ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Thursday, October 17, 2013
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ADMINISTRATION
Enrollment breaks record for fifth year For first time in ten years, women make up majority of freshman class By JENNIFER CALFAS Daily Staff Reporter
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Business senior Sean Paquet sings in front of the Hatcher Graduate Library for a Stamp Nation event Wednesday. The event featured University singers and songwriters and aimed to get the word out about the new student group.
Startup spawns student group that helps artists Students perform in Diag concert organized by Stamp Nation By CLAIRE BRYAN For the Daily
Students walking through the Diag Wednesday evening heard something different from the usual pleas from students passing out handouts, miscellaneous preaching and the shuffling of shoes hitting pavement.
STATE GOVERNMENT
Student artists performed on the steps of Hatcher Graduate Library on the Diag on the cold, windy evening. This performance was the first scheduled by a new student group, Stamp Nation. The club, co-founded by LSA senior Omar Hashwi and LSA sophomore Amrutha Sivakumar — who is a Daily staff reporter — was formed after Hashwi decided to bring his business venture to campus in a way that would allow students to practice their art without worry of funding. Hashwi’s startup, Stamp.fm, which
launched last year as a nonprofit site, organizes performances that are free for performers. Stamp.fm hosts regular tournaments in which performers compete for the crown: the best artist in Ann Arbor, Michigan or elsewhere. “I wanted to create a nonprofit site where we throw concerts and help create bands and foster a community on campus without thinking about money,” said Hashwi, who served as the former Central Student Government vice president. “Just to have fun and have a good time, and I’m doing See ARTISTS, Page 5A
With 43,710 students registered for fall 2013, enrollment at the University has set an all-time record for the fifth consecutive year, according to the Office of the Registrar. The total number of students increased by 284 students — 0.7 percent — from the 2012 total. Setting a record for the seventh consecutive year, applicants for this fall’s entering class reached 46,814, a 10 percent increase from Fall 2012. Of those applicants, the University accepted 15,570 — 19 more than in 2012 — with a 33 percent acceptance rate, more competitive than last year’s 36 percent acceptance rate. While enrollment increased overall, membership across various parts of the University varied. Undergraduate enrollment grew by 1.1 percent to 28,283 students. The freshman class outnumbers the 2012 class by 54 students with 6,225 students. The number of graduate and professional students is 15,427, a 0.1 percent change from the previous year. For the first time in 10 years, the freshman class consists of a 51.6-percent majority of women. Men constitute 48.3 percent of the class, or 3,035 students.
ORGAN DOCTOR
BUSINESS
Reps find ‘U’ alums develop app room for to foster food sharing STEM in bugdet LeftoverSwap helps users get a meal and reduce waste By EMILIE PLESSET For the Daily
Zemke and Rogers secure $375K for STEM partnership By BEN ATLAS Daily Staff Reporter
Some members of the Michigan House of Representatives are demonstrating financial commitment to improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics education at all levels. Representatives Adam Zemke (D–Ann Arbor) and Bill Rogers (R–Brighton) announced this week that they had secured $375,000 of the state’s budget for the Michigan STEM Partnership, a publicprivate collaborative focused on improving STEM education and providing children with the skills necessary to thrive in an evolving advanced economy. The funds will support a comSee STEM, Page 5A
It’s about as American as apple pie — which, coincidentally, is part of the problem. In an effort to combat obesity issues in the United States, University alumni Dan Newman and Bryan Summersett have launched a free iPhone app, LeftoverSwap. The app aims to reduce food waste and promote local eating by allowing users to buy and sell leftover food. Users can advertise leftovers simply by posting a photo of their food while buyers can browse for nearby leftovers and arrange for pickup or delivery. “(The app) assuages the guilt about not wasting any food,” Newman said. “If someone picks it up, you’re rescuing the food. On both sides of the equation people feel good about the transaction.” The app is marketed as a way to make a small impact in solving problems of obesity and world hunger, as well as a way to grow community ties. Newman said the app already has 4,000 users and is gradually growing in popularity across the country. “The first confirmed leftover swap
happened in New York and it was the same day we launched it,” Newman said. “The person who picked it up said how it was probably the best bag of chips he’d had just because it was so rewarding.” The duo developed the concept for the app in 2010 on a lark after graduating from the University. While visiting Summersett in Seattle, Newman said the two former roommates ordered too much pizza for dinner and had to throw it away. “We thought how good of an idea it would be to broadcast that we had this pizza to people in the area if they wanted any, because otherwise it was going to go to waste,” Newman said. LeftoverSwap went into production in July when a San Francisco Weekly reporter showed interest in the concept after discovering the website Newman had made for the nonexistent app as an example coding and web design project. “We decided we would definitely make (the app) a real thing after all the interest in it,” he said. While LeftoverSwap operates with good intentions, more than a few may be wary of eating a stranger’s leftovers. “There are people who find it totally disgusting because food is a very personal thing, and they have a right to be,” Newman said. “Hopefully, we can change the cultural tone towards sharSee FOOD, Page 5A
Lester Monts, senior vice provost for academic affairs, said in a statement that he was impressed with the “rising caliber” of this year’s freshman class. The University also holds a 97-percent retention rate for freshmen and a 91 percent six-year graduation rate, which is 33 percentage points above the national average for four-year institutions. Using a new federal demographic classification for the past four years, the University has been able to track data on race and ethnicity. Under these guidelines, the number of underrepresented minority freshmen — which include African American, Hispanic American, Native American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students — saw a slight increase 10.6 percent this year, 0.6 percent more than last year. For the total number of students enrolled, students who identify as white represent the majority, with 27,399 students, or 72.6 percent. The next largest represented groups in University data were Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders, representing 15.3 percent, 6 percent, 5 percent, 1.2 percent and 0.3 percent of the total number students, respectively. Enrollment data came out a day after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday in Schuette vs. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, another chapter in the state’s affirmative action See ENROLLMENT, Page 5A
PATRICK BARRON/Daily
Daniel Mikat, doctoral student in organ performance, discusses his music before performing at his dissertation recital in Hill Auditorium on Wednesday.
EVENT PREVIEW
Art is Open Source to blend technology, art at lecture Latest speakers at Penny W. Stamps lecture series By GIANCARLO BUONOMO For the Daily
Some artists use paint, others use stone and still others use phone numbers collected from comments on porn sites. Salvatore Iaconesi and Oriana Persico hope to provoke with their Romebased project, Art is Open Source, which explores “the mutation of human
beings with the wide and ubiquitous accessibility and availability of digital technologies and networks,” according to Art is Open their website. “They’re really Source pushing the envelope,” said Chrisstina Ham- Thursday at ilton, director of the 5:10 p.m. Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Michigan Theater Series. The Art is Open Free Source creators will be the next speakers in the series, which brings participants See TECHNOLOGY, Page 7A
backstage/frontstage Take a look at “A Little Night Music” from both sides of the curtain.
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INDEX
Vol. CXXIV, No. 12 ©2013 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
NEWS......................... 2A OPINION.....................4A SPORTS......................6A
SUDOKU.....................2A CL ASSIFIEDS...............6A B-SIDE ....................1B
News
2A — Thursday, October 17, 2013
MONDAY: This Week in History
TUESDAY: Professor Profiles
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers
THURSDAY: Alumni Profiles
America in New York City and working on Wall Street. In 2008, we returned to Ann Arbor for a football game and — inspired by the energy on our active campus — decided it was time to figure out how we could “get back to being part of the solution.” We didn’t know what form our venture would take, but we pledged to ourselves to go out to dinner once a week for six months with a foundation officer, nonprofit leader, academic or consultant to determine where the holes in the philanthropic landscape lay.
How did the idea of Arbor Brothers come into being? I became good friends with the guy living next door to me in West Quad freshman year. He and I led parallel lives for the next 13 years, graduating UM, doing Teach for
Obamacare
Let’s play doctor
WHERE: 600 block of Church Street WHEN: Tuesday at 10:35 a.m. WHAT: A 21-year-old was arrested for possessing a stolen bicycle, University police reported. He was arrested and later released.
WHERE: University Hospital WHEN: Wednesday at 6:15 a.m. WHAT: An IV was stolen from the fifth floor desk of the hospital, University Police reported. The theft occurred around 4 a.m.
Rising art
Just can’t get enough
WHERE: Dennison Building WHEN: Tuesday at 11:30 p.m. WHAT: Graffiti was discovered in the elevator, University Police reported. Fortunately, the designs were drawn with chalk and easily wiped off. There are no suspects at this time.
WHAT: Representatives from hospitals around the county and the University will be present to answer questions about Obamacare. WHO: U-M Health System WHEN: Today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. WHERE: Lower level of Michigan Union
Engineering junior Ananya Mandava participates in Family Feud in the Union on Wednesday.
Minor in Writing fair WHAT: Tutors and students will provide an overview of the Minor in Writing while explaining the application process. WHO: Sweetland Center for Writing WHEN: Today at 5 p.m. WHERE: Parker Room, Michigan Union
Med school A Little Night interview prep Music
WHERE: Fleming Administration Building WHEN: Tuesday at about 1:40 p.m. WHAT: A subject expressed suspicion that an individual may be illegally recording campus art performances, University Police reported.
WHAT: The workshop will familiarize students with the style and potential content of medical school interviews. Students will get a chance to participate in mock interviews and express their own question and concern. WHO: The Career Center WHEN: Today at 6 p.m. WHERE: Student Activities Building
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CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
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Michigan has had a profound impact on my life. From my classes investigating our country’s education system, to participating in Alternative Spring Break, to game day walks to the Big House, I found the dedication to community at Michigan both strong and inspiring. I believe in the high standard of becoming a Michigan Man and I use that metaphor as a guidepost of optimism, grit and integrity. I’m still working at it, of course, but we named our organization after our college town as a daily reminder to live up to that standard.
How does the experience at the University contribute to your career as nonprofit organization founders?
CRIME NOTES
FRIDAY: Photos of the Week
‘U’ FEUD
Connecting nonprofits to support Thirteen years after graduation, University alum Sammy Politziner crossed path with his old schoolmate Scott Thomas again at the Big House in 2008, when both of them returned for a football game as ardent Wolverine lovers. This led to the foundation of Arbor Brothers, a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting earlystage nonprofits with potential donors.
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WHAT: Discover the story about a character’s renewed passion after a weekend in the peaceful country. Tickets are being sold in the League Ticket Office. Tickets start at $10. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Mendelssohn Theatre
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
1
Oreos are just as addictive as cocaine, the New York Post reported Wednesday. A study at Connecticut College showed that lab rats were just as focused on getting that sugar fix as they were on cocaine.
2
Ever wonder what happens behind the stage at a theatrical production? This week, the B-Side takes a look at both sides of the curtain for the School of MT&D’s “A Little Night Music.” >> FOR MORE, SEE B-SIDE, INSIDE
3
Lady Gaga is teaming up with the Muppets to create an ABC holiday special, E! News reported Wednesday. Apparently, she thought she had to broaden her horizons.
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Washington state approves rules for pot legalization Regulations to build path for industry around the world
Sales are expected to begin by dreds of millions of dollars, with the middle of next year. much of the revenue directed to “We feel very proud of what public health and drug-abuse we’re doing,” said Sharon Fos- prevention. ter, chairwoman of the WashColorado approved its pot ington Liquor Control Board, industry rules last month, and SEATTLE (AP) — Washing- as she and her two colleagues sales are expected to start in ton adopted rules Wednesday approved the rules. “We are some cities there at the beginfor the recreational sale of mari- making history.” ning of 2014. juana, creating what advocates Washington and Colorado last The two states’ laws are largehope will be a template for the year legalized the possession of ly similar, although Colorado drug’s legalization around the up to an ounce of pot by adults voters are considering whether world. over 21, with voters deciding to to tax marijuana at a much lower Mexico, Uruguay, Poland set up systems of state-licensed rate, with no limit on total proand other countries and states growers, processors and sellers. duction. MELANIE MAXWELL/AP already are reviewing the new The measures put state officials Colorado also will let stores Dana Bauer, right, comforts her partner Tracy Pennington, left, after the couple learned they would not be able to apply regulations, which cover every- in the difficult position of craft- sell both recreational and medifor a marriage license at Washtenaw County Clerk’s Office on Wednesday in Ann Arbor. thing from the security at and ing rules for a fledgling industry cal marijuana. Both states will size of licensed marijuana gar- barred by federal law for more require such measures as seeddens, to how many pot stores than seven decades. to-store tracking, background can open in cities across the The board devised Washing- checks for license applicants, state, said Alison Holcomb, ton’s regulations after nearly and child-resistant packaging. the Seattle lawyer who drafted a year of research, debate and Washington liquor board Washington’s marijuana initia- planning, including public hear- members said they tried to make The lawsuit, brought by “The people of the state of tive. ings that drew hundreds of peo- marijuana accessible enough Washington will tax pot ple around the state. that legal pot would undermine Jayne Rowse and April DeBo- Michigan should be allowed to Sudoku Syndication http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ highly and cap total production Supporters hope taxed pot the black market, but not so er, two Detroit-area nurses in decide Michigan law. This is a lesbian relationship, argues not the proper forum to decide in the state at 80 metric tons. will bring the state tens or hun- accessible that it would threaten public health or safety. The that Michigan’s constitutional social issues,” Heyse, an assisboard hopes the sale of legal amendment violates the U.S. tant attorney general, told the marijuana will capture about DETROIT (AP) — Same-sex Constitution’s Equal Protec- judge. one-quarter of the state’s total couples queued up all afternoon tion Clause, which forbids Rowse, 49, and DeBoer, 42, pot market, for starters. at county courthouses, some states from treating people dif- who have lived together for MEDIUM Under the rules, the board even carrying wedding flowers. ferently. The amendment was about eight years, declined will issue licenses for up to 334 Then a federal judge deciding approved by 59 percent of vot- comment outside court. whether to throw out Michi- ers in 2004. “We were all hoping for an marijuana stores across the state, with 21 of them in Seattle gan’s gay marriage ban shocked Friedman clearly caught immediate ruling, but they — a figure some have questioned everyone, saying simply: Wait lawyers on both sides off guard, understand it’s a very long pro‘til next year. as they had agreed to have him cess,” Dana Nessel, co-counsel as too low, considering the city estimates about 200 medical After hearing arguments decide the issue on arguments for the couple, told reporters. marijuana dispensaries already and poring over a stack of legal and briefs. Ninety miles away in Ingbriefs, U.S. District Judge BerMore than 100 people were ham County, Marnee Rutledge are operating there. The City Council has passed zoning regunard Friedman said Wednesday in the courtroom, anticipating and Samantha Wolf were dislations for pot businesses that he needs to hear from experts a decision in favor of gay mar- appointed, too. Rutledge had a would require medical marijuaon Feb. 25 before settling the riage, and dozens more watched pink flower pinned to her shirt, na dispensaries to obtain a state fate of a 2004 Michigan consti- a video feed of the hearing in a while Wolf carried a bouquet license or stop doing business by tutional amendment that rec- nearby room. A groan went up of flowers that Rutledge gave 2015. ognizes marriage as being only in that room when Friedman her when proposing earlier in between a man and a woman. said he’s not ready to make a the day. They had a summer The rules limit the number of licenses that anyone can hold to “This was never a scenario decision. ceremony nearby in Holt that three — an attempt by the board we imagined,” Oakland County Thirteen states and the Dis- wasn’t legal. Clerk Lisa Brown said. Same- trict of Columbia allow gay “We are in our minds marto stamp out any monopolies before they start. They also prosex couples were at her office, marriage. ried,” Wolf said at the courthibit out-of-state investment in anxious to get a marriage An attorney for Michigan house in Mason. “We had a license if the judge ruled in said the U.S. Supreme Court ceremony, we took our vows. pot businesses and require quality-control testing of marijuana their favor. has recognized that states have That we aren’t afforded the by third-party labs. “One couple has been togeth- authority to regulate marriage. same rights as everybody who sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. puzzle by ©sudokusyndication.com HAPPY THURSDAY. er for 53 years,” Brown added. Kristin Heyse noted that more has stood up in front of their Hilary Bricken, a Seattle lawyer who is advising businesses “I think they’ve waited long than 2.5 million voters support- priest and loved ones — that’s that hope to obtain marijuana enough.” ed the amendment. wrong.”
Mich. gay marriage lawsuit to go on trial in February
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Judge to wait for advice before making a decision
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News
Thursday, October 17, 2013 — 3A
Booker clinches N.J. Senate race
NEWS BRIEFS DETROIT
Detroit ends Sept. with cash on hand Detroit ended September with a positive cash flow, largely because it defaulted on many of its financial obligations while still collecting property taxes, according to a report Wednesday by the bankrupt city’s emergency manager. In his report to the state treasurer’s office, Kevyn Orr said the city had an unrestricted cash balance of about $128 million for the quarter ending Sept. 30. The bounty mostly was driven by the collection of more than $237 million in summer property taxes, he said. Orr defaulted on $2.5 billion of the city’s unsecured debt in June, around the time he asked creditors to take pennies on the dollar for debt owed them. An interestonly payment of about $4.3 million was made Oct. 1 on $479 million in secured general obligation bonds as Orr seeks to take the city into the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
NEW YORK
Five indicted for contributing to Madoff ’s schemes Five former employees of imprisoned financier Bernard Madoff enriched themselves and helped “perpetuate Madoff’s elaborate fiction” by weaving an elaborate web of lies that for decades duped investors and government regulators, a prosecutor said Wednesday as the workers’ criminal trial began. “These are the people who helped him do it,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Schwartz, pointing at each defendant in federal court in Manhattan. “Bernie Madoff needed help to fool so many people for so long. ... A fraud of this scope and duration could not have been carried out alone.” Later, he added: “For year after year after year, they lied for the most simple reason — greed.”
LOS ANGELES
Police report dry ice bomb scare at LAX was a ‘prank’ A baggage handler arrested after dry ice bombs exploded at Los Angeles International Airport planted the devices as a prank, police said Wednesday. The motive was disclosed a day after the arrest of Dicarlo Bennett, a 28-year-old employee for the ground handling company Servisair. “I think we can safely say he is not a terrorist or an organized crime boss. He did this for his own amusement,” said Los Angeles police Deputy Chief Michael Downing, who heads the department’s counter-terrorism and special operations bureau. No one was hurt on Sunday when two plastic bottles packed with dry ice exploded in an employee bathroom and on the airport’s tarmac. An unexploded device was found Monday night.
ATHENS, Greece
Parliament revokes immunity for six Golden Dawn MPs Greece’s Parliament lifted the immunity from prosecution of six lawmakers from the extreme right-wing Golden Dawn party on Wednesday, as part of a crackdown on the group sparked by the fatal stabbing last month of a Greek rapper. Golden Dawn lawmakers walked out before the vote, which saw near-unanimous approval. The government argues the party operates as a criminal organization. Golden Dawn argues that the case against it is politically motivated. “I am being prosecuted for what I believe in, and not for my actions,” Panagiotis Iliopoulos, one of the lawmakers whose immunity was lifted, said in Parliament ahead of the vote. —Compiled from Daily wire reports
Popular Newark mayor will fill seat vacated in June
J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks to reporters waiting outside a closed-door meeting of Senate Republicans as news emerged that leaders reached a last-minute agreement to avert a threatened Treasury default and end the 16-day shutdown.
U.S. Senate deal will raise debt ceiling and avert crisis Top Republicans concede defeat in shutdown standoff WASHINGTON (AP) — Up against a deadline, Congress raced to pass legislation Wednesday night to avoid a threatened national default and end the 16-day partial government shutdown in the culmination of an epic political drama that placed the U.S. economy at risk. The Senate passed the measure on a bipartisan margin of 81-18 at midevening. That cleared the way for a final, late-night vote in the Republican-controlled House on the legislation, which hewed strictly to the terms President Obama laid down when the twin crises erupted more than three weeks ago. The legislation would permit the Treasury to borrow normally through Feb. 7 or perhaps a month longer, and fund the government through Jan. 15. More than 2 million federal workers would be paid — those who had remained on the job and those who had been furloughed. At the White House, Obama hailed the Senate’s vote. Once the measure reaches his desk, he said, “I will sign it immediately. We’ll begin reopening our government immediately and
we can begin to lift this cloud of uncertainty from our businesses and the American people.” Less than an hour later, as debate began in the House, Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., said, “After two long weeks, it is time to end this government shutdown. It’s time to take the threat of default off the table. It’s time to restore some sanity to this place.” The stock market surged higher at the prospect of an end to the crisis that also had threatened to shake confidence in the U.S. economy overseas. Republicans conceded defeat after a long struggle. “We fought the good fight. We just didn’t win,” conceded House Speaker John Boehner as lawmakers lined up to vote on a bill that includes nothing for Republicans demanding to eradicate or scale back Obama’s signature health care overhaul. “The compromise we reached will provide our economy with the stability it desperately needs,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, declaring that the nation “came to the brink of disaster” before sealing an agreement. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who negotiated the deal with Reid, emphasized that it preserved a round of spending cuts negotiated two years ago with Obama and Democrats. As a result, he said, “government spending
has declined for two years in a row” for the first time since the Korean War. “And we’re not going back on this agreement,” he added. Only a temporary truce, the measure set a time frame of early next winter for the next likely clash between Obama and the Republicans over spending and borrowing. But for now, government was lurching back to life. In one example, officials met to discuss plans for gearing back up at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, where 307 employees remained at work during the partial shutdown and more than 8,000 were furloughed. After weeks of gridlock, the measure had support from the White House, most if not all Democrats in Congress and many Republicans fearful of the economic impact of a default. Boehner and the rest of the top GOP leadership told their rank and file they would vote for the measure, and there was little or no doubt it would pass both houses and reach the White House in time for Obama’s signature before the administration’s 11:59 p.m. Oct. 17 deadline. That was when Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said the government would reach the current $16.7 trillion debt limit and could no longer borrow to meet its obligations.
Trial for Khmer Rouge party leaders nears end in Cambodia Civil lawyers call for reparations for those affected by the brutal regime
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s trial of the Khmer Rouge’s two surviving leaders began hearing closing statements Wednesday, with pleas for belated justice and reparations almost 40 years after the brutal regime destroyed much of a generation of Cambodian people. Now ailing and elderly, Nuon Chea, 87, the regime’s chief ideologist, and Khieu Samphan, 82, its head of state, are charged with genocide and crimes against humanity — including torture, enslavement and murder — for planning and implementing the policies that left an estimated 1.7 million people dead. Initial statements on Wednesday came from the lawyers of “civil parties” participating in the trial to represent the victims. They called for collective reparations in the form of commemorative monuments, mental health treatment for victims and collections of documents related to victims’ suffering and to the trial. Statements from the prosecution and defense are scheduled through the end of October, and a verdict is expected in the first half of 2014. Hundreds of victims who lost their loved ones during the regime’s 1970s rule packed the tribunal’s courtroom and crowded outside. “I need to see justice,” said Prak Sri, 66, who traveled from
the southern province of Takeo. “I want to see this court punish these Khmer Rouge leaders because 11 of my relatives were killed.” Death and disability have robbed the tribunal of other defendants. Khmer Rouge Foreign Minister Ieng Sary died in March, and his wife Ieng Thirith, the regime’s social affairs minister, was declared unfit for trial in September 2012 after being diagnosed with dementia. The group’s top leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998. Just 20 minutes into Wednesday’s hearing, Nuon Chea told the court he felt ill. “I feel dizzy. May I leave?” the man known as Brother No. 2 told the court. He was escorted out in a wheelchair, taken to a holding cell to watch the proceedings via video link. The Khmer Rouge, in power from April 1975 until January 1979, emptied the country’s cities, forcing Cambodians into backbreaking work in rural collectives and executing any it suspected of dissent. Torture and death by starvation, lack of medical care, overwork and execution were endemic under the Khmer Rouge. Civil party lawyers recounted testimony of mothers who watched their babies die due to lack of food and medicine and families forcibly marched at gunpoint across the countryside. “Forced transfers involved the complete emptying of towns and cities,” said civil party lawyer Hong Kim Suon. “There was usually no food, water, shelter or medical care,” he said. “They were discarded, dumped in the middle of
nowhere, left to their own devices, eating leaves, roots, watching their children die in the cold, in the rain,” said civil party lawyer Elisabeth Simonneau Fort. “And they now understood that they would be exterminated, smashed, pulverized if they did not bend to the (regime’s) requirements.” “But still today there is a kind of inability to believe that this happened, especially among the victims, and the question comes up again and again: How, how did this happen?” The civil party lawyers expressed hope that the trial would help victims find some answers to the question of how such horrors occurred. “After more than 30 years their right to justice and reparations will be realized,” said another civil party lawyer, Pich Ang. The tribunal, launched in 2006, so far has convicted only one defendant, Khmer Rouge prison director Kaing Guek Eav, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011. Cambodia has no death penalty. His case was known as 001. The current trial, Case 002, against senior leaders of the regime opened in November 2011 and has included 212 days of testimony from 92 individuals. To make a massive indictment more manageable, the court decided to split Case 002 into smaller “mini trials” that would examine the evidence in rough chronological order. It was feared that the aging, infirm defendants might not survive long enough to complete more comprehensive proceedings, depriving victims of even a modicum of justice.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Newark Mayor Cory Booker won a special election Wednesday to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate, giving the rising Democratic star a bigger political stage after a race against conservative Steve Lonegan, a former small-town mayor. Booker, 44, will become the first black senator from New Jersey and heads to Washington with an unusual political resume. He was raised in suburban Harington Park as the son of two of the first black IBM executives, and graduated from Stanford and law school at Yale with a stint in between as a Rhodes Scholar before moving to one of Newark’s toughest neighborhoods with the intent of doing good. He’s been an unconventional politician, a vegetarian with a Twitter following of 1.4 million — or five times the population of the city he governs. With dwindling state funding, he has used private fundraising, including a $100 million pledge from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, to run programs in Newark, a strategy that has brought his city resources and him both fame and criticism. Booker was elected to complete the 15 months remaining on the term of Frank Lautenberg, whose death in June at age 89 gave rise to an unusual and abbreviated campaign. If he wants to keep the seat for a full
six-year term — and all indications are that he does — Booker will be on the ballot again in November 2014. Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican with a national following of his own, appointed his attorney general, Jeffrey Chiesa, to the Senate temporarily and scheduled a special election for a Wednesday just 20 days before Christie himself is on the ballot seeking re-election. Christie said he wanted to give voters a say as soon as legally possible. Democrats challenged the timing, saying Christie was afraid of appearing on the same ballot as the popular Booker. But courts upheld the governor’s election schedule. Booker had a running start on the election. Before Lautenberg died, Booker passed up a chance to run against Christie this year, saying he was eyeing Lautenberg’s seat in 2014, in part so he could complete a full term as mayor — something he won’t do now that he’s heading to Washington. He won an August primary against an experienced Democratic field including two members of Congress and the speaker of the state Assembly in a campaign that was largely about ideas. The general election was about deeper contrasts, both ideological and personal. Lonegan stepped down as New Jersey director of the anti-tax, pro-business Americans for Prosperity to run. Lonegan, who is legally blind, got national attention as mayor of the town of Bogota when he tried to get English made its official language.
Syrian rebels’ unity continues to crack
Dozens of groups renounce affiliation with Syrian National Coalition in Turkey
BEIRUT (AP) — Several dozen rebel groups in southern Syria have broken with the main political opposition group in exile, a local commander said in a video posted Wednesday, dealing a potential new setback to Western efforts to unify moderates battling President Bashar Assad’s regime. The Turkey-based Syrian National Coalition, the political arm of the Free Syrian Army rebel group, has long struggled to win respect and recognition from the fighters. It is widely seen as cut off from events on the ground and ineffective in funneling aid and weapons to the rebels. In the video, a rebel in military fatigues read a statement with about two dozen fighters standing behind him, some holding a banner with FSA emblems. FSA spokesman Louay Mikdad told The Associated Press that the video is authentic and identified the man speaking as a captain in one of the rebel groups, Anwar al-Sunna, which posted the video. The rebel in the video said political opposition leaders have failed to represent those trying to bring down Assad. “We announce that we withdraw our recognition from any political group that claims to represents us, first among them the Coalition and its leadership which have relinquished the principles of the homeland and the revolution,” he said. He named 66 groups that he said support his statement. The man suggested rebel groups would reorganize, saying that “we are unifying the forces of the revolution militarily and politically,” but did not explain further. It could not be confirmed independently if all the groups named in the video support the statement. Noah Bonsey, an expert on Syrian rebels at the International Crisis Group think tank, said one of the larger groups named in the video did
not post the statement on its Facebook page. Nevertheless, Louay Mikdad, an FSA spokesman, said the video should serve as a wakeup call to the Coalition. “We respect what they (the rebels) are saying,” he said. “We think our brothers in the Coalition ... should listen to the people inside and they should open a direct dialogue with them.” He said the FSA commander, Gen. Salim Idris, would try to speak to some of the groups named in the video. Coalition spokesman Khaled Saleh did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Hundreds of groups of fighters operate in Syria, often with considerable local autonomy, and shifting alliances are common in a chaotic battlefield. Last month, nearly a dozen of Syria’s more powerful rebel factions broke with the Coalition and called for Islamic law in the country, cementing the rift between rival camps. Rebel groups with a strong Islamic orientation, from moderates to hardliners, “appear to be aligning themselves politically, much more closely than they have previously,” said Charles Lister, an analyst at IHS Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Center. The groups named Wednesday appear largely local and less influential than those which broke away from the Coalition in September, Lister said. Mikdad said they include rebel groups from the southern Daraa provinces and the rural areas around the capital, Damascus. Southern Syria has been considered a stronghold of the moderate opposition, while Islamic extremists, including those linked to al-Qaida, seem to be spreading their influence in the north and east. The latest apparent setback for the Coalition comes at a time when it’s trying to decide whether to attend negotiations with the regime on a political transition. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that the U.N., the U.S. and Russia are “intensifying efforts” to start such talks in Geneva in midNovember.
Opinion
4A — Thursday, October 17, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
If you’ve got feelings, flaunt them
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MELANIE KRUVELIS ANDREW WEINER EDITOR IN CHIEF
and ADRIENNE ROBERTS
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
MATT SLOVIN MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
FROM THE DAILY
(Over)protecting student privacy Reasonable access to student data is beneficial to education research
O
n October 2, Michigan’s state legislature introduced a bill that prohibits public schools and school districts from collecting certain personal information about its students during homework, tests or other curricular assignments. Personal information, such as a student’s socioeconomic status or place of birth, as well as physiological information, such as biometrics and facial-recognition markers, would be banned from collection. While the intention behind this bill to bolster students’ rights to privacy is laudable, the outright ban of collecting potentially useful information is short-sighted and does a disservice to the schools and students. Data about who students are and how students learn is immensely valuable for educational purposes. Researching educational methods through such data has yielded beneficial results for decades, such as giving us insight in cultural biases in testing, and figuring out what students are underperforming in such tests. Therefore, it’s counterproductive to the learning processes of both educators and students to say that one area of information and its corresponding methods of information gathering isn’t worth exploring. In fact, previous data collected from students have helped educators identify different learning styles and create environments that are able to address the diverse range of individuals in the public education system. The rise of “flipped classrooms,” active learning environments and massive open online courses are evidence of research applications to improve the way students learn. The introduction of the bill, H.B. 5044, may have more to do with debates over funding contested Common Core State Standards for education than with perceived privacy concerns. The bill was introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R–Saginaw), the chair of the subcommittee who spent this summer debating the merits of and finally working towards the implementation of the Common Core in Michigan. Going against his party line, Kelly appears to be introducing this bill to alleviate some concerns about the per-
ceived overreaching scope of the standards that Republicans in many states incorrectly view as limiting local control of schools. Despite the fact that the standards don’t require data collection, there are those who fear students’ rights may be trampled with its adoption. Politics aside, the collection of students’ personal information must be balanced with privacy concerns. No student should be required to provide any information to their school or school district if they’re uncomfortable doing so. Often, this right to privacy isn’t made explicit to students who may feel compelled to answer any question put before them. The introduction of new policy is a success insofar as it brings this topic of students’ rights to the legislative agenda. Where H.B. 5044 fails, however, is pitting useful situations against hypothetical problems. Due to the lack of real-world examples, those objecting to Common Core on the points which H.B. 5044 tries to address have exaggerated and unfounded concerns, going so far as to fear that students will be placed in MRI machines during tests. These speculative concerns do little to help students while the restriction against potential education research also does active harm. In order to enhance the state’s education, students and educators should be given every available method, measure and process to help them learn from one another.
CAITLYN BRENNAN| VIEWPOINT
In defense of ‘Blurred Lines’
“Feminists”: Please stop with the cliché that “‘Blurred Lines’ perpetuates rape culture.” Please stop telling me I’m just hearing it wrong. Please stop telling me how to have sex. The horse is beaten beyond recognition at this point, but almost every opinion written on what was arguably the most popular song of the summer says one thing and one thing only: It encourages rape and if you interpret it differently you’re disregarding victims, ignorant to the prevalence of sexual assault and just generally wrong. Can the lyrics to “Blurred Lines” be interpreted as offensive by some victims of sexual abuse? Yes. When Thicke sings, “I know you want it,” do you hear a sexual predator deflecting guilt? Apparently. But do I? No. I hear the kind of confidence I like in a guy or girl I’m attracted to. To understand my perspective on this song is to operate under the assumption that the behavior “perpetuated” in Thicke’s song is consensual; in understanding your perspective, I have to assume that it’s not. If we’re both making assumptions, who’s to say what’s right or wrong? I’m not trying to disregard the experience and trauma of assault victims with whom “Blurred Lines” resonates negatively. By all means, maintain your interpretation of the song — I’m not going to say you’re wrong about how it makes you feel. In fact, the ability to summon raw, instinctive emotion is what I love about music, and how it makes you feel isn’t exactly something you can change. I don’t blame you for interpreting the lyrics differently than I do. I do blame you, however, for reassuring yourself and others that it’s okay to tell me, “You might think you like what’s being said here, but you really don’t. If only you knew,” — as if I’m not self-aware enough to know what I do and don’t enjoy. As if, were I only able to empathize with victims of assault, I’d surely see Thicke’s words the way you do. Here’s the thing: I don’t just empathize with victims of sexual assault; I am a victim of sexual assault. I was raped repeatedly at age 14. I wasn’t verbally told I “wanted it,” but it was clear. Yet, there I stand on Friday nights, dancing to “Blurred Lines” at Rick’s. Not every rape victim feels the same way I do, and, while I wish everyone were able to enjoy this song, I’m not going to tell my opposition they’re wrong for disliking it. And I’m definitely not about to disregard the validity of their feelings. For all the progression and sexual liberation that self-proclaimed “feminist” ideologists allege to encourage, for all the demands of respect they put forth, for all the emphasis on “not letting society tell you how to feel” it seems mighty hypocritical to tell me repeatedly — thank you, Salon, Jezebel, et al. — how incorrect I am to see things the way I do. See, maybe some people like confidence. Maybe some like to play a bit of a tease. Maybe
some feel comfortable telling someone to quit with their advances when they’re unwanted, and find themselves surrounded with possible suitors by whom they’re more than happy to be playfully told, “You know you want it.” Maybe some people like rough sex, having their “ass smacked” and “hair pulled.” “I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two?” Rumor has it some people even engage in anal sex — and sometimes they like that rough, too. As someone who proudly identifies as a feminist, I have to ask, because maybe I missed the memo: Are women to be sexually empowered and self-governing entities, but only when it comes to fending off sexual assault? Because I struggle to call this feminism. It seems not only hypocritical, but flat-out regressive. What I do in my bedroom, so long as it’s consensual, is none of your business and is my prerogative. Furthermore, when discussing issues of pop culture, focusing rhetoric almost exclusively on assault and its victims (while disregarding the valid opinions of other sexually self-aware women) perpetuates the idea that females, first and foremost, are the passive objects of men. By failing to have a balanced discussion about female sexuality and what it means to consent, opportunities to showcase women as capable of making our own decisions about our own bodies are repeatedly missed. Even more hypocritical and offensive is equating the rough sex depicted in “Blurred Lines” with intimate partner violence. Having experienced both nonconsensual and “rougher,” but consensual, sex, I promise you the two are very different. Again, you’re absolutely valid and justified in interpreting the song in whatever way strikes you, but please stop telling other women that their interpretations, and thus, implicitly, some of their sexual preferences and desires, are wrong and something to be ashamed of. As a victim of rape, as a female, as simply a cognizant being, it hurts me deeply when sufferers of assault are shamed or marginalized. But here I can’t help but feel shamed and marginalized myself. You “feminists” claiming that “Blurred Lines” without a doubt perpetuates rape culture and that anyone who plays it is consciously or subconsciously doing the same, need to take a step back and reflect on the goals of feminist ideology. Are you fighting for the liberation, acceptance and respect as individuals of all women? Or have you forgotten the liberties of some of us along the way? The tendency in many feminist circles to polarize everything under the sun as “for us” or “against us” — most often “against us” — dichotomizes our movement in ways we just can’t afford, specifically when it begins to alienate the people it says it’s trying to protect. Please, stop. Caitlyn Brennan is an LSA junior.
I
grew up in northern Michigan, where men are the archetype we imagine them to be. They wear baseball caps and sunglasses when they go twotracking in the backwoods. They drink whiskey, grow out their beards EMILY and speak in short, fact-driv- PITTINOS en sentences like, “It’s a cold one out there.” In winter, they crouch for hours on frozen lakes with only a line through the ice and their whole bodies, bundled in down jackets except for their eyes, steely with a fisherman’s patience. Of course, this all sounds like a stereotype of what a man is supposed to be. But this is how these guys really act, and I think it’s because they know this strongsilent-type persona is what our culture expects from them. Feminists like myself often lament the impossible demands that society places on women. The ominous “they” wants us to embody perfection. “They” want us to navigate the sinner-saint dichotomy without so much as a whimper or a lipstick smudge. We’re supposed to be mothers and bimbos and virgins and whores and wives. And yes, these expectations are a big problem — they’re reductive, dismissive and the bane of feminine existence. But I rarely hear my fellow feminists talk about the ways in which men also fall victim to societal pressure, and how everyone can suffer from the standards we set for them. People have specific ideas about what it means to be a man and, unfortunately, a guy doesn’t exemplify manliness simply by having a penis. Instead, he must constantly prove his masculinity and worth as a man with prescribed behaviors — you know, doing dude stuff, like hitting on chicks and strutting around without a shirt on. Then, we make all kinds of assumptions and judgments about men based on how
they act. We assume that dudes don’t feel deeply because their brains are busy marinating in 30-racks of Busch Light, football scores and whatever their dicks want. We think that men are incapable of communicating emotion and must use their fists to settle arguments. We want every man to emulate a sex idol — James Dean at our house parties, the Rat Pack at last call — and if they’re not suave and forward with women, we call them pussies. We expect men to calculate their every action, speak eloquently if at all, puff up their egos and have Teflon hearts. Basically, we expect guys to be stoic, comfortable with violence and sexually insatiable. But by making these assumptions, we set a low standard for male behavior. We reduce guys to aggressive, unfeeling caricatures of themselves. These cartoonish projections then teach boys that things like tears and empathy make men seem feminine, which negates masculinity. Emotion therefore becomes associated with weakness and womanhood, which demonizes the softest, most human parts of a man, and leads to a wider chasm between the genders and encourages sexist behavior. For example, a guy is much more likely to put down women if he thinks keeping them at a distance will make him seem manlier in comparison. In short, we all help perpetuate our own gender inequalities by teaching boys and men that masculinity is founded on withholding their humanity. However, I’ve loved men all of my life, and the ones I’ve cared for most have shown me their softness. My father’s a big guy who will “man up” to protect his family any day, but he also sings love songs to my mother and admits to weeping every time he hears Joni Mitchell’s “For Free.” At a time in middle
school when skinny, blonde girls were inviting me to their birthday parties to make fun of my sparse unibrow, boys were there to share their earbuds on the bus as we whipped past acres of farmland. I’ve comforted two of my best male friends, one under each of my arms, as they cried through the end of “50/50.” The list goes on. Essentially, I recognize men as humans who are more than capable of emotional complexity, and I love it when dudes defy norms by flaunting their abilities to express themselves. I know that most men have it in them to love and respect women, and many do so regularly. In my feminist circles I’m always defending guys when necessary, making sure an individual isn’t confused with the entire patriarchy. Dudes, I believe wholeheartedly that there’s more to you than muscles, a dick and a great beerpong shot. I’ve got your back, but I need you to get mine, too. I need you to prove me right every day. I need you to beat the system by showing that you’re not sexist, uncaring jerks. Falling victim to societal norms isn’t an excuse for truly bad behavior, like violence or sexual aggression. The perpetuating stereotype isn’t all society’s fault — many men do play into it. But our culture also needs to alter its definition of manhood. We need it to encompass the characteristics we’d like to see in the guys who hang out with our friends, sisters and daughters. We need to allow for features like gentleness and respect and tears. By exiling such human traits from masculinity, we all have a hand in molding many men into the robots we resent. We need men to feel safe enough to rise above our expectations and show their true, complex selves.
We all help perpetuate our own gender inequalities.
— Emily Pittinos can be reached at pittinos@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan, Eli Cahan, Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Adrienne Roberts,Paul Sherman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
T
Scalia and his devil
he man actually believes in the Devil. Antonin Scalia – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, a man with a lifelong appointment to the highest court in America, the one that decides the ultimate fate BARRY of laws and jus- BELMONT tice in this country — believes in the Devil. The literal figure from the Bible. Satan himself. Antonin Scalia, the man, believes in Beelzebub, the character. Keep repeating this to yourself as you go through this article, otherwise you’re liable to think such a claim too dubious — the man actually believes in the Devil.
In an in-depth interview with Jennifer Senior of New York Magazine, the justice went on record to discuss many things, from his staunch opposition to certain rights for homosexuals to his favorite television shows. Perhaps the most surprising thing during the conversation was his genuinely stated belief that the Devil of the Bible is “a real person.” Scalia cited his Catholic faith as his reason for believing, claiming that it was what “every Catholic believes” and is necessary “if you are faithful to Catholic dogma.” When pressed for evidence of the Devil’s existence, Scalia admitted that the Wicked One isn’t making pigs run off cliffs or possessing people much these days (something the Prince of Darkness was apparently fond of during the time of the Gospels) because He’s gotten “wilier” over time. Scalia claims that the Devil spends most of His time these days convincing people He doesn’t exist (along with that god he supposedly opposes), and that this is a “more successful” strategy. On Scalia’s scoreboard it’s Keyser Soze from the “The Usual Suspects”: 1, Regan MacNeil from the “The Exorcist”: 0. Let’s reflect for a moment on how
terrifying it is for the longest-serving justice currently on the Court to take this absence of evidence as an indication of a nefarious existence. Far scarier than any demon is this man with the Scales of Justice in his hands feeling the weight of thin air. The man actually believes in the Devil. Scalia then draws the conclusion that this shift in diabolic strategy from an active to a passive role is “why there’s not demonic possession all over the place.” Nowhere in the interview is there any hint that Scalia has considered the null hypothesis: there are no devils. No angels have fallen from Heaven nor serpents risen from Hell; people have been people and the world has been as it is far longer than many traditional religious accounts would insinuate. This, however, is not how Justice Antonin Scalia sees it all, a fact he has repeated time again as he declares his Catholicism the guiding philosophy behind the justice he delivers. This is the same Catholicism responsible for witch hunts, the Crusades and the Inquisition. This is the philosophy of a Church that believes the introduction of condoms in developing countries is far worse than spread of HIV, ordains that consenting adults can only love each other in certain ways, and has bred the one of largest pedophilic scandals in human existence. This philosophy convinces grown men to believe in fairytale monsters and excludes grown women from its priestly class. It should, therefore, come as no surprise when Scalia was “offended” by the interviewer’s question, “Isn’t it terribly frightening to believe in the Devil?” Given his philosophy, it’s the Devil who should be afraid. As should we all. That religious beliefs, ceremonies and ideologies should have
no place in the governance of citizens of this country is self-evident. That a judge, let alone one of nine responsible for shaping the rights of hundreds of millions of people, shouldn’t accept conclusions without evidence, isn’t an unfair request, indeed it is foundation upon which all justice must be based. That this conversation is even necessary speaks to how far our civilization still has before it. To say that belief in devils and demons, ghosts and spirits belong to the childhood of our species is to be too charitable with our condemnation. We must and we should hold such beliefs in contempt. No contemporary society benefits from its populace’s fear of its devils nor from the charity of its gods. It’s people alone that determine what world we have before us. It’s a world that Scalia would rather have perched over the heat of Hell’s fires than have homosexual couples feel the warmth of loving hands in emergency rooms. The millions of people that believe as he does stand as a testament to the quiet tragedy of ancient roots poisoning our modern landscape. Growing up Catholic myself, as a child, I feared the Devil. As a man, I fear only men. I fear those who would treat this world as but the antechamber for the next, I fear those who would rule over others with divine instructions, and I fear those who see devils where there are only men. But I’m hopeful. Our species’ capacity for compassion and understanding and love far surpasses that mandated by the archaic texts of antiquated deities. One day we will grow beyond our childhood fears. Though I can only be so hopeful. After all, there’s at least one man that actually believes in the Devil.
As a child, I feared the Devil. As a man, I fear only men.
— Barry Belmont can be reached at belmont@umich.edu.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
ENROLLMENT From Page 1A policy. The University said diversity remains a priority despite the state’s ban on the race- and gender-conscious admission processes. Ted Spencer, associate vice provost and executive director of undergraduate admissions, said the admissions process analyses how students will contribute to and preserve the University community. The University takes a “holistic approach” when considering applicants, taking into account test scores, high-school grade-point average, leadership and application essays. “We want to hear their voice,” Spencer said. “We’re looking for a story, not a paper.” Over the past few years, Spencer said each class has improved from the last. He added that although he says it at every freshman convocation each year, this year’s class “is, once again, the strongest class admitted to the University of Michigan overall.” Spencer said the state’s affirmative action ban put restrictions on how admissions can ensure they select a diverse class, but the University has made efforts to let students around the country know that the school is open to their applications. “Racial and ethnic diversity is very important to us,” Spencer said. “Due to the ban, we have not been able to continue to grow, but we’ve been doing everything we can across the country to say that the University is identifying students of all backgrounds and doing the best we can to let them know Michigan welcomes them
ARTISTS From Page 1A that through Stamp Nation.” Stamp Nation meets every Monday night in the CFC Lounge in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library. The group said they would like to have concerts every two weeks in the Diag but might be looking for an indoor venue for colder weather. Business senior Josh Ross, along with Sivakumar, helped Hashwi put together the club with the goal of helping bands realize the resources available on campus. Ross said the club is looking to continue with Diag performances as well as concerts on a bigger level, possibly at Rackham Auditorium, where students could buy tickets ahead of time. In addition to hosting performances, such as a battle of the bands, the club is also looking into providing workshops to teach students how to play instruments, as there are no resources currently on campus for non-music majors. “(We would like to) partner
STEM From Page 1A petitive grant program available to organizations that provide classroom or extracurricular STEM programs for students, from pre-kindergarten to the college level across the state. Though criteria for these competitive grants have not yet been determined, Barbara Bolin, executive director of STEM Partnership, said the grants will be awarded to programs that create project-based learning activities that involve the students in applying classroom knowledge. STEM proponents say they are placing a heavy emphasis on project-based learning because students tend to learn best when they apply their knowledge in real-world contexts. Zemke said he believes the hands-on, project-based learning inherent in STEM education will make students more enthusiastic about school.
News
and can provide a good education.” Spencer added that the University understands that a diverse environment allows students to learn better, as it reflects more of a real-life situation. LSA junior Sarah Ballew, cochair of the Native American Student Association, said she was unimpressed with the slight increase in minority student enrollment this year. Although affirmative action is banned, Ballew said the University should reach out more to minority groups, as Spencer says they try to do. “Coming to such a prominent University, diversity is so important because you really need to have the perspectives of many different people,” Ballew said. “It creates an enriched student life curriculum, and what it really boils down to is having representation and having minorities in the academic setting helps learning.” As tuition rates increase each year in part due to dwindling state appropriation, the number of non-resident students enrolled has gone up as well. Overall, the University hosts 21,947 in-state students, 15,704 out-of-state students and 6,059 international students, approximately 50 percent, 36 percent and 14 percent respectively. For the 2012-2013 academic year, there was a total of 43,426 students enrolled: 51 percent instate, 35 percent out-of-state and 14 percent international students. This year, non-resident underclassmen pay a total of $53,490 per semester at the University, while lower division resident students pay $26,240 each semester. While the University ensures full
need-based financial aid is met for residents, University Provost Martha Pollack said in March that the University hopes to eventually meet full need-based financial aid for non-resident students as well. This aid will be supplemented by a record amount of financial aid from the University, which is dedicating $161.2 million for undergraduate and graduate need-based financial aid, and increase of $16.4 million from last year. The University’s upcoming capital campaign — set to launch Nov. 8 — has a $1-billion goal for student support to be raised over the next few years. As housing renovations continue with South Quad and, next year, West Quad, University Housing works closely with the office of admissions to ensure that each freshman has guaranteed housing. University Housing spokesman Peter Logan said the housing renovations have challenged University housing to get creative with their layouts pending the growing student body. To accommodate freshmen, the housing staff bases the number of spaces to make available for freshmen off of projections made by the Office of Admissions. With renovations underway, the housing staff has converted former common study spaces into bedrooms that can fit two to four students and has made Northwood III apartments a “first-year living community” — meaning a residence reserved solely for freshman. This year, 5,330 freshmen, 2,643 sophomores, 878 juniors, 466 seniors and 1,270 graduate students live in University housing.
with other musicians. If they want to throw a concert, we can help promote the show,” Ross said. “We want to do anything where we can get musicians together.” Business junior Brandon Canniff is a hip-hop songwriter and performer who is hoping to tour after earning his degree in music business. He recently joined the club and said it has been a great place to meet other artists and work together on performances. “Eventually, we would want to tune up with restaurants, bars, etc. and find people who would take our roster of musicians, who we’ve tested, know that are good and please the crowd, and really do a show here,” says Ross. Though the concert did not attract masses of students, many students were aware of the performance as they passed by. While some only turned their heads and others took a quick video or picture, only a few paused to listen for a couple of minutes. LSA junior Danielle Strom was listening to the concert while waiting for a friend. “I like that you can enjoy it if
you want, but you aren’t forced to,” she said. LSA freshman Megan Gizzi wished she knew more about when and where the performances were. “I love listening to live music but I had never heard of the club until tonight,” Gizzi said. By the end of the night, what was originally a quickly passing audience had evolved into a small group of students gathered in the Diag, with some even clapping, dancing and cheering on the performers. Ross said he feels passionately about Stamp Nation creating the right kind of environment for the students. “We want to be a place where people can feel safe and chill (so) that they can share their music and share themselves. This is a place where you can find people like you, who share your passion for music.”
“Kids get really excited about technical stuff when they actually get to put their hands on it and can connect the dots with an instructor,” he said. Bolin sees STEM’s active approach to learning as a better alternative to traditional methods. “Sitting (students) in classrooms and lecturing to them and working exercise after exercise from a textbook have not been very effective, and consequently students become disengaged — they don’t see the point of what they’re being asked to learn,” she said. Bolin and Zemke said grant money could be awarded to iniaitives like the High School Enterprise Program, in which a team of students operate as and deal with practical matters of a company; the A World In Motion program, which incorporates the laws of physics, motion, flight and electronics into hands-on activities; as well as technical competition teams, such as the University’s Solar Car team.
Zemke said he’s concerned with the state’s significant shortage of engineers. In addition to improving engagement with young students, STEM education is essential to the health of Michigan’s manufacturing-driven economy, he said. While explicit budgetary commitments to STEM education are more recent, Michigan has long placed an emphasis on math and science as it established the Mathematics and Science Centers Program in 1988. According to its website, it has since grown to a network of 33 regional centers that “provide leadership, curriculum support, professional development, and student services to educators.” The $375,000 grant to the STEM Partnership comes as part of a $500,000 budget increase to the science and math center budget for fiscal year 2014, and a 3-percent increase to the overall education budget. Zemke said, “If we want successful students to come out of our public education system, we need to help all levels.”
—Daily Staff Reporter Amrutha Sivakumar was not involved in the writing or editing of this article due to her involvement with Stamp Nation.
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FOOD From Page 1A ing food at least a little.” Since there are no regulations managing food sold through the app, the LeftoverSwap website
TECHNOLOGY From Page 1A in the world of creative work to speak and present at the Michigan Theater. “The work that they’re doing, it’s not what people traditionally think of as art,” Hamilton said. “But at the same time, as artists, one of their jobs is looking forward.” Iaconesi and Persico create projects that combine art, technology and politics to force people to consider how their individuality and privacy is impacted by the inherently anonymous, intrusive nature of technology. “They’re able to, through their work, bring to society the opportunity to have a dialogue and see what the potentials are for what’s going on,” Hamilton said. A way in which Iaconesi and Persico create such dialogues is by using unwitting people as subjects for their art. One project, titled “Incautious Porn,” is a mock form of blackmail. Iaconesi and Persico
urges users to be cautious and use common sense when making purchases. Newman cites his time at the University as having influenced the creation of LeftoverSwap. “There was one class that stood out for me in the Business school,” Newman said. “It taught
us to effect positive change in the world, which is something that really inspired me.” LeftoverSwap is currently only available on Apple iOS devices. Newman hopes to develop an Android and web version soon but does not have a launch date.
set up a fake company that takes phone numbers left in comments on porn websites, and generates paintings out of them. Members of the public are told that they have to pay $10 to check if they are in this company’s database, $50 to buy the painting with their phone number and $1,000 to remove themselves from the database. The whole enterprise is a controlled experiment — Iaconesi and Persico don’t actually keep the phone numbers. If someone buys “their” painting, they receive a painting with the original comment, but with Iaconesi’s phone number, and the money they paid goes toward research. If someone sends in $1,000 to get their information removed, they receive a full refund and a howto guide for internet privacy. The questions that Art is Open Source raises are quite prescient, and not just because of the current media attention on the NSA and government surveillance. Two weeks ago, David Segal of The New York Times profiled the rise of websites that post mugshots and demand money in return for the mugshot being taken down.
“It’s probably overdue to have the dialogue that they’re bringing to the table,” Hamilton said. But Art is Open Source isn’t just limited to projects like this. Iaconesi is a brain cancer survivor who, upon receiving his diagnosis, posted his medical records online for others to comment on. “When you have something as serious as cancer, your life disappears and you are replaced by a disease,” Iaconesi said in a June 2013 TEDGlobal talk this year. He eventually received over 500,000 responses from TED, ranging from neuroscientists recommending treatments to someone sending him a sculpture of his tumor. Art is Open Source is about this sort of dialogue, where people come together and discuss the pros and cons of what has become a dominant part of their daily lives. “All of a sudden, you have to start thinking about what the effect of this (technology) is, and what are the possible outcomes, instead of blindly marching forth,” Hamilton said, “which in society is what we’ve kind of been doing so far.”
Laos plane crash results in 49 deaths, no survivors Crash was a result of bad weather, government said BANGKOK (AP) — A plane from Laos’ state-run airline crashed in bad weather in the Southeast Asian nation, apparently killing 49 people from 11 countries, the government said. The Lao government said it was dispatching rescuers to the scene of Wednesday’s crash, but the Australian government said it was told no survivors were expected. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport, which operates Lao Airlines, said 44 passengers and five crew members were on Flight QV301 from the capital, Vientiane, to Pakse in the country’s south. Earlier reports had 39 passengers. “Upon preparing to land at Pakse Airport the aircraft ran into extreme bad weather conditions and was reportedly crashed into the Mekong River,” the ministry said in a statement. The airline flies an ATR 72-600 twin-engine turboprop plane on the 467-kilometer (290-mile) route. French maker ATR said the plane that crashed had been delivered in March. The aircraft is configured with
68-74 seats, it said. Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said his country’s embassy in Vientiane was informed that the plane crashed 7-8 kilometers (4-5 miles) from the airport at Pakse. A passenger manifest faxed by the airline listed 44 people: 17 Lao, seven French, five Australians, five Thais, three Koreans, two Vietnamese and one person each from Canada, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and the United States. Korean, French and Thai officials confirmed the totals for their nationalities. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said six Australians were on board, a discrepancy that couldn’t immediately be reconciled. Relatives released a photo of Gavin and Phoumalaysy Rhodes and their two young children. The government said the other two Australians were an aid worker based in Laos and his father. The Lao government said the airline “is taking all necessary steps to coordinate and dispatch all rescue units to the accident site in the hope of finding survivors.” However, the Australian foreign affairs statement said, “Lao authorities have told our embassy in Vientiane they do
not expect any survivors.” The Lao transport ministry statement said the crash is being investigated and the airline hoped to announce its findings on Thursday. A Lao Airlines employee contacted by phone at Vientiane’s Wattay airport said a news conference would be held Thursday. ATR issued a statement from its headquarters in Toulouse, France, declaring that it will fully assist the investigation. It said the Lao Airlines plane had been delivered from the production line in March this year. year ago when Friedman suggested they refile it to target the gay marriage ban. During the hearing, cocounsel Carole Stanyar argued that the Michigan marriage amendment “enshrines” discrimination. She said U.S. history has at times revealed a lack of humanity, “but at times we right ourselves ... and reaffirm the principle that there are no second-class citizens.” Christine Weick drove 175 miles from Hopkins in western Michigan to hold a sign that said God opposes gay marriage. She stood outside the courthouse but across the street from a few dozen gay marriage supporters. “I said, ‘Lord, what if I’m the only one out here?’ And look, I’m the only one here,” Weick said.
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6A — Thursday, October 17, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Thompson-Shaw ignites off the bench By BRAD WHIPPLE Daily Sports Writer
This late in the women’s soccer season, it’s harder to substitute bench players into games since the stakes are too high in a Big Ten game to experiment with unproven players. Against No. 17 Penn State on Sunday, Michigan coach Greg Ryan started junior defender Keyana ThompsonShaw anyway. She had only played one game this season, but the experiment paid off. “I would say she performed at 100 percent (against Penn State),” Ryan said. “I didn’t think she could last 90 minutes, and I said, ‘If you get tired, just let me know and we’ll get a sub in for you.’ That hand never went up.” Sunday, the matchup between the 12th-ranked Wolverines and the Nittany Lions ended in a 1-0 shutout for Michigan with a goal from senior midfielder Tori McCombs. The win by the Wolverines (4-1-1 Big Ten, 10-2-1 overall) put them in second place in the Big Ten standings and quenched their thirst for revenge by defeating the team that ousted them in the third round of last year’s NCAA Tournament. Ryan said the contest was one of the most defensively challenging games Michigan has played this season as it held the top scoring offense in the conference without a goal. Penn State (4-2, 10-3-1) outshot the Wolverines 21-7, but Thompson-Shaw’s performance on defense was critical to the team’s success. “It just shows how hard she’s been working every practice all year,” said senior defender Shelina Zadorsky. “To be able to step into arguably one of our hardest games and perform like that on the spot is what we needed from her, and she was able to deliver.” Despite only playing one game this season prior to Sunday, Thompson-Shaw is familiar with the Nittany Lions’ style. She has had five career starts, three of which were in Happy Valley, including last year’s loss in the NCAA Tournament.
“I think once you go for a prolonged period of time without playing you do have to personally keep your positivity up,” Thompson-Shaw said. “I was a little nervous going in, but I did play last year and I had the support of my team around me to pick me up.” When Thompson-Shaw took the field, her focus was to cover senior forward Maya Hayes, the Nittany Lions’ leading scorer with 13 goals. Hayes’s speed has been a huge challenge for her opponents’ defense and allowed her to easily get behind teams’ back lines and create scoring opportunities. Thompson-Shaw shut down Hayes by holding her to only one shot on goal. With Shaw putting pressure on Hayes in the 18-yard box, Zadorsky and fellow seniors Christina Murillo and Holly Hein had an easier time protecting the back line. Ryan said that Thompson-Shaw’s performance took the defense to another level. As the Wolverines closed the passing lanes and put pressure on Penn State’s attack, the Nittany Lions were limited to seven shots on goal that were all saved by freshman goalkeeper Taylor Bucklin, who was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. But it was Thompson-Shaw who endured 90 minutes of nonstop defense against one of the conference’s most unstoppable forwards. Thompson-Shaw’s performance put Michigan’s defense in sync, making McCombs’s goal all that was needed to earn the first shutout since Sept. 27. Though he rarely throws her in the lineup, Ryan said Thompson-Shaw is the best individual defender on the team at stopping strong forwards and will be used for certain matchups. With her senior year looming around the corner, Thompson-Shaw might find herself starting more often. “Maybe I need to give that kid some more time,” Ryan said. “We wouldn’t have won that game without Keyana.”
PATRICK BARRON/Daily
Former Michigan goalie Haley Kopmeyer had her Big Ten hopes dashed by Christine Nairn, but as teammates on Seattle Reign FC, the two lived together.
Once foes, former Michigan, Penn State players share a house By JAKE LOURIM Daily Sports Writer
Last year was former Michigan goalie Haley Kopmeyer’s last shot at the Big Ten title she came to Michigan to win. Late in the season, she went into State College needing a victory.
Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Thursday, October 17, 2013
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
It was the 86th minute. Former Penn State forward Christine Nairn drew a penalty kick. Nairn converted, and Michigan’s goal of a Big Ten title would have to wait. If you follow Michigan women’s soccer, you know the rest: Penn State clinches its 15th
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straight Big Ten title with a tie, the Nittany Lions earn homefield advantage through the third round of the NCAA Tournament, then beat Michigan in a penalty-kick shootout. Just outside Seattle this summer, Kopmeyer and Nairn, the two Big Ten rivals, set aside their collegiate roots. They played four years each at Michigan and Penn State, compiling two of the most illustrious careers in the history of their schools. They moved 2,000 miles west. And then they lived together for six months. Teammates on the Seattle Reign FC of the National Women’s Soccer League, Kopmeyer and Nairn, both 2012 graduates, shared an apartment this summer. “We talked about it a lot,” Kopmeyer said. “This was our common bond to begin with. It was definitely a topic, whose school is better, a little bit of smack talk here and there, but nothing too mean.” When they were drafted in January, they didn’t know much about each other, even after playing against one another for four years. They had gone to a camp together before college. Then, Kopmeyer sent a Facebook message to Nairn asking if she wanted to live with her. They found an apartment 10 minutes from the training facility. But the situation didn’t come without its occasional Michigan-Penn State debates. “We’re both the type of people where we know we can joke with each other,” Nairn said. “When we dish it out, we can take it. It’s all in good fun.” The two have moved out since the end of the season last August. Kopmeyer now lives in San Diego and trains with a goalkeeping coach in preparation for next season in April. She was waived last year because she backed up Hope Solo, who happens to be the starter for the U.S. Women’s National Team. Nairn lives and trains in State College and called the women’s soccer game between Michigan and Penn State for Big Ten Network on Sunday. Though now living 3,000 miles apart, the two anticipated the rivalry game when their former teams played Sunday. “We joked about it a lot, the Penn State-Michigan thing and
always playing against each other,” Kopmeyer said. “There were times when even in practice, our coaches could see it. … They thought it was funny, and they could tell that there was definitely a rivalry there.” The stakes were high as always this year, with Michigan needing a win to stay in the Big Ten race and Penn State needing a win to stay in contention for its 16th straight conference championship. In the end, the Wolverines came out with the narrow victory, something they hadn’t done against Penn State since 2002. “Going down in penalty kicks, especially the way it happened when we were up, that was hard,” Kopmeyer said. “I was cheering (Sunday) like I was on the sidelines. “It’s so fun to see how far this team has come. I’m so proud and happy to have been a part of it. I realize that a lot of my time there was spent growing as a team and rebuilding and putting together (Michigan coach Greg Ryan’s) vision, and it’s really here now. I couldn’t be happier for those girls.” Kopmeyer said she and Nairn talked back and forth on social media about the game. She posted a picture last Wednesday of Nairn holding Kopmeyer’s dog in a Michigan collar. Nairn replied with a picture of her four Big Ten championship rings. “I know the Michigan girls all knew about it, and they were like, ‘Don’t worry, girl, we got your back,’ ” Kopmeyer said. They likely won’t room together again next year because Kopmeyer may be playing for a new team. Still, both enjoyed living together this summer. “Haley’s hilarious,” Nairn said. “She’s so smart. Sometimes she’s making fun of me, and I have no idea that she is.” Michigan and Penn State will continue to wrestle with the conference lead along with Nebraska. The Wolverines are two points back in the standings, while the Nittany Lions are three. They could meet again in the Big Ten or NCAA Tournaments. Other than that, the rivalry will be put to bed until next year, when Kopmeyer, Nairn and their schools will start it up all over again.
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Sports
Thursday, October 17, 2013 — 7A
Core of seniors leads Michigan By DAVID GRANADIER For the Daily
TERRA MOLENGRAFF/Daily
Redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner said, “It’s all about what happens in Schembechler Hall and what happens in this building.”
For first time in Hoke’s tenure, a week under seige By ZACH HELFAND Daily Sports Editor
He had been as patient as he could all week, but by Wednesday night, Michigan coach Brady Hoke was tired of answering questions about his team’s loss to Penn State. “Why are we talking about it?” he asked Jim Brandstatter on Hoke’s weekly radio show on the Michigan IMG Sports Network. After the show, Hoke was done with regularly scheduled media sessions for the week. That’s likely fine with him. For the first time in his tenure, Hoke has found himself in the middle of a miniature tempest this week as his team prepares for Indiana on Saturday. It had been quietly brewing for weeks now: first the near-upset against Akron, then the close win over Connecticut. But it was the comefrom-ahead, quadruple-overtime loss to Penn State that — fairly or not — set off a wave of criticism from around Ann Arbor and in the blogosphere. In his press conferences on Monday and Wednesday, Hoke faced the most pointed questions he has seen in his time here: Was he concerned about the offensive line coaching, he was asked Monday? “No, not at all,” Hoke said
Was the play calling too conservative? “No.” He was asked if he’d keep the I-formation (he would) and the unbalanced formation (that too). Does the team understand what kind of team it wants to be? Hoke just chuckled. This happens to all college football coaches. All teams lose at times. Even Bo Schembechler’s 1984 team went 6-6. And most college fan bases are not shining examples of emotional stability, and Michigan, even at 5-1, is no exception. But as the Wolverines try to solve deep, lingering issues with the offensive line, pass rush and turnovers, they now must contend with the distractions that come with an ornery fan base. In Hoke’s first press conference as the Michigan coach on Jan. 12, 2011, he became emotional when speaking about Michigan’s tradition. He said he would’ve walked to Ann Arbor to become its coach. The press conference was raw and endearing, and he would later enjoy a lengthy period of stability and support. In this climate, Schembechler Hall again became known as “Fort Schembechler” — nothing in, and nothing out. That’s been an emphasis this week. “We talk about the important
things that are said are what’s in this room,” Hoke said. “No one else really matters besides the guys in the room.” Michigan also brought in motivational speaker Eric Thomas, whose message was “kill the noise,” according to redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner. “Which is what our coaches have been preaching to us forever,” Gardner said. “It has nothing to do with the outside world, what everybody else thinks. It’s all about what happens in Schembechler Hall and what happens in this building.” Outside, the siege continued all week. After Hoke’s media session on Monday, it was offensive coordinator Al Borges’s turn on Tuesday. He, too, encountered some of the sharpest questions he’s faced during his tenure in Ann Arbor. Why the delay of game penalties, one reporter asked? (An aberration, he said, not a recurring problem.) Has he lost confidence in the inside running game? “No, no. We haven’t lost confidence in anything,” Borges said. What was his philosophy at the end of the game? “Well, we have the best kicker in the league,” he said. “At least, we think.” Did he change his offensive
approach during the game? “Because the power game wasn’t as good, you can’t just say, ‘We’re not going to do it anymore,’ ” Borges said. “You still have to sprinkle it in.” During the week, players were quick to defend Borges. Senior wide receiver Drew Dileo pointed out how smart Borges is, how much experience he has. Hoke said he doesn’t need to spend extra time with the offensive line because, “I’ve got a great offensive line coach. I’ve got a great coordinator. I’m with them enough because we go so much against each other. I don’t need to do that. That’s some coach trying to think he’s a hero. That’s not me. I’m not a hero.” Still, Hoke and Gardner both allowed that it’s impossible to tell how each individual player will react to criticism of the team, younger players especially. The responsibility is on the older players, Gardner said, to deflect the noise. “I mean, everybody’s gonna have their opinion whether you win or lose,” Gardner said. “So I mean, we lost one game but that doesn’t determine how our season’s gonna end and how we’re gonna finish. That’s up to us. Whether we finish strong or let this loss be a cloud over your head.”
Last year’s Michigan volleyball team made it to the NCAA Tournament semifinals with one senior on the squad. This season, five seniors are looking to lead the team even further. Outside hitters Molly Toon and Lexi Erwin, middle blocker Jennifer Cross and defensive specialists Ally Sabol and Brittany Lee — all seniors — make up the core of the team. “The seniors are working really hard to be that strong senior group that the younger kids can look up to, that they can learn from, that they can look to for a calming source because they’re the veterans PATRICK BARRON/Daily and the experienced players,” Outside hitter Molly Toon is one of said Michigan coach Mark five seniors to lead the team. Rosen. “That’s what they’re working hard at doing, and I the players are learning after think they’re doing a pretty every loss how to better comgood job of it.” pete against tough opponents, The five players have evolved and they’ll face plenty more the over their four years to become rest of the season. the senior class they are today. “What we’re doing is good, “Erwin has worked really it’s just not good enough,” hard in the weight room the Erwin said. “We talked about last few years,” Lee said. “She’s how the margin of error is really stronger and quicker, and I small. We lost by two points in think she’s playing the best she’s a fifth game, and that could’ve ever played and is really consis- been two points our way. But tent.” I think we really need to not According to Rosen, Toon focus on the wins and losses so only transitioned to an outside much and more on how we’re position when she joined the playing on our side.” program and is now a “very Added Lee: “I think it’s motiexperienced, very veteran out- vation to just work harder and side hitter.” Cross came in as kind of evaluate what’s working an inexperienced but talented and what’s not.” freshman but became “one of They also feel it’s importhe elite middle blockers in the tant to look past the rankcountry.” ings and continue to play their Sabol, always a defensive game, remembering how they asset, is “in the peak of her game surprised the nation last year now.” Brittany Lee has devel- despite heading into the NCAA oped as well becoming “a solid Tournament as a low seed. leader for this group.” “I think you have to look The Wolverines (2-4 Big Ten, past the rankings and trust the 12-4 overall) are currently ninth system that we have because it in the conference standings. In did work for us in the past, and their last game, they topped there have been times this seaIowa in four sets. Erwin led the son where we’ve seen it work charge with 17 kills and 19.5 really well,” Erwin said. “So points, while Cross contributed when they say we’re playing with 12 kills and 15.5 points. a number five, we need to just Before that, Michigan had trust our system is successlost tight 3-2 matches against ful and can break down other No. 9 Nebraska and Illinois. teams.” “The match against Illinois This year’s seasoned squad is was a tough one because we looking to move up the standplayed extremely well,” Rosen ings in the nation’s toughest said. “You can look at our stats conference. For the first time, and see there were so many nine of the 12 Big Ten teams things we did right.” were ranked in the Top 25. During a difficult midseason “We want to play against the stretch of Big Ten games, the best competition, in the best team has also fallen to No. 13 conference, at the highest level, Ohio State and No. 1 Penn State. and the Big Ten is without quesThe seniors and the rest of tion that,” Rosen said.
With their sticks upside down, Michigan shores up ‘D’ coverage Playoff selection COLLEGE FOOTBALL
By GREG GARNO Daily Sports Writer
They say you appreciate something or someone the most the moment you lose it or them. So when the No. 5 Michigan hockey team temporarily lost the chance to play without the blades of its sticks, it began to cherish something that’s normally an afterthought. But luckily for the Wolverines, they’ll have their sticks for the weekend, as the switch was just part of a drill focusing on improving one of the early struggles this season. The drill begins with five players situated around the ice cycling the puck as if they were at full strength in a game. Meanwhile, four others positioned in the middle played with the butts of their sticks on the ice attempting to break up each pass. Unable to clear the puck down the ice or depend on a poke check to knock the puck away, the drill reinforces the concept of positioning in the defensive zone. Against No. 13 New Hampshire this weekend, correct placement on the ice will be even more important for Michigan. “Part of our game that has to be better is our defensive game overall,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “(The drill) is for defensive awareness and position so that we’re not doing everything with our stick. They play with their sticks upside down so they’re not worried about the
puck.” The drill, which Berenson and the coaching staff have done in the past, represents a focus on a general trend in the early season: disorganization on defense. The Wolverines, in their game against Rochester Institute of Technology on Saturday, moved slowly to the puck on clearance attempts and struggled to limit shots. Michigan’s penalty kill — which allowed two goals against the Tigers — was absent in front of the net when sophomore goaltender Steve Racine let up rebounds. “The stick is a big part of the penalty kill, but you have to know where to be,” said junior forward Zach Hyman. “It’s a lot harder when that stick is upside down and you don’t have that blade. “Just being in position is of really big importance to us, and it’s really stressed a lot in practice.” Some of the positioning can be chalked up to inexperience at the collegiate level, as the Wolverines start freshmen defensemen Nolan de Jong, Kevin Lohan and Michael Downing. The trio has experience in junior hockey, but the gameplay speeds up at college and every mistake can be disastrous — especially in front of more than 10,000 fans on the road, as was the case in Rochester. But as Berenson sees it, the disorganization stems from the defense being less active moving
committee announced By MATT SLOVIN Managing Editor
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Junior forward Zach Hyman said the upside-down stick drill helps the penalty kill.
toward the puck. “Players, when we’re in our zone, are waiting to get the puck,” Berenson said. “I don’t want them waiting to get the puck, I want them to tune in. “Hockey is always offense and defense. You’re flipping back and forth, but some players don’t flip. They just play offense. When you flip your stick upside down, you’re telling me you’re on defense.”
The coaching staff also hopes the drill will translate to the team’s forecheck, which is important to spurring new offensive opportunities, the lack of which also concerns Berenson. “I want them to be hard on the puck and hard on the man, and not be as passive or as easy to play against as we can be,” Berenson said. “If we’re hard to play against, we’re a tough team.”
The teams who compete in college football’s new playoff system will be chosen by a Rhodes Scholar, a former U.S. Secretary of State and a former congressperson, among others. Beginning in the 2014 season, the group will look at winloss record, schedule strength, head-to-head results and conference titles to determine which four teams will compete for the national championship. A committee comprising the conference commissioners tasked with overseeing the new system selected the 13-person selection committee. Bill Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoff, announced the names Wednesday. Combined, the committee has about 230 years of experience in college football. “We wanted people of the highest integrity for this committee, and we got them,” Hancock said in a statement. “Every one of them has vast football knowledge, excellent judgment, dedication and love for this game.”
Term lengths will “generally” be three years, according to the press release. The committee will meet several times during the season, and then again on selection weekend to determine the participants of the two semifinal games. Five members of the committee currently serve as Directors of Athletics at their respective schools: Jeff Long at University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin, Pat Haden at Southern California, Oliver Luck at West Virginia and Dan Radakovich at Clemson. Condoleezza Rice, currently a professor at Stanford after her time as U.S. Secretary of State, is also on the committee, as is a former U.S. Air Force Academy Superintendent, Lieutenant General Mike Gould. Former NCAA Executive Vice President Tom Jernstedt, former all-pro NFL quarterback Archie Manning, former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne, former Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese, former USA Today reporter Steve Wieberg and former head coach Tyrone Willingham round out the group.
Sports
ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily
Redshirt junior Joey Burzynski is one of five different players who have been rotating at left guard in practice. He could start against Indiana Saturday.
BIG TEN SCHEDULE 2018
BIG TEN SCHEDULE 2019
Opponent
Date
Opponent
Sept. 22
Nebraska
Sept. 21
at Wisconsin
Sept. 29
at Northwestern
Sept. 28
Bye
Oct. 6
Maryland
Date
Oct. 13
Wisconsin
Oct. 20
at Michigan State
Oct. 27
Bye
Nov. 3
Penn State
Nov. 10
at Rutgers
Nov. 17
Indiana
Nov. 24 Dec. 1
Oct. 5
Iowa
Oct. 12
at Illinois
Oct. 19
at Penn State
Oct. 26
Rutgers
Nov. 2
at Maryland
Nov. 9
Bye
Nov. 16
Michigan State
Nov. 23
at Indiana
at Ohio State
Nov. 30
Ohio State
Big Ten Championship Game
Dec. 7
Big Ten Championship Game
14%
73%
supported general admission
did not support general admission
17%
supported general admission
& of those not enrolling at Michigan for Fall 2014 (seniors)
76% did not support general admission
89%
86%
did not support general admission
did not support general admission which increased by 3% after attending the first 4 games
A school divided STUDENTS’ REASONS FOR SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION (respondents were able to choose more than one option). %
100
100
Support General Admission Policy
80
80
60
60
40
%
Against General Admission Policy
75%
40
42%
20
0
0
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’t s
it w
ith arr frien ive ds a u as no t sam nless t Up se imp e tim all set c e tio rov the Do sys n en ed s no tem vir tud te njo wa onm ent yw sn’ en tg t ait ran ing Th dfa in l ey the ine ge red tw be for ors et es h ha ea eg ve ts am t e stu They unde han t r th he de are y nts n eo w o l o wi lo th ng d po uld lic sim er ilar surr y cla oun ss de sta d b nd y ing
20
can
play at Wisconsin in its first Big Ten game of 2019. Starting next season, the Wolverines will play against their top two rivals, Michigan State and Ohio State, at home in the same seasons and on the road in the same seasons. That trend will continue, with both of those games being played on the road in 2018 and at the Big House in 2019. Michigan will play each team in the newly formed East Division, as well as three crossover match-ups. In 2018, the crossovers are Nebraska, Northwestern and Wisconsin. In 2019, they will be against Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. The complete 2018 and 2019 Big Ten schedules can be found here. INJURY UPDATE: Lewan suffered a couple different “boo boos,” as Hoke said, against Penn State, causing him to miss the second half. According to Hoke, the ailments won’t keep him out of the game against the Hoosiers. Lewan appeared woozy as he stumbled to the sidelines after walking most of the way off the field on his own accord. When asked if Lewan underwent tests for a concussion, Hoke said that the tackle saw the team’s doctors but wouldn’t explicitly say what the injury was. A few plays after Lewan was injured, he sprinted back onto the field, much to Hoke’s surprise. The coaching staff needed to physically separate Lewan from his helmet in order to prevent him from trying to re-enter the game in the second half. “I didn’t see it,” Hoke said of Lewan’s sneaky return. “But he didn’t play after that, did he?” NOTES: Motivational speaker Eric Thomas, a former Michigan State consultant, addressed the team Wednesday. Redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner said it helped the team to “kill the noise” coming from public criticism of the team following its first defeat. … Hoke said placing additional focus on an increased offensive tempo to simulate Indiana is unnecessary because the team typically practices that way regardless.
ey
The left guard position for the Michigan football team might as well be a revolving door. That’s because, instead of clarity coming to NOTEBOOK the offensive line picture at the season’s midway point, things are becoming increasingly jumbled. Redshirt freshman Erik Magnuson, listed on the depth chart as a backup tackle, is the latest player to take reps at left guard. He spent much of Saturday’s loss at Penn State filling in for injured fifth-year senior left tackle Taylor Lewan. Magnuson’s versatility makes him an ideal candidate to rotate between the line positions. “He hasn’t done that a lot, but he’s a really athletic guy,” said Michigan coach Brady Hoke at his Wednesday press conference. “He did some good things the other night that warrant trying to get the best five on the field.” According to Hoke, no decision has been made as to who will emerge from the logjam
at the position to start against Indiana this week. He said five different players have been rotating at left guard in practice — Magnuson, freshman Kyle Bosch, redshirt freshman Kyle Kalis, redshirt sophomore Chris Bryant, who started against the Nittany Lions, and redshirt junior Joey Burzynski. Hoke noted that Magnuson, who is 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, had to get stronger to catch up with his classmates. His highschool career as a lacrosse player meant he missed out on time in the weight room. “He’s got a quickness to him,” Hoke said. “He’s got good feet. That’s why we recruited him at left tackle — because of his athleticism.” SCHEDULES LEAKED: A few hours before Michigan’s 2018 and 2019 conference schedules were slated to be released by the Big Ten on Wednesday morning, they appeared on mgoblue.com. In both of those seasons, the Wolverines will be tested right off the bat in the Big Ten against traditional powers. A home game against Nebraska will open the 2018 conference schedule, while Michigan will
STUDENTS’ SUPPORT AFTER ATTENDING 4 HOME FOOTBALL GAMES
Ne w
Managing Editor
Unpopular Policy
Th
By MATT SLOVIN
STUDENTS’ SUPPORT UPON NEW TICKETING POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT
lex i wh bility o t to he cho ys o it w se Lik ith ef lex ibi lity wh to the Th ere cho y w ey the ose ou can ld ys ha get it ve be wi tte th r se the at Th e old s th stu new po an licy de po nt licy se c cti rea on te en s a vir be on tte me r nt
Still no answers at left guard, where 5 players fight for spot
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Lik ef
8A — Thursday, October 17, 2013
*Gray colors indicate response of “do not care” or non-response SOURCE: “Ticketing Policies Press Release,” based on data retrieved from a Central Student Government survey of 5,892 students. Surveys collected October 8-October 9, 2013.
Survey shows widespread opposition to ticket policy By ZACH HELFAND Daily Sports Editor
After all the initial outrage over the new Michigan football student seating policy — followed by full crowds, followed by grumbling about wait times, followed by empty seats — a new survey shows the general opinion about the seating policy has changed very little. Initially, a large majority of students opposed the policy. Midway through the season, a large majority of students still oppose the policy. In a survey conducted by the Central Student Government released Wednesday, 76 percent of respondents indicated that they opposed the policy, compared to 17 percent who said they were supportive. Prior to the season, 73 percent opposed the policy, with 14 percent in support. The number of responses points to the high level of student engagement with the issue. In slightly more than 24 hours, 5,892 students responded. The survey was sent in an email from CSG President Michael Proppe on Oct. 8. Overall, 77 percent of respondents said the 2012 season was a more enjoyable experience. Just eight percent said 2013 was more enjoyable. CSG presented the findings to the SACUA Student Relations Advisory Committee meeting on Oct. 11. On Oct. 15, Proppe presented analysis of the results to the Athletic Department. According to a CSG press release, the Athletic Department has expressed a willingness to consult with students and faculty before determining the 2014 ticket policy. “Though there wasn’t much student input leading up to the switch to general admission, the Athletic Department has been very responsive to student concerns since then,” Proppe said in the release. “This meeting was another huge step forward.” Proppe added that “next year’s process will be an improvement over this year’s.” The survey also provided a glimpse at why students supported or opposed the policy. Interestingly, both groups listed the same reasons. For those who sup-
ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily
The student section was more enjoyable in 2012, said 77 percent of respondents.
ported the policy, 81 percent said they liked the flexibility to choose with whom they sit. That was the most popular reason for supporting the policy. Among those who opposed the policy, 85 percent said they couldn’t sit with friends who didn’t arrive at the same time. That was also the most popular reason for opposing the policy. Forty-two percent of supporters said the policy creates a better atmosphere in the student section. Seventy-five percent of those who opposed said it hasn’t improved the environment. And then there were the six percent of those who support the policy — about 60 respondents — who said they were in favor of the plan because they enjoy standing in line. “We reviewed the Central Student Government’s survey results, and while some results were not surprising based on our own shared observations, there was some feedback that will be very helpful in making improvements going forward,” said Michigan Athletics Chief Marketing Officer Hunter Lochmann in the CSG press release. “We look forward to working with the CSG to review our ticketing policies in general as we make decisions for future seasons.” The Athletic Department has
declined the Daily’s requests for comment on the student ticket policy. The department announced the policy change in an email on April 23. Students immediately resisted the change, and within three hours, a Facebook group opposing the change garnered more than 1,500 ‘likes.’ Within 24 hours, a formal online petition through CSG requesting a shift back to the old procedure of assigned seats had more than 2,600 signatures. The policy announcement also came with a price hike, to $295 for seven games in 2013, including service fees, from $205 for six games in 2012. That makes Michigan the second-most expensive student ticket out of the 129 FBS or soon-to-be FBS schools in 2013. The Daily conducted a Facebook poll on April 24, in which 77.2 percent of the 643 voters indicated they hated the policy, but the CSG survey was the first formal poll conducted of the student population. When the season began, the student section was full for the opener against Central Michigan and the night game the following week against Notre Dame. But by the next two home games — Akron and Minnesota — large swaths of the student section were empty.
the b-side B
The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | Thursday, October 17, 2013
Both Sides of the
Curtain
By Mayank Mathur, Daily Arts Writer and Anna Sadovskaya, Senior Arts Editor
B
ackstage “It’s 20 minutes to places; this is 20 minutes to places.” Though spoken into a microphone, the voice doesn’t resonate through the small expanse allotted as Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre’s backstage area. Rather, it travels to the deep under-heart of the building, reaching all the costumed actors and mid-warm-up actresses in the dressing and green rooms. The house had been filling up for 10 minutes, the show-goers finding their seats and chatting over programs of the show, Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music.” Laura Beth Cohen, a fifth-year senior at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, has stagemanaged two other MT&D shows: “Ariadne auf Naxos” last semester and “Noises Off” this past year; calling the time until curtain is routine. “I enjoy it a lot; it’s very fast-paced,” Cohen said. “It’s kind of like a 3-D Jenga game that’s continuously moving in time, and you have to have the pieces in the right places at the right moment. It’s definitely fun, and there’s a lot of adrenaline back here when it comes time for a big change.” Before the doors opened at 7:30 p.m., Cohen took off her stage-manager headset in order to check in on everyone. She walked down to dressing room A, finding actresses in corsets and various versions of ready: One girl had yet to get her hair done while another was worried her corset was entirely too revealing. In another dressing room, two shirtless actors with awesome mustaches threw around accent possibilities. Cohen warned them not to get too carried away or else there would be a French/ Russian-inspired character in 1900 Sweden. They refused to let up and instead listened to their trippy, bumping pump-up music. The only snag was the missing-in-action status of “Giff,” who had run home to grab a damsel in distress’s forgotten fake eyelashes. It was apparently the talk of the crew, as hair and makeup were also aware of the missing Fredrik Egerman-actor.
Cohen informed two of the assistant stage managers of the disappearance to mixed reactions: At the same time, one “aw”-ed while another “oh”-ed … the wait for Giff was on. Students milled around the backstage, warming up their vocals, putting on their dresses and coats, drinking tea and water when suddenly, a halfdressed Giff pops up and happiness ensues. Everything can go smoothly now. “I don’t have to be on Giff-watch 2013!” exclaimed a happy assistant stage manager. When asked about the differences between this show and others she has managed, Cohen explained that though each show has its own snags and mishaps, the true difference was the medium. “ ‘Noises Off’ is almost like a ballet, so it was really complicated blocking and difficult to keep track of that. ‘Ariadne’ is a very difficult opera, and opera has a totally different protocol with what happens offstage and onstage. It’s really just the difference of the medium.” Musical theater shows like “A Little Night Music” have their own set of necessary preparations that the cast and crew practice the weeks leading up to the show. “The main thing I do … is I call the show,” Cohen said. “I tell everyone when things happen; I tell the lights when to change; I tell the curtain when to move … and I kind of enjoy taking my timing from the people onstage and creating something with my words.” Typically, stage managers time the entire performance, knowing which props, pieces and people are to be on or offstage at any given moment. To accomplish this, the crew of “Night Music” created an Excel booklet with each minute of the show mapped out. LSA junior Jean-Luc DeLadurantaye, assistant stage manager of the show, had the Excel-produced master run on hand. “(The master run) has all of our directions on it for tracking what goes on and off, including people,” DeLadurantaye said. “We have a crew of
backstage people; there’s also a crew of costume people, and props, and scenery and lighting. All together it’s maybe 20 people. The props and scenery crew help us track what’s going on and offstage. Their names are written in this column and they know it’s their responsibility to do that at that specific time.” While DeLadurantaye and Cohen looked over the sheet, other stage crew ran through preshow checklists, confirming and re-confirming the positioning and placement of every prop, light and accessory. Little details were caught, such as a lone lamp lit above stage right. During the show, each set and scene change has its own group of crew members that facilitate the transition, and to help them, Cohen calls the timings for everyone. “It’s Laura’s job to cue everyone, so we have headsets,” DeLadurantaye said. “There are also cue lights, which she’ll turn on and off when she wants the crew to do something. She cues lighting, which happens from the booth upstairs. She gives us a cue when we’re supposed to give the crew a cue.” “You can have like seven things happen right at the same time,” Cohen interjected. “We had a version for Wednesday, a version of Thursday, a version for Friday, a version for Saturday, a version for Monday and then a version for Tuesday, so we had seven versions of that paperwork before we had it correct. And there’s still stuff that the crew writes down on it for themselves, like the speeds of things that should go in, or if it’s with the music … because I cue them when to begin the move, but there’s a nebulous as to where it ends.” The cast and crew work together to put on a good show: Backstage, actresses can be seen being helped into dresses by costumers they’ve been working with for years. The stage-left entrance, tricky due to the high number of lights and fixtures, is carefully moderated by assistant stage managers. Everyone works in tandem. See CURTAIN, Page 3B
DESIGN BY MELISSA FREELAND
Arts
2B — Thursday, October 17, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPOTIFINDS
FOOD COLUMN
New BurgerFi is for foodies
W
atch out, Five Guys; there’s a new hamburger in town. If you ask me, it’s about time. Ann Arbor, surprisingly, has never really offered much when it comes to burger joints. Of course you can order a burger at NATE nearly every WOOD bar in town, but as far as restaurants that specialize in the American classic, there are few: Red Robin (way down State Street), Quickie Burger (terrible food) and most recently Five Guys (not a bad choice). My bet is that Blimpy Burger — may she rest in peace — long dominated the campus market for hamburgers with its cult following, effectively staving off competition for decades. Now that Blimpy’s gone, though (at least for now), I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a rapid influx of new burger joints in the near future. BurgerFi, Ann Arbor’s newest place to grab a patty and fries, would have us call this the “Burgerfication” of Ann Arbor. The new fast-casual restaurant opened its doors on South University just over two weeks ago. I was excited enough at the prospect of filling the burger-less void in my heart — and stomach — that Blimpy left with its closing. But when I heard that BurgerFi was billing itself as “The Burger Joint for Foodies,” I knew it would be love at first bite. The restaurant’s interior is industrial-modern. The stools and chairs are made from recycled Coke bottles and the tables from milk cartons. Sheets of hard stone cover the floor, giving way to walls of unstained 2x4 planks of light wood. The ceiling is a patchwork of metal
grating with warehouse-like incandescent bulbs scattered about. There’s a huge fan with blades that remind me of a helicopter’s looming above the middle of the seating area. Decorations include chains, metal trim and brushed chrome everywhere. The food totally works in this environment. It’s no-fuss, down-to-earth grub that’s still clean and thoughtful. I order a burger, of course. The patties — of which you need at least two — are supple and buttery. Never frozen, the superior local beef makes for a superior burger. There’s no shortage of cheese, and the toppings choices are endless. But the most distinctive component of BurgerFi’s burgers, I believe, is the bun. Have you ever tried cutting a freshly baked loaf of white bread while it’s still hot? The knife cripples the structure of the bread’s interior, smushing the once upright loaf into a dense, dejected ball of warm dough. This is exactly what happens when your incisors attempt to puncture a BurgerFi bun, which is nothing but a testament to its extreme freshness. As if they couldn’t get any better, each bun is hot-branded with a BurgerFi logo. Super cool.
Order the Urban Fries from the secret menu for an insider treat. But if burgers aren’t your thing, there’s also a number of all-natural hot dogs to choose from. I haven’t tried any simply because I’m averse to ordering a dog at a burger joint, but if you must, I’m sure the Wagyu Kobe
beef dog won’t disappoint. The classic sides here are hand-cut french fries and battered onion rings. I wholly recommend the french fries, which are neither too thin nor too thick and served in gigantic portions. Seriously, a “regular” order of fries can feed two to three easily. They are cooked for a generous amount of time, which I like, but if you prefer a limper fry, be sure to order it as such. And just as a forewarning, as you can experience for yourself, you’re going to have to add salt. A lot of it. Unless, of course, you order the Urban Fries — Parmesan and herb fries topped with garlic aioli — from the secret menu. I mean … what menu? To wash it all down, BurgerFi offers a number of drinks. The chain’s known for its selection of craft beers and glass-bottle sodas, but there are also wine and mixed drinks to be had. For dessert, try the frozen custard. Whether it’s in the form of a shake, a float, a cone or a sundae, you can’t go wrong with this extra-thick, ice cream-style treat (in case you’re wondering, frozen custard is made with more egg yolks than ice cream, the result being a much richer flavor). I tried the red velvet frozen custard shake and have no ill report. But let us remember: This is a new restaurant. While BurgerFi may knock it out of the park right now, the joint could — like so many burger places before it — fall into a downward spiral of poor service. This is how fries become overcooked, orders inaccurate, tables dirty and presentation sloppy. But as long as its employees stay on point, as they are now, BurgerFi is here to stay.
Daily Arts Writers dig through recent Spotify releases to find the tracks worth revisiting or discovering.
MONKEYWRENCH
SUB POP
“Lightning Bolt”
“Shake”
Let’s just face it: The Pearl Jam of bygone years has disappeared, replaced with the new version where Eddie Vedder reads soldiers’ obituaries in the morning paper. Just so, “Lightning Bolt” bears a lot more resemblance to “World Wide Suicide” than anything from Ten — but hey, out with the old, in with the new. “Lightning Bolt” definitely has its moments, at least — it’s upbeat and fun, and you’re more likely than not to catch yourself humming along before the song ends. Just don’t expect some classic grunge magnum opus. Pearl Jam keeps on keeping on, but those face-melting days might be over.
What’s that you’re hearing? Could it — could it be? An electric guitar? In a The Head and the Heart song? In the words of the immortal Kenan Thompson: What up with that? All in all though, don’t let the soft touch of technology fool you — this is the classic folksiness you came for in the new HatH album. So what if there’s a touch of raw amp? In an album called Let’s Be Still, maybe you should be grateful that a song even exists where lead singer Josiah Johnson croons, “You won’t forget the man who’s making you shake.” Don’t be afraid of a little electricity.
GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL
ATLANTIC
Wood is chowing down on some BurgerFi. To join, e-mail nisaacw@umich.edu
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“Awake”
Breathe
Under the stage name, Tycho, producer and visual artist Scott Hansen makes calming, ambient techno that’s perfect for taking the edge off of procrastinated homework. “Awake,” Tycho’s latest single, furthers the hypnotic tone of Hansen’s 2011 album, Dive, and places his always ambling guitars higher in the mix. Stuck on writing the thesis for an essay that’s due in a few hours? Let “Awake” be the calming drug you wish you had a prescription for, and then once it’s effects have subsided, make sure to go to the Spotify page for Dive and then start attacking that keyboard.
Breathe it in: Birdy’s new EP is sure to waft its way through the speakers of the local Starbucks, mixing with the hums and whirs of espresso machines like a match made in coffee-shop heaven. Though tracks “Shine” and “What You Want” are typical tracklist fodder, crawling through over four minutes of open mic-like croons, Birdy banks on “Skinny Love” — and not only because it’s a cover of Grammywinning Bon Iver’s delicate hit. As fragilely angelic as 17-year-old Birdy herself, “Skinny Love” is a piano-laced plea for mercy, just begging for another listen.
TRAILER REVIEW Sylvester Stallone doesn’t know yet, but apparently if you’ve been alive for a really long time, you’re probaBbly really old. The trailer Escape Plan for “Escape Summit Plan,” Stallone’s latest entry into the senior-citizens-fucking-shit-up genre he invented, sounded like a gaudy rip-off of “The Expendables.” But somehow, Rocky manages to not rise above expectations yet again. The flaws are obvious: The trailer inches forward at an excruciatingly slow pace, doling out unnecessary bits of repetitive information no one cares about. We don’t need to have a fat version of Vincent D’Onofrio explain to us how Stallone’s character can break out of any prison in the country moments after we’ve seen him go through
SUMMIT
the much more intriguing motions of actually doing so. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who appears to be taking this whole movie a lot less seriously than Stallone, shows up way too late, and there’s never enough time for our legendary duo to actually interact. We get plenty of shots of The Governator donning his classic don’t-mess-with-me-or-I-kill
face, but all the little homages capsize against the weight of redundant information about how the couple has to break out of a prototypical super-prison. It’s a novel attempt at cribbing from “The Expendables,” but eventually, there’s no sense of nostalgic sentimentality to keep us smiling. —AKSHAY SETH
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Thursday, October 17, 2013 — 3B
LETTERS FROM THE EDITOR
CURTAIN From Page 1B This sort of cohesion of the crew could only come from practicing the entrances and exits. After moving into the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre the week before, tech week officially began. “We moved into the theater on Wednesday, October 2nd, and we had two spacing rehearsals,” Cohen said, rehashing the busy week. “We did Act 1 on Wednesday and Act 2 on Thursday, which was for figuring out how to work on stage, and then we begin tech, which is slowly going through the show and figuring out the lights and the sequencing of stuff.” Before the show began, Cohen and Director Mark Madama went through notes he had for her, asking about lighting, scene entrances and timing. “Everything that happens, we’re doing this all through the rehearsal process, but this develops over the course of the show. We make mistakes,” DeLadurantaye said. “This is the final version, so by now there are pretty much no mistakes. It’s our job to help everything happen. It’s like peopleorganizing.” Cohen called the final minutes before lights on and a rush of bodies filled the backstage. The opening scene, consisting of five “Liebeslieder Singers,” or Sondheim’s chorus, instantly allowed the show to reflect the dedication and hard work of the weeks of rehearsal. Each actor went onstage in character and after exiting, stayed in character until they were safely in the green room. The crew mouthed the words to each song and scene, having memorized the performance. The sets changed without a hitch, each crew member working seamlessly together, knowing exactly where to stand so that the rolling set pieces wouldn’t move under an actor’s weight. When a water bottle spilled, damage was quickly controlled — few realized what had happened until intermission when the smallest of hiccups were discussed. For Cohen, and many other crew members, the dedication and
Bergman, Allen and beating death
W COURTESY OF PETER SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY
The Liebeslieder Singers welcome the audience in the first scene of the play.
planning that goes into a show such as this reflects the passion and love for theater: the desire to be a part of an industry focused on creating flawless performances. “Ten minutes to the top of Act 2; this is 10 minutes to the top of Act 2,” Cohen reminds everyone to take their places before the second act can begin. Everyone goes to their spot, chatting excitedly and quietly with their friends and co-performers. Crew members whisper into their headsets, making last-minute adjustments. Two actors hug, obviously the best bro-friends. Everyone waits for Cohen’s cue. And then, the curtain rises. — ANNA SADOVSKAYA Front stage “The show is supposed to be quite good!” the usher told me excitedly as she led me to my seat in the sixth row. Ever the great conversationalist, I replied dryly, “Yeah, I hope so.” She raised her eyebrows and hurried away. In retrospect, I could hardly blame her, but in my defense, my sentiments at the time could not have been more honest. The night was a night of many firsts: the first time I’d taken advantage of an opportunity to witness a theatrical production and the first time I’d walked into the Mendelssohn Theatre.
COURTESY OF PETER SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY
Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm and Desirée Armfeldt waltz the night away.
It was the first time I realized what it means to stick out like a sore thumb. Dressed in jeans, slippers and an over-worn jacket thrown over a T-shirt, I looked every bit a college kid in a crowd of (very) well-dressed, and probably rich, old people. As I took my seat, I was thankful for the cold, crisp fall air that prevented me from coming along in shorts, as was my initial intention. With so many firsts comes the inescapable feeling of hope, which explains my rather succinct reply to the excited usher. I hoped that the University’s production of “A Little Night Music” would be consistent with tonight’s prevalent theme and provide me with my first enjoyable theatrical experience. However, I couldn’t help but be offset by the interiors of the Mendelssohn. Obviously I’m no expert in the intricacies of theater decor, but in my mind’s eye, I had pictured something more lively than the current setting. I wasn’t there to appreciate the surroundings, but how can one not notice the dim lighting and bland interior? The initially overwhelming sense of hope that came hand-in-hand with my first experience in front of the stage had been canceled out by the underwhelming aura of the theater, and I sat in my seat — an adequately whelmed scruffy college kid. Soon, the curtains rose, piano chords sounded, performers … began performing. Needless to say, the sound of music and the accompanying voices injected new life into the place, but it was hard for me to understand any of the words so melodiously belted out. As I acclimated to the singing, I finally began to realize there are twoand-a-half more hours of “A Little Night Music” left. The play is about the complications of love and lust, told through the story of an ensemble of curious characters. Fredrik Egerman is a lawyer, who is married to an 18-year-old girl, Anne Egerman. However, Anne is the subject of Henrik Egerman’s affections, the lawyer’s son. Fredrik desires the famous actress Desirée Armfledt, with whom he has a romantic history. Desirée is a flirtatious woman seemingly adept at juggling the romantic attentions of the lawyer and a Count Carl-Magnus, who is married to Countess Malcolm. It’s easy to see how such a setup can make for an entertaining comedy of errors filled with interesting developments that are bound to keep audiences attentive
SINGLE REVIEW Shady’s back. In his fastpaced single, “Rap God,” Eminem is the latest rapper to claim deification, and he might have the rap- A ping ability Rap God to back up his bold asserEminem tion. Naming Aftermath his upcoming project after his greatest album, The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem attempts to throw back to the year 2000. With freshly blonde hair and a Monica Lewinsky scandal reference in the first verse of “Rap God,” he brings to mind the past controversial, multi-platinum and drug-addled version of himself. What clearly hasn’t changed in the 13 years since the original LP is Eminem’s technical proficiency, darkly humorous subject matter and rapid-fire
Life is full of tragedy and comedy. Though I hope to someday pull love from a less incestous well, your all-encompassing ingenuity motivates me every day. After watching a documentary on your career, where you gave the camera a look into your endless pile of legal papers filled with concepts for films, I began to believe that keeping track of all my half-baked ideas was less a pretentious act and more of a necessity. And after hearing
you continually praise Bergman in interviews and “Manhattan,” I needed to see the origin of your inspiration. Watching “The Seventh Seal” for the first time, I became a young Woody Allen, nearly salivating over the fact that an important film about the Crusades and the Black Plague could be carried out as a dark comedy — where Death cuts down a tree to get to a man hiding from him in branches and plays chess with a Knight for his soul, and where every line of dialogue is delivered with theater-like directness, coated in irony and defining the words “gallows humor.” In that moment, I realized — as I imagine you realized — that powerful art should blend light and dark. That addressing death without humor gives death too much weight. That there’s a reason even Shakespeare believed in comic relief. Several Bergman films and Vonnegut novels later, I’m convinced that life is beautiful because there’s light in darkness — that each moment of sadness or hardship is just a small scene in a fulfilling comedy that spans a lifetime. But I know that’s not something I need to convince you of. Ref lecting on your and Bergman’s expansive careers, I’m reminded that the only way to avoid death is to continually strive to create something that will live forever. And at the moment, I’m both terrified and thrilled that I’m nowhere near where I hope to someday be — satisfied and laughing heartily as I groove across the hilltop and into another realm, teaching Death how to two-step along the way. Best, An Unrealized 20-something Lynch is watching ‘The Seventh Seal.’ To join, e-mail jplyn@umich.edu.
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EPISODE REVIEW
AFTERMATH
delivery. “Rap God” features some of the most spellbinding, sharply enunciated lyrics in recent memory, making for a vintage Eminem performance. Other aspects of Eminem’s persona have not aged as nicely, however. The frequent homophobia and degradation of women has lost the shock value that Eminem thrived off of in his early career.
throughout. I did a bit of reading before attending the production and found out that this show was Broadway’s first play centered on adult humor. The idea was intriguing, and I was eager to see how it would play out on stage. Suffice it to say, I wasn’t disappointed. The brand of humor prevalent throughout the show was wonderfully subtle and low-key, never once indulging and falling into the dangerous realms of crass comedy. The performers did justice to the wonderfully written script, excellently delivering the many puns and punch lines, making the play very enjoyable. Though the show had its fair share of musical numbers, they didn’t offset the pacing and effortlessly merged with the narrative. The quality of singing was brilliant, nothing less than I had expected. Yes, the show was longer than I had anticipated, and unfortunately my attention began to wane as it went on. But that doesn’t take anything away from the quality of the production — it just so happened that I was slightly under the weather. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to my fellow viewers sitting next to me; I doubt my intermittent coughing and sneezing at surprisingly well-timed (or rather, ill-timed) moments was appreciated. Initially I thought they were clearing their throats because of similar health problems, but when long, focused glares in my direction accompanied each of their ahems, I began to have differing thoughts. However, no major damage was done, since the show is full of moments that keep the audiences smiling and laughing throughout. As the curtains closed and the cast took their bows, I realized that my blocked nose needed some immediate attention. I made a beeline for the nearest restroom, but not before I navigated my way through a crowd of very pleased theatergoers. Yes, I agree — the play was wonderful, but I wasn’t really concerned with that right now. A couple of minutes later, I walked out, temporarily free of my nasal problems and in a much better state to savor my first theatrical experience. I felt content at having experienced my first play and left the formerly dim theater with a bright smile. I did happen to meet the usher on the way out, and conveyed my ample satisfaction and gratefulness. Indeed, the show was quite good. — MAYANK MATHUR
oody Allen, Holding no preconception but your undying praise for its creator, I ripped into “The Seventh Seal” on a dreary winter night and attempted to watch it through your eyes. By the film’s end, as I watched the JOHN cast of mediLYNCH eval characters dance with Death across a hilltop, I fully understood your admiration for Ingmar Bergman and had a revelation about life and art that has fueled my creative intentions ever since. I would argue that no path to self-actualization is as unique as yours. Inspired by the prolificacy of Bergman, you’ve written and directed 45 films in 48 years. In a tumultuous, life-long search for love, you finally found it, despite all odds, in the arms of your adopted daughterturned-wife — further proving that you could not possibly give a fuck about conventional anything.
Though society’s perceptions of hate speech have mercifully improved, Eminem’s lyrical content seems occasionally outdated. Ultimately, his sense of twisted humor prevails to make “Rap God” compulsively listenable. In classic Eminem form, expectations for the upcoming The Marshall Mathers LP 2 even higher. —JOSHUA FRAZIER
Three episodes into its fifth season — and three months since the death of actor Cory Monteith — “Glee” finally Baddresses the mortality of The its star quarQuarterback terback, Finn Hudson, as, Glee in the words of Cheerios FOX Coach Sue Sylvester, a “self-serving spectacle of our own sadness.” But for the show’s cast and fans, such a “self-serving spectacle” is just what the doctor ordered. “Glee” ’s Monteith memorial episode is not for the critics: The actors wring their eyes and kick furniture like the amateur cast of an after-school special and the writers seem to pluck lines straight from the pages of “Death for Dummies.” Each character embodies a step in
FOX
the grieving process, singing their way toward solace. “The Quarterback” offers comfort to fans who have endured the show’s decline, plunging into the cast’s griefstricken nostalgia with full force. As explicit as stepdad Burt Hummel’s reclaim of Finn’s bedroom lamp or as subtle as the “Don’t Stop Believin’ ”-era red t-shirt worn by Puck’s
Mark Salling as he croons his goodbyes, memories of Finn Hudson envelop the episode. And Lea Michele’s sob-worthy and sincere rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” as heartbroken Rachel Berry? It’s no wonder there isn’t a dry eye or shoulder in the classroom. —BRIANNE JOHNSON
Arts
4B — Thursday, October 17, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
THE D’ART BOARD
Each week we take shots at the biggest developments in the entertainment world. Here’s what hit (and missed) this week.
Holy #RapGod Eminem releases new single “Rap God” to rave reviews
Unbound Charlie Hunnam drops out of “Fifty Shades of Grey” film. Golden Girls Amy Poehler and Tina Fey hired to host Golden Globe ceremony for next two years.
Don’t “Come and get it” Russia bans Selena Gomez from entering country because she’s too gay-friendly
The Flocking Dead “Walking Dead” premieres to 16.1 million viewers, breaking records.
Design by Nick Cruz
NON-PROFIT DRAMA
A invests in Performance Network 2
Local performance space reaches out to the community By TEHREEM SAJJAD Daily Arts Writer
In the heart of Ann Arbor, amid the hustle and bustle of restaurants, shops and cafes, Performance Network Theatre is the perfect centerpiece for an elegant night in town. Founded in 1981, PNT has grown from a fledgling company to Ann Arbor’s resident professional
theater. Over the years, it has won a wide variety of awards and nominations, garnering national recognition and leading the artistic quality and play selection in Michigan. Currently celebrating its 32nd year, PNT showcases seven shows each season that range
from world-premier plays by both local and national playwrights to Broadway musicals. The company’s performances have been recognized in all aspects of theater, including best acting, design and new script. In 2009 and 2011, PNT was nationally acclaimed for attaining the Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award for performances of “Dead Man’s Shoes” and “It Came From Mars.” “Performance Network has transformed from a number of performers and organizations that brought dance companies, musicians, clowning and theater to the organization and turned it into what is now a theater,” said Logan Ricket, associate development director at PNT. In addition to its year-round professional productions, PNT runs the Children’s Theatre Network to provide original shows to entertain and educate Ann Arbor’s younger audience. Through Children’s Theatre Network, PNT also arranges theater workshops that teach students creativity, problemsolving skills and healthy selfexpression. The Fireside New Play Festival is another means through which PNT diversifies Ann Arbor’s entertainment palette. The festival is a live stage reading done by professional actors and directors. The audience is then allowed to provide feedback after the production. Presented three times each year, the festival showcases the works of new playwrights, providing them with the opportunity to have their work performed in front of a real-life audience. PNT also immerses itself into the Ann Arbor community by giving emerging and established playwrights the opportunity to work closely with actors and directors through its Submit-AScript program. Through this program, PNT not only serves the role of a stepping stool for new playwrights but also provides local playwrights the chance to have their work examined on a professional level. “We need new voices in con-
temporary American theater,” said Erin Sabo, PNT’s managing director. “The reason why we are a member of the National New Play Network is so that we can nurture new playwrights and nurture the craft of American theater.” Sabo said the submission program provides writers feedback and, occasionally, a reading at the Fireside festival. As a Commonweal Theatre, PNT reaches out to more than 40,000 patrons every year in order to keep a balanced budget. As Sabo explained, under 50 percent of the non-profit PNT’s income comes from ticket sales. The rest comes from individual donors and grants. “Some of it is through personal appeals made through letters to some of our patrons, our subscribers and community members,” Sabo said. “We gather it by going to businesses who we appreciate in the area and ask them to either be an in-kind sponsor — which means providing food donations at an opening night — or a monetary sponsor, which is actually helping to underwrite some of our productions.” Sabo said the theater’s “creative and capable” staff serves a crucial role in its success as a theater organization. As a non-profit, PNT is affiliated with the Actors’ Equity Association of professional Actors and Stage Managers. Therefore, its primary purpose is not necessarily to make a profit. Rather, the money PNT earns is used to develop the theater in order to bring Broadway-quality performances to Ann Arbor’s doorstep. Nevertheless, the more support PNT gets from the community, the more it’s able do with the art, and the more it’s able to give back. For instance, PNT’s partnership with Ann Arbor’s Elmo’s T-Shirts allows them to get discounted rates on printing services. PNT relies on volunteer ushers throughout the season for all of its main stage productions and special events, as well as volunteers for administrative tasks and assisting other aspects
of production. Individuals in the community, Sabo said, have donated costumes and props to shows in addition to monetary donations. “In any way we can get support, we take it,” Sabo said. That support can be attributed to PNT’s ability to provide unyielding aesthetic leadership in southeast Michigan over the past 32 years. “A lot of it begins with word of mouth. We’ve been around Ann Arbor since 1981 — we’ve been around for 32 years. So, it’s been 32 years of people coming to our theater shows and loving what we do and 32 years of somebody telling their friend to tell their friend, and it’s also been 32 years of us learning — learning what grants are out there and where we can get support from,” Sabo said. As a leader of PNT, Sabo is a member of the Cultural Leaders Forum, which brings together theater organizations once every month to provide support and offer ideas and advice to each other. PNT is also a member of the Michigan Equity Theatre Alliance, which offers a similar service to theater companies. “Theater is a funny, competitive business,” Sabo said, “where, yes, you want to compete, you want to have the better shows, but we are also — at the end of the day — doing something that we love. So we are all very supportive of each other in wanting the other to succeed.” As a non-profit theater organization struggling through the economic recession, PNT is fortunate enough to have a very strong donor base that keeps it alive and functioning well. However, it’s also through the talent of PNT’s board members and staff that the organization is able to deliver high-caliber entertainment to Ann Arbor audiences. “It’s more important for us to make sure that we are supporting the local artists in Michigan and helping them have a career in theater and not having to leave the state,” Sabo said. “That balance is a fine line that sometimes keeps me up at night.”
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