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University’s ride service struggles to suit demand Equipped with few drivers and resources, SafeRide leaves students with long waits NATASHA PIETRUSCHKA For the Daily

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Amiyah Scott speaks at the 4th Annual W.M. Trotter Lecture titled “My Life. My Story! Centering the Voices of Trans Lives” at the Trotter Multicultural Center Thursday.

Transgender, nonbinary stories highlighted at annual Trotter event

“My Life. My Story!” lecture celebrates acclaimed members of the trans community ELIZABETH LAWRENCE Daily Staff Reporter

As attendees filled Rackham Auditorium Thursday night, a slideshow flashed images of acclaimed figures in the trans community, both living and dead. A few of the many honored were actress Laverne Cox, “Survivor” star Zeke Smith and Sylvia Rivera, the late activist and drag queen. Over 250 people attended the Trotter Multicultural Center’s lecture “My Life. My Story! Centering the Voices

of Trans Lives,” honoring the lives, works and stories of transgender and nonbinary people. Jessica Thompson, program manager for the Trotter Center, did much of the organizing for the lecture, reaching out to trans student speakers at the University, as well as the celebrity keynote speakers. At the start of the event, she expressed her appreciation for the student speakers’ willingness to share their stories. She said while the celebrity speakers brought inspiration to the event, it was the students she felt were most impressive.

“Although they (the celebrities) are amazing, I have to be honest, that’s not what makes this event star-studded,” Thompson said. “It’s the students that make this event star-studded.” The student speakers came from diverse backgrounds and different parts of the University: Art & Design senior D. Wang Zhao, Information graduate student Vidhya Aravind, Max Mendez, a recent graduate from the School of Social Work and 2017 LSA graduate Leo Sheng. Each student expressed their story in different ways, but all included

their struggles, perseverance and gratitude for the support of friends and family. Zhao told their story through poetry, using the color blue to represent their fluid gender identity and express frustration with discrimination. “My blue is not masculinecentered, not feminine-centered, but fluid and indistinguishable,” Zhao said. “My blue is of transience and of being an immigrant of having aesthetics that involve of yes, bleaching my eyebrows like I See TROTTER, Page 3

It’s not uncommon for University of Michigan students to spend late nights studying at the University’s many libraries. That’s why free university-sponsored transportation services like Campus SafeRide are designed to take students, faculty, and staff where they need to be after-hours. But this service created to bring students home safely at late hours can sometimes leave them waiting longer than expected. The SafeRide system depends on four drivers Sunday through Thursday, and three on Fridays and Saturdays. SafeRide encourages the use of their app, which automatically assigns a destination to the most launchable driver. If students call, drivers manually record the necessary information. Some University of Michigan users have reported waiting to

be picked up by SafeRide times significantly longer than the service advertises. A source from SafeRide who requested to remain anonymous indicated wait times are generally 15-20 minutes. However, LSA sophomore Lillie Heyman experienced twice that when she was told her wait time would be 40 minutes. After the Law Library had closed at 12 a.m. on a Saturday and buses had retired their routes, Heyman needed to get back to her dorm at Oxford Housing. Never having tried SafeRide before, she decided to call them. “I called the number and the person answered, and they asked if I wanted to be added to the queue of people waiting for SafeRide,” Heyman said. “The wait was 40 minutes.” Students often turn to SafeRide before transportation apps like Uber or Lyft to avoid the potentially hefty fees they charge, which can exceed $10 depending on the location. See RIDE, Page 3

Despite declining international enrollment across City Forum talks data state, Ann Arbor campus sees steady increases

ANN ARBOR

from green initiatives

Methods to measure and track sustainability efforts discussed in city meeting NATASHA PIETRUSCHKA For the Daily

Community members gathered to attend the second meeting of the 7th annual Sustainable Ann Arbor Forum series on Thursday, which focused on methods to measure and track the progress of sustainability. About 40 students and Ann Arbor residents attended the event at the Ann Arbor District Library. Attendees came to discuss the success of the city’s sustainability programs. Moderator John Mirsky, executive policy advisor for Sustainability for the Ann Arbor City Administrator, began the forum by emphasizing the importance of measuring and tracking sustainability. “If you speak with data, that drives informed improvement,” he said. According to Mirsky, the best way of measuring progress is through metrics and by tracking the information through review meetings, along with community engagement. “Stay engaged,” Mirsky said. “Hold (the city and) the University accountable for See SUSTAINABILITY, Page 3

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Regional public institutions adopt new strategies to increase out-of-state enrollment, boost revenue ISHI MORI

Daily Staff Reporter

Universities across the United States, and especially those in the Midwest, are struggling to attract international students to their campuses. International enrollment has most noticeably declined in non-flagship state universities, where funding for classes and facilities has dried up due to the lack of international students who are willing to pay full price for tuition. University of Michigan students on the Ann Arbor campus, who are used to seeing more international students every year, may be surprised to find Michigan’s public institutions are not immune to this decline. Of the state’s 15 public universities, 10 reported a declining international student population over the past year, including U-M Flint, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University. However, several of these universities have embraced strategies like shifting their focus to domestic out-of-state students and online courses to offset falling enrollment rates and revenue. These new strategies have been successful so far. Forces behind the decline James Cotter, director of the Office of Admissions at Michigan State University, said several factors could be responsible for the decline in international enrollment, including the tense political climate in the U.S., represented in policies like President Donald Trump’s travel ban. Check out the Daily’s News podcast, The Daily Weekly

“In the last five years, there’s been some things that changed,” Cotter said. “Perhaps the climate within the United States and the lack of a sense of welcomeness that the country may be projecting, whether that be true or not … We’re hearing from students that that’s an issue.” According to its enrollment report, MSU has seen its international enrollment fall from its fall 2014 peak of 7,645 students, or 15.26 percent of the total student population, to 6,850, or 13.69 percent. Cotter said the numbers back in the day may have been “artificially high” because other universities around the world were not as interested in recruiting

international students, and saw the current numbers as appropriate. “Those international numbers (from 2014) may have been artificially high … Most of us in the enrollment management profession knew that those numbers weren’t necessarily sustainable,” Cotter said. “Everyone seems to be in the game of recruiting international students now and that wasn’t necessarily the case back in 2011, 2012, 2013.” Engineering senior Mary Rose Shi, an international student from Myanmar, said the high cost of tuition in the United States was a deterring factor for many of her friends back home. “We’re becoming more

globalized, so the opportunities available at U.S. colleges are very much available outside of the U.S. as well,” Shi said. Funding from foreign governments also influences how many foreign students study abroad. Ahmad Ezzeddine, associate vice president for Educational Outreach and International Programs at Wayne State University, said a major factor was the rise and fall in governmentsponsored scholarships. As a result of the Brazilian government ending its Brazilian Scientific Mobility Program, Ezzeddine said Wayne State’s population of international students decreased almost four percent, ending a four-year trend of

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increases. In China, the number of high school graduates has been steadily decreasing every year, due to the country’s one-child policy, which was in effect from 1979 to 2015. Cotter cited the demographic shift in the country and the Chinese government’s investment in its own higher education system as reasons why Chinese students, who make up the bulk of international students at many universities, come in smaller numbers now. International factors affect some schools more adversely than other. The University of Michigan-Flint campus has seen its international enrollment dwindle to 348 students, 4.44 percent of the student population, or almost half of its 2015 peak of 720, 8.5 percent, according to their student profile. Kristi Hottenstein, vice chancellor for Enrollment Management at U-M Flint, explained the decline in Saudi Arabian students, who make up more than a third of the international student population at Flint, was a major factor in the school’s decline in international enrollment overall. The Saudi government cut funding for students studying abroad in 2016 due to falling oil prices. “Any enrollment decline has budget implications for a university, and that holds true for U-M Flint,” Hottenstein wrote in an email interview. “However, our university has planned accordingly, and we continue to actively recruit students from Saudi Arabia, across the Middle East and around the See SPENDING, Page 3

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News

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MONDAY: Looking at the Numbers

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BE HIND THE STORY Every Friday, one Daily news staffer will give a behind the scenes look at one of this week’s stories. This week, LSA sophomore Cory Zayance wrote about the strain put on the relationship between the Ross School of Business and Procter and Gamble after students made a mockery of a Q & A with a representative of the company. “This story was my first experience with some serious, hardhitting investigative journalism, s it definitely expanded my horizons as a reporter, and was a very interesting story to write about. The most interesting part about writing the whole thing was choosing which Tide memes I was gonna throw in there. I had a lot of options, so I tried to just go with my gut and pick which ones I thought would impact the reader the most. But just overall, I thought it was a ridiculous situation that some tide pod memes asked by students at a lecture would potentially jeopardize an entire relationship between Ross and one of its biggest recruiters.“ LSA sophomore Cory Zayance, “Students’ behavior surrounding Tide Pods threatens Ross business relationship” ALEXIS RANKIN/DAILY

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Synder suggests 2 percent increase in funding for state’s higher education Prosposed plans would give University’s Ann Arbor campus $320.8 billion REMY FARKAS

Daily Staff Reporter

Wednesday, Gov. Rick Snyder suggested a 2 percent increase in funding for the state’s higher education budget during the 2018-2019 fiscal year. According to a University of Michigan press release, the proposed plans would provide the University’s Ann Arbor campus with $320.8 million. The budget would also Sudoku Syndication provide the Dearborn campus with $26.1 million, a 2.6 percent

increase, and the Flint campus with $23.6 million, a 2.3 percent increase. The plan would recover lost funding from the Ann Arbor campus during the 2011 cut to higher education. Half of this funding is contingent upon University milestones in areas including research, graduation rates, administrative expenditures and Pell Grantrecipients. The universities must also limit tuition increases to 3.8 percent

or double expected inflation rates in order to receive the funding. Cynthia Wilbanks, University vice president for government relations, was pleased with the announcement. “Investing in higher education provides greater opportunities to our residents and is absolutely critical for our state’s continued economic growth,” Wilbanks said in a statement to The University Record. “We look forward to working with our

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representatives in the state House and Senate as this budget process proceeds.” ROSEANNE CHAO and CASEY TIN Managing Design Editors design@michigandaily.com The budget also includes a recommendation for ALEXIS RANKIN and KATELYN MULCAHY funding increases at Oakland Managing Photo Editors photo@michigandaily.com University, Lake Superior State Senior Photo Editors: Amelia Cacchione, Emma Richter, Evan Aaron Assistant Photo Editors: Claire Meingast, Sam Mousigian, Aaron Baker, University and Michigan State McLoughlin, Alec Cohen University AgBioResearch and Extension. BRIAN KUANG For now, the budget heads Statement Editor statement@michigandaily.com to the Michigan Legislature Deputy Editors: Colin Beresford, Jennifer Meer, Rebecca Tarnopol for amendments and approval FINN STORER and ELISE LAARMAN http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ votes by both the state House Managing Copy Editors copydesk@michigandaily.com and Senate. Senior Copy Editors: Emily Stillman and Allie Bopp

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I N S I D E C L I M AT E N E W S RIDE From Page 1

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J. Mark Ramseyer, Mitsubishi Professor of Japenese Legal Studies at Harvard Law School, speaks about identity politics in Japan at Weiser Hall Thursday.

TROTTER From Page 1 did last night. My blue is a soft blanket.” Aravind discussed the struggle of having so few other South Asian trans women in her community, discovering her trans identity in 2014 while experiencing depression. She said she was indebted to the friends she met during that difficult time who supported her and ultimately helped her recognize her transness. “My transition is primarily the story of community and solidarity,” Aravind said. “It’s the story of people sacrificing time and energy to care for me.” In Mendez’s speech, they talked about not fitting into a gender category growing up and how this made them feel isolated. “I remember people always calling me tomboy, that I was one of the boys,” they said. “To me, that meant I wasn’t doing girl right, but I wasn’t quite boy enough to be respected the way a real boy is. I felt broken, like I wasn’t doing gender right.” Mendez also highlighted certain obstacles they face as a

SPENDING From Page 1 world to ensure a globally diverse campus community.” Despite these challenges, U-M’s Ann Arbor campus has held up well, with the number and percentage of international students growing almost uninterrupted for 10 years. In 2008, the percentage of international students at the University’s Ann Arbor campus was 11.55, growing to 15.14 percent in 2017. Kedra Ishop, vice provost for Enrollment Management, said because government scholarships are running out in foreign countries, the few students who do have funding will choose to go to selective institutions where the return on investment is high. She explained U-M has an established brand overseas that will continue to pull students and prevent a big drop in the number of international applications. “(Foreign) students are going to be more selective in where they choose to take the funding that they have … They are looking at institutions that will deliver on the educational experience they expect to have for that, and Michigan is well-regarded nationally and internationally,” Ishop said. Aside from cost, Lucas Lu, CEO of Forward Pathway, LLC, a Pittsburgh-based educational consulting company for Chinese international students, explained Chinese students are getting an impression the U.S. is becoming less safe because of gun violence and terrorism reports in the media. “Chinese parents worry about this, we have several customers who finished their application then suddenly decided not to come to U.S. due to the Las Vegas gunshot

nonbinary person, such as being forced to check either male or female on a job application or struggling to find a gender-neutral bathroom. They conveyed their desire to be accepted as who they are. “At the end of the day, I would just like people to see me as who I am,” they said. “Our existence is too nebulous to be filled in one box. We’re too full of possibilities.” Sheng similarly talked about being uncomfortable in his gender as a child. He talked about his rejection of anything considered “feminine” as a child, joking that to his friends, it was as if he was a little Mulan. He then discussed his coming out experience and the medical transition that followed. “My body was rapidly forming to fit my soul, and while it was something I’d wanted more than anything for six years, it was overwhelming,” he said. He further noted the changes in his thinking since his medical transition four years ago, especially his acceptance of his trans identity as being part of his search for happiness. “I spent so long thinking that being trans was a roadblock to happiness, but I know now that while it doesn’t make it any easier,

report,” Lu wrote in an email interview. Judith Pennywell, the director of the University’s International Center, added the University undertakes educational campaigns to counteract perceptions that the United States is a dangerous place. “International students are welcomed and valued at Michigan, and we want to make sure they know this despite what they might experience in — or feel about — the current political environment,” Pennywell wrote in an email interview. And after they arrive, international students can expect to find support through advising, workshops, field trips and social events through the International Center and other campus resources. Toward new sources of revenue The trend in declining international student enrollment coincides with the general decline in enrollment at public universities, according to the Michigan Association of State Universities. Ezzeddine said for regional universities like Wayne State, the economic downturn in Detroit after the 2008 financial crisis has affected enrollment numbers adversely. “When employers stop providing tuition benefits, when jobs are limited, school may not be the top priority for a prospective student,” Ezzeddine wrote. “So they drop out of school or don’t pursue that graduate degree in which they were planning to enroll … And it becomes a domino effect.” Cotter said in response to the drop in international enrollment, MSU has ramped up efforts to attract out-of-state students, who also pay more for tuition, to balance out the decline in international students. “What Michigan State’s been able

my trans identity isn’t a roadblock, but a part of that journey,” Sheng said. After the student speeches and a reflective moment of silence, the keynote speaker portion of the event began. One of these speakers was actor Brian Michael Smith, an Ann Arbor native, who has had roles in TV shows such as “Queen Sugar,” “Chicago P.D.” and “Girls.” Smith told the story of playing for his high school football team, despite the fears of his mother and the stigmas surrounding it. He connected this to his experience as a trans person through the lesson of going for goals even as the people express their doubts. “As a trans person, a lot of what I’m struggling with is not my own fear, not my own doubts, but other people around me,” Smith said. “So I’m here today to tell you don’t let that happen to you. There’s so much you can do, there’s so much in your heart. If that’s something you want to do, you have to go for it. People will come around, people will learn and most importantly when you share your story, you’re going to give somebody else the courage to do that in their life.” The next speaker was modal Amiyah Scott, an actress on the TV show, “Star.” She said she was

to do was grow our domestic outof-state to minimize the impact of international decline,” Cotter said. “We feel very fortunate as a flagship institution to be able to recruit students very, very successfully across the state of Michigan, but also from Los Angeles to New York and around the world.” When asked about the budgetary implications of an increasing international population, Ishop said there were no big changes. “Our international students pay the same rate as our domestic non-resident students,” Ishop said. “International is a part of (outof-state students) –– there’s not a subsequent budgetary impact.” For regional universities, the push to make up for lost enrollment takes a different course. Geoff Larcom, executive director of Media Relations at Eastern Michigan University, said though EMU has seen its total enrollment and international enrollment decrease over the past 10 years, EMU is now focusing on online degree courses, for which many people pay out-ofstate tuition. He also noted EMU is working harder than ever to recruit and retain international students through its #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign, which promotes the university’s support network for foreign students and proximity to Detroit Metropolitan Airport. EMU President James Smith also visited China along with other administrative officials last year to build bridges with students there. “One of the ways President Smith wants to increase revenue and continue improving the campus is to increase our enrollment of international students, despite any of the forces that might be acting in the opposite direction,” Larcom said. “We adopted the #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign, which involves a video and a

grateful for being able to attend the event and exist as her trans self against all odds. “I’m thankful first of all because the woman you see here today was told she couldn’t exist,” Scott said. “I was actually told I was crazy for thinking she could exist. And I’m here.” She noted the times she’s been distressed while trying to achieve her dreams and her ultimate perseverance. She urged the audience to always love themselves and fight for their ambitions. “Self-love is very important,” she said. “You have to love you. Aside from that, you have to believe in yourself, you have to give yourself a chance.” Activist Janet Mock, author of memoirs “Redefining Realness” and “Surpassing Certainty,” was the last speaker. She talked about coming from an unstable family and a neighborhood filled with poverty noting her eventual success is a rare occurrence in her community. She spoke of the liberation telling her story gave her.

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EMU. “I believe education is one of the most critical things to improve our living and thinking,” he wrote in an email interview. “The U.S. is? Was? The country of freedom. Everyone who wants to pursue their goals or dreams should be given an equal chance.” Shi, echoed the sentiment, saying the distance from her home country did not deter her from pursuing the best education she could obtain. “Going abroad for me, 3 hours away or 24 hours ride doesn’t matter,” Shi said. “(The U.S.) is one of the best countries that can offer the best education.”

Opinion

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MARGOT LIBERTINI | COLUMN

Feminism, love and happiness

his past week, one of my the personal manifestation of favorite podcasts, “Stuff feminism I used to pull myself Mom Never Told You”, up and out was defined by an discussed a topic I urge to be strong, have experienced but unbreakable and never found a way to impervious to any articulate. The hosts hurt that could send sat down with Jill me back there. I see Filipovic, author of this among many “The H-Spot: The survivors; it is an Feminist Pursuit understandable way of Happiness.” In to heal. It does not essence, she spoke eradicate the pain about the importance abuse though; it MARGOT of of prioritizing merely silences it. So, women’s fulfillment LIBERTINI I spent my first year and joy in the feminist of college drinking pink moscato movement. After all, isn’t that (cringe), lecturing my friends at the core of what we all want? about how manipulative and Their discussion was toxic all of their relationships centered on happiness within were and swerving from any marriage. They discussed man who dared to reveal a bit whether there could ever be a of feeling. feminist marriage, given the sexist nature of the institution. I’m only a junior in college, still four years out from entering the post-law school real world, so I won’t feign authority on that subject. However, I do feel that an emphasis on happiness, and especially happiness within romantic relationships, is lacking in the feminist conversation. Personally, it is much easier for me to write and talk about my pain when I talk about my romantic experiences. I truly believed that all of This is for good reason—my first my friends were in relationships serious relationship ended in a that undermined their autonomy courtroom, with me pursuing a and hindered their growth. Personal Protection Order. Today, I would hold that some I was 17, prying myself of that was true. The nature of out of a toxic and confusing so many romantic relationships relationship with a person I met is toxic and controlling, and I at 14. Making sense of the three think that is a truth we need years I knew him, of the seven to focus more attention on. months we dated and of how Your partner should not tell I ended up in Oakland County you what to wear, who to see, Circuit Court led me to a variety what to think; they should not of conclusions. I learned about belittle or threaten you, should gender-based violence, about not ever make you feel less. rape culture, about systemic However, there must be some problems that throw young good to be found in love and women into terrifying situations romance. If not, why would we with no knowledge of how to continue to seek it out? But are get out. It was this feminist there feminist relationships, or awakening that has guided me is the nature of heterosexual through life since. romance always going to lead I am eternally grateful for to a situation in which the man the path I took to pull myself is advantaged? out of that pain. Feminism and Jill Filipovic said she the pursuit of social justice never thought she’d marry have come to dramatically until she met her fiancé. I shape my friendships, never thought I’d date after intellectual interests, self- my first experience until I image, professional path and met my current boyfriend. even my eating habits. However, I was quite head over heels

There must be some good to be found in love and romance. If not, why would we continue to seek it out?

at our first encounter, but I was also cripplingly anxious about the prospect of investing myself in another relationship. Yet, I discovered that while it was possible for a toxic relationship to eradicate my sense of self and esteem, it was also possible for one to do the opposite. The very reason I’m writing this article is because my boyfriend has read, revised and praised so much of my writing that I felt confident enough to apply to The Daily. A year ago, that comment would have made me uncomfortable, as if I was crediting my own accomplishments to a man. But I don’t want to be cynical about love anymore. I don’t want to give any more to a man in the past who tried so hard to ruin joy for me. I want to feel liberated from that time, and the best way to do that has been to love without caution or restraint or especially the feeling that I’m somehow undermining my feminist philosophy for simply choosing happiness. I’m sitting in bed writing this next to my boyfriend with respiratory flu and a fever of 103. We are surrounded by a mess of tissues, Tamiflu and lentil soup. I’m thinking back to when I had mono last year, and he came to my parent’s house with me every weekend and sat in my living room with my mom while I took eighthour naps. I am growing more comfortable accepting and giving care. I am learning and re-learning how to be vulnerable, to act selflessly, to not worry that my mind, soul or body are being taken advantage of. I deserve that peace, as do all women and all people who have had it ripped from that in prior experiences. So, this Valentine’s Day, if you are also feeling scared, anxious or cynical about the prospect of romance, I encourage you to embrace vulnerability. I encourage you to resist the horrific world we live in by choosing love and joy, whatever that may mean for you. Margot Libertini can be reached at mliberti@umich.edu .

FRANNIE MILLER | CONTACT AT FRMILLER@UMICH.EDU

The young and the lonely

The barrier of loneliness: The palpable, desperate need of the human animal to be with his fellow man … up there is an enemy known as isolation” Rod Serling. The haunting nature of loneliness is vividly captured by Serling at the end of the very first episode of “The Twilight Zone,” in which a man finds himself trapped in a town with no people in it. While you and I will likely never experience such a frightening scenario, we can nonetheless realize the terror of such isolation. In 2010, the Mental Health Foundation in the United Kingdom released their findings that loneliness, chiefly thought about as an issue for the elderly, was actually a greater burden for young people ages 18 to 34. According to the American College Health Association, 59.3 percent of students report feeling very lonely at any time in the past year. It is hard to wrap your head around the idea that people in the prime of their lives, a time full of family and friends, could be suffering from loneliness. Alas, to feelings of loneliness and isolation, age is not a number of consequence. While we should not ignore the problem of loneliness in the elderly, it is equally important to recognize loneliness as a major mental health problem for young people that should be both discussed and addressed. The link between loneliness and poor health outcomes is clear. Research in older adults shows that loneliness impairs health by elevating levels of stress hormones and inflammation which can, in turn, lead to chronic illnesses like heart disease and dementia. Writing in The New York Times, Dr. Dhruv Khullar of Harvard Medical School declared that “social isolation is a growing epidemic—one that’s increasingly recognized as having dire physical, mental and emotional consequences.” Khullar also points out that isolation can make illnesses, such as opioid addiction, worse as well as being a potential cause of bad health. It is clear that loneliness and isolation are more than just unpleasant and the health consequences—both physical and

mental—can be severe. But why are young people lonely? To begin to understand this, one must learn the typology of isolation. In 1973, American sociologist Robert S. Weiss divided loneliness into social isolation and emotional isolation. Social isolation is what we typically associate with isolation, that is, a true lack of social connections. Emotional isolation is a much more insidious foe. Emotional isolation is the internal feeling of loneliness in spite of social connections, no matter how robust.

Emotional isolation, in my view, has its roots in the culture we live in. I definitely suffer from emotional isolation. I am not a recluse, I go out to parties and other social events. I have friends who I can confide in and who I enjoy spending time with. Yet, in those times when I am sitting on my couch, the hungry pangs of loneliness gnawing at my mind and soul, I feel like I have no one and that I am utterly alone. In the past year, these times of peak loneliness have gotten more and more frequent. Safe to say, it sucks. Emotional isolation, in my view, has its roots in the culture we live in. While preexisting mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, obviously contribute to this imagined isolation, it is the social environment we navigate through on the daily that provides an ample medium for loneliness to flourish. For example, social media, which should have ushered in a new era of connectedness, may actually be making us feel more isolated. Now, I happen to find Facebook very useful and am not one to attack social media as the bringer of doom to our generation. That being said, a study out of the University of Michigan’s Department of Psychology found

that Facebook use is a predictor of declining happiness and that it undermines well-being. The Achilles’ heel of social media is that it increases the quantity of social connection but not necessarily the quality. This is the case because social media reduces someone’s personality, thoughts and lived experiences into a caricature and encourages us to judge people based off of that simulacrum. Take Tinder, an app where we judge and are judged based off of some pictures and a bio where wit matters more than substance. Sure, the instant gratification of a Tinder match is addictive at first but after a while it makes me feel hollow. Social media is just the tip of the iceberg that is our lonely culture. Those of us socialized as men are not really allowed spaces to foster real connections with other people. In media, male friendships are portrayed as fun but almost never as emotionally supportive. And while Valentine’s Day is a frivolous Hallmark holiday, it is still a reminder that romantic relationships are the quintessential social connection in our society. Platonic love, a beautiful thing in its own right, is presented as inferior to romantic love. This is problematic because it prevents us from realizing that, even if we are single, that we are not alone. I am consistently surprised by how many people I am connected with where we mutually care about each other, all I have to do is reach out. Last May, The Washington Post ran an article titled, “Senior loneliness is a disease that can and should be treated.” I would very much like to see similar attention paid to loneliness in young people because loneliness hurts, no matter the age. I empathize wholeheartedly with my fellow college students who are struggling with loneliness. I know there is light at the end of the tunnel and we will reach that light with our heads held high. We are stronger than the enemy known as isolation.

Ali Safawi can be reached at asafawi@umich.edu.

SAM WEINBERGER | OP-ED

Racism in our midst

arlier this semester, I discovered one of my classmates is a racist. While sitting in our shared discussion, she sent me messages that were simultaneously abhorrent and surprising. Furthermore, she did so by using a deeply offensive term. As she wrote to me in three separate, unexpected texts, “i’m also racist so that doesn’t help… not trynna get too dark over here but i don’t like n******…lol there’s a difference between blacks and n******.” She was an unambiguous, unapologetic racist. Her appalling texts left me filled with disgust and led me to question my preconceived notions of what racism on campus looks like. Though I have witnessed racism before, this was the first time I had seen it directly expressed by a fellow University of Michigan student. The realization that one of my peers held racist views was a shocking reality check — I knew there had been racist incidents in Ann Arbor in the past, but I was comforted by the fact that no University students were ever caught committing them. “Maybe a visitor or a townie did it,” I would internally assure myself. As I continued to pore over the details of my chance encounter with such casual racism, the conversation’s full implications became apparent and the following questions emerged: If I had this one chance encounter with a single classmate of mine, how many other closeted (or in her case, non-closeted) bigots were there in my classes? In my majors? In my beloved

University of Michigan? I came to the University of Michigan because I believed it to be the greatest public university in the nation, if not the world. However, the discovery that at least one of my peers, and likely many more, seem to have such spectacularly repugnant views on the topic of race has rocked this opinion. Nevertheless, I possess great hope for what I believe to be a subset of the University community to change for the better. To individuals who share similar sentiments regarding race as my classmate, I ask you this: Are the beliefs you hold worthy of someone who attends Michigan? Worthy of one of the historical centers of American activism, the alma mater of Gerald Ford (’35), a staunch supporter of civil rights, and Branch Rickey (JD 1911), who was instrumental in helping to break professional baseball’s color barrier? A transformation in your thinking is needed. To be clear, I’m not asking you to become an expert on social justice issues that are relevant today nor am I asking you to change your political leanings in any capacity. Instead, to paraphrase Martin Luther King Jr., I merely hope that you begin to judge people by their character, rather than their race. However, if you choose to continue discriminating against individuals on the basis of their skin color, I hope that you will at least have the wisdom to see what you are doing is inherently wrong. While advocating for an end to

racism among my peers is hardly the “hot take” that one would expect to find in the Opinion section of The Michigan Daily, I strongly feel that the broader topic of race at the University of Michigan has to be discussed further in the student body. University-sponsored classes, seminars or meetings are not the solution to fostering increased dialogue because too often in these discussions, people can be intimidated by the prospect of saying what is truly on their mind in the company of strangers. Rather, genuine, organic conversations between friends and classmates have to occur with more frequency so that as a community, we can move closer to permanently eradicating the kind of thinking and language that I witnessed in class. To my peers at Michigan, I implore you: Take the time to sit down with a friend, a classmate or even an acquaintance to reflect on racial issues, at our university and in our society, so that we are better equipped to solve problems relating to them together. These conversations will be difficult, but they are absolutely necessary. The Michigan I know and love expects only the finest from its students. We are the “Leaders and the Best” for precisely that reason. It is up to us, and us alone, to ensure that this moniker stays accurate now and moving forward. Sam Weinberger is an LSA Junior.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and op-eds. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while op-eds should be 550 to 850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.

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Arts

Friday, February 9, 2018 — 5

BOOKS

In new essay collection, Zadie Smith finds truth in philosophy and pop MERIN MCDIVITT Daily Arts Writer

Zadie Smith writes essays like a novelist. Best known for her lauded novels like “White Teeth” and “Swing Time,” the British author channels this sensibility into a compelling range of subjects in her new nonfiction collection “Feel Free,” from contemporary art to Harlem, her childhood bathroom to Justin Bieber. Smith’s authoritative yet ambiguous style reminded me of last year’s eclipse: You could only see it clearly (and safely) through just the right filter, rather than staring at it head-on (as our President did). By taking a circuitous, indirect and deeply personal approach to her subject matter, Smith often hits essential truths about human nature or society. In doing so, she inverts the traditional essayist’s conventions. Rather than addressing her subject directly and her readers indirectly, she does the opposite. Smith arrives at the truth of her subject matter in a roundabout fashion, as skillfully as she draws out universal feelings and experiences from the everyday in her novels. But she addresses us directly, striving for an audience connection that often involves telling us to Google something, listen to a certain song or look up a YouTube video in order to understand what she’s talking about. But all this talk of “truth” makes Smith sound stiff or philosophical when, actually, she’s pretty fun — an entertaining, relatable voice from across the pond. Like Roxane Gay here in the States, Smith deftly interweaves high and lowbrow topics, often in

the same essay, shifting from comedians to philosophers to pop stars without rambling or trying too hard. Her essays are best when she has gotten very excited about something — she just read a thought-provoking book or saw a movie she can’t

By taking a circuitous, indirect and deeply personal approach to her subject matter, Smith often hits essential truths about human nature or society

get out of her head — and needs to talk about it, to work through it. In trying to get to the bottom of something she’s come across, whether that’s Key & Peele’s comedy, Jay-Z’s music or an old photograph her father took, Smith delves deeper and deeper into the wormhole of her fascination, and we come out on the other side with her, clutching some gem of knowledge or insight. In one of the last essays in the collection “Meet Justin Bieber!” Smith finds

improbable, somehow inevitable connections between the famous singer and the dead Jewish philosopher Martin Buber. (Their names, she points out, are not just similar but derivatives of the same Germanic surname). Bieber and other celebrities struggle to be truly known, she says, because while they are “known” to millions, it’s only in the most superficial way: Even when they “meet” people, it is a shallow encounter, a selfie, an autograph, an experience already relegated to the past tense. Buber, the philosopher, criticized these superficial encounters, emphasizing the rarity and great effort involved in truly meeting someone, knowing them — something that may happen only a few times in a life. In “Feel Free,” Smith seems to be trying to reach Buber’s ideal, constantly reaching toward a deeper understanding of her subject and a richer connection with her readers. Novelists are often intensely curious about the human condition in all its bounty and ugliness. In these essays, Smith is intensely curious about everything she comes across: What does it feel like to be Justin Bieber, signing thousands of autographs in a packed Tokyo stadium? What was it like to be Billie Holiday, on stage in her prime, in her decline? How is it to grow up biracial in Detroit? On the Upper West Side of New York? In London in the ’80s, as Smith herself did? Smith is a nuanced, wonderful observer of humanity in all its complexity, and she often lands on key insights about our present time or political situation — in her roundabout, indirect way — in these essays. But

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

when she approaches this material directly, somehow it doesn’t hold the same unique charm or insight; she winds up sounding a little like every other “think piece” writer without the layered, labyrinthine originality of her best work. For this reason, a few of the book’s earliest essays on topical issues like Brexit, global warming and the perils of social media fall f lat compared to her more textured pieces. When the point of

her essay is to make a point, it’s just not as interesting or complex to read. These essays, which represent only a handful of Smith’s excellent collection, read like remarkably eloquent versions of conversations we’ve all had before. Maybe I’m just tired of reading about politics, or so-called “think pieces,” or both. In this overcrowded space, even Smith occasionally struggles to say something wholly new. It seems a waste to spend

time discussing a few so-so essays. This isn’t a book to read from page one, from start to finish — there’s nothing chronological about it. Rif le through the pages until you find a perfect sentence gleaming at you; it won’t take long. After all, that’s how Smith herself would do it. We’re all just passing through, unthinking, until we find an idea that arrests us, consumes us. Let Smith lead you down her rabbit hole.

FILM REVIEW

WAYPOINT ENTERTAINMENT

‘Hostiles’ isn’t pretty, but the scenery is stunning Rhye’s ‘Blood’ a raw return MUSIC ALBUM REVIEW

SHIMA SADAGHIYANI Daily Music Editor

In 2013, a quiet album emerged, half-hidden and nearly forgotten in the grainy synth dystopia Kanye’s Yeezus and Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories would eventually create. Bathed in cool shades of grey, the

Blood Rhye Loma Vista Recordings soaring vocals and lush melodies beckoned. Contemplative and seductive, the songs lingered just out of reach — dreams you could only barely remember. That album was Woman by Rhye, the joint project of singer/ songwriter Mike Milosh and producer Robin Hannibal. And even after the album garnered critical acclaim, Rhye continued to remain frustratingly out of the spotlight, discreetly slipping from one location to the next as they toured live, never anything more than a hushed murmur among public discourse. Even among the shadows, a lot can happen — and did happen — in the five years after Woman was first released. Milosh split from not only his wife, Alexa Nikolas, but also his original producer, Hannibal. Within the first week of the initial Rhye tour, he failed to meet sale expectations, went into debt and spent the next year attempting to recover. In order to ensure Rhye still had a future, Milosh played a total of 476 live shows.

For him, there was misfortune and struggle within these past five years, but there was also this too: The experience of watching various sets of audience members react to his music, the visceral intimacy fostered by each distinct venue. Rhye’s latest release, Blood, is based on these experiences, on the harmony that can be found in times of hardship. There’s an unrestrained warmth within these tracks, an allure that hasn’t existed in any of Rhye’s previous work. The album sparks with physicality; each song is allowed to explore its own space, both liberated and encouraged by Milosh’s delicate croon. Rhye’s dynamic progression enables them to peel back the glossy veneer that had

The intricate beauty of a romantic experience — the fluttering joy of falling in love, the sweetly slow build of lust — has no place in Blood

encased Woman, allowing Blood to surface: carnal, emotive and aching to be felt. This album is primal. The

intricate beauty of a romantic experience — the fluttering joy of falling in love, the sweetly slow build of lust — has no place in Blood. Instead, there exists a restless sort of hunger. The neartangible vibrations of overdrawn guitar riffs in “Phoenix” climb into your skin. The twisting melodies of “Count To Five” intertwine and creep across a tremulous beat. “Sinful”’s initial minimalism builds into a dense fog of silky instrumentation and gasps of “We’re not alone, you’re my sinful.” In many ways, Blood picks up right where its predecessor left off. The opening track, “Waste,” with its gauzy orchestral serenade and Milosh’s breathy “Oh, my love cave into this space,” is reminiscent of older songs “The Fall” and “One Of Those Summer Days.” Rhye still keeps its tempos slow, dragging periods of silence out until the empty spaces carry their own texture. The songs still sometimes have a tendency to meld together, woven into uniformity through insubstantial lyricism and barely-there intonation, constantly threatening to disappear completely. Yet, despite these flawed similarities, Rhye’s sophomore album is distinctly more enticing than their debut. Songs are more organic. Rough and pleading, they speak to our most basic emotions. The profound remorse found in “Please” emits like a quiet prayer. The juice of “Taste” drips down the chin, sensuality bursting like an overripe peach. Whereas Woman was structured grace, Blood is all raw yearning — desperate to consume the object of its fascination until there is absolutely nothing left.

SOPHIA WHITE Daily Arts Writer

“Hostiles” by Scott Cooper is a paradoxically violent yet aesthetically gorgeous take on a Western classic. Captain Joseph J. Blocker (Christian Bale, “The Promise”), a seasoned military leader with a history of killing Native Americans, is ordered to return a Cheyenne war chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi, “Penny Dreadful”) back to his ancestral

“Hostiles” Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures Quality 16, Rave Cinamas Ann Arbor

land after being a prisoner for years. Blocker, who attempts to deny the mission, is forced to confront his prejudices towards Native Americans when it becomes vital that he and Yellow Hawk, whom he considered his enemy, must band together to survive the path home against the shared antagonist of the Comanches. This other Native group, known for being ruthless in their indiscriminate slaughter, including other Native Americans and Rosalie Quaid’s (Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”) husband and three young daughters, which is how the film begins. Within the first five minutes, bloodshed quickly ensues, a signal from Cooper that “Hostiles” wouldn’t be pretty or

pacifist. Set in 1892, the movie explores the after-effects in an American Western rural panorama. This geographical landscape has historically been wrought with genocide, racism and ruled by the ideology of Manifest Destiny, which was attempted to justify white expansionism during this period. Despite being evidently racist in past crusades against Native Americans, Blocker is treated with empathy from the audience, and Bale’s wide range of emotions in his performance support the emotional complexity of his character. Bale recovers from prior lackluster roles in his portrayal of Blocker: a stern military man transformed into an unwaveringly loyal friend to his comrades. Quaid also merits empathy, after she witnesses her family’s gruesome murder first-hand. From an audience standpoint, it is impossible to side with the Comanches, for they are heartless, but Cooper could have made a greater effort to frame the Cheyennes as sensitive and empathetic. Instead, they are painted as completely secondary to Blocker and his white soldiers. The are depicted as “othered,” only with a lesser degree of savagery than the Comanches, and their purpose is truly a reference point by which the whites can try to practice being accepting and understanding. Per usual, the narrative, though wavering at moments, sides with the whites over the Native Americans. Though the message of overcoming racism is necessary to fight the common enemy, it didn’t go far enough. Even though Blocker’s defense of the Cheyennes in the end of the film redeems him, what does that say about us if we side

with a white soldier who has participated in genocide and is only converted in the end? What Cooper’s film excels in is

What Cooper’s film excels in is its stunning cinematography of the American Western frontier

its stunning cinematography of the American Western frontier. The rolling hills, sunburnt canyons and vast plains remind us of the potential to explore our own forgotten pioneer: a truly American conviction. Moreover, the way the tolls of war, specifically PTSD and mental illness, are finally acknowledged in cinema is refreshing. The most provocative dialogue perhaps takes place between Blocker’s right hand man, Sargent Thomas Metz (Roy Cochrane, “Black Mass”) and Lieutenant Rudy Kidder (Jesse Plemons, “The Post”) which examines the way killing in war creates emotional numbness and how it becomes almost second nature, a feeling that Kidder fears. Had the film gone further in the emotional tolls of war and didn’t color the Native Americans as “the other,” “Hostiles” would have been a different film.

Arts

6 — Friday, February 9, 2018

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

COMMUNITY CULTURE

FILM REVIEW

‘Dancing Globally’ brings innovation in captivating Gaga-style performances FALLON GATES

Daily Community Culture Editor

When the curtain rose, a huge swell of anticipation pushed me up to the edge of my seat. When the curtain rose, the whole world seemed to be poised upon the stage. When the curtain rose, I was mesmerized until the final curtain fell. Unceasingly captivating, the students of the University’s Department of Dance delivered a performance of innovation and beauty, adding their own mark to the modern dance world. Global guest choreographers

The beauty of modern dance is that it is made to be interpretive. I see a completely different story than my neighbor might see. Interpretations are free to move and shift just as much as the dancers across the stage. Ideas are not confined because dance is not limited to words. To me, dance is bigger than words: It is movement. The first piece ended with a gripping duet between a girl and a guy, telling a story of a contrasting relationship. Defying gravity and logic, the two moved together as one strong entity as their bodies intertwined, separated and glided across the stage. It left me

dancers jumped in sync. The thud was not singular; the ball of the foot hit just before the heel, creating a double thudding sound that lulled one into hypnosis. Like the first two pieces, the theme of conformity was very present as the dancers started in sync and quickly fell out of the jump one by one. An Asian influence was seen in the costumes wrapped in bright colorful strips of cloth and the flowery backdrop with a shower of running water behind it. The finale, “Minutus Luminous” (2018), had the most ambiguous storyline of the night. But I found it amusing to make up

Courtesy of SMTD

Ohad Naharin and Shannon Gillen were brought in for this special performance and collaborated with faculty members Missy Beck and Sandra Torijano to produce four outstanding and unique pieces in “Dancing Globally,” which was performed last weekend. It began with over 20 dancers dressed in black suits and top hats standing perfectly still in a semicircle stretching across the stage. Consisting of excerpts from “Kyr” (1990), “Anaphase” (1993) and “Mabul” (1992), the piece was intimidating and powerful — all heads slightly bowed and shadows cast across their faces. Slowly sitting only to spring into action, dancers bellowed chants in sync, then jerked and twisted every which way — a wave of motion oscillating across the semicircle, ending with the last dancer plunging to the floor. This

feeling conflicted, at once in awe of their fluidity and emotional over the confusing state of the relationship. The curtain opened to the second piece, “Vox” (2018), what seemed to me to be an innovative social commentary on the working class. The stage was extremely bare, wings were open and costumes were minimalistic and monotoned. Each dancer had their own gray long sleeve shirt, used as a prop to scrub the floor, sliding it across their body and playing off other dancers. I wish I had three extra pairs of eyes to watch this piece. A large group of dancers — many moments consisted of several story threads in small groups of one, two or three dancers. And each thread was fascinating; each one conveyed some kind of relationship between the dancers, some kind of struggle or success.

a story as it progressed, letting it shift and change to match the movement. I saw a futuristic world of people dressed in ragged clothes, giving the impression of some kind of apocalypse or era of despair. Beautiful solos, duets and groups shined in this piece. Their fluid motion carried through time and space, playing with and against the music, leaving each leap, each wide gesture, each throw suspended in the air. Across the performances, the most pronounced style was Gaga. The way I have experienced Gaga is very meditative; it focuses on feeling of the movement through your body, hearing the movement in your bones, texturizing your very skin as soft or thick as you move. Watching the performance, I could see the dancers exercising these ideas; sometimes, the movement appearing to be coming from outside their body

Courtesy of SMTD

sequence of sitting, screaming, synced movement and rises and falls repeated several times, building a tension that hovered over the audience. I felt like I was on the stage, screaming with the dancers, jolting with them. When they began to fling off articles of clothing — hats, shoes, jackets, pants — I wanted to as well. I wanted to join them in removing all that weighs me down, all that contributes to my own conformity. Starting in full suits and ending in muted tanks and shorts, they seemed free from something. I wanted to be free as well.

They moved like a school of fish, flowing from one side of the stage to the other, tossing up individuals to be caught in the air. Perhaps it mimics how the working class supports each other, yet watches and follows the crowd. They are the social class that scrubs floors; a class confined to itself yet also surviving by itself. A steady thud, thud, thud, thud — that is how the third dance, “Fall(s)” (2018) began. The stage was dark, and the noise was a mystery. My eyes slowly adjusted to make out some shapes spread across the stage. The whole audience concentrated on the noise. Lights go on, and the

and other times the movement rose from the center of their body, flowing outward. Gaga is wild, yet defined with clarity, sharply contrasted with the common theme of conformity in “Dancing Globally.” When the curtain fell, I was filled with pure admiration. Yet, I was also left with the idea of nonconformity, of setting myself apart as an individual. Modern dance is an outlet for one’s voice, for opinions, for ideas; it is anything but the same. Really, I cannot even give modern dance an exact definition. It is what it wants to be in that singular moment, making it a wonder to watch every second.

NETFLIX

‘Cloverfield’ is inconsistent yet familiar enough to relate to and best of all, doesn’t rely on jump scares to communicate its atmosphere. It asks intriguing questions not just about the direction of its own story but about the place of that story in the greater universe. It’s when it tries to answer those questions that everything falls apart. True to its title, the more “The Cloverfield Paradox” tries to explain the strange happenings that plague the crew of Cloverfield Station, the less sense it makes. Likewise, the more viewers try to go down the rabbit hole of understanding the movie, the less enjoyable it becomes. It never reaches the heights that it does in the “‘Alien’ meets ‘The Shining’” mash-up of the first act. There’s an attempt to fix the monster-sized plot holes by having characters state more than once that logic does not dictate the events of the film, yet it then continues to still try to explain them away. The argument will be made that the unintelligibility of the plot is a byproduct of cramming an existing script into a universe it wasn’t built for, but I’m not sure how true that is. “The Cloverfield Paradox” is a mess even without the subplot that loosely retells the events of the first film from a different perspective. It’s pointless, but it’s also about the only thing in the movie that leads

JEREMIAH VANDERHELM Daily Arts Writer

Even as a fan of the series, I have to admit that the best part of the so-called “Cloververse,” a series of loosely connected sci-fi horror anthology films produced by J.J. Abrams (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”), is the marketing. The first entry, “Cloverfield,” dropped a cryptic trailer that showed only the release date and hinted at the found-footage monster flick premise with the unforgettable shot of the decapitated Statue of Liberty. Eight years later, a movie shot under the name “Valencia,” was revealed by its first trailer to be a sequel with the title “10 Cloverfield Lane” just a month before its release. And during Super Bowl LII, the first preview for the third chapter in the series aired, revealing not just the title, “The Cloverfield Paradox,” but that it would be dropping on Netflix immediately following the game. It’s undeniably fun marketing, but in this case, it has the unfortunate side effect of overshadowing the lackluster movie advertised. Before it descends into dull set pieces in its second half, “The Cloverfield Paradox” begins quite strong. The opening 45 minutes are smartly paced, have the feel of something new enough to excite

Classifieds

to any sort of payoff for fans. The only unwavering beacon of light that stands throughout the entire runtime is Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s (“Miss Sloane”) performance. From beginning to end, she is positively electric and communicates the humanity that the rest of the movie is missing. The decisions her character makes don’t always make sense, but she commits to the material and the resultant turn is well worth it. Chris O’Dowd (“Molly’s Game”) is a welcome presence as well, and the levity he brings to the proceedings makes even the most senseless scenes somewhat enjoyable. The single best line of the movie belongs to him. Unfortunately, balancing their work is Elizabeth Debicki (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”) who somehow goes the entire movie without emoting once. It’s another case of either a director or a performer misreading “emotionless” for “creepy,” and it results in moments that could have been moody falling completely flat. The internal struggle her character undergoes could have been interesting with better treatment, but like the rest of the cast and the story, she too eventually falls prey to a critical lack of common sense.

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FOR RENT RELEASE DATE– Friday, February 9, 2018

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 #1 7 #2 14 Crone 15 Sarajevo citizen 16 Gets to 17 Settled down 18 Merry, in Metz 19 Prog. formally reinstated at Harvard in 2011 21 Hotel experience 22 Sturdy trees 24 #3 26 #4 29 Future D.A.’s hurdles 31 Future salmon 32 Troubles 33 Belg. locale 35 Travel guide listing 37 #5 38 It’s a bit more than it sounds, and hints at this puzzle’s theme 41 #6 43 MS-__ 44 Party bowlful 45 Goddess usually depicted holding an ankh 46 “M*A*S*H” rank: Abbr. 48 Some archaeological sites 52 #7 53 #8 55 Pique-nique setting 56 Karate training site 59 Lose steam 61 __ Speedwagon 62 Becomes more complex 65 High-tech med. procedure 67 Police actions 68 Speak well in public 69 #9 70 #10 DOWN 1 Most of the periodic table 2 __ Thule: distant place in medieval geography 3 HHS agency 4 Sunny

5 “You are!” retort 6 Argonaut known for wise counsel 7 Cookout fare, briefly 8 Awaken 9 “Ya think?” 10 Fit-for-service designation 11 Urban design 12 “Some __ meat and canna eat”: start of the Selkirk Grace 13 Conclusion 14 #11 20 #12 23 Lifts 25 Have an inclination 27 Variety 28 Language suffix 30 Czech composer Josef, son-in-law of Dvorák 32 Frozen treat 34 Like half of Poland’s flag 36 Silent assent 38 Horse racing accessories 39 Ex-quarterback Tony 40 Clearasil target 41 Cookout morsel

42 Brutus Buckeye is its mascot: Abbr. 47 Really pumped 49 __ Aurelius, second-century Roman emperor 50 What a sprinter might run out of 51 #13 53 “__ know you?” 54 Musical nonsense syllables

57 Intl. energy group 58 Bach’s “__, Joy of Man’s Desiring” 60 Hugh Laurie’s alma mater 62 Unit of hot mustard, for most 63 NW Penn. airport 64 Aircraft in the Smithsonian Inst. collection 66 Chem., for one

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Sports

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Friday, February 9, 2018 — 7

Behind Enemy Lines: Wisconsin center Ethan Happ The Daily sat down with the talented redshirt junior at Big Ten Media Day in October MARK CALCAGNO Daily Sports Editor

For the first time in two decades, the Wisconsin basketball program is rebuilding. After two pairs of Final Four and Sweet Sixteen appearances in the past four years, the Badgers have struggled from the get-go this season. A drop of some degree was anticipated for Wisconsin. Gone is the steady and effective backcourt duo of Bronson Koenig and Zak Showalter. So is Nigel Hayes, the multidimensional forward and former Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. The trio was responsible for over 60 percent of the Badgers’ minutes last season. Still, the level to which Wisconsin dropped this year has been surprising. With an offense ranked 312th nationally, the Badgers have won just three conference games and sit at 10-15 overall — on track for the program’s worst mark since 1998. And it’s only gotten worse as the season has drawn on. Wisconsin has lost four straight games and has fallen in seven of their last eight. But the Badgers are still dangerous, mainly because of Ethan Happ. The redshirt junior center is averaging over 17 points and eight rebounds per game — good for sixth-best in the Big Ten. He has also earned 10 double-doubles and expanded his game to include jump shots. He’ll be a challenging matchup for No. 20 Michigan,

FILE PHOTO

Wisconsin redshirt junior center Ethan Happ leads his team in scoring, rebounding and assists, averaging 17.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

which heads to Wisconsin for a 1 p.m. tip Sunday. The Daily sat down with Happ at Big Ten Media Day last October to discuss the Badgers’ transition, his jump shot and emerging stardom. The Michigan Daily: You’ve played under both Bo Ryan and now Greg Gard during your time at Wisconsin. How do you compare their

“Coach Gard has been successful with what he’s done.”

Harbaugh dishes on transfers ORION SANG

Managing Sports Editor

National Signing Day was mostly uneventful for Jim Harbaugh and Michigan. The Wolverines added three new players to the 2018 recruiting class after signing the bulk of their class during the new early signing period in December. They also lost the headliner of their class, Otis Reese, to Georgia after the four-star linebacker had been committed for nearly two years. The three new recruits — Ronnie Bell, Vincent Gray and Michael Barrett — aren’t the only new names Michigan will welcome into the fold though. Junior quarterback Shea Patterson will join the team after spending two years at Ole Miss, while fifth-year senior defensive back Casey Hughes decided to take a grad transfer from Utah and join the Wolverines. Michigan is also currently in pursuit of fifthyear senior left tackle Calvin Anderson, who took an official visit recently to Ann Arbor and is reportedly deciding between the Wolverines and Texas. There’s certainly a chance that members of the 2018 class could contribute as early as next season. But Michigan’s new transfers are more than likely to see the field, though it’s still currently unknown whether Patterson will be eligible.

The quarterback is currently in the midst of an appeal to the NCAA for immediate eligibility, with the argument that Ole Miss misled recruits and players during an ongoing investigation — an investigation that resulted in several penalties, including a bowl ban and scholarship reductions, for the Rebels. Harbaugh was asked at his press conference Wednesday afternoon about whether he had an update on the appeal process, and his answer was blunt. “No,” he said. “I don’t have any update on the calendar.” While Patterson’s status for next year is still up in the air, Michigan’s other incoming transfer is certain to have immediate eligibility. Where he’ll fit in the secondary, though, remains to be seen. “Yeah, another thing to be determined,” Harbaugh said when asked about Hughes. “(I) think he has the ability to be a corner. Also has the ability by what compiles our best secondary to be a nickel or be a safety. Think he’s got the ability to play all three of those, and we’ll determine that when he gets here. “Coverage ability plus tackling abilities. He’s made quite a few tackles, and he’s a strong tackler.” Hughes started 11 games this past season for the Utes, tallying 35 tackles, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup.

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Jim Harbaugh had no update on Shea Patterson’s appeal to the NCAA.

respective coaching styles? Ethan Happ: They’re very similar because coach Ryan obviously was coach Gard’s mentor for how many years? I think coach Gard tries not to be as temperative as coach Ryan was. I feel like (Ryan) lost it a little quicker. When you messed up, all hell broke loose. So I think coach Gard tries to make it a staple of him, to stay calm even through tough moments. Both ways are very effective. Coach Ryan was very successful with what he did. Coach Gard has been successful with what he’s done. I think as long as you’re consistent so your players

know what to expect, that’s big. TMD: Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes were two longtime players that become the faces of Wisconsin basketball. What have you learned in the early stages of stepping into their former roles? EH: The biggest thing is action more than vocals. Anybody can say the right things to be a leader. But I think really what’s the true testament is what you do on the court: If you’re the hardest worker in a drill. If you know all the plays to a tee and the other spots on the play — things like that. A freshman or sophomore looks

up to you and says, ‘Hey, what do I do on this play’ or ‘Oh, he’s going that hard in that drill? I better do the same thing.’ TMD: Much has been made about your development of a jump shot. How do you balance that with your presence in the post? EH: The media makes a big deal about me shooting the ball, but I’ll still be in the paint. That is where

I help the team the most, and that’s where I’m most effective is down low. If I can draw double-teams in, that’s what we want to do. But at the same time, if I can take upon and pull defenses out, that’s what I’m going to do as well. TMD: How’s your jump shot itself changed since last season? EH: It’s definitely taken steps forward. I don’t expect to come into the season shooting 60 percent on jump shots, but I’ll set a goal, hit that and keep going from there. TMD: What do you make of the reduced expectations that your team has this season with the losses of Bronson Koenig, Nigel Hayes (and) Zak Showalter? Those lower expectations are something you’ve never really had at Wisconsin, right? EH: I’m not happy about losing the talent, but I’m happy that the expectations on us are drawn back. Last year, we were supposed to win the Big Ten, and we got everybody’s best game. You never get an easy game in the Big Ten, but hopefully we have a game like, ‘Oh Wisconsin? We’re fine.’ Hopefully, we get those games a couple times. TMD: What about the big expectations put on yourself? How are you handling those? EH: You just can’t take it too seriously. I’m going to have bad games. I’m going to miss shots. There will be times where I turn the ball over, and that’s just part of playing the game. That’s what happens when I have the ball this much.

“... That’s where I’m most effective, is down low.”

Michigan still switching up lineup late in season

SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily

Michigan coach Mel Pearson believes his younger players have “made some steps,” which gives him a larger variety of possible lineups.

ROBERT HEFTER Daily Sports Editor

With just three series left in the regular season, Michigan coach Mel Pearson is still keeping his lineup in f lux. The 19th-ranked Wolverines (8-10-2 Big Ten, 13-132 overall) — No. 16 in the PairWise rankings — have gotten heavy production from their top forward line of junior Cooper Marody and seniors Tony Calderone and Dexter Dancs. With 78 points between them to date, it’s undeniable the trio has been a dominant force on offense. “We’ve got some guys here; you know what they’re gonna do every night,” Pearson said on Wednesday. “As Red (Berenson) always said, they’ve put money in the bank, they’ve made the deposits. They want to take a thousand dollars; they’ve got enough there. “But other guys haven’t put money in the bank, they can’t take a thousand dollars out.” And at the outset of the season, it seemed as if Michigan was completely reliant on its top line.

However, some mid-season stagnation disrupted the system, and Pearson had to get creative with his lines, and who would populate them. Since that point, the Wolverines can only be described as eclectic. As a testament to their versatility, freshmen forwards Jack Becker and Dakota Raabe combined for three goals this past weekend against then-No. 18 Wisconsin. Clearly Michigan is allowing, encouraging even, upward movement in the lineup for solid play. And that’s highlighted by Becker and Raabe’s outstanding performances in the past two weeks. On Saturday, Raabe and Becker played on the third and fourth lines, respectively, which proves their offensive contribution to the system isn’t going unnoticed. However, as teams transition into the postseason, they usually have a perfect idea of who they can go to for points and what their lineup will be. “As far as that goes, you are

what you are,” Pearson said. “I think now we should have a pretty good idea of who you are and what your lineup is, and who can do what. “Now having said that, some of the younger guys have made some steps, so it allows you to test some things a little bit.” Save for injuries, it’s rare to see a team completely switch up its lineup before massive end-of-season matchups. “You get down to the time of the year now when you don’t get many more opportunities,” Pearson said. “With each game, the implications grow.” According to the PairWise, Wolverines sit at the last possible place to make it into to the NCAA Tournament. Why would Pearson switch his lineup around now with such high stakes? The answer is that he wants to foster an environment in which anyone can earn a spot

at the forefront of the offense. And that has seemed to work through this point in the season, as players like Becker and Raabe – even junior defenseman Joe Cecconi, who contributed a goal to this weekend’s offensive effort – have been putting up muchneeded numbers. “I think a lot of guys are stepping up that weren’t at the beginning of the year,” Calderone said Wednesday. “So they’re getting more opportunities and everything, and I think there’s a lot of excitement around the room; there’s so much competition to get out on a line, and I think that’s overall better for our team.” In its upcoming matchup against Michigan State — bottom-dwellers in the Big Ten — Michigan has a perfect time for its non-performers to move into the performers category.

“With each game, the implications grow.”

Sports

8 —Friday, February 9, 2018

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

‘M’ gets back on track with 84-63 win Hallie Thome: Michigan’s second option ETHAN SEARS

Daily Sports Writer

Hallie Thome looked around and realized there were no other options. The shot clock was winding down, there was nobody near her and — with Northwestern having pulled within single digits to start the final quarter — the pressure was on. For the first time all year, the junior center rose and fired from beyond the arc. She nailed it. “Our bench was up standing, keeping us aware of the time (on the shot clock), and so they’re screaming, like, ‘Six, five’ and I see everyone just running around,” Thome said. “I said, ‘You know what, my feet are set, just shoot it, Hallie.’ “ … My grandpa will be so proud. He calls me after every game and he will be like, ‘You need to watch the film. You have an open 3.’ I’m like, ‘Grandpa, I’m not shooting a 3.’ ” The absurdity of Thome taking her first triple of the season in such a situation did all that was necessary to relax the Michigan women’s basketball team, and the game quickly got out of hand. Senior guard Katelynn Flaherty hit a 3-pointer, then another one. An 11-point lead became 15. A potential loss — one which would have been Michigan’s third in a row — became a 21-point, 84-63 win, barely a blip on the radar in the throes of the season. There’s a comfort in normalcy, and the 21st-ranked Wolverines (9-4 Big Ten, 20-6 overall) found its embrace on Thursday. “The world (was) coming to an end last week,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. “You know, you lose two games, holy cow we hit a little bump in the road. But it’s nice to see that our kids responded tonight, and we had some confidence.” Thome carried the load early, fighting off double-teams and knocking in an array of hook shots and turnaround jumpers from the post. Though the Wildcats kept

AHAD BOOTWALA/Daily

Senior guard Katelynn Flaherty led Michigan with 36 points.

it close during the first quarter, Thome gave Michigan the lead just as the period ended, swallowing Lindsay Pulliam’s shot whole, leading Flaherty to an and-one transition layup. Despite only five first quarter points, Flaherty made up for it by dropping 31 in the next three, finishing with a season-high 36. If the early goings were a showcase for Thome, the rest was a display of Flaherty’s dominance — the basketball version of a Maori war dance. She hit one off a dribble-handoff from Thome, then another off an offensive rebound from senior forward Jillian Dunston, then another, pulling up after Dunston reversed the direction of a screen to open up space. For good measure, she added two more before the first half was over. During the week, Barnes Arico emphasized getting Flaherty open off screens in practice, especially to Dunston. “If your girl’s gonna run to the paint, that means every single time, you can get Katelynn an open shot, at least for a hair of a second,” she told her. “And if you do, she’s going to be able to knock that down.” Northwestern didn’t have much of an answer for Flaherty

last Monday in Evanston, when she scored 27 on 10-of-21 shooting. They never found one Thursday. The Wildcats’ adjustment was a collective shoulder shrug, as she caroused to nine three-pointers. Not to be outdone, Thome finished with 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, along with five rebounds and a season-high four blocks. “People were doubling in the post on Hallie and face-guarding Katelynn the entire game,” Barnes Arico said. “But they can’t do that without their teammates getting good screens and recognizing them when they’re open. And I thought that’s where we really took steps in the right direction tonight, is being able to find them and get them touches when they were open.” The Wolverines were on the ropes heading into this game, having lost two straight with two consecutive road games and a home contest against No. 10 Maryland coming up. This was the game they had to win, no ifs, ands or buts about it, and win they did. “You go into the motions when you start winning a lot of games,” Flaherty said. “And I think these past two days especially, we really came in, worked hard and I think our confidence is back.”

AHAD BOOTWALA/Daily

Junior center Hallie Thome has thrived as Michigan’s second scoring option.

HUNTER SHARF Daily Sports Writer

With 36 points on Thursday, senior guard Katelynn Flaherty led the team in scoring – again. That’s the way it always is. But center Hallie Thome wasn’t too bad herself in the No. 21 Michigan women’s basketball team’s 84-63 victory over Northwestern. The junior finished with 25 points, the second most in the game. With a teammate in Flaherty – one of the nations most prolific scorers and the program’s alltime leading scorer – Thome’s offensive production can often get overlooked. It’s easy to forget that she’s finished second in scoring for the Wolverines each of the last three seasons and ranks eighth in program history. This isn’t something that necessarily bothers Thome. She’s confident in her role. “It never gets frustrating being the second scorer – not at all,” Thome said. “When you have a person like Katelynn Flaherty on your team, you get her the ball.” In the shadow of Flaherty, Thome’s notoriety as a scorer is certainly repressed. In fact, she’s not just adequate offensively, but

one of the biggest threats in the Big Ten. With 16.9 points per game, Thome ranks 10th in the conference in scoring. What makes Thome special isn’t just that she scores, but how she does it. Thome shoots an efficient 63.1 percent from the field – secondbest in the Big Ten. For comparison, Michigan’s second best player from the floor, Kayla Robbins, shoots 48.6 percent. That was on full display against the Wildcats, as Thome finished 8-for-12 from the field. But Thome refuses to take all the credit for her success. “I think (my efficiency) is all my teammates,” Thome said. “It’s a testimony to my teammates to put me in position to score. My coaches and teammates have instilled confidence in me, so whenever I get the ball I feel like I have an opportunity to score.” So how is Thome such an efficient player? She has impeccable shot selections, rarely forcing things. The 6-foot-5 center doesn’t have to. Thome consistently positions herself in down low, using her height advantage to get highpercentage shots. “She’s really the total package,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. “She has great size. She has

soft hands, she catches everything that comes her way. Her footwork is so good (that) her moves around the basket are tough to stop. She showed that tonight.” Her height gives defenders trouble, resulting in Thome getting fouled often. As a result, she gets to the free throw line at a high rate. After going 8-for-9 on Thursday, she has the second most attempts on the team at a 113, shooting 77 percent from the line. But even from the foul line, Thome pales in comparison to Flaherty, who has attempted and made more free throws on the season (105 for 120). Thome’s time is coming, however. With Flaherty graduating after the season, Thome naturally becomes the number one scoring option for the Wolverines. And Michigan will need her to fill the void that Flaherty leaves. While Thome won’t replicate the play or offensive output of the 5-foot-7 Flaherty, she does possess the talent to become the focal point of the offense. Still, she will need to diversify her game. This would include further developing a mid-range shot, thus allowing the Wolverines to stretch the floor. Thursday night may have foreshadowed a transformation to come, as Thome hit the first 3-pointer of her career. The shot came in the fourth quarter, as the shot clock expired during a 6-0 Northwestern run. The shot will certainly make Thome’s grandpa happy, who calls her after every game and urges her to shoot it from behind the arc. “It was a critical shot,” Barnes Arico said. “I think we were up eight, and that put us up 11. Hallie has such tremendous touch. She is a really good shooter. Her grandpa, every time he sees me, tells me how many threes she should be taking. So when we do our practice shooting drills, I’m like, ‘Can you make these so we can make grandpa proud?’ ” While Flaherty might get the attention, Michigan would undoubtedly be a shell of itself without Thome.

Harbaugh, Michigan looking to fill 10th assistant spot on coaching staff The Wolverines have seen three staff departures this offseason as Brian Smith, Greg Frey and Dan Enos all moved on TED JANES

Daily Sports Writer

While the Michigan football team finalized a new class of signees, one group on the team could still use a little more depth. The coaching staff, as of Wednesday, has filled just nine of the 10 available spots for fulltime assistants — despite the 10th having been temporarily filled just a month ago. Jim Harbaugh had hired Arkansas’ Dan Enos as an offensive assistant coach soon after the regular season ended, only to have Enos snatched away by Nick Saban and Alabama a few weeks later. Harbaugh said he is currently interviewing candidates for the vacant spot, and the new hire will be “focused on the offensive side.” Harbaugh hopes to finish

the hiring process soon, because spring practices begin March 22. Rumors circulated online that former Florida head coach Jim McElwain had been linked with the available offensive assistant spot. McElwain was fired from Florida this season after a disastrous year. The Gators ranked 109th in total offense, but many still consider McElwain a strong coach. As of now, though, the McElwain rumors are nothing more than rumors. A recent hire, Ed Warriner, joined Michigan just a few days ago as an offensive analyst. His title as an “analyst” extends beyond the 10 available “assistant coach” spots, meaning he isn’t allowed to directly coach the players, participate in practices or contribute to off-campus recruiting. Harbaugh praised Warriner,

who previously worked for Minnesota as an offensive line coach and run-game coordinator, and said that he feels like they are “becoming best friends.” The two other new faces to the program include Sherrone Moore and Al Washington. Moore will serve as the new tight ends coach, and Washington as a defensive assistant. Washington has not been assigned a specific position group yet at Michigan, but previously served as a defensive line coach at Cincinnati. “We’re thrilled with the new additions,” Harbaugh said. “Sherrone Moore, Al Washington, I think they’re fantastic.” Harbaugh said he had a chance to sit in on offensive and defensive meetings with both coaches while traveling and thought they were tremendous.

Outside of the on-field coaching and analyst spots, one of Harbaugh’s other new hires is Ben Herbert, Michigan’s new strength and conditioning coach. Herbert worked for 11 seasons at Wisconsin before spending five years with Arkansas. He joined the Wolverines in early January. “Coach Herbert and the staff are extremely hardworking, very detailed and have hit the ground running,” Harbaugh said. “It’s early, but I already see positive results. What went into that was interviewing multiple interested coaches, and I really thought we got the right

man for the right position.” All in all, Michigan’s coaching staff hasn’t changed too much at the top. Both the offensive and defensive coordinators, Tim Drevno and Don Brown, are staying put. Passing game coordinator and assistant head coach Pep Hamilton is sticking with the program as well. Michigan’s former safeties coach Brian Smith departed for a defensive coordinator position at Rice back in December, but Harbaugh said he doesn’t anticipate any other coaches leaving. The quick departure of Enos, though, will likely leave the

“Sherrone Moore, Al Washington, I think they’re fantastic.”

program with a bitter taste — at least until it announces a 10th coach. Enos had offensive success with his previous teams, something Michigan clearly struggled with in 2017. Harbaugh didn’t go into detail about Enos’ short-lived tenure, but he offered a few thoughts on the state of the offense and how he’s handling the situation. “On offense right now, we are going through a self-scout period and looking at ways to get our offense up to where our defense is,” Harbaugh said. Enos won’t be on the sideline to help Michigan get its offense up to speed, but if Harbaugh can pull off a big name hire — preferably one with a history of offensive success — that could silver line what has been an otherwise disappointing offseason so far.