2 NEWS
Thursday, May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Klobuchar makes stop in Ann Arbor Amy Klobuchar discusses domestic violcence act during A2 panel BARBARA COLLINS
Summer Managing News Editor
U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., and Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., held a press conference focusing on protecting victims of domestic violence and stalking from gun violence at the Washtenaw County SafeHouse Center in Ann Arbor Saturday morning. The discussion centered around the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which Congress passed last month. VAWA, originally passed in 1994, was previously reauthorized in 2000, 2005 and 2013. The reauthorization must now pass in the Senate. In the current version of VAWA, only individuals
SUMMERTIME
convicted of abusing a spouse — not a partner — are prohibited from buying or owning a gun. The reauthorized bill includes a provision to terminate this issue, commonly referred to as the “boyfriend loophole,” by also preventing those who have been convicted of abusing a “nonmarital” from buying or owning a gun. Additionally, the bill would prevent those convicted of stalking from possessing a gun. In her introductory remarks, Dingell said partnerships between local and national government as well as law enforcement are vital to continue the discussion on sexual assault. “It’s an important time to have a discussion on this issue,” Dingell said. “We can’t do this without resources, and we all know how important it is.” Klobuchar said including gun violence in VAWA emphasizes the seriousness of the issue.
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Activists protest new abortion bans Cecile Richards rallies with local leaders Tuesday MELANIE TAYLOR Summer News Editor
Tuesday evening, the University of Michigan Diag was packed with hundreds of people protesting the slew of restrictive state abortion laws being passed since the beginning of 2019 and particularly over the past few weeks. The rally, organized primarily by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, was one of over 200 #StopTheBans rallies held across the country Tuesday. The Ann Arbor rally was projected to be one of, if not the, largest rally held in Michigan. In an email to The Daily, Angela VasquezGiroux, director of communications for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, said Planned Parenthood appreciates the support they receive from Ann Arbor and the University’s student body. “The Ann Arbor community has always been welcoming of Planned Parenthood and, more importantly, our core value of providing compassionate, judgement-free care to anyone who needs it,” Vasquez-Giroux wrote. “We are proud to have their support and to stand with them today.” Cecile Richards, former president of both the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said there were over 20 rallies held
in Michigan alone. Richards was in Ann Arbor to speak at the Ann Arbor Public Library as part of her book tour for her recently released memoir, “Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead.” Richards was the rally’s first speaker. “I don’t know about you, but I will go to jail before I let this government tell me what I can and cannot do with my own body,” Richards said. “That’s a promise to you.” Richards helped found and is currently on the leadership board of the women’s political action group Supermajority, which promises a “women’s new deal” addressing issues like the wage gap, maternal mortality and lack of women in government. The group hopes to reach 2 million votes in support of Supermajority’s platform in the 2020 elections. “This is a fire that is going to burn a pathway all the way to the White House next year, because we are never going to cede our rights to politicians — not in Washington and not in Lansing, OK?” Richards said. Lori Carpentier, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, followed Richards with a speech about the importance of maintaining the Democratic political momentum of the 2018 midterm elections. Carpentier said that momentum came from anger toward the 2016 presidential election.
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Thursday, May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
NEWS 3
Regents bid farewell to Hu, 1U: six regents approve construction plans have ‘shown support’ for new platform
‘U’ officials reflect on Vice President of Research teunure, funding equity during Regents meeting in Dearborn Thursday afternoon ALEX HARRING
Summer Managing News Editor
The University of Michigan Board of Regents convened in Dearborn, Mich. Thursday afternoon for the third meeting of the calendar year. University President Mark Schlissel began the meeting with his address to the regents. Schlissel said a new training to prevent sexual and gender-based misconduct for all faculty and staff across the three campuses and Michigan Medicine is being rolled out next week. “Preventing all forms of sexual and gender-based misconduct remains a top priority for the University of Michigan,” Schlissel said. “I thank the regents for their leadership on this important issue and the many faculty and staff on all three of our campuses and Michigan Medicine who are contributing to our comprehensive efforts to reduce and address misconduct for all members of our community.” Schlissel also welcomed new Dearborn Chancellor Domenico Grasso. Regent Ron
Weiser congratulated Grasso, noting how well attended his inauguration was. “As someone who is deeply entwined with the Dearborn campus, I wanted to express my excitement for the campus’s future, but also like to congratulate Dom and thank him for his efforts he put forth so far,” Weiser said. “We look forward to your continued leadership. This is really an exciting time for the Dearborn campus, and I think it’s ready to make that next giant leap forward.” Schlissel also shared that Rebecca Cunningham, associate vice president for research, will be named interim vice president after Vice President Jack Hu leaves to become provost at the University of Georgia. As it was his last meeting with the board, Schlissel said Hu’s initiatives have increased the University’s standing in the field and expanded its engagement with society. Hu said he was grateful for the opportunity to have served the University. Though it was never his “sandbox dream” to become vice president of research, he said the people he has met over his 34 years at the
University have enhanced his research. “This is a bittersweet moment,” Hu said. “I may be leaving Michigan, but Michigan will never leave me. Go Blue.” Schlissel also gave a brief overview of the Michigan Road Scholars program, which takes faculty and staff members around the state each year. He said this is an example of the faculty’s commitment to public engagement. Schlissel then praised the University’s sports teams — eight of which have earned special NCAA recognition — for their academic and competitive successes. In the same vein, he shared the news of Head Basketball Coach John Beilein’s decision to accept a position with the Cleveland Cavaliers and thanked him for his service to the University. “Coach Beilein is the winningest coach in program history, and he represented the U of M with impeccable honor and integrity,” Schlissel said. “I will forever cherish watching him from across the court.” After a faculty presentation about presidential power
from Mitchel Sollenberger, Dearborn professor of political science and associate provost, over 200 faculty from across the three campuses and Michigan Medicine were presented for promotion. University Provost Martin Philbert said faculty play an essential role in the University’s service to society. “One of the University’s great strengths is the breadth and depth of our faculty,” Philibert said. “Each year, the review of promotion and tenure casebooks reaffirms our appreciation for the outstanding work of the faculty. It reveals the many ways they carry out our mission of contributing to the state, the nation and the world through research, teaching and service.” U-M Dearborn Student Government President Sarah Nasser said she is committed to inclusion and access. Specifically, she said she is interested in parking reform, expanding student services and budget equality. Read more at michigandaily.com
COURTESY OF ALEX HARRING
U-M Dearborn Lecturer Deb Roundtree speaks about her experience, and the experience of other lecturers across the three University campuses, at the Regents meeting in Dearborn Thursday afternoon.
Abdul El-Sayed, students outline goals at One University press conference ALEX HARRING
Summer Managing News Editor
At a press conference Thursday afternoon on the University of MichiganDearborn campus, a speaker from the One University Campaign — a coalition of faculty and students from the University’s three campuses advocating equitable funding and resource allocation across the entire University system — said the group has had sit-down meetings with six out of the eight University regents, at which those regents expressed support for the coalition’s platform. The press conference came two hours ahead of a Board of Regents meeting, where a slate of 1U members would speak during the public comment portion. Abdul El-Sayed, University alum and former gubernatorial candidate, said at the press conference the University should adopt 1U’s demands to better align with its goals of equitability and expanding academic opportunity. “I’m here today because I love the University of Michigan, and because I recognize the University of Michigan is not just one campus,” ElSayed said. “This was always intended to be a University that provided an ‘uncommon education for the common individual.’ It had, baked in its core, a mission of equity, a mission of access to educational opportunities.” El-Sayed said the University “leverages” its resources
toward Ann Arbor students by spending approximately $54,000 per Ann Arbor student each year, but only $18,000 and $15,000 at Flint and Dearborn, respectively. He also said this is a governmental issue because the state allocates about half as much to Flint and Dearborn per student than in Ann Arbor. El-Sayed said he is proud to lend his voice to 1U’s push for a more equitable University. This conference comes one day after 12 state lawmakers — including state Sen. Jeff Irwin and state Reps. Yousef Rabhi and Rebekah Warren, all Democrats representing the Ann Arbor area — signed an op-ed in the Detroit Free Press supporting “equitable” funding across the three campuses. The writers referenced many statistics that lay the foundation for 1U’s platform, which is fundamentally against unequal funding allocations from the state for the three campuses and a “silo system” used by University administration for distributing resources. Austin Ogle, a U-M Flint student and 1U steering committee member, said his campus has many infrastructure issues, like broken handicap buttons. He also said medical and legal services available in Ann Arbor are not available in Flint and Dearborn.
Read more at michigandaily.com
4 OPINION
Thursday, May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
OLIVIA TURANO | COLUMN Feminists, enough about men. Let’s talk about women
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Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s Editorial Board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
ANIK JOSHI | COLUMN
W
Towards a unified theory of adulthood
hen are we adults? It’s something a lot of people disagree about, and there really isn’t one set answer as different freedoms are enabled at different ages. Let’s look at the ages for distinct privileges in Michigan. You can get an unrestricted license once you turn 17. However, would that really count as adulthood? You still can’t vote — that comes at 18 (please register at vote.gov), like the ability to be sent off to war and pay taxes. Most people would probably say adulthood starts here, but the problem with that is two-fold. First, we have all taken introductory classes with 18-yearolds, and it’s not very controversial to claim that they don’t, for the most part, carry themselves like adults. The second problem with adulthood at 18 is that you still can’t legally drink in the U.S., and the nationwide tobacco age is headed here as well. Would 21 then be a fair adulthood age? I don’t think so, and it’s because there are two more ages worth examining: 11 and 14. In 1997, Nathaniel Abraham shot and killed Ronnie Greene outside a party in Pontiac, Michigan. He was convicted as an adult but sentenced as a juvenile and was released upon turning 21. He was 11 years old when he shot Greene. This is not a unique case — Michigan’s laws have favored sentencing those 14 and above to lifetime sentences in the case of murder as well as similar crimes. This might be too
common in Michigan. According to MLive, one in 10 prisoners serving mandatory life sentences were 14 to 17 at the time of their crime, and 31 percent of juvenile lifers did not commit the actual homicide. In addition, 69 percent of the juvenile lifers are Black. Obviously, there are racial issues that must be addressed in a conscious manner, but this gets at something much deeper. Different castes of people are infantilized or over-matured depending on who they are and oftentimes where in society they come from. There are two examples — one more age-based and one more raciallybased. From the standpoint of age, it is somewhat absurd that there is a general societal expectation that people become adults at 18 given how many freedoms you still lack. One clear manifestation of this is how much more structured high school is (both academically and otherwise) than a typical university. The change is pretty drastic, and I do find it somewhat amusing that students who weren’t allowed to use their phone in class seven months prior are expected to manage much of their life on their own. From a racial standpoint, it seems that oftentimes Black people are unfairly made to appear older, and that comes across in a number of ways. There’s the choice of media to use mugshots of Black kids and senior portraits of white kids that make one group appear older and more deserving
of punishment. Famously, there was a very different response to the crack crises of the ’80s and ’90s (culturally, politically and otherwise) than the opioid crisis of today which is seemingly racially motivated. There should be one age for adulthood that is applied in a more equitable manner, and applied to everything and everyone. If you allow 18-year-olds who serve in the armed forces certain privileges not granted to others, it becomes clear that this is more virtue signaling than it is a serious attempt at legislating. Similarly, there is no reason to have such tough laws regarding minors — there is no reason the age where it is legal to try someone as an adult in Michigan could not be raised to a more reasonable one. This could address racial imbalances, like lifetime sentences given to minors. If the age that we want to assign adulthood to is 18, then on your 18th birthday, you should be allowed to drink, light one up, fire a gun, mail your ballot in and then, when you inevitably get arrested for the racket you cause by disturbing the peace, you should be tried as an adult, but not a moment before you’re 18. Although this might not completely address the racial issue, holding all minors to the same standard might start to change societal perceptions of people. Anik Joshi can be reached at anikj@umich.edu.
I
am a proud feminist, supporting political, economic and social equality regardless of gender that has been absent for, really, all of time. I too wake up some mornings fighting the desire to throw on my pink pussy Women’s March hat, slap a new “ProWomen, Pro-Life” frame on my Facebook profile picture, tweet “men are trash” and check “crush the patriarchy” off the “Feminist with a To-Do List” to-do list I bought for $10 at a feminist boutique before moving on with my life. Much of the recent outcry against far-right abortion legislation has been because men — usually white, straight and wealthy — continue to craft laws that are not only incredibly restrictive, but also ignore basic female biology and public opinion. Alabama’s new bill, which passed with the votes of 25 white, male senators, effectively bans abortion at six weeks — earlier than many women even know they are pregnant — and criminalizes abortion, even in cases of rape, where a woman and doctor performing an abortion face a stronger penalty than a rapist. Almost 50 years after Roe v. Wade, we are still fighting for even the most basic access to women’s reproductive health. Feminists are quick to turn on men and, to be fair, the vitriol against them isn’t exactly unwarranted. The patriarchy has reigned for too long, and women have had enough. But, in order to truly tackle the “feminist agenda,” we can’t continue to blame our oppression entirely on the patriarchy and our patriarchs. We need to talk about, perhaps, feminism’s primary obstacle today: white women. I am from the Upper West Side of New York City, which houses a less affluent but still fortunate breed of white New Yorkers. Moving from New York City to Ann Arbor — another upper-middle class, white, liberal haven — it was initially hard to conceptualize that, despite the persistence of gender inequality across America, white women, broadly speaking, are not allies of other marginalized groups. Amidst a flurry of condemnation towards the 25 male state senators attempting to control and legislate women’s bodies through the new abortion ban in Alabama, there is a smaller group pointing out that white women remain complicit in promoting these laws — women like Alabama state Rep. Terri Collins, who sponsored the bill, and Governor Kay Ivey, who signed it into law. While the law may be legally unenforceable due to Roe v. Wade’s federal legalization of abortion, this law was passed with the intention of challenging that decision, emboldened by the Trump-era right — and women played a role.
This is part of a much bigger issue. In the 2016 presidential election, 53 percent of white women voted for Trump. By contrast, 94 percent of Black women and 69 percent of Latinas voted for Hillary. Even more surprisingly, this wasn’t a unique 2016 nightmare phenomenon. In fact, this followed a consistent pattern of white women supporting the GOP nominee, as they did in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 elections. In the 2018 midterm elections, white women followed other demographic groups in moving towards the left, but only slightly. 49 percent of white women voted Republican. Meanwhile, 92 percent of Black women supported Democrats. You may be asking why I am so freely implying the association between being a feminist and voting for Democrats. Feminism is not confined to Democrats — in fact, feminism is undeniably stronger when it transcends party lines. Feminism should and can be for everyone. However, as long as the goals of feminism are supported by the left and largely neglected by the right, when white women cast their votes for Republicans they are shielded by the privilege of their skin color. While white women walk through the streets each day carrying the societal implications of what it means to be female, we are also protected by the privilege that being white grants. White women stand at a crossroads of being female and white, and when they cast a vote, they must choose where their priorities lie. And while externally many of us may wear shirts that proclaim “the future is female,” we often fail to address our fellow white women who identify with their race before their gender. More often than not in our current political climate, voting Republican is a privilege not all are afforded. In fact, 42 percent of women who had abortions in 2014 were under the poverty line. Wealthy white women will always be able to find a way to get an abortion if they need one. But for those with weaker economic prospects, the attempted new legislation is devastating. Until we, as feminists — and especially as white feminists — hold white women accountable for failing to prioritize women’s issues in their votes, feminism will fail to truly take root in policy. Without the support of the most wealthy and powerful women in America, feminism falls short. Fairweather feminism is no longer enough for white women. Feminism needs your full support, now more than ever. Olivia Turano can be reached at turanoo@umich.edu.
Thursday, May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
AKAASH TUMULURI | OP-ED
MELISSA BERLIN | OP-ED
M
‘M’ stands for mourning
y story always begins with, “My grandfather, my Zayde, was a Holocaust survivor.” Sometimes I am embarrassed by how salient that fact is to my identity. I have often pondered how strange it is to have an identity rooted in tragedy. My perception of myself and the way I engage with the world is inextricably shaped by the death and suffering of so many others relatively long ago. Trust me, it’s an awkward icebreaker. Last month, I walked across the Diag on the way to the last class of my undergraduate career. I paused to wonder how many times I crossed the Diag over the last four years. It must have been in the hundreds. But what about the times I have not crossed? The times I entered the Diag without a destination on the other side, but with the intention to spend time at its center? The first memory that comes to mind is the picture I took with my sister at her graduation four years ago. She had just finished her time at the University of Michigan, and I was about to begin mine. We took a cute picture of her on the ‘M’ while I stood behind it, as I had not yet earned the right to step on it. Besides that picture, there were the days I spent hammocking in the lawns, some occasional moments of doing homework or waiting for friends on the benches, and times like the morning of April 29, when I stood in the Diag to hear names. That day, it was Lori Kaye. Throughout my time at the University, I have been part of the organization Students for Holocaust Awareness, Remembrance and Education. Every year in April or May, around Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day — we organize a 24-hour Reading of the Names vigil on the Diag. For 24 continuous hours, students and community members take half hour shifts reading names of victims of the Holocaust from a stack of about ten thick books — one name at a time. In April 2016, I sat on the Diag to read names, then again in April 2017 and again in April 2018. In October 2018, my friend Zainab accompanied me to the Diag to hear names. Zainab and I have often bonded over the similarities between her Muslim and my Jewish identity. The two of us are no strangers to histories of marginalization and targeted violence toward these identities, and we have mourned victims of that violence together. That day, it was Cecil Rosenthal, and ten more names. In March 2019, I accompanied Zain-
OPINION 5
ab to the Diag to hear names. That day, it was Mucaad Ibrahim and 49 more. I did not linger too long to listen to names that day, though, because we had to run. Zainab and I fled the Diag after reports of an active shooter in a nearby building. We huddled behind a barricaded door on the fourth floor of Hatcher Graduate Library for upwards of an hour-and-a-half, repeating, “this doesn’t feel real.” Fortunately, it was not real. It was a fear-fueled false shooter alarm prompted by the sound of popping balloons, which coincided with a vigil for victims of yet another instance of identity-based violence. In April 2019, I sat on the Diag to read names again. This year, we rediscovered some old books from past years of the vigil. It was in one of these books that I was startled to read aloud the name Israel Ringewirtz from Nasielsk, Poland. My Zayde’s last name was originally Ringewirtz, and his father was from Nasielsk. After four years of reading so many names from so many books, I read the name of a family member. The thing about the vigil, about every vigil, is that I read and hear too many names. They blur together. They feel distant. Then suddenly, they are close to me again. They feel like the attacker is right there on the Diag with me, running towards a group of Jews, or Muslims or whoever has gathered to remember the latest victims. Or they are the officer, running toward us, shouting at us to scatter. It didn’t feel real. What a privilege that situation was not real. This was not the case when my cousin in California posted those words on Facebook: “this doesn’t feel real.” Zainab texted me. “I heard what happened in San Diego. I hope you’re doing okay!” I wish we did not have to keep trading these words. This time, I responded “it was my family’s synagogue so I’m a little shocked.” Two days later, I stood on the Diag to hear a name. That day, it was Lori Kaye. This time, there was only one degree of separation. I have read and heard possibly thousands of names of victims of identitybased violence in the Diag. It would have been 253 more if I had not felt too emotionally drained to attend the vigil for the victims of the Sri Lanka bombings.
Read more at MichiganDaily.com Melissa Berlin graduated from LSA in 2019 with degrees in sociology and psychology.
I
’m an Art & Design student in the Penny Stamps School of, yes, Art & Design. Specifically, I’m a Bachelor of Arts, not a Bachelor of Fine Arts, in Art & Design. As the italicization indicates, for us Stampers, that’s a big deal. B.F.A. students take two-thirds of their coursework through Stamps and can take IP (Integrative Project) for their senior thesis — three credits in the fall and six in the winter of independent work leading to an exhibition at the end of winter semester. They are guaranteed their own studios, time to work on their body of work from September through March and are advised by two faculty members and one GSI while producing a culminating senior project. B.A. students take approximately two-thirds of their coursework outside of Stamps, electives we use to inform our art practice. The B.A. curriculum exists because, according to the Stamps website: “As a part of a tier one research university, we understand the synergies that are only possible when making and research work together as key components of creative practice. With over 100 top ranked university programs, we can offer unparalleled academic opportunities that enrich and deepen our students’ creative work.” Interdisciplinary studies is one of the highlights of Stamps — in fact, our dean, Guna Nadarajan, gave a speech in April on the benefits of arts and humanities integration with STEM fields. For B.A. students, our senior thesis project is supposed to be the culmination of that interdisciplinary approach, which we chose when we applied to the school. This senior thesis represents the moment when we finally bridge the gap between all the LSA and Stamps classes we’ve taken for three years. Now, possible changes to Senior Studio, the revised B.A. Senior Capstone, threaten to marginalize the opportunity for B.A. students to showcase the crossover between the skills they’ve learned in Stamps and the knowledge they’ve gained outside of it. To put it bluntly, B.A. students have a problem: we’re caught between the ideals of an interdisciplinary curriculum and the pragmatics of tuition dollars. First, I would like to preface that some quotes are used anonymously. This is to protect the faculty and students who were so generous in
Don’t BS our B.A. providing their input to this essay and to acknowledge the past precedent of professional consequences in giving this type of input. Second, there is no one “to blame.” I’m writing this so that students, faculty and administration can get a glimpse into a student’s mind and realize that maybe — just maybe — students should have a say in student matters. At the end of the day, this essay is a call for accountability more than anything else. Let’s start at the end of Winter semester — Monday, April 15. Stamps Administration called a meeting, open to students, to discuss the B.A. senior thesis curriculum — B.A. Capstone, as it has been referred to in the past, and Senior Studio, as was renamed last year by the associate dean and dean. This coming fall, Senior Studio will be an optional, three-credit course taught by one professor with no GSI support — as opposed to the previous four credit, two semester program that was offered from 2015-2018. Our exhibition would occur at the end of fall semester in December, shortening the work year from seven months to three. We would have the opportunity to be selected for a juried exhibition in the spring, chosen from the senior projects of B.A. and B.F.A. students. There is yet no guarantee we will get our own studios. While the B.F.A.’s senior thesis, IP, is referred to as a “program,” or part of the curriculum, Senior Studio has been classified by the Stamps administration as an elective, which they assert makes it possible for them to remove it from the curriculum at any moment and without faculty consent. For B.A. students, this feels like a marginalization. We are just as dedicated to our studio craft as our peers. We want the same opportunity to produce the best work possible, which means being given the time and resources to be able to produce work of the highest caliber we can. In a survey conducted last year asking B.A. and B.F.A. alumni what changes they’d like to see in the senior thesis program, many B.A. alumni expressed hope that in the future, “B.A. Capstone thesis is not treated as a second-class citizen to IP.” The alumni also recommended more credit hours dedicated to Capstone and that Capstone students be guaranteed studio space. The program warrants it. It has had full enrollment (17-19 students
in a course capped at 18) each year it has been offered, and is viewed as necessary by many faculty members. As one faculty member explained, “A senior year of IP or B.A. Capstone with the senior exhibition as the culminating moment — a very public moment — is what gives our program teeth and holds both our students and ourselves as educators accountable. In particular, I am bothered by the number of senior B.A. students who were not in the senior exhibition this year due to the fact that they were not supported properly to have the time and space to create work as their peers did.” Dean Nadarajang appointed an IP/Capstone Task Force in 201819 to determine what the senior thesis year should be for B.A. and B.F.A. students, and this group of four Stamps faculty concluded that “IP continues as a two-semester sequence — 3 credit hours in Fall, 6 in Winter. BA Capstone continues as a two-semester sequence — 1 credit hour in Fall, 3 in Winter,” and that “All IP and Capstone students will be assigned a studio space in the fall and shall be part of the exhibitions in the Spring.” Why, if there was overwhelming faculty and student support for Capstone, was it downgraded from a two semester, four-credit class to a one semester, three creditclass with considerable resources revoked? Well, money complicates matters. The budget model for the University states that, as of fiscal year 2008-09, student tuition, based on classes taken, would be distributed as “an even split (50% - 50%) between the unit of enrollment and the unit of instruction.” That means that if I, a Stamps student, take a Stamps class, the Stamps School receives 100 percent of the portion of my tuition that goes toward the credits of that class. If I take a class in LSA, 50 percent of that portion of my tuition goes toward LSA, and the other 50 percent goes toward Stamps. When your major requires you to take more classes outside of your school, you can see how the school would be economically disincentivized to prioritize your major.
Read more at MichiganDaily.com Akaash Tumuluri is a senior in the Penny Stamps School of Art and Design.
6 ARTS
Thursday, May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
BOOK REVIEW
COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW
‘FKA USA’ relies on tropes of sci-fi
AXS
BLED FEST takes a bow RYAN COX
Daily Arts Writer
When I first moved to Southeast Michigan, I was not expecting to find a music scene as active and diverse as the one that exists today. I grew up in an area where our local music scene consisted of a few Sublime cover bands, so when I moved to Ann Arbor and experienced my first basement show, it was unlike anything I had ever experienced. People here really do care about music, and no event better represents this fact than the infamous BLED FEST. Starting out as a small basement show and pool party, BLED FEST has blossomed into a distinct and special experience. Taking place at the Hartland Performing Arts Center (H-PAC), BLED FEST invites some of the biggest names in punk, rock, indie, metal and other genres to perform in an old high school gymnasium-turnedperformance-venue. And after 15 years, the festival is finally coming to a close. The festival stands out for a variety of reasons, but what is most notable is how it still incorporates a do-it-yourself attitude. Although the festival has grown quite a bit over the past few years, moving from a basement to a performing arts center, the same sort of independence and passion found in basement shows is still very much present today. In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Nate Dorough, presi-
dent of Fusion Shows and one of the chief organizers of the festival, said BLED FEST is “sort of like a big family reunion that just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year.” Dorough attributes this atmosphere to the expanding diversity of genres present at the festival, stating that “back when it started, there was a lot of drama between punk fans and metal fans … but it seems to be a little more acceptable now to like rap, metal,
The Final BLED FEST May 25, 2019 Hartland Performing Arts Center $35/General admission
indie rock and whatever else. As we’ve developed the things over the past twelve years I’ve been on board, there’s been a natural evolution for us to continue to diversify the festival and turn it into this esoteric mix of all different type(s) of music and walks of life.” Along with having such a diverse lineup, the physical space of the festival looks drastically different from that of any other summer festival. Forget your shades, hats and sunscreen, because when BLED FEST arrives, school is not quite out for the summer yet. “It is
in an old high school. There are no barricades; it’s not your traditional venue where everything is far away, everything’s off limits and the bands are backstage. Everything’s just sort of mixed in, no matter if you’re on- or off-stage,” Dorough described. The festival stays true to its roots though, and despite having headliners like The Wonder Years and Camp Cope, the festival still showcases younger local bands on some of their smaller stages (one of which used to be an actual classroom). Bands from Southeast Michigan including Dogleg, Ness Lake, The Doozers, Complainer. and Mover Shaker, each of which already has a dedicated local following, are given the opportunity to share the stage with over 60 different bands. In addition to diversifying genres present at the festival, there’s one other aspect the organizers have been trying to improve. “A few years ago, we counted up the bands we had that year … and the show was awesome, but we noticed that there were only like four bands that had women in them, and like one band that has anyone that wasn’t white in it,” Dorough explained. “And we kind of had a ‘holy shit’ moment where we were like, we’ve got to change this.” And just by glancing through the lineup this year, the festival already appears to feature groups of all different gender identities, races and backgrounds.
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can sting. However, Truckee and his friends only share surface-level EMMA CHANG relationships. King doesn’t establish Senior Arts Editor a strong connection between them, so it wasn’t heart-wrenching when Fiction — science fiction in par- Truckee’s friends sold him out to the ticular — is obsessed with the post- government. What could have been apocalyptic world. From space an agonizing moment was, instead, odysseys to duels with zombies, simply a surprising revelation. But what is a science-fiction story, readers and authors alike have a strange fascination with the world or a story in general, without a love after the end of the world. But, for story? At first, it seems like Truckee how different each iteration of these is going to be just another teenstories may seem, they all tend to age boy, pining away for one of his follow a clear formula. Reed King’s friends, but, as the story progresses, the love story isn’t really a love story “FKA USA” is no different. The key to any good post-apoc- at all. Instead, “FKA alyptic story is the USA” explores apocalypse itself, Truckee’s sexuality the more popular as he grapples with ones being envihis attraction to his ronmental destrucFKA USA android friend and tion, a public health loses his virginity to crisis or some verReed King an android prostision of a space race. Flatiron Books tute. Each instance Sometimes, a writof Truckee’s failed er merges all three June 18, 2019 intimacy invites (though, granted, further exploration usually a problem of his downfalls, in space is closely especially as he gets tied to an environfarther from his mental disaster). In hometown and dis“FKA USA,” King creates a world wrecked by human- covers the truths about his country. induced environmental disaster Truckee’s story is one laden with sex and the government’s poor man- — if he wasn’t a 15-year-old boy tryagement of the country. And yet, ing to understand his relationship King is still able to draw in readers with women, I would call it misogywith the detailed history he builds nistic. That said, I really hope Reed around an oversaturated theme in King has a better relationship with women than his writing would sugscience fiction. Once readers know why the world gest. Finally, no science-fiction story as they know it is over, stories need to introduce the who. In “The Hun- is complete without social comger Games” there’s Katniss, “Ender’s mentary. In addition to criticism of Game” has Ender and “FKA USA” how we treat the environment, King introduces Truckee Wallace to the creates a complex world governed growing number of teenagers and by corporations. The role of the children contending with a world president is played by a CEO, the HR left in ruins by previous genera- department resembles our Congress tions. Again, there are specific types and even the CIA makes an appearof heroes in every post-apocalyptic ance as the research and developworld. Truckee is the kind of hero ment team of the company. It’s not who was never meant to be a hero, a subtle comparison by any means, something King highlights by insist- and it’s obvious that King dislikes ing Truckee has no redeeming qual- the power corporations and capitalities, despite successfully surviving ism have in our country. But it’s an the death trap that is the western effective way of forcing his readers to confront their understanding of part of the former United States. Occasionally, betrayal makes an our current system, maybe the only appearance in these types of stories. And, when the main character Read more at michigandaily.com is betrayed by their close friends, it
Thursday, May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
CONCERT REVIEW
ALBUM REVIEW
Passion Pit brims with joy, energy CLARA SCOTT Senior Arts Editor
4AB
Looking for The National on LP ‘I Am Easy to Find’ MIRIAM FRANCISCO Daily Arts Writer
“Remember when you lost your shit and / Drove the car into the garden / You got out and said I’m sorry / To the vines and no one saw it,” The National’s frontman Matt Berninger sings on “I Need My Girl” from Trouble Will Find Me (2013). This is the kind of song The National became famous for: It creates sentiment through pared-down specificity, and then it breaks your heart as you suddenly imagine the garden, the girl apologizing to the vines and the aching desire fed by this memory. 2019’s I Am Easy to Find incorporates these defining strengths of The National into new methods of storytelling and lyrical preoccupations, suggesting that it’s possible for a band to mature without losing its musical philosophy. Prior to I Am Easy to Find, The National spent seven albums creating a sound that can best be described by the title of their sophomore effort: Sad Song for Dirty Lovers. The National should be playing while you sit alone at a bar, feeling full of indecipherable emotion, or as you look out a window and think about people you used to be in love with. I Am Easy to Find explores a set of situations less exciting and more obscured than anguish and melancholia. While some songs (“Quiet Light,” for instance) fall back on old themes, the album largely explores new territory. I Am Easy to Find is about what it might mean to stay in a romantic relationship, for both the partnership itself and the
ARTS 7
individuals involved. I Am Easy to Find begins with a jangly cacophony on “You Had Your Soul With You,” the opening bars of which are vaguely reminiscent of Animal Collective or w h o k i l l-era Tune-Yards. Then Berninger croons, “You had your soul with you / I was in no mood / Drift away, and I could forget / I had only one last feather left / I wore it on the island of my head,” and it becomes clear that The National has not lost its way. This song shows the band is not afraid to experiment, though this is one of the only exam-
I Am Easy to Find The National 4AD
ples of a drastically new energy on the album. Songs like “Oblivions” retain familiar vocals and instrumentation, while lyrics chart an unexplored motif: the weight of commitment in a long-term relationship. “It’s the way you say yes when I ask you to marry me / You don’t know what you are doing / Do you think you can carry me / Over the threshold / Over and over again until oblivion?” This song, like most on I Am Easy to Find, features a woman’s voice alternately driving the
narrative or responding to Berninger. The album was a joint effort between 77 musicians, including some of the band members’ wives, who contributed both lyrics and vocals. The inclusion of women’s perspectives is what blows the album wide open, providing context and counter-arguments for the careful, self-deprecating, sad-boy protagonist of previous albums. On some songs, Berninger can barely be heard, and it’s gratifying to imagine these tracks as explanations by the women in the relationships The National has been singing about for all these years. I Am Easy to Find is also the first multimedia effort by The National; a short film of the same name was made in conjunction with the album and directed by Mike Mills, the man behind “20th Century Women” (2016). In this “I Am Easy to Find,” Alicia Vikander (“The Danish Girl”) convincingly portrays a woman’s life from birth to death without changing her appearance. This life happens within a consistently imagined blackand-white world, and I Am Easy to Find provides a soundtrack that contributes to this sense of containment through painstaking and intuitive attention to the film’s emotional interior. While watching the film is not necessary for appreciating I Am Easy to Find, it does provide a satisfying application of the album’s themes to a carefully thought-out visual narrative.
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2019 has proven quite the rollercoaster of nostalgia for millenials. It started with Vampire Weekend’s most recent release and continued in a ragged path, making the occasional stop for the comebacks of artists like the Jonas Brothers, and now, a revisiting of both Batman and the “Twilight” series. (I’m looking at you, Rob.) It’s a crazy time for pop culture, as the things that colored our youth slowly come back to play. Along this wild ride was electronic act Passion Pit’s stop at the Royal Oak Music Theater last Thursday, as frontman Michael Angelakos performed their debut album for its tenth anniversary. It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since the release of memorable hits like “Moth’s Wings” and “Sleepyhead” on Manners, the album that cemented Angelakos’s soaring falsetto into the musical consciousness of millions. And yet, the songs have marinated with time, taking on new meaning in the wake of a decade of momentous change. Angelakos has had a rough run in the last few years, beginning with a divorce and continuing with a struggle against mental illness. The artist has been outspoken about his battle with bipolar disorder, one that spurred him to form “The Wishart Group,” an organization offering medical and legal services to musicians with a special emphasis on mental health. Beyond these steps to help others, Angelakos has been increasingly transparent about his own journey in interviews and on social media, something
that did not change for the live show. “When we finished our last tour, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to tour again,” the singer admitted, sitting at the front of the stage drenched in sweat. He adjusted his tie and stood. “But I made it, and this has been an incredible experience.” The crowd screamed in support and Angelakos stood on the monitors, looking out into the sea of people clapping and jumping. The look in his eyes was one of the deepest gratitude I’ve ever seen, something that made an already frenetic show even more profound. Passion Pit’s music is a euphoric synthesis of life, and Angelakos knows this better than anyone. Understanding the meaning behind the music made it all the more special for those in the auditorium. The show was a spectacle, but on simple terms: The band was laid in low light at the back of the stage, accentuating Angelakos’ highenergy performance with colored sparks. He was constantly running across the stage, only pausing to take time during the most popular songs — namely, ones from Manners and the band’s sophomore album Gossamer. In these pauses, he connected with the audience on a deeper level, singing directly to those in the front row. Angelakos was clad in his signature show gear, consisting of a shirt, tie and slacks that might seem better suited for an office than a stage. But this appearance was part of the experience at large, in a different way. The frontman showed the audience that he was one of us, sweat dripping down his white oxford in a hazy celebration of life. It was as if he had just gotten off work and decided to dance his heart out: a situation for which Passion Pit’s music is absolutely perfect.
It was as if he had just gotten off work and decided to dance his heart out
8 NEWS
Thursday, May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
College Board announces SAT ‘adversity score’ ‘U’ confirms use of new index aimed at offering better understanding of applicants environment, challenges SAMANTHA SMALL & MELANIE TAYLOR
The College Board, responsible for administering the SAT, announced the addition of a new index commonly known as an “adversity
score” in an attempt to quantify a student’s overall disadvantage level and help college admissions officers gather a more complete picture of an applicant’s background. The University of Michigan was one of the 50 universities and colleges who piloted the program in the 20182019 admissions process.
Classifieds
University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said the University plans to continue to use the adversity score in future admissions decisions. “We are pleased that the College Board is providing additional data to institutions that support our pursuit of better understanding our applicants’ academic potential
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Release Date: Thursday, May 23, 2019
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
FOR RENT
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
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4 Often colorful accessories 5 Neurologist’s printout, briefly 6 “Dover Beach” poet 7 __ Bag: eponymous ’70s designer label 8 Remote batteries 9 Third-century date 10 Delivery announcement 11 Puppeteer Lewis 12 Tire-shaped 13 They’re heavier than foils 18 Nobelist Wiesel 23 Once, old-style 25 Poem of homage 26 Skillful deed 27 SFO postings 28 Time period 29 Buffalo’s county 30 Irish pop group family name 33 End of a corporal’s URL 34 Sapporo sashes 35 “Seriously, man!” 36 Adds highlights to, perhaps
38 Arabian arroyo 39 Words after shake or break 42 Worry 43 Czech Republic region 44 Likely 45 Nutrient-rich legume 47 Winter eave buildup 48 “Merciless” Flash Gordon foe
49 Story lesson 50 Device common on “Seinfeld” 51 Starbucks order 52 Spotted African predator 56 OPTI-FREE rival 57 Contents of many cartridges 58 To be, to Brutus 61 Apr. addressee 62 Crosses (out) 63 Slugger’s stat
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and educational context,” Fitzgerald wrote. “Context matters in understanding the myriad experiences and adversities that our students have encountered and still achieved within. Our admissions processes benefit from this information.” Officially referred to by the College Board as the “Environmental Context Dashboard,” the adversity score will consider 15 factors relative to the student’s home life, local community and strength of school district. Determinants include poverty rate, local crime rate, median income and the availability of Advancement Placement classes, among others. Students will not be able to view their adversity grade, and the information considered in the score will be based off data from the student’s area, not individual information. Students can receive a score up to 100, with a higher score representing higher adversity. Colleges among the 50 that have adapted this program — in addition to the University — include Yale College, Florida State University and Trinity College. Critics of the score have taken issue with its lack of data on an individual level, arguing it could potentially overstate or understate the adversity a student has faced. Similarly, many are concerned the score leaves out internal factors such as stressors on both physical
and mental health. Proponents have said, although the score is not a perfect indicator, it gives admissions officers a better understanding of an applicant’s background than they would have had without it. Previous trends in admissions at the University show an increase in economic and racial diversity. According to an October report by Public Affairs, 2018 fall enrollment included a greater proportion of economic diversity and underrepresented students with a 14.8 percent increase in underrepresented minorities and 6 percent increase in freshmen enrollment from those with incomes of $65,000 or less. This uptick also follows the implementation of the Go Blue Guarantee, an initiative granting full tuition coverage for in-state University students with a yearly income of less than $65,000 a year. Many have compared the adversity score to affirmative action. Affirmative action was questioned by some who thought it favored people based on the color of their skin rather than the merit of their actions. As decided by voters through a 2006 ballot proposal, Michigan is one of eight states with laws making the practice illegal.
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05/23/19
05/23/19
DESIGN BY KATHRYN HALVERSON
Thursday May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
MICHIGAN IN COLOR 9
The diversity in ‘Pokémon Detective Pikachu’ spans beyond the types of Pokémon EFE OSAGIE
MiC Senior Editor
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Recently I went to go watch “Pokémon Detective Pikachu.” Why? I can’t really tell you. For context, I’m not a major Pokémon fan. Sure I played “Pokémon GO” for a little bit, but to be fair I think everyone did. My brother was the major Pokémon fan growing up, so I did spend a fair bit of time watching Pokémon movies and TV shows with him. Every once in a blue moon when he was feeling generous, he’d even let me play one of his precious Pokémon DS Games. So mostly due to my brother, Pokémon did play some part in my childhood but was not significant enough for me to feel any pull towards this movie when it came out. If I’m being honest with myself, the only reason why I went to see this movie is because the ticket was cheap and I had time to spare. If you’ve been paying attention to recent box office sales, then you’ll know that “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” has broken the video game movie box office record and has also beat “Avengers: Endgame” in box offices overseas. Which is no small feat, considering “Endgame” recently took the worldwide record
for highest opening weekend gross. Needless to say, “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” has been received extremely well. Many people watching the movie were probably struck by things like the impressive use of CGI, the complex character arcs and the realistic integration of fictional creatures in a world that seems so similar to ours. But the thing that struck me most about the film is something that hasn’t been a topic of conversation. It’s diversity. To start, the introductory scene of the film is two young men of color trying to catch a Pokémon. One of them is Karan Soni, an Indian actor known from the “Deadpool” franchise, and the second is Justice Smith, a Black actor known from films like “Paper Towns” and the Netflix TV show “The Get Down.” I was immediately excited upon seeing that the first two important characters introduced in the film were people of color, especially considering that I never see that in action movies. We go on to learn that the Justice Smith plays the main character in the film, a 21 year old named Tim Goodman who works for an insurance company. I was completely blown away by the fact that Justice Smith was playing the main character in this film,
because I 100 percent expected the main character in this film to be white. As that was standard to all other films I’ve seen similar to “Pokémon Detective Pikachu,” and just most of the blockbuster films I watch.
The first two important characters introduced in the film were people of color, especially considering I never see that in action movies But the main character of this film being Black, biracial specifically, was a casting choice that the directors didn’t have to make but chose to anyway. Seamlessly too, to the point where Tim’s race
didn’t overshadow his character or become a hindrance to him but instead just became a fact of his identity. Different scenes in the movie show Tim’s Black grandmother and mother and we get to see Tim’s white father for a short period of time in the film, but that’s the most his race comes into play. Tim is built to be a lovable character who’s introverted and awkward but still finds a sense of self-confidence after undergoing a tumultuous journey to find his father. He’s funny, imperfect and relatable which is a refreshing change from the offensive stereotypes Black characters are often made out to be in film and tv. More than just the casting of the main character, the diversity of the movie was stood out because the majority of the other people in the film were people of color. The majority of the film takes place in Ryme City, a diverse and bustling metropolis akin to Tokyo, Japan. Throughout the city you could spot multiple billboards and glowing signs, just as many in Japanese as English. Over 40 percent of the people in the city were Asian, presumably Japanese, and the many of the other people held other underrepresented minorities. For example, the mayor of the city was a Black man and the head scientist was played by Rita Ora,
a Yugoslavian singer-songwriter. This was all really refreshing, as for one, most current movies are centered in the western world, not in the Eastern Hemisphere. It was also refreshing because in most films today the majority of people, regardless of whether they’re main characters or extras, are white. In this movie, there were only about 3 white major characters (Ryan Reynolds spends the majority of the movie as a Pokémon, and not as Ryan Reynolds, and for so he’s not counted within the 3). And also, of those three characters, two of them were villains. Which was a nice change from having people of color fulfill the racist villain tropes in movies (i.e. Arab terrorists, African warlords, Native savages, etc). It was appreciated because it showed that a character’s “evilness” doesn’t have to be conflated with their race or a product of it. “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” is a dynamic film that has made giant strides in the video game world and in mainstream Hollywood for its representative casting. I loved watching this film because it was an unexpected chance to see people of my race and other minority races well represented and I am excited to see more films in the future that follow “Pokémon Detective Pikachu”’s progressive footsteps.
I’ve worked hard to get here, so why do I still feel that I have prove myself? MICHAELA MINNIS MiC Columnist
I have not raised my hand all class. I know what to say; I have something worthwhile to share … I want everyone to hear what I have to say. I say to myself: “Michaela, you can do it. Raise your hand. You’ve done this before.” It is almost as if I am playing hot potato in my head — in the end, I do not raise my hand. Another opportunity is missed, and I am left scolding myself until the next day. Why do I feel like I will be laughed at if I give an answer to a question during discussion? Why do I feel that I have to make sure that anything I say “sounds intelligent”, so that I can feel that I belong?
Sometimes it feels as if I have to constantly prove that I am competent enough to sit in the same class as other students. Coming out of high school I knew that there would be some challenges I would have to face because my high school was severely underfunded; the sky was the limit for some, but for most, this is was untrue. Sometimes I do muster up the courage to answer a question during instruction. I did just this in my Biological Anthropology class I built up the confidence and cleared my throat.
I did not f linch or appear nervous when I provided an answer. Suddenly, someone replies with a scoff: “No, I think this is the answer” This moment is when I realized that the feeling of having to prove myself was reality. And that gut wrenching feeling of not feeling good enough takes time to cope with — it can mess with your mental health. Knowing that you have worked hard in high school with all that was offered to you, but realizing that you will always have to work ten times harder can be discouraging.
Another opportunity is missed, and I am left scolding myself until the next day
However, one thing I continue to remember as I walk around campus and see other students that have similar stories to my own is that we are still here. We are going to graduate from the University of Michigan, we are going to pass that hard class that everyone warns us to never take, we are going to succeed even though the odds are against us. And even more important, as a black woman, I am even more motivated to do well because not only do black students make up about 4 percent of the population at the University of Michigan, but the graduation retention rate is lower than our white counterparts. Though I may have to work a little bit harder than others to get an A in a difficult class, I am learning to understand that working harder does not mean that I am not competent enough, but rather that I am determined to accomplish the goals — no matter what.
10 SPORTS
Thursday, May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Hello darkness, my old friend
During NCAA regionals over the weekend, the Wolverines’ most glaring early-season issue re-emerged During March, April and much of May, it looked as if the Michigan softball team overcame the glaring weakness that kept it from succeeding in February. But at DANIEL the NCAA DASH Regional, the 15th-seeded Wolverines’ inability to hit with runners on base resurfaced. And this time, it proved fatal. Up until this past weekend, the season was unfolding like a fairytale. After dipping below .500 at least six games into a season for the first time in nearly two decades and posting a 5-9 record against eventual NCAA Tournament teams, the problem was clear. Michigan’s inability to hit with runners on base led to narrow losses against then-No. 7 Arizona, No. 9 Louisiana State, Louisville and North Carolina. Whenever the Wolverines put runners aboard, their bats fell silent. That problem kept Michigan from winning tight games. That problem kept the program off the national radar. That problem had the country wondering if it was the end of an era. After an uncharacteristic February for the program, the Wolverines rallied behind their five seniors — all of which took vastly different paths to the starting lineup. They won 33 of their next 34 games, highlighted by an outright Big Ten regular season championship and conference tournament title. As it turned out, that resume was just enough for Michigan to host its first NCAA Regional since 2016, when advancing on home turf ignited a run to the Women’s College World Series. The dominoes had fallen into place. For the first time since their freshman season, the Wolverines’ seniors would play NCAA Tournament softball on their own diamond. During the regular season, Michigan posted a perfect 15-0 record at home. It seemed as though the stars had aligned for this fairytale’s next chapter. Instead, the Wolverines’
February demon derailed the storyline. In 26 innings against James Madison ace Megan Good, who has the lowest ERA and most career wins of any active NCAA player, they scored just two runs. That’s not for lack of opportunity, though, as Michigan stranded a staggering 23 baserunners. The three games against the Dukes were decided by a total of five runs, amplifying the importance of each missed opportunity. As baserunners trotted back to the dugout without crossing home plate at the end of each inning, the shortcomings grew more noticeable. Thanks to sophomore lefthander Meghan Beaubien’s 12 shutout innings on Saturday, the problem initially flew under the radar. The excitement of winning Saturday’s thriller took the focus off the Wolverines’ glaring weakness. But after Sunday’s rainout washed away those emotions, Michigan fell victim to the same shortcomings on Monday. Only needing to beat James Madison once more, the Wolverines first faltered with runners on base in the third inning. With two outs, senior outfielder Natalie Peters stepped into the batter’s box with runners on first and second base. She laced a line drive at Dukes’ third baseman Hannah File, who made the catch to end the threat and preserve the scoreless tie. An inning later, Michigan loaded the bases with only one out. Trailing by one run this time around, the Wolverines appeared bound to break through against Good. Just about any ball in play had the potential to tie the game, but a shallow pop up and groundout kept Michigan off the scoreboard. Postseason opportunities tend to be scarce, so coughing up two golden chances to pounce on Good was a tough pill for the Wolverines to swallow. “Timely hitting is the name of the game in any game and especially in the postseason,” said Michigan coach Carol
ALEC COHEN/Daily
Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins returns to the dugout after James Madison right-hander Megan Good escapes a jam.
Hutchins. “And they’re tough to come by on both sides. We just needed one more. … We never seemed to get it going. We didn’t put things together until late and it just wasn’t enough.” When the dust settled, the sum of those stranded runners was too much to overcome. By the end of the regional, the Wolverines were the nation’s only seeded team that failed to advance. Some are quick to point the finger to a weak conference, which could theoretically leave Michigan ill-prepared to face a team of James Madison’s caliber in the postseason. Prior to conference play, 13 of the Wolverines’ first 19 games came
It seemed as though the stars had aligned
against teams ranked top-36 in RPI — a group that includes just four Big Ten teams. The catch? Michigan played none of those Big Ten teams until May. That left two months between competitive opponents. But the Dukes found themselves in the same boat, only to a more extreme degree. Outside of James Madison, only one Colonial Athletic Association team finished top-120 in RPI, and that was Elon at a lackluster No. 68. In five meetings, the Dukes outscored the Phoenix by 36 runs. Like the Wolverines, they saw next to no competition between mid-March and mid-May. It didn’t come down to how well each team’s conference
slate prepared them for postseason play. It came down to a competitive edge. A clutch gene. A willingness to seize the moment. On Monday, James Madison came up with the big hits that Michigan couldn’t. For all that a Big Ten championship and conference tournament title are worth, 2019’s lasting memory may be what could’ve been. The opportunity was there for the taking. Just when the inability to hit with runners on base seemed like a distant memory, it became the fairytale’s villain. The Wolverines couldn’t overcome it this time, and a good season fell just short of great.
The opportunity was there for the taking
Thursday, May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPORTS 11
For John Beilein, his time at Michigan leaves a lasting impact Former University coach had his introductory press conference with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday JORGE CAZARES
Summer Managing Sports Editor
CLEVELAND — This is normally enemy territory for John Beilein. The former Michigan men’s basketball coach shared a laugh with the media at his introductory press conference after calling Michigan “the greatest university in the world.” “Some of you Ohio State people may not agree with that,” Beilein said. Though his new role as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers may garner him an “Ohio man” by some, Beilein spoke candidly about his 12 years in Ann Arbor and the impact the support of the students had on his time with the program. For Beilein, the
admiration between himself and the students was mutual. “One thing I wish, I wish that I was able to get to know even more of the students during that time,” Beilein said after his introductory press conference. “I wish I could have been with (the students) sometimes when (they) were watching some of our games. I hope (they) realize they are at the greatest university in the world and it’s this unique blend between athletics and students, brilliant students, that is like no other.” Throughout his press
conference, he often referred to Michigan as “we” and “the greatest university in the world” signifying that his time at the university left an indelible mark on his experience as a coach. Beilein was arguably the most beloved coach in program history. Immediate reactions from students to him leaving were a mixture of sadness and frustration, but the success and passion he brought forth for the program was rarely in question. Beilein made it crystal clear at his press conference that the
“I wish I could have been with (the students) sometimes”
decision to leave the Wolverines was one of the most difficult he’s ever had to make as a coach –– and perhaps the last job change he will have to make. “I hated leaving a great place like the University of Michigan,” Beilein said. “It could only be for something special like this.” The opportunity was one he could not pass on, though, and he knew once he made the decision to leave, it would be a hard pill to swallow for fans and the program, alike. “The timing was really bad, but there’s never going to be
a good time,” Beilein said. “I just don’t know how you end coaching college basketball if you’re successful with the timing right. It’s impossible.” Added Beilein: “I said I’m going to do it and hopefully all of the good things that you accomplished at Michigan will be what you’ll be remembered by.” Though his new home court now resides 167 miles away from the Crisler Center, Beilein emphasized that the impact that the Michigan community had on him is one he will always cherish.
“I hated leaving a ... place like the University of Michigan”
Beilein excited for the long-term development that NBA offers AKUL VIJAYVARGIYA
Summer Managing Sports Editor
CLEVELAND — If there was one thing that separated former Michigan coach John Beilein from the rest of the pack at the collegiate level, it was his ability to teach and develop his players — the same quality that made him the clear frontrunner for the Cleveland Cavaliers head coaching job last week. Beilein’s reputation as someone who could extract the most out of each and every one of his players was something Cavaliers’ general manager Koby Altman said he looked for, in addition to the common qualities he considered to be in a great head coach: culture driver, leader, innovator and communicator. “Coach Beilein checked all (the) boxes to the point where, after our initial meeting, some of my guys were looking at us like, ‘What are we doing here? This is our guy,’” Altman said. “On top of that, just his incredible track record in player development.” Known as someone who treasures the opportunity to watch his players grow, Beilein was often unable to keep players for longer than a couple years due to their tendencies to depart for
the pros after spending a short time in college. As a result, he preached on how he recruited players who didn’t treat college simply as another stop between making it to the NBA. With Cleveland, Beilein can capitalize on player retention for years to come — a luxury that was scarce to come by with his previous jobs. Rather than worrying about whether a player will make the jump to the professional level after one breakout year, he can focus on continuous development. Perhaps an even greater incentive is that he can spend the offseason with the current roster rather than going out to find new recruits like he was forced to do so in the collegiate scene. “When you have a kid that is a freshman and is a very good player and you only get him one year, I’m back to coaching junior college again, so it is nice,” Beilein said. “The relationships that I have with the Duncan Robinson’s and even (Moritz Wagner) for
three years and Muhammad-Ali (Abdur-Rakhman) and Jordan Morgan, those guys, Caris LeVert was four years, those are special relationships. But you don’t have enough of it when (players) leave so early.” Beilein thinks that Cleveland boasts some of the best young talent in the league. With point guard Collin Sexton at the helm accompanied by a plethora of weapons who also have significant room to grow, Beilein noted that he would not only have the privilege of helping these players achieve their goals, but he would get to stick around them for more than just one or two years. The learning experience doesn’t just stop with the youth of the team. Though many players develop the most during college as well as their first few years in the league, Beilein will finally get the chance to teach players much older than those in college, something he’s never done before. “You never stop learning,” Beilein said. “You never stop getting better and that will be
“You never stop getting better ... even with our veteran players”
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Former Michigan men’s basketball coach John Beilein signed with the Cavaliers.
even with our veteran players. We’ll still be working at the little things, the skill-level things, because you got to keep evolving in this game. But if things continue, I think it’s (2021), no one-and-done, they’re gonna be the same players pretty soon that we’ve been developing.” And as far as Beilein’s tenure with the Cavaliers simply being
a short-lived rebuild similar to those of recent Cleveland coaches, he quickly put that notion to rest. “We’re gonna take our time here. We’re gonna put no labels, we’re gonna put no limits on this team. We’re just going to do our best every day. I’m a huge growth mindset guy, that every day, we’re just gonna grow a little bit more.”
12 SPORTS Wilson remains uncommitted, says Howard will “bring a big spark” Thursday, May 23, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
THEO MACKIE Daily Sports Editor
When 2019 four-star Jalen Wilson decommitted from Michigan last week, it continued a month-long downward spiral for the Wolverines. Jordan Poole and Ignas Brazdeikis unexpectedly left for the NBA before John Beilein shook the basketball world by following suit. Then, with Wilson’s decommitment, Michigan lost its top-ranked incoming signee. Six days later, the Wolverines have found Beilein’s replacement, hiring Juwan Howard as their new head coach in a move Wilson said will “bring a big spark to the school.” For now, though, Wilson, the 50th-ranked overall recruit in the 2019 class according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, remains uncommitted. “I still got the same business,”
Wilson told The Daily. “It’s not gonna change everything. It’s a new coach so he’s gonna have to recruit and do all the business all over again like everybody else, really.” Wilson originally committed to Michigan as a junior last May before signing his letter of intent on Nov. 14. When Wilson re-opened his recruitment, the most likely destinations appeared to be Kansas and North Carolina, two schools that Wilson has official visits scheduled with in the next two weeks. However, Wilson never ruled out Michigan, telling The Daily last week that, “I’m always considering (Michigan). I just had to do this to look at the bigger picture as a backup plan. I can’t rely on someone if I don’t know they’re gonna be there or not.” His potential recommitment could hinge on whether the Wolverines retain their current
assistant coaches, especially Luke Yaklich, who has been his lead recruiter. Yaklich, though, has received heavy interest from Texas for an assistant coaching vacancy. Despite the uncertainty, the Wolverines’ assistants have remained in contact with Wilson since Beilein’s departure. “(The communication has been) the same,” Wilson said. “Keeping the relationship good, keep it ongoing and telling me to remain calm and stuff like that. … They just told me they understood everything, why I decommitted and that they were always gonna be there for me if I ever needed to come back.” Wilson has not been contacted by anyone at Michigan regarding Howard’s hire, as of Wednesday afternoon. However, last week, he told The Daily that he wanted to see the Wolverines hire “A coach that
COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
Michigan coach Juwan Howard will become the 17th head coach in school history.
will come in and keep the top-tier program like it is and a coach that’s not going to change the culture of Michigan because it’s such a great school and it’s such a unique school.” And with one of its most celebrated alumni coming back to
Ann Arbor, Michigan might have done just that. “Juwan Howard was a great player and a great face for Michigan,” Wilson said. “And now that he’s the head coach, I feel like it’ll really bring a big spark to the school.”
Juwan Howard to inherit question marks with Wolverines ARIA GERSON
Daily Sports Editor
Just a month ago, shortly after losing to Texas Tech in the Sweet Sixteen, the Michigan men’s basketball team began popping up on “way too early” top-10 lists. At that point, there was no reason to doubt that the Wolverines would be a top-level program. But that was before guard Jordan Poole and forward Ignas Brazdeikis decided to stay in the NBA Draft. That was before top recruit Jalen Wilson decommitted. That was before Hall of Fame-worthy coach John Beilein left for the Cleveland Cavaliers. But that’s why any top-10 list made in April is necessarily deemed “way too early.” Now, the program new coach Juwan Howard will inherit is just a remnant of the one near the top of such lists. The Daily breaks down the situation Howard walks into entering the summer. Roster The Wolverines retain their core of point guard Zavier Simpson and center Jon Teske. Last year, the two were among the leaders of the team, defensive stalwarts who were also key components of Michigan’s ball screen-heavy offense. Simpson and Teske, both incoming seniors, are unlikely to transfer, but they were two players who were so good partly because of Beilein’s system, and
under another system, they may not perform at the level they did last year — when Simpson was named to the All-Big Ten second team and Teske was an honorable mention. Forward Isaiah Livers, who played primarily at the backup power forward and center positions last year, will also take a larger role, though he is likely to play more on the wings than he did with Brazdeikis, Matthews and Poole. Livers is currently Michigan’s only reliable returning shooter — shooting 43 percent from three, mostly in spotup situations. Beyond those three, the Wolverines’ roster is thin. Their returning scholarship players include guards David DeJulius, Eli Brooks and Adrien Nunez, forward Brandon Johns and centers Colin Castleton and Austin Davis. None played significant minutes last year, and any could be at risk of transferring, especially if Howard does not retain Beilein’s assistants. Jaron Faulds, a preferred walkon forward who transferred from Columbia, will be eligible in 2019 after sitting out last season. Other walk-ons who received playing time last season include guards Rico Ozuna-Harrison and Luke Wilson and forward CJ Baird. Recruiting When Jalen Wilson decommitted on May 16, it left Michigan with just one commitment in the class of 2019
— wing Cole Bajema. Bajema has still remained committed, though he could still decide to look elsewhere if he sees the new coaching situation as unfavorable. Wilson has also left the possibility of recommitting open, though it seems less likely after he scheduled official visits with Kansas and North Carolina, both of which have stable coaching situations. Howard will likely look to the graduate transfer market to fill a spot or two. Jaevin Cumberland, a grad transfer from Oakland, had expressed interest in the Wolverines and still remains uncommitted, and others on the market could still decide they are interested in potentially playing under Howard. There are also a few 2019 prospects still uncommitted that Howard could try to go after, though Beilein’s mid-May departure means there are no guarantees. Howard’s cousin is top recruit Jaden McDaniels. Some believed he could come to Michigan if Howard got the job, however, McDaniels committed to Washington on Tuesday night, making that prospect significantly less likely. Franz Wagner — the younger brother of former Michigan player Moe Wagner — also took his official visit last week, albeit while the Wolverines were without a head coach. He hasn’t completely closed the door on coming to Ann Arbor, but with an offer waiting from professional club Alba Berlin, that
too seems unlikely. With Beilein’s departure happening this late in the cycle, it is quite possible that Michigan will have to go shorthanded in the upcoming season. The Wolverines’ lone 2020 commit is guard Zeb Jackson. Jackson has expressed concern about Howard’s lack of experience as a head coach, but he remains committed now. With plenty of time until he needs to make a final decision, Howard will have time to attempt to win him over as well as recruit new players for the cycle. He has never recruited before, but his pedigree as a member of the Fab Five and as a long-tenured NBA player and assistant could help. Howard also has family members currently on the AAU circuit, which could aid him in building connections. Assistants Michigan’s three current assistants — DeAndre Haynes, Saddi Washington and Luke Yaklich — are all beloved by players and recruits. Howard now faces the choice to retain them or bring in his own staff. The assistants, too, have a decision to make — remain in Ann Arbor or go searching for a job with more guarantees? Yaklich has already begun that search, with 247Sports reporting that he interviewed for a job at Texas under coach Shaka Smart. This doesn’t mean he will leave, as coaches
often use such interviews as leverage to get a raise or simply decide not to move. Yaklich’s son will be a senior at Saline High School just outside Ann Arbor in the fall, and Yaklich could opt for more stability for his family. Still, Beilein was primarily an offensive coach who was less experienced on the other side of the ball — hence Yaklich’s necessity. Howard is primarily a defensive coach and may be looking for a top offensive assistant, which could lessen the need for Yaklich. Howard also primarily worked with the big men during his tenure as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat, which calls into question the role Washington — the bigs coach — would play. The more assistants the Wolverines can retain, the less their roster will be in flux. Keeping some or all of Haynes, Washington and Yaklich around would help maintain commitments from recruits and keep players from transferring. But it’s possible that Howard will want to work with coaches who have different specialties, and it’s equally possible that the current assistants will want to go somewhere that is less of an unknown. Coaches, like everyone else, operate under their own best interests, and those interests may not align with what’s best for the program. If so, Howard will have one more thing to worry about.