ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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CAMPUS LIFE
Social justice groups call on Schlissel for action Campus organizations highlight gap in responses to numerous incidents KAELA THEUT
Daily Staff Reporter DESIGN BY AVA WEINER/Daily
Falsely reported hate crimes raise marginalized students’ concerns
Critics demand consequences for victims while Muslim women fear backlash ALEXIS RANKIN Daily Staff Reporter
Two of three hate crimes reported in the week following the 2016 presidential election at the University of Michigan were recently determined to be falsely reported to the Ann Arbor Police Department, and updates have raised concerns about backlash for marginalized students. The first incident occurred on Nov. 11, when a student reported being approached by an unknown
man who threatened to set her on fire if she didn’t remove her hijab. The incident became national news, with outlets like The Washington Post covering the report. The other reported crime occurred on Nov. 15, when a man allegedly scratched a woman’s face with a safety pin. AAPd deemed both incidents to have never occured. A student also reported being verbally assaulted and pushed down a hill on Nov. 12. While this report was verifiable, AAPD stated there was no evidence
to determine a suspect, and the investigation has since been halted. All three of these reports motivated significant activism on campus. Music, Theatre & Dance senior James Ross Kilmeade organized a protest that attracted more than 200 people in response to the first hate crime, and nearly 150 people gathered on the Diag at an additional protest on Nov. 18. While the student involved in the Nov. 11 crime is not being charged for the false report,
detectives have submitted a warrant request for criminal charges against the Ann Arbor resident involved in the safety pin incident. Some community members have been dissatisfied with the reaction to the falsity of these reports, and have called for repercussions, as well as a level of action similar to events organized after the initial reports were made. LSA junior Enrique Zalamea, president of the University’s See HATE CRIMES, Page 3
When posters promoting white supremacy were found covering the walls of University of Michigan buildings on multiple occasions last fall, students, including Art & Design senior Keysha Wall, tore them down. When Islamophobic messages were chalked on the Diag last spring, a group of Muslim students were some of the first to grab rags and buckets of water to wash the messages off themselves. As bias incidents continue to occur across campus despite University-wide emails denouncing the actions of the perpetrators, students have started to question the effectiveness of the way the administration responds to the attacks. Many have also called out University President Mark Schlissel for not adequately affirming his support for what they believe is minority students on campus. Wall, a member of the
University’s chapter of By Any Means Necessary, expressed her disappointment in the University’s response to the posters targeting minority groups on campus that occurred earlier this year. She believes the perpetuation of biasrelated incidents is contingent on the lack of administrative pushback against hate speech. “We can say that these attacks began with the racist and fascist fliers that started going up last semester,” she said. “Every time they went up, it was students, myself included, who tore them down. During this, the University’s official statement was that they would take no action against ‘free speech,’ although I think we can all agree that what those fliers were expressing was hate speech, not free speech. And so the fliers continued to be put up.” Despite students’ expressions of anger regarding the chalkings and posters, the University legally could not remove either, as they were posted in areas meant for the dissemination See ACTION, Page 3
Medical school prof. focuses research RC forum Resolution discusses on healthcare inequity for the disabled to increase
CAMPUS LIFE
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
‘U’ campus climate
School of Kinesiology hosts discussion on health management technology
Students, faculty talk inclusion in residential learning communities
Medical School Prof. Michelle Meade addressed common health and healthcare disparities and how to promote positive changes to the current health-care system for disabled people Wednesday night in Mason Hall. The event, sponsored by the Interprofessional Health Student Organization, drew a crowd of about 20 students. Meade directs programs for the University of Michigan’s Rehabilitation Engineering Program, developing healthmanagement technologies for disabled individuals. Meade began her presentation by pointing out problems with defining the term “disability,” which differs depending on which area of academia or society people are processing the definition from. “The actual definition of disability or having a disability depends on where you look,” she said. “In surveys and research, it generally is defined by limitations; in some policy, it’s defined by a lack of ability to work and then in clinical practice, it’s diagnosis.” As opposed to health disparities, which revolve around medical treatment and the burden of the illness, healthcare disparities deal with how the disease is managed and what is done to assist those
AMARA SHAIKH For the Daily
In the wake of controversial emails, the desecration of prayer space and other racially charged incidents, the Residential College held an open forum in the Keene Theater Wednesday night to debrief the campus climate. During this session, RC students, faculty and staff were all encouraged to express their thoughts on these recent events, and offer support to fellow Wolverines. The community forum was run by members of the Residential College, an interdisciplinary liberal arts living community within LSA. Though few students were there, multiple faculty and staff members were present at the event. Administrators such as Jon Wells, the director of the RC, and Charlie Murphy, the director of academic services for the RC, sponsored the event. The event was broken up into three sections that included reflections and small and large group discussions. People were invited to come and go as they See FORUM, Page 3
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living with disability. Meade said those who are disabled have an equal amount of need for health care as non-disabled individuals, yet they do not get the treatment or health care they need. “Despite having no differences in regards to aspects of health insurance or mutual care … you have increased need and decreased access (for the disabled),” she said.
In her paper “The intersection of disability and health care disparities: a conceptual framework,” Meade, along with University researchers Elham Mahmoudi and Shoou-Yih Daniel Lee, created a narrative flowchart to describe the factors contributing to the poor health care experienced by the disabled. Meade said certain elements contribute to health-
care disparities; more so for the disabled. “It’s not ‘one-size-fits-all,’ ” she said. “I think the easiest way to understand it, or for me to explain it, is that you can have the most wonderful doctor providing fantastic information … but if he’s speaking in English and the individual only speaks Spanish, there’s a mismatch in terms of needs, and that’s See RESEARCH, Page 3
EMMA RICHTER/Daily
Medical professor Michelle Meade discusses ways to improve healthcare for individuals with disabilities in Mason Hall on Wednesday evening.
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INDEX
Vol. CXXVII, No. 36 ©2017 The Michigan Daily
the funding for SAPAC
LSA body also encourages committee to further support transfer students JORDYN BAKER Daily Staff Reporter
LSA Student Government hosted a meeting Wednesday evening to discuss resolutions relating to the Sexual Assault and Awareness Center and increasing resources for transfer students. The body passed a resolution co-sponsoring SAPAC’s Healthy Relationship Dialogues, aiming to create conversation and advocacy around sexual assault that occurs on campus. With the passing of this resolution, LSA SG will join the current list of co-sponsors for SAPAC, specifically by co-sponsoring and helping to advertise a series of dialogues toward the end of March to help raise awareness toward sexual assault. LSA junior Nicholas Fadanelli, LSA SG general counsel, explained that many sexual assaults on campus may not be made public, and highlighted the importance of LSA SG’s role in creating conversations about these issues. See LSA SG, Page 3
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6
SUDOKU.....................2 CLASSIFIEDS...............6 SPORTS....................7
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ON THE DAILY: DETROIT SKYLINE REACHES NEW HEIGHTS Billionaire businessman Dan Gilbert has proposed a building at the historic J.L. Hudson site in downtown Detroit. The 734foot tower, a few feet taller than the Renaissance tower, would be the tallest building in Michigan if erected. Detroit’s Downtown Development Authority approved Gilbert’s plans Wednesday morning. Gilbert has until Nov. 1 of this year to get finances in order and then construction will begin in December. The proposed mix-use development will be 52 stories tall and include 250 units of residential living, a market and two f loors of retail and office space. It is estimated that the building would cost more than $700 million.
Gilbert and his real-estate firm Bedrock own nearly 90 properties in the Detroit area. This project is of particular importance to Gilbert and many Detroiters because of its historical significance. The site was home to the former Hudson’s department store, until it was demolished in 1998. A website has been launched for the new building, Bedrock’s hope for the site. “This new, transformational development will rise from the two-acre site of the former J.L. Hudson’s Department Store,” the website reads. “It will be a catalyst for returning the oncecommercial heartbeat of the city to an economic engine once again.”
D ATA O P T I M I Z AT I O N
Michigan Students @UMichStudents
brb just SURGICALLY REMOVING my tangled headphones
University of Mich. @UMich
In 1892, Mary Stone and Ida Kahn became the 1st Chinese #UMich students, each earning MD degrees. #UMich200
ARNOLD ZHOU/Daily LSA Professor Zhibin Liang gives a seminar on the optimization of financial aid and risk models in East Hall on Wednesday.
- SOPHIE SHERRY
CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Racialized Sexual Harassment
Theatre Performance: Dreamscape
Michigan Athletics @UMichAthletics
Alcoholism and Masculinity in Japan
Environmental Exposures and Pregnancy Outcomes
WHAT: Prof. Paul Christensen will talk about the struggle many Japanese men are faced with when when they experience alcoholism. WHO: Center for Japanese Studies WHEN: 12:10 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. WHERE:School of Social Work
WHAT: Dr. Herring, a professor at the University of North Carolina’s School of Global Public Health, will talk about the links between air pollutants and pregnancy outcomes. WHO: Center for Midlife Science WHEN: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. WHERE: School of Public
WHAT: Listen to Prof. Buchanan speak about her research on workplace harassment; specifically, how women of color experience higher levels of harassment. WHO: Women’s Studies Department WHEN: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. WHERE: East Quad Residence
WHAT: Enjoy an evening of hip-hop and theater by watching “Dreamscape” by Rickerby Hinds. The performance will be followed by a talk-back with the actors. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
Detroit’s Reuther Library
Black History Month: Riverside Arts Center
Joan Holland Performance
WHAT: Experience the third annual exhibit of local area African-American artists highlighting their work. WHO: Riverside Arts WHEN: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. WHERE: Riverside Arts Center
WHAT: Listen to Joan Holland, an associate professor of harp for the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, as she hosts a recital. WHO: School of Music, Theatre and Dance WHEN: 7:30 p.m. WHERE: UM Earl V. Moore Building
WHAT: The second of a sixpart lecture series will discuss themes of the current revival of Detroit, highlighting individuals whose stories are discussed in the library’s collections. WHO: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute WHEN: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. WHERE: Rave Theatre, 4100 Carpenter Road
adding the option to install another ANDREW HIYAMA type of crossing device if deemed Daily Staff Reporter appropriate by city staff. The City Council unanimously amendment passed unanimously. passed a resolution to enthusiastic “I believe that this is a crosswalk applause Tuesday night approving that merits some sort of active funding for improvements to the beacon,” he said. “An RRFB is one pedestrian crossing on Fuller Road of those most frequently deployed; outside Huron High School, where I think it would make sense that a high-school student was hit by a that would be the most likely one car and killed on his way to school we would see. But we have other in October. beacons in our community — we Ann Arbor residents, and have a HAWK beacon, for example, the citizen’s advocacy group A2 over by the YMCA on Huron Street.” Safe Transport, have frequently High-Intensity Activated expressed frustration over the Crosswalk Beacons are elevated city’s slow progress on pedestrian above the roadway, whereas safety. A school safety report RRFBs are posted on the side of the released by the city administrator roadway. Councilmember Zachary earlier this month—weeks after Ackerman (D–Ward 3) pointed out, planned release time—did not though, that HAWK beacons cost contain crosswalk evaluations or approximately $200,000 each — cost estimates as it was supposed to. four times more than an RRFB. Sudoku Syndication Ann Arbor resident Kathy Warpehoski said if city staff Griswold, a member of A2 Safe determined a HAWK was Transport, said the resolution did necessary, City Council would find the money for it. “In terms of the question of a HAWK, or if there were more expensive treatment identified by the staff, I would trust staff HARD to understand that we see this as a priority to be expedited, and if they need additional funds to come back to us for those additional funds,” he said. Councilmember Jane Lumm (I–Ward 2) responded to a memo Lazarus sent Monday to City Council requesting to delay the resolution, saying there was no valid reason to. “Administrator Lazarus sent us a memo last night that mentioned a couple concerns related to this resolution that I’d like to speak to,” she said. “While Mr. Lazarus did not mention his concerns when we met Thursday I do want to address and explain why in my view and the view of many residents, there is no valid reason to delay this action. The memo suggested we should wait because the exact location of the crosswalk © sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. puzzle by sudokusyndication.com ROUGH DAY. is still being reviewed. That’s fine. But it’s not a reason to delay this resolution.”
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elaine @elainejacq
WHAT: Stephanie Spielmann, a proessor at Wayne State University will talk about the fear of being forever single. WHO: Department of Psychology WHEN: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. WHERE: East Hall, Room 4464
me: *locks myself in the stacks to focus on 3 midterms this week* also me: *takes quiz about hipster foods*
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$50,000 plans improvements for Fuller road-crossing, near Huron High School not provide sufficient protection for pedestrians. “This would be a perfect example of what not to do if you wanted to create a safe crosswalk,” she said. “Engineering 101, you would fail if you did something like this. This has three lanes of traffic, no refuge island and, until recently, no street lighting. We deserve better.” The original text of the resolution called for the installation of a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon on Fuller Road, and approved the $50,000 toward its construction, which City Administrator Howard Lazarus estimated would be needed. RRFBs allow pedestrians to activate flashing lights on crosswalk signs before crossing, alerting drivers to their presence. Councilmember Chuck Warpehoski (D–Ward 5) proposed an amendment to the resolution during the meeting, however,
@umichbball to honor #ChadTough at the Purdue game. @chadtough #GoBlue
Relationship Brown Bag
City Council approves crosswalk improvement after student death
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HATE CRIMES From Page 1 chapter of College Republicans, wrote in an email interview he was upset by the lack of action taken by the University. According to Zalamea, Amanda Delekta, political director for College Republicans, reached out to University President Mark Schlissel when the first accusation was proven false and was told the action taken by the AAPD was sufficient. “These false accusations were once used as a rallying cry against conservatives and against President Trump,” Zalamea wrote. “The University has a duty to its students to keep them safe. And given all the fear these accusations caused, I believe the University must do its best in notifying all students about the true deceptive nature of these allegations.” Zalamea believes people involved with falsely reporting the crimes should receive consequences. “There should be real legal consequences for anyone who files a false police report, especially since these serious allegations incited so much fear in the community,” Zalamea wrote. On social media, critiques of the false reports spiraled into personal attacks on the alleged victims. Many marginalized students subsequently fear future hate crimes will be immediately discredited, and hold heightened concerns about polarization on campus. LSA sophomore Alyiah Al-Bonijim, one of the organizers of Halfway Hijabi: Hijabi Monologues, was upset by the false reports as well. She believes, however, the type of mentality expressed by critics will perpetuate the idea that
RESEARCH From Page 1 automatically going to reduce or impact the quality of care.” Meade provided examples of problems and possible solutions, such as the issues of low literacy with the implementation of video health instructions, executive dysfunction with concrete and practical support and disabled children with appointments and clinics. These are, Meade said, only a few of the changes we can make to reduce health-care disparities for the disabled. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, most commonly known as the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare, was passed by Congress in 2010. The act tried to reduce health disparities for the disabled by gathering more data on the issue and increasing health-care-provider training. However, the current House and Senate have already voted to approve new budget resolutions that will make it easier for the Trump administration to repeal the ACA in the future. Meade said she is shocked many health-care providers still do not work toward improving general comfort for their disabled patients. “One of the things that continues to shock me is (the
FORUM From Page 1 pleased to encourage an open environment. The discussions emphasized finding ways to challenge the racism and xenophobia present on campus, and how the RC could support marginalized students. Wells reflected on the current presidential administration, saying its goals stand in stark contrast to those of the University of Michigan. “I think, like the nation as a whole, the campus is very divided,” Wells said. “I think in some ways this current president is antithetical to everything that many of us conceive us as important in a university — open, promoting certain kinds of social and economic reform — and many of us feel that this current admin is really opposite of what many of us
all reported hate crimes are fabricated. “Putting too much attention on these two false reports, out of the many reported following and preceding the election, works to push forward this idea that hate crimes as a whole are fake,” Al-Bonijim wrote in an email interview. “Truthfully, reluctance has come from fear of not being believed later on in the future if something like this does occur.” Fatima Haidar, another Hijabi Monologues organizer, expressed concern regarding the release of the updates from the AAPD. “Sometimes the kind of decisions that the police make in terms of saying that this is false information is going to lead to a confirmation bias on either side,” she said. “So it may lead to people who had already perceived these minorities as weak or sensitive to continue with that idea and say yeah they are liars too. It’s not helping the situation.” Haidar and Al-Bonijim acknowledged the significant community response to the initial reports as well as the response from the Division of Public Safety and Security, but had some concerns regarding their impact. The determination that the reports were fabricated upset Al-Bonijim, particularly because of the powerful response she and the Muslim community received from the campus community. “I was upset that so many amazing people worked so hard to provide support for the Muslim community and could only imagine how they feel about using their valuable time to support us,” Al-Bonijim wrote. However, she went on to say that despite the large response, the ties formed could always be strengthened. “Yes, support has been
large, but it can be larger,” Al-Bonijm wrote. “It can also be more intersectional and less temporary. Support always comes in masses when a huge incident occurs, but I want to push for this to last past the boundaries of a trend.” Haidar suggested that DPSS pursue a more preventative approach to hate crimes, particularly in the face of these false reports. “It’s really the lack of action or emphasis on certain things that might lead to a progression of problems that could be avoided,” Haidar said. “I think they should be doing everything they can to prevent hate crimes not just respond to them.” University Counseling and Psychological Services has responded to tension on campus by recognizing the increased need for a safe place where students can receive support. CAPS has added a page to its website, “Navigating a Complex World: Current Events That Impact Students,” to outline its commitment to providing culturally competent services. Sheryl Kelly, coordinator of CAPS’s Inclusive Excellence Initiatives, described some of the resources CAPS offers students who have concerns about the campus climate, including walkin times, appointments and after-hours services. Students are also able to request to speak to someone from a particular social demographic if that makes them feel more comfortable. Kelly also noted there has been an increase in students who come in to talk about concerns regarding the campus climate. “A lot of students are being impacted by current events, so when they come in, I ask how they are doing in the current campus climate,” Kelly said. “We have many students that come in who specifically identify that as a problem.”
lack of ) access to a wheelchairaccessible scale,” she said. “These are some of the basic factors that we need to think … how we make this as easy as possible.” In addition to scales, Meade said people must actively improve current environments to assist disabled individuals in any way they can. “We can consciously create environments,” she said. “Just as we create environments that are inviting based on age or gender, we can do the same (here). We can think about not only the accessibility of doors, the height of the table, the way we interact. We can think about the signage, the themes of use. We can think about the pictures that are up there.” In her research, Meade said she doesn’t want to merely conduct research, write a paper and be done with the topic. She aims to use her data to improve knowledge and measurable action to lessen health-care disparities for the disabled. “Thinking about creating or adapting clinical services based on research evidence, making sure if you’re collecting data, it’s for a reason and how is this going to change our practice,” she said. Meade concluded by emphasizing knowing how to care for and support disabled individuals is something
everyone should undertake. “Most people are touched some way by disabilities,” she said. “They have siblings, they have parents … so being aware of what’s involved, being knowledgeable about the factors … and just addressing them and being respectful. Not assuming that we know everything makes a difference.” Public Health student Suzie Genyk, president of IHSO, said the group invited Meade to IHSO to speak because of her inclusion of many medical disciplines in her research. “The group of members we have with IHSO, it’s students from all the different health schools,” she said. “We try to have different events to bring in different perspectives that they wouldn’t necessarily get in the classroom, and also to have conversations with students outside of their normal cohort.” Pharmacy student Chris German said Meade’s statements shed a light on health-care controversies and ways we can improve life for people with disabilities. “She … pointed out things that the health-care system could do better in order to make sure we recognize people with disabilities as individuals and to make sure that they get the kind of care people without disabilities even get,” he said.
believe is important.” He also commented on the rising tensions that are present as a result of the election. “There is this sort of tension that exists on campus,” Wells said. “There are people who, if they’re Trump supporters, they feel marginalized by the sort of progressive ethos on campus, but on the other hand, we have students of color or of different sexual preference. We don’t want to equate the fact that you voted for Trump or you feel unwelcome on campus with the legacy of racism and sexism on campus.” Katie Slajus, a freshman in the Residential College, also expressed her opinion on problems the community faces. “Racism and general discrimination (are issues),” Slajus said. “I don’t really think the diversity, equity and inclusion is actually working.” The forum began with casual
invitation for audience members to write down on posters their thoughts about topics like racism on campus, self-care and supporting marginalized students in the RC. After the posters, everyone was invited to select an issue to discuss further in small groups. After the small group meetings, everyone reconvened for a larger discussion. Camilla Lizundia, also a freshman Residential College student, hoped the forum would foster more relationships in the future. “I hope to gain more insight to how we, as a community, can better improve the relationships between other people in the RC, and how that can correlate to the rest of the campus as well,” Lizundia said.
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ACTION From Page 1 of information. If governmentfinanced state universities adopt speech codes preventing free speech, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union argue such regulations violate the First Amendment and constitute government censorship. University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said though the University cannot remove fliers or chalkings on the basis of content, it did remove the fliers from places where postings are not allowed. He further explained how, as a place of higher education, the University seeks to combat hateful speech through education. “The general philosophy is that the First Amendment right is interpreted broadly, by us and by the courts, to mean all kinds of speech, including writings or posters or chalkings,” he said. “We believe that the best approach to combat speech that is hateful, or that we think is inappropriate or that we disagree with, is the use of more speech and education. The educational component is a really important part of our mission and our responsibility, to help educate the young people and others who are part of our University community, and that’s a role we take very seriously.” Fitzgerald noted if speech contains threats or promises of harm, the University and law enforcement can get involved. He also pointed to the University’s bias response team as a unique feature that not all schools have to combat bias incidents. “If I threaten to do something, physical harm to you, that’s a threat and is dealt with differently than speech,” Fitzgerald said. “Having a bias response team is not something that all campuses have, our own Division of Public Safety and Security and our own police force that is sensitive to and trains specifically for college campuses is not something that every campus has.” In response to the racist poster incidents, student organization Students4Justice drafted a petition to Schlissel in September with a list of demands. These demands included requests for Schlissel to declare solidarity with students of color, schedule more office hours and time for students to voice their concerns to the president directly, and to display a Black Lives Matter flag — as means of addressing the humanity of Black students. The petition was re-drafted in February after racist and anti-Semitic emails were sent out to University engineering and computer science students, and a prayer rug in the Shapiro reflection room was defiled. Though the University released official statementscondemning the incidents, Wall believes administrators need to take more aggressive action in punishing the perpetrators. “When those racist and antiSemitic emails went out, and students, outraged and scared, marched to President Schlissel’s front door, he asked what he should do, what the University should do, what we wanted him to do, about the situation,” Wall said. “But the fact of the matter is that his concern was a long time coming, because this was not a new situation. Each time the University has done nothing to protect its students from violence, racism and bigotry. They do two things: They are letting us
LSA SG From Page 1 “The idea with the healthy relationships dialogues is that the majority of sexual assaults that happen on campus happen to individuals from nondominant groups, and their stories usually don’t really get shared or spoken about,” he said. Following this resolution, a resolution to help fund the SAPAC Survivor Care Fund also passed. This fund is designed to help students who are victims of sexual assault by providing them with hotel rooms, new door locks in the case that the victim still lives with the perpetrator, and other necessities such as food and clothing. LSA SG has sponsored the Survivor Care Fund in the past.
Thursday, February 23, 2017 — 3
know we don’t matter, and they are making it clear to racists and fascists and bigots that they won’t face any repercussions for harming students.” Walls explained that one of the ways students can protect their rights, and the rights of vulnerable people on campus, is to protest — even if the University opposes their methods. She affirmed how powerful students can be when they come together. “Student strikes and protests are incredibly powerful,” she said. “I often think that we lose sight of the sheer amount of power we as the student body have when influencing what goes on here on campus, and also in the rest of the nation. Right now, we need to continue fighting for our most vulnerable peoples, especially undocumented students. We must also set the example for the University and the rest of the nation, and we cannot wait to only do so if the University gives us the OK to protest.” Other social groups have attempted to harness the power of student activism. In an October meeting in the Michigan Union, Students4Justice leader Vikrant Garg, a Public Health student, said the administration needs to acknowledge the large amount of emotional and physical labor student activists put into their work. He also explained how, through student activism, Students4Justice attained a space in the Union to organize and reflect after meeting with Schlissel. “We looked at the administration to be people who are receptive to student activism and student influences, and open to change,” Garg said. “There is a lot of unpaid emotional, physical and academic labor from students of color and other marginalized students on this campus — so this space that was created, was created in response to student activism on this campus and that has yet to be acknowledged by the administration.” To show their disappointment in the administration’s response to recent bias incidents, members of Students4Justice have called for more protests as well — the most recent being the Campus Day Silent Protest on Feb. 17. This event was coupled with the release of a document titled, “Letter to President Schlissel #SchlisselWYA,” which voiced the group’s dissatisfaction with Schlissel for not answering its demands or voicing solidarity with its cause. The group expressed frustration that Schlissel responded to a petition from supporters of President Donald Trump last fall who stated they did not feel safe on campus, but has not yet responded to their demands for a more inclusive campus. “When our demands were first presented to you over dinner, the demands were glossed over and forgotten,” the letter reads. “Interestingly enough, according to your post-election interview with NPR in Fall of 2016, you reached out to the students who supported President Donald Trump after a simple Google document, #NotMyCampus, was sent out. It is very frustrating as an activist to not be acknowledged despite the time we dedicate to change on this campus for marginalized groups, whereas it takes a single Google document for primarily white students with oppressive opinions to grasp your attention.” The letter also criticized
Schlissel’s lack of understanding regarding his role of power in the University, and accused him of relying completely on his Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion plan — released last October — to avoid discussions of race. “You need to understand your own identities and the power you have in creating a culture that is not oppressive for marginalized students,” the letter reads. “Instead, you lean on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan to prove your commitment to diversity.” The DEI plan was put into place with the goal of achieving a diverse and inclusive campus over the next five years, through initiatives including the increase of staff diversity, retention of under-privileged students and the assurance of equal compensation for all races, genders and identities. The overall plan comprises 49 unit plans created by all school, colleges and departments at the University. Two student panels consisting of 25 undergraduate and graduate students each convene every month to discuss new strategies and ideas with DEI leaders. Fitzgerald noted the plan was conceived as a sort of “ground-up initiative,” and students are still encouraged to voice their ideas and opinions to improve its quality. “The plan was intended from the very beginning to be one that is updated and evolved; it was never thought:‘Here’s the five year plan, follow that and we will see you in five years,’ ” he said. “Updates and adjustments along the way are expected, and student input is critically important to that effort.” In an interview earlier this month, Chief Diversity Officer Rob Sellers, vice provost for equity and inclusion, explained that though the plan can’t prevent individual hateful incidents on campus, it will, over a period of time, create a more inclusive environment. “We have a whole lot of incidents that are sparks, and these sparks are being thrown on a floor that is full of gasoline, and so these fires are raging,” he said. “(We) cannot prevent the sparks. What the DEI is trying to do is create an environment where those sparks do not lead to explosions and fires. The fact of the matter is it’s going to take a while before we see all of the changes.” Wall believes though the plan appears cohesive and proactive on the surface, it does not address how the University responds to bias incidents — one of the core concerns of groups such as BAMN and Students4Justice. “I think one of the main problems with the DEI plan is that it mainly outlines more ways in which the University will ‘look into’ racist and biased/bigoted events,” Wall said. “Many of the points highlight looking at numbers, doing surveys or opening more lines for people to report bigoted events. These things seem proactive on the surface, but the fact is the problem has never been the need for more accurate numbers, or the University not knowing about the issues that have been plaguing the campus; the problem has always been how the University responds to these incidents.” Wall explained the importance of ensuring students of color, LGBTQ students and immigrant students feel safe and a part of a diverse, inclusionary campus. “We cannot be indecisive or weak in our actions now, and it is absolutely the onus of the University to prove that these are values that it upholds,” she said.
Wednesday night, the body approved the continuation of allocating funds and a donation of $1,000. Rep. Allison Berry, an LSA sophomore, explained the importance of the resolutions toward SAPAC, specifically when providing necessities for those students who have experienced sexual assault or other forms of harassment. “I think that the meeting today really added a human component that we kind of missed when we’re sitting in this room just voting on a number,” she said. “Every penny has been spent from this fund every semester since they’ve had it, so there’s always a need, and if it’s there it will be spent.” Representatives also discussed a resolution to turn the current Transfer Student Initiatives Task Force into
a full committee to improve resources, and allow for a smoother integration for transfer students into the University of Michigan. LSA senior Reid Klootwyk said the task force currently works on a per-semester basis and because it is not a continuous project, is unable to fully provide resources necessary for transfer students. “The transfer student resolution would create a fully formed committee in LSA Student Government that will continue to last and make change for transfer students,” he said. “We’ve found that the projects that we’re working on, the momentum that we currently have, needs to continue on beyond a semester.” This specific resolution falls under the category of new business, and was tabled to be voted on next week.
Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4 — Thursday, February 23, 2017
GINA CHOE | COLUMN
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MAY KATE WINN | COLUMN
I
The climate change conspiracy?
spent this weekend skiing industrial centers. Wow, they in northern Michigan sure fell for that one! while basking in the warm China, though, isn’t the weather. Skiing with only country that the sun beating down has picked on the on my face as the scientific consensus. temperature hit the The European Union 50s would have been aims to spend at perfect if it hadn’t been least 20 percent of its February. It was still an budget through 2020 enjoyable experience, on protecting the don’t get me wrong, climate. Additionally, but the looming threat the EU, along with of global warming 192 states, signed intruded on my MARY KATE on to the Paris happiness. I grew up Climate Agreement, WINN in northern Michigan committing to and spent my childhood lowering global CO2 exploring the slopes. I started skiing emissions and mitigate the around the age of 3 and started effects of climate change. Those snowboarding and ski-racing schmucks! Oh, wait, no, the United around the age of 12. These hills States is one of the signatories. Mr. defined my youth, and I couldn’t Trump has said he would cancel help but fear my kids would never the climate deal, a commitment be able to have that experience. that brought him sharp criticism This might seem overly from 375 scientists, including 30 dramatic or, if you don’t believe Nobel Prize winners. Those hacks? in climate change, absolutely But even when not considered ridiculous. Publications like to be a conspiratorial hoax, Breitbart, after all, will have you climate change is often considered believe that the warming of the an issue at odds with U.S. economic earth’s climate can be disproved interests. The narrative goes that, by lower temperatures in parts yes, climate change is happening, of the world. Breitbart also but fighting climate change would claims that climate change is a put the United States at an economic hoax against taxpayers. These disadvantage, so the environment views aren’t exclusive to far- must be put on the back burner right publications, however. A for now. But with so many other study published in the journal, countries making substantial Public Understanding of Science, investments in sustainable energy, shows that the more Americans is refusing to address the need for use conservative media, like Fox renewable resources really the best News, the less they trust scientists course of action for our country? Is and the less certain they are that Trump’s promise to “put the coal global warming is happening. country back to work” a practical Our very own president once economic strategy? tweeted, “The concept of global If I had to guess, clinging to warming was created by and for the past and burying our heads the Chinese in order to make U.S. in the sand probably isn’t the manufacturing non-competitive.” best way to promote economic Well, if China fabricated growth and stay economically climate change, it sure is putting competitive as a country. It’s time its money where its mouth to embrace that economic growth is. China’s National Energy and environmental sustainability Administration announced plans are not diametrically opposed. to spend $361 billion on renewable Sustainable energy is the future, power sources through 2020. and pretending otherwise might China is also halfway through be profitable in the short term. a plan to spend $88 billion on In the long run, though, failing ultra-high-voltage direct-current to invest in sustainable energy connectors to stabilize their and fight against climate change energy supply and better supply will bring about self-inflicted renewable energy to cities and economic hardship. Instead of
JOE IOVINO | CONTACT JOE AT JIOVINO@UMICH.EDU
maintaining an oil pipeline that is corroding, losing coating and putting Michigan’s water and shorelines in danger, Michigan should invest in energy sources that don’t threaten our tourism industry and natural beauty. This shouldn’t be controversial or partisan: it’s common sense and it’s in all of our best interests. So, if melting snow and childhoods without skiing don’t tug on your heartstrings enough, consider the economic argument for embracing the industries of the future. And if that’s not enough for you, consider the rising sea levels due to ice melting. Florida might be one of the more bizarre states, but it would be a bit of a bummer if it was entirely submerged in water. With all this pressing need for progress, though, our country seems to be moving backward. Last Friday, Scott Pruitt was confirmed to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, despite the fact that he has built a career of suing the EPA to block its environmental regulations. Pruitt has acknowledged the existence of human-caused climate change, but his past suggests that he would do little to prevent the consequences of climate change. He claims his fights against the EPA are merely against government overreach. But if the head of the EPA doesn’t think the government should fight climate change, who will be able to take up the fight to preserve our country and our prosperity? We might be about to find out. The day after Pruitt’s confirmation, hundreds gathered in Ann Arbor to march for climate change action in the Citizens’ Climate Rally. On April 29, the People’s Climate Movement will bring people to march for the cause in Washington D.C. and around the country. These marchers aren’t just tree-hugging hippies whom we can afford to ignore — they are scientists, advocates and, ultimately, people who care about our Earth, our economy and our future. We
Mary Kate Winn can be reached at winnm@umich.edu.
Never be speechless
“S
o… what do you do?” In fact, a study from Princeton I get asked this question University finds that stories everywhere I go. It is synchronize our brains — the same the first thing on brain regions activate the agenda when in both the speaker meeting new people, and listener when we whether it’s your tell a story. Stories neighbors at a garage are powerful and sale or recruiters at memorable because an event. Answering we can relate to them. this question is tricky. Here’s how Though no one says Whittaker put it so directly, it is storytelling into likely that people will practice. Whittaker GINA scrutinize and judge met Bill Gates for CHOE your response. This the first time at a question carries so much weight conference full of overachievers. that it is even considered the Desperate to get a moment life’s most dangerous question, with Gates, a guy from Cornell according to The Minimalists. boasted about his expertise in So, how do we get it right? How machine-learning and another can we fascinate people in just a guy from Stanford talked big about few seconds? computer vision. But their rhetoric I never knew how to respond worked against them. Whittaker but I always knew how not to. I’ve examined their interactions only realized that most people have to find that Gates was bored out of a limited way of answering this his mind. question. If you observe closely, So what did Whittaker do people sound like a recorded differently so that one of the resume. Press “play” and they will world’s most influential people spew out their job titles and all their held on to his hand and didn’t projects and accomplishments. let go? They assume that being impressive “Mr. Gates, I test software, means talking technical. But no because a computer on every one likes a robot. If you bombard desk and in every home that people with details, you lose them. doesn’t work is no contribution When it comes to the topic to humanity, sir,” Whittaker said. of effective speaking, there are How brilliant. Not only did he tell countless self-help books and a story, he actually used Gates’s YouTube videos on how to become own story to connect with him. more charismatic and how to “A computer on every desk and be more memorable. Some are in every home” was Microsoft’s convinced that we must maintain motto at the time. eye contact and talk slowly; others So if we love stories, why don’t maintain that we must turn we tell more of them? It is because anxiety into excitement. This we tend to dismiss small talk as an is all great advice — but there’s opportunity to connect. Yes, we’ve one other factor that is often all been there. The uncomfortable overlooked. My own view is that of silences in elevators and waiting James Whittaker, a distinguished rooms, taking out cell phones to engineer from Microsoft: that avoid eye contact. storytelling is, in fact, the secret to Talking to strangers is turning this dreadful question into uncomfortable. As Laurie Helgoe, a moment of fascination. author of “Introvert Power: Why
Your Inner Life is Your Hidden Strength,” writes in her book, “We hate small talk because we hate the barrier it creates between people.” Small talk is also often looked down upon. A friend wrote in my high school yearbook, “Small talk is for small people, and that stuff is not for you.” In making this comment, he meant that I’m a big and imaginative person who shouldn’t settle for less. But what he also implied here is that small talk is insignificant. But here’s what people may overlook: All conversations and relationships do start small, and taking these moments to share stories is where fascinating and boring people differ. By no means am I suggesting you to be someone you’re not. You don’t have to change who you are. In fact, “You have to become more of who you are,” says Sally Hogshead, creator of Fascination Personality test. We are all born fascinating — we just have to unlearn how to be boring. Break out of your scripted responses. Break out of your already prepared conversations. Start out your next presentation with a story. Remind people in the elevator about the first time you got stuck in one. Ask the person standing next to you in Starbucks line what their favorite drink is and why. People want to connect. And who knows? From these interactions, you might capture someone’s attention who could be your next employer, best friend or even the love of your life. (I certainly did.) So, what do you do? Well I eat, I work out (occasionally) and I type really loudly on keyboards. And I also write stories about how people can become more fascinating. What is your story?
Gina Choe can be reached at ginachoe@umich.edu.
MICHIGAN IN COLOR
Let’s abandon the word “Gotcha” for the ones that got abandoned
ADAM BRODNAX
D
isclaimer: As an adoptee, I consider the family I live with in America as my family and I consider my biological Vietnamese family as my birth family. “Gotcha Day” has been a day that has been met with warmth and love from my parents. It’s a day that is celebrated when adopted parents finally get their adopted child. I was six months old when I was got from Thai Binh, Vietnam. My name before then was Nguyen Đai Duong. I was got on Feb. 9 and not too long after, my name would be Adam Yeager Brodnax. Why is “gotcha” so cringeworthy? Articulating the word gotcha feels like I’m on my iPhone with “Pokemon Go” opened as I frantically flick my finger across the screen trying to catch a Snorlax. My typical uses of the word “gotcha” are when I’m on my tippy toes reaching for a glass on the top shelf, or when I catch a firefly flickering in my aunt’s backyard. The nomenclature of this day is problematic in itself. Margaret Schwartz suggested the day, “International Gotcha Day,” in 2005 in her book “The Pumpkin Patch: A Single Woman’s International Adoption Journey.” Though with good sentiment, the name “Gotcha Day” celebrates the beginnings of a family that is ultimately insensitive toward the circumstances of many children who are involuntarily taken from their ancestral threads as a door closes behind them. The word, “gotcha,” has multiple definitions, synonyms and connotations that don’t encompass what being adopted means to me. The online Oxford Dictionary defines “gotcha” as “a sudden unforeseen problem.” Merriam-Webster defines “gotcha” as “an unexpected usually disconcerting challenge, revelation, or catch.” So using the term “gotcha” to celebrate the adoption of a child seems a bit off, right? It is not so simple to reduce the trying process of
adoption to the word “gotcha.” It requires extensive paperwork for the adopting family that can take a while to get through all while another family is going through the process of giving up one of their own. When can you last remember celebrating a loved one or being at a wedding where a spouse celebrated their significant other with “I gotcha?” The flipside With adoption, there are two distinct worlds that only ever collide in one singular body. My birth family never met my adopted family. This makes me the physical and emotional embodiment that bridges these two worlds together. To one world, the joy that accompanies the addition of a child should be celebrated. It’s a beginning — that part is unequivocally true. The struggles and tribulations of legally adopting are a burden. The relief of that burden comes in the form of the child finally arriving. The joy and happiness that was brought to my parents is something that should be acknowledged, because they put their hearts into ensuring I grew up happy and healthy. Yet, what is so often forgotten is that what’s left behind is a mother wondering where in the hell her kid landed. The joy of the legal addition to a new family comes at the expense of plucking a child away from a pair of arms — the emotional abandonment of one of her own. While there are many reasons a family may give up their child, I cannot move myself to imagine that my birth family’s decision to give me away came without pain. So let’s abandon the word “gotcha” The process of deciding that you can’t afford another life cannot be trivial. People are so easily reduced to dollar signs. For my American parents, they had to pay fees and services to legally adopt me. My birth family had to decide financially that they couldn’t afford me. This cold, inhumane concept of commodification envelopes me with willowing pain and unsettling frustration. Child adoption is not PetSmart — you do not walk in, pick me off the shelf, slap a barcode on my body
and check-out. You do not got me. In a process filled with so many conflicting emotions, we should not reduce the summation of the adoption process to a word as predatory and as acquisitional as “gotcha.” This is a day filled with gratitude, regret, love, longing, heartache and dissonance. “Gotcha Day” is a day where I am filled with so many questions for my birth family surrounding my adoption. Why was I given up? Do I look like any of my siblings? Are they healthy? Are my parents still alive? I have no photos of my birth family, so for me, I struggle to imagine what my life could have been. I don’t know if I look more like my dad or my mom, and that’s something that hollows my heart. But, adoption should be a time of elation for these new moms and new fathers. It’s the beginnings of a family that couldn’t have existed without tribulation. We rightfully should celebrate it, but we should be conscious of the pain. We must be mindful that the feeling of abandonment, at whatever age, is breaking. Whatever bond that child had developed with their birth parents is ripped away slowly and at the price of their shaky readiness to let go. This day, which is filled with polarizing emotions, must acknowledge just that. It must encompass the weight of the birth family’s loss while relishing in the elation of the family who just welcomed their new child. To the critics who will not validate my pain for this day without a solution, I will give you a solution. Of the many proposals out there, the one that resonates most is “Family Day” because it considers both families. This name includes both the Brodnax family and it includes the Duong family and recognizes my belonging to both. It is inclusive to the two strings of yarn that have been woven through generation after generation into the infused thread I am today.
Adam Brodnax is a senior editor for Michigan in Color.
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
FOOD COLUMN
FILM REVIEW
Serving up more than just food
WARNER BROS.
‘Fist Fight’ falls short Despite a star-studded cast, Warner Bros. latest film disappoints Norris (“Breaking Bad”) and Christina Hendricks (“Mad Daily Arts Wrtier Men”). This is an insane cast, and to “Fist Fight” is a movie about their credit, they all do great two teachers who go ahead work. Day acquits himself and fight each other because quite well as the straight that is something you wouldn’t man of the movie, though the expect two teachers to do. And manic energy that has made if there is one thing that “Fist him the fan favorite character Fight” thinks is funny, it’s of “Sunny” inevitably shines teachers doing things teachers through. Ice Cube plays the wouldn’t normally do. kind of “angry guy” role that “Look, that he could do in teacher does his sleep by “Fist Fight” drugs!” “Look, this point in that teacher his career, but Rave Cinemas, swears a lot!” he does it well Goodrich Quality 16 “Look, that enough that teacher is a it’s hard to get Warner Bros. potentially too upset over. psychotic killer!” Arguably the “Look, that teacher is Ice biggest surprise in the cast is Cube!” This list represents a Norris, who portrays the high comprehensive compilation of school’s put-upon principal, every single joke in the entire who seems like he is growing hour and thirty-one-minute closer and closer to losing his ordeal that is “Fist Fight.” mind as the story wears on. While jokes like these are Like much of the cast, it’s a bit occasionally funny, it’s not role, but Norris makes it one of the kind of humor on which the more memorable parts of to base an entire feature the movie. film. It’s a running joke, a Still, with a cast this good, bit. Ultimately, “Fist Fight” there should be material is just like the jokes it tells; worthy of that talent, and sometimes it’ll get a laugh, but there is little to none to be for the most part, it feels like found in “Fist Fight.” Apart a one-note sitcom episode that from the absolute dearth of lasts ninety minutes instead of any sort of wit—former Funny twenty. or Die writers Van Robichaux “Fist Fight” is doubly and Evan Susser fill the disappointing considering the movie with as many F-bombs comedic pedigree of its cast. as possible and erroneously Charlie Day, the breakout star believe that counts as of FXX’s terrific “It’s Always comedy—the film features Sunny in Philadelphia,” stars, the bane of modern R-rated squaring off against Ice Cube, comedies: the shoehorned in who has turned in scene- emotional B-story. stealing comedic work in the You know the one where the “Jump Street” movies. The main character has to learn two are backed up by Tracy the value of friendship or the Morgan (“30 Rock”), Jillian main character has to learn to Bell (“22 Jump Street”), and believe in himself or the main Kumail Nanjiani (“Silicon character has to be a better Valley”), as well as dramatic employee. It’s the storyline performers like Dean where large swaths of people JEREMIAH VANDERHELM
Thursday, February 23, 2017 — 5
leave the theater to refill their popcorn or go to the bathroom because they know there will be nothing funny for the next five minutes. Here, “Fist Fight” proves to be the most economical kind of movie, as it crams three of these into itself for the price of one. Day’s character has to learn to be a better father and he has to learn to stand
“Fist Fight” is doubly disappointing considering the comedic pedigree of its cast up for himself and he has to worry about his job. Not only do these function as a way to give the plot some illusion of stake, but it gives the writers a way to espouse the message of the film as much as possible: words matter. And that is where “Fist Fight” falls shortest of all, because while it all but breaks the fourth wall to get its meaning across, everything that happen within the movie contradicts it. Words matter, but nothing the characters do has any consequences. Words matter, but do whatever you want, it’ll turn out okay. Words matter, just not our words. It is hypocritical in a way that is almost inspiring. If it felt like anyone but the cast had put any effort into it, “Fist Fight” might be salvageable, but it can’t escape its own idiotic duplicity and boring humor.
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As with most businesses, all trends and movements are restaurants possess the rooted in culinary practices, ability to impact social and however. political change. Whether it’s Recently, many restaurants by choosing to source their took it upon themselves to produce from local farmers support their local communities or by taking a stand on recent by championing immigrant anti-immigrant policies, the workers — who make up over way restaurant owners choose a quarter of the industry — to run their establishments has and closing their doors on far-reaching effects on their Thursday, February 16th in “A communities and beyond. Day Without Immigrants.” The In a recent profile, Detroit national movement, sparked chef Kate Williams made clear by President Donald Trump’s her awareness of the cultural recent, highly controversial currency chefs and restaurants anti-immigrant policies, carry in driving food and dining sought to defend immigrants, trends across the country. This who form the backbone of the awareness motivates her use of restaurant industry. whole animal preservation and In January, Sanctuary local produce from Detroit’s Restaurants was founded urban farmers. In doing so, she to protect employers and hopes to infuse the national workers from becoming the discourse surrounding targets of hate or harassment culinary trends and food by educating them on their consumption with rights and calling her propensity for on consumers to sustainability and increase their reducing food waste. awareness. The Among the organization’s increasing maxim is the belief movements that, “There’s a aimed at boosting place at the table sustainability and for everyone.” Over reducing waste is 280 restaurants have the farm-to-table already joined the SHIR movement — a movement, including trend that began Arbor’s AVINADAV Ann in the early 1970 ’s Zingerman’s Deli. and entered mainstream food The movement seeks to create culture a little over a decade inclusive dining environments ago. The movement benefits and hold restaurant owners, not only the environment and workers and consumers the economy but also improves responsible for fostering safe and sustains the nation’s spaces and responding to the physical health. Williams is racism and discrimination that among an increasing number have permeated the national of chefs and restaurants that discourse surrounding have taken to the movement. In immigrants. This type of addition to reducing business response uses the particular costs for restaurant owners, position of restaurants in their it helps local farmers and community and the economy creates jobs — a key advantage to make a political statement for cities like Detroit, that are and to advance social change recovering from economic on a scale that extends far hardship. beyond their respective local This movement, and many environments. others, are sparked by the On a small-scale level, actions of individual chefs. restaurants serve a valuable Their unique tastes and role as cultural hubs, bringing practices have the power to together members of their shape how food is made and communities and individuals consumed in our country. Not from outside to share in
unifying, common experiences. They exhibit a range of diverse cultural practices that introducer patrons to philosophies and practices they might not experience elsewhere. a fundamental and necessary aspect of communities across the nation. As cultural mainstays, restaurants are positioned to take the kind of stance that Sanctuary Restaurants and other movements advocate for to mobilize real change. Restaurants play a vital role in their local business communities. Whether a holein-the wall local joint, a small time food truck, or a highend dining spot, restaurants are pillars of their local communities and the nation’s overarching economic and cultural ecosystem. Drawing crowds from all over the world, they possess the ability to aggregate numerous and varied constituencies. Even on a small scale, the way restaurant owners choose to present their businesses is ref lective of attitudes of inclusion and social consciousness. In her interview, Williams expressed her desire to make her restaurant approachable to all, particularly to those deterred from certain price points. Be it simplified decor or a more affordable menu, this form of cultural and economic awareness strives to make dining a more equitable environment. Though instability is common within the industry, with restaurants shuttering and failing to launch regularly, those with staying power have a profound impact on their communities and a clear expression of their unique cultural voice within the culinary landscape. It’s these kinds of establishments and culturally-savvy owners that create enduring spaces and practices that shape their communities in the long run and that ultimately shape who we are as consumers.
SINGLE REVIEW
POLYDOR
It’s not a surprise that Lana del Rey’s newest single is about love. But instead of gravitating towards the sensual, melancholy-heavy sound of 2013’s Born To Die, “Love” is delicately suffused with nostalgia and sweeter, more tender emotions. Lana swaps out the chorusing violins that featured prominently in both “Born to Die” and “Dark Paradise,” replacing them with a steady, gently bobbing beat and airy, rustling background noises, which emphasize the unhurried tone and dreamy atmosphere of the track. Wispy, ethereal electronics further add to the softness of the song overall. Like most of her work, “Love” has a distinctly cinematic sound to it; it’s easy to picture it playing over a scene from the 2013 film adaption of “The Great
Gatsby,” which featured her “Young and Beautiful.” Something about the effortless breathiness of her voice as she reaches for higher timbres and the candid, buoyant innocence of the lyrics (“It doesn’t matter if I’m not enough / For the future or the things to come / ‘Cause I’m young and in love”) perfectly captures the essence of young love. Even if the
“Love” Lana del Rey Polydor listener hasn’t experienced it, “Love” encourages imagination, nudging us to let loose and take advantage of the possibilities available to us while we still can. But “Love” isn’t merely about the freedom and naivete of the emotion;
it’s also a song of admiration for those who are still able to experience love’s carefree nature. “Look at you kids with your vintage music / Comin’ through satellites while cruisin’ / You’re part of the past, but now you’re the future,” Lana coos in the first stanza, a hint of motherly pride unmistakable in her voice. Even as the piece builds into a sweeping crescendo, it never loses any of the lush luminosity that keeps it fresh. At its most intense, the song glides with a sugary, carefree melodiousness — but at every end it’s purposed.
— SAMANTHA LU
Read more at MichiganDaily.com
Arts
6 — Thursday, February 23, 2017
MUSIC REVIEW
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
TV REVIEW
NETFLIX COURTESY OF PASSION PIT
‘Chef’ enters third season Passion Pit’s curveball shots, raucously overbearing classical scores, heartfelt Senior Arts Editor testimonials from “food scholars” — it’s all still there, I fucking love watching and it’s all still eye-rollingly other people’s food. Other pretentious, depending on who people making it, other people you ask. But as pure sensory eating it, Gordon Ramsay experience, “Chef’s Table” is throwing it across the kitchen unmatched, inimitable. Even — whatever I’m watching, I’m in its third season (“Chef’s here for it. There’s something Table: France” is technically elemental, visceral, almost considered a spin-off ), creator primal about a David Gelb’s “Chef’s Table” high-definition (“Jiro Dreams camera capturing of Sushi”) series Netflix a knife midstirs something chiffonade, or in the soul, some Episodes 1-3 the crackling deeply buried sear of a steak desire to create. laid down (away from you) It’s enough to suck you deep into a hot skillet, or even the into your 13-inch Macbook professionally trained hand Pro’s full screen, only to be trivially beating a few eggs in taken out moments later by a glass bowl. earnestly delivered lines like: At this point, though, the “Soy sauce is eternal. It is life current wave of “food porn” itself.” programming is the easiest Of course, none of these possible target for satire. profiled chefs are particularly (It’s a wonder it took so long accessible for the average for “Documentary Now!” to Netf lix consumer. Jeong produce its famous “Juan Likes Kwan, profiled in the third Rice and Chicken” episode.) season premiere, is a Buddhist Indeed, some of the videos nun at a hermitage in South you can find on YouTube Korea whose life’s purpose, of celebrity chefs veer into it seems, is to cook “temple outright self-parody. But food;” the second episode whatever the current cultural focuses on Vladimir Mukhin, backlash to foodie culture is a Russian chef whose Moscow — and, believe me, I’m here restaurant White Rabbit is at for that, too — “Chef’s Table” the vanguard of the country’s remains a staunchly engaging culinary renaissance; the program, often interested less famous and highly inf luential in actual content than a purely Nancy Silverton is featured, aesthetic overwhelming of the too, with particular focus senses. given to her borderline manic And how overwhelming it is! obsession with bread. Artful lighting, slow-motion But the show’s new season NABEEL CHOLLAMPAT
perfect.” On instrumental “Inner Dialogue,” the band Daily Arts Writer plays with a vibrant array of sounds, the melody focusing It’s been almost two years on shrill synth and punctuated since the ever-changing, with otherworldly bass largely mysterious Passion Pit undertones, pushing the band released their widely acclaimed toward the highly produced third album Kindred. Besides end of their talents. With this a recent solo new music, we Christmas album find Passion Pit Misc. single release from frontman spanning familiar Passion Pit Michael atmospheres Angelakos, the from their Self-released band has been previous mostly silent. releases, while Over the past few days, the still pushing their sound band slowly, unexpectedly put slightly further. six tracks out through YouTube The most profound quality — utilizing the channel for of Passion Pit’s music is the Angelakos’s new company The cohesion of their albums. Each Wishart Group. According to offers a distinct vibe and subtle their new Twitter “moment,” motif that drive the record the band seems primed for their from front to back, a streak that newest release, Tremendous started with Angelakos’s first Sea of Love. EP Chunk of Change. There’s From these tracks, Passion the explosive pop of Manners Pit’s brand of indie-pop is as and the hazy undertones stunning as ever. The six songs of Gossamer, each of which traverse unique soundscapes, display strong differentiation some instrumental and between records. That being some brightly painted with said, this collection — if it can Angelakos’s beautiful falsetto. even be called a collection — The band tones down lacks the usual assuredness their sound with “You Have once granted by their the Right” — reminiscent of enigmatic nature. All we have “Dancing on the Grave” and left is the mantra on “Hey K”: “Constant Conversations” “Love is the answer and the from previous albums — but one design / such a simple they pick the tempo back up design, holy architecture.” It’s to their usual brand on “I’m also newly added to the band’s Perfect,” with the resounding Twitter bio. chorus, “Tell me I’m so damn Angelakos’s increased DOMINIC POLSINELLI
Classifieds
social media presence shows his disdain for pervasive capitalism in the music industry (especially in regard to large festivals) and hints at a rebranding on his part and the band’s. They want to change the way music is available to fans. Two days ago, Angelakos tweeted from the band’s account: “artist randomly calls out promoter regarding an injustice. promoter spews bs as a ‘statement’ framing artist as liar. artist rolls eyes.” He followed that up with a stream of tweets about lack of artist autonomy in the music industry. In his sarcasm and indignation, it seems the band purposefully avoided capitalistic involvement in the crafty delivery of the new tunes coupled into a Twitter moment. This cryptic activity begs one question — what does the band have planned? With a sampling of new music and social media activism, but few concrete details on their future, we’re left in anticipation. What is the meaning behind Tremendous Sea of Love? If Angelakos’s online statements are any indication, he has some big plans up his sleeve: “Artists are powerful, they’re taught the opposite. this is going to be an interesting few years. support artists and watch what happens.”
Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
RELEASE DATE– Thursday, February 23, 2017
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
should be commended, if not for a diversity of pricing, then for a wider scope of global cuisines. Kwan’s manipulation of ingredients is utterly fascinating and beautifully rendered, and all the more impressive considering her diet eschews all meat and dairy. Mukhin’s episode doubles as an illuminating bit of cultural anthropology, as his growth as a chef is intertwined with a modern history of Soviet Russia and some of its lesser known effects. Yet these narratives ultimately play second fiddle to what is, at a base level, “Chef’s Table” ’s peerless visual mastery. Blessed with Netf lix’s generously high production values, Gelb has perfected the art form—and, truly, food television deserves its own categorization now. What seemed fresh and energizing in “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” has come to the logical end of its aesthetic evolution: The way we capture food on screen has been irrevocably altered, and for the better. It’s a niche and somewhat culturally elitist sphere, to be sure, but taken solely at its artful merits, “Chef’s Table” has become the paragon of America’s obsession with food. One can quibble, as I often do, that other programs provide a more enriching experience (see: Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown”), but for what it is and what it has become, “Chef’s Table” is without an equal.
FASHION WEEK REVIEW
SUMMER EMPLOYMENT
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Oldest U.S. capital 8 Spade creator 15 Melodic movements 16 Ancient region now part of France 17 Is serious 18 Impulse conductors 19 Much toothpaste 20 U.S. neighbor 21 “Picnic” dramatist 22 Letter between November and Papa 25 Singer’s warm-up syllables 26 Indy-winning family name 27 Swears by 29 66, e.g.: Abbr. 30 Metaphor for jobs 31 Lav, in London 32 Singer Kitt 36 “... __ quit!” 37 Kind of bath 39 “Just like that!” 40 Sign-off words 42 Director Lupino 43 Corny state? 44 MSN, for one 45 “I’m good” 47 Jazzy Jones 50 Miracle Mets manager Hodges 51 Frozen fruitflavored drinks 52 Slanted piece 53 Sounds at spas 54 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee 55 Enchant 57 Blog comment format usually interpreted as the word spelled by eight aptly circled puzzle letters 61 Norse explorer 62 Daughter of Agamemnon 63 End of a baseball game, usually 64 Like siblings DOWN 1 __ Adams 2 “Who __ you kidding?” 3 Actress Vardalos 4 Polynesian archipelago natives
5 State as fact 6 Impede, as a plot 7 Guinness suffix 8 __ Her Way 9 “A Clockwork Orange” narrator 10 2015 Big Ten champs: Abbr. 11 Siren’s victim 12 Waist-length jackets 13 Faint trace 14 Trademarked weapon 20 One-piece beachwear 22 Former #1 golfer Lorena who hosts an annual Guadalajara LPGA event 23 Heads up 24 Adorable one 25 Screen __ 26 Four Corners state 28 Openly enjoy, as soup 29 Convened again 33 Rib eye alternative 34 Ethan of “Boyhood” 35 Gather up
37 John who composed the “NBA on NBC” theme song 38 Much-followed star 41 Gorge crosser 43 Former Chrysler head 46 Early Jewish scholar 47 116-year-old prize
48 Philip Glass’ “Einstein on the Beach,” e.g. 49 Kelly’s ex-partner 50 Belgian treaty city 53 Jesus of baseball 54 She, in Cherbourg 56 Bar opening? 57 __ Lingus 58 DIRECTV parent 59 Ante- kin 60 Bummed out
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What praise can I award Alessandro Michele, Creative Director of Gucci, that has not already already been given? The label’s FW 2017 collection, The Alchemist Garden, features a medley of characteristically flamboyant pieces for both women and men (Michele would probably scoff if he read this; genderbased clothing is so Tom Fordera). But this time around, something new arose among the feathers and florals: Gucci found its political voice in the argument that our world is reverting to its occasionally romantic, though generally problematic, roots. From the minute this season’s invitations leaked, it was evident that Gucci had something especially intense up its sleeve. Guests were summoned via fullyfunctioning vinyl records whose covers read, “What are
we going to do with all this future?” in the trademark trembly lettering of artist Coco Capitán. Should they find the nerve to place it on a turntable, those lucky few would hear musician Florence Welch reciting the works of William Blake, followed by an excerpt of Jane Austen’s Persuasion read by rapper A$AP Rocky. The invites’ juxtaposition of the old-fashioned with the contemporary functioned as a preliminary warning to showgoers, reminding them that no matter how far we advance, history is bound to repeat itself. I cannot forget myself: A fashion show, particularly a Gucci fashion show, is about the clothes. This time around, models paraded through a glass tube donning the typical pattern clashes along with a spray of logo-heavy accessories (Gucci sweatband, anyone?). Futuristic mesh masks, ’80s pop star sunnies and nostalgic knit earflap hats reinforced the collision of the past and future.
All appeared well and good and apolitical until model number 69 strode down the runway, sporting a cut-up vintage tee featuring some incoherent combination of words written Capitán’s shaky script. A similar shirt reappeared several looks later, this time clearly donning the phrase: “Common sense is not that common.” The remainder of the collection went about business as usual, but one could not view it without wondering about that second tee. Of the 120 luxurious looks Michele sent down the runway, what will be remembered most are the invitation and one tattered, defaced scrap of cotton, an artifact inscribed with modern wisdom. This season, Gucci pleased its regulars, while unabashedly diving into new, yet necessary, territory. “Can’t repeat the past?” Alessandro chuckles from the indoor greenhouse of his Milan penthouse, “Why of course you can!”
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Thursday, February 23, 2017 — 7A
Wolverines to host Nebraska on Senior Night Michigan will play its final home game of the season against the Cornhuskers at Crisler Center on Thursday night SYLVANNA GROSS Daily Sports Editor
Four years ago, guards Siera Thompson and Danielle Williams were new to the No. 25 Michigan women’s basketball team. Now, in their final regular season game, the two seniors will be honored before the contest in the Nebraska at midst of the Michigan Wolverines’ best season Matchup: since they Michigan 10-4 Big Ten, 21-7 arrived in overall; Illinois Ann Arbor. 2-12, 6-20 Michigan (10-4 When: Big Ten, 21-7 Thursday overall) will 7 P.M. ET face off against Where: Crisler Nebraska Center (2-12, 6-20) on Thursday TV/Radio: night at Crisler BTN Plus Center, where the Wolverines have lost only once all season to Michigan State on Feb. 19. “Our league is incredibly difficult,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico on WTKA. “And our last two games back to back, we played Indiana and Michigan State — who were preseason picked to finish third in our league. We knew they were a great team. Michigan State had beaten Ohio State earlier in the season by 20, Ohio State went and beat Maryland last night, who only had one loss to (Connecticut) on the year. “So I think we played against some quality opponents and it was a great test for us, preparing us to finish out our last few games in the regular season and head on into the Big Ten Tournament.” This senior class is special
to Barnes Arico as it is her first recruiting class to graduate from Michigan. Thompson has appeared in 136 games in her career, starting 128. She is currently second in program history for minutes played in her career, totaling 4,453 — just 105 behind first place. Thompson is also currently second in career 3-pointers (232), second in assists (515) and 10th in all-time scoring (1,386). Williams, meanwhile, has played in 112 games, starting just 43 and averaging 1.5 points per game in 12.7 minutes. While the statistics may not show it, she is considered a backbone of the program, serving as co-captain with Thompson for the past two seasons. As a team, the Wolverines reached 10 wins in the Big Ten for the first time under Barnes Arico. The school record for most conference wins is 13, impossible for Michigan to surpass as it has just two more games left in the regular season. However, Michigan could still take third place in the Big Ten Tournament with only one more win, and has a chance to finish third or better within the conference for just the fourth time ever. “It’s definitely an advantage and we haven’t been in that position, I don’t believe, since I’ve been here,” Barnes Arico said on WTKA. “I think the biggest advantage of it, is that your kids get an extra day of rest, which at this point in the year — we had our bye week really early in the season — so there is a bunch of teams coming off of bye weeks late. … I think us getting that double bye would really give our team an extra day of rest, as well as
CLAIRE MEINGAST/Daily
Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico will see the two members of her first recruiting class play in their final game at Crisler Center on Thursday night.
the coaches and the team an extra day to prepare. And we are at our best when we have that time to prepare for our opponent and really lock in and really focus.” The Wolverines stayed in the Associated Press poll this week, marking their third-straight week and the fifth appearance under Barnes Arico. The USA Today Coaches Poll ranked Michigan 24th. Junior guard Katelynn Flaherty has helped her team get to this point, averaging 19.7 points per game on 44.3 percent shooting to date. She currently boasts 1,826 total points to rank second in all-time scoring at
Michigan, and is just roughly over 200 away from knocking Diane Dietz out of first place. The Cornhuskers only have one player hitting double-digits on average in forward Jessica Shepard with 18.4 points. Altogether, Nebraska averages 62.1 points a game and allows 75.9 points per game. Still, Barnes Arico has stressed that Michigan can’t take the matchup lightly.
“That’s the thing with the bottom of our league,” Barnes Arico said on WTKA. “Those teams are continuing to play extremely hard, and those teams have some great players on them. Nebraska is led by Jess Shepard, who is an All-America candidate. And they’re still playing. … Wisconsin and Nebraska had wins this week. You want to talk about kind of a letdown — as well as Indiana played against
“Those teams are continuing to play extremely hard”
us … they looked nothing like the team we played, and Nebraska went and beat them. “Nebraska is coming off a great win against Indiana, and they will be fired up when they come into our place. And I think our kids know, by playing Wisconsin late, that teams in the league are still fighting even if they’re down at the bottom of the league, and we need to be prepared. … We did a great job against them the first time at their place, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not a much-improved team and they will come in fired up for an opportunity to play a ranked opponent.”
Michigan still winless after loss to the Fighting Irish The Wolverines are doomed by penalties, outscored 7-2 in second half in 12-5 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday TIEN LE
For the Daily
After five minutes of relentless attack to begin the game, No. 8 Notre Dame scored two consecutive goals in the next two minutes to take an early 2-0 lead. Senior attacker Tess Korten, however, quickly answered for the Michigan women’s lacrosse team. She served as the playmaker for the Wolverines, creating more open shots for her teammates. Still trailing by one, Michigan again found help from one of its seniors, Allie Breitfeller. The attacker caught a pass from Korten while cutting right and took a turnaround shot within the arc for her first goal of the season. Her goal tied the game at 2-2, shifting the momentum in favor of the Wolverines. Using the momentum to its advantage, the Wolverines played grittier defense, drawing four fouls and two turnovers within six minutes. The defense caused key plays that allowed a free position attempt for Michigan. Senior midfielder Anna Schueler assisted fellow senior attacker Jess Angerman off the attempt for the first lead of the game, 3-2. But despite the play of their seniors, Michigan (0-4) ultimately fell to Notre Dame (4-1), 12-5, in Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines’ run came to a halt as Notre Dame called the first timeout of the game. Unable to deal with the adjustments from the timeout, such as double teams on Korten, Michigan entered the second half down by two after the Fighting Irish answered with a 3-0 run of their own. “There were a couple of timeout calls from both ways, and that’s kind of just how lacrosse goes,” Breitfeller said. “There’s ebbs and flows, people will go on runs, and there are big stops. I think it just comes down to us when there is a really big stop on defense. We need to come back and finish on attack.”
Coming out from halftime, Schueler scored her first goal of the game from an assist by Korten. Cutting the lead down to one, Michigan switched to a more aggressive defense. Despite the Wolverines’ increased focus, Notre Dame outscored Michigan seven to two in the second half, with Schueler scoring both goals for the Wolverines. It marked the third consecutive game that Schueler has led the team in scoring. Michigan’s second-half struggles began with foul trouble. Though they were an issue for both teams in the first half — with Notre Dame and Michigan committing 18 and 14, respectively
— Notre Dame improved while the Wolverines remained the same, committing 12 in the second half. The fouls Michigan gave up led to five free-position attempts. Fortunately for the Wolverines, the Fighting Irish converted only one of their five attempts, in part due to the efforts of redshirt freshman goaltender Alli Kothari. Making her second career start, Kothari recorded a careerhigh nine saves. Despite six of the nine saves coming in the second half, Michigan failed to take advantage of her performance in the cage. “For us, this was a great game and great learning experience from the sense that we’re really
“We had opportunities to get back in the game”
learning how to play 60 minutes,” said Michigan coach Jennifer Ulehla. “We played a great 25.” “I would say our defense played an incredible game, our goaltender especially at the end came up very big. We had opportunities to get back in the game, and we just lost our composure.” Despite the 0-4 start to the season, the team believes that as the season progresses, improvements will show. “Again, I think we really did grow as a team today and our attack did really well from how it has been showing the last couple weeks,” Breitfeller said. “It’s good, we’re showing growth. And like I said, playing these teams now, further in the season, you’re going to see us when we go on those runs. And when we stop those runs and finish, then instead of it being 3-2, it’ll be 6-2.”
JORGE CAZARES For the Daily
For the first time in program history, the Michigan women’s lacrosse team (0-3) faced off against Notre Dame (4-1) in Ann Arbor. And though the Wolverines have aspirations of being a top team like the eighth-ranked Fighting Irish, the lopsided outcome — a 12-5 Notre Dame win — revealed Michigan’s most glaring f law: inconsistency. At the 10-minute mark of the first half, the Wolverines held a 3-2 lead after scoring three straight goals. “We just came out confidently,” said Michigan coach Jennifer Ulehla. “We were taking care of the draw, which is the most important thing, and recognizing what kind of defense they were playing, and we knew exactly
ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily
Michigan coach Jennifer Ulehla’s team has stumbled out of the gate, but she is still confident that the early struggles will become learning experiences.
how to beat it.” The Wolverines had brief stints where both the offense and defense were clicking, but they could not string together 60 minutes of consistent play. After scoring three straight goals against Notre Dame, Michigan was once again unable to maintain a high level of play on both ends of the field. A big stop on defense would lead to a turnover in transition, and a goal on offense would be countered by a goal from the Fighting Irish. “We clearly have to work on our transition game,” Ulehla said, “Coming up with great saves and defensive turnovers then being able to get the ball up the field, especially when we start to get fatigued — which isn’t an excuse — so we gotta work on getting the ball up safely and staying composed offensively for 60 minutes.” Its inconsistent play has haunted Michigan multiple times this season. In their season opener against Oregon, the Wolverines scored three straight goals to pull within one, but were unable to continue this level of play and eventually fell to the Ducks, 11-8. Despite Michigan’s troubles early this season, finding consistency is exactly what a young program like the Wolverines needs in order to create a winning culture. “When we have those opportunities, we’ll actually finish in the future,” said senior attacker Allie Breitfeller. “I definitely think there is a lot of hope for our team, and once we start clicking all over the field and executing consistently, that’s when our team is gonna win.” Once defensive stops are converted to goals on the offensive end and the brief high level of play Michigan has f lashed early on in the season becomes a normalcy, the results may turn in its favor.
Sports
8A — Thursday, February 23, 2017
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
With time running out, Kile has a shot to salvage senior season ORION SANG
Daily Sports Editor
Expectations were high for Alex Kile entering this season, and deservedly so. The senior forward was the Michigan hockey team’s returning leading scorer and had increased his offensive production between every season of his career. Kile first earned consistent playing time his freshman year before breaking out as a sophomore whilst on the same line as two future NHL forwards in Dylan Larkin and Zach Hyman. He began his junior year playing with Tyler Motte and JT Compher — another pair of future pros — before settling onto a line with a pair of experienced seniors in Boo Nieves and Justin Selman. By all accounts, this was supposed to be his year. As a captain and one of the few holdovers from last year’s NCAA Tournament team, Kile was as close to a sure thing as possible. “I think the expectations for him were higher than (for) the team,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “The team’s expectations had a lot more question marks. There weren’t many question marks around Alex Kile. He was experienced, he was a senior, he was a captain, he was our returning leading scorer. So there was no doubt that he was going to have a great year.” But with just six games left in the regular season, that hasn’t been the case — or even close to it. In 21 games played, Kile has tallied just six goals and four assists. He struggled through a six-game pointless streak earlier this year. He was ejected from the Wolverines’ 7-4 loss to Wisconsin on Dec. 9. And then, just as he was starting to heat up following the series against the Badgers — which he deemed a ‘wake-up call’ — Kile suffered an ankle injury in practice. It took him nearly three and a half weeks before he could practice again. He returned to the
JEREMY MITNICK/Daily
Senior forward Alex Kile’s final season has taken an unexpected trajectory, but he is still relishing the opportunity to spark life into the Wolverines.
ice Tuesday and Wednesday, but but still hadn’t been cleared for full contact. Kile won’t be traveling to Columbus this weekend either, marking the seventh and eighth consecutive games that he will miss. Even then, there is still no guarantee that he will return before the Big Ten Tournament, despite his best hopes. “I’m not the best right now,” Kile said. “I’m just trying to get through (the injury). I’m not going to play this weekend, and hopefully (I’ll) get ready for my last four games at Yost. That’s the plan. “I don’t think I’ll be full strength by the end of the year. It’s unfortunate, but I’m a senior, so I’ve just got to play through the pain. It’s my last three weeks at Michigan. I’ve just got to take it all in.” He has dealt with the injury in different ways. Rehab has been the one constant — a daily regimen
of physical therapy, stimulation, icing, and a couple of things even Kile doesn’t know how to describe. Before he was cleared to practice, he would sit in the bleachers at times, a lonely figure in an otherwise empty Yost Ice Arena silently watching his team on the ice below. And when the team traveled without him, he would kill all the downtime he never expected to have, waiting patiently for the games to come on TV. “You know, the last couple weekends at Yost have been emotional for me, realizing that my time is coming to an end,” Kile said. “We’ve got two weekends here left. Just got to make the most
of it. Being out and watching the team play while you’re a senior is tough. ... It’s probably the toughest thing I’ve gone through as a player, knowing it’s coming to an end. So I’ve just got to get through it.” Added Berenson: “I think it really hit (Kile) hard. He expected he was just going to be a dominant player, and I was hoping he would be a dominant player, everyone thought he would be a dominant player, and it didn’t work out that way. Maybe it was without Cooper, and too much onus was on Alex and then he gets injured, and now he’s looking at the end of his career facing him in the upcoming month.” Kile, it appears, is in an
“There weren’t many question marks around Alex Kile”
unexpected position as the clock on his career winds down. He may have envisioned himself as the lynchpin of a team still fighting for the Big Ten at this point of the year, and Berenson likely did too. Instead, Kile has been confined to the sidelines, while Michigan sits just two points ahead of last-place Michigan State. “It sucks that our team isn’t doing as well as we’d like,” Kile said. “My linemates last year were two seniors. One of them played in the NHL this year, one of them in the AHL, so it’s just different transitioning from that high offensive group to this year. It’s tough, and it’s not what I expected of my individual success. But we’re a team, and it’s not about me. It’s about the team, and we’ve got to try to turn things around right now.” With any chance of punching a ticket to the NCAA Tournament
in the regular season long expired, Kile and the Wolverines are now focusing on the Big Ten Tournament, where just three wins stand between them and a guaranteed postseason bid. Just how much of a long shot that may be depends on whether Kile can make an impact, injured ankle and all. “He’s got a chance to jumpstart our offense,” Berenson said. “He’s been out for awhile, and he can’t wait. It’s his senior year. It should be no question about his inspiration to this team. “You look and see who’s our leading scorer against Ohio State, and it’s Alex Kile. And to no surprise, that would probably be true with most teams, but particularly Ohio State. So yeah, it’s a big loss but we can’t dwell on the loss. We’ve got to dwell on what we have, and who’s playing and how hard they’re playing … but we know we aren’t as good offensively without Alex Kile, so we’ve got to be better defensively. Somebody’s got to pick up the slack.” One thing is clear, though: Kile has come to terms with how things have gone this year. What matters now is the opportunity to leave the trainer’s table, reclaim a lost senior season and attempt to push his team back into the postseason — no matter how unlikely that may be. “My individual success is a big part of this team,” Kile said. “If I can get rolling and get some confidence going into the Big Ten Tournament, it’s only going to help. All it takes is one good weekend, and that’s what we need to do. I don’t like to say it, but we’re not going to win the Big Ten. We’re probably going to be a fifth seed, so (we) gotta focus on the Big Ten Tournament, upset some teams and be the underdog.” Added Berenson: “No question. If Alex gets hot — just like our team if our team gets hot — then you forget about how you started. You just remember how you ended.”
Wolverines survive on the road against Rutgers MINH DOAN
Daily Sports Editor
After a tough loss in overtime to Minnesota on Sunday, the Michigan men’s basketball team had the opportunity to bounce back at Rutgers — by any metric the worst team in the Big Ten. Not only was it a chance for the Wolverines to recover from a crushing loss, it was a virtually a must-win game against a team outside the Rating Percentage Index top-100. With Michigan on the NCAA Tournament bubble, a loss would’ve been a big blow. The Wolverines, despite the high-pressure situation, prevailed, winning 68-64 in Piscataway. It wasn’t a dominating performance for Michigan (8-7 Big Ten, 18-10 overall) — not even close. While the Wolverines jumped out to multiple doubledigit leads, the Scarlet Knights
continued to claw back, even taking a four-point lead with 6:46 left in the game. But a 10-0 Michigan run late in the game proved to be too much for Rutgers (2-14, 13-16), and the Wolverines escaped with a victory. “There was nothing pretty about this game,” said Michigan coach John Beilein on Michigan IMG Sports Radio Network. “This was all gritty. We just got enough done.” Added redshirt sophomore forward DJ Wilson on Michigan IMG Sports Radio Network: “(The key) was we stayed locked in for all 40 minutes. We knew they were a gritty team, and they fight to the end, and they did today. We fought to the end too, and when it came down to the end to get crucial stops, we did.” The Wolverines had to overcome some early ailments, though, as they struggled early
with turnovers. They would commit 11 in the game, mostly the result of sloppy passes, coming in nearly two above their season average of 9.4 per game. Michigan also shot just 40.7 percent from the field, a far cry from their season average of 47.5 percent. But — perhaps unexpectedly — what kept the Wolverines in the game was their offensive rebounding. Michigan finished the game with 12 offensive rebounds, scoring seven second-chance points. It was an especially impressive performance given Rutgers’ pedigree on the glass. The Scarlet Knights, coming into the game, were No. 4 in the NCAA
in rebounds per game with 41.1. Rutgers was held to just 33 boards in the game. “In the first half they had one offensive rebound,” Beilein said. “I think in the second half they probably had more during that time, they got all those at the end there. We just had to scrap and continue to scrap and just see what we could do to find a way to win that game.” Wilson led the way for the Wolverines with 11 rebounds, including six offensive boards. He also finished with 10 points for the fourth double-double of his career. “Coach emphasized rebounding because I haven’t been on the boards these last few
“This was all gritty. We just got enough done”
games,” Wilson said. “I think I only had two offensive rebounds in the last five games. So I tried to get there as much as possible today.” While senior guard Derrick Walton Jr. finished with 13 points, he shot just 3-of-10 from the field, with nine of his shots coming from beyond the arc. “Everybody did it,” Beilein said. “Don’t forget (junior guard Muhammad-Ali AbdurRahkman), he did a tremendous job as well. (Sophomore forward Moritz Wagner) made a big play down the stretch. We still had some lapses. I think we’re really tired right now, I mean really tired. We had to gut that one out, and we did.” On the other side of the court, Rutgers put up a valiant effort led by guard Corey Sanders, who had 15 points in the game. The Scarlet Knights also got contributions from guard Mike
Williams, who put up 14 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. “(Rutgers) showed a lot of fortitude by being able to stay in there when nothing could go our way down the stretch,” Beilein said. While the victory didn’t come in the most impressive fashion, Michigan stays on the right side of the bubble, something that wouldn’t have been certain had the Wolverines lost. It was crucial for Michigan to get a win at Rutgers, and now with that done, the Wolverines will need to elevate their game as their matchup with No. 15 Purdue looms on Senior Day. “This is definitely a learning experience for us,” Wilson said. “We’ve been in a lot of close games that we’ve kind of just gave up at the end, but today, we fought hard and we stayed consistent on defense, and it paid off.”
CAROLYN GEARIG/Daily
Redshirt sophomore forward DJ Wilson recorded the fourth double-double of his career with 10 points and 11 rebounds against the Scarlet Knights.