ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Thursday, January 7 , 2016
Ann Arbor, Michigan
michigandaily.com
DIVERSITY
Trotter site prompts mixed responses
SINDUJA KILARU/Daily
LSA sophomore Nathan Harnden leads dance lessons for the University of Michigan Ballroom Dance Team in the Rogel Ballroom of the Union on Wednesday.
Ballroom team welcomes new dancers with lessons Members teach incoming recruits how to fox trot, swing and rumba By ANNA HARITOS Daily Staff Reporter
The 12-time national championship-winning Michigan Ballroom Dance Team opened its doors
Wednesday evening to newcomers interested in joining the group this semester. Students who attended the meeting learned the basics of ballroom dance, including how to swing and foxtrot. Amid lessons on how to dance, the team also showcased some of their best dancers. The center of the Rogel Ballroom quickly filled with over 250 students as the lesson began by separating attendees by gender. First, the males
were taught step by step how to lead a basic swing dance. As current members demonstrated the dance, the female side was then instructed. “It was a lot easier than I expected, and I want more” said LSA freshman Erica Edwards “My friends on the team have been begging me to come out and give it a try and after seeing how fun it was, I’m definitely considering it.” Soon after experienced members finished teaching
MEN’S BASKETBALL
By LEV FACHER Daily Sports Writer
John Beilein says he doesn’t decide until a season’s end which games are more important than the rest. It seems safe to assume, however, that Thursday’s trip to No. 20 Purdue (1-1 Big Ten, 13-2 overall) will make the list. It’s the Michigan men’s basketball team’s (2-0, 12-3) second visit of the year to a team ranked in the top 25. The first one — an 82-58 shellacking at the hands of then-No. 19 Southern Methodist — left plenty of room for improvement. “You all can just go through your books,” Beilein said. “How many times has Michigan beaten a ranked opponent on the road? You won’t find very many times. I don’t care who the coaches were and who the players were. It is difficult to do.”
It won’t help if senior guard Caris LeVert remains unavailable as he recovers from an unspecified injury to his lower left leg. The plan, Beilein said, was for LeVert to attempt to practice Wednesday and do the same Thursday in West Lafayette prior to tipoff. Beilein declined to elaborate further on LeVert’s status or the nature of his injury, saying only that LeVert will play if he can practice without pain prior to tipoff. With or without LeVert, Purdue’s perimeter defense presents a tall task. Though Michigan shooters such as redshirt sophomore guard Duncan Robinson have excelled in recent games from beyond the 3-point line, the Boilermakers’ size from top to bottom will likely create a space crunch for the Wolverines. Michigan is shooting 42.8 percent from beyond the arc as a team, but Purdue is holding opponents to 28.3 percent 3-point shooting. To combat the size disadvantage, Michigan has been practicing with sticks and pads that extend defenders’ reach by inches or even feet.
By LARA MOEHLMAN Daily Staff Reporter
A planned relocation of the Trotter Multicultural Center to Central Campus has garnered mixed reactions from the University community ranging from excitement to apprehension. Dec. 17, the University’s Board of Regents approved a proposal to relocate the Trotter Multicultural Center, currently located on Washtenaw Avenue, to State Street in an area behind Betsy Barbour and Helen Newberry Residence Halls on Central Campus. In Winter 2014, the Black Student Union called for the relocation of Trotter as part
of the #BBUM movement — a student-driven campaign sharing the experiences of Black students on campus. After the years of public discourse on the issue, many students lauded the approval, including Rackham student Austin McCoy. McCoy, a leader of Ann Arbor to Ferguson, a protest group advocating against police brutality, said he welcomed the accessibility and visibility of the new location. He noted that replacing the current multicultural center with a facility on Central Campus illustrates the importance of issues of inclusion and equity. “I think students of color and some various underrepresented backgrounds need to have a space that’s more accessible than on the margins of campus,” McCoy said. “I think Trotter’s current location actually symbolizes how students feel marginalized See TROTTER PAGE 3A
POLITICS
D A N C E T H E N I G H T AWAY
Wolverines set for conference test at Purdue Boilermakers’ stout defense matches up with Michigan’s sharpshooters
their planned steps, the team moved on to a showcase of their more seasoned members. It opened with a rumba performed by LSA sophomore Jenelle Rofe and Art & Design junior Jonny Pang. The couple has performed on the national level. Prior to joining the Ballroom Dance Team both had no experience whatsoever. Rofe said her time on the team has been rewarding and has given her opportunities See BALLROOM, Page 3A
Barbour and Newberry residents respond to center’s move
‘U’ classes help inspire careers in government Alums draw from wide range of academic experiences By REBECCA SOLBERG Daily Staff Reporter
RITA MORRIS/Daily
Ann Arbor resident Leanne Wade dances with LSA senior Ilya Beskin during the Wednesday Night Swing Dance held weekly in the Michigan League on Wednesday.
GOVERNMENT
University, state respond to ongoing Flint water crisis Snyder accepts resignations of key city officials in light of issue By CAITLIN REEDY Daily Staff Reporter
After
building
concern
about water quality and public outcry, Gov. Rick Snyder (R) declared a state of emergency for Genesee County Tuesday. The move comes as part of an effort by the state to provide restitution for the health damages Flint’s residences experienced due to tainted water and ensure the city’s water safety in the
future. Snyder had previously accepted the resignation of Dan Wyant, director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, on Dec. 29. Brad Wurfel, the public information officer for the Department of Environmental Quality, also resigned. It followed a confirmation See FLINT, Page 3A
From helping on campaigns to running for office, University students are making an impact in politics, often with the help of classes focused on the election process. University alum Zachary Ackerman, who graduated in the fall 2015 semester with a political science degree, is indeed making an impact in the city of Ann Arbor. He ran for city office this past November and defeated fourterm incumbent Stephen Kunselman, making him the youngest member of the council. Ackerman’s age was an initial challenge during his campaign, but it forced him make personal connections See ALUMS, Page 3A
best of A look at how, why and where ‘U’ students get their local grub
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INDEX
Vol. CXXIV, No. 47 ©2016 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
NEWS......................... 2A OPINION.....................4A S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A
SUDOKU..................... 3A CL ASSIFIEDS...............6A B-SIDE ....................1B