2015-05-07

MichiganDaily.com

Weekly Summer Edition Ann Arbor, MI

CELEBRATING OUR ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY- FIFTH YEAR OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Thursday, May 7, 2015

inside NEWS

Bentley Papers Former congressman John Dingell donated documents to the Bentley Library. >> SEE PAGE 2

NEWS

Carson in the Race University alum Ben Carson announced his candidacy for president. >> SEE PAGE 3

OPINION

General Admission The Daily’s opinion on Detroit’s water shut-offs >> SEE PAGE 4

ARTS

Mumford & Sons Mixed reactions to the group’s latest album >> SEE PAGE 7

SPORTS

SAN PHAM/Daily

BEN SCHECHTER/Daily

LEFT: Ypsilanti resident Satasade Roberts marches in remembrance of victims of police brutality at the May Day March for Justice in downtown Ann Arbor on Friday.

RIGHT: Protestors march against police brutality at the May Day March for Justice in downtown Ann Arbor on Friday.

Ann Arbor residents protest police brutality during ‘Workers’ Day’ rally Protesters stand in solidarity with Ferguson in march around the city

By ALLANA AHKTAR Daily Staff Reporter

On May 1, which was International Workers’ Day in many parts of the world, community members protested for just policing policies for laborers of color.

Members of the group Ann Arbor to Ferguson organized the event to commemorate the Haymarket Affair in 1886, where workers who were peacefully protesting job conditions were beaten and killed by the police in Chicago.

Rackham students Maryam Aziz and Austin McCoy said holding the protest on International Workers’ Day ties together broader labor issues that impact both workers and Black Americans.

“We decided to do May Day to commemorate what happened in the Haymarket Square riots back

in 1886 in Chicago, so we’re tying this into how the labor of Black lives doesn’t matter, how labor activists have always been treated as if their lives don’t matter either,” Axis said. “So we’re tying to two together to say you can’t say that you can’t separate Black lives not being valued from also the labor of the working class and people of color not being valued.”

McCoy said the protest was also held to raise awareness about larger issues regarding police brutality against communities of color. He mentioned specifically the killing

of Aura Rosser by the Ann Arbor Police Department in November.

McCoy and Ann Arbor to Ferguson have been protesting and raising awareness about the issue, while also helping Rosser’s family, since her death.

The protest also addressed recent killings of unarmed Black men, which have received national media attention, such as the killing of Freddie Gray, who suffered from a fatal spinal injury after being arrested by Baltimore city police officers.

See PROTEST, Page 3A

GOVERNMENT

NFL Draft Seven Wolverines picked up by NFL teams >> SEE PAGE 10

INDEX Vol. CXXI, No. 136 | © 2013 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com

NEWS ....................................2 OPINION ...............................4 ARTS ......................................6 CLASSIFIEDS.........................8 SUDOKU................................2 SPORTS..................................7

Michigan voters reject Proposal 1 tax initiative Initiative called for 1-percent increase on sales tax to improve infrastructure

By COLLEEN HARRISON and CARLY NOAH Summer News Editors

Tuesday night, a majority of Michigan voters rejected Proposal 1, the initiative to increase sales tax

rates from 6 to 7 percent to raise money for road repair.

Though votes continue to come in, as of approximately 11:00 p.m, more than 640,000 Michigan residents rejected the proposal, comprising 78 percent of the state’s voting population. In Washtenaw County, 5,237 voters, 65 percent of voters in the county, rejected the proposal.

Backed by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R), the initiative aimed to repair Michigan’s roads and upgrade other major infrastruc-

ture. Additionally, the proposal aims to raise funds to improve the state’s mass transit system, increase the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit and provide additional resources to cities and schools.

The proposal, if passed, would also have had significant implications for higher education funding.

The proposal requested the removal of sales tax on fuel sales, which currently funds schools through the School Aid Fund and provides funding to local governments.

Roughly 20 percent of the yearly

appropriation for public universities comes from the School Aid Fund. Under the proposed bill, public universities would no longer receive money from the fund, through community colleges and K-12 education providers would.

While the proposal had the potential to impact government appropriations to the University, public universities in the state of Michigan have only recently been allocated funds from the School Aid Fund. Historically, for state See MICHIGAN, Page 7

2 NEWS

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Former Rep. Dingell donates papers to Bentley Documents outline congressman’s 59- year tenure in the House of Representatives

By IRENE PARK Daily Staff Reporter

Thanks to John Dingell, the former U.S. congressman for Michigan’s 12th Congressional District, the University’s Bentley Historical Library now has access to a collection of materials from his 59 years of service in the House of Representatives.

At a reception Wednesday evening at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, Dingell officially announced his donation of the collection to the Bentley.

The collection includes correspondence bills that Dingell introduced in the House as well as photographs taken during his time in office.

In a statement released prior to

the event, Dingell said he was honored to contribute documents to the Bentley Library.

“I consider myself the luckiest guy in shoe leather for having the opportunity to serve the good people of Southeast Michigan for as long as I did, and it is a real honor that the work we all did together will be documented here at this fine institution,” he said. “I am pleased they were able to find the space for all of it, but mostly I’m just honored and humbled to join the other outstanding individuals whose good work for our state is archived at the Bentley, including my father.”

Earlier this year, Dingell was honored for his policy work involving the Middle East. Dingell is also an active supporter of J Street Ann Arbor, a national advocacy group that promotes conflict resolution between Israelis and Palestinians through creating two independent states — one Israeli and one Palestinian — out of what is now Israel.

Dingell was also one of 74 members of Congress to sign a 2012 letSee DOCUMENTS, Page 8

College educators explore learning, role of technology Event showcased projects on modernizing teaching methods

By ALEX JUNTTI For the Daily

A group of approximately 250 educators gathered at the Ross School of Business on Monday to learn and talk about how technology can be used in education to develop new ways of providing a more dynamic learning experience for students. one through my hard work and the hard work of so many other people, the opportunity to be with their family for the rest of their life,” she said.

The keynote event was hosted by the University’s Teaching and Technology Collaborative, which holds events and offers consultations to teach faculty members how to utilize technology in their teaching and research.

The first portion of the event showcased recent winners of the seventh annual Provost’s Teaching Innovation Prize in an interactive poster fair held in the Davidson Winter Garden. The prize recognizes University faculty projects that demonstrate exciting, modern approaches to engaging students in learning, and was sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching and the University Library. Attendees were encouraged to speak with the winners and learn more about their research and findings.

In an interview with The Michigan Daily, James Hilton, dean of libraries and vice provost for digital education and innovation, said projects like these are a great way for students to connect with the course

material outside the classroom.

“These winning projects challenge students to actively apply what they’ve learned to real situations that can be much messier than those described in textbooks,” Hilton said. “In the process, students learn to collaborate and think critically, often across disciplinary boundaries.”

Alongside the TIP presenters were additional projects by teams who received CRLT Investigating Student Learning grants as well as technology projects conducted by Teaching and Technology Collaborative members.

Jill Halpern is a mathematics lecturer and a TIP winner. Her project focused on teaching the principles of calculus through tangible, observable occurrences. She said she often takes her students to the Museum of Natural History and the Nichols Arboretum to demonstrate how processes such as half-life and sequences in series can occur in nature.

“I want to get my students asking, ‘Why?’,” Halpern said.

“Out of the classroom they can really see the world, so that means when they come back to a traditional classroom, there’s a lot more, ‘What is this used for?

Where does this come from?’ then there might otherwise because they’ve been primed to ask those questions.”

Musicology Prof.

Mark Clauge said the innovative efforts of these teams are changing the way students learn new material.

“This kind of experimentation is something that is really vital for the classroom,” said Clauge. “When students are in a classroom where the faculty are experimenting with new ideas, new approaches and new philosophies of learning, they start to become more conscious of their See EDUCATION, Page 8

@MICHIGANDAILY

420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com

LAURA SCHINAGLE MADISEN POWELL

Editor in Chief Business Manager 734-418-4115 ext. 1251 734-418-4115 ext. 1241 schlaura@michigandaily.com madisenm@michigandaily.com

CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom

Office hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

734-763-2459 opt.3

News Tips Corrections Letters to the Editor

news@michigandaily.com corrections@michigandaily.com

tothedaily@michigandaily.com or visit michigandaily.com/letters

Photo Department Arts Section Editorial Page Sports Section Magazine Advertising Department

photo@michigandaily.com arts@michigandaily.com opinion@michigandaily.com sports@michigandaily.com statement@michigandaily.com Phone: 734-418-4115 dailydisplay@gmail.com

EDITORIAL STAFF Derek Wolfe

dewolfe@michigandaily.com

Managing Editor

Alyssa Brandon

Managing News Editor

alyabd@michigandaily.com SENIOR NEWS EDITORS: Lea Giotta, Carly Noah and Colleen Harrison

Melissa Scholke

Editorial Page Editor opinioneditors@michigandaily.com SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR: Mary Kate Winn

Zach Shaw

Managing Sports Editor sportseditors@michigandaily.com SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR: Chloe Aubuchon

Christian Kennedy

Managing Arts Editor

cmkee@michigandaily.com SENIOR ARTS EDITOR: Caroline Filips

Amanda Allen and Zach Moore

Managing Photo Editors

photo@michigandaily.com

Francesca Kielb

Managing Design Editor

design@michigandaily.com

Emily Campbell

Managing Copy Editor

copydesk@michigandaily.com

Nick Cruz

Online Editor

The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published every Thursday during the spring and summer 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.

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

NEWS 3

Ben Carson to run in 2016 presidential race Former pediatric director announces candidacy from his native Detroit

By ALYSSA BRANDON

Summer Managing News Editor

Ben Carson, a University alum and renowned neurosurgeon, announced his candidacy for the 2016 presidential race Monday afternoon.

Carson, who will seek a nomination from the Republican Party, said he is not focused on votes, but rather is asking the voting public

PROTEST From Page 1 “I think today has larger meaning because of what’s going on in Baltimore, Terrance Kellom shooting in Detroit on Tuesday as well,” McCoy said. “So this is for Aura Rosser, but it’s also about all the Black folks who’ve been shot.”

The protests began in Liberty Square and moved to State Street and Main Street before reaching the Ann Arbor City Council office.

Traffic stalled in all streets where the protest took place, and many protesters shouted, “no justice, no driving,” at cars. Two police cars trailed behind the rally.

Protesters held signs saying “Black Lives Matter,” “We Will Never Let You Forget Aura Rosser,” “Justice for Aura Rosser” and “Strong Communities Make Police Obsolete.”

Jeffrey Sorensen, a University alum and co-founder of the startup optiMize, participated in the pro-

PROPOSAL From Page 1 funding, the University has relied more heavily on the General Fund.

In an interview with The Michigan Daily before elections ended, representative Jeff Irwin (D–Ann Arbor) said he supported the proposal, but he anticipated voters would not pass the resolution.

“I think its going to fail today because citizens are very frustrated that the Republicans are continuing to lower taxes on the wealthy and increase taxes on the lower and

to consider his ideas and views.

“I’m not even asking people to vote for me. I’m just asking people to listen,” he said. “The real pedigree we need to heal this country is someone who believes in our constitution.”

The 63-year-old is anticipated to be the only African American entering the pool of candidates vying for the Republican nomination. Senators Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky are also seeking Republican nominations.

Several unannounced candidates for the Republican nomination remain, including Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder. Last week, Sny-

der released a statement saying he was considering running, and he will make a formal decision within the “next couple of months or so.”

A Detroit native, Carson has never run for public office, but earned national recognition during his leadership in the pediatric unit of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore.

“I’m not politically correct, and I will probably never be politically correct,” Carson said. “I’m not a politician, I don’t want to be a politician. Politicians do what’s politically expedient. I want to do what’s right.”

At 33, Carson was the youngest director of the center’s pediatric

test. He said he attended the protest because of his continued frustration over police brutality.

“It’s just this story that keeps coming up again and again and again, and yet a huge, huge percentage of people just don’t pay attention at all, or are totally misinformed, or stop paying attention after an hour and just go about their lives,” he said. “Just the response is really sad to me. A lot of people I grew up around, a lot of white people, just don’t give a shit at all.”

Ypsilanti resident Anthony Morgan also participated in the protest, and brought along his two young daughters. He said he has been following Ann Arbor to Ferguson’s movement since its beginning, and finds it important to teach younger generations about social justice and community activism.

“It’s a necessity, I’m at an age where we’re transferring the wisdom of the elders to the energy of the youth, kind of like Common said in ‘Glory.’ It’s a way to use new school understanding with old

school experience and still fight some of the same shit, though. It’s constant, the fight never ends.”

Many pedestrians on the streets looked on and recorded the march on their cell phones. Some onlookers yelled back at the protesters in frustration, while others showed solidarity by honking their horns or raising their hands in reference to the “hands up, don’t shoot” phrase and gesture that originated in the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. Engineering junior Josh Johnson saw the protest while he was on Main Street, and said even though it caused traffic standstill, because there was no property damage, he appreciated the demonstration.

“If they’re not hurting anyone, if they’re not causing damage, I appreciate their opinion, but if they are destroying peoples’ property, then I think that’s wrong,” Johnson said. “If they are peacefully protesting, then I appreciate their opinions, no matter what side it’s on.”

middle class,” Irwin said.

In an interview with the Daily following the election, Rep. Adam Zemke (D–Ann Arbor) said he was disappointed in the results of the proposal, but he believes voters sent a clear message.

“I think that the message is that they want the roads fixed, but they do not trust the Legislature to do it in the manner that was proposed

by Proposal 1,” he said. “I think that the leadership that has been in place for the last four years has given them plenty of reason not to trust the current Legislature.”

Economics Prof. Donald Grimes

said effects of Proposal 1’s failure may be felt in five to 10 years, by which point costs to repair the roads will drastically increase.

“Five or ten years from now this is going to be a severe blow to the Michigan economy and the quality of life of residents,” Grimes said.

The state Legislature is considering alternative plans for road repair, including one proposed by House Speaker Jase Bolger, which passed in the state House, but not the state Senate, last term. If passed, the ini-

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

unit. In 1987, Carson performed the world’s first operation to separate twins who were conjoined at the head. The success of the operation was the subject of the autobiographical film “Gifted Hands,” in which Carson was portrayed by actor Cuba Gooding Jr. Carson holds conservative political views, which he attributes to his Christian faith and upbringing. Opposing both abortion and same-sex marriage, he has made many notable appearances before the Christian community, including at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast.

Carson’s speech at the breakfast, of which Obama was in atten-

dance, was considered critical of the Obama administration’s health care policy. The speech earned him support from the conservative community. Carson encouraged a program in which newborn babies are given health savings accounts as an alternative to Obamacare.

“When a person is born, give him a birth certificate, an electronic medical record and a health savings account to which money can be contributed — pretax — from the time you’re born ‘til the time you die,” Carson said. “When you die, you can pass it on to your family members, so that when you’re 85 years old and you got See CANDIDACY, Page 8

C E L E B R AT E G O O D T I M E S

ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

Members of the Class of 2015 celebrate their graduation at Spring Commencement at Michigan Stadium on Saturday

4 OPINION

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.

420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu LAURA SCHINAGLE EDITOR IN CHIEF

MELISSA SCHOLKE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

DEREK WOLFE 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.

ing their payments and dropped out of the program, a more sustainable method of assisting Detroit’s lowincome populations needs to be implemented. As discussed by the work group committee Monday, efforts to address the delinquent water accounts must shift in focus to the systematic issues surrounding overall water affordability rather than solely providing assistance.

Avoiding discussing affordability will only allow the issue to stagnate, and will worsen some of Detroit’s other existing problems. Water prices in Detroit have continued to rise with an 8.7-percent increase last year and an expected increase of

FROM THE DAILY

Too little too late

Impending shut-offs highlight inadequacies in aid programs

O

n Monday, during a Detroit City Council meeting, officials and activists convened to form a workgroup to evaluate the effectiveness of the city’s current water bill assistance programs, and to begin proposing an affordability program. These assistance programs arose in response to an outpouring of public outrage and critique after the city implemented extensive water shut-offs throughout its residential areas last year. These programs were created to alleviate the financial burden of unpaid water bills and prevent future infringements upon residents’ basic human rights. However, concerns about continually delinquent accounts and another set of impending water shut-offs set for later in the month demonstrate that Detroit’s efforts to remedy the situation — while well-intentioned — are precariously delayed.

Initiated by an announcement from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department in March 2014, 46,000 shut-off notices were issued to residents with delinquent water payments and water service ceased for roughly 4,531 customers in May of last year.

A similar scenario of water shut-offs is expected to occur later this month. Even with the creation of these assistance programs last year, 20,000 to 25,000 households in Detroit have been declared delinquent on their water bills, which means their payments are at least 60 days overdue or residents are in debt by $150 or more.

Residents are then given a mere 10 days to respond by seeking assistance or making a payment before losing

service. The re-emergence of shut-offs and of citizens’ continued inability to afford their water bills highlights the city’s failure to find a way to address this long-standing problem in a timely manner.

Concerns about this year’s delinquent accounts should have been addressed far sooner than just a few weeks, or even a few months, before the shut-offs.

Yet, measures from existing assistance programs — as suggested by Detroit’s Chief Operations Officer Gary Brown — seek to ensure financially struggling residents won’t have their water shut off simply because they are unable to pay. Financially strained customers can avoid losing service and begin decreasing their debt by enrolling in a payment

plan. Since last year’s shutoffs, assistance programs have provided some aid to residents beneath the poverty line who are struggling to pay. According to DWSD Deputy Director Darryl Latimer, approximately 31,000 citizens are enrolled in payment plans, touting an increase of 11,700 individuals since last year. The current program, which underwent revisions in April, assists financially burdened customers by paying 50 percent of overdue charges and covers 25 percent of future bills. A more comprehensive assistance program is expected to be enacted in July.

However, due to the fact that 30 percent of more than 1,800 individuals who were enrolled since September were incapable of maintain-

D

3.4-percent this coming July, aggravating the current situation. Many delinquent accounts are expected to belong to vacant residences once the shut-offs commence later this month.

However, rising water prices — in combination with residents’ strained economic situations — may lead to an increase in abandoned properties as residents negotiate between expenses and choose to vacate properties with no water. While the city’s response has been delayed so far, it must act promptly from this point to address the issue of affordability and make necessary changes in order to prevent the exacerbation of this problem.

Never again

emonstrations and protests ensued in Baltimore as a result of the death of Freddie Gray due to alleged police brutality.

Gray, a 25-year-old African American man, suffered a spinal cord injury while in police custody on April 12, and died as a RABAB result of the injury JAFRI seven days later.

Although much is still unknown about the incidents that caused the injury, Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts revealed that the “police employees failed to get him medical attention in a timely manner.” He also commented “We know he was not buckled in the transportation wagon as he should have been. No excuses for that. Period.”

On Tuesday April 28, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake enacted a city-wide curfew, and Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency, deploying the National Guard. Johns Hopkins University went through several precautions due to safety concerns and encouraged its students to stay in their dorms by closing some of the school.

Curious as to how members of Hopkins were affected by these incidents, I interviewed Kidist Ketema, an African American senior at Johns Hopkins University studying public health and economics, and Sharif Braxton, an African American Johns Hopkins alumni and an employee at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

In the midst of peaceful demonstration, some individuals in Baltimore began rioting, burning cars and, as headlined in the media, looting a CVS drugstore. News sources circulated

the words “Baltimore Burning” and “Baltimore Erupts,” disregarding the many peaceful protesters and the reasoning behind their frustrations. This created a skewed idea of the real issues the majority of the protesters were coming together for—a stand against police brutality across America.

Both Ketema and Braxton stressed that the demonstrations that they attended were mostly peaceful, contrary to the media portrayal.

Braxton attended some of the protests and commenting on the demonstration on Tuesday, he stated, “There was a very peaceful protesting and in terms of trying to preach the importance of community and the importance of togetherness and everything in between that were there. It was about being concerned for black rights, but human rights as well, which you haven’t seen that as much in the media. Especially since the people who were doing the looting and the rioting weren’t really concerned with the initiative as a whole.”

Social media created a direct source to highlight some of these inconsistencies and gradually, the public began criticizing the media for not paying attention to the protests before the riots began and their general coverage of the events. Ketema said she found social media “helpful (in kind of ) breaking down the situation and understanding what’s actually going on.” Social media has been a way to bring awareness and support of other movements, such as the protesting in Ferguson allowing for a national conversation. Both the protestors and the police department attempted to rally support on Twitter, in realization of the importance of social media in swaying public opinion.

Ketema explained how when she opened her Yik Yak on Monday, what she found were racist comments from

OPINION 5

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

those at Hopkins and at univer“There are a lot of students that sities in the surrounding area: are not African American that “Things like ‘black students went to the protests and gathered wouldn’t have gotten in if it around realizing the importance weren’t for affirmative action’ of the solidarity,” he said. attacking the black students who When responding to the situwere involved in protests earlier ation, President Barack Obama in the year.” She stated mentioned how this it’s made her feel isoimporThe issues of police lated at her tant own institution. we brutality, poverty and that Ronald J. Daniels, “don’t president of John institutionalized racism just pay Hopkins University, attenissued a statement are linked in many places tion to concerning Freddie these across Gray’s death and the commuBaltimore protests: nities “It is essential that when all of our city’s citizens have trust a CVS burns,” but the economic and confidence in professional and inequality, school climate and fair treatment by our police...We police brutality in Baltimore have also recognize, and must acknowl- been continuously overlooked. edge, the frustration felt in comThis may be the first time Balmunities across this country, born timore is being highlighted on a of continuing racial disparities national level for the areas with in education, employment, and residents that are disadvantaged criminal justice.” due to systematic problems, but Ketema still felt Hopkins that doesn’t mean that it ends could have been more active in here. The issues of police bruresponse to the events in relation tality, poverty and institutionalto its students. ized racism are linked in many “I didn’t feel like the Univer- places across America, including sity did much to communicate to Detroit, and these are problems the students,” she said. “There that are persistent throughout were some last minute attempts the year. We cannot ignore these to create a safe space like meet- problems until another Trayvon ing yesterday, but other than that Martin, Eric Garner or Freddie we haven’t gotten much from the Gray is killed.

University itself.”

We must say to ourselves: Braxton spoke on the lack of Never again. political and social awareness of — Rabab Jafri can be reached the general Hopkins campus, but at rfjafri@umich.edu also saw some positives.

America

“

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

I will fight for comprehensive immigration reform and a path to citizenship for you and for families across our country.”

— Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said at a Las Vegas high school as she gave her stance on immigration.

The problem with Yik Yak

I

t never hurts to remind yourself to think before you speak. And in the case of the 21st century, it’s equally ANNA important POLUMBOto think LEVY before you post on social media. Yik Yak, in particular, adds a whole new layer to social media responsibility, where selfmonitoring becomes even more crucial. Through the anonymity provided by Yik Yak, posters to the app have more freedom to say what they want.

Launched in 2013, Yik Yak is an app for iPhones and Androids primarily aimed at and used by college students. Users can see, comment and like or dislike any posts on the app (known as “Yaks”) that are within a 10 mile radius of the user’s location. The intent is for students to see Yaks in relation to their respective college. While this app can provide a space for comedy and solidarity with other students who took the same test or who also sat in their room alone on Valentine’s Day, there’s a darker side to these anonymous posts.

During the 21st century, society faces a unique problem, where social networking and media apps can inflict significant harm, even if they mean well. Before I go further, I want to stress that my point is not to judge Yakkers.

This is not intended to be a rant about the horrors of social media.

In fact, many times Yaks have made me laugh when I’ve had a bad day, or there has been a Yak that resonated with me. After the earthquake in Nepal this year, Yik Yak spread the word about how to help aid recovery, so apps like these even promote good causes. As revered an app as it is, we cannot ignore the flaws and continue to use it as a place where we don’t have to monitor our thoughts, because our words really do make an impact on those around us.

On the one hand, there are funny comments on Yik Yak that many people can identify with: “When the elevator’s empty and there’s no one to judge me for

using it to go up one floor.” When something happens on campus, many people take to Yik Yak to joke about it. During the night of the four consecutive fire alarms in East Quad, the stream of Yaks was endless. One said, “If someone is trying to discretely smoke weed in their room at East Quad, please stop trying because it’s obviously not working.” Others said things like “EQ: 4 RESIDENTS: 0.” And in large part, Yak streams are funny in these ways.

That being said, given the complete anonymity that the app allows, there’s a less than positive side to this social media phenomenon. Scrolling through posts, I have seen sexist, racist and hurtful comments. Comments, such as “girls are way hotter at the gym,” — a Yak posted at the University of Michigan — objectify women, placing the focus, yet again, on the value of women in their outward appearances. Students take to Yik Yak to rail on their roommates, annoying people in the UgLi or someone they overhear saying something they think is stupid, perpetuating a culture of passive-aggressiveness and putdowns. Not to mention, many of these students who end up on Yik Yak likely use the app and would be hurt by these comments.

Yik Yak has also been used to bully people. In March 2014, a 17-year-old girl organized a campaign and a petition at her high school after Yaks about her depression appeared on the site. Taking to Yik Yak to speak about someone’s mental illness in this way is bullying and completely unacceptable.

Then, in October 2014, through Yik Yak, students at Rowan University spread the word about an illegal sex tape that had been filmed without the subject’s consent. Misogynistic and homophobic comments have also spread throughout Yik Yak in colleges, such as Colgate College and University of Texas, among many others. A professor at Eastern Michigan University was ready to take legal action, after students in her class posted sexually explicit things about her on Yik Yak. Recently, there was a

Yak that proposed a gang rape at Kenyon College’s women’s center. At the University, one Yakker posted, “Why wouldn’t I be pro gay marriage? They leave more women for me to fuck. Supply and demand baby.” These are just a few examples of the problematic posts that are becoming increasingly evident.

Given the problems Yik Yak brings up, changes must be made to ensure that this app holds users more accountable.

Although the creators of Yik Yak have taken commendable measures to ensure that the content on Yik Yak is appropriate, there are significant gaps, and measures could be taken a step further. Unless there is a “specific, actionable threat,” Yik Yak holds fast to user anonymity. Thus, holding users accountable for non-actionable threats that may otherwise slip under the radar is important. For example, reworking the report tool so that when someone reports a post, the Yak disappears until it is reviewed would help. Currently, there is a warning when certain words such as “Jewish” and “bomb” are inserted into a Yak, and that warning should be extended to other words and phrases. Automatically banning users who post multiple Yaks that break the rules could also help mitigate the problem. If someone’s Yak is taken down because it broke the rules, that Yakker should be notified.

Providing posters with an understanding of why their post was taken down allows them to think about what they post and may inform them next time. Finally, and most importantly, users need to act. If we cannot create a better environment around Yik Yak, these systematic changes won’t do much difference. We have to ask ourselves: would I be comfortable posting this if it weren’t anonymous, or would it offend or hurt someone? Yik Yak shouldn’t become a place to put down racist, sexist, bullying or otherwise hurtful comments.

Think before you post.

— Anna Polumbo-Levy can be reached at annapl@umich.edu.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints.

Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to melikaye@umich.edu

6 ARTS

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Alex Garland talks Shallow‘Vacancy’ making of new film TV REVIEW

By KAREN HUA

Daily TV/New Media Editor

Director-producer discusses genre and special effects

By JAMIE BIRCOLL Senior Arts Editor

Science fiction is a difficult genre to tackle, as it asks the audience to suspend its disbelief and buy into unusual, fantastical ideas. But, if successfully engendered, sci-fi can achieve what no other genre can really tap into: grand thematic strokes combined with exceptional creative f lourishes.

“The reason to work in scifi from my point of view is that you’re just allowed to deal with big themes and big ideas and not be embarrassed about it,” writer-director Alex Garland said in a conference call in which The Michigan Daily took part. “You know if you try to put that stuff in an action movie or even an adult drama … people get kind of sort of almost self-conscious about really big questions, and feel like it might be all be too pretentious or whatever. But sci-fi audiences want big ideas, they like them being named checked, it’s seen as an advantage rather than a negative.”

Garland’s latest film, “Ex Machina,” has been hailed by many critics as a modern genre staple, an achievement all the more impressive when one realizes the film is Garland’s first serving as director, though it wasn’t his initial idea to direct.

“I didn’t think in those terms (of directing). In a weird way, I don’t really care about those terms, it’s partly ’cause I just don’t — I don’t really overstate the role of the director,” Garland said. “I think at the point I was writing it, I was really just trying to figure out does this work, is there a movie here, does it work in its own terms.

And the directing aspect of it was something that just came later and just felt like it made sense.”

For Garland, filmmaking is a team process, one where the director is just another cog in the machine that is film production. Every person on set has a

FLICKR

Who dat who dat?

role to play.

“The way to make it work is all about the people you work with, it’s just as simple as that,” Garland said. “I mean it’s the team that are the filmmakers and how they work with each other and the level of the ideas they come up with and how they solve problems. And so you know it’s the director of photography and it’s the production designer, and it’s the actors, and that’s how twe film is executed.”

But certainly there were potential challenges, especially with crafting the sleek computer-generated effects to create Ava (played by Alicia Vikander, “Anna Karenina”), the hyperintelligent AI on whom the story is centered. Ava’s sleek metallic body features eerily human characteristics, and gives the character a complex appearance. But Garland notes how the computer generation process didn’t interfere with the rest of production.

“Actually it was very, very easy on this film,” Garland said.

“You can’t shoot this constantly fussing about the effects shot.

Just shoot it as if you’re shooting humans and we will figure out a process by which you don’t have to worry about it past that.

In other words just shoot the drama, don’t worry about the process … (the computer generation) was all done in postproduction. So it was a, from my point of view, a very simple process indeed.”

While the computer generated image certainly adds an aesthetic appeal, it is the actors who bring the characters forward, finding the deep-seated motivations of the characters. Of particular note are Vikander and Oscar Isaac (“A Most Violent Year”).

About Vikander, Garland said, “You could just see that (she) was just totally holding her own and sort of transfixing you and had this amazing presence and amazing confidence,” And about Isaac, Garland took a more assertive stance.

“One of the most common lines of bullshit that I read in reviews or film writing is talking about how a director coaxed a performance out of an actor. If you met Oscar, I promise you, you’d see I didn’t coax anything out of him,” he said.

But the ideas of the film — ideas of gender, identity, free will, the very construct of humanity — all constitute the soul of the film. And it was conveying these ideas in a realistic but thought-provoking level that motivated Garland most.

“I mean, basically, because it’s an ideas movie, that’s really what it is. It’s got a bunch of thoughts and questions and it’s proposing them and only answering some of them,” Garland said. “And so there was an attempt to be very thoughtful and very reasonable in the presentation of these things, because I know, unfortunately all too well, what my own limitations are and failings either in talent or intellect.”

“The movie wasn’t as good as the book,” we’ve said, we’ve heard, we’ve recounted time and again about all our favorite classics.

B+ Unfortunately, just as we said Casual about the “Harry Potter” series, Vacancy the same notion 3-Part applies to “The Miniseries Casual Vacancy,” April 27-29 the HBO miniseries based on J.K. HBO Rowling’s eponymous novel. After the “Potter” frenzy that launched her to success, “Vacancy” meant to set her apart from a name that would define her entire authorial career — proof that she could write more than just wizarding fantasy.

And prove she did — Rowling wrote another quintessentially British novel aimed to explore similar themes as “Potter” did, but through a more mature lens. “Vacancy” delves into the intertwined world of teenagers and their parents, reminiscent of a stifling suburbia where individuals grow up and stay trapped forever.

The small-town tale jumps in media res, introducing the mundane lives and minute social conflicts in Pagford, a pastoral microcosm with an unsettling kind of immaculacy.

While idyllic hills and cobblestone streets and laughing kids on bikes roll across the screen, the town struggles to uphold its pristine nature by vying the “needs” of the few over the needs of the less fortunate in an almost Dickensian way. Exemplifying that dynamic is Pagford’s city council, headed by the conservative curmudgeon couple Howard (Michael Gambon, Dumbledore from the “Harry Potter” series) and Shirley Mollison (Julia McKenzie, “Notes on a Scandal”) who strive to socially engineer Pagford’s perfection. The council is stabilized by the more liberal Barry Fairbrother (Rory Kinnear, “The Imitation Game”), who spearheads the movement to overturn Mollison’s initiative to turn their community center into a tourist and retail enterprise.

Barry is popular among the lower class for his altruism, as he looks after Krystal Weedon (Abigail Lawrie, newcomer), a crass-mouthed teen under social service surveillance for having a heroin-strung mother; and Arf Price (Joe Hurst, “Private Peace-

ful”), his reserved nephew with an abusive father — both youths who the community center benefits. When Barry mysteriously dies, perfection is usurped as citizens scramble to fill his temporarily vacant spot on the council, unveiling their true colors beneath their façades.

The first part of the miniseries ends with a premonition from “the ghost of Barry Fairbrother” narrating, “It’s impossible to keep secrets in this place, isn’t it? Oh, you’d be surprised, Pagford. Everyone’s got skeletons raveling in their cupboard.” Pagford attempts to obscure its problems of class and justice, when really, they are more evident than ever in a place where everyone knows everything about everyone. In a land of homogeneity, trivial problems become magnanimous to its inhabitants, and perfection soon becomes uncomfortably eerie — a social statement on Rowling’s part about the perils of stagnant suburbia. The show uses silence and the motif of mirrors to reflect this eeriness on the characters themselves, leading viewers to question every intention and ulterior motive.

In Pagford, everyone duals as both a protagonist and an antagonist — every character has texture and complexity. However, what could be a beautiful multidimensionality scatters the focus of the show, providing inadequate screen time for characters who must be conveyed with greater depth. There are less heinous sides to Krystal that inform her self-destructive tendencies; Arf has small, but significant spurts of independence, while the show only depicts him as an awkward doormat; other council members Tess Wall (Monica Dolan, “Pride”) and Parminder Jawanda (Lolita Chakrabarti, “Venus”) are strong female figures who could have balanced out this patriarchal tale.

Their story is painted through stellar cinematography of a picturesque rural England, a key highlight of the show. However, the visual impeccability is analogous to the “pretty” but superficial writing that doesn’t quite dig deep enough into the characters.

The 500-page novel is shrunken into a three-hour miniseries — just a tad longer than a feature-length film, yet not nearly long enough to capture more than the brisk essence of the story. It’s the characters, not the plot, that gives the novel its true depth — that makes the novel worthy of our tears, rage and pity. Three hours is only enough to introduce personas, not to empathize with them.

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ALBUM REVIEW

ARTS 7

Mediocre changes on ‘Wilder Mind’ New Mumford & Sons album garners mixed reactions

By AMELIA ZAK Daily Music Editor

Life holds no constants. Surrounded by an ever-changing host of situations, people, weather and numerous other circumstances, we float B in a sea of variables.

Frost’s Mumford frequently cited & Sons line, “nothing Wilder Mind gold can stay,” reflects the feel- Glassnote ing best: we cannot control the transience. So, amid the shapeshifting and unidentifiable markers of incoming situational traffic, we all must grow and change in order to survive — and then hopefully thrive. But does this inescapable condition of the human experience apply to the music industry? Must artists change their sound, technique or style in order to survive — and then hopefully thrive?

Recalling Bob Dylan’s assimilation of the electric guitar in the late 1960s and ’70s, a troubadour deity was transformed into an electric-guitar-wheeling warlord to the disappointment, anger, excitement or appreciation of many. Why did Dylan make this change? Perhaps he felt it necessary to continue his production of inspired, original work. Or maybe Dylan couldn’t deny the attraction he held toward a sound antithetical to his acoustic guitar and harmonica-centered arrangements.

Mumford & Sons made a similar and equally public transition that was granted with equal levels of applause and criticism. The folk fans have rejected Wilder Mind as a sellout disappointment, while less invested audiences have greeted the album with ambivalence. The reaction of the less invested audience defines the album best: Although produced fantastically and flowing seamlessly, the album allows the audience to be relatively indifferent.

Through either the language or melodies, each track on Wilder Mind is easily digested upon ini-

MUMFORD & SONS

Does this alley make us look grunge?

tial consumption. To the soft and hard hearts, the cynics and the lovers, the casual listener and the auditorium audience, Mumford & Sons has always created, at the very least, universally approachable pop music. But unless drawn in by the emotional, poetic lyrics of heartache and loss, the Wilder Mind listener is asked to accept the same crescendo, the same electric guitar solo, the same Marcus Mumford melodic scream.

When asked for the source of the album’s genre departure, the men of Mumford & Sons cited a change of location, altered personal relationships, and greater access to a myriad of instruments in the studio (rather than the limited instrumental resources of a tour bus). Guided by the production styles of James Ford and Aaron Dessner, and recorded completely in New York City, Wilder Mind emerged draped in Strokes-like guitar solos, with a touch more angst, leather jackets and skinny jeans. Even amid these structural aesthetic changes, the musical talent of these Brits isn’t lost. The music is still exciting at times: Jam-packed with electric build-ups and subsequent crescendos, trendy bass fills, random incorporations of a string section and jarring lyrics of a lost love,

many of the songs recreate the physiological effects of a quickly-drank Red Bull. The album’s literature, in fact, appears to be dedicated to the dramatic, almost heart-wrenching grappling of a found, won and then ultimately lost love.

But these sonic and lyrical trends of Wilder Mind lack moderation. Each track seems to follow a formula: contextual build-up, chorus, more buildup, a crescendo and satisfying denouement. “Tompkins Square Park,” “Believe,” and “The Wolf,” the album’s entry tracks, follow this blueprint excessively. While these high tempos and enthusiastic escalations are sure to be greeted with accolades and appreciation at the year’s auditoriums and music festivals, analytical listeners and folk fans suffer. Some respite is granted in the album’s last tracks: the slower “Ditmas,” “Only Love” and “Hot Arms” highlight a more delicate sound that was once intrinsic to the Mumford impression. Gone are the days of the banjo swings and acoustic guitar ballads for the folkiers.

Lyrical depth, another innate item of the Mumford music, limps along in its emotional effectiveness on Wilder Mind. The myriad

of references — Shakespearian, Platonic, Biblical and Steinbeck — sprinkled throughout 2009’s Sigh No More and 2012’s Babel make no similar reappearance in this 2015 effort. Most lyrical references relate the music to areas of New York City, like a district of Brooklyn, as in “Ditmas,” or in the album’s opener, “Tompkins Square Park.” The final product is still engaging, but these small subtractions in Wilder Mind erode the potential diversity past albums incorporated.

“So I took you to the city for the night / to dance under dizzy, silver lights” sings Marcus Mumford in the verses of the secondary, yet undeniably pretty track “Broad-Shouldered Beasts.”

Touching and wholesome, many Wilder Mind tracks reveal that the signature Mumford brand of sonic and lyrical imagery wasn’t completely abolished by the electric guitar. For better or for worse, and as a result of the band’s creative boredom or reinvented inspirations, the album’s sound is more mainstream and malleable.

As waves of musical electricity replaced the simple acoustic guitar Dylan plucked over his gravelly vocal tellings of a lady who left him tangled up in blue,

many were convinced that Dylan made his transition for the sake of greater mainstream recognition and fandom. He was accused of giving the people what they want, because they, and all else associated with current popular culture media forums, dictated the market. But when examined retrospectively, Dylan’s foray into electronic was successful.

His talents as a musician surpassed the strictures set in place by his audience. Dylan’s persona as the peace-loving troubadour belittled his smorgasbord of talents. Dylan’s electronic days brilliantly juxtaposed all that he once was and all that he was supposed to be.

Dylan’s changing of musical avenues isn’t perfectly paralleled in Mumford’s recent departure, but similarities must be noted.

The changing of the artist brings criticism across the spectrum: from “these boys are sell outs” to “this is innovative and interesting; bring on the change.”

Nevertheless, these multifaceted debates belie a mediocre album.

Uninteresting with sporadic moments of radical or inspired musicality, Wilder Mind is concurrently the most and least innovative album the men of Mumford & Sons have produced to date.

8 NEWS

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

EDUCATION From Page 2 own learning.”

He also said experimenting with new teaching techniques is beneficial to the teaching community.

“These kinds of experiments and these kinds of projects expand the imagination for me as a teacher

also to sort of understand the different dynamics that students face and start to see things from a student’s perspective,” Clauge said.

After an hour of mingling with presenters, the crowds moved into the Blau Auditorium, where the five TIP winners were officially recognized before a panel of University educators took the stage to discuss how the University can

Classifieds

drive innovation through experimentation with new digital landscapes.

Specifically, the panel focused on Unizin, a consortium of 10 universities including the University of Michigan. The consortium aims to develop and share new, beneficial digital technologies for teachers and students, support content systems that empower faculty and provide analytic services.

One such technology is Canvas, a learning management system

Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com

RELEASE DATE– Thursday, May 7, 2015

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

PARKING

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 __ of Cleves 5 Ink, so to speak 9 Skin problem 13 Genuine 14 “How much wood __ a woodchuck chuck ...”

16 “__ Wood sawed wood”: tongue twister opening 17 Washington landmark 20 Hidden supply 21 Major installation?

22 Pianist Dame Myra __ 25 Site of South America’s westernmost mainland point 26 Fairy tale patriarch 30 Latin dances 34 Saccharide suffix 35 Legal write-up 37 Elizabethan strings 38 Escher’s “Relativity” is an example of it 42 Provided with an email dupe 43 Poke around 44 Many corp. logos 45 Apollo home 48 “The Wolf of Wall Street” director 50 Prominent theater sign 52 Suture securer 53 Impeded 57 Bandleader Shaw 61 9-Across treatments 64 NASCAR route 65 Incline 66 __ school 67 Use a blowtorch on 68 James of jazz 69 James portrayer DOWN 1 Hammer-throw trajectories 2 With 59-Down, “Very clever!”

3 Popular wine source 4 Prophet in 2 Kings 5 “Tea for __” 6 Former Time Warner division 7 Big wind 8 Drink noisily 9 Popular energy drinks 10 China setting 11 Comic __: typeface 12 Whopping 15 Places to see FDR 18 “Doctor Who” broadcaster 19 Constellation named for an instrument 23 Shot contents 24 Some voyages 26 Shelter resident 27 Shelter org.

28 Hero in a Prokofiev work 29 Rider’s handful 31 Hotel choice 32 Elemental bits 33 “Common” asset 36 Congregation

39 New York airport name until 1963 40 “On Golden Pond” bird 41 Big fuss 46 Suit 47 Mythical gold maker 49 Barbershop sharpeners 51 Bridal shop netting

53 Put in the overhead bin 54 “All you need,” in a Beatles song 55 Australian export 56 Hurdle for a jr.

58 Flag 59 See 2-Down 60 “World Series of Poker” channel 62 Explosive initials 63 Greek vowel

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

SUMMER PARKING BEHIND 420 Maynard St. $100/Month Call 734-418-4115 ext.1246

FOR RENT ! NORTH CAMPUS 1-2 Bdrm. ! ! Riverfront/Heat/Water/Parking. ! ! www.HRPAA.com !

2 & 3 BDRM APTS IN A HOUSE South Campus Fall 2015-16 1015 Packard - $1370-$1930 + Utilities Call 734-996-1991 to sched a viewing 4 BEDROOM HOUSE Fall 2015-16 North Campus: Off Fuller by UM Hospital 2 Baths, Wshr./Dryer, 3 Prkg spaces, Pet & Smoke free. $2300 + utilities 1010 Cedar Bend Dr. 734-996-1991

xwordeditor@aol.com

05/07/15

ARBOR PROPERTIES Award-Winning Rentals in Kerrytown, Central Campus, Old West Side, Burns Park. Now Renting for 2015.

734-649-8637. www.arborprops.com EFF, 1 & 2 Bedrooms Avail Fall 2015-16 $800 - $1420. Most include Heat and Water. Parking where avail: $50-80/mo.

Coin Laundry access on site/nearby. www.cappomanagement.com Call 734-996-1991 SUMMER SUBLET 2015 - 5 Bedroom Apt or Rent By the Room Possibility Apt: $1500/m + %age of Gas & Water; Electric to DTE, 3 pking spaces Room/Month: $325 including utilities; parking 1st come extra monthly fee 1014 Vaughn - NOW - AUGUST 20TH 2015 ONLY!!! 734-996-1991 THE NEW UNIVERSITY TOWERS Apartments-Starting at $899/room www.u-towers.com Only 3 minutes from Central Campus

HAPPY THURSDAY!

By Gareth Bain ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

05/07/15

Enjoy the Sudoku on page 2

that the University plans to implement over the next couple of years to replace CTools.

Tim McKay, Arthur F. Thurnau professor of physics and director of the LSA Honors Program, spoke about the importance of Unizin’s efforts to create a community of educators intent on developing higher levels of learning and the tools needed to do so.

“Everybody who is using these new tools should be thinking about how to, in a scholarly way, figure out what’s happening and, in the same scholarly way, share that information with the rest of the community so that when we make these decisions they won’t just be rolling over us, we’ll actually be making them in an informed way,” McKay said.

Stacy Morrone, associate vice president of learning technologies at Indiana University, said Unizin is working to make sense of and join together emerging tools and data.

“Unizin seems to be the convergence of so many things that we should be thinking about around content, the learning management system and what all this data means for the success of our students,” Morrone said.

Angelo Pitillo, director of the University’s English Language Institute, also attended the panel and said the event was a great opportunity to learn about the latest research being pursued in high-

CANDIDACY From Page 3 six diseases, you’re not trying to spend up everything. You’re happy to pass it on and there’s nobody talking about death panels.”

Carson has also called for developing oil and energy in the United States, arguing that petroleum independence would deplete funding for terrorists groups in the Middle East. He has also endorsed a flat income tax rate, an idea he compared to 10 percent tithing that appears in the Bible.

Despite gaining much support from conservatives for his public critiques of the president, Carson has had several public blunders.

In 2014, Carson withdrew from speaking at the Johns Hopkins commencement ceremony after students protested comments he made comparing gay men and women to pedophiles.

A March interview with CNN garnered much negative feedback after Carson said being gay is an absolute choice because many

er education.

“We’re at a really important time with the development of technology for teaching and learning,” Pitillo said. “I think it’s really important to know where we’re at and where we’re going.”

DOCUMENTS From Page 2 ter to President Obama asking him to endorse this conflict resolution solution. He later visited campus to speak about the issue.

Terrence McDonald, director of Bentley Historical Library, said the library contains the largest historical archive in the state of Michigan and has a long tradition of attempting to attract the archives of important political figures.

McDonald said Dingell is one of the major political figures in the 20th century and his collection is a valuable addition to the library’s archive.

“Historians and students are going to get such great benefit from an access to his papers,” McDonald said.

McDonald added that Dingell’s donation is one of the largest donations to the library’s historical archive. The donation is approxi-

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

inmates who go to prison straight are gay when they are released.

Carson has also compared the Affordable Care Act to slavery, saying it “robs you of your own ability to control your own life.”

This statement and others he made comparing the U.S. government to Nazi Germany have made him the subject of additional criticisms.

During remarks at the Detroit Music Hall on Monday morning, Carson addressed criticisms alleging he wants to scale down on welfare programs “There are many people who are critical of me because they say Carson wants to get rid of all the safety nets and welfare programs even though he must’ve benefited from them. This is a blatant lie. I have no desire to rid of safety nets for people who need them. I have a strong desire to get rid of programs who create dependency in able-bodied people.”

Carson will be the first African American to represent the Republican Party in the presidential race if he wins the party’s nomination.

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

TV REVIEW

BASEBALL

ARTS & SPORTS 9

Candid Cobain revealed Success of transfer students helpful

Family-assisted doc portrays rockstar in his truest form

By BEN FIDELMAN Daily Sports Writer

By BRIAN BURLAGE Daily Arts Writer

It’s usually the same with famous actors and musicians: when they die, fans have a really, I woke up like this. really hard time A believing it. a private investigator hired by CourtConspiracy Kurt Cobain: ney Love to investigate the death. theories bubble Grant concluded that it was, in fact, up from the Montage a homicide, and many fans have depths of God- of Heck since mistaken the case’s vagueness knows-where for the possibility that Cobain is still HBO while folklore alive somewhere in the world today. and mythologies Director Brett Morgen’s “Kurt sprout, and legCobain: Montage of Heck” does ends adjust to incorporate the mag- wonders to discredit and dispel all nanimity of these shooting stars theories, tales and lies surrounding — Elvis, Jim Morrison and Tupac Kurt Cobain’s death (and life). The among them. Each is said to dwell film’s most poignant and most beaunow in some far-off corner of the tiful contribution to the Nirvana/ Earth, destined to a life of personal Cobain canon is the way it introduces repose, away from all the fanaticism him above all else as a man, a father and phoniness that probably drove and a husband. Though he became them to death in the first place. a demi-god of sorts in the world of On April 8, 1994, a VECA Electric alternative-grunge rock, representemployee discovered Kurt Cobain’s ing the millions of disaffected, angry body in Cobain’s home in Washing- and disheartened youth, “Montage ton. A shotgun rested on his chest; of Heck” reminds us that he was a there were bullet wounds near his young man with problems, too. He temple. He had left a handwritten simply had a talent for making them note in a flowerpot, and the coroner inhabitable. determined the death a suicide.

Courtney Love came to MorThat weekend, a public vigil was gen in 2007 with the idea of taking held in Seattle, where Cobain’s wife, a more intimate, more honest look Courtney Love, and his daughter, at Cobain’s chaotic life. Sorting Frances Bean Cobain, read the note through 200 hours of unreleased and grieved openly with fans. Amy music and film and several thousand Dickinson, in an article titled “Kurt pages of writing and documentation, Cobain’s Last Tour,” described the Morgen delivers “Montage of Heck” Buddhist-inspired memorial that — the first Kurt Cobain documenfollowed, and the manner in which tary that accounts for full participaCobain’s ashes were handled: “(his) tion from his family. This certainly ashes have now been fully conse- gives the film a balanced perspeccrated and formed into roughly a tive, albeit one of astounding, somedozen tsatsas. A small shrine, called times shocking emotion. Part of the a nirvana stupa, is being made by a tension in the storytelling emerges Tibetan Buddhist artisan to house precisely from this contradiction: them.”

How can family members accurately At the time of his death, Cobain paint the picture of a loved one when and Love had been arguing exten- they each feel differently about his sively and consistently about every- or her passing? Where does truth lie thing from money to music. Many in relation to tragedy? theorists have interpreted some of In an interview with Paste Magawhat Rosemary Carroll (Cobain’s zine, Morgen explains how he was attorney) said following his death, given access to all kinds of undisand they claim Cobain faked the covered audiotapes and video reels, incident to elude a difficult divorce. including a 1988 clip of Cobain losOther theorists adhere to the ing his virginity. He notes that with information provided by Tom Grant, certain recordings, no one – not even

HBO

Courtney — had heard them before.

In this way, “Montage of Heck” is also a feat of rediscovery, not just for the millions of Nirvana fans, but also for Cobain’s closest family and friends. They each revisit the world they shared before 1994, and as we watch the story unfold, we become more and more aware of this sense of haunting. Morgen describes it perfectly: “that (haunting) became a thing with our film — the interviews sort of go from day to night. It starts out sort of with morning in America, and everything is optimistic and groovy. And then at some point the sun goes down, and we’re starting to get to 5 o’clock, and then we go into the evening and into the shadows.”

What also plays into this cathartic, yet unsettling feeling in the film is the audio-visual portrayal of Cobain’s own psyche. He was deeply disturbed by the fame and spotlight that found him and dragged him from the American music underground. He was wary of the sociological norms that defined what an American male should be, what a husband and a father should be, and he felt a deep alienation as a result.

Many of Cobain’s diary entries, shown in tender sequences interspersed between interviews, reveal the paranoia and agitation he felt, even from an early age.

It took eight years of researching, sifting, compiling, editing, talking, choosing, recreating and envisioning to bring “Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck” into form. At 132 minutes long, the documentary offers deep insight into the life of Cobain and his family without overstaying its welcome. Photos, artwork, animations, diaries, home videos and recordings give the film a distinct personality, as though the story of Cobain’s life has the same vitality as the man himself — not the rock star, but the 27-year-old kid from Aberdeen, Washington.

The most veteran players for the Michigan baseball team had quite a bit on their plates last weekend, outside of a three-game series against No. 16 Iowa. Six of the team’s 33 players also celebrated their graduation from the University.

Though senior day for the Wolverines is still a few weeks away, those six players had the opportunity to attend ceremonies for both student-athletes and with all of the members of the Michigan class of 2015.

Friday night was also the first game in the team’s series against the Hawkeyes — a contest that lasted over three-and-a-half hours, finishing at 7:35 PM. The Student Athlete Commencement was scheduled to begin around 8:00 PM, so the players had to hustle across to the Crisler Center to make it in time.

This original recruiting class was one of the last put together by former coach Rich Maloney, who left the team following the 2012 season. When current Michigan coach Erik Bakich arrived on campus, he went to work bolstering the group by looking for players at junior colleges who could make an impact in his program.

Bakich ended up taking two transfers in this class, in Patrick and center fielder Jackson Glines, who spent the beginning of their careers at Black Hawk and Fresno City Colleges, respectively. Patrick has started 32 games this season for the Wolverines, and Glines holds one of the Big Ten’s top batting averages, at .367.

“We don’t take very many transfer players,” Bakich said. “We build our program with high school kids that are going to be here for four years. I was a junior college player, and I think it’s great. It certainly serves a purpose, where a lot of times athletically kids may not be on top of their game out of high school or aren’t fully developed.

Academically and socially, there’s a maturation process that comes with being in college for a couple of years.”

Much of the Michigan coaching staff has experience being in the junior college game. Both Bakich

and assistant coach Nick Schnabel transferred from junior colleges to East Carolina, where they played together. Pitching coach Sean Kenny even coached for a year at a junior college when starting his coaching career.

Bakich believes that the staff’s experiences give them an eye for picking out potential transfer players, but that advantage only goes so far.

“We all have roots with it,” Bakich said. “I don’t know if it gives us any sort of upper-hand, but we certainly understand where these guys are coming from, where they have been and the rigors of the transition of coming to an elite academic school like Michigan.”

The staff looks to the transfer players to fill gaps in the team. Patrick and Glines are good examples of this, and junior left fielder Cody Bruder, who transferred to Michigan from Orange Coast College, can also be added to that list. However, because players are brought in for such a specific task, there is a significant amount of pressure to perform.

“You’re thrown into the fire right away,” Patrick said. “You’ve got to come in and perform, because you’re brought in for a specific role.

If you don’t fill that role, you’re kind of out of the lineup. It’s definitely interesting from a team dynamic, because you’re coming into a new family. I spent three years at junior college and knew the ropes there, and all of a sudden I’m in Ann Arbor, Michigan, not Moline, Illinois, anymore.”

All three transfer players have performed well, and have made up one third of the starting lineup for many games this season.

Without the help from Patrick and Glines, the senior class would sit at just four members, none of which have made significant statistical contributions this season.

As the team moves down the final stretch of the regular season, it will continue to lean on those two to anchor its veteran charge both on and off the field.

And maybe with their leadership and continued on-field success, the Wolverines can land some postseason success for the first time in years.

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Michigan topples Central in extras

By ZACH SHAW Daily Sports Editor

After being shut out in back-toback games for the first time in Erik Bakich’s three-year tenure as head coach, the Michigan baseball team was relieved 5 to finally score CENTRAL MICHIGAN 6(10) with two outs in the first inning of Wednesday’s game.

But the Big Ten’s top offense didn’t stop there. The Wolverines (12-9 Big Ten, 29-20 overall) plated five two-out runs in the first two innings, then converted a successful squeeze bunt to score the winning run in the top of the 10th inning to defeat Central Michigan.

“It’s always good to get the positive result that you’re chasing,” Bakich said. “The last couple games have kind of been a fluke offensively. We weren’t able to scratch any runs across, but you knew it was coming. It’s good for the momentum heading into the weekend to play well and get better and move

our team in the positive direction.”

The win came after ugly losses to Iowa and Illinois-Chicago on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively. The team hit just .167 as a team in those games, well below its season average of .300. Despite the alarming dry spell, Bakich was impressed with his team’s ability to bounce back.

“They’re smart kids,” he said.

“They know that it was just a couple days where we didn’t get the bounces and find the holes that we normally find. But that doesn’t change the fact that we still have a confident offense full of capable hitters.

Though the top of the order has carried the flag for Michigan’s offense most of the season, it was the bottom half that did the talking. The Wolverines’ bottom five hitters went a combined 7-for-18 and drove in four of six runs.

Despite the balanced effort, it was pinch-hitter and senior infielder Eric Jacobson who proved to be the hero. With junior outfielder Cody Bruder on third base with the

PAUL SHERMAN/Daily

Senior infielder Eric Jacobson successfully converted a squeeze bunt in the tenth inning to score the go-ahead run over Central

game tied in the 10th inning, Jacobson laid down a flawless squeeze bunt to drive in the go-ahead run.

“He’s our most selfless player,” Bakich said. “He’s the consummate teammate, grinder, guy that you cheer for. He loves Michigan, he loves representing Michigan … all he cares about is the team and help-

Softball racks in big awards

By TYLER SCOTT Daily Sports Writer

It should come as no shock that when the 2015 Big Ten softball awards were announced Wednesday, several players from the Michigan softball team were among those honored.

Sophomore right-hander Megan Betsa was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, an achievement she and Michigan coach Carol Hutchins both attribute in part to the work she put in during the offseason. In total, seven Michigan players were honored.

Hutchins was hardly stunned.

“I vote, and I’m allowed to nominate eight (players), and I did,” Hutchins said. “But the numbers are the numbers and there were some pretty fat numbers in our conference this year, so it was tough to be considered. I thought for the most part it fell the way it would.”

Along with Betsa, junior second baseman Sierra Romero, sophomore left fielder Kelly Christner and senior left-hander Haylie Wagner were all First-Team Big Ten honorees. Betsa, Romero and Christner

were unanimous selections.

Junior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence, sophomore shortstop Abby Ramirez and senior catcher Lauren Sweet were Second Team All-Conference. Christner, Wagner and Lawrence received All-Defensive recognition as well.

The players weren’t the only ones to be honored for their contributions to the Wolverines’ eighth consecutive Big Ten championship season. Hutchins reeled in her 15th career Coach of the Year award, her eighth since 2004.

Michigan is highly dedicated to Hutchins’ softball philosophies. The players believe in what their coach has to say. That belief is a monumental testament to Hutchins’ coaching, and it gets results. “(Betsa’s award) is a real credit to the work she put in. From our last pitch in Tallahassee last year, she stayed here this summer, she worked really hard,” Hutchins said.

“The greatest growth for her has been her ability to stay one-pitch focused. She really bought into the one pitch tougher mentality. It’s worked really well for her. It’s exciting to see her have such success.”

SPORTS 10

Before Betsa, Wagner was the last Michigan hurler to earn Pitcher of the Year honors in 2012, which is hardly a coincidence. Betsa is aware of the changes she’s made on her approach to the game this season and the success it has brought.

“I was obviously really excited (about the award),” Betsa said. “I feel really lucky and blessed to be here at this University doing this every single day. It’s something I’ve worked really hard for. I felt that I deserved it in the way that I worked in the offseason, bettering my mental toughness was a big aspect of that. I’ve grown to be a student of the game in that aspect. I really like where I’m at.”

After a day of recognition and accolades, Hutchins continued to challenge her players in preparation for the post-season, echoing Romero’s focus on what is next to come.

“To me the test is, ‘Can you do it now carrying that trophy around on your shoulders?’ ” Hutchins said. “(Betsa) might be the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, but that’s not going to get her a strike. It’s not going to get her a pitch. She’s going to have to go out there and work hard.”

ing the team win more than personal statistics. More than anything, he is just 100 percent in it for the team.”

The win was a welcome sight to the Wolverines, whose chances of attaining an at-large NCAA Tournament bid effectively ended with the two losses.

Returning home for the final

seven regular-season games, Michigan knows it faces an uphill battle to rebuild momentum in time for the Big Ten Tournament, set to begin May 20.

“We know we’re going to take some blows, we know we’re going to trade punches, and we look forward to that challenge.”

Seven Wolverines get NFL contracts

FOOTBALL

By ZACH SHAW Managing Sports Editor

Last fall, the Michigan football team had one of the nation’s smallest senior classes at just 12 players.

But in the past week, half of them have signed on to continue their careers in the NFL. After junior receiver Devin Funchess and senior defensive end Frank Clark were drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft last Friday, several seniors have furthered their football careers.

Both 2014 team captains — linebacker Jake Ryan and quarterback/receiver Devin Gardner — will have the opportunity to take their leadership to perennial powerhouses. The Green Bay Packers drafted Ryan in the fourth round, while Gardner — who will switch to wideout in the pros — was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent.

“I’m very excited for this oppor-

tunity,” Gardner said at the Bob Ufer Quarterback Club banquet on Monday. “It’s a dream that I’ve had since 1998. I remember being in class, and the teacher said, ‘Write down what you want to be when you grow up.’ And I said, ‘NFL football player.’ And she laughed at me. And everybody else laughed.

“They didn’t believe it would be a possibility because so few people get a chance to do it. But like I said, I’m about to get a chance to do it, and I’m going to take full advantage of it.”

Three other Wolverines earned invitations to rookie camps as undrafted free agents.

Defensive end Brennan Beyer will join the Baltimore Ravens, defensive back Delonte Hollowell signed with the Detroit Lions and kicker Matt Wile will join Funchess in Carolina.

Though still unsigned as of Wednesday, defensive back Raymon Taylor remains a candidate to join the league, garnering interest from a handful of teams.

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SPORTS 11

Five things we learned: Softball

By CHRIS CROWDER Daily Sports Writer

SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily

Redshirt-sophomore Gerald Logan shined in the lacrosse team’s 2015 campaign, in which they came a game short of the postseason.

2015 Men’s lacrosse in review

By BRANDON CARNEY Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan men’s lacrosse team was in control of its own postseason destiny heading into its regular season finale against Penn State.

A win would have secured the Wolverines a fourth-place regularseason finish in their inaugural year of Big Ten lacrosse.

But Michigan was unable to overcome a five-goal deficit, and eventually fell one goal short of extending its season. The Wolverines (1-4 Big Ten, 5-8 overall) finished fifth in conference play.

Despite the season’s premature ending, there are many positives that the young Wolverines can take away from the 2015 campaign.

Michigan finished with a 5-8 record, tying the program record for wins in a season. The Wolverines also made huge strides defensively, allowing the lowest goals against per game average in team history with 11.54, while causing 8.92 turnovers per game, good for fourth in the country.

Keeping the good and the bad in mind, the Daily breaks down the fourth season of Michigan men’s lacrosse.

MVP: Gerald Logan The Wolverines’ first-choice goalie was sidelined with a shoulder injury for the entirety of the 2014 campaign. But Logan returned and showed his toughness in the net throughout the 2015

season, as he helped transform the Michigan defense.

The redshirt sophomore ranked fifth nationally with 12.85 saves per game. Early in the year, Logan consistently bailed out his back line nearly every time it made a bad play or allowed an easy look at goal.

As the defenders around him grew in ability and confidence, Logan found his job became easier. Harder shots forced by his defensemen increased his save percentage.

Logan will surely headline as one of the nation’s top goalies in the next two years if he can continue to anchor the Wolverines’ defense the way he did this season.

Most Improved: Chase Young and Stefan Bergman Both Young and Bergman started the year on the bench, awaiting the opportunity to break into the first team.

Bergman slipped into the starting lineup when junior defender Chris Walker suffered a midseason injury. The sophomore defender played a key role in the evolution of Michigan’s off-ball defense, while shutting down some of the Big Ten’s most prolific scorers in conference games.

Young struggled to break out of the Wolverines’ deep attacking midfield unit early in the year. The freshman was forced to change positions when injuries began to take their toll on Michigan’s defensive midfield.

And that’s when Young’s raw talent and speed became noticeable on the field. Opposing attackers found it difficult to outrun Young in transition, and his hustle and quick hands were an important addition on the defensive end.

Bergman and Young ended up being the key ingredients in the renaissance of the Wolverines’ defense, and both are expected to grow steadily in the years to come.

Best Win: 9-8 (4OT) at St. Joseph’s, March 14 Michigan had struggled to win both on the road and in games that went down to the wire in its first three years as a Division I program. So few thought the Wolverines would be able to hang on to a fourth-quarter lead when they played the Hawks in Philadelphia.

Despite traveling without their top goal scorer, sophomore attacker Ian King, the Wolverines were able to pull out a gutsy win when King’s replacement, junior attacker Peter Kraus, scored the game-winning goal in the fourth overtime.

Michigan could have folded when St. Joseph’s went on a 6-1 run to tie the game with 29 seconds remaining. After all, the Wolverines had collapsed in similar situations in past seasons.

Yet, Michigan recovered and showed mental toughness, primarily on the defensive end, through four sudden-death overtime periods until Kraus finally came up with the game-winner.

The No.3 Michigan softball team has lived up to expectations this year, winning its eighth-consecutive Big Ten title. In some ways, the Wolverines have also exceeded expectations, as several players have made drastic improvements from last year.

With the Big Ten Tournament beginning Thursday, the Daily breaks down five things we learned from Michigan’s regular season.

1. Megan Betsa is the go-to pitcher After a stellar freshman campaign last season, in which she tallied 18 wins and a 2.15 earned-run average, Betsa has become one of the top pitchers in the nation in her 2015 campaign. She now leads the Big Ten with a 1.46 ERA and has 24 wins — second best in the conference.

Betsa has also thrown two nohitters this year against Michigan State and Maryland, giving her a slight edge over her teammate and senior pitcher Haylie Wagner.

Toward the beginning half of the season, Betsa got the Wolverines out of tough games in relief for Wagner.

2. Haylie Wagner needs to be consistent to earn a national championship After Wagner had some struggles toward the beginning of the season, including a 3-0 loss to Kent State, she has been on top of her game. Her faults were minimal, but she has returned to her All-American form as of late.

Hutchins describes her pitching staff as not having an ace, but a deuce in Betsa and Wagner. After senior right-hander Sara Driesenga was lost for the season due to injury, it was up to Wagner to be the sole senior in the circle. Her ERA is not as good as last year, but at 1.76, it’s still something to celebrate.

Wagner has gained more confidence and consistency in the circle as the season has gone on. The Wolverines will need that trend to continue because if both pitchers are playing their “A” game, the national championship may be in reach.

3. Sierra Romero is as good as advertised, again Going into the season, Romero was once again highly touted as one

of the best players in the country, and she has not slowed down.

She may be in a bit of a slump lately, but Romero still remains at the top of most Big Ten hitting categories. Her batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage are still far and away best in the conference. Until two weeks ago, her slugging percentage was over 1.000 — one of just a handful of players in the nation to do so.

4. Hitting is contagious, for better or for worse Hutchins has credited Michigan’s spectacular hitting to the idea of hitting being contagious. It seems like when one person is on top of their game, the rest of the lineup follows suit. But at the same time, the whole lineup can go through a funk for a game. The Wolverine lineup puts runs across the plate much more often than not, but has had some moments where the offense could not get going.

Michigan leads the nation in home runs with 101 — two shy of the program record set in 2005. From the leader in homers, Kelly Christner, to the only slap hitter in the lineup, Abby Ramirez, everyone is capable of hitting the ball hard and out of the park.

5. This team is one of the deepest in the nation Michigan has dealt with plenty of injuries this season and has still outperformed nearly every team they’ve faced. The injuries have just provided an opportunity for others to step up. When senior catcher Lauren Sweet went down, freshman Aidan Falk played well behind the plate in her absence. Recently, when junior left fielder Kelsey Susalla had to take some time off, freshman utility player Taylor Swearingen played admirably when she was needed.

Out of the starting nine, six are batting over .325. Those coming off the bench to pinch-hit or run play well when they are called upon.

And again, the Wolverines have two of the best pitchers in the Big Ten. And freshman first baseman Tera Blanco will likely see time in the circle next season.

Michigan is has a lineup in which everyone can contribute, for now and for the future. As long as they play like they have been all season, a national title is not out of the question.

12 SPORTS

Thursday, May 7, 2015 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Previewing the Big Ten Tournament

By KEVIN SANTO Daily Sports Writer

With the 2015 Big Ten Softball Tournament beginning Thursday, the Michigan Daily examines what the top teams must do to hoist the championtrophy Michigan ship on Saturday at at Big Ten Buckeye Field Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.

Matchup: Given the Michigan (21-2 Big Ten, 48-6 outcome of the regular season, overall) v. it appears that either Maryland (9-14, the tourna27-26) or ment will be (9-14, 28-27) two-horse race When: Friday between Michi2:30 P.M. gan and MinBoth Where: Buck- nesota. teams domieye Field, Columbus nated Big Ten play with little TV/Radio: resistance, but BTN nothing is guaranteed to either

team in their pursuit of the championship.

No. 1 MICHIGAN WILL WIN IF … it doesn’t try to fix what isn’t broken. The third-ranked Wolverines (21-2 Big Ten, 48-6 overall) are on a roll heading into tournament play, boasting a 17-game win streak and a regular season conference title.

With sophomore right-hander Megan Betsa — the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year — in the circle, it’s hard to believe that many teams are capable of scoring enough runs to topple Michigan from its current throne.

Even if Betsa finds herself in trouble, senior left-hander Haylie Wagner is another ace who can pitch shutout softball for the Wolverines.

On the offensive end, Michigan has a dominant lineup bolstered by junior second baseman Sierra Romero and sophomore left fielder Kelly Christner. Romero leads the Big Ten in runs batted in with 63 and Christner is tied for second in the conference with 18 home runs.

Realistically, if the regular sea-

ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

Junior second baseman Sierra Romero will lead the heavily favored and top seeded Wolverines to the Big Ten Tournament in Columbus.

son is any indication, Minnesota is the only threat to the Wolverines. The Golden Gophers handed Michigan its most recent loss on April 3, a 9-1 six-inning run-rule victory.

No. 2 MINNESOTA WINS IF … right-hander Sara Groenewegen pitches lights-out from the circle.

Groenewegen, who boasts a 1.52 earned-run average, trails only

Betsa in the Big Ten standings in the category. Groenewegen also excels at the plate, leading her team in home runs and finishing second on her team in both batting average and hits. Despite, her presence at the plate, Groenewegen’s pitching is still more vital for her team’s success.

The 12th-ranked Golden Gophers (20-3, 46-8) will likely reach the championship game with ease, given that they have only lost three conference matchups: two against Michigan and one against Nebraska.

In those losses, Groenewegen allowed 15 hits and 10 runs in 9.2 innings pitched. However, in Minnesota’s most notable conference win against the Wolverines, she posted 10 strikeouts while allowing just four hits and one run in six innings.

With the likelihood of both Minnesota and Michigan reaching the final, Groenewegen will need to put together an elite performance. Because in the Wolverines’ 54 games this season, their six losses have come when they were held to four runs or less.

Shutting down a high-powered, home-run-hitting Michigan lineup is no easy task, but if Groenewegen can rise to the occasion, Minnesota has an opportunity to steal the tournament hardware.

THE UNDERDOG TO WATCH FOR IS… Nebraska, but

“underdog” may be an overstatement. Though the conference has been primarily dominated

by Michigan and Minnesota, the Cornhuskers are still the No. 3 seed of the tournament.

To pull off an upset, Nebraska (17-6, 32-20) will need to thrive at the plate. An ace hasn’t emerged during the regular season, as righthander Emily Lockman is statistically the best option in the circle for the Cornhuskers with an unimpressive 4.21 ERA. But Nebraska has players in the top four of four individual Big Ten categories: batting average, on-base percentage, runs scored and hits.

Specifically, third baseman MJ Knighten will need to have dominating performances and continue to record numbers consistent with her .427 batting average and 76 hits.

Centerfielder Kiki Stokes will need to contribute as well, as she was second in the Big Ten in on base percentage and fourth in runs scored.

Both Knighten and Stokes garnered First-Team All Big Ten honors, but it will be tough for Nebraska to succeed if its mediocre pitching corps matches up with Michigan and Minnesota’s aces.

It would be unexpected for Nebraska to come out on top in a pitching duel, so its only hope is to outscore opponents and give its pitchers a cushion to work with.

It appears that the tournament will be a twohorse race