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Solid Waste Fund steady despite false data reports Miscommunication in fund balances from staff reports cause confusion ALEX COTT

Daily Staff Reporter MATT VAILLIENCOURT/Daily

President Schlissel discusses University actions regarding sexual assault and harassment in the wake of the #MeToo movement, protections for undocumented students, and the University’s commitment to affordability at the Fleming building Monday.

Schlissel: “I just can’t add to the debate” on Larry Nassar, MSU

University president talks Nassar trial, DACA protections, free speech in interview JORDYN BAKER & AMARA SHAIKH Daily Staff Reporters

The Daily sat down with University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel to get his take on sexual assault charges against ex-USA gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, ongoing negotiations with white supremacist Richard Spencer and protections for undocumented students on campus. While he declined to comment on specific methods by which

the Michigan State University administration, including the heavily criticized MSU President Lou Anna Simon, can work to take responsibility for the years of abuse Nassar inflicted upon his victims, Schlissel pivoted to how his administration is attempting to promote spaces in which survivors of sexual assault feel safe to speak out on campus. Sexual Assault and Misconduct: The Larry Nassar Trial Survivors of sexual assault and harassment continue to make waves

around the country by coming forward with impact statements against Nassar, a University alum and former Michigan State University doctor, at his sentencing trial in Ingham County. Nassar pled guilty to seven counts of first degree sexual misconduct in Ingham County and three counts in Eaton County, including sexual assault and abuse of girls as young as six years old. Schlissel provided his sympathy and respect for survivors, acknowledging the courage it takes for survivors to come forward with

their testimonies. “My heart goes out to what appear to be hundreds of victims of a corrupt physician who committed multiple illegal acts over an extended period of time,” he said. “The young women in particular who came forward to tell their stories, which were very personal and uniformly awful, in a public setting and the media, (are) brave people and my heart goes out to them and I hope that they can recover and heal from what sounds like the worst experience I could See SCHLISSEL, Page 3

The City of Ann Arbor’s Solid Waste Fund reportedly decreased this year due to other Post Employment Benefits and the shutdown of the Materials Recovery Facility, which resulted in higher recycling costs. Yet, despite largely distorted fund statuses during a meeting with City Councilmembers and the Environmental Commission, the City reports the fund is currently at a healthy balance. The Solid Waste Plan manages a system for recycling collection, which is financially supported by the Solid Waste Fund, an enterprise fund operating in a business format. According to Councilmember Chip Smith, D-Ward 5, the 2013 to 2017 Solid Waste Resource Plan does not adequately meet the Council’s recycling and solid waste goals; moving toward a financially sustainable Zero Waste plan. As a result, the

city is in the process of drafting a revised plan for 2018 and has already released a Request for Proposal. “The plan does not adequately identify or address steps to get to zero waste,” Smith wrote in an email interview. “We also need to look at how we pay for solid waste, recycling and compost services.” However, miscommunication between the City Council and the Environmental Commission raised concerns about the status of the Solid Waste Fund. Based on a staff report, Susan Hutton spoke before the Council at last month’s meeting and discussed her concerns of drastic Solid Waste Fund decreases and understaffing. “In 2015, the Solid Waste Fund balance was $15.1 million,” Hutton said. “In 2019, the fund is projected to fall to $3.2 million, a drop of almost $12 million in four years. $5.2 million was spent on retirement expenses, which was necessary. See WASTE, Page 2

Female faculty, students in Economics ‘U’ Council Assembly talks new confront disparities in hiring, classes discusses

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

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exam time restriction

Steep drop-off in enrollment after intro classes create gender imbalance in department

Proposed reading period around break times may benefit student wellness

LSA junior Anna Tushman took an AP economics in high school and loved it. She came to the University of Michigan expecting to major in math but decided to take Econ 101 and found herself fascinated by its rational, logical thought process. Her 101 class had a fair mixture of women and men, but as she progressed through the major, she found the number of female students in her classes leveling off. Out of boredom one day in her econometrics discussion section, she counted the students in the class and saw there were four male students to every one female. This drop off holds true when considering the numbers. More than half of the student body of LSA consists of women. Yet, according to data kept by the LSA Economics Department, women are 39 percent of the students taking introductory economics courses. Women then account for about a third of the Econ major. The disparity isn’t unique to the University — the Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession in the American Economics Association did a study surveying 126 economic departments nationwide, finding while women make up 33 percent of first-year students, they make up only 13 percent of full, tenured professors as of 2016. While STEM fields also have

KATHERINA SOURINE Daily Staff Reporter

In its second meeting of the semester, the University Council assembled Monday night to discuss student break reform, an anti-Semitism training and the Big Ten Voting Challenge. Public Policy senior Ben Keller, senior policy advisor to LSA senior Anushka Sarkar, the University of Michigan’s Central Student Government president, began the meeting with presenting a reform for the way that exams are administered at the University, with the implementation of a “reading day” policy. This action would prevent professors from scheduling exams on the day immediately preceding and following a scheduled break. According to Keller, the reading day policy would primarily benefit the mental health of students so they would not have to dedicate a substantial amount of time over shorter breaks studying for exams. Additionally, this is often stressful for out-of-state students who often need to travel home and suffer from further shortened time off from classes. See COUNCIL, Page 3

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trouble attracting women to their classes, intro level courses in the Physics Department have a higher representation of women than in the Economics Department, according to Betsey Stevenson, associate public policy and economics professor. “It is sort of striking that physics is doing a better job of getting women into introductory physics than economics is in introductory economics at Michigan,” Stevenson said. “There are questions to be asked of why is

it that the University of Michigan has such a low gender share. But they’re not easy answers.” LSA sophomore Madeleine Danes said a key reason many of her female friends stopped taking economic classes after the intro course was because of lower grades. “Some of them dropped because they didn’t do well,” Danes said. “If you don’t do well in those introductory classes, you might be discouraged.” Tushman echoed this

sentiment, saying when she does poorly on a test, she feels discouraged and less confident in her abilities, especially when she reads about the difficulties women face in the economic field. She doesn’t think men absorb their failures in the same kind of way. “Women tend to internalize things more,” Tushman said. “I don’t want to make that a sweeping generalization, but I know I do it. It’s easy to get discouraged when See ECONOMICS, Page 3

Women in Economics The entry of women into PhD programs was 31% in 2016.

In introductory economics textbooks, women, as compared to men, are mentioned 6% of the time as a real business

Women are 39% of introductory economics courses at the University of Michigan.

Women are about a third of economics majors at the University of Michigan.

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statement on bigotry

Senate Assembly also talks academic success of student-athletes at ‘U’ MOLLY NORRIS Daily Staff Reporter

At its meeting Monday afternoon, the University of Michigan’s Senate Assembly discussed the Senate Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Affairs’ statement that was released on the Faculty Senate website under the tab on the site entitled Faculty Against Hate, which outlined the Faculty’s position against acts of hatred and bigotry on campus. Senate Assembly chair Robert Ortega asked for comments or concerns regarding the statement. “The Faculty stand with our students, staff, administration and broader Michigan community in deploring those who seek to inspire violence and division against and within our society,” the statement reads. “Acts that promote hate, prejudice, racism, bigotry, and discrimination are reprehensible.” Some members of the Assembly raised concerns about the way the first sentence was phrased, saying it could be problematic for the statement to read that the faculty deplored anyone who inspired See ASSEMBLY, Page 3

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However, Lazarus reported higher projected numbers for the end of the fiscal year than Hupy. “The end of year balance for the Solid Waste Fund is forecasted for the end of the fiscal year to be $22 million,” Lazarus said. “There’s a drop in what’s called the unrestricted fund balance, this is at $8.5 million, but that’s forecasted to rebound in the fiscal year of 2019 to go up to $10 million.” The Solid Waste Fund sources primarily from dedicated property tax millage, according to Lazarus. Both recycling and solid waste are supported by the Solid Waste Fund. Smith explained in an email interview the closing of the Materials Recovery Facility significantly impacted the fund. “Two major things have impacted the fund — The first is recycling; the shutdown of the materials recovery facility or MRF has resulted

in significantly higher cost However, Communications for recycling at the same time Specialist Robert Kellar markets for these materials discounted Hutton’s report, have declined,” Smith wrote. saying staffing is not the All of the other $6.7 million was “Second, the fund had to primary concern, since the City not.” account for pension and other has had similar levels of staff In contrast to Hutton’s data post employment, which was a in solid waste as six years ago. from the staff meeting, City huge hit to the fund balance. On Hupy also claimed the City has Administrator Howard Lazarus the plus side, the new landfill accounted for FTEs over the emphasized the inaccurate contract is 30 percent cheaper past several years. statistics presented to the than our previous one, which “We only have one FTE Environmental Commission. about offsets the increased open right now and we’re “There was a presentation recycling cost, but what creates interviewing for it,” Hupy said. made to the environmental long term deficits though is the “So the FTE’s that we’ve had commission that was incorrect MRF, which cannot be safely have been pretty consistent over in terms of the fund status,” operated without significant the last six years and as we’ve Lazarus said. “The Solid Waste investment.” had turnover we’ve filled them.” Fund is actually in reasonable Mayor Christopher Taylor Overall, Hupy emphasized shape. The fund balance released a recycling report prioritizing different aspects actually is not dropping in the explaining the termination of the plan based on the City way it was represented and it’s of the City’s contract with Council’s goals toward zero not because of staffing.” ReCommunity, the former waste. According to Craig operator of the MRF, and their “Part of the planning effort Hupy, public service area new relationship with Recycle will have to be prioritization of administrator, the Solid Waste Ann Arbor. The new agreement what items get done first and Fund revenue in an average year is not a long-term, sustainable with what resources,” Hupy is approximately $14 million solution but is functioning as a said. “This isn’t an unlimited and will only drop significantly temporary service. amount of money so you have Sudoku Syndication http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ if a drastic scenario occurs. “The MRF remains inactive, to decide what gets done first so but RAA utilizes the that’s why the solid waste plan location to organize goes back through council so and loose load materials they can mold it to make sure it for hauling to recovery reflects their values.” facilities in Ohio and Kellar highlighted recycling Taylor, MI,” Taylor wrote as the primary concern for the HARD in the statement. “Although 2018 Solid Waste Plan based on hauling recyclables to Ohio the community’s priorities. is not a long term solution, “Recycling is part of our the facility does provide sustainability goals, whether it improved glass recycling.” costs the city money or makes Based on Hutton’s the city money within the report before the Council Solid Waste Fund, we’re going in December, the City’s to continue doing it because it inadequate staffing is a something the community has major factor in the Fund’s said is of value,” Kellar said. drop. The City is reportedly “Between 2010 and satisfied with the current 2014 the City lost four status of the Solid Waste Fund. experienced solid waste Full The new plan aims to fulfill Time Equivalents and did zero waste goals but will be not replace them,” Hutton changing their approach toward said. “The City has one FTE recycling through community in field operations and a few collaboration in the process. positions with some solid “I think people have looked at waste responsibility. The recycling in one way for a very position you authorized in long time because it was a very 2016 still remains unfilled. stable and an under-the-radar The City is deferring this market, but that has changed hire until it updates the dramatically so people are going © sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. FLU SPREADING. puzzle by sudokusyndication.com Solid Waste Plan, which to have to think about recycling expires at the end of this in new ways,” Kellar said. month.” Generate and solve Sudoku, Super Sudoku and Godoku puzzles at sudokusyndication.com!

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ASSEMBLY From Page 1 division in the community. Others took issue with the faculty deploring any individual at all rather than judging their actions separately from the person. In defense of the statement, SACUA member Stefan Szymanski, professor of sport management, said SACUA was trying their best to appease a large audience. “I think there are many aspects of this statement that people might not agree with one hundred percent, there are bits of language people might change, so we tried to frame something that we thought would command the widest possible assent without necessarily aspiring to universality,” Szymanski said. Szymanski also said the statement was an attempt to help and support students who felt extremely isolated and unsupported by faculty in light of

SCHLISSEL From Page 1 imagine.” In terms of administrative decisions surrounding the Nassar case, MSU President Lou Anna Simon has received harsh criticism for the ways in which she handled allegations against Nassar. In a statement released last week, Simon told reporters she was first made aware of a Title IX investigation into a University sports medicine doctor in 2014. “I told people to play it straight up, and I did not receive a copy of the report,” she said following Nassar’s hearing. “That’s the truth.” An investigation released last week by the Detroit News, however, found over the two decades before Nassar’s arrest, at least 14 MSU

ECONOMICS From Page 1 you see how much harder it is for you in the field. When you do poorly on a test, you think it’s just because of you, whereas men tend to externalize their failures.” The feelings Danes and Tushman describe are common among many women, according to Economics Prof. Linda Tesar. Tesar said data points to women thinking their failures are more about themselves, with men thinking the opposite. “There’s a lot of evidence out there that men and women respond to grade signals in different ways,” Tesar said. “Women students interpret that it’s more about their ability, whereas men tend to — now, I’m grossly exaggerating — on average men tend to interpret the grade signal as external to them; the class, the GSI, and less about their ability.” Tesar is part of a team of faculty and lecturers studying the experiences of women and underrepresented minorities in the economics program: Gender Learning Analytics at MichiganEconomics. In order to encourage these populations to continue studying economics, GLAM-E is looking into data like the differing interpretations of grades, and their implications. “We’re studying that data and learning about what the grade signal means and whether having a low GPA in a class perhaps is discouraging students that we don’t want to discourage from going forward,” Tesar said. GLAM-E’s end goal is to encourage women to pursue economics as a career by imparting younger women with more mentors; right now, the gender distribution is far from ideal. Out of 71 faculty members listed on the Economics Department website, only 15 are women. George Fenton, a Ph.D. candidate in the Economics Department, said in his first two years he has not been taught by a single female faculty member. LSA senior Reema Kaakarli said she has had one female economics professor in her four years. The Economics Department at the University holds an alumni panel each year called Economics@Work. This year, seven of the nine alumni speakers are men. Rackham student Ivy Tran said she has noticed the imbalance. “One thing that I thought was really interesting though is a lot

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Tuesday, January 23, 2018 — 3

the Richard Spencer issue. English Prof. Anne Curzan, chair of the Academic Performance Committee, and Professor Ketra Armstrong, the Faculty Athletics Representative, also visited the Senate and discussed the academic performance of student-athletes. Curzan, who served as Faculty Athletics Representative before Armstrong, spoke about how people at the University generalize the student-athlete community, and speak about athletics as a whole when they really mean specific teams. “One of the things I’ve found while moving around campus is that everyone on campus is that everyone on campus except really our student athletes and the folks in the athletic department forget what large and diverse group students athletes are,” Curzan said. Curzan also brought up the anxiety many student athletes feel about the attitude towards them on campus. “The attitude towards student-

athletes on this campus is not always positive,” Curzan said. “They feel like they walk into a classroom and there can be an assumption that they are not there to get an education, that they are not a serious student. Some of our student-athletes choose not to self identify as student athletes because they’re worried about the attitudes that faculty or other student in the class may bring.” Curzan highlighted all the various things that studentathletes at the University have to juggle, and how exhausting it can be. “If you have a swimmer in your class, and you have an 8:30 a.m. class, that student has already been in the pool for two hours, and they are going back to the pool at 3 or 4 to swim for two more hours,” Curzan said. Armstrong discussed the various honors that have been awarded to Michigan’s studentathletes, such as the 80 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars, studentathletes that have GPAs of 3.7

or higher, and three studentathletes at the University who were selected as Academic AllAmericans. Curzan also discussed faculty accommodations for students to allow them to represent the University in their athletic competitions while at the same time being able to succeed in their classes. Armstrong spoke about the balance professors have to strike between keeping the integrity of the class while avoiding being punitive to the student. Business junior Megan Schulte, a member of the women’s lacrosse team, said in an interview with The Daily she felt that juggling being an athlete and a Business student was difficult, but manageable if done efficiently. “As long as I plan out my day and just stay on top of my work it’s all manageable, but it takes a lot of effort every day to make sure that I am on top of both school and lacrosse,” Schulte said. “The kids in my class have gotten a

lot more understanding over the years, and the teachers, if I have to miss a class or anything, they are always so nice. I can make an appointment with them to go see them and figure out what I missed and make up the work as well.” Toward the end of the meeting, Gina Cervetti, the chair of the Student Relations Advisory Committee, and Erik Wessel, the director of the Office of Student Conflict Resolution, came to discuss the progress made on the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities, which is to be amended in the 2018-2019 academic year. The Statement outlines possible behaviors that are not consistent with the values of the University community, and suggests possible responses and sanctions to respond to such behaviors. Cervetti said they were starting the process early, in order to increase participation and visibility of the amendment process, as well as of the Statement in general.

“I want to acknowledge that this has been a really challenging year for many members of our community, and that many of these challenges have related to campus climate and community norms,” Cervetti said. “I hope that we can approach this amendment cycle as an opportunity to shape the norms of our community in ways that are responsive to current issues on campus. The Statement isn’t all about sanctions. It’s also about who we want to be as a community; it describes a community that is safe, and scholarly, and equitable, and just, and revising the Statement to better conform with those values in the current time seems incredibly important.” The assembly also nominated members of the Faculty Senate to sit on the nominating committee that will choose faculty to fill the three or four new Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs

officials were notified of allegations, “with no fewer than eight women reporting his actions.” Calls for Simon’s resignation have come from a variety of sources, including state legislators, editorials from the State News and Lansing State Journal, as well as from MSU trustee Mitch Lyons, the first trusteeto call for her resignation. The Board of Trustees, however, announced Thursday would support Simon and would not recommend she step down from her position. Though Schlissel is one of the state’s most powerful — and moneyed — political stakeholders, when questioned on how MSU administration should go about taking responsibility or repairing harm done to students, he declined to comment. “As for MSU and how it handled

it, I don’t know more than I read about in the newspaper and generally when I don’t know more than everybody else I’m not really going to comment about it,” Schlissel said. “I just can’t add to the debate because I don’t have any special information.” He clarified, however, sexual assault and misconduct have no place within the University of Michigan community. While the Nassar trials brought to light consideration of athletic teams, he said the issue extends to all students, faculty and community members. “It’s not just athletic teams, here on this campus I’m responsible for 45,000 students … 1,000 of them are student-athletes,” Schlissel said. “All members of our community deserve a workplace free of harassment and misconduct.”

Specific actions the University has taken to combat sexual assault and harassment, Schlissel explained, include mechanisms for reporting misconduct and education programs for students, faculty and staff to raise awareness of harmful and abusive acts and lessen the frequency of these incidents. Sexual Assault and Misconduct: The Whisper Network In early January, The Daily reported on The Whisper Network, a database appearing throughout academic communities in which anonymous contributors share their stories of sexual harassment and assault in academia. Since December, over 2,000 individuals have contributed to the database, including 14 incidents self-reported by alleged University affiliates,

some of which date back to the 1980s. These allegations have mirrored conversations occurring across the nation and in Hollywood, specifically with movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp encouraging survivors to speak out against perpetrators. With allegations against well-known members of the public and media, including Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, James Franco, Al Franken and Michael Oreskes, dialogue surrounding the issue has continued to grow in academia and less publicized settings. Schlissel stated the coming forward of survivors in communities across the nation and abroad, regardless of level of previous fame, allows for an increase in awareness and the encouragement for more survivors to continue telling their

stories. “The famous and non-famous stepping forward to tell their stories I think has a powerful effect, a positive, powerful effect,” Schlissel said. “If there’s a silver lining to the #MeToo moment that we’re living in, is the increased awareness and the very brave example set by people who’ve stepped up and spoken about episodes, have made others more likely to step forward and report which is a good thing, and has just raised everyone’s cautiousness about the mutual respect that everyone deserves when we treat one another.” At the University — and at campuses across the country — reporting rates remain low for survivors of assault.

Break, as opposed to Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the fall study break. Other representatives expressed their appreciation of finishing all of their exams directly before break. “In general the feelings at the School of Public Health are we really like having it on the last day of class, and then we’re done,” CSG representative Taylor Sullivan said, who is a Public Health student. The majority of representatives agreed this policy would be effective for Thanksgiving and Spring Break, especially for postbreak days. CSG Vice President Nadine Jawad, a Public Policy senior, highlighted the importance of taking a mental rest over designated vacations. “I think it’s just worth exploring what that means because when you only have a nine-day break, or a sixday break, and then you have to use five of those days to study for a Bio exam that is the day after, which is what happened to me my spring break, that took away my entire

break,” Jawad said. Later, LSA senior Joe Goldberg, chief of staff to the CSG president, presented a resolution to fund and join a partnership with Michigan Hillel to bring Cherie Brown, CEO and co-founder of the National Coalition Building Institute, to lead a training on the manifestations of contemporary anti-Semitism. “The idea is that CSG will hopefully contribute some financial sum, as well as encourage representatives on the executive and legislative levels to attend the training,” Goldberg said. The council concluded by discussing initiatives to spread awareness of the Big Ten Voting Challenge, a competition in which all 14 universities in the Big Ten Conference seek to increase voter registration and turnout in the student population. While no specific committee action was taken, CSG representative Naomi Wilson, a Rackham student, mentioned that she sent information in their newsletter.

of alumni events held by the Econ Department — the alumni tends to be male, given the nature that I can imagine about twenty or thirty years ago, it was predominantly a male field,” Tran said. Economics lecturer Mitchell Dudley organizes this panel. In an email interview, he expressed the difficulty he has in finding a diverse set of alumni. “Given that I don’t have access to a master list of alumni, I must rely largely on recommendations,” he wrote. “In this case, I struggle to present a demographically diverse set of speakers. This is truly frustrating at times.” Tushman said in her core economics classes, she’d always seek out a female GSI even if that GSI weren’t her own. She talked about the need for more female role models, and how inspiring it was when she saw Janet Yellen, the chair of the Federal Reserve, speaklast year. “It’s important to have people to look up to,” Tushman said. “We got to go see Janet Yellen when she came, and that was one of the coolest things that’s ever happened to me.” Even on the level of economic textbooks, women are underrepresented. Stevenson conducted a study with Rackham student Hanna Zlotnick on mentions of males and females in introductory economics textbooks, and discovered 6 percent of real business leaders mentioned are women, whereas they are 41 percent of made-up or “ordinary” people reviewed in examples. Stevenson discussed the importance of having diversity in textbooks in order to resonate with as many students as possible. From her study, it is clear many textbooks don’t fit the bill. “We use what we have from the past to prepare them for the future,” Stevenson said. “Diversity has definitely improved with time, so textbooks from the past have less diversity than we want.” LSA senior Shannon Hsu discussed the varying levels of comfort she felt in taking classes with different professors. She found she did better with professors that were friendlier and more approachable. She also noted the difference in discussion sections of her two majors: International Studies and Economics. “International Studies is very different from Econ in that it’s very inclusive,” Hsu said. “It always feels like a safe environment, whereas the discussions I’ve had

for Econ core classes have been more hostile in the sense that the GSI is only there to teach what is required of him, not build that connection with the student.” This hostility is apparent in the economics field at large. Fenton said within the discipline when someone presents their research they are then subject to somewhat aggressive questions from the audience. He suggested this could be a reason women might be discouraged. “One thing I’ve realized is that the economics seminar environment all over the country is especially hostile and combative, or just downright rude sometimes,” Fenton said. “I don’t know if that’s related at all to the gender issue, but I do know that it’s a very intimidating environment, I know for a fact more than many other disciplines when it comes to presenting research.” Tran agreed the economics environment is tough. She said she feels the need to be more persistent when voicing her opinions. “If I’m the only female in a group and I say something, oftentimes I have to repeat myself or I have to speak a little bit stronger,” Tran said. “I have to stand my ground in order to be heard.” Kaakarli said she thinks this intimidating culture is the main problem, rather than explicit bias or discrimination. “I don’t know if I would say that there have been any outright incidences of discrimination,” Kaakarli said. “The main issue is just that there’s a culture that’s not as welcoming.” Organizations such as the Society of Women in Economics for undergraduates and the Women in Economics group in the Ph.D. program provide women with more comfortable environments in order to offset this hostile one. Tushman, president of SWIE, said the goal of the organization is “to create an empowering space for women who are interested in economics.” SWIE holds events such as female alumni panels, study sessions and resume/cover letter workshops. These problems may not be as visible to those they don’t directly affect. Fenton said he doesn’t think about these issues as he goes about his studies in economics. “On a day-to-day basis, this is just not something I pay a lot of attention to,” he said. “That in itself in a way is an indictment...”

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Opinion

4— Tuesday, January 23, 2018

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STEPHANIE TRIERWEILER | COLUMN

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ROBERT DALKA | COLUMN

Respect will draw more women into STEM

y first class of the winter semester was an 8:30 a.m. physics class. I sat in the middle row — toward the right side — and sipped my coffee, hoping that the caffeine would kick in soon so I could make it through that first day. After the lecture ended, I started packing my notebook away and took stock of the room. There were only about 15 people in the class, all of whom were men, which was strange to me. There usually is not a high representation of women in most of the physics classes I have taken, but this is the first time that I had a class exclusively with men. It was almost as if, when I stepped through the door of that classroom, I had been transported back in time. This got me thinking about other classes I have taken as a physics student. There were always more men than women in these classes, and my major definitely lacks diversity with respect to gender. In recent years there has been a big push to get women into STEM fields, and there has been progress, but what more can be done? To answer this question, I wanted to understand some of the experiences women have to go through in their scientific careers. On Tuesday, Jan. 16 I sat down to talk with Christine Aidala, an associate professor in the department of physics, about her experiences and her journey to where she is now. Aidala’s research is focused on nucleon structure and quantum chromodynamics, the theory of the strong nuclear force. We started our conversation talking about her undergraduate experience. Aidala attended Yale in the late ‘90s. When I asked her if there were any programs that promoted women in science, she said she was never aware of any, and it just wasn’t something that was talked about at the time. There weren’t many women in her classes either. “I was definitely in the minority in a lot of my classes,” Aidala said. “It was more extreme among the faculty. There was only one woman who was in the faculty in the physics department, and there were over 50 faculty total.” During this time, it was no surprise that women were the minority in undergraduate science and engineering programs. It was also common to have few, if any, women mentors within your own department. According to the National Science Foundation and their 2016 indicators report, in 1993 only 9.7 percent of full professors of science and engineering in the United States were women. It is better now, but still not amazing. According to the same report, women held only 24.2 percent of these full professor positions in 2013. I hope, as do many people in science, that this trend will continue as younger women in science and

engineering rise to positions of greater leadership. However, it is hard to close this gap if women feel that they are in an unwelcoming environment. Aidala said that the physics department at Yale was overall supportive of its students, no matter what gender, but sometimes it just takes one bad experience or one awful person to make you feel uneasy. “I had issues with harassment by one engineer, 20 years older than me, in the physics department,” Aidala said. “I was fortunate that a senior professor saw what was going on, intervened and helped me. I didn’t say anything to him directly because it gets tricky to figure out what to say and when.” When Aidala was telling me this story, I began to realize how hard it would be for someone to speak out against this type of behavior. This past year has

brush off the negative comments. “When I told my senior professor in my thesis group, he said, ‘This will be a first for the Department of Energy group!’” Aidala said. “It was as if the group was having a baby. It was unexpected, but it was a really unambig uous expression of support.” In the final minutes of our interview, I asked Aidala if she thought that the University of Michigan is currently doing enough to accept women into scientific fields or if there was more to be done. “I think there should be a place to study physics here for everyone who wants to,” Aidala said. “I think we can always do more to be welcoming of everyone, and not just in physics, but everywhere,” Aidala said, noting that an accepting environment will lead to more women, or

Bring co-ops beyond the realm of college

was first introduced to the concept of a cooperative while researching campus life at various universities during high school. I stumbled upon the website of the University of CaliforniaBerkeley’s Lothlorien, which seemed nothing short of magical: a house in which roughly 60 students cook and share living space with one another, refer to themselves as “elves,” hang out in their very own tree house and contribute to a communal mural. Since coming to the University of Michigan, I’ve gotten more familiar with the sizes, forms and functions of cooperative businesses and organizations. Many co-ops are nestled throughout Ann Arbor, like the People’s Food Co-op grocery store, the University of Michigan Credit Union and the 16 student houses operated by the Inter-Cooperative Council. The ICC also hosts the North American Students of Cooperation conference each year, in which members from student housing co-ops across the continent stay in Ann Arbor for a weekend, hold workshops and discuss issues pertinent to the cooperative movement. According to the ICC’s website, co-ops exist in a range of sectors and are alike in being “owned and operated collectively, for the mutual benefit of their members.” Housing co-ops specifically run on principles such as affordability, democratic membership and participation, sustainability, political engagement, individual contribution and community-building. I’m now closing out my second year living at Vail, a stucco Kerrytown home framed by several porches on the outside, a maze of hallways on the inside and a backyard fondly described by house members as a jungle. As I search the web of housing options for my first post-university home in Cincinnati, I can’t find too many intentional communities in the area. And though I’m disappointed, I’m not surprised. Co-ops are a niche housing option and account for only about one percent of all housing units in the United States. They’re

more common in some major cities, such as New York City and Chicago, but much harder to find in other areas. Moreover, public knowledge of cooperative living is lacking; ICC houses aren’t well known as a living option among most students even here in Ann Arbor, where they’ve existed since the 1930s and housed over 20,000 people. Cooperative housing models lie on a spectrum of affordability and degree of shared space and co-living situations somewhat overlap with housing co-ops in style. I believe the ICC and other student housing co-ops set an example by consciously intersecting a commitment to affordability and intentional community building. This, in turn, creates a uniquely sustainable and enjoyable kind of living environment that should expand beyond the realm of college campuses, for people of any age. Firstly, co-ops offer an affordable alternative to typical living situations, like apartments or dorms. According to MLive, rent for off-campus housing in Ann Arbor averages at $1,085 per month for a four-bedroom unit to $1,402 per month for a studio apartment. Co-ops are by far the cheapest housing option for students living in Ann Arbor itself, mitigating their need to commute from a nearby town with lower average rent like Ypsilanti. They essentially keep costs low through member ownership, as opposed to paying rent to an external landlord, and pooling resources for bulk food and amenities. My house charges have averaged around $600 per month. This encompasses rent for a fully furnished room, utilities and a meal plan that includes several dinners per week and guff (general unspecified free food) items. It goes without saying that affordability is meaningful for college students. But for anyone who is of lower socioeconomic status, or unable to afford steep rent in areas with a high cost of living or simply looking to save money, this setup gives them an incomparable opportunity and relief. Secondly, co-ops tap into people’s fundamental need to be social and

spend time with one another. The spirit of shared experiences and inclusion I have seen in the co-ops has completely altered my experience as an upperclassman. Living in a co-op has given me a network of friends with shared interests and an integrated support system. Lara Moehlman’s piece in the Daily on ICC culture and history further illustrates how the structure and traditions of co-ops establish a sense of home within a large college campus. I’ve loved studying with housemates in our peach-colored living room, discovering our bin of nutritional yeast and sprinkling it on our shared dinners, hosting open mics where friends show off their musical talent, hugging our giant 200year old oak tree, munching on guff berries, beautifying our home during “work holiday,” exploring other members’ rooms during themed in-house progressive parties and impromptu swims at the docks along the Huron River. My visits to other co-ops have felt just as special — lounging in Owen’s hammocks, petting cats at Ruths, fetching free Zingerman’s bread for Linder, hula hooping at Debs, playing in Black Elk’s ball pit and grooving at Truth’s pajama parties. These kinds of experiences thrive when people pool resources and space, build a mindset of interdependence, work to further a shared purpose and develop a common culture. For example, Vail focuses on sustainability, with vegetarian meals, a compost pile and a garden. Many members are politically active and our basement serves as a music venue for local artists Other ICC co-ops come together with different missions and atmospheres, but their common emphasis on affordability and community can set an example for future homes in the U.S. These kinds of cooperative lifestyles should be available to people of all ages — I hope to find more of them cropping up soon. Stephanie Trierweiler can be reached at strier@umich.edu.

CARLI COSENZA | COLUMN

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA LAUER

seen a great wave of women sharing their experiences and people coming together to back up these women. This amount of support was not present while Aidala was an undergrad, and without it, it’s hard to know where to turn if incidents occur. Part of the barrier to entry of a scientific field can be that feeling of not belonging because of an experience such as this one. When you do have support, however, it can boost your confidence and make you feel accepted. When Aidala was in her Ph.D. program, she and her husband wanted to start a family. She was not sure what the reaction would be from people she worked with when she told them that she was pregnant. Except for one person who explicitly told her she was ruining her career, she received a great amount of support from everyone. This made it easy to

anyone for that matter, pursuing scientific research. Exposing young students to women scientists and creating programs to inspire young women to pursue science are great ways to increase representation in STEM fields, but there is something that every single person can do. Treat everyone with respect. Every professor, every graduate student, even every undergraduate student currently studying a scientific field needs to make an effort to welcome more women into their area of science. Reach out; be interested in what someone has to say and respect boundaries. Offer your own support, because while big university programs are a great resource, it all comes down to individual interactions and connections between people.

Robert Dalka can be reached at rpdalka@umich.edu.

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Keeping Up With the Trumps

he Thursday before last, President Trump met with lawmakers in the Oval Office to discuss a bipartisan immigration plan. The plan involved cutting the visa lottery in half, with the rest going to underrepresented countries in Africa and Temporary Protective Status nations such as Haiti. Sources who attended the meeting have confirmed the president made the following statements: In reference to the people from Africa included in the plan, Trump stated: “Why do we want all these people from ‘shithole countries’ coming here?” Furthermore, Trump specifically targeted people from Haiti when he said, “Why do we need more Haitians? Take them out.” To say that these statements are “insensitive” is a gross understatement. A better description would be deplorable, disgraceful, shameful and, not to mention, inaccurate. The entire incident is reflective of an administration with failing character. It is reflective of a current mindset in this country that is racist, uninformed and narrow-minded. Over the past year, I have noticed a disturbing pattern on the news. Every day, there is a new story about President Trump, and it is always something more shocking than the previous day. It makes watching the news feel like more of a reality TV show than “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” and the shock value of his recent comments about Africa and Haiti undoubtedly boosted ratings. However, the presidency was not created for the purpose of entertainment. The president of the United States is regarded as the most powerful leader in the modern world. We are treating this presidency like our very own reality TV show. Enough is enough. The American people are not an audience of viewers. The consequences of Trump’s behavior are vast, and someone needs to hold him accountable before it is too late. The first step in holding the president accountable for his dangerous behavior requires being informed enough to dispel his neverending spout of lies. As Africa and Haiti are his most recent targets, let’s use them as an example. It is unclear how the president himself determines whether or not a country is a shithole. However, if we look at some basic data

on global development, his ignorance on the matter becomes pretty clear. The president probably doesn’t know that, according to Business Insider, “six of the world’s 10 fastest growing economies of the past decade are in sub-Saharan Africa.” Additionally, Botswana serves as a stark example of Africa’s economic and political advances. According to the World Bank, “Since gaining independence from the United Kingdom, Botswana has been one of the world’s fastest growing economies, averaging 5 percent per annum over the past decade.” It also has “a stable political environment with a multi-party democratic tradition.” This is a pretty far cry from Trump’s self-described “shithole,” wouldn’t you say? Moving on to the people of Haiti, who the president doesn’t think contribute to his America. In 2010, a devastating earthquake struck the people of Haiti, which led to the displacement of 1.5 million people. Hundreds of thousands of earthquake victims sought refuge in the United States under a temporary visa that is set to expire on Jan. 22. Currently, Haitians account for less than 2 percent of the U.S. foreignborn population, but President Trump doesn’t think that we need any more and wants to “take them out” of the country. Once again, it is unclear exactly what the president’s problem with Haitian people is, but one can assume there is prejudiced undertones. I wonder if the president knows that Haiti, as a former slave colony, was the site of the first successful modern slave rebellion. Or about the huge contribution that Haitians made to the United States when Thomas Jefferson was able to acquire the Louisiana Territory — which comprises one-fourth of our nation’s continuous land mass — from Napoleon because the French general, among other woes, was unable to subdue Haitian troops trained by Toussaint L’Ouverture, a Black Haitian general. Without Haitian people, this country would not be as powerful as it is today. As we are a nation built by the hands of immigrants, this should come as no surprise; apparently our president isn’t educated on how his privilege came about. Of course, President Trump didn’t just become a racist. It has been a disturbing part of his career.

During the 2016 election, it was building a wall to keep out Mexican immigrants. Last year, it was the Islamophobia-filled Muslim ban. Now, it is his rhetoric against the people of Africa and Haiti. And that is just a brief history of people who have been targeted by the ignorant, unwise bigot who is our president. A quick Google search will turn up dozens more alarming incidents of racism, sexism and xenophobia. The list goes on and on. With the Trump administration, every day is a new story. Our president is a former reality star, and his politics have become a reality TV show. The proof is in the numbers: The first quarter of 2017 was CNN’s most-watched quarter in 14 years and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow held the number one spot for the 25-54 age demographic at 9 p.m. in March. Recently, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” just celebrated its 14th season along with a boost in ratings that likely stems from all of those Kylie Jenner pregnancy rumors. Clearly, the American public thrives on being entertained. Except in the case of the Trump presidency, the consequences of entertainment oftentimes involve people’s lives. This is most alarming to me. Who is going to start taking his words more seriously? How many more seasons will President Trump be renewed for? To me, the way that the President spoke about the people of Africa and Haiti reflects deep-rooted racist values that are inherent among his followers, one of the most outspoken of which is Richard Spencer, an altright white nationalist. As a student at the University of Michigan, I cannot help but think about the possibility that Richard Spencer will be allowed to speak on our campus. To me, it shouldn’t even be a question: free speech or not, there is no room for hate speech on this campus. Yet, the debate still continues in a manner that is eerily similar to the presidency. Again, I ask: Who is going to stand up and condemn racism once and for all? At the time of this writing, it is Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, and I cannot help but wonder what Dr. King would have to say about all of this. To quote him, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Carli Cosenza can be reached at carlyc@umich.edu.

Arts

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Tuesday, January 23, 2018 — 5

DAILY HEALTH & WELLNESS COLUMN

FILM REVIEW

‘Call Me By Your Name’ is an artful portrait of love

NETFLIX

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

SOPHIA WHITE Daily Arts Writer

Words are only part of a story. What connects words, the silence and observations, the sensory details that provide feeling, are just as vital. In “Call Me By Your Name,” director Luca Guadagnino (“A Bigger Splash”) paints a palpable visual splendor for us, as he renders a love story that unfolds between Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet, “Ladybird”) and Oliver (Armie Hammer, “Nocturnal Animals”), when feelings overcome words. The film, based on the novel by André Aciman, traces Elio, a 17-year-old French, Italian, Jewish amalgam, who spends his adolescent summers in an idyllic, magical town in Northern Italy, where his days consist of transcribing music and reading by quaint ponds. His routine is disrupted when his archaeologistprofessor father, played by Michael Stuhlbarg (“The Shape of Water”) hosts Oliver, an American student, for six weeks as part of his studies. Oliver’s crude Americanism stands out from the Perlmans’ understated European sophistication, from his oversized, ill-fitting dress shirts, to his overuse of the phrase “later,”

to the aggressive, ill-mannered way he cracks open an egg shell, devouring it primitively, like an American would. Upon Oliver’s arrival, Elio is intrigued. Guadagnino illustrates a serene and relaxed summer landscape that is an ode to Italy and Greco-

“Call Me By Your Name” Sony Pictures Classics State Theatre Roman Classics. We get a feel for the characters’ world, with the aid of a sublime soundtrack. Through voyeuristic peeks, aided by a perfect mise en scène of immaculately-set tables with Nutella and juicy fruit, our senses become fully entranced and a part of their reality. We feel Italy’s dewy summer on our skin, and we taste the sticky-sweet apricot flesh on our tongues. The film is a tactile experience, almost even too lush and overwhelming at parts. It is arrestingly visceral. Sensual. Chalamet is the obvious star here. Though a newcomer to the industry, his performances in both this and “Ladybird” have

put him high on the Hollywood radar, resulting in various nominations, particularly up against adroit legends like Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. His acting is refined and laid-back — the opposite of overacting. It’s almost too good. He mesmerizes us by appearing relaxed while paradoxically displaying a full range of emotions. He could fold shirts on screen for two hours straight and would somehow entertain us still. Their chemistry is tangible, but Chalamet impresses and outshines Hammer. But after all, it is his movie. The film could’ve easily fallen into the cliché conventions of a queer love story, but it never does, nor does it aim to moralize. It is about male friendships, the discovering of sexuality and most importantly, the discovery of one’s place in the world, which it doesn’t truly answer but leaves us wondering. “Call Me By Your Name” shows us the best parts of love and the absolute worst. Given the film’s often scant use of the verbal, there are simply no words to describe its effect. It builds you up, only to break you down, leaving you vulnerable, bawling in the theater with people around you looking to see if you are okay.

Admittedly, when I first heard word of The CW’s latest action drama, “Black Lightning,” I felt myself internally combusting at the thought of yet another superhero show. However, in a major plot twist, I found DC Comics’s “Black Lightning” — with its fierce character dynamics, shocking realism and divergence from the norm — to be a refreshing and impressive jolt of energy for the genre. Black Lightning’s origins and means of introduction are different from the standard, as Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams, “Prison Break”) has actually been in retirement from his superhero career for nine years, in favor of more subdued fighting for justice as a high school principal. It is only when both his city’s law and order and daughters’ safety are compromised by a notorious gang, the 100, that Jefferson is convinced to get back into the business of fighting crime and restoring the state of Freeland. In this way, “Black Lightning” is not just your typical superhero story highlighting a young, suave renegade, fictionally fighting to save the girl, defeating the evil villain or starring in crossovers with other superheroes. “Black Lightning” doesn’t need the hype of an “Arrowverse” (CW’s superhero universe) crossover event to show its worth. Its relevance in the real world and spotlight on true injustice, gang violence and systematic racism is necessary representation in our current political landscape. “Black Lightning” veers beyond basic good vs. evil tropes, as

for once, the “bad guy” role is encapsulated by two levels of sincerely destructive villains — Tobias Whale (Marvin “Krondon” Jones III, “Harry’s Law”), the gang kingpin of the 100, and the corrupted white police force that racially discriminates and profiles on the job. Aside from the sharp and commanding performance of Williams as the namesake, the female leads are equally (if not more) badass and captivating in

“Black Lightning” Series Premiere Tuesdays @ 9/8C The CW

their portrayals and character potential. With the tease that Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Anissa (Nafessa Williams, “One Life to Live”), has inherited some of her dad’s powers and superhuman skills, it will be intriguing to see how her capacity for influence will be unveiled in the future, given that she is already such a social justice warrior. On the other hand, his younger daughter, Jennifer (China Anne McClain, “A.N.T. Farm”), will most likely undergo the expected route of development for her reckless, party-girl archetype, reigning in her disregard to help her family and leaving some spontaneity to be desired. Another winning aspect of “Black Lightning” lies in its mesmerizing, prismatic soundtrack, which features hits ranging from Nina Simone’s soulful remake of

Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” to Kendrick Lamar’s robust “Backseat Freestyle.” The musical selections do a stunning job of enhancing the tense moments of the episode, spotlighting Black culture, amplifying Black voices and ultimately tying together the cinematic quality of the series. I found myself focused not only on the drama and turmoil happening between the characters, but also really listening to the lyrics of each song and uncovering their more profound purpose. The only place where “Black Lightning” stumbles a bit is in some of the more logistical elements of a series premiere. Unless you’re extremely familiar with the “Black Lightning” comics, the average newcomer viewer is left majorly in the dark regarding the backstory of Gambi (James Remar, “Dexter”), Jefferson’s presumptive mentor, tailor and makeshift nurse who is inserted into the mix mid-episode. Besides that slight snag, the special effects of the episode came across as mediocre and cheesy at times, as did the fight scenes and costuming of our hero. Setting itself apart from the majority of other superhero dramas, “Black Lightning” has the capability to charm anyone, from devoted DC die-hards to novice actionseekers. In combination with a good old cliffhanger ending, introspective characters and quite a large deal of justice at stake, “Black Lightning” is stacking up to be one of The CW’s most thrilling breakout hits. This genre-bending social commentary is innovative and exactly what we’ve been waiting for.

the new year of 2018 to start over and reconsider my lifestyle, when realistically, I needed to begin this health kick and revive my motivation months ago. I watched not only myself, but also some of my friends, become mentally affected by their lack of physical health and vice versa. With full consciousness, I saw my aspirations for healthy habits go down the drain.

ERIKA SHEVCHECK This lack of motivation and eagerness to give up is somehow rooted in the pressures of the new year. There’s a mutual encouragement that Jan. is a great month to start new routines and to become motivated again — there’s no doubt there. Nonetheless, we’re stuck in this idea of “new year, new you,” and that the turn of another year is the time, and the only time, to begin again. Although it seems that we know this to not be true, we follow it anyway. Other than time itself, there are other factors that play a role in delaying our desired lifestyles. We allow other commitments and plans to come before the gym or to come before cooking a wellbalanced meal. Sometimes we feel like we have to finish the essay before we sit down to meditate, or we would rather go to the movies than put on our running shoes. We

make the excuse that we don’t have time to do it all, but I recently lived the simple and cliché revelation that is, “you have to make the time to do it.” After this hiatus of exercising, I came full circle and acknowledged how absolutely difficult it is to start fresh again, but also that it’s not impossible. It’s that nervousness one feels when they leave the house for the first time in a long time to go out and exercise. There’s a worrisome notion that we have other and more important things to do rather than execute a healthy lifestyle. But that’s what designs this type of lifestyle: It’s not about trading one for the other, it’s factoring in exercise and self-care into our daily routines. That’s where I, and maybe so many others, went wrong. I saw my plan of getting fit again as a burden, as something that I had to do, as another thing on my plate. It stressed me out. But once I felt my blood pumping and my body generating endorphins, I discovered how badly I needed exercise (and not just for the month of Jan.). I’ve decided to implement these healthy actions into my everyday life, and I’m starting to become fully conscious of the effects, both mentally and physically. Now that it has become a habit, I believe there’s nothing stopping me. The new year doesn’t always have to be the starting line. Even for those of us who do use it as the starting line, it doesn’t mean we lose track of the race a couple weeks in. Being confident in our goals, applying them every day, creating that routine and realizing that we can begin again whenever and wherever — these are all components of maintaining our health plans and goals.

ALBUM REVIEW

Porches plays the introvert Daily Arts Writer

‘Black Lightning’ saves TV Daily Arts Writer

There seems to be a trend in our society where once the calendar switches to Jan. 1st, we begin a new plan of exercising, self-care and dieting. The gym gets packed, people get yoga class packages and fridges become full with fruits and veggies. Typically, we stick with these goals for the month of Jan., but it seems to go all downhill after that. Reasons for this vary, whether it be school or work or extra commitments. We let the first few weeks of the new year bring us hope for a fresh start, and we turn these hopes and resolutions into actions. But I can’t help but argue that this fitness plan we all hope to achieve doesn’t have to begin in the first month of the new year, and it certainly doesn’t have to end there. Resolutions of self-care and healthy lifestyles can be put into action at any time of the year, and we don’t have to give up on these goals as the year progresses. Of course, keeping yourself motivated or starting a new routine in the middle of the year is easier said than done. But that’s my question, not only for myself, but others who do the same: Why is it so difficult to start over at any time or to maintain our resolutions? I won’t lie. I love setting New Year’s resolutions, especially when they pertain to my mental wellness and physical health. I was the person who rarely swam last semester, but I’ve started to hit the pool again. I was also the one who never cooked for myself and ate absolute junk, but since the new year, I have now made almost every meal at home a healthy one. I acknowledge these accomplishments and new types of behavior — and I want to congratulate myself — but in some way, I feel guilty. I realize that it took me until

MATT GALLATIN

TV REVIEW

MORGAN RUBINO

New Year, new plan?

Porches has mastered the sound of the zealous introvert. At their core, each of his songs address the specific ambivalence of this personality. He walks by the party and wants to dance, but needs to be alone. He craves solitude, but still wants to give more of himself, still wants to love. There’s a pull to the outer world and a safety in hiding from it. It’s fitting, then, that the home is the soul of his third and newest album, and also its namesake. On The House, questions that seem simple on the surface — whether to stay in or go out, whether to get up or go back to bed — become pivotal. What he decides in those moments represents who he is as a whole. Each decision is the outfit he has chosen to wear. That is, if he decides to dress up and go out at all. Take his shift between the first two tracks. On “Leave the House,” he sings over a paced, spacious synth line: “I just wanna leave the house … / Maybe take a walk around.” He needs air and leads us to believe he’s going to set out to find it. It’s an uncharacteristic moment of willful exposure for an artist who produced his entire last album in a single bedroom in New York City. But immediately he contradicts himself. “I think I’ll stay inside,” he tells us in the first line of the absolutely gorgeous second track, “Find Me.” He can’t escape the fear of everything outside. It’s all about moving inwardly again, right when we thought he was moving outwardly. The song, ironically, is also the most generous and danceable on the whole album, complete with a huge, bouncy beat and an exuberant trumpet section. Porches has increasingly defined his project by playing with this mental back and forth. No conversation about Porches is complete without ample mention of ambivalence — this is certainly not music for hardliners. Tellingly, so many of Porches’s verses land on a final line that begins with “but.” What makes The House so much bigger, and so much more powerful, I daresay, than the already

wonderful Pool, is that Porches seems to celebrate and understand his ambivalence better than ever before. There’s something beautiful in how assured he is in being unsure. He lets himself sink inwardly and lets himself question that desire to do so. He gives room for both: the feeling, and the reaction to it.

The House Porches Domino Record Company The difficulty of such a personality is how to handle the external — that’s a broad word, but it covers a lot of important bases here. The biggest external for Porches is other people. Navigating love as someone who needs separation as much as the air they breathe becomes a constant question: How do you express it? How do you give it in a way that your partner wants, when so much of yourself rests within rather than without? Porches isn’t really sure. The conundrum is too large for a solitary introvert to solve. Instead, he simply narrates his own experience, explaining how he’s trying to figure it out. The result is some of his clearest and most emotionally resonant writing to date. Nowhere is this better showcased than “By My Side,” one of the most arresting moments on an album that is filled with so many that stop you in wild appreciation. “It’s my fault / This I know / It’s just hard to swallow,” he sings, speaking to a hurt lover. But this track grows far deeper than just an apology. As much as Porches loves to be inside the house, he learns about himself by those on the outside, and when he says to her, “I will call you by your name / If you call me by mine,” you nearly want to cry, because the weight of that moment, the drawing of lines in the sand, is so instantly understood in the context of his own internal fight. This once internal question of whether to stay inside or go out is reflected onto this relationship, and then reflected back onto himself, altering his selfperception. The relationship is a mirror, but the thing is, he doesn’t

want it to be. That he goes on to say most of the time he has no idea who he even sees in that mirror is the crux of the problem. It’s the essence of this album. With so many conflicting thoughts and desires, how do we begin to know ourselves? How do we decide to exist? As much as this sounds like a narrative, The House is better described as a mood. Continuing the trend he began on Pool, he creates a lot of the emotional work through the production. As sonic arrangements, these songs are well polished, absurdly addictive. The progression and crescendo of “Ono” does as much, if not more, work to translate feeling as the lyrical clarity of “By My Side.” He works with a similar synth palette as Pool to create this effect, but The House sounds more alive, conjuring expansive worlds, whereas Pool contained itself within a singular bedroom. Each song is its own room, fully furnished, and while every room is consistent aesthetically with the last, they all offer the listener a new discovery, a new chaise lounge to dance on and a new framed photo to gawk at. Walking through The House is supremely enjoyable. We’re guided out of the home on the final track, “Anything U Want.” He paints a scene with two characters: “Julie on the bed as warm as night falls,” and “Ricky on the field with some makeup on.” It’s a concise pastoral, a scene largely about love, but about the home too, and the country and the things we want to be for the people who love us back. Introversion is so easily misunderstood as selfishness, but here, Porches is generous to the point of giving himself entirely. He offers his world, singing “Tell me everything you want to hear / I want you to hear it / Tell me anything you want to feel / I want you near it.” The album, in retrospect, was always about others. Even from afar they guide Porches through his ambivalence, cutting false paradox and landing at an answer that’s perhaps even more complicated than the question we started with, of how to live and love as an introvert. Which is that somehow, we learn to love alone.

Arts

6 —Tuesday, January 23, 2018

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

COMMUNITY CULTURE REVIEW

The University Philharmonia delivers intense performance SAMMY SUSSMAN Daily Arts Writer

JOSHUA HAN / DAILY

Rankine on staying in the room JENNA BARLAGE Daily Arts Writer

On Thursday, poet, essayist and playwright Claudia Rankine spoke in conversation with theatre artist P. Carl at the Michigan Theater. The room was nearly full and buzzing with anticipation to hear Rankine speak about her new play, “The White Card,” written in conjunction with Carl. “The White Card” began as an adaptation of Rankine’s bestselling collection of nonfiction poetry, “Citizen: An American Lyric.” “Citizen” extrapolates on the persistent racial tension between white and Black Americans, from racist micro-aggressions in supermarkets to overt racism in professional tennis, painting a painful and accurate picture of the myth of America’s “postracial” society. After touring with “Citizen,” Rankine decided that she wanted to create a play that was an entirely different entity than her collection. She discovered that the reading of “Citizen” was the least interesting part of her tour. She was more intrigued and inspired by the responses of the audiences

she was reading to across the country, from the unwarranted hostility of white men to the bravery of young Black women. She then determined that the collaborative and communicative energy of theatre would be the most beneficial setting for a new work, one that was written in response to, what she’d witnessed in her audiences. The aim of “The White Card” is to explore whiteness and to stage a continuous conversation around race, one that cannot be avoided on the premise of “good manners.” The play follows Charlotte Cummings, a young Black artist. Charlotte attends a dinner party with her husband hosted by white art dealers in New York City in hopes of selling her art to them. The dinner party quickly spirals into an incredibly racialized and hostile environment, written to explore the manifestation of racism in everyday life. In reading this play, Rankine said that many young Black women asked the question, “Why did she stay in the room?” Though this made her hopeful, Rankine was also surprised by this response. In her experience, it was very uncommon to leave during a racist situation. It was

more common to “stay in the room.” This is the dynamic that “The White Card” is exploring: the phenomenon of “staying in the room.” Rankine and Carl elaborated on the difficult situations and dialogue within the play, with Carl claiming that Rankine was writing things that “no one would ever say.” Carl then caught himself, realizing that his experience as a white man was incredibly different than Rankine’s experience as a Black woman — the very theme that the play is encapsulating. The play’s parallels to reality expand beyond Carl’s experience of collaborating with Rankine on the work. The economics of theatre heavily influenced the writing of “The White Card.” This economic consideration is difficult to grapple with in creating a work about race, given that consumers of theatre are primarily white, and the success of a play is essentially dependent on white people. Rankine elaborated on this, speaking of the difficulty of accurately portraying what it is to be Black in America while also attempting to be careful of the potential discomfort of the white audiences the play would be

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performed for. “This play is written for white people and they will be the audience,” Rankine said. “I can’t show the worst of them.” The anxiety around the writing of the play for the sake of economics essentially centers around Rankine’s most prominent question: “How uncomfortable can we make white people?” The conversation between Rankine and Carl around the process of the play was incredibly potent. The anxiety around conversations about race is omnipresent. Though these conversations are necessary and important, especially in today’s political environment, they are avoided — and this avoidance is usually in the name of white comfort. Rankine and Carl had this conversation in front of a packed theater and continued it as white people began to walk toward the exit doors. Through “The White Card,” the conversation will persist. White people must face the discomfort around conversations about racial aggression to understand it and to change it. We, now, must be the ones to stay in the room.

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Last week’s University Philharmonia Orchestra concert at Hill Auditorium was an impressive display of orchestral might on two rather mature and nuanced works: Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 8” and Strauss’s “Der Rosenkavalier Suite.” Both pieces depict humor, one of the most difficult aspects of orchestral performance. While neither piece was quite as humorous as one would expect, both were impactful displays by student musicians as they learn to play comedic music. This brought both pieces to moments of pure beauty along with occasional moments of confusion. Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 8” opened quite strong and continued in a triumphant, if slightly unbalanced, vein. The sudden changes in volume, for example, were navigated well. The cellos, in particular, performed their melody to great effect. The second movement, the comical movement that some have likened to the beating of a metronome, was pleasant and well-executed. The repeating notes in the brass and woodwinds were impeccable, though slightly overpowering. The famed 16th-note passage in the basses (a quick scale-like passage on the lowest portion of the instrument where pitch is virtually indistinguishable) leapt from the orchestra with a muddy ferocity unparalleled in the entire work. It was, as Beethoven intended, a startling departure from the airy texture of the movement, a surprising hint at the frightening textures contained in some of Beethoven’s other orchestral works. In the third movement, the orchestra struggled a bit to stay together before finding sure footing. The triplets in the cellos at the beginning of the movement began to fall apart, though this was quickly forgotten as the movement

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ACROSS 1 Daily bread? 5 Convenient bag 9 Flower that’s a Buddhist symbol of purity 14 Unattributed, as a quote: Abbr. 15 Prof.’s employer 16 Stupefy 17 Checkout line unit 18 Actress Russo 19 Words to live by 20 1666 conflagration that destroyed St. Paul’s Cathedral 23 Military abbr. on a Beatles album 24 NYC subway line 25 Pup squeak 28 Raphael fresco depicting Greek philosophers, with “The” 33 “__-ching!” 34 Venison source 35 Sunny feeling 36 Seventh-day activity, in the Bible 38 __ Gone: gunkcleaning product 40 Repeated Doris Day song word 41 Gave the slip 44 Indian bread 47 At this moment 48 Gypsum used for casts 51 Subj. for immigrants 52 Color gradation 53 Coastal inlet 54 Pope 60 Complete chaos 63 Each 64 Rapper whose name sounds like a drink 65 Plato’s marketplace 66 Fodder storage tower 67 Not this 68 Wooden peg 69 Informal greetings 70 “Star Wars” guru DOWN 1 Many a Dickens child

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It was, as Beethoven intended, a startling departure from the airy texture of the movement

progressed. The f luxuations between loud and quiet sound easily captured the audience’s attention throughout the remainder of the work. The last movement displayed similar faults and strengths in interpretation. While it was the least precise of the movements, it was also the most captivating. The various repeats of the melody within the movement managed to feel new and engaging at every instance. The sudden C-sharp modulation in the coda (ending section) was handled with the appropriate amount of surprise and then acceptance. All in all, it was a fitting end to Beethoven’s “Little Symphony in F” — his strangely sophisticated, comedic little work.

Strauss’s “Der Rosenkavalier Suite,” the second work on the program, also contained a few awkward moments in an otherwise eclectic and fun performance. The huge orchestra required for this piece led to some minor balance issues between strings and brass, though this was ironed out by the end of the piece. The cross-sectional doublings (those not confined to instruments within the woodwind, string or brass families) also struggled a bit throughout the work, though they seemed to gain in confidence as the performance

The waltz sections in the second half of the work represented the entire orchestra at their best.

progressed. The octave passages in the bass and low brass, however, captured the audience and set the tone for the rest of the piece. These octave passages were resonant and powerful, seemingly waking up the orchestra and provoking an impressive performance. Following these octaves, the solo passages began to emerge with confidence from the work. The oboe solos, for example, were impressive. The solo passage for the concertmaster, principal first violin, principal cello and oboe were absolutely awe-inspiring. This moment easily captured the performance, the trading of notes between the instruments beautifully navigated with grace and ease. This created a beautifully light and fragile texture in an otherwise overwhelmingly large work; a brief respite between vast complex sonorities. The waltz sections in the second half of the work represented the entire orchestra at their best. The balance during these waltz sections was breathtaking — even the harp could be clearly heard when it was appropriate. The slower melodic passages also sounded incredibly rich and poignant. The constant f luctuation between slow melodic content and waltz sections gave the ending a confidence and radiance not felt through the early portion of the work. The best moment, however, came midway through the end of the work. In preparation for an unexpectedly low bass note, conductor Oriol Sans pointed straight down while facing towards the section, a powerful look on his face. The basses responded to this gesture, delivering an appropriately ferocious drop in register. The smiles on the musicians’ faces as they played this low note represented the feeling of the entire concert: a confident interpretation of two lighter pieces in the orchestral repertoire. While it may be easy to take issue with some minor interpretational inconsistencies in the performance, it is impossible to deny that the orchestra delivered an intense, captivating concert.

Sports

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Tuesday, January 23, 2018 — 7

Michigan defense appears to be coming back to life with recent success ROBERT HEFTER Daily Sports Editor

When the Wolverines skated off the ice at Munn Ice Arena on Dec. 8 after suffering a crippling 5-0 loss at the hands of a Spartan offense that took advantage of the dormant Michigan defense, the story read that the early spark had faded. The No. 20 Wolverines (7-7-2 Big Ten, 12-10-2 overall) flipped the script this weekend, though, as a palpable and evident streamline from the back line to the front defined a series sweep over No. 12 Penn State (6-7-3, 13-10-3). While most of the credit for Michigan’s successes thus far has been attributed to the

likes of senior forward Tony Calderone and the rest of the first two offensive lines, series sweeps over No. 13 Minnesota and then the Nittany Lions this past weekend were the product of a stalwart defensive effort. “You need that in this day and age and the way the game is,” said Michigan coach Mel Pearson after Friday’s victory. “You need your defensemen to come up in the play and add offense, but most importantly, they did a good job in our zone.” Earlier in the season – particularly in the first matchup splits against the Golden Gophers and Penn State – the Michigan defense could be seen turning the puck over behind its own net, in the offensive zone and most notably at its own blue

line. Before, junior Nick Boka and sophomores Giffin Luce and Luke Martin represented the second and third lines of defensemen that weren’t playing up to their potential. Even firstliners in junior Joe Cecconi and freshman Quinn Hughes – albeit Hughes plays as an attacking defenseman – could be seen giving up the puck on routine plays. But, something clicked after the Wolverines were swept in a home-and-home series two

weeks ago against top-ranked Notre Dame. “I think one of the things we’re really doing is breaking the puck out so much better than we were earlier in the year,” Pearson said. “That makes it easier. You’re not in your zone as much and you’re forcing their good players to play in their zone.” Perhaps the greatest sign of a defensive turnaround came at the hands of a human brick wall: sophomore goaltender Hayden Lavigne. Now the undeniable leader of

“We really just started paying the price for each other.”

the Wolverines’ defensive effort, Lavigne’s 77 saves this weekend saw him leaping all over the crease to limit the Nittany Lions to two goals, solely in the third period Saturday. His effort gave Michigan the backbone it needed. And the rest of the defense followed suit. “We’ve been communicating a lot better,” Lavigne said. “People know their routes a little bit better now than we did at the beginning of the year. “We really just started paying the price for each other, we’ve got guys going down to block shots at the last minute … they’re just working hard.” Luce, despite his doublepenalty game Saturday, flew around the ice with textbook

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Sophomore goaltender Hayden Lavigne has been a human brick wall for Michigan, and the rest of the Wolverines’ defense has improved as well by cutting down on turnovers and playing faster.

coordination alongside his defensive partner Boka, carrying the puck around their net and checking any Nittany Lion offense. “They’ve been really good,” Pearson said. “And I think that’s why you’re seeing some of the results that you’ve seen from our team … Luke Martin, Nick Boka, Griffin Luce – we sat him two games and he’s bounced back and played fabulous – they’ve come out and they’re pushing to the next level and you’re seeing that from a lot of our players.” Penn State forwards Andrew Sturtz, Brandon Biro and Denis Smirnov, who were deadly the last time the two teams met, were silent. A shutout Friday that continued through two periods of Saturday’s game proved that the Wolverines’ back line had life again. Blocked shots, aggressiveness on the boards and a lack of turnovers from the blue-liners was just the first stop on the defense’s train to dominance over these past two weeks. The forwards were getting involved too. Sophomore center Jake Slaker – who has been fairly silent on the stat sheet – was diving in front of shots from the Penn State back line. Senior left wing Dexter Dancs skated furiously back to the blue line to pressure Sturtz and company, providing support for a total-team defense that seemed to have an answer for anything the Nittany Lions threw at it. At the beginning of the season, Pearson wanted to see a high-paced team committed to a speedy counterattack. After this weekend, it appears that goal is coming to fruition. With yet another Big Ten series sweep over the Nittany Lions, the team’s recent successes — especially on the defensive end — may be more than just a temporary streak.

Wolverines finish weekend at 2-0 “Meat Factory” dominates for ‘M’ With ITA Regionals looming, Bernstein’s team plays well AKUL VIJAYVARGIYA For the Daily

The Michigan men’s tennis team did its due diligence on the West Coast this past weekend, starting the season 2-0 with wins at Washington and Boise State. Entering the spring season ranked No. 17, the Wolverines survived an immediate scare in Seattle on Saturday before sweeping Boise State, 7-0, on Monday. Initially, it seemed as if Michigan started the season off on the wrong foot, losing the doubles point to Washington. “We have to get better at doubles. We have to find a lineup that’ll work, and also execute and play better,” said Michigan coach Adam Steinberg. However, the nation’s No. 9 singles player, senior Alex Knight, began a rally for the Wolverines singles squad with a 6-2, 6-2 win against Mitch Stewart. “It’s really important, especially after you lose the doubles point, to get one of the

six guys off the court quick with a decisive win,” Knight said. “It really gives your teammates a little bit of confidence. We’re no longer losing in this match, we’re still in this. We’re fighting.” Soon after, freshman Mattias Siimar earned a tough 6-3, 6-3 win at the No. 3 singles position, giving Michigan a 2-1 lead. “I thought that was probably the most important match of the day,” Steinberg said. “We’ve seen him all fall and he is a really good player, but his first college match is different. It’s very hard to get used to and he did a great job. He beat a good player in straight sets and that gave the team a lot of confidence for sure. I haven’t asked all of them, but I know it meant a lot.” To close out the match, junior Myles Schalet and senior Carter Lin squeezed out tight matches, winning 6-4, 6-4, and 6-4, 7-5, respectively, earning the Wolverines the decisive points of the match. Two days later, Michigan

“The guys really took care of business on the court.”

dominated Boise State with relative ease, with no player giving up more than three games in a single set or five games in a full match. “The guys really took care of business on every court. We were consistent all the way through,” Steinberg said. “We have a big weekend coming up, so it was good to get off the courts quicker for sure.” A big weekend indeed, as the Wolverines will travel to North Carolina, ironically, to kick off the ITA Regionals against No. 20 South Carolina. With the season young, Michigan hopes to add an early, strong win to their resume. But that doesn’t need to be told to this squad. “It’s big (to have momentum),” Knight said. “We got a really tough opponent next week. They’re also top-20, so it’s really important that we got two wins this weekend.” Though the season is just beginning, the Wolverines have aspirations for Big Ten and National championships, and every player, especially the seniors, knows that it all starts next weekend at the ITA Regionals. For now though, this weekend was a good first step toward that.

FILE PHOTO/Daily

Senior Alex Knight beat his opponent in Saturday’s match to give his teammates the momentum needed to win.

Throwers find success despite team’s second-place finish

SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily

Redshirt junior thrower Grant Cartwright and the rest of the throwers were a bright spot for Michigan this weekend.

TEDDY GUTKIN For The Daily

Despite dropping its final relay race on Saturday afternoon, Michigan and its fans were able to find one positive in the form of a unit that is hard to miss, both in their impact and physically imposing size. The “Meat Factory,” a nickname affectionately given to the track and field team’s weight throwing competitors, notched the field’s top two positions. Junior Joseph Ellis helped to pace the Wolverines, finishing with the furthest distance amongst the field on five of his six attempts, including one that traveled 22.55 meters to set a personal record and notch the longest shot recorded in the Big Ten this season. “That’s a huge confidence booster,” Ellis said when informed his shot was a personal best. Ellis’ teammate, senior Grant Cartwright, also had a big day, finishing in second place — just behind Ellis — to help earn a whopping 16 points towards their overall team score. When asked about Cartwright, Ellis spoke glowingly about his teammate. “Grant’s been a phenomenal teammate and a phenomenal competitor,” Ellis said. “It means

a lot to have a great competitor in him and get to train with him all the time.” Michigan coach Jerry Clayton spoke highly of his weightthrowing team after their meet had concluded. “They’re the nucleus of what we’re looking at in terms of the national level,” Clayton said. It’s easy to see why Clayton made such a statement. The “Meat Factory” absolutely demolished their competition on Saturday, with both Ellis and Cartwright having tosses over 22 meters. They were also able to earn the maximum total of 16 points for the event, which featured Arkansas, Michigan State, and Ohio State. “It’s a great opportunity to put yourself up against two other Big Ten schools,” Ellis said. Ellis noted the team’s ability to earn a win the way that they were able to today is “huge” for the unit’s confidence. The Wolverine faithful helped to create a fantastic turnout to support the track and field

department’s various teams, with over 2,000 fans packing the newly-opened U-M Indoor Track Building to watch the meet. “It was actually quite nervewracking,” Ellis said as he glanced up at the stands. “Some of my throws were off to the side when I was warming up (because I was so nervous).” Yet, Ellis and the rest of the throwers still managed to perform. For that reason, the Wolverines know they can depend on the “Meat Factory,” expectations that Ellis says he feels. “The team’s expecting a lot of us, but we expect a lot of ourselves,” Ellis said. They clearly met Clayton’s expectations as well. Added Clayton: “The marks at which they opened at were exactly at where we were expecting” This win is a huge one for the Wolverines, and fans can only hope that the dominance of the “Meat Factory” can carry over to the rest of the team and ultimately lead to a successful 2018 campaign.

“It means a lot to have a great competitor in him.”

Sports

8 — Tuesday, January 23, 2018

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

‘M’ struggles but wins Robinson gets his break amidst trying month MAYA SALINAS For The Daily

Even though the team managed to pull out a win, the No. 3 Michigan women’s gymnastics team (2-0 Big Ten, 3-0 overall) feel some disappointment in their performance. The Wolverines took on its first road meet of the season versus No. 21 Illinois on Saturday. With a final score of 194.975-194.325, Michigan won by a narrow margin. But it wasn’t only the final scores that were close. The Wolverines lost vault by 0.15 points, won bars by 1.475 points, lost beam by 0.1 points and lost floor by 0.575 points. “It wasn’t what we are capable of,” said junior Emma McLean. “We have more control than we used today.” Added Michigan coach Bev Plocki: “We couldn’t find a landing to save our lives.” Plocki did, however, praise the performances of senior Briana Brown and freshman Syd Townsend, calling Townsend’s bar routine “flawless.” Brown received a 9.825 for her floor routine. When asked if being away from home for the first time this season changed the team’s dynamic, McLean said she felt that being on the road did slightly affect the team.

“(We have to) be able to bring the same level of energy and confidence that we have at home with us on the road,” Plocki said. Top performers in Saturday’s meet include senior Paige Zaziksi with a winning 9.900 on the uneven bars. McLean also impressed with a 9.875 floor — which also brought her a win — and sophomore Polina Shchennikova with a 9.850 beam debut. Shchennikova’s last-minute addition to the beam routine as the anchor was one of the meet’s most remarkable moments for the Wolverines. “(Shchennikova) was ready to go,” McLean said. “We couldn’t ask more from her.” While the outcome of the meet was favorable for the Wolverines, many mistakes were made. Still, as McLean put it, the result will allow the Wolverines to continue “building on what we’ve created so far.” “Overall I’m still super proud of every single person on this team,” McLean said. “We fought like no other, it wouldn’t have turned out how it did if we didn’t keep fighting.” Michigan’s next meet will again be on the road as it travels to Nebraska. By then, the Wolverines will hope to have found a way to correct the mistakes they made in Champaign.

ERIN KIRKLAND/Daily

Junior Emma McLean thinks Michigan could have done better against Illinois.

MARK CALCAGNO Daily Sports Editor

January hasn’t been easy for Duncan Robinson. Just take last Thursday, when the fifth-year senior forward went scoreless against Nebraska — his first time pointless since his debut for the Michigan basketball team. The 0-for-2 effort was representative of a career-worst season for Robinson, who’s shooting 37 percent beyond the arc. At times, a once dependable outside stroke has looked anything but. That has caused a major shift for Robinson and the Wolverines. After a series of breakout performances, freshman forward SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily Isaiah Livers took Robinson’s spot Fifth-year senior forward Duncan Robinson had a good game on Sunday in the midst of a tough month of January. in the starting lineup. first seven contests. Robinson first awoke to a text and sank the Wolverines’ final Robinson, meanwhile, is Things began to change, from his coach, reaffirming his go-ahead 3-pointer. playing fewer minutes than ever however, in Michigan’s first game ability with a bit of advice. It was the sort of play that coming off the bench. of the calendar year. Livers, the “I sent him a quick text today,” might earn others a trip to the “The past 21 days have been young reserve in waiting, scored Beilein said. “‘Duncan, you’re bench. a whirlwind,” Robinson said 13 points in 27 minutes in a win gonna be terrific today. Just come But Robinson has been through Sunday. at Iowa. Robinson played just 13 off shooting.’” thick and thin with Beilein over It’s the type of month that minutes and scored a mere five Hours later, Robinson did the past four years. Now, despite could have challenged Robinson’s points. just that and more in a win over some hesitation, Robinson can relationship with coach John That extrapolated over the Rutgers: 12 points, five assists, take more chances. Beilein. next two weeks four rebounds and “What we see (from Robinson) In 2014, the New Hampshire — Livers was a three steals. in practice in his drills is native left Williams College after budding star, “I just tried to phenomenal,” Beilein said. “But one year for the chance to play Robinson was be aggressive,” when we go into practice sessions, Division I basketball in Beilein’s lackluster — Robinson said. he’s asking for permission. He 3-point-minded offense. The giving Beilein “In that role, I doesn’t need permission, I trust two clicked and in his first year a predicament. just try to come him.” of eligibility, Robinson averaged It’s not often a off and provide a No matter the minutes or nearly four 3-pointers and 11 fifth-year senior spark. Offensively, starting designation, Michigan points per game as a reserve. is benched for I made some shots needs Robinson to leverage that Last year, Robinson returned a player a halfand defensively, I trust. When on, his shooting for his first shot at a starting job. decade younger. sat down.” stroke can be dangerous. Rutgers But with size and athletic ability Still, Beilein Added Beilein: coach Steve Pikiell credited that Robinson couldn’t match, chose the latter. “Duncan Robinson — it was what Robinson’s triples as a momentum D.J. Wilson won the competition “It was a conversation between we needed today from him. He’s killer Sunday. and much more, playing his way coach and I,” Robinson said. “A probably more rested than some But their significance is far to a first-round selection in the lot of it will stay between him and of our guys, and when he made greater. Finally, in the midst of a 2017 NBA Draft. Conversely, I, but I kind of looked at is as a (his first) three when Isaiah was testing month, Robinson got his Robinson saw his usage drop by leadership moment to earn some in foul trouble, it was a sign to play break. roughly eight minutes per game. credibility in that regard.” him more.” “That’s the dude I know,” But this season seemingly Leadership was about all Robinson took advantage of the Wagner said. “That’s my provided Robinson with a fresh Robinson was good for in his extra opportunity, taking shots roommate. That’s the player I’ve slate paired with junior center immediate return to the bench. that he passed on in prior games. played with the last three years, Mortiz Wagner in the front court. Last week, he made just three Midway through the first half, so I’m not surprised at all. I’m Robinson was effective early on, field goals in as many games. even with a defender draped over very proud of him the way he averaging 13 points in Michigan’s But Sunday was different. him, Robinson pulled the trigger bounces back.”

“He doesn’t need permission, I trust him.”

Sixteenth-ranked Wolverines look to stay hot No. 2 Michigan defeats WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING

Michigan State enters Tuesday’s rivalry game as the eighth-ranked Big Ten team ROHAN KUMAR Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan women’s basketball team has been hot recently. After upsetting then-No. 8 Ohio State in Columbus last week, the Wolverines returned home and pounded Illinois, 86-42, Saturday night. Against the Fighting Illini, Michigan was firing on all cylinders. The offense was energized, led by senior guard Katelynn Flaherty who tallied 27 points and averages 23.1 per contest. Freshman forward Hailey Brown also shined, finishing with 17 points and 14 rebounds for her third career double-double. On Tuesday, Michigan State (4-3 Big Ten, 14-6 overall) looks to dethrone the sixteenth-ranked Wolverines (6-2, 17-4) at Crisler Center. The Spartans return four starters from a 2017 squad that qualified for the NCAA Tournament and finished 21-12.

This season, though, they have not had the same success, in part because last season’s leading scorer, Tori Jankoska, graduated. Jankoska scored 28 and 14 points in her two matchups with Michigan last season, respectively. Due to injuries, Michigan State has had eight different starting lineups already. The Spartans currently stand at eighth in the Big Ten, and are coming off a 69-65 loss against a below-average Indiana team. Regardless of Michigan State’s record, the matchup is a rivalry game, and the Wolverines are well aware that anything can happen. “They’re always tough,” Flaherty said after defeating Illinois. “No matter if they’re the best in the league, last in the league they always come out, they’re ready, they scout us. They have a great game plan against us every single year.” The Spartans’ offense has had some signature performances this year. The team has reached

triple digits twice this season and averages 71.1 points per game. Guards Shay Colley and Branndais Agee, as well as center Jenna Allen lead the pack, averaging 11.5, 10.9 and 10.1 points per game, respectively. But Michigan State’s offense will be tested Tuesday. Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico’s team has found defensive success throughout the season, and held the Fighting Illini to just four points in the third quarter of the last contest. Due to some offensive struggles, Michigan has had to rely on its defense in the past. The Wolverines average 16.5 turnovers per game and often have trouble settling in. Although the offense has been improving, it will need to value each possession against the Spartans. Brown has been making strides — shooting at least 50 percent from the field in her last six games — so her contributions will be essential to the team.

Though Michigan appears to have the upper hand, history indicates otherwise. The Wolverines have only won three of the 14 meetings against Michigan State and lost both matchups last season. The first of those losses was their sole home loss of the season, while the second eliminated them from the Big Ten tournament during the first round. Those two defeats were part of a bad final stretch that left Michigan out of the NCAA Tournament. “It’s been tough the past couple years for us,” Flaherty said. The Wolverines look to continue building momentum, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Spartans cause troubles once again. The stakes will be high, that’s for sure. “They come in every single year ready to go,” Flaherty said. “It seems like a national championship every single time we play them, just cause you really wanna win that game.”

AARON BAKER/Daily

The Michigan women’s basketball team is currently on a hot streak as it heads into a matchup with rival Michigan State at Crisler Center on Tuesday.

Ohio State on the road RIAN RATNAVALE Daily Sports Writer

Before Vanessa Krause dove into the pool at Ohio State’s McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, the sophomore made sure to take a sharp look at everything around her: the locks, the pads, even the scarlet and gray-clad stands. It’s important for Krause and the No. 2 Michigan women’s swim team to get familiar with this setting. Its wins over Ohio State (176-124), Virginia Tech (224-76) and Rutgers (233-67) were just one of three potential meets in the Buckeyes’ home pool. Those other two meets? None other than the Big Ten Championships and the NCAA Championships. “It was pretty interesting to see the pool and the nice facility that they have,” Krause said. “Unfortunately, it was all red instead of maize and blue, but it was a really good experience with the team. … It was a good start to the season, swimming in their pool, checking out everything.” That extra look around seemed to benefit Krause in her first meet there this season too, as she came out as one of three double winners on the team along with senior Clara Smiddy and junior Rose Bi. Krause noted that it was important to change her energy strategy to win the 100 and 200-yard butterfly. “They all told me ‘You really like to back-half your races and you really like to sit on everyone until the very end,’ ” Krause said. “I guess that’s when they say I like to come back and finish. “Today, we really tried to focus on taking it out in the beginning and not being afraid of dying down at the end. That’s something that I’ve

really struggled with, but also something I’ve really pushed myself to be better at.” While the Wolverines were adjusting to the hostile Ohio State environment, they also became familiar with the prospect of swimming without the constant presence of star junior Siobhan Haughey. Although Haughey returned to action after missing last week’s dual meet against Indiana, she only swam the 200-yard freestyle. Michigan coach Mike Bottom was pleased with the team’s performance in her quasi-absence, but was noncommittal to stating that Haughey would be fully available for the Big Ten Championships and the NCAAs. “I hope so,” Bottom said. “I hope so.” Contrary to the sport of swimming itself, the road to success is not always straightforward. Injuries like Haughey’s are almost inevitable. The team spent three months without swimming at home. Time will tell what other twists and turns will be thrown the Wolverines’ way, but in the moment, they’re staying confident. “It definitely has boosted my confidence,” Krause said. “Knowing where I’m going to swim and knowing what the pool is like, helps me initialize and look forward to better things in the future hopefully. I’ll know what the pool looks like, where we are sitting for Big Tens, how long it’ll take us to get there from the hotel. It’s just really good mentally for me to know those things.” If they can hold on to the familiar, as Krause started to do this weekend, anything is possible.

“It’s just really good mentally for me to know those things.”