ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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ADMINISTRATION
All three ‘U’ campuses take part in Flint effort In campus-wide e-mail, Schlissel outlines preventative measures at UM-Flint By TANYA MADAHANI Daily Staff Reporter RYAN MCLOUGHLIN/Daily Business senior G.S. Suri talks about his experiences with Islamophobia during the Voices Against Islamophobia discussion in the Michigan Union on Monday.
Students gather to discuss Islamophobia on campus Attendees share anecdotes about grappling with antiMuslim prejudice By ALEXA ST. JOHN Daily Staff Reporter
The words “Move to your homeland” appeared on the screen at the front of the
Pendleton Room Monday night. The phrase, serving as one example of a negative comment aimed at the Muslim community on campus, was part of the School of Literature, Science and the Arts sponsored event Sharing Stories, Building Allyhood: Student Voices Against Islamophobia, which drew hundreds of students and faculty to the Union Monday night. The event’s emcee, American
Culture Prof. Evelyn Alsultany, who is also the director of Arab and Muslim American Studies, said she wanted to demonstrate how Islamophobia affects the University community and prompt thinking about how to create a campus environment that is inclusive of all people. “Islamophobia has been a problem in our country for a very long time,” Alsutany said. “Recently there has been an increase in Islamophobia,
FLIPPING THROUGH TIME
CRIME
DPSS to debut enhancements to alert system ‘Michigan App’ will now send emergency messages through push notifications By SEAN DEW For the Daily
The University is set to unveil another way to stay connected to its emergency alert system sometime this semester. Beginning Dec. 4, Michigan’s Department of Information and Technology Services began testing a way for students to receive emergency alerts via push notifications from the University’s official mobile application, the Michigan App. The notifications would supplement the University’s already established system for distributing emergency alerts, which includes text messages, voicemail, e-mail, digital signage, the University website and Twitter. The update would also allow non-Michigan community members, such as parents or University contractors, to stay informed of potentially threatening situations as well, as long as they have downloaded the application and enabled push notifications. During the testing process, ITS researchers sent surveys to more than 4,000 University
WEATHER TOMORROW
HI: 30 LO: 23
students, staff and faculty seeking feedback about the effectiveness of push notifications on the application. In an interview, Diane Brown, spokeswoman for the University’s Division of Public Safety and Security, said the surveys showed push notifications were reaching University community members quickly. “With initial testing, it was discovered that at many times the push notifications would reach recipients faster than texts,” she said. In a statement, Scott Taylor, executive director of ITS Solution Design and Delivery and interim executive director of ITS Application and Information Services, said he believes the surveys will help further improve the system. “We are continuing to refine our systems to send texts, e-mails and voice alerts out faster than ever,” he said. “The Michigan App push alert mechanism needs some adjustments to increase reliability for emergency alerts.” Brown said one of the main obstacles facing the ITS department to create the feature was accounting for the formatting differences between Android and Apple operating systems. “During testing we realized there was a difference in See CAMPUS, Page 3
(meaning) hate crimes against Muslims and people who are perceived to be Muslims, discourses by presidential candidates and other people that perceive Muslims as un-American or anti-American and not part of this country and, in general, a way of thinking about Muslims — a logic that justifies their exclusion.” During the event, students spoke in front of dozens of See SHARING, Page 3
In an e-mail to the University community Monday, University President Mark Schlissel commended the efforts of UM-Flint Chancellor Sue Borrego to combat lead-contaminated drinking water on the Flint campus amid the ongoing water crisis in the city. “Their considerable efforts began more than a year ago, and because of their actions, drinking water on the campus is safe,” Schlissel wrote. “This is a longterm crisis for one of our state’s most important cities and its people. The strong ties (Borrego) has built with the community will be needed more than ever.” In a November 2015 statement to The Michigan Daily, Borrego said the Flint campus has implemented multiple initiatives in an effort to provide safe water on its campus.
According to Borrogo, although the campus itself was not required to start filtering and boiling their water at that time, all drinking water fountains, break room sinks, kitchen sinks and food prep areas were installed with filtration devices. Faucet mounted filters were fitted for students living on campus in residences halls, as well as those living off campus. In a November 2015 e-mail to The Michigan Daily, Marjory Wisniewski, senior advisor for media relations and communications for the Flint campus, wrote that Borrego drove the measures to improve water quality. “Borrego took the stance that our campus must go beyond the federal guidelines to ensure we protect students, faculty and staff from any and all lead exposure and to provide peace of mind by installing filters throughout campus,” Wisniewski wrote. Borrego noted in her statement that while the water emergency is not expected to subside anytime soon, resources from all three campuses are being provided to the Flint student, faculty, and staff community, and Flint See UPDATE, Page 3
SCIENCE
Number of U.S. driver’s licenses sees sharp decline Researchers attribute decrease to apathy, increase in vehicle costs
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
A multiple exposure of sophomore gymnast Lauren Marinez competing in a meet against Ohio State at Crisler Center Jan. 16. Michigan won 196.950-195.275.
ACADEMICS
Schlissel talks bicentennial plans at Senate Assembly Body also discusses status of strategic plan for diversty, inclusion By ISOBEL FUTTER Daily Staff Reporter
Topics ranging from the bicentennial anniversary of the University, the Flint water crisis and diversity initiative were on University President Mark Schlissel’s mind when he came to speak at the University Senate Assembly Monday. Starting with the upcoming bicentennial in 2017, Schlissel
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said the University is one of few universities who have the opportunity to celebrate 200 years. “We’re really a pillar of society and that’s pretty exciting to think about,” Schlissel said. “A team has been planning a year or more’s worth of activities to commemorate our 200th, and probably more importantly to look together to what the University is going to be in the years ahead.” Schlissel said he has appointed faculty members to separate committees to organize three colloquiums celebrating the University’s bicentennial throughout the year. The colloquiums will each
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focus on a different aspect of the University’s future and involvement in the greater community. Taking on a topic that has garnered statewide and national media attention and outrage, Schlissel also spoke about the Flint water crisis, highlighting efforts the University’s Flint campus has been making to provide support for their community. He said in addition to installing its own water filter in 2015, the Flint campus has been testing its water since fall 2014 and uses an independent water-testing laboratory to ensure water safety. Schlissel See SACUA, Page 3
Vol. CXXV, No. 59 ©2016 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
By AMANDA DELETKA For the Daily
Though it may come as surprise to commuters who driving bumper-to-bumper traffic on State Street some mornings, the number of people receiving their driver’s license in the United States is decreasing each year, according to research conducted by the University of Michigan Transport Research Institute. The study, which was published earlier this month, shows that the number of 19 year-olds becoming licensed to drive has decreased 18 percent from 1983 to 2014 Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle, who are UMTRI research scientists, attributed the decrease to increasing costs associated with driving and a stronger environmental conscious, but ultimately boils down to an apathetic generation. Michigan State University junior Paige McKeon said she waited until she was 19 before becoming licensed to drive. “I was lazy and it was not necessary.” McKeon said. “I See DRIVER, Page 3
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