CELEBRATING OUR ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH YEAR OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Friday, October 10, 2014
Ann Arbor, Michigan
michigandaily.com
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
CSG Pres., AD look to build closer relationship
VICKI LIU/Daily
Rackham student Joseph Bayer speaks about the role of Facebook in everyday life at the MCubed Symposium at Rackham Auditorium Thursday.
MCubed symposium lauds interdisciplinary approach Second annual event inspires work between departments By AMABEL KAROUB Daily Staff Reporter
University President Emerita Mary Sue Coleman was known to spin the Cube each day on her way to work, but that’s not the only cube taking off on campus.
In a different context, a “cube” is a group of three University faculty members from different departments. Each cube is formed with the intention of solving global challenges that are too difficult or broad for a single discipline to take on. At the 2014 MCubed Symposium Thursday, the cubes presented their findings from the past year. This year was the second of the inaugural MCubed cycle. MCubed was launched in May
2012 when the University’s Third Century initiative allotted $15 million for the program, which aims to encourage interdisciplinary research. Of the $15 million, each cube receives $60,000 to begin their project. All cubes are required to involve one undergraduate student, graduate student or postdoctoral fellow to train the next generation of researchers. The day began with a welcome speech from Jack
As elections approach, Daily survey shows lack of student engagement By SHOHAM GEVA Daily Staff Reporter
Student voters can be a key demographic for both Republicans and Democrats, but according to a survey conducted by The Michigan Daily, candidates in Michigan still have some work to do at the University to get students’ attention. The survey, which was sent out over email to 1600 undergraduate students late last month, was completed by about 200 students. Among respondents, fewer than 50 percent identified as either politically active or politically informed. On most specific national policy and state issues, including support for labor unions, right to work laws, aspects of the Affordable Care Act and a controversial Michigan law approved in 2013 requiring the purchase of an additional rider for abortion cov-
Daily Staff Reporter
In a plea to disillusioned students, CSG President Bobby Dishell, a Public Policy senior, released a statement Wednesday night discouraging them from boycotting Saturday’s football game “under the lights” against Penn State. His end message: #StandByBlue. Dishell was responding to a loosely organized plan to protest the game on MGoBlog. The boycott would have students gather outside the gates to each section before the game but not enter, subsequently giving the appearance of an empty student section on national television.
MGoBlog is a Michigan sports blog centered on Wolverine athletics, according to the website. It is run by a University alum and is largely catered to University alumni. The rally to fire University Athletic Director Dave Brandon Sept. 30 was also initiated by a comment on the MGoBlog site. The event ultimately mobilized current students to gather outside of University President Mark Schlissel’s house and demand Brandon’s immediate dismissal. Dishell met with Brandon Thursday morning to discuss student concerns. Dishell said he will reveal some of the department’s future plans early next week. “We are the victors and best,” Dishell wrote in his statement. “We create effective change from the bleakest of challenges, we utilize activism and enthusiasm to implement new policies, and we strike out in new directions when the chance presents itself.” “But we don’t do these things See BOYCOTT, Page 3A
RESEARCH
SWINGIN’
Survey shows mixed political participation erage on some healthcare plans, respondents consistently chose that they had no opinion as the majority response. This excluded questions gauging support for a raise to the minimum wage and a raise in taxes to fund education, which a majority of students supported. Furthermore, across the board in state races, an overwhelming percentage of respondents identified as undecided, by margins ranging from 65 percent in the race for Michigan’s governor, to 82 percent in the race for the 12th District U.S House race, which includes Ann Arbor in its borders. In the race for one of Michigan’s two U.S. Senate seats — the first open Senate seat in the state in 20 years following the retirement of Sen. Carl Levin (D–Mich.) — 73 percent identified as undecided. The numbers aren’t entirely surprising. Younger voters, both those enrolled and not enrolled in college, are typically considered a lower-engagement demographic as a whole when it comes to politics, especially in years without a presidential election. A spring 2014 study by the Harvard Institute of Politics on See SURVEY, Page 3A
By MICHAEL SUGERMAN
Hu, interim vice president for research, and a keynote by University President Mark Schlissel. At noon, researchers began to present their findings in a poster session. One innovative project was created in part by Associate Information Prof. Paul Conway. Conway’s focuses on releasing live music to the public from collections such as The Ark’s in Ann Arbor. He said this music is currently inaccessible See MCUBED, Page 3A
GOVERNMENT
Students may continue to protest Athletic Department decisions, leaders
Tech Transfer fiscal year sets record in research Historic performance involved new startups, and inventions moving to mass market By MAYA SHANKAR
VICKI LIU/Daily
Senior Hub Humphrey, a member of the University’s men’s gymnastics team, performs a pommel horse routine on the Diag Thursday. The team won the their second consecutive NCAA championship in April.
DETROIT
Speaker series examines issues with public schools Semester in Detroit launches series to engage with city By NEALA BERKOWSKI Daily Staff Reporter
The Detroiters Speak Series kicked off Thursday with the hot topic of Detroit Public Schools, prompting passionate responses and conversation
regarding the future of education in the city. Semester in Detroit and the University’s Detroit Center are co-sponsors of the six-week public mini-course, which aims to give students and the public a better understanding of historic and contemporary topics in Detroit, Craig Regester, associate director of SID, said. This is the third time the minicourse has been offered. “We want people to feel like
they have a really thorough introduction to complicated challenges in the city as well as to wonderful assets like the music scene and the jazz scene, which we’ll talk about in the future,” Regester said. “So it’s not just about covering the issues and the challenges. It’s a nice combination of what’s beautiful about Detroit, and has been for a long time, as well as what’s really challenging See DETROIT, Page 3A
Daily Staff Reporter
The University announced Monday the Office of Technology Transfer had a record-breaking fiscal year 2014, reporting a considerable increase in the number of new inventions, agreements and startups launched based on research conducted at the University, including 439 new inventions, 148 option and license agreements and 14 startups. The office serves as the University’s primary unit for facilitating movement of research technologies to the market, “as to generate benefits for the University, the community and the general public,” according to their mission statement. Ken Nisbet, associate vice president for research-technology transfer at the University, attributed the success of the office’s performance this past year to See TECH, Page 3A
» INSIDE
UNDER THE LIGHTS...AGAIN Needing a spark to salvage the season, Michigan battles Penn State Saturday night
WEATHER TOMORROW
HI: 56 LO: 30
GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know.
NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Clinic offers free mental health screeings MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS
INDEX
Vol. CXXV, No. 10 ©2014 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
NEWS......................... 2A SUDOKU.....................2A OPINION.....................4A
CL ASSIFIEDS...............6A A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A F O OT B A L L S AT U R DAY. . . 1 B