ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Regents to consider IM building renovations Board to also approve $168 million South Campus projects MCKENZIE BEREZIN/Daily
LSA junior Kidada Malloy speaks with Rackham student Becky Christensen at the Inclusive Language Kickoff in the Michigan Union Monday.
Campaign aims to show students power of words Inclusive Language campaign serves to improve campus climate By CHARLOTTE JENKINS Daily Staff Reporter
Monday, the University’s Expect Respect initiative officially launched the Inclusive
Language campaign in the Michigan Union. Both the kickoff event and the campaign aim to raise awareness about the power of language in everyday discourse on campus. Amanda McLittle, coordinator of Diversity Education in University Housing, said given incidents like Theta Xi’s “Hood Ratchet” party and the Black Student Union’s #BBUM Twitter campaign last year, the University created the program to
help improve campus climate and understanding. “We don’t talk enough about how our language and the words that we use, and how they impact others,” McLittle said. “Last year’s events showed that this has always been needed.” The campaign aims to educate students about hurtful phrases that are not inclusive and eliminate language that perpetuates hate and prejudice.
The words and phrases included in a pamphlet distributed at the event included statements that were heard on campus. ILC materials referenced phrases like “I want to die,” and “that’s so gay.” The former, according to the pamphlet, belittles those who have selfharmed or attempted suicide by implying that their struggle is laughable or insignificant. Phrases like “that’s so gay” See CAMPAIGN, Page 3
By CLAIRE BRYAN Daily Staff Reporter
At their first meeting of the academic year this Thursday, the University’s Board of Regents is expected to vote on more than $180 million in capital projects related to varsity and intramural athletics. The board will consider the construction of a $168 million South Campus athletic facility and a $18.7 million renovation of the University’s Intramural Sports Building. Stephen M. Ross Athletic Campus project begins Pending approval by the regents, the University will construct a 310,000 square-foot space to serve student-athletes involved with the Michigan men and women’s track and field, cross country, soccer, lacrosse, wrestling, tennis, gymnastics and women’s rowing
teams. The facility will include an outdoor track venue fit for 2,000 spectators and an indoor track facility that can accommodate 1,000 fans. An outdoor lacrosse stadium planned for the site is expected to house 3,000 spectators. The facility will include shared performance space, locker rooms, strength and conditioning facilities, meeting space and sports medicine facilities. When completed, the space is expected to host national, regional and local competitions but will be also be available for recreational use. The project is largely funded through a $100 million gift from real estate tycoon Stephen Ross, a University alum, along with Athletic Department Resources. Last fall, Ross donated $200 million to the University’s Athletic Department and the Ross School of Business, giving each unit $100 million. Ross was made the business school’s namesake in 2004 when he donated his first $100 million to help renovate the school’s facilities. The recent $200 million gift is the largest single donation to the University to date, and at their See REGENTS, Page 3
GOVERNMENT
ANN ARBOR
Political parties try to encourage student voting
City Council encourages tax for road maintenance
With midterm elections approaching, groups aim to engage young voters By BEN ATLAS Daily Staff Reporter
As a potential shift in the balance of power in Washington looms with just 50 days until the midterm elections, both Republicans and Democrats have begun ramping up voter mobilization efforts with an eye towards a demographic historically not keen on showing up at the polls: young people. By some estimates, the Democrats are projected to lose control of the Senate and remain the House minority, according to The Rothenberg Political Report, though popular political statistician Nate Silver has noted many Senate races narrowing in Democrats’ favor in recent weeks. Getting young voters to the polls is crucial, as midterm elections tend to attract an older, white and more conservative electorate. To achieve that, Democrats at the national level are emphasizing their interests in youth issues like equal pay, marriage equality and access to contraception. “It’s really critical we underscore how important the contrast (between the parties) is here and
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HI: 67 LO: 45
the choice that young people are going to have,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D–Fla.), the Democratic National Committee chairwoman, said in a conference call last week hosted specifically for college journalists. One decisive issue Democrats will emphasize is student loan refinancing. The Senate is scheduled to vote this week on Bank On Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act, which would allow current borrowers to refinance their student loans at the rates now set for first-time borrowers. Last summer, Congress authorized students taking out new loans to pay a rate of 3.86 percent; this bill would allow all outstanding borrowers — some of whom pay rates higher than 7 percent on their loans — to restructure their payments at this new lower rate. What many proponents of the bill take issue with is the amount that the government profits off its student loan program. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Department of Education is projected to amass $127 billion in profit over the next decade from the program — a surplus that Sen. Chris Murphy (D–Conn.) called on the call “egregious and unjustifiable.” Opponents of this bill take issue with how lowering the borrowing rate would be covered. The current bill, sponSee VOTING, Page 3
Taylor proposes resolution to fund county-wide improvements By EMMA KERR
AMANDA ALLEN/Daily
Teen author Celeste reflects on her expierences with cancer at the Chronicling Childhood Cancer Reading at Literati Bookstore Monday.
Alum’s book raises money for pediatric cancer care Event at Literati Bookstore examines trials of childhood cancer By EMILIE PLESSET who has this position
Tightly packed between stacks of colorful books, about 50 University students and members of the Ann Arbor community shuffled into Literati Bookstore Monday evening to hear two cancer-surviving authors tell their stories featured in the recently published book Chronicling Childhood Cancer: A Collection of Personal Stories by Children and Teens with Cancer.
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The book was edited and compiled by Medical student Trisha Paul as part of her Honors English thesis last semester as she wrapped up her undergraduate work before applying to medical school. It told the stories of 10 children and teens between the ages of 8 and 18 through narratives, journal entries, lists and personal drawings. Two of these children were Ruben and Celeste, who shared their stories at the event. “At its core, this project has been a way for me to learn more about what humanity is,” Paul said. “To learn more about how we act as people and how to treat other people.” The event honored September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and donat-
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ed 50 percent of the book’s proceeds to the University’s “Block Out Cancer” campaign, and the other 50 percent to the Child and Family Life Program at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. Literati co-owner Mike Gustafson, an Ann Arbor resident, said that while the bookstore has held events in the past where portions of the sales were donated to charity, this was the first event where all the proceeds were to be donated. Literati’s owners felt the emotional nature of the book would have a big impact on its readers, and made it a good candidate for a charity event. “The book has a very personal, human aspect to it that See BOOK, Page 3
Vol. CXXIV, No. 127 ©2014 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
Daily Staff Reporter
The Ann Arbor City Council is joining Washtenaw County in expediting the creation of a new revenue stream action to fix the city’s roads. At Monday’s City Council meeting, Councilmember Christopher Taylor (D–Ward 3), the Democratic nominee for mayor, proposed a resolution in support of a county proposal to levy a 0.5-mill tax for the improvement of existing roads and infrastructure. The resolution — essentially a show of support for the county’s proposal — passed with a 10-1 vote, with only Councilmember Jane Lumm (I–Ward 2) dissenting. Five councilmembers co-sponsored the resolution, including Sabra Briere (D–Ward 1), Stephen Kunselman (D–Ward 3), Sally Hart Petersen (D–Ward 2) and Chuck Warpehoski (D– Ward 5), along with Taylor. The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners created a committee in July to analyze the possibility of using Act 283, which permits the county comSee ROAD, Page 3
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