ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Thursday, December 3, 2015
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MARINA ROSS/Daily
Washtenaw Community College sophomore Casey Paige lights a candle at the vigil held by Students for Choice for the victims of the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood shooting on Wednesday.
Diag vigil honors Planned Parenthood shooting victims Almost 60 students gather on Diag to rally behind the organization By CAITLIN REEDY Daily Staff Reporter
After a gunman opened fire in the parking lot outside of a
Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood on Nov. 27, killing three people, students gathered on the Diag on Wednesday night to hold a vigil in memory of the victims. LSA senior Miriam Dow, copresident of the University chapter of Students for Choice, said the news of the attack was jarring, but not entirely surprising. Law enforcement officials believe the shooter’s anti-abortion views lead him to target the Planned Parenthood clinic. Some
politicians and activists have argued the violence was spurred by the tone of anti-abortion rhetoric, particularly in light of the release of videos purporting to show a representative from Planned Parenthood negotiating the sale of fetal tissue, which Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards has denied. “It’s finally happened; the huge act of violence that we were expecting with all of this hate rhetoric being thrown around,”
she said. “It’s horrible to think that somebody would go to that extreme.” Nearly 60 people attended Wednesday’s vigil, which was also designed to stand in solidarity with the employees and patients of Planned Parenthood, as well as in support of women’s reproductive rights, which attendees said Planned Parenthood aims to protect. Renee Chelian, the founder of See VIGIL, Page 3A
‘U’ has contracted outside search firm, appointed selection committee By LEV FACHER Managing Editor
Michigan interim Athletic Director Jim Hackett describes his tenure at the University as a love story — one that begins with a phone call. This love story, however, is coming to an end. Wednesday, Hackett and University President Mark Schlissel outlined the ongoing search for someone to fill the position on a permanent basis in a teleconference with reporters. Hackett inherited the position from Dave Brandon, who resigned on Oct. 31, 2014 amid a storm of controversy surrounding Michigan quarterback Shane Morris’ mishandled concussion, increasing student ticket prices and reports of e-mails to dis-
FOOTBALL
GOVERNMENT
Maryland hires ‘M’ coordinator as head coach D.J. Durkin led resurgence for Wolverines’ stellar defense in 2015 By JAKE LOURIM
Managing Sports Editor
The leader of the Michigan football team’s vaunted defense is changing schools. Maryland announced Wednesday that Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will become its 36th head football coach, and will be officially introduced Thursday morning. The news was first reported by Sports Illustrated. Rumors that Durkin would leave for College Park began as early as last week. Yahoo! Sports reported Nov. 25 that he had already interviewed for the job, though Durkin would not comment on those rumors during his press conference later that day. The Terrapins fired coach Randy Edsall on Oct. 11, eight days after losing to Michigan, 28-0. Maryland finished 2-10 this season (0-8 in the Big Ten).
Durkin helped lead the Wolverines’ resurgence this season, coaching a defense that finished fourth in the country in total yards allowed and 17th in points allowed. For a good part of the season, however, Michigan was ranked No. 1 in both categories. A streak of three straight shutouts in the first half of the year vaulted the unit to the top of the rankings before a slump in November knocked the Wolverines down a few spots. Michigan gave up 41 points in a doubleovertime win at Indiana on Nov. 14 and 42 more in a loss to Ohio State on Saturday. Durkin has just over a month of head coaching experience. He served as defensive coordinator at Florida for the 2014 season, and the Gators fired head coach Will Muschamp at the end of the season. Durkin led the team during its bowl practices and in a 28-20 win over East Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl before accepting the defensive coordinator job at Michigan. Durkin will return to Ann Arbor on Nov. 5, 2016, when Maryland plays the Wolverines at Michigan Stadium.
gruntled fans deemed by many to be inappropriate, among other factors. “It began with President Schlissel calling and asking if I could help,” Hackett said. “I have another friend in business who said sometimes you do things for God and country. I love the University, and I felt compelled to come and help.” Hackett and Schlissel had discussed taking steps toward finding an athletic director earlier in the year, but decided it was best to wait until the end of the Michigan football team’s regular season. With the regular season over, the search is ongoing, and will be facilitated by a committee chaired by Schlissel. The six members of the committee are Liz Barry, Schlissel’s special counsel; Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins; women’s soccer player Corinne Harris; Kevin Hegarty, the University’s chief financial officer; faculty athletic representative Anne Curzan; and Dr. Stefan G. Humphries, a forSee SEARCH, Page 3A
Plan calls on Mich. to bolster higher ed. Faculty, students contribute to report on increasing advanced degrees By LYDIA MURRAY Daily Staff Reporter
SINDUJA KILARU/Daily
Panelist Arshan Ahmad speaks at the Ask a Muslim event at Munger Graduate residence on Wednesday.
Panelists discuss Muslim faith, public perceptions Students aim to address portrayal of Islam after ISIS attacks in Paris By CAMY METWALLY Daily Staff Reporter
About 50 graduate students gathered in Munger Graduate Residences on Wednesday evening to listen to three Mus-
lim University students discuss their faith and experiences after the series of terrorist attacks in Paris carried out by ISIS. Attendees gathered to learn more about the panelists’ beliefs and perceptions of the Muslim religion. Public Health student Ojaswi Adhikari explained the importance of these kind of events in promoting understanding and awareness. She said many people hesitate to ask certain questions out of fear of offending their peers.
“I hope that people are able to ask whatever they want to ask and have an open space where they don’t feel as judged,” Adhikari said. “It’s important to open up that dialogue and to feel free to say whatever you want to because you’re not going to have a platform like this outside of here.” Many students attended with the intention to learn more about Islam in general. Public Health student Erica Dancik said she See PANEL, Page 3A
With the help of University students and faculty, a group of state legislators released a set of recommendations on Tuesday aiming to increase the number of Michigan residents with post-secondary degrees over the next 10 years. The report, titled Reaching for Opportunity, was compiled by several Michigan colleges including the University, as well as bipartisan group of legislative leaders and various other organizations. The recommendations outline paths to increasing the percentage of Michigan individuals pursue higher education and obtain associate degrees, technical certificates or any other advanced degree. See REPORT, Page 3A
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INDEX
Vol. CXXV, No. 40 ©2015 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
NEWS......................... 2A OPINION.....................4A SPORTS......................5A
SUDOKU.....................2A CL ASSIFIEDS...............6A B-SIDE ....................1B