ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
Monday, October 31, 2018
Ann Arbor, Michigan
The University’s forgotten roots
Originally a venture by frontier clergymen in Detroit, has the University abandoned its origin story?
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statement T H E M I CH I GA N DAI LY | O C TO B E R 3 1 , 201 8
ADMINISTRATION
Enrollment of minority, low-income students up AARON BAKER/Daily
Students whose household incomes are less than $65,000 increased by 8 percent
First generation college students speak at a panel about challenges and the importance of mentorship at the Student Activity Center Tuesday.
First-generation student panelists spotlight unique invisible identity
Event took place as part of First Gen Week, an inititative to highlight experiences LIAT WEINSTEIN Daily Staff Reporter
First-generation student panelists convened Tuesday morning for a discussion about the invaluable role of mentorship in transitioning to life at the University of Michigan. The panel, hosted by the Office of
New Student Programs, took place during First Gen Week as part of a series that spotlights the unique experiences of first-generation students and will culminate with the First-Generation Symposium on Nov. 2. Ayeza Siddiqi, assistant director of ONSP, opened the panel by defining what it means to be a
first-generation student and noting how this identity applies to many students regardless of race, gender or socioeconomic class. “Because it is an invisible identity ... it can be hard to know who’s first gen despite the fact that there are over 3,500 first-gen students on this campus,” Siddiqi said. “Hearing about these students and hearing
about their narratives is going to be really critical as we move forward in doing the work that we do.” Though first-generation students account for a sizable portion of the total students on campus, they are still a distinct minority and often struggle to find resources to help them acclimate to the demands See FIRST GEN, Page 3A
JORDYN BAKER Daily Staff Reporter
With another record number of applications submitted for the fall 2018 freshman class, the University of MichiganAnn Arbor campus enrollment has seen increased economic diversity and higher numbers of underrepresented students, according to a report published by University Public Affairs. The University received an 8 percent increase in applications for the fall 2018 freshman class. More specifically, 64,917 applications were received, 14,818 were offered admission, and 6,695 enrolled, making a
slightly smaller freshman class than last year. For in-state applicants, 40.5 percent of those who applied were offered admission. For out-of-state and international students, 18.8 percent were offered admission. Seventy-two percent of in-state freshmen accepted the admission offer and 31.8 percent of out-ofstate or international students accepted the offer. Erica Sanders, director of undergraduate admissions, discussed the rising levels of interest and applications each year, explaining the process used by admissions officers to accept incoming freshmen. “We’re continually amazed See ENROLLMENT, Page 3A
Professors outline history of voter Bridge MI CSG talks film shows suppression in U.S. ahead of midterms organizing
CAMPUS LIFE
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
a divided Michigan
Speakers also addressed Proposal 2 referendum on increasing voter accessibility
Documentary analyzes increased partisanship and post-Trump faultlines
More than 100 students, faculty and staff attended the event “There’s Always Someone Who Doesn’t Want You to Vote” Tuesday at Tisch Hall at the University of Michigan. The event discussed historical targeting of minority groups and infringement of voting rights throughout the voting process ahead of the Nov. 6 midterm elections. The panel began with remarks from Heather Ann Thompson, a professor in the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies, who discussed the impact of mass incarceration on voting today. She drew from historical policy trends post-Civil War and during the civil rights movement of mass imprisonment that directly targeted Black males. To illustrate her point, she referenced a study which revealed Black men in apartheid South Africa had lower rates of incarceration than they do today in the United States. She explained voting is not an act which solely affects individual rights, but also the 40,000 citizens in Michigan who are incarcerated. “Right away we are discounting a huge swath of our population that cannot
LEAH GRAHAM Daily Staff Reporter
With days until the election, resurfacing the documentary “Michigan Divided” from earlier this year seems appropriate. The film focuses on the differences and similarities between Michigan residents from across the state and the political spectrum. The film’s producer, Bridge reporter Ron French, discussed the logistics of the film and editorial decisions made behind the scenes at the Ford School of Public Policy Tuesday night as part of Bridge Magazine’s “Michigan Truth Tour.” He defended his team’s call to included segments where a President Trump supporter from Harbor Springs cited unsubstantiated claims Trump made as a candidate. “Actually, I felt that was a very important part of the film to have in there — to show the sort of bad information that some people have and on which they make their decisions,” French said. “We made a conscious decision at the beginning of See FILM, Page 3A
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KATHERINA SOURINE Daily Staff Writer
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access the ballot,” Thompson said. “Of the people from these communities who can access the ballot, there is such community devastation from mass incarceration that there is a disincentive to vote. People are very disinclined to imagine that the voting system is for them.” Thompson also mentioned prison gerrymandering, where incarcerated people
are moved to prisons in certain counties to obtain more power. In Michigan, the prison population disproportionately comes from Detroit and four state Senate districts only meet the federal minimum population requirements by claiming prisoners as constituents. “Those who benefit most from funding prisons instead of schools, roads, we can
go on and on, those people have more voting power than anyone else, simply put,” Thompson said. “That means that those who are most in need of weighing in with what we do with our state’s budget, those of us who are hoping for more public education funding, those of us who are worried about the potholes, who are worried about See VOTER, Page 3A
MILES MACKLIN/Daily
University professors speak at the “There’s Always Someone Who Doesn’t Want You to Vote Panel” at Tisch Hall Tuesday.
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INDEX
Vol. CXXVIII, No. 21 ©2018 The Michigan Daily
for renters’ protections
Student Legal Services attorneys back new Ann Arbor Tenants’ Union BARBARA COLLINS For the Daily
The University of Michigan Central Student Government convened Tuesday night to discuss the development of an adaptive sports program and the possible creation of a tenants’ union in Ann Arbor. Dr. Oluwaferanmi Okanlami, an alum of the University’s Medical School, spoke to CSG members about the importance of adaptive sports to students both with and without disabilities. Pointing to the emphasis of athletics at the University, Okanlami said he believes the addition of an adaptive sports team would give the University a successful program unrivaled by any other in the country. “We care about athletics for everyone,” Okanlami said. “And you have an ability and an opportunity to pioneer an adaptive sports program right here on campus that is going to be unrivaled by anybody in the country.” Okanlami ran track as an undergraduate at Stanford See CSG, Page 3A
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6
SUDOKU.....................2 CLASSIFIEDS...............6 SPORTS....................7