the lives they change daily put things into perspective: Not only are we incredibly lucky to have these resources available to us, but we also have an opportunity to help. Luckily, those in Israel and even some here in Ann Arbor have found a way to help with SACH. One of those people here in Ann Arbor is the
world-renowned surgeon, Edward Bove, chair of Cardiac Surgery at the University Hospital, who was also at the exhibition. Bove worked with Save a Child’s Heart as he trained Leor Sasoon from 1998 to 2000 at Mott. Sasoon is now chief of the entire cardiothoracic department for SACH. Bove spoke about how touching it is to know that his teachings have helped positively impact lives all around the world. It reminded me that if you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime. I guess the same can be said for heart surgery: Give a child a heart surgery; their life will be saved. Teach a man to perform life-saving surgeries, and perhaps they will save thousands of lives. Ashley Israel, a local attorney and prominent SACH supporter in Michigan, spoke while I was at the exhibition and he stressed the profound impact that the organization has made and continues to make on the doctors and volunteers who spend time at the Wolfson Medical Center and the SACH home in Holon, Israel. The greatest success of the photo exhibition, other than its ability to tangibly display the work of SACH, is its ability to empower those in the room to improve themselves and the world we live in. The exhibition, which continues at the University of Michigan Hillel, came to Ann Arbor thanks to the American Movement for Israel, a multi-opinioned, pro-Israel student group on campus. I’m thankful that AMI and SACH were able to bring this exhibition to Ann Arbor, and I encourage others to check out the photos as well. David Weinfeld is an LSA sophomore.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
A banner for the Victors for Michigan campaign hanging outside Hill Auditorium Nov. 13. The fundraising campaign hopes to raise $4 billion for the University, with $1 billion directed towards student support.
On Nov. 18, a group of faith leaders on campus issued a statement contending that a T-shirt of a Victors for Michigan attendee which read “Victors for Moral Antigayism” is not a sentiment shared by all faith communities. “The Victors event was about showcasing ‘the Leaders and the Best’ that this campus offers,” the authors wrote. “The presence of an anti-gay message had no place at the event or on this campus.” The incident got me thinking about the identity of the Victors for Michigan campaign. Who can call themselves victors? Who — and what — are we fundraising for? I went back to watch the campaign promotional videos in my attempt to answer these questions. The videos are what you’d expect from fundraising campaign marketing materials — inspiring and convincing. The videos highlight the accomplishments and opportunities that the University offers: cutting-edge research, projects in developing countries, a vast selection of study abroad programs and, last but not least, phenomenal students. I felt proud. However, after my initial sense of pride subsided, I felt angry. The videos only told half the story of the University — one that I don’t completely relate to. What was left unspoken infuriated me. The University experience
is not all positive. The videos weren’t talking about those who struggle with mental health on a daily basis, members of the LGBTQ community who still feel unsafe on campus, students who have to work 40 hours a week just to make ends meet or sexual assault survivors whose justice the University has not fought for. The videos do not discuss how we often have to make the choice between coursework and our wellbeing, and that our society pressures us to choose the former over the latter. The videos do not explain why a student with a disability recently informed me that he felt like the University does not adequately address his needs and only goes as far as official policies require of it. In sum, the campaign’s videos made me feel like I don’t count. It’s truly a privilege to be here at the University where I’ve come to embrace our legacy and our public mission. But the University is not adequately representing all its students and it can do better. Let me be clear: I am not adversarial to the University or the Victors for Michigan campaign. What I am against is false advertising, elitism and injustice. I’m against the University broadcasting that it has a public mission without the public mission being embedded in the campaign. Yes, capital campaigns are meant to
raise money. But beyond the $4 billion target, capital campaigns should be an opportunity for disruptive innovation, for change and for all of us to feel like we’re together and working towards a brighter future. The campaign needs to tackle those egregious cracks in our system more than the cracks in our buildings. What about a different kind of video? One that says: “Yes, we struggle with social justice. Yes, we struggle with LGBTQ inclusion. Yes, we are aware of students who struggle with mental health and disability issues. We do care about these people and we really need your contribution to create new programs that address these issues. ”Look, these may not sound great, but all higher-education institutions face the same challenges we do. We want to truly embody the slogan ‘Victors for Michigan’ and make sure that we represent all our students, so we’re highlighting these issues today. ”We need your help more than ever to change the system.” Now, this video would be one hell of a fundraising tool. The big question remains: Is the University willing to take a risk and spread this message? In the spirit of our public mission, I sure hope the answer is yes. Pete Wangwongwiroj is an Engineering graduate student.
KATIE PARENT | VIEWPOINT
Teaching is a profession, not a stepping stone The time has come where we are being asked by everyone around us, “So, what’s next?” Many of us have just spent the past 17 years — 81 percent of a 21-year-old’s life — in school. Many of us have plans to attend graduate or post-graduate school, but the thought of immediately committing another two to 10 years to studying is, at the moment, unfathomable. Enter the gap year. Many people see the year or two between schooling as an opportunity to travel or to do research that will bolster their résumés. Others, not knowing what to do, figure that despite their experiences (or lack thereof), they could always “just teach.” After all, how hard could it be, right? Wrong. Teaching is one of the most misunderstood professions in our society. Movies such as “Bad Teacher” and “School of Rock” feed us propaganda that portrays teachers as nothing more than babysitting freeloaders. People who decide they’ll just teach or fall back on teaching when they’re at a crossroads in their lives further perpetuate this inaccurate stereotype. This representation could not be further from the truth. The best actualization I can provide of a teacher’s job is this: Imagine you had to give a 20-minute presentation for a course. You spend hours outside of class combing through
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research, going to office hours and gathering materials for your presentation. Now imagine the preparation that would be required if you had to give hour-long presentations five times a day, five days a week to an audience with varying cognitive abilities, attention spans and bladder control. Welcome to the tip of the teaching iceberg. Numerous programs exist that will throw an intelligent, eager, wet-behind-the-ears, recent college graduate into an inner-city classroom with a mere two months’ training. To people who have dedicated their entire undergraduate careers to the study of education, this is nothing short of a slap in the face. Nearly every teacher in the nation is required to devote a given amount of credit hours in educational studies and at least one full semester of student teaching, with many schools requiring an entire year. Despite this excessive preparation, almost all teachers look back at their first year on the job remembering a perpetual raincloud of assessments, 15-hour workdays and the reality that a bell dictates when they are allowed to urinate. If someone who has spent the last five years preparing for his or her job feels overwhelmed, how, then, can someone with zero teaching experience and two months of “training” expect to succeed? It’s no coincidence that nearly
40 percent of teachers who enter programs such as Teach For America and Teaching Fellows leave the classroom after a mere two years. The corps members enter the classroom, realize they’re not equipped to teach, and only get it right after numerous attempts and failures. In some cases, the exhaustion that accompanies this unpreparedness can damage the mental health of a fellow. That’s the catch of these programs: They recruit highly intelligent, successful students and set them up for massive and utter failure that they are not used to. While I’m a huge advocate for the personal growth that results from failure, I simply cannot condone it when it affects the education and wellbeing of children. So, to my fellow peers who are wondering what to do after graduation, I cannot iterate enough that teaching is not a stepping-stone to the next phase of your life. Teaching is a career that nobody should enter unless they are deeply passionate and have extensive preparation and experience. If you plan on leaving education after a brief stint in the classroom, do your sanity and society a favor by using your gap year to fall back on a profession that doesn’t affect our nation’s future. Katie Parent is an Education and LSA senior.
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
Being Black at the University of Michigan has many shades and many levels to what someone might want to speak on it. It can go from someone being the only Black person in their class to someone with no problems at all.” — LSA senior Eric Gaver said in an interview with The Michigan Daily about the #BBUM campaign on Twitter. The campaign is aimed at raising awareness surrounding issues of diversity on campus.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
TWITTER From Page 1A sity. However, the institution has been unable to stanch the decline in minority enrollment through alternative outreach policies in the wake of the affirmative action ban. In Fall 2006, Black students made up around seven percent of the undergraduate population. In Fall 2013, the University reported that Black undergraduate enrollment had fallen to 4.65 percent. Hispanic enrollment as a percentage of the overall undergraduate body also declined over the same period. At a search forum for the next University president in September, the Presidential Search Advisory Committee — which includes the University’s Board of Regents — heard from a number of students about diversity issues. Several student speakers at the event said many minorities feel they lack a voice on campus and occasionally experience bias incidents with both students and instructors. Collier said the University has not yet contacted BSU about Tuesday’s campaign. University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald stressed that the University’s next step will be to listen to the students and their experiences on campus. “I think at this point the listening is the most important part and how we might respond is the next step and we haven’t gotten there yet,” Fitzgerald said. He said the University is aware of students’ concerns and recognizes that there is always room for improvement in any organization. However, the University’s social media team responded to the campaign via Twitter Tuesday afternoon: “Thanks for engaging in this conversation. We’re listening, and will be sure all of your voices are heard. #BBUM” E. Royster Harper, the University’s vice president for student life, created a Twitter account late Tuesday to address the issue. “Got on Twitter to hear and support your voices. Proud of our students. More later,” Harper
PARTNERSHIP From Page 1A AIIMS has the only freestanding trauma center in India, according to Krishnan Raghavendran, an associate professor of surgery at the University’s Medical School. The University of Michigan Health System and AIIMS trauma centers partnered in 2010, but now the entirety of the medical institute and the University’s Medical School are in collaboration. University medical students may now study at AIIMS, where Raghavendran said students get the opportunity to practice in a totally unfamiliar environment in which tropical ailments, advanced diseases and a lack of resources are daily encounters. He added that it’s important that American medical students accustom themselves to a less-than-plentiful future medical environment so that they’re prepared for the worst. “The way the current medical system is functioning in this country cannot be sustained over long periods of time,” Raghavendran said. “There is enormous wastage and inefficiency, and we all have to learn how to function with limited resources in the near future.” AIIMS faculty members already visit the University’s Medical School on a regular basis. This new agreement creates research collaboration on topics such as immunology and stem cells. AIIMS will have access to a low-cost virtual university to educate its staff and more IT resources to expedite their projects and medical libraries, where Raghavendran said doctors can research protocol for handling certain diseases. AIIMS director Mahesh Misra said in an e-mail that both universities are highly esteemed in their respective countries for research, teaching and healing.
News
wrote. LSA senior Eric Gavin, BSU’s public relations chair, said several recent campus events spurred the organization to plan a campaign, including a recent controversy involving Theta Xi fraternity members who branded a party with racialized images and words. BSU also timed its Twitter campaign to correspond with a forum this evening hosted by the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies, the Black Student Union, We are Michigan and Students of Color of Rackham. BSU hopes to not only engage members of its organization but also Black campus leaders from an array of groups, Gavin said. However, leaders didn’t believe the student organization would receive national attention for its efforts. “I definitely could not have foreseen the national attention we have garnered in such a short amount of time,” Gavin said. “We felt it necessary to push for an initiative that would bring more awareness to these issues and to the larger Black community.” Though traditional methods such as campus demonstrations play a role in raising awareness, Gavin said BSU decided social media could serve as an additional method for sparking dialogue. “It kept it open ended and that’s why it so successful,” Gavin said. “The hashtag leaves for open ended interpretation so people can say what they feel instead of imposing somebody’s thoughts on them.” So far, students have voiced an array of perspectives. “Being Black at the University of Michigan has many shades and many levels to what someone might want to speak on it,” Gavin said. “It can go from someone being the only Black person in their class to someone with no problems at all. It’s a spectrum, but we want people to be aware of everyone’s different ideas on the issue of being Black at the University of Michigan.” Renowned journalist Michele Norris, the creator of the Race Card Project — a nationwide initiative that gathers perspectives on race and aims to
foster dialogue on the subject — partnered with the University during last winter’s theme semester on race, and will give the 2013 Winter Commencement address. In a form similar to BSU’s campaign, Norris used Twitter to broaden the reach of the Race Card Project because she said even though the social media platform only allots users only 140 characters, it’s a powerful way to stimulate uncomfortable conversations. “I used to say the most productive conversations are the private ones, but Twitter made me rethink that,” Norris said. Norris noted that the University did not “take cover” once the dialogue took off, but rather embraced the campaign and encouraged students to take part in the conversation, which is not always the norm for large institutions. “This is an honest conversation,” she said. “They wanted to see an honest conversation and that’s what this is, as uncomfortable as this may be for people to read about this.” She said diversity has been an issue on every college campus she has visited, and after reading the tweets from Tuesday’s discussion at Michigan, it is likely the topic isn’t going to subside once the Twitter debate dies down. “It really was not just people talking about their own experiences, but it turned into an actual dialogue,” she said. “People were talking to each other and perhaps even learning from each other, and more importantly listening to each other.” Norris added that she will likely address the issue in her commencement address next month. By asking students to share their experiences as Black students on campus, BSU is hoping to not only bring light to challenges, but also to call other student leaders to action. “We want to get the awareness out so we can begin to move forward and actually do tangible things,” Gavin said.
“Both of the institutions however differ somewhat in their disease pattern, and the doctors and researchers have lots to learn from each other,” Misra wrote. New Delhi and Ann Arbor patients will not be the only beneficiaries: AIIMS is opening six new facilities. The procedures that the University is passing onto the New Delhi institute will be implemented across central and northern India, serving areas that lack comprehensive health care. AIIMS currently sees 10 times as many patients as the University Hospital. Center for South Asian Studies director Farina Mir — part of the University delegation — explained that India’s enormous population raises interesting questions for students visiting the country. “How do you work with and operate in a society where everything is at a magnitude big even for us in the United States?” Mir said. “It produces opportunities for us to think big, which Michigan is really good at.” Undergraduates in India and at the University will benefit from two other alliances formed with Ashoka University and University of Delhi. DU was one of the first universities in India, and is hailed across that country as one of the best undergraduate colleges, particularly for the sciences. Ashoka, conversely, will open in fall 2014 and will focus on the humanities. Both universities complement the University’s focus on teaching, Mir said. “The key here is that we want to produce mechanisms that would create opportunities to participate in experimental learning in India,” Mir said. “The core of agreements are around students and student opportunities and exchanges. We’re excited about the opportunities that will open up almost immediately.” One such educational venture that will soon be open to Uni-
versity students is a 10-day train ride around the subcontinent. Students from other universities on this trip conduct mini research programs, Mir said, like gauging the pollution of each train stop. She added that this differs with study abroad programs where students may not immerse themselves in the country. “It really would put them right there in the thick of things,” Mir said. “This is going to be a roll-up-your-sleeves type of program.” DU students will be able to conduct research as undergraduates at the University, an experience that’s rare for undergraduates living in India. Professors at the newly established Ashoka University will benefit from the University’s long teaching heritage. “Students are at the core of these two projects and we really think that the kinds of opportunities that will come out of this will be mutually beneficial,” Mir said. The fourth institute to enter an agreement with the University last week was the National Council of Applied Economic Research, the leading survey research institute in India. NCAER and the University’s Survey Research Center hope to explore new methods of research through mobile technology and advanced statistical tools, according to William Axinn, the director of the Survey Research Center. Axxin wrote that the partnership will allow the University’s web of long-term partners to expand and NCAER to further explore public policy initiatives. “This gives us the opportunity to both globalize our educational work and advance the social sciences through comparisons across different contexts and settings,” Axxin wrote. “Globalization in general, and work in India specifically, help us to build new approaches, methods, and tools that advance the social sciences worldwide.”
—Daily News Editor Peter Shahin contributed reporting.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013 — 5A
FORUM From Page 1A “Instead of being overlooked and not seen in the classroom, you get
overlooked in meetings. What you do never seems to be good enough.” For LSA senior Chloe Brown, the recent change in campus race relations is palpable, and not for
the better. “It feels like there’s just something in the air,” Brown said. “There’s just something in the water. It just feels very different.”
DEBATE From Page 1A Jewish community,” Feingold said. Four University professors used their rhetoric skills, compiled intelligence, effective evidence and sharp rejoinders to make the case for their choice dish. Representing Team Latke was Prof. Zvi Gitelman, who is also a Preston Tisch Professor of Judaic Studies, and Associate Prof. Julian Levinson. Defending Team Hamantash were Jan Gerson, a senior lecturer, and Prof. Ralph Williams. Gerson started off the night using her economics expertise in defense of the hamantash. Using the logic of economist Adam Smith, who proposed that society benefits when individuals act according to their self interest, Gerson came to the conclusion that the question “better boils down to is ‘in my opinion’ which is better.” Therefore, Gerson said because she personally believes hamantashen are better, they are indeed better. Levinson countered Gerson’s argument with the concept of “camouflage-ability.” He argued that the latke is a versatile food: if an individual decides they would like to “Jew it up,” Levinson said he can tell everyone he is enjoying a hot, savory latke. However, if another individual is feeling timid, or if she is
RALLY From Page 1A Police later said it was unclear whether the event had been scheduled with the University. Officers were present when students unexpectedly scattered, running through the Diag, and later were investigating what caused the group to disperse. A UMPD official added that the the group’s presence was complicated by the fact that the organizations involved did not formally inform the University of their intent to demonstrate on the Diag, as many
VIRGINIA LOZANO/Daily
English Professor Ralph Williams speaks for team Hamantash on the debate between Latke and Hamantash dishes at Hillel Tuesday.
approached by someone hostile, she can say she is eating a potato pancake and receive no suspicion. Levinson further argued that because the leading brand in kosher products, Manishewitz, has seven types of latke mixes and no recipes for hamantashen, the latke must be the leading Judaic commodity. “Why hasn’t Manishewitz made a single box of hamantashen? I’ll leave that question up to you,” Levinson said to Team Hamantash. Williams, whose studies focus on the humanities, analyzed Shakespeare’s work to reveal the superiority of hamantashen. After close analysis of Antony
and Cleopatra, Antony reveals to Cleopatra that there will be “hamentashen in the next world,” which prompts her to commit suicide and enjoy the dish in the afterlife, Williams said. Gitelman, who has been at the University for over 40 years, ended the night with a passionate rendition of the Chanukah Song, arguing that because it includes the delectable potato pancake over the decadent stuffed pastry, the latke is the superior Jewish food. In the end, Shames concluded the debate was a tie, honoring all four professors and declaring both the savory and sweet dishes as equally tasty.
groups do. LSA junior Merranda McLaughlin, who is currently running for LSA Student Government as part of the Defend Affirmative Action party, said though the police presence initially caused some of the students to disperse, the encouragement of other students kept the rally going. “I think despite any hiccups or misunderstandings the purpose of the march was evident,” McLaughlin said. “They were passionate and worked forward, despite any initial lost momentum.” “This voice needs to be heard, because it’s a problem that’s only
going to get worse if nothing is done.” The event occurred in the midst of the #BBUM Twitter campaign initiated by the University’s Black Student Union, which drew national attention as it raised awareness for the issues and experiences of Black and other minority students at the University. In 2012, 9.7 percent of Universit y students were African Americans, Native Americans and Latinos. The 2012 g raduating classes at the Universit y had the lowest proportion of African-American bachelor’s deg ree recipients since 1991.
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Sports
6A — Wednesday, November 20, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wolverines still in search of scorers late in games By SIMON KAUFMAN Daily Sports Writer
TERESA MATHEW/Daily
Sophomrore linebacker James Ross III led Michigan with 13 tackles against the Wildcats over the weekend.
Michigan answering the call to finish close games By LIZ VUKELICH Daily Sports Editor
The Michigan football team’s Thursday practice always consists of the offense and defense going up against each other to close out the week. Earlier this season, the defense would falter in the red zone against the offense and often missed assignments. So defensive coordinator Greg Mattison coined a simple phrase during practice, one he constantly repeated to remind the defense of the mindset it needed. “Finish it.” And last Saturday against Northwestern, the offense could be heard shouting that motto to its defensive counterparts on the field in a way that reminded Michigan coach Brady Hoke of the cheering on the sideline of a high-school game. The result was what Mattison called the best defensive performance he’s seen all season, and the phrase has become emblematic of the defense Mattison wants to see game in and game out. “Northwestern was a very good offense, a hard offense for the guys to defend because they could do so many things,” Mattison said. “When you play against a quarterback like (Kain) Colter, you make one mistake and you aren’t where you’re supposed to be, it’s a 20-yard gain, at least.
Overall, for 60 minutes, I think that was the best we’ve played to date.” Sophomore linebacker James Ross III — who led Michigan with 13 tackles against the Wildcats — said on Monday that the defense took responsibility for the four-overtime loss to Penn State last month. So when the Northwestern game was thrust into overtime, it saw it as a shot at redemption. “We felt that the game was on our shoulders, and we wanted the game on our shoulders to prove to ourselves,” Ross said. “It’s great that we got the opportunity.” In the losses to Michigan State and Nebraska, the Wolverines notoriously gave up two gamechanging touchdowns near the end of the second and fourth quarters, respectively. They
“We felt that the game was on our shoulders.” managed to avoid that against the Wildcats, sacking Colter in the third overtime period before picking off his pass to end the game. Not only did Michigan finish, but it also didn’t allow a
touchdown until the first overtime. “We all know that to be the kind of defense we need to be here, you’ve got to finish,” Mattison said. “It doesn’t matter what happens in three-and-a-half quarters. That’s what being part of a defense is.” Mattison said that fifth-year senior defensive tackle Quinton Washington was the underrated star of the defensive show, and that the physicality of the defensive line as a whole also helped. “(Washington’s) why our linebackers were able to run to the football so well,” Mattison said. “There are times in that game where he has two guys on him, and he’s holding the line of scrimmage. That kind of goes unnoticed.” The other thing that made Michigan’s defense so effective, Mattison said, was the rotation of personnel at the free and strong safety positions, which allowed the Wolverines to keep fresh legs in the backfield. But for as much as Mattison talked about linebackers and safeties, the one thing he kept returning to was that new team motto. “When you start (finishing), then good things happen,” he said. “You’re never going to stop everybody every play. I thought our guys did a really good job. You saw tremendous effort every day (in practice).”
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
How do you replace Trey? when Michigan shot 1-for-8 and came up empty behind the arc. It began when sophomore forward Glenn Robinson III missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer. On the next possession, Robinson threw up another 3-point attempt, this time from the opposite side of the arc, but again, it caught too much rim. Sophomore guard Caris LeVert ended up with the rebound, but his attempt from beyond the arc didn’t go, either. Trailing by six after free throws by the Cyclones, sophomore guard Nik Stauskas received the ball off of a screen, but he couldn’t hit a deep
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DOWN 1 Popular food fish 2 Ristorante request 3 The “L” in URL 4 Org. for shrinks 5 Showroom model 6 Sacred beetle 7 Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Da __ G Show” 8 Galoots 9 Reporter known for ducking into phone booths 10 New York city near the Pennsylvania border 11 “Well played!” 12 Sister of Apollo 13 Take away (from) 18 Watering hole 23 See 68-Down 25 Fries alternative 27 Antepenultimate fairy tale word 30 Prefix with center 32 Not paleo33 New Zealander 35 Actress Sommer 39 Typed chuckle 40 Seer’s claim 41 Sleigh’s parking spot 42 Vivacity
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11/20/13
PATRICK BARRON/Daily
Sophomore guard Nik Stauskus could emerge as Michigan’s go-to scorer in late-game situations this year in place of former guard Trey Burke.
3-pointer — one that he’s made look easy before. A missed Robinson midrange jumper and a Stauskas layup that didn’t fall all but buried Michigan’s chances of winning its first game on the road. With the game on the line, and the Wolverines in need of a big shot, there was no one to go to — no Burke to seal the deal. LeVert, who had been Michigan’s leading scorer prior to the Iowa State game, struggled shooting-wise all night. He finished with just five points in 37 minutes. “We just thought he was going to make his next shot,” said Michigan coach John Beilein of his decision to keep LeVert in the game despite his lack of production. “It didn’t always happen.” Of the sophomore shooters, though, Stauskas appeared the most confident late in the game. He nailed a 3-pointer to put Michigan within three points and then dished a crisp pass to Robinson under the hoop to cut the lead to one before the Cyclones ran away with it. The
guard, who stayed on campus over the summer to work on his game, showed that he could be the player that Michigan looks to late in games. Stauskas is the team’s best shooter — shooting 50 percent from the field so far this season. Stauskas scored 20 points on Sunday, 15 of which came in the second half, when he went 3-for-5 from behind the arc. Despite missing three of his final four shots in the game, he was still getting good looks — his misses were more the result of bad luck than bad execution. With Beilein’s confidence in him, Stauskas will find himself with the ball in his hands when Michigan needs a late bucket in the future. “Nik is certainly one of them, based on his performance,” Beilein said of the players he’d choose to take a last shot. “We just got to continue to build a play sheet that is drawn up for those who have it going a little bit. But I think it was easy to see that Nik had the best flow at the end of the game.”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Last year, with just seconds remaining in the Michigan men’s basketball team’s Sweet 16 matchup against Kansas, the Wolverines trailed, 76-73. There was no question who would take the final shot — everybody inside Cowboys Stadium knew it would be Trey Burke. It was the case throughout the season. When games were on the line, the Wolverines knew to get the ball to Burke, and when it counted most, the ninth-overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft stepped back into nearly the first row of seats and drained the 3-pointer heard ‘round Ann Arbor. After falling to Iowa State on Sunday, one thing became clear: Michigan doesn’t have a definitive closer at the moment. The Wolverines have a wealth of shooting talent and players who can drive to the rim, but they don’t have an established ringer who they know they can give the ball to when they need a big shot late in a game. That was painfully apparent in the game’s final two minutes,
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Lacking height, ‘M’ readies for Panthers By MAX COHEN Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan women’s basketball team’s game against Pittsburgh on Wednesday will mark the ending of a hectic portion of the team’s schedule, in which the Wolverines played three games in five days. “I feel like we’re in the NBA with the schedule that we’ve had the last week,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico on WTKA on Tuesday. “But the kids love to play games, so they should be fired up every time we have the opportunity to step on the court.” So far, the condensed schedule has been a boon for the Wolverines. Michigan (3-2) blew out Detroit Mercy and Western Michigan in the first two games of the stretch, due in large part to improved rebounding. In those games, the Wolverines outrebounded their opponents by 44 — a feat more impressive for a team that had a lack of size as its primary offseason concern. The Panthers (2-1) will present a new challenge for Michigan, as they possess the size the Wolverines coaching staff initially feared. Pittsburgh center Marvadene Anderson poses the biggest problem, standing at 6-foot-11. Though Anderson is only the Panthers’ third-leading rebounder, averaging 4.6 boards per game, her size will present matchup problems in the post for Michigan, which has 6-foot-3 junior forward Cyesha Goree as its tallest starter. Because the Wolverines rely on their guards for rebounding, they may face difficulties going up against Pittsburgh’s height. Junior guard Nicole Elmblad is Michigan’s leading rebounder at 5-foot-11. Averaging 10.6 rebounds per game, she’ll have to get crafty in terms of positioning
to avoid being neutralized by the Panthers’ center. Given how much the team works on rebounding and how much it has improved on the glass since the start of the season, Barnes Arico thinks the team can meet the challenge if it continues the upward trend. The Wolverines will also need to contain the offensive abilities of Pittsburgh guard Brianna Kiesel. In the Panthers’ last game, a 48-45 loss to Lafayette, Kiesel scored 15 points, dished out five assists and grabbed five rebounds. Kiesel currently leads the Panthers in scoring, assists and is second on the team in rebounding. In its first five games, Michigan has found itself in almost every type of situation. The Wolverines trailed and were forced to play from behind against Bowling Green, they’ve won and lost overtime games against Arizona and Xavier, respectively, and they’ve blown out both Detroit and Western Michigan. Because this inexperienced team has faced such a variety of game situations early in the season, Barnes Arico and her staff worked to shift the focus from wins and losses to working on specific things each player can improve. In particular, after the overtime loss to the Musketeers in which Michigan had many chances to pull away but couldn’t, the entire team was devastated in the locker room. The staff chose that moment to share its new philosophy, one that focuses on daily improvements instead of results, so that the young team would be able to turn things around after the loss. “We just said, ‘everybody focus on two things,’ ” the coach said on WTKA. “ ‘What two things can we get better at and what two things are we going to do individually in the next practice?’ ”
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TV/NEW MEDIA COLUMN
First Lady is ‘Scandal’ ’s true gladiator
T
he following column contains spoilers for the most recent episode of “Scandal” as well as discussion of potentially triggering topics such as rape and sexual violence. Over the past two years, Mellie Grant, the fictional first lady played KAYLA by Bellamy UPADHYAYA Young on ABC’s “Scandal,” has steadily become the best written and most fascinating female character on television. Thursday’s episode, tragically titled “Everything’s Coming Up Mellie,” begins with Mellie giving a tour of the East Wing for an upcoming TV special meant to serve as an apology for discussing her husband’s affair on live television. Because, somehow, Fitz’s infidelities are her fault. “It’s not fair; it’s America,” Cyrus remarks with what should be this show’s new tagline. Mellie turns on her sweet Southern charm, forcing laughter and chatting about parties and art collections and china sets and all the other “First Lady things” we know she hates. Then, the show pulls us back to 15 years prior in Santa Barbara, Calif., where Fitz’s gubernatorial election and political career are just in their softfocus-filter-covered beginnings. But the spotlight for these flashbacks shines on a young Mellie Grant, who, together with Fitz’s father Big Jerry and a bearded Cyrus, pushes Fitz to run for governor a few years earlier than he expected. The flashbacks reveal Big Jerry for the controlling, demeaning, oppressive monster he is. One night, after lamenting to Mellie how he’s not as bad of a father as everyone makes him out to be, he rapes her. The harrowing scene has been met with objection, with many critics accusing the show of hollowly insinuating that the Mellie we know today — the calculating, frigid political mastermind — was borne from her horrific experience. During the episode, my Twitter timeline broke out in complaints over how strong, smart, powerful women shouldn’t have to have that strength, intelligence and power come from first being broken. Using rape for character development is problematic more often than not. Showing sexual violence in film and television poses a whole set of complications. All too often, rape is used merely as a plot device, or worse, as voyeuristic torture-porn, stripped entirely of significance or discourse. The scene in “Scandal” isn’t gratuitous — horrifying and indelible, yes, but not indulgent nor out-of-sync with “Scandal” ’s tone. This is a series full of torture and murder and all the ugliness that dictates American politics and social power. Even though it’s tricky to do well, I’d rather TV acknowledge that rape and sexual violence exist than ignore it completely. And Mellie’s experience reveals many tragic truths of sexual violence: It oftentimes is perpetrated by someone the victim knows and regularly goes unreported. According to EW, the episode “helped humanize” Mellie. Bethonie Butler over at the Washington Post says the writers have been trying to make
Mellie more likeable this season, and “Everything’s Coming Up Mellie” represents the pinnacle of those efforts. Yahoo TV claims “Mellie is no longer the villain.” I don’t take issue with the writers’ decision to include the rape in Mellie’s backstory; I do take very strong issue with the response from viewers and critics that this somehow makes the character more likeable or deserving of our support. That mentality reduces a dynamic, complex woman to a monolithically powerless victim. Instead, “Scandal” accomplishes something much more nuanced, much more provocative. The experience certainly informs some of Mellie’s behavioral traits in the present day, like her reluctance to trust others and her obvious disdain for motherhood (the disclosure that Big Jerry could be her eldest’s father is an unfortunately melodramatic twist, but I trust this show enough to not write it off yet). Her trauma has long-term effects, but it isn’t all that defines her. Nor were any of the qualities we love about Mellie — her ferocity, her ambition, her resilience — born from that one moment. While flashback-Mellie does have a slightly more innocent vibe than the ice queen we know now, that same powerhungry, wicked smart woman is still there. It’s Fitz who walks out of the initial meeting with Cyrus doe-eyed and struggling to catch up. Mellie gets it. Mellie always gets it. She gives up her career as a partner at a law firm, because she gets it. She sacrifices more than Fitz can even comprehend. And while we still don’t know the specifics of her endgame, I sincerely hope she’s working within the system so she can bring it all tumbling down.
Mellie’s stories are what bring me back week after week. We weren’t witnessing her “origin story” or a lazy attempt on the writers’ part to “humanize” her. Her experience doesn’t make her more or less likeable, but that’s also not to say that it’s No Big Deal that she was raped. It’s a huge deal, and I still can’t scrub the look on Bellamy Young’s face from my eyes (nor will I ever rewatch the scene). But it shouldn’t change our relationship to the character, because that ignores the brilliant, visceral character work the writers have doled out over the course of the series. The woman who at first played a small role — one that bordered on a Shakespearean “scorned woman” cliché at times — has steadily become the most fleshed out and intricate character on the show. She deserved our empathy long before this episode, and if you thought Mellie was just a bitchy megalomaniac before, you haven’t been watching or listening very closely. I wouldn’t even call this the origin point for the deterioration of the Grants’ marriage. Though the Mellie and Fitz of 15 years ago appear to be in sugary sweet love, that relationship started breaking down the second Mellie fully realized she would always
have to place his needs above her own, the moment Cyrus informs her Fitz is her new “full-time job.” Whereas the writers have become increasingly detached from their lead (very few of Olivia’s choices lately seem to make any sense), they seem to know exactly who Mellie is, and it shows. As a result, Mellie has also become the most captivating facet of “Scandal,” evidenced by the stark imbalance in strength between the (too) many plotlines at play in “Everything’s Coming Up Mellie.” B316 recruits Quinn, Olivia and the Gladiators try to solve her mother’s murder, James is fired, Cyrus and Mellie attempt to bait Sally’s husband with a hooker, Fitz learns Rowan’s true identity and approximately a million other things happen. I never thought I’d say it, but this time, Shonda really has outdone herself. Three-episodes-worth of plot is packed into these 40-some minutes. The reveal that Olivia’s mother is alive is a juicy twist straight from the “Alias” playbook, but to shoehorn it into an already overflowing episode strips it of its power. Mellie’s narrative, driven by the flashbacks and creatively framed by the TV special being made about her, provides the backbone for the episode. Unfortunately, that backbone is nearly crushed by everything thrown atop. “Scandal” has a lot of parts moving (and clashing and spinning and exploding) right now, but it’s getting harder and harder for me to be invested in anything or anyone other than Mellie. The show wants so desperately for us to care about Operation Remington (Borington? Remingyawn?), but like the mole story last season, the arc lacks emotion and has reached the point where there are so many twists that we can’t muster an ounce of shock for any added revelation. Who cares about the “truth” of Operation Remington when “Everything’s Coming Up Mellie” confronts a much more poignant, painful truth: Even the most privileged and powerful women can be oppressed by systemic sexism, reduced to nothing more than an object. When Cyrus first meets the Grants, he circles them like he’s inspecting a new car, calls Mellie “the wife,” “Snow White,” treating her like a pawn in his strategy. Big Jerry literally refers to her as an asset the morning after he rapes her. And Big Dumb Fitz marches around, oblivious to it all. Mellie’s far from powerless though; she wields agency, leverages Big Jerry into telling Fitz what he needs to hear to move forward with the campaign. After the rape scene, we cut to present day: an aerial shot of the Oval Office, Mellie in red, walking barefoot along the Presidential seal with a drink in hand. She’s the first lady of the United States now, and yet she still has to fight against rampant sexism. When she sits down with Fitz for an interview as part of the TV special, the host informs her that a third of Americans question her sanity and emotional stability. Americans seem to have no issue with lying, cheating Fitz on the other hand. To Fitz, she’s ornamental. To Cyrus, she’s “the wife.” To America, she’s crazy. It’s not fair; it’s the patriarchy. Upadhyaya is launching Bellamy Young’s Emmy campaign. To help, e-mail kaylau@umich.edu.
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Wednesday, November 20, 2013 — 7A
PERFORMANCE PREVIEW
Making theater out of ‘Thin Air’ Students to perform in an entirely improvised show By PAIGE PFLEGER Daily Arts Writer
Imagine getting on stage in front of an audience of 80 people and not knowing any of the lines for the play. For Thin Air five students spanning a Thursday at 7 wide range of p.m., Friday at 7 and 11 p.m., experience, this nightmare and Saturday is the basis of at 7 p.m. their show, “Thin Air.” Walgreen They have four Drama Center performances for which they will make up an entire 50-minute play on the spot. The idea for “Thin Air” came from graduate student Matthew Flickinger. Though he is studying biostatistics as a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Public Health, Flickinger’s favorite hobby since high school has been the art of improvisation. “Thin Air,” as Flickinger pitched it to Basement Arts, is an entirely improvised one-act play, made to look as much like a planned performance as possible, including scene changes, lighting, sound and more. “More and more people are familiar with improv and improvisation,” Flickinger said. “Maybe they’ve seen stuff like ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ but there are a lot of different styles of improv out there, and when you get a group of people together, there are a lot of different kinds of shows that you can create.”
“Thin Air” aims to go back to the roots of improvisation, inspired by such great improvisers as Keith Johnstone, Viola Spolin and Kenn Adams, who wrote “How to Improvise a Full-Length Play: The Art of Spontaneous Theater.” “I just thought that this was another type of improv that I hadn’t had direct experience with before,” Flickinger said, “and I thought it might be possible to bring that to life and to try something again that wasn’t purely short-form jokes, but maybe told an interesting story.” “Thin Air” found its home in Studio One, after receiving four allotted show dates from Basement Arts. The cast of the show didn’t have to recite lines, monologue or read sides from a script to get the part — instead, they played improvisational games and learned to interact and react to other characters, all the while creating character depth for themselves. “I had a great time at auditions,” said LSA sophomore and cast member Clare Brennan. “I wasn’t nervous, because I think what usually makes me nervous is, ‘Oh my God, am I going to remember anything? Am I going to crack or something?’ But with this one, there were no expectations because I hadn’t prepared a single thing, so I get to go in and do whatever they tell me to do.” The handpicked improv group practices in the Walgreen Drama Center five days a week, clocking 15 hours of rehearsal in which multiple plays are created on the spot, never to be repeated again. Rehearsals aren’t for memorizing lines and blocking — they’re for practicing improvisational techniques
and learning how to properly time and craft a storyline. “We don’t have one script to work toward,” Flickinger explained. “So what we do is a bunch of directed improvisational exercises. There are certain skills I want my team to feel comfortable with, I want them to have a lot of experience with, so that it comes naturally to them. We work on things like, how do you make stories more dramatic? How do you raise the stakes in a scene naturally? How do we create a world that is believable?” Though the five players all come from different backgrounds, they have grown over time to show a camaraderie that can only be compared to friendship, and a close one at that. They are not afraid to make themselves look ridiculous by crawling on the ground as a unicorn, being an elderly lady, giving each other piggy-back rides and saying yes to whatever is asked of them while trying to maintain a straight face. “It’s totally terrifying,” Brennan said, “but really fun at the same time because I know that I’m in it with four other people that are in the same position, and an audience who came in not paying anything and knows exactly what they’re getting out of this. So I think we’re all in it for the ride, and I think we’re ready to see what this is capable of.” “Thin Air” is one of the only plays that can boast that audience members will see a completely different performance every night the show runs. The actors are not only being characters in a play; they are writers, directors and, most importantly, improvisers, creating a show out of thin air.
CREATIVE KICKER
Distinguished alum talks real world of animation By CONRAD FOREMAN Daily Arts Writer
Why do we go to college? We all have different answers. But something that motivates most of us is the prospect of a good job after school, the idea of being a part of the mystical “distinguished alumni” and perhaps even one of the coveted spots on the University’s alumni Wikipedia page. On Nov. 19, one such alum, Kip Lewis, class of 1994, is set to release his latest cinematic work, “Planes,” to DVD. Lewis, 41, is a Michigan native. He attended Romeo High School and graduated from the University with a B.A. in Screen Arts and Culture. He now works for Disney in California, serving most recently as an associate producer for “Planes,” the spin-off from the hugely successful “Cars” movie franchise. So, what inspired this Michigander to get into film? “Honestly, this is going to be totally cheesy,” Lewis said in an interview with The Michigan Daily, “but when I was in high school, I watched ‘Dead Poets Society.’ I walked out of that movie feeling like if I could have a career that would allow me to do something that might be as meaningful to people as that movie was to me at the time, then I would be successful in my own eyes.” After graduating from the University, Lewis attended California Institute of the Arts (CIT), where he received his MFA in Experimental Animation. He said that, while he originally moved
out west for graduate school and hoped to leave Los Angeles for New York or Chicago, after graduation, he felt it was natural for him to stay in a city that offered so many animation opportunities. For Lewis, these opportunities manifested in a job as a production assistant at Klasky Csupo, a production company popular for shows such as “Rugrats,” “The Wild Thornberrys” and “Rocket Power.” He has since worked for several more production companies, including Warner Bros., before committing to his current employer, Disney. “Even though I always loved Disney, I hadn’t necessarily pursued working at Disney because I had heard it was difficult to get in,” Lewis said.
Kip Lewis discusses Disney and storytelling. A temporary job on a small project evolved into a permanent gig with Disney. Lewis discussed how Disney has given him the opportunity to work on projects that he’s truly passionate about. Storytelling and character development, for him, distinguish average projects from remarkable ones like “Planes.” “I think you really can connect
to the characters because they have hopes, they have dreams, they have personalities,” Lewis said. “Even the characters that run the risk, I feel, of being a little bit more of a caricature, we take a moment to give them some depth.” To current students trying to make it in the industry, Lewis stressed the need to remain openminded about where your career might take you. “There are a lot of opportunities that come your way that you don’t have a lot of control over,” Lewis said. “I think making the most of the opportunities and not turning them down just because they don’t fit with your vision for your future. “What I’ve seen is a lot of people are surprised where their careers take them. And the degree to which they’re surprised doesn’t impact how happy they are.” Lewis cited a man he worked with early on in his career. “One of the first directors I worked with here, he actually had been studying to be a priest, and then he saw the ‘The Little Mermaid’ and left his course toward priesthood,” Lewis said. Lewis said he believes that, along with an open mind and a diligent work ethic, you must be able to think for yourself to be successful, a skill he developed at the University. “There are a lot of practical skills that I was able to get easily just through work, but what has given me the longevity in my career is that core of how to think for myself.”
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8A — Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Arts
FROM THE FILTER
The filet mignon of chunk music Beef Hutchins releases debut album By KATIE STEEN Daily Music Editor
Twenty-five years. It has been 25 years that Beef Hutchins and his band of ham-lovers have been working on their debut album. Twenty-five years we’ve been waiting to feast our ears on some recorded Beef, listening to endless teasers on Easy Listening 101.8 the Tip. And believe me when I say that it’s been worth the wait. You’re gonna wanna tear this album up like a goddamned corn on the cob. For you spineless chodes who are unfamiliar with the sweet, sweet melodies of Mr. Hutchins, Beef is a dad and musical artist who has been making quality dance-slash-soft-rockslash-chunk music in his sedan in Albany, NY since the late eighties. In an interview with the Michigan Daily, Beef explained the hardships of recording in a sedan. “We would record one instrument at a time because that’s all that fit,” he said. “It takes a while. In ’98, we got a hatchback — otherwise, it still wouldn’t be done.” Now, finally, he has bestowed upon the world his LP, Firehorses, and I think I speak for all of us when I say, thank God for that hatchback. Firehorses opens with “Piggy Back,” a track that, underneath its funky overtones, speaks of deep yearning for a piggy back. It’s clear that Beef is trying to mask some deep insecurity in this track with the First seen on lyrics, “If you want,
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give me a piggy back.” Rather than begging for his piggy back, he lets it ultimately be the decision of the potential piggyback-giver if he gets a piggy back or not. The track features the velvety vocals of rap sensation Mool P. Sanders (“The coolest kid in school,” according to Beef ), who spits out rhymes about things we all can agree upon such as piggy backs and cheese. The song ends with a frantic repetition of the chorus, demonstrating just how desperate poor Beef is for his piggy back. It ends with a tortured “Aaoowwww,” leaving listeners to wonder, did he ever get his piggy back? The album’s tone brightens somewhat in the subsequent track, “How Beautiful I’ve Become,” in which Beef admires his flawless looks, singing, “I’m peeeeeerfect.” When asked how he became so beautiful, Beef explained, “How? I don’t know. I became this beautiful in 1995.” The track eventually culminates in impeccable, intense falsetto and a sax that takes it away in a warm, smooth solo oozing with the love of one’s own good looks. And the good mood continues in “Ham!” — a faster, upbeat track that doles out muchdeserved praise for the beloved processed pork foodstuff. Much like in “Piggy Back,” Beef emotes intense yearning for ham, singing, “Oh baby, gimme ham gimme ham gimme ham gimme ham!” Firehorses is an album that craves and desires, and Beef is a man on a mission for fulfillment. While many listeners undoubtedly will wonder why Beef chose to sing about ham rather than everyone’s favorite Greek protein source Chobani, Beef’s decision to
praise ham shows that he’s not afraid to take a risk every now and then — to be a little edgy. But Firehorses doesn’t take itself too seriously in its longings. Take the hit single, “Party Shart,” for instance. It’s an explosive track full of shimmering synths that prove the eighties ain’t dead yet. This is the anthem for partying until you shart. Move over, old anthem for partying until you shart — there’s a new track in town! Get ready to hear this song at all the cool college parties — this is a bumping track that will have you running for the bathroom. It’s a FUN TRACK. And Beef isn’t afraid to explore topics of sexuality in his tunes. Whether it’s the pleasant, sing-songy track, “Quit Lezzin’ Around,” the loud and proud “I’m Bi” or the sweet and sentimental “Your Big Purple,” Beef is a man who lets it all hang out. In “I’m Bi,” Beef allows his father to guest-sing as they proclaim their sexual orientation — “I’m bi, so is my dad / I’m his dad, and I am bi / I’m bi, me and my dad / We’re two bi guys, give us a try!” “I’m Bi” is filled with flourishes of saxophone and funky guitar that really do make you want to give Beef and his dad a try. In “Your Big Purple,” the “big purple” thing in question is actually a cooter — “It’s so good for me,” Beef croons. This muff-centered melody expresses a wide variety of emotion, from disdain for fruit leather, to lush praise for purple coot. Firehorses ends on a poignant note with the track “Chubby Boy,” filled with rich orchestral harmonies and weighty piano as Beef details his history with a certain chubby boy. “Do you remember,” Beef asks, “When we were riding in the back of the bus / And the driver went over a bump and our butts went off the seat? / I realized you didn’t get quite as much air / The other kids made fun of you / But of course I didn’t care.” This track features a sad yet seductive electric guitar solo, and the feeling of yearning that permeated the beginning of Firehorses returns in “Chubby Boy” as Beef wonders in his raspy, achingly earnest voice where his dear chubby boy went off to. Clocking in at almost five and a half minutes, this song is definitely the longest on the album, and it seems like a strange choice to end Firehorses on such a morose note. But I’m not beefin’ you. Firehorses will bake your ziti. It will make you drop trou. It will make your crab rangoons double — nay, triple — in size. It will make you so excited you’ll have a horse baby on your dining room table. It will boost your cul-de-sac cred by twenty percent. Listen, all I have to say is, Yanni’s got some serious competition. — An original version of this article was published on the Daily Arts blog, the Filter on Nov. 11.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
FROM THE FILTER
NBC
Geek is the new chic.
Be a part of the ‘Geeks’ By CHLOE GILKE Daily Arts Writer
“Freaks and Geeks” only aired 18 episodes during its tragically brief run, but with the cult following and universal praise the show has amassed, it’s surprisingly relevant. Try asking any TV or comedy fan to list his or her favorite shortlived show or bring up James Franco (“This is the End”) in conversation. Chances are the person will rate “F&G” with classics like “Twin Peaks” or “Firefly,” or be quick to remind you that Franco got his big break on the humble little network show. Although “F&G” was given the short shrift by NBC (it moved time slots a few times before the network cancelled it after just 12 episodes), it’s been given new life (and a whole new audience) through Netflix and the magic of free internet streaming. “F&G” follows the Weir siblings, who live in early 1980s suburban Michigan. Lindsay (Linda Cardellini, “Mad Men”), the older sister, is a former mathlete and goody-goody whose disillusionment after her grandmother’s death draws her to the rocker/stoner/burnout crowd. Her brothFirst seen on er, Sam, (John
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Francis Daley, “Bones”) is a high school freshman whose big dreams belie his small stature. He has a crush on the most popular girl in school and suffers through weeks of physical bullying and cruel teasing to make high school a fun place for himself and his “uncool” friends. The “Freaks” of the show’s title are played by such recognizable faces as Franco, Seth Rogen (“This is the End”) and Jason Segel (“How I Met Your Mother”), but the real star of the freak gang is Kim Kelly (Busy Philipps, “Made in Cleveland”). She’s low-class (both in terms of wealth and morals), confrontational and unabashedly rude. In the first episode of the show, she knocks Lindsay’s backpack to the floor for no apparent reason, and she takes an entire four episodes to really warm up to Lindsay. But despite her harsh demeanor, Kim is surprisingly sympathetic. She has a difficult family life, and her relationship with Franco’s Daniel Desario isn’t as casual and trouble-free as it might seem. And when Kim and Lindsay finally do become friends? Kim’s humor and abundant sass balance out Lindsay’s reserve and obedience, and you’ll essentially forget those three seconds you hated Kim. Let Kim be an example of character development on this show. Put simply, it’s awesome.
Daniel is mysterious and misunderstood (think of a punk James Dean) and fellow “Freak” Nick (Segel) is clueless and endearing (at least at first). But it’s the “Geeks” who really steal the show. Sam’s friends Bill (Martin Starr, “Knocked Up”) and Neal (Samm Levine, “Inglourious Basterds”) provide constant laughs and cringes. Neal is a budding comedian who thinks he’s funnier than he actually is, and Bill is gawky and never afraid to speak his mind. However, in true “F&G” style, each also has his own tragic storyline. Neal’s parents’ marriage is strained and he must cope with being in the middle of it all, and Bill’s mom dates his P.E. teacher (every nerd’s worst nightmare).
It’s time for you to revisit this one-season wonder. But even with all the big moments the show covers, the little stuff is perhaps the most memorable. Only “F&G” could pull off a scene where a character eats a grilled cheese sandwich and laughs at the TV and literally make me have to click pause so I could cry for 15 minutes. (Don’t ask me whether they were tears of joy or sadness. To be honest, I still don’t know the answer.) And the best comedic moments are minor ones, too: Bill’s horrible dancing/flailing limbs, Neal as the school mascot, Sam’s inability to point out the parts of the female anatomy on a diagram that apparently looks like something out of “Alien.” With repeated viewing, you’ll discover even more hilarious jokes that you probably missed the first time. “Freaks and Geeks” is a delight to watch. Let the next episode play automatically on Netflix and you’re guaranteed another hour that will make you laugh, cry and reminisce about your own crappy high school experience. And the best part? You can borrow Neal’s jokes and use them in conversation with your friends. They’ll probably know exactly what you’re talking about! That is, if you’ve chosen wisely and hang with the “Geek” crowd, of course. — An original version of this article was published on the Daily Arts blog, the Filter on Nov. 11.
statement NOVEMBER 20, 2013
the
WOMEN of ROSS
2B Wednesday, November 20, 2013 // The Statement
online comments
issue 11/13/13
Jerry May: Selling green for blue By Peter Shahin “Love this guy I used to work for him when he was the VP here at Ohio State. We miss you Jerry. “ – Karen Longbrake “He made us good ... and successful!”
– Lynda Heyl
“Your article is very nice, but I have to take some pause to think about the goals of university fundraising. My own experience as a ‘small donor’ is not quite in line with what Mr. May describes. I believe he is a sincere fundraiser, and I have had positive interactions with some of the regional developmental people, but this office has allowed athletics to take over vis-avis students. I desired to increase my gift last year to UM, but as a season ticket holder, was forced to increase my gift to the ‘personal seat donation’, for which university donations did not count. I believe that 80 or so per ticket is actually a good donation to the university, since players do not get paid and since we have more fans than any other school attend games. When I complained to Mr. May, to President Coleman, and to Dean of LSA, nobody cared--they said they don’t control athletics ... ” – contrarian90
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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: Tom McBrien
the fashion voyeur: coat of color Oh, winter. It’s a season that comes with so much promise — the chance to hide your inevitably paling, dry skin under layers of patterned tights, plaid vests and large sweaters. But, more often than not, you end up throwing on black yoga pants, those Ugg boots you promised you’d never wear again and a North Face pullover most likely layered under a North Face parka. With the cold weather rolling in these past few weeks, our campus has accurately reflected that change in wardrobes. This physical manifestation of the mood of students at this point in the year isn’t exactly a cheery one. However, there are historical and “scientific” reasons for dressing in dark colors in the winter and whites in the summer. Many of us probably grew up with our parents telling us to wear lighter-colored clothing in the summer, as they reflect the sun’s rays better than dark colors do. This is, in part, true. However, the reason we feel hot in the summer has more to do with how breathable the material is, not the color. And thus wearing dark colors in the winter isn’t really going to absorb the sun’s rays and keep you warmer. This somewhat faulty logic became a fashion rule in the early to mid-twentieth century, according to Charlie Scheips, author of “American Fashion.” Magazine editors usually lived in Northern cities, and they saw white as a color that could combat city heat. Dark colors were thus saved for fall due to the threat of being splashed by mud during a cold rain. This strategy of dressing was seen in magazines at the time, and quickly permeated throughout the rest of America.
According to TIME magazine, many historians argue that around the 1950s, the rule of not wearing white after Labor Day became more rigid as the middle class expanded and the elite held onto their more traditional rules as a way to separate the decorum of their “society.” Labor Day marks the end of a summer of leisure, and the return
by adrienne roberts
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
lsa junior danielle karp pairs black boots and a scarf with an oversized camel color shearling jacket. of more serious values, like hard work and stability. Dark colors, such as black, brown and navy, tend to draw those associations. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3B
Josephine Adams
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Jennie Coleman
Pictured on cover: Business senior Sumana Palle (TERESA MATHEW/Daily)
No. 510:
Senior Washed Up Girl has officially become a lifestyle. Break out the wine and sweatpants.
No. 511:
It’s OK to make Skeeps your sole winter destination for the warmth of the heaters in line.
No. 512:
rules
It’s cold out, a.k.a. time to befriend anyone with a car for those quick trips down the street.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013 // The Statement 3B
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For decades, designers have mostly stuck with this color palette in their fall runway shows. In the fall 2013 season, however, designers strayed away from this norm. Dries Van Noten dressed his models in hot pink and yellow outerwear. At Carven, the color palette for outerwear was baby blue, camel, pink and blush — a trio noted as the “colors of the season.” Celine’s fall show was noted for its warmth, with one of the most talked about pieces being a light pink, rounded shoulder coat. This color palette may, on the surface, scream extreme femininity, but the more masculine shapes balance out what could be seen as paint colors for a nursery room. In Ann Arbor, we see this trend in moderation, especially because the trend of lighter-colored outerwear is very new and hasn’t been seen for the past decade. While the coats themselves may be in darker colors, accessories add lightness and warmth to the outfits. In a sea of black, puffy coats, colors that add a certain lightness stand out.
on the record
“I like how we ran the ball. That’s the first time I guess we were in positive yardage. That’s the first time in three weeks, so we’ll take that.” – BRADY HOKE, Michigan football coach, about Saturday’s 27-19 overtime win against Northwestern.
“I can order a vehicle very quickly and, once it’s done with me, it goes off to somebody else very quickly.”
– JONATHAN LEVINE, professor of urban and regional planning, on the plan to bring self-driving cars to Ann Arbor.
“And only through this dear bond between him and his leading ladies could he portray the film’s beating heart: One person can change your life.” ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
lsa senior claire kim, left, wears an army-inspired green coat with black accessories and a men’s button-up. lsa junior katie szymanski, right, brightens up a black jacket and brown boots with a red scarf.
trending: #BBUM “When a librarian asks me if I even teach at the university after someone failed to place a book on reserve for MY class. #BBUM” @KyeraChristine
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– ANDREW MCCLURE, Daily arts writer, on Abdellatif Kechiche’s newest film, “Blue Is The Warmest Color.”
On Tuesday, the University’s Black Student Union gained national attention with a #BBUM Twitter campaign. The hashtag stands for Being Black at the University of Michigan, and Black students were encouraged to tweet about their experience on campus. Here are a selection of tweets published with the hashtag:
“Being one of the only two black people in your major....and the other is your twin sister #BBUM” @kourtneeduff1h “Having a classmate say that we live in a post-racial society because the president is black #BBUM” @lovelavon_
“#BBUM is my mom calling me worried about my safety because I wrote an opinion piece about my identity.” @DeeGreezy
“#BMUM being told not to say white people, say cacausian” @Esquire_GQ
“Assuming that because I’m black I don’t deserve to be here and am a result of affirmative action, which is not even in place right now #BBUM” @Dezha_Marshae “#BBUM is praying before opening every crime alert” @bharris444
“Part of #bbum means dealing with egos of privileged whites and egos of self esteemed blacks. Everyone needs to humble themselves.” @ImChris93
“Personally, I’ve enjoyed my experiences #BBUM, they’ve helped shape me into the diverse individual that I am today and I am proud of it.” @LehmanRobinson
what should I say? Will these people hate me if I say these things?’ ”
An inclusive community The most interesting aspect of the experiences Palle describes is how they diverge from those of another female student on campus. Business senior Tatiana Melamed, copresident of the BBA population of Michigan Business Women — an on-campus organization that provides Business School students with networking and educational opportunities — affirmed that some individuals at the Business School are prejudiced, but never to the point that she has felt targeted or discriminated against. Melamed said her initial interactions with the older members of MBW helped her understand the relevance of the community she could foster should she choose to stick with the Michigan Business Women. As a woman working with other women, Melamed didn’t feel excluded. The inclusion she gained in MBW, she said, carried over into the rest of the classes and projects she undertook as an undergraduate. “I guess I never even viewed myself as different from other students, even going from my time as a freshman in LSA to a sophomore at Ross,” Melamed said. “And even if I’ve felt different for being a girl, it has been in a positive light, with other women — whether it’s professors who took me under their wing or other classmates — looking out for me.” Like Palle, she referenced her time working in group projects with teams heavily dominated in number by men. The difference in takeaways is stark. “I’ve never felt like my opinion has been marginalized, which could be because I am a very assertive person,” Melamed said. “And I think a lot of my friends are in the same boat.” The key to success, Melamed clarified, is getting women to take part in an inclusive community as early as possible, so they have a chance to find a support system they can lean on should difficulty arise. This support system, which Melamed found in the form of MBW, establishes a space for everyone involved to voice common concerns. Even if those concerns aren’t directly related to sexism, the ability to confide in someone going through the same experience is vital. Palle pointed out how most of the women she has met in the Business School have extremely varied ideas on what is sexism. Many of her friends, she noted, don’t even realize when they’re being discriminated against. It’s all a matter of perspective. “I think the saddest part is that so many women don’t even know when someone is being sexist,” Palle said. “We view it differently.”
Both Palle and Melamed seemed to mirror one answer: Ultimately, a problem lies in the numbers. “A lot of people bring attention to how we don’t participate in class,” Melamed said. “When you consider the fact that only 30 percent of the students are female, it’s easy to see why you’d have more responses from men than women.”
An inequality in numbers Historically, females have always been underrepresented in higher stratums of the business world, which remains consistent despite a larger influx of women in the workforce over the past few decades. Even though institutions like the Business School are starting to produce more female graduates than in the past, the same graduates have a difficult time climbing the corporate ladder. According to recent reports by McKinsey & Company, a major management consulting firm, “Corporate America has a ‘leaky’ talent pipeline; at each transition up the management ranks, more women are left behind.” Even though only about half of new hires are men, 63 percent of male new hires are promoted to low-level managerial positions with females in those positions dropping to 37 percent. Moving a few steps further, 74 percent of individuals promoted to vice president or senior executive positions are male and just 14 percent of professionals on most executive committees are female. What is intriguing is the hyper-focused efforts of many companies to increase diversity on their executive boards. A yearly report by McKinsey called “Women Matter” examines the efforts of corporations across the world to create more inclusive work environments. In 2012, researchers found that of the 235 firms examined, 63 percent had more than 20 programs in place as part of their gender diversity initiatives. Though there have been some marked improvements, the results are less than optimistic. “In only 8 percent of the biggest companies in the survey did women account for more than a quarter of the top jobs,” the study states. So what went wrong? The report draws two large critiques of the companies put under the lens: Not enough sought government aid to facilitate diversification, and, more importantly, many of the programs they instituted were prematurely applied — a large push was made to promote women into mid-level management positions, but because some promoted women were underqualified, profits dropped, making it highly unlikely for the women given promotions to rise further. Women were simply hired to meet quotas within time and were
Solving a problem According to Dittmar, the first step to solving the numbers issue is reevaluating current progress. Dittmar said it is important to recognize the efforts of organizations like MBW, but know there is more progress to be made. “I think the most important thing is to create an environment that students want to be a part of,” Dittmar said. “We are proud of the culture here, but there’s obviously work to be done.” After the recent article in The New York Times about Harvard Business School, MBW hosted a panel for any Business School student to voice concerns if they had seen a similar level of sexism in their own classes. “When a story like that comes out, it ripples out,” said Dittmar. “It was really important that we confirm the same things weren’t going on at Ross.” Though most responses supported the claim that sexism wasn’t as visible at Ross, many of the students in attendance felt that the existence of the problem, no matter where that problem may be, means it’s time to have an open dialogue, giving students who faced discrimination a chance to speak for themselves. Dittmar explained that after the initial panel, the professors left the room and let students break off into groups to discuss possible steps toward a solution. By and large, students felt that the school had to take a more involved approach in spreading awareness of the issue,
Good old boys club Though signs of progress are citable, some concentrations of business, namely finance, are slow to show signs of change. Emily Pare, co-president of the graduate student portion of MBW, referenced a recent corporate valuation class she took in Detroit through the Business School, where there were approximately three or four women out of more than 30 total students. “It’s not one of those fields women typically go into,” Pare said. “Even corporate finance and investment banking, definitely, is an industry that is male-dominated. I think there were two women total last year that were recruiting for investment banking.” She said that it’s one of those few pockets in the industry that has avoided change for an extremely long time. She paused for a moment when asked why she thought that was the case. “I guess it requires a thick skin,” she finally said, uncertain. “I don’t think it’s that women are uninterested in it. I think the culture in place there doesn’t fit them very well. From the outside, it’s hard to tell specifically what that culture is, but you’re definitely going to have those nights where all the guys go out, which kind of creates the ‘goodold-boys club’ idea and ostracizes women.” Overwhelmingly, the exclusivity spawns a lack of understanding in both directions: Women often don’t know how to approach the work environment at large investment banks and the men there don’t know how to make an inclusive environment.
According to Pare, the answer is creating a reliable mentorship program and having women already in the field or who have already worked in the field willing to help out others that want to join. The easiest place to find those mentors should be the faculty at the Business School, but it is heavily skewed in favor of men in the finance subdivision. Of the 27 professors, associate professors and visiting scholars listed in the department’s staff page, two are female. Despite the Business School boasting that 50 percent of its faculty leaders are women, the inequality at lower levels needs to be changed. According to a recent study conducted by Prof. James Westphal, as more women and minorities find a place on executive committees, few are able to attain the elite “inner circle status” that comes from serving on multiple boards. The reason: the lack of mentoring they receive from white male executives already on the payroll. It’s not fair to say that male faculty members are
unable to guide female students. But as Melamed stated, it has to be acknowledged that students are more likely to confide in people who have gone through similar problems. The varying perceptions female students have of the Business School is a testament to why the issue can’t be approachd in one way, or following the course of Norway’s 40-percent rule and prematurely admitting more female students. “We can’t just blindly throw money at the problem and hope for it to magically disappear,” Pare said. “It’s never that simple.”
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that come in with the predetermined idea that equality isn’t assumed. “Most of the students at Ross are inspiring — they’re some of the smartest people on campus,” she said. “But there’s a vocal minority who are just awful people — douches who come from very privileged families and want to make sure everyone knows.” Palle said this sense of entitlement is sorely felt in group projects, class discussions or, for that matter, any personal interactions. At certain instances in her time at the Business School, Palle describes how she often felt slighted and forced to finish many of the menial tasks in classroom projects, such as taking notes or writing summaries of group meetings. It is a form of discrimination that, according to Palle, stems from a clear divide in numbers and the perception of roles, which require women to fight in order to be heard. The notion of an inclusive community depends on the open-mindedness of the people involved, independent of skin color or gender. But, it’s hard to ignore the statistics. According to the registrar, only 18 of the students currently registered as undergraduates at Ross are Black while 859 are white. The numbers get worse when looking at Black women. Of the entire Ross student body of 1,312, eight are Black women. Even if it’s indirect, the numbers influence the school’s culture. In many interview workshops that precede recruiting seasons, Palle recalls how the sessions geared toward women pay special attention to what type of makeup to wear and how to best go about “prettying up.” Though Palle agrees these methods could be a way for women to prepare for the realities of the business world, she notes a prevalent level of condescension. “There is always this condescending tone, and it’s hard being a brown female, because that affects the way people look at things,” Palle said. “Sometimes it gets to the point where I just think to myself, ‘Why am I even in this school?’ One of the select students preadmitted to the Business School before her freshman year, Palle described the contrast in the experiences between her first year at the University and her second. Many of the on-campus organizations she joined as a freshman were progressive groups where the idea of “contributing what you can” took precedence. The change she saw as a student at Ross was striking. “The difference was bizarre,” Palle said. “When you’d walk into class, all you would see are white male faces. That just hits you, and automatically, you become self-conscious and think ‘Why am I here? What could I say,
reaching out to the entire Business School community to instill the importance of diversity, and getting a more varied group of possible applicants interested in the school. “We’re definitely mindful of the divide in the population,” Tamra Talmadge-Anderson, a public relations director at the Business School, said. “But it’s important to see how willing we are to open doors to people at the Business School.” For example, Ross is a founding member of the Forté Foundation, an organization that actively works to create scholarship opportunities for women looking to enroll in business schools. Since its formation, the foundation has seen an overall 22-percent rise in MBA enrollment at the institutions that sponsor it.
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BY AKSHAY SETH
not given the proper recruiting consideration an employee would otherwise deserve. The results are eerily mirrored in a study by Associate Finance Prof. Amy Dittmar, who is also an asssociate dean for a Specialty Master’s Program. In the study, Dittmar and Prof. Kenneth Ahern examined the impacts of a law requiring public-limited Norwegian companies to have at least 40 percent representation of women on their boards. The researchers discovered that the stock price of most firms noticeably dropped as a result of the new policy, but they asserted the drop had nothing to do with the gender of the new board members. Rather, the 40-percent constraint imposed on the firms led them to hire underqualified women to meet compliance, causing a drop in performance and indirectly giving life to the false perception that women do not belong on boards. “When firms were free to choose directors before the rule, they tended to choose women that were similar to men directors,” Dittmar and Ahern said in a press release for the report. “This is consistent with the idea that the large demand and small supply for women directors after the adoption of the 40-percent quota forced firms to choose directors that they would not have chosen otherwise.” Life after business school might not be intrinsically connected to gender imbalances inside the Business School, but it’s a thoughtprovoking comparison: If there’s one thing uniting the firms examined in the reports mentioned above, it’s that most of them acknowledged that an inequality in number exists.
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FOR WOMEN IN BUSINESS, IT’S MORE THAN A NUMBERS GAME he Ross School of Business has a reputation. Secluded inside its impressive, ultra-modern building on Tappan Avenue, it’s the place on campus that typically comes to mind when students hear the word “advantage.” The school is frequently ranked among the top 10 bachelor’s of business administration and master’s of business administration programs in the country, churning out graduates that go on to find work in many of the world’s most recognizable firms. Bloomberg reported that the average starting salaries for fresh BBAs was a cool $62,727 and upwards of $110,000 for MBA students. But even more impressive? Close to 90.5 percent of the undergraduates the school produces receive a job offer immediately after earning their degrees — an unprecedented level of security that hasn’t shaken in the face of a wavering economy. From a purely results-oriented standpoint, the Business School is a well-recognized, established school. But the notion of “advantage” doesn’t just imply success. It’s hard to overlook the fact that the large majority of the students enrolled at the Business School are white males, and have been since the school’s inception in 1924. Though there’s no doubt that progress has been made, the fact of the matter is that currently only 35 percent of the 468 students in the sophomore BBA class are female. That number falls when considering the rest of the Business School, where a little more than 32 percent of the 1,302 undergraduate students are women, according to a Fall 2013 enrollment report from the Office of the Registrar. But does an inequality in numbers imply discrimination? A recent New York Times case study took an in-depth look at how sexual discrimination plays a role in the learning and teaching environment women find themselves in at the Harvard Business School. In addition to focusing on sexism, the article turns the lens on aggressive methods schools are taking to diminish sexism, such as workshops to teach women how to raise their hands to increase participation and recording each lecture to see how female professors could improve teaching styles. Business junior Sumana Palle, an executive board member for What the F magazine and self-identifying “Bitch of the B-School,” was quick to point out that a level of sexism does not exist at Ross, but a clear dichotomy in the type of students who attend the school creates tension. Though many of the people she works with are intelligent students, the source of the problem is the few Business School students
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Wednesday, November 20, 2013 // The Statement
Wednesday, November 20, 2013 // The Statement
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Business school senior Tatiana Melamed, left, said the Michigan Business Women organization helped her find a community and inclusion at Ross. Associate Finance Prof. Amy Dittmar echoed that MBW is one step forward for women in business, but more progress still needs to be made.
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Wednesday, November 20, 2013 // The Statement
The force behind physics demonstrations by Austen Hufford
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n a large, empty Dennison lecture hall Friday afternoon, three people wheeled in a large copper Tesla coil, a device that produces highvoltage, low-current electricity. After efficiently setting everything up, the device was powered on. An off-kilter electric sound filled the hall and bright blue sparks emanated from the coil’s top in seemingly random directions. Two people slowly walked around the coil — intently checking for misplaced internal connections. The power was cut. Someone mentioned the machine sounded off, and a protective shielding panel on the device was removed. An internal part was adjusted — by mere millimeters — and the machine was powered on again. This process was repeated over and over: turn off, small adjustment, turn on, listen, look, try again until it was just right. The employees at the University’s Physics Demonstration Lab had to make sure this demonstration — one of their more dangerous — was correctly calibrated because, well, that’s just what they do: Build, correct and perfect. Buried in the basement of Dennison, accessible through a second story staircase or going through one of two lecture halls, a team of three works daily to imagine, build and perfect in-class physics demonstrations and experiments. From simply visualizing an electronic field to loudly showing the effects of a Tesla coil, the Physics Demonstration Lab is used to increase learning and occasionally awaken napping students in physics classes everyday. Building to educate
A demonstration is first thought out and planned, then gets prototyped for feasibility. If the project is deemed successful, a first build is done and sometimes second and third remakes are required because of durability, weight or myriad other concerns. Eventually it is deemed classroom ready and added to the catalogue. Even at this stage, the demonstration can still be changed and updated as feedback is received. Laboratory Manager Warren Smith and Lecture Demonstrators Monika Wood and Matthew Jackson arrive one hour before a class starts. They see the schedule of demonstrations for the day with many last minute additions from professors and set up what’s needed for the first block of classes on movable carts. While classes are in session, the three set up experiments for the next class, while working to fix and refine
demonstrations. The basement laboratory is a curious scientist’s paradise. Situated just yelling distance from the lecture halls — in case anything goes wrong — the large space consists of a small office with computers, a large shelved storage area and a workroom. With the feel of the warehouse on Discovery’s “Mythbusters,” the lab has a large assortment of, well, almost anything. Children’s toys, saws, wires, speakers of every size, all carefully organized and put away. When a professor
University professors view the demonstrations as one tool to help make lessons stick in the minds of easily distracted students. Students view the experiments as a welcome reprieve from PowerPoint presentations and another way to help grasp a concept. “Usually when you teach something, some new idea, new concept, you want the students to immediately come to grips with it,” Physics Prof. Gregory Tarlé said. “You want them to see that what you’re teaching them has applications in real
AUSTEN HUFFORD/Daily
Laboratory Manager Warren Smith has worked in the Physics Demonstration Lab for 18 years.
hwas an idea for a new experiment, Smith and his coworkers know what needs to be bought and what is already on hand. As class time approaches, the lab busies with activity, and when class is finally dismissed, there is a NASCAR-esque pit crew race to move the experiments out of the classrooms and move new ones in. Chalkboards wiped down experiments set up, in under 10 minutes. All professors need to do is actually run and explain the demonstrations during class. Demonstrated learning
Typically used in large lecture halls — where introductory science classes are often held — the demonstrations break up monotonous classes but also reinforce learning in their own right. In-class demonstrations can primarily benefit learning in two ways, according to Rachel Niemer, associate director for the University’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. Aside from providing a break during long lectures, the demonstrations make students actively think about the material instead of passively ingesting it.
life. You want to make that connection by showing them the demonstration.” Professors are always calling, e-mailing and visiting the physics lab. Many times, they are just ordering an experiment for class from the large catalogue of experiments that have already been built and tested by the lab. Frequently, however, professors are calling with a new idea for an experiment, asking to see if a concept can be shown in demonstration form, or even just offering or asking for improvements for an already created one. For members of the lab and the professors and lecturers who use it, this communication is key to the lab’s success. Timothy McKay, the Arthur F. Thurnau professor of physics and astronomy, said having a dedicated team encourages professors to come up with innovative teaching methods for class, which wouldn’t be possible if the support weren’t there. Without the lab, professors wouldn’t even attempt to use some of the technology they do now. McKay said using demonstrations in science classes — specifically in physics — has a long history, with books on the subject dating back to the early 20th century. Physicists say the field is all
about explaining the real world and, especially in introductory classes, many of the phenomena can be shown to students directly. Keeping it simple
Some demonstrations are essentially unchanged from the 1900s, only getting rebuilt when needed. Others are frequently remade and created. For Smith, who has been with the lab for 18 years, an experiment can always be improved — rebuilt, repainted, rethought. However, he believes simplicity is key. It is about properly meeting the needs of both those who will use and see the demonstration. Smith said demonstrations are superior to videos and simulations. “There’s just no replacement for the real thing. It has an impact, a visceral impact, upon all of your senses and your body,” Smith said. While a demonstration may appear simple in its final form, there is thought that goes into every facet of its design: the size and color of wiring, the speed of the reaction and even colors that contrast with blackboards. “We just have a whole list of things that we look at when we construct an experiment that unless it meets all that criteria, it’s subject to rebuild at anytime,” Smith said. He said the perfect experiment is one that clearly shows a single concept. Bored students should be interested in what happens, and it must be controllable by professors. A good demonstration is simple to understand and easy to see — from both nearby and in the top row. McKay said the physics faculty embraces these demonstrations, particularly in introductory classes. He said when used properly the demonstrations can be one of the best ways to really drive home a point. “Demonstrators are one of the ways that we can send our students out wanting to tell their roommate about what happened in class today,” McKay said. “When you do that, it’s not just a piece of theater, because that kind of memorable nature is learning. You stick something in a person’s brain in a way that stays by giving it that framing.”
Want to explore the Physics Demonstration Lab? Check out our video on
michigandaily.com
Wednesday, November 20, 2013 // The Statement
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Friends in the end by James Reslier-Wells
ILLUSTRATION BY MEGAN MULHOLLAND
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his isn’t the first time I’ve been to Michigan. Five years ago, I went through the state on my way home to New Jersey after protesting the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. I didn’t stop in Ann Arbor, but spent most of my time with an anarchist collective in Detroit, The Trumbullplex crew. We partied, then I continued on to my destination. That trip was one of many adventures that punctuated my post-high school years. That is to say, I didn’t spend six years at community college before coming to University of Michigan — I traveled, worked, played and did … other things. But six years and two associate’s degrees later, I find myself back in the lower peninsula, this time for an extended stay. I find that the return gives me an opportunity to reflect on some of the long-term changes in my life. Some are obvious: I am engaged to my partner of two years, Alex. Some changes, though, are a little more insidious. Something happened in the last three years, which were devoted primarily to excelling at community college — I became comfortable. To my younger self, this state of affairs would have been antithetical. I had been restless and desultory and feared stagnation, which many people call contentment. But I suddenly had friends with whom I shared more than
a few days of my life. Friends that I could go have a drink with after finals, instead of just drinking because it was that time of the day (noon). The common term for this transformation is “growing up,” but I have to be honest — it’s really hard to feel like a grownup as a junior in college, regardless of my age. Every day, I am surrounded by people as much as six years my junior, whose sole intent is to find themselves, and I see them doing so, sometimes several times a day. Meanwhile, my application to the University was predicated on the assumption that I had already done that. Not that I was naïve enough to assume that I had figured out exactly who I was and would always be, but I had worked hard to get where I was, and I felt somewhat duty-bound to build on my successes. With that in mind, I tackled my degree head-on, trusting the reserves of confidence I had built over the past few years to see me through to my bachelor’s. I took only three courses, to give myself room to acclimatize, and diversified my remaining time with undergraduate research, clubs and The Michigan Daily — by all accounts a well-balanced college lifestyle. It took me a month and a half to realize my mistake: I hadn’t factored in that most crucial element of a college experience — socialization. It had been so many years
since I’d had to make new friends that I didn’t just forget how, I forgot that I needed to try at all. Sure, I was amicable and friendly, but I somehow forgot that actual effort has to be made in order to connect with others. With that understanding, I have started to reach out more, striking up the odd conversation, suggesting a study session here and there, and seeing where it leads — I even got invited to a party! (Not the kind that you could just walk into without knowing anyone.) Still, there is a consistency lacking. I can see most of Central Campus and the Hill neighborhood from the desk where I write, and I still feel disconnected; the athletic fields and south campus neighborhood forming a gulf between me and the crucible of relentless social interaction that would presumably define a “normal” college experience at one of the residence halls. I know that such assumptions are pulled from pop culture and probably bear little resemblance to the collective reality of a majority-defined sense of “normalcy,” but I can’t help it, I want my “storybook” college experience — replete with silliness, feuding, hijinks, adventures and most of all, friendship (really, the only piece that I wouldn’t mind leaving out at this point is heartbreak). But it’s not just any friendship I want, I want the kind of friendship where
you make plans and promises that you could never rationally keep. I want to get calls at 3 a.m., just because someone else can’t sleep and wants company; I want people to look at me, with my group of friends, and think one word — “deranged.” My path through higher education could single-handedly define the “nontraditional” college experience, and it’s difficult to rationalize my accomplishments with everyone I see having their “normal” ones. I know that I have seen, done and accomplished things that some dream of — important, meaningful things — but I can’t shake this envy. All too soon, my peers will consist of professionals in situations where childish wistfulness is, at best, discouraged. I know that I can’t force this. These are the types of relationships that take years to form, but at this point, I have less than two. I am scared that I will come away from my college experience unfulfilled. But don’t they say that admission is the first step towards recovery? I suppose the only thing left to do is go out and recover my sense of adventure. These years are still my opportunity to try new things; I just hope I can find the right people to share those experiences with. James Reslier-Wells is a Daily Staff Videographer and an LSA junior.
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Wednesday, November 20, 2013 // The Statement
I N S TA G R A M S H O O T- O U T Two Daily photographers take on the Windy City with iPhones and SLRs
Teresa Mathew Erin Kirkland