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ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Monday, February 1, 2016

Ann Arbor, Michigan

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STATE

University efforts in Flint spark concerns ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

Hillary Clinton speaks to supporters at a town hall meeting at Eagle Elementary School in Clinton, Iowa on January 23, 2016.

Nation’s focus shifts to Iowa residents as caucuses begin All eyes turn to state as it begins the 2016 election primary process By SAM GRINGLAS Daily Staff Reporter

During the past weekend, Michigan Daily journalists spent three days in Iowa covering

candidates from both parties as they compete for their party’s nomination in the 2016 presidential election. Look for continuing coverage from the Daily in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses, the first in the nation, on Monday. DAVENPORT, Iowa — By 3:15 p.m. on a balmy Saturday late in January, only a couple of campaign volunteers were still hanging around the front door of the Masonic Center in Clinton, Iowa when a big blue bus slid down the

building’s back alley. The supporters who had come here to see Bernie Sanders had by then gone indoors, where they waited eagerly in tightly packed rows of metal folding chairs for their candidate to arrive. With all the action now inside the center’s dated basement, the streets turned quiet. The sun hung low, and most of the few stores lining Fifth Avenue had already closed up for the night. Across First Street, a train barreled by on tracks that

Group of students, faculty pen letter after closed meeting on research projects By EMILY DAVIES Daily Staff Reporter

stand between Clinton and the Mississippi River. In an alley that hugged the back of the Masonic Center just off a street that was also empty, there was Sanders — a presidential candidate who the next day would draw 2,200 people to a rally in Decorah, Iowa. But now there were no “Feel the Bern” chants. No camera crews lay in wait. Sanders’ wife, Jane, emerged first. An adviser or two followed. Then, the See IOWA, Page 3A

A group of University faculty, staff, alumni and students raised concerns in an open letter last week to University President Mark Schlissel over what they characterized as a lack of engagement with the Flint community in the University’s tri-campus efforts about the city’s ongoing water crisis. “In order to serve the people of Flint, we must vigilantly work to dismantle the concentration of knowledge and power that created the Flint water crisis, and to ensure that the same denigrating and dismissive systems are not replicated

SPORTS

ACADEMICS

‘U’ introduces Warde Manuel to lead athletics UConn athletic director will start work March 14 By MAX BULTMAN Managing Sports Editor

In front of a crowd of media, coaches, donors and former athletes, University President Mark Schlissel introduced Warde Manuel as Michigan’s next Athletic Director on Friday in a press conference at the Michigan Union. Manuel, who is currently the athletic director at Connecticut, will officially begin work at Michigan on March 14, taking over for interim Athletic Director Jim Hackett, who has held the position since Oct. 31, 2014. Manuel holds three degrees from the University — a bachelor’s degree in general studies with a focus in Psychology, a master’s degree in social work and an M.B.A. from the Ross School of Business — and played defensive

line on the football team for legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler. He also worked in the Athletic Department in various roles between 1996 and 2005, ultimately serving as Associate Athletic Director under Bill Martin. Given his ties with the University, Manuel said he made no effort to play coy when he was contacted about the job opening. “I want to say it was maybe, officially, some time toward the beginning of December that (the Turnkey Search firm) reached out to see if I had interest in the position,” Manuel said at his press conference. “I laughed when they asked me that question, like, ‘Are you really asking me if I have interest in being the Michigan A.D.?’ And (the recruiter) said, ‘Yeah, really, I just need to hear the answer.’ “And I said, ‘Hell yeah!’ ” Manuel, who was among 82 candidates Turnkey considered, inherits a self-sustaining athletic department with an operating budget of $151 million per year. Hackett, who was part See MANUEL, Page 3A

through the University’s response,” the letter read. The letter was spurred by an event closed to the public, Friday, during which about 140 faculty members from the University’s Ann Arbor, Flint and Dearborn campuses met to discuss potential collaborative research projects surrounding the water crisis. The meeting was led by UM-Flint chancellor Susan Borrego and provost Douglas Knerr. The research in question is part of the University’s effort to address Flint’s leadcontaminated water and its detrimental health effects, which stemmed from the city’s decision to change its water source from Detroit Water and Sewerage Department water to the Flint River. The river’s water was corrosive to lead in Flint’s old pipes, leading to high levels of lead in the public water for 18 months. Citing the fact that the See FLINT, Page 3A

Greek life director announces plans for retirement AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Ian Culver, a Kendall College of Art & Design student, presents his team’s product for Makeathon, a 36 hour design competition, at the Art and Architecture Building on Sunday.

Annual Makeathon aims to spark innovative ideas In third 36-hour competition, students of all majors compete By JENNIFER MEER For the Daily

The third annual Makeathon, a 36-hour design competition, was held this weekend at the North Campus Art and Architecture Building. The MPowered event aimed to allow

students of any major at any point of study, ranging from undergraduates to Ph.D.s, to create innovative art designs and products. The event consisted of a Product Design Competition, a Fine Arts Showcase and a Case Competition in which teams competed for awards and recognition. The event began Friday evening in the Chrysler Auditorium with an introduction to the competition. After that, teams spent Friday night coming up with design

ideas and strategies, and then used the remainder of the weekend to work on them. During the production process, teams only had a list of materials and a workspace. For the Product Design Competition’s “Around the House” category, one team created an automatic bartending machine. A member of the team, Engineering sophomore Scott Laorr said his team had what he described as a spontaneous creation experience. “We had never done this See MAKEATHON, Page 3A

Mary Beth Seiler to leave post this year after long tenure at University By CAMY METWALLY Daily Staff Reporter

After 37 years of working for the University’s Office of Greek Life, Director of Greek Life Mary Beth Seiler confirmed her plans to retire this year in an interview with The Michigan Daily on Jan. 19. Seiler shared in an interview the challenges and successes of Greek life during her time as director, acknowledging the negative media attention and difficulties faced by the community over the past year, but overall praising the current and future state of Greek life. Last winter, the University’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu caused thousands of dollars worth of damage at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Mich, prompting See GREEK LIFE, Page 2A

Penn Statement The Michigan men’s basketball and hockey teams beat Penn State in New York City

» INSIDE

WEATHER TOMORROW

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NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Adam Coon wins two straight matches MICHIGANDAILY.COM/SECTION/SPORTS

INDEX

NEWS......................... 2A OPINION.....................4A ARTS...................5A

SUDOKU.....................2A CL ASSIFIEDS............... 5A S P O R T S M O N D AY . . . . . . . 1 B