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Thursday, September 26, 2019

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Samantha Power presents new Federal Court memoir on her journey to diplomacy vacates past Former UN ambassador combines personal story & policy analysis in book

ruling on Bias Response Team

Judge decides group infringes on First Amendment rights of free speech LIAT WEINSTEIN Daily Staff Reporter

MICHAEL BAGAZINSKI/Daily Samantha Power, former United States Ambassador to the United States, discusses her role in shaping foreign policy in the Obama Administration as well as her new book, “The Education of an Idealist,” at Weill Hall Wednesday afternoon.

MADELINE MCLAUGHLIN Daily Staff Reporter

More than 300 students, faculty, and community members attended a lecture by former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power at the Ford School of Public Policy this Wednesday. As a distinguished guest of the Public Policy School’s third annual Vandenberg Lecture, Power discussed her career in diplomacy and began her talk with a ref lection on her intentions behind writing her most recent memoir, “The Education of an Idealist”. “I have written a book

in a very personal way,” Power said, “appealing to young people, and the young at heart – those who are feeling, right now, more of a pull to try to make a difference than they have ever felt in their lives.” Power served as the 28th U.S. representative to the United Nations from 2013 to 2017, and was a member of President Barack Obama’s cabinet. Some of her most notable work included imposing sanctions on North Korea, opposing Russian aggression in Ukraine and Syria, and lobbying the release of political prisoners. President Obama praised her as one of the “foremost

thinkers in public policy.” Powers immigrated from Ireland with her mother as a child. She specifically discussed how her background informed her worldview from a young age and impacted her career in public service later in life. “Having come to America as an immigrant back in the day... I really felt like going into government was something similar,” she said. “You had to suspend certain parts of who you were, or at least leave them at the door when you went in in the morning, and then master this new way of being and doing in order to be effective.”

Public Policy junior Bennett Neuhoff attended both this discussion and the talk with Stephen Biegun, U.S. Representative to North Korea, earlier this month. After the event, he discussed in an interview with The Daily how both events left him hopeful about the outlook of America’s inf luence abroad. “There is a very big sector of the United States that is not ready to necessarily surrender the United States’ inf luence abroad despite what some of the actions of the current administration have been,” Neuhoff said. See DIPLOMACY, Page 3

A federal appeals court voided a ruling in favor of the University of Michigan’s Bias Response Team on Monday, arguing the group infringes upon First Amendment rights and suppresses freedom of speech across campus. The decision sent the case back to the U.S. District Court and reversed the August 2018 ruling by district court Judge Linda V. Parker, who ruled in favor of the University and the BRT. The role of the University’s BRT is to investigate claims of racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination put forth by those at the University. The lawsuit alleges the BRT, which allows students, faculty and others at the University to report incidents of bias, violates the First Amendment because the claims quell freedom of speech and may not be completely legitimate. In May 2018, the University became the first university in the country to receive a federal lawsuit related to freedom of speech when

ACADEMICS

Program Local businesses struggle with to assist retention as housing costs rise students Ann Arbor employees find new jobs or commute due to high rent prices from U.P. ANGELINA BREDE

New scholarship hopes to increase population from the peninsula BARBARA COLLINS Daily Staff Reporter

Of the University of Michigan’s over 30,000 undergrad students, about 230 students are from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The University’s new U.P. Scholars Program aims to increase this number by building a community for some of these students that provides them with transitional support. The first cohort in fall 2020 will consist of seven to 10 students from the U.P., according to Cheyenne Marlin, U.P. Scholars Program assistant director. Each student will be given financial assistance of up to $15,000 each year for four years. In addition to financial support, Marlin said the program will offer students in the program any academic, social and professional assistance they may need during their time at the University. “We know that the numbers for students from the Upper Peninsula are lower, and so we’re striving to support students from every corner of Michigan,” Marlin said. “With the distance being a huge barrier for students coming from the U.P., we think that something like this could really help students be successful here at Michigan.”

Daily Staff Reporter

Ann Arbor rent has skyrocketed in the last year, according to recent reports. And while the cost of living in the city continues to rise, local businesses are having trouble filling positions and keeping employees, as some residents feel unable to keep up with the rapidly increasing rent rate. Since the demand for housing continues to be a concern in Ann Arbor, property management owners have built more housing structures, most

of which are luxury highrise apartments with expensive rent rates — the newly built Vic Village, for example, has an average rent of $1300 per person per month for a 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom unit. But as demand rises higher than supply, access to affordable housing has become less available. To navigate this issue, many people working in the city resort to living in areas outside of Ann Arbor, such as Ypsilanti. This poses another barrier to employment, as some residents may not be able to afford the added

costs of a commute or have no reliable means of transportation of their own. There are many factors an Ann Arbor employee must consider when looking for jobs, including the ease of their commute and certain employee benefits to determine if working in such an expensive city is worth it, said Jennifer Hall, executive director of the Ann Arbor Housing Commission. “People are finding housing and then looking for jobs based on the distance, commute and

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ease of getting to work … and if they do not offer benefits like health care and paid sick time,” Hall said. “When workers are transient, it is harder to attract or keep them if they have a hard time getting to and from work.” Phillis Engelbert, owner of local restaurants The Lunch Room on Fifth Avenue and Detroit Street Filling Station in Kerrytown, said many of her employees cannot afford to live in central Ann Arbor due to high rent prices. See RETENTION, Page 3

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Speech First, an organization dedicated to promoting and upholding free speech on American college campuses, filed a lawsuit alleging the BRT violates the First Amendment. A month later, on June 11, the Department of Justice submitted a statement of interest in support of Speech First and the lawsuit. When contacted by The Daily, Speech First president Nicole Neily declined to comment specifically on the federal appeals court’s decision to vacate the U.S. district court’s ruling. Instead, Neily referred to a statement put out by Speech First in response to Monday’s decision. “We are gratified that the court of appeals restored our case against the University of Michigan and ordered it to proceed in the district court,” the statement reads. “We continue to believe that the University’s policies, including the ones it tried to abandon after we filed suit, are blatant violations of the First Amendment. We look forward to vindicating our members’ rights as this litigation progresses.” See FREE SPEECH, Page 3

ADMINISTRATION

Schlissel: ‘Student protest is important’ University President talks carbon & Title IX policy in interview AMARA SHAIKH, EMMA STEIN & LIAT WEINSTEIN

Daily News Editor & Daily Staff Reporters

Each month, The Michigan Daily’s Administration Beat sits down with University President Mark Schlissel to discuss important questions about University policy, commitments and challenges. Topics discussed at the interview included the search for a new Vice President of Student Life, the President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality, Title IX policy and more. This transcript has been abbreviated and reordered for reader clarity. Search for new VP of Student Life The Michigan Daily: Given the recent announcement that Vice President E. Royster Harper will be retiring, what will the process to select a new VP of student life look like? President Mark Schlissel: In the next week, we’ll have an announcement, but we’re putting together a search committee that will have on the committee faculty, staff and several students — not just one student. See SCHLISSEL, Page 3

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News

2 — Thursday, September 26, 2019

MONDAY: Looking at the Numbers

TUESDAY: By Design

WEDNESDAY: This Week in History

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THURSDAY: Twitter Talk

FRIDAY: Behind the Story

reyne “play okami” xenoblade @starfallblade Honestly im excited to go to umich so i can actually play pokemon go

Gifty Kwakye @Gifty_Kwakye_MD We’ve got such a great group of medical students at UMich! So lucky to get to work with them

apathetic spice @jjwright_ i rlly just went to umich to take unneccessarily hard classes n pay unnecessarily high rent huh....

Precious Garbanzo @FrauleinFairy So is North Quad not the fancy dining hall at #umich anynmore????? What to heck is going on

MSU Jon Gruden @MsuGruden People forget that UMich Had A LOT of trouble putting away MSU in both 2016 and 2018. They try to act like they blew us out in both

rosanna @itsrosanna @UMich maybe dont randomly select student accounts for a forced password reset

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MICHAEL BAGAZINSKI/Daily Students compete in the Center for Entrepreneurship’s Innovation Challenge in the Duderstadt Library Wednesday evening.

FINNTAN STORER

President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality talks progress, justice Over 100 people attend town hall to hear University’s strategy on environmental policy EMMA STEIN

Daily Staff Reporter

The University of Michigan President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality hosted a community forum to speak on the progress of the commission in strategizing how to tackle carbon neutrality and to address community members’ concerns regarding the University’s lack of action. The event consisted of two parts: a public forum and question and answer session, and then small group discussions with leaders of different internal analysis teams of the commission. The town hall was open to all students, faculty and community members, and over 100 people attended. President’s Commission Sudoku The Syndication on Carbon Neutrality was

announced in February with the goal of providing recommendations to the University on how to achieve carbon neutrality through the collaboration of students and faculty. Last semester they held two town halls. LSA sophomore Ari Cohen told The Daily he attended the event because as a Program in the Environment student, he wants to see how the University is planning to combat climate change. “I’m keenly interested in topics related to the environment,” Cohen said. “And clearly a pressing matter of today is climate change and I’d like to see the University take a stronger initiative on combating that. This is clearly one way in which they’re doing that and I’d like to be informed

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strategies to combat scope 3 emissions. “We have a tremendous number of students scattered among the communities,” Forrest said. “That’s one of the things that’s even harder. So, how do we get to those problems? And in what order do we get to them? Well, scope 1 and scope 2 are pretty much top of the line. Scope 3 is much more difficult. The way we get to them is by measuring and having quantifiable methods for determining what we “The challenge is massive, are emitting in each of those but so is the climate crisis that categories … if we can measure we’re facing, so we have all something, we can get it done.” Forrest and Haverkamp then thrown ourselves into this,” Haverkamp said. “But there addressed questions from the are many dimensions, many audience. One attendee asked stakeholders. It’s complex. This how the commission planned incorporating energy ishttp://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ a long-term effort that we’ve on embarked upon and we need justice and equity into their an engagement from recommendations. Haverkamp said the everybody, all segments of the University, to be members of the commission are making sure to keep in successful.” Forrest discussed mind issues of environmental the processes by which justice as they do their work the commission is every day. “The charge that we have formulating their recommendations and given to each of these analysis strategies. He said the teams is to include the commission is focusing consideration of justice issues on scope 1 emissions, as they do their research and which are direct develop their recommendations emissions from owned to us,” Haverkamp said. “That or controlled sources, includes also reaching out to and scope 2 emissions, communities that are usually which are indirect underrepresented in these emissions from the conversations. We will work on generation of purchased these issues together.” The next question referred energy, according to the Greenhouse Gas to how the University of California school system Protocol. Forrest then noted recently divested their entire from fossil how the commission endowment is working on scope fuels. The audience member 3 emissions, are all asked what is preventing the indirect emissions not University of Michigan from included in scope 2, divesting. which includes students living off campus. He said numerical data has been Read more at a key factor in creating MichiganDaily.com recommendations and and involved if possible.” The panel speakers were the co-chairs of the commission: Jennifer Haverkamp, director of the Graham Sustainability Institute, and Stephen Forrest, professor of electrical engineering and computer science. Haverkamp began by explaining how the commission has been tasked with a difficult goal and they need the help and input of all community members to achieve it.

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The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University OF Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for September-April are $250 and year long subscriptions are $275. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid.

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RETENTION From Page 1 “Some of our employees live in Wh it more La ke, a number of t hem live out towa rd t he edge of A n n A rbor a nd Ypsila nt i in t he apa r t ment complexes on Wa shtenaw a nd Packa rd a nd a rea s like t hat ,” Engelber t sa id. “ It ’s a lmost impossible for t hem to f ind housing in cent ra l A n n A rbor. They ’re just priced out .” Engelber t echoed Ha ll’s statement about t he added dif f icult ies a com mute poses for employees work ing in A n n A rbor. “I have persona lly t ried to help some of our sta f f f ind housing closer to work a nd it ’s a rea l cha llenge,” Engelber t sa id. “ We’ve had to a lter people’s schedules so t hat t hey ca n ma ke it back to Ypsila nt i w it h what t he bus a llows.” Mitch Czechow icz, k itchen ma nager at t he Det roit St reet Filling Stat ion, recent ly moved to Ypsila nt i due to h igh A n n A rbor rent rates. “ I moved to Ypsila nt i because I couldn’t rea lly a f ford to live in A n n A rbor a ny more,” Czechow icz sa id. “ I wa s liv ing w it h t wo ot her g uys a nd our rent wa s just most of t he money we were ma k ing for not t hat much space at a ll… I pay about $200 a mont h less in Ypsila nt i for more space.” Czechow icz faces a 25 -m inute da ily com mute to work f rom Ypsila nt i, somet imes ta k ing up to a n hour due to t ra f f ic a nd veh icle issues. “ I got ta dea l w it h r ush hour a nd dea ling w it h eit her 94 or Wa shtenaw a nd spending like a n hour in t ra f f ic on a lot of days, a nd t hen just money put into ga s a nd wea r a nd tea r on my veh icle,” Czechow icz sa id. Engelber t sa id A n n A rbor ha s become a n exclusive place for t he elite because of t he h igh rent prices. “ We pay our people pret t y well especia lly for a restaura nt , but A n n A rbor ha s become so exclusive a nd elite in ter ms of who ca n a f ford to live here t hat people who ma ke a nor ma l a mount of money just ca n’t f ind housing,” she sa id. “They ca n not a f ford to live in t he cit y. A n n A rbor a s a whole is pa r t of t hat t rend towa rd gent rif icat ion a nd t he rich get richer a nd t he poor move out of tow n — a nd it ’s not just t he poor. $38,000 a yea r isn’t poor; it ’s nor ma l, a nd people ca n’t a f ford to live here.” Engelber t st ressed A n n A rbor should push towa rd more a f fordable housing a nd be more inclusive of t hose f rom diverse socioeconom ic backg rounds. “ It w ill have to ta ke a concer ted ef for t by public a nd private sectors to ma ke it do a ny t h ing dif ferent ,” Engelber t sa id “There ha s to be a w ill a nd a desire to see A n n A rbor be an econom ica lly diverse cit y. If t here’s not a w ill a nd a desire to see t hat , t hen we’ll just keep t rending more a nd more towa rd wea lt hy resident s.” Ot her loca l businesses a re facing sim ila r issues. Nick Yriba r, co -ow ner of loca l com ic book store Vault of Midn ight on S. Ma in St reet , expressed t he dif f icult y h is business ha s had in accom modat ing t he rising cost s of rent in A n n A rbor for employees. “ We’ve been in A n n A rbor for 23 yea rs, so we have seen how t he ma rket ha s cha nged

… it ’s hea r tbrea k ing,” Yriba r sa id. “ We employ maybe 10 people just at our A n n A rbor shop a nd it ’s just increa singly dif f icult for a nyone t hat works for us to live in t h is cit y.” Vault of Midn ight ha s at tempted to keep exist ing employees a nd recr uit new employees despite housing una f fordabilit y by negot iat ing pay ra ises a nd of fering employee benef it s t hat may not be ava ilable at ot her businesses. “ We’re in t he process right now of ra ising t he ba se pay for our sta f f for t he ent ire compa ny,” Yriba r sa id. “ We t r y to be a s compet it ive a s we ca n; we of fer SIM PLE IR A prog ra ms a nd hea lt h ca re a nd prof itba sed bonuses, a nd a ll of t h is is just in a n ef for t to keep people a round g iven t hat t hey ca n’t a f ford to live in A n n A rbor. I don’t t h in k a ny of our sta f f lives w it h in t he cit y a ny more, I t h in k a lmost ever ybody is com mut ing f rom Ypsila nt i or fa r t her.” Issues like h igh rent prices a ren’t on ly a f fect ing t he cit y at t he resident ia l level, but a lso ent ire businesses a nd t heir abilit y to rema in open in Ann A rbor at a n a f fordable rate. Yriba r ’s store ha s moved locat ions on mult iple occa sions due to rent concer ns over t ime. “O ver t he 23 yea rs t hat we’ve been in business we’ve had four dif ferent locat ions, a nd we’re a lways mov ing due to rent concer ns a nd due to issues nav igat ing proper t y ow ners unt il we la nded on Ma in St reet ,” Yriba r sa id. “The number one t h ing we’re wor ried about is ‘a re we going to be able to a f ford to be in t h is cit y? ’” Loca l business ow ners wor r y t hat a s rent rates cont inue to rise for bot h resident s a nd businesses, on ly pa r t icula rly wea lt hy businesses a nd cha in locat ions w ill be able to a f ford to stay open, event ua lly elim inat ing t he abilit y of cur rent loca l businesses to rema in open a nd loca l resident s to open new businesses in A n n A rbor. “ Especia lly longsta nding sma ll a nd loca l businesses (a re at risk),” Yriba r sa id. “ If you just ta ke a look at t he number of vaca nt spot s on Ma in St reet at t he moment … it ’s sta r t ling to see t hese businesses leave.” Business ow ners like Yriba r say t he issue of a f fordable housing in A n n A rbor is t he impor ta nt problem facing t he cit y right now, a s it cont inues to a f fect t he shape a nd direct ion in wh ich t he cit y prog resses. “A f fordable housing a nd being able to live a nd work in t h is cit y a re cha ng ing A n n A rbor more t ha n a ny ot her si ng le fac tor,” Yr iba r sa id . “ There’s not h i ng more pressi ng happen i ng i n A n n A rbor t ha n t he abi l it y of t he people t hat work here, ma ke it cool a nd ma ke it specia l bei ng able to l ive here. We t h i n k about it ever y si ng le day a nd t here’s on ly so much we ca n do w it h a sma l l busi ness. We ca n t r y to t a ke ca re of people, we ca n t r y to ent ice t hem to st ay w it h us, but it is a hug e issue.” Yr iba r ca l led on st udent s to be more awa re of cit y issues i n order to g et i nvolved a nd ma ke a proac t ive cha ng e. “St udent s shou ld be awa re of what is happen i ng i n t he cit y t hat t hey ’re a pa r t of for however long,” Yr iba r sa id . “ Do we t h i n k a s a

News cit y t hat t here is va lue i n hav i ng t he voice of you ng er people, a nd of renters, a nd of people t hat don’t just ow n proper t y on t he west side of A n n A rbor? I t h i n k t hat t here is, a nd I t h i n k t hat it ma kes t he cit y st rong er.” Socia l Work st udent Lau ra Rall is t he president of A f fordable M ich ig a n , a n a f fordabi l it y advocac y g roup on ca mpus. She sa id t he org a n i zat ion’s ma i n pr ior it y for t h is yea r is to advocate for more on- ca mpus dor m s. “ U-M ha s i ncrea sed t he nu mber of st udent s en rol led each yea r over t he pa st few yea rs sig n if ica nt ly. There a re t housa nds more st udent s, but t hey haven’t bu i lt a ny new dor m s,” R a l l sa id . “ We a re rea l ly t r y i ng to push t h is yea r for a new dor m bei ng bu i lt . Obv iously t he less on- ca mpus housi ng t hat ’s ava i lable for st udent s, t hey ’re g oi ng to have to g o out i nto t he cit y a nd g et t hese places f rom people who l ive i n A n n A rbor. Sa me w it h st udent s who com mute f rom Ypsi la nt i, a nd it is t a k i ng homes away f rom people who l ive i n Ypsi la nt i f u l lt i me.” As more ex pen sive for m s of st udent housi ng a re bei ng bu i lt , st udent s a re forced to move of fca mpus for cheaper opt ion s, t a k i ng homes away f rom people who l ive a nd work i n t he a rea f u l l-t i me, R a l l sa id . “I think it ’s 10 0 percent t he Un iversit y ’s problem because t hey a re ad m it t i ng more st udent s,” Rall sa id . “ It ’s rea l ly just not fa i r to t he people who do l ive i n A n n A rbor f u l l-t i me, a nd fa m i l ies w it h jobs because it ’s becom i ng more of a Un iversit yfoc used tow n i n stead of a tow n t hat a lso ha s a Un iversit y i n it , wh ich is what it shou ld be.” A mbrose W i lba n k s, work force development l ia ison for Dest i nat ion A n n A rbor, a loca l v isitors bu reau, h ig h l ig hted t he g row t h A n n A rbor ha s u nderg one over t i me, i ncident a l ly d r iv i ng rent pr ices up. “ I wa s bor n a nd ra ised in Ypsi la nt i a nd to look at t he Un iversit y, it ’s u n recog n i zable compa red to what I saw i n h ig h school,” W i lba n k s sa id . “ Plus, t he tax sec tor ha s ex pa nded ex ponent ia l ly wh ich if you look at people i n t hat sec tor of t he work force, t hey tend to be more professiona l, more h ig h i ncome i n t he end . People w i l l cha rg e a s much a s you’re w i l l i ng to pay.” W i lba n k s sa id si nce A n n A rbor ha s ex pa nded, it ’s wel l u nderstood t he dema nd to l ive here is met w it h ma ny h ig hi ncome resident s. “ The rea l it y is t hat to l ive here you have to have a cer t a i n a mou nt of d isposable i ncome,” W i lba n k s sa id . “I t h i n k t hat people a re ver y welcom i ng across t he boa rd w it h t he u nderst a nd i ng t hat you ca n on ly be t hei r neig hbor if t here’s housi ng you ca n a f ford .” Czechow icz , who ha s l ived i n A n n A rbor for about 15 yea rs, a g reed t he a rea ha s cha ng ed sig n if ica nt ly over t i me. “ I mea n t here a re a lot more cor porat ion s for one,” Czechow icz sa id . “ Even just hav i ng t h i ng s l i ke Subways a nd 7-1 1’s r ig ht dow ntow n seem s k i nd of wei rd somet i mes. I’m used to hav i ng a more loca l i zed feel to it , l i ke when I wa s a k id … I w ish it wa s t he way it used to be. A n n A rbor def i n itely feels more pretent ious t ha n it used to be.”

SCHILISSEL From Page 1 There will be undergrad and either graduate or professional students on it, there will be some student affairs people, there will be some regular professors, I think a dean might be the chairperson of the search committee. So it will be a broad group that represents many of the different constituencies that depend upon the success of this person, the new VP… We can’t expect someone that we hire brand new to be as talented at this job as Vice President Harper, who had been in this position for 19 years as Vice President of Student Life, and before that she was dean of the college. So she’s not really replaceable. We’ll try our best and we’ll get somebody good, but on day zero they’re not going to be Royster Harper. TMD: How long does the process take? MS: It takes several months. The first thing we do is come up with a good

DIPLOMACY From Page 1 “It’s really encouraging to see both administrations kind of unite in saying that a world with the United States at the helm is a better place.” Power’s memoir follows the unique path Power followed on her journey to going into diplomacy. Beginning as a war correspondent on the Yugoslav Wars for multiple publications including the Boston Globe and the Economist, she transitioned to human rights advocacy, and eventually became the youngest American to assume the role of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Powers explained her book is a fusion of her personal memoir with concrete policy analysis. “My book is definitely unique in the political memoir domain in combining ample discussion of romance with a darker discussion of Putin – but with no connection between the two,” Power said. Powers went on to discuss a range of policy issues she focused on during her time in office, from relations with the Middle East to the Ebola crisis that ravaged West Africa in 2014. She touched on what she viewed as her greatest failure in office – Obama’s inability to secure congressional approval for a military strike in Syria in 2013. After the event, Public

FREE SPEECH From Page 1 When the case reached the U.S. district court in August 2018, Parker rejected Speech First’s request for a preliminary injunction against the BRT and sided with the University. In her statement signed Aug. 6, 2018, Parker wrote in a court opinion the BRT does not violate the First Amendment rights to freedom of speech but instead may only “chill” these rights. “Speech First alleges, and Defendants do not deny, that students engaged in ‘bullying’ and ‘harassing’ behavior can be and have been punished through (Office of Student Conflict Resolution) proceedings,” Parker wrote. “Speech First, however, fails to demonstrate that the BRT poses anything but a ‘subjective chill’ on students’ free speech rights.” While Speech First’s lawsuit was filed over a year ago, issues of free speech are still being debated on campus and throughout the state. On Sept. 5 two bills related to campus free speech passed in the Michigan House of Representatives’ House Oversight Committee. The two bills — “The Campus Free Speech Act” and “The College Campus Intellectual and Expressive Freedom Act”— aim to set standards for how

Thursday, September 26, 2019 — 3 job description, then we advertise, then we try to build up lots of applicants. At the same time, we’re doing this outreach where we’re talking to groups and trying to get a sense of everyone’s expectations and what we really should be looking for. It takes a while and it’s worth the time and investment. VP Harper is going to step away in mid-January. It’d be great if we had a new person then, but we also might appoint an interim person to tide us over while we finish doing a good search. Commission on Carbon Neutrality TMD: Following the Washtenaw County Climate Strike last March, demonstrators staged a sit-in in the Fleming Administration Building to demand a one-hour meeting with the administration about climate change concerns and the University’s plan to reach carbon neutrality. 10 demonstrators were arrested or remaining in the building past 8 p.m., including two minors, and were given

trespassing citations. In June, six of the demonstrators appeared in court for the first time and plead not guilty to all charges, and a pre-trial date was set for September 13. What do you expect the Commission on Carbon Neutrality to accomplish in the upcoming semester? The commission’s goal is to provide recommendations to the University on how to achieve carbon neutrality through the collaboration of students and faculty. MS: They’ve been working all through the summer. They’ve divided up the big task of figuring out how and how quickly we can go carbon neutral into a bunch of smaller tasks … They’ve also put out a request for students who want to come and work for the commission for pay, doing research in support of the mission … The biggest thing I’m nervous about in our ability to go carbon neutral is how we heat the campus.

Policy graduate student Mohammad Akbar Zadran told The Daily that he attended the lecture in an attempt to see foreign policy in action. “I came to this event in order to learn about the practicality of diplomacy and foreign policy in the United States,” Zadran said. “In class we have discussions about policy as an academic arena, but here we hear about its practical implementation and implications and the effect on the United States and around the world. Ultimately, Power concluded by stressing to students the importance of having specific, streamlined policy goals in the field of diplomacy, and to celebrate every small win. “He or she who fights every battle fights none,” she said. “Figure out what your slice of change is…Sometimes we get a little grandiose about all we can achieve – and you’ll get there. But I think if each step is a growth, if you can identify the minimum growth you can achieve, then all kinds of good things can happen.”United Nations. Powers explained her book is a fusion of her personal memoir with concrete policy analysis. “My book is definitely unique in the political memoir domain in combining ample discussion of romance with a darker discussion of Putin – but with no connection between the two,” Power said. Powers went on to discuss

universities in Michigan create policies relating to freedom of speech. LSA junior Lincoln Ballew, chairman of the University’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom, said she was happy to learn the federal appeals court ruled in favor of Speech First Monday. Ballew said Bias Response Teams like those at the University have a known record of violating the rights to freedom of speech on college campuses. “I absolutely think the Bias Response Teams are a violation of the First Amendment and our Constitution, and so I personally believe that vacating the ruling is a huge win for the First Amendment and for free speech,” Ballew said. “People are afraid to share their points of view and their opinions because of these response teams — they’re afraid that their comments in class will be reported and they’re going to get in trouble with the University.” Maria Muzaurieta, LSA senior and president of the University’s chapter of College Republicans, issued a statement on behalf of the organization. Muzaurieta said the group continues to support Speech First and the ideas they promote about freedom of speech. “We stand behind Speech First in their efforts to rid U-M of oppressive rules that mock

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a range of policy issues she focused on during her time in office, from relations with the Middle East to the Ebola crisis that ravaged West Africa in 2014. She touched on what she viewed as her greatest failure in office – Obama’s inability to secure congressional approval for a military strike in Syria in 2013. After the event, Public Policy graduate student Mohammad Akbar Zadran told The Daily that he attended the lecture in an attempt to see foreign policy in action. “I came to this event in order to learn about the practicality of diplomacy and foreign policy in the United States,” Zadran said. “In class we have discussions about policy as an academic arena, but here we hear about its practical implementation and implications and the effect on the United States and around the world. Ultimately, Power concluded by stressing to students the importance of having specific, streamlined policy goals in the field of diplomacy, and to celebrate every small win. “He or she who fights every battle fights none,” she said. “Figure out what your slice of change is…Sometimes we get a little grandiose about all we can achieve – and you’ll get there. But I think if each step is a growth, if you can identify the minimum growth you can achieve, then all kinds of good things can happen.”

the spirit of our great First Amendment,” Muzaurieta wrote in a statement to The Daily. “The University seems keen on providing ex post facto justification of their commitment to free expression when the reality for the students represented in the case was so much different. College Republicans stand foremost behind principles of free speech, and hope that the University better adheres to those principles in the future.” When contacted by The Daily, the University’s chapter of College Democrats declined to comment about Monday’s ruling because they felt they had nothing to add. University spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen wrote in an email to The Daily the University maintains their existing policies regarding freedom of speech, which are outlined in the University’s policy of Freedom of Speech and Artistic Expression. “The panel’s decision did not address the merits of the university’s existing policies, and we are confident the university will prevail,” Broekhuizen wrote. “U-M is deeply committed to the protection of free speech by students, faculty, and outside speakers alike, regardless of their views.”

Opinion

4 — Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SAMANTHA SZUHAJ | COLUMN

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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.

MARY ROLFES | COLUMN

My body hair, my choice

ollege is lauded as a frontier of adolescent freedom. Leaving home for higher education is the first chance for young adults to act without constant supervision and create a personal brand. I was no exception: I became a vegetarian, started worshipping The Smiths and stopped removing my body hair. Whether because it was the most obvious or the most controversial choice I made, the last decision garnered the most attention. A lot of it was positive, but between gendered expectations for dating and for young professionals, I encountered negative reactions in the form of implicit ambivalence. While my body hair became a part of my identity, the negativity was still difficult to endure. A little over a year later, my decision to transfer to the University of Michigan presented the perfect opportunity for a rebranding. The razor I had previously put down was picked up again. This decision also brought negative responses, this time more internal: Was I upholding outdated patriarchal standards of womanhood? Did shaving my legs, especially for romantic purposes, make me a bad feminist? Whether my decision was to shave or not to shave, both came with the fear of not meeting expectations. American society has strong opinions on pretty much everything women choose to do, including whether or not they remove their body hair. Letting it grow can have professional and romantic consequences; on the other hand, staying smooth may garner criticisms of conforming to sexist, unrealistic beauty standards. These contrasting opinions create a dichotomy in which it’s impossible to make the “right” choice regarding body hair and women are not free to make their own decisions. In the era of My Body, My Choice, now is the perfect time to consider all of the ways in which our bodies are legally and socially policed. This slogan has powerful potential ranging from medical procedures to the hair on our legs. Using this principle of bodily autonomy, we can create a culture where the choice to remove or not remove body hair is exactly that – a choice.

Up until recently, body hair removal for women has been all but mandatory, an expectation upheld by men, other women and mass media such as advertising. The modern practice of body hair removal began in the early 1900s with Gillette’s marketing of their women’s safety razor, but according to Rebecca Herzig, author of “Plucked: A History of Hair Removal,” bare bodies were truly established as the standard of beauty during World War II. At this point, body hair removal became the norm: By 1964, 98 percent of women regularly shaved their legs. Even now, almost every American woman will remove body hair at some point in her life, with 85 percent doing so routinely. Advertising helped begin the modern practice of hair removal and still plays a huge role in maintaining it. Typical hair removal ads of the 21st century feature images of thin, tanned women twirling around on beaches and running pink razors over already bare legs. The message is clear to me: Being beautiful and being clean-shaven are one and the same. The only way to fulfill one’s potential as a woman is to remove body hair, which is so unsightly even the advertisements for removal products won’t show it. This norm expands beyond the realm of beauty into standards of hygiene. As Rebecca TuhusDubrow describes in an article for The Guardian, a woman’s body hair is considered “inherently wrong, gross and dirty.” In fact, body hair removal is so intertwined with femininity that many men, despite being embarrassed about their body hair, won’t take part in this grooming ritual due to its “unmanly” reputation. The past couple of years have witnessed slightly more lenient rules regarding hair removal. The proportion of women who regularly shave their underarms dropped 18 percent from 2013 to 2016 while the percentage of women who regularly shave their legs dropped by a smaller but still significant seven percent. But for some members of the feminist community, these numbers are not enough. Even if

it’s a choice, removing hair is still the oppressed choice. As TuhusDubrow puts it, in some circles the only “liberated” choice, and the only one worthy of approval, is the rejection of traditional femininity. Unfortunately, this attitude is not liberating at all. Rather than abolishing an outdated norm, it simply replaces it with a new one, and women are still denied the right to absolute power over their own bodies. If you’re free, you can’t be feminine, and if you’re feminine, you can’t be free. While this allor-nothing attitude may be wellmeaning, turning an authoritative mandate into an authoritative binary still denies women the freedom of choice. In this war on body hair, how can we place the regulatory power held by institutions into the hands of individuals? Well, since advertising got us into this mess, maybe it can help get us out. A recent example is the razor company Billie’s Project Body Hair campaign, the first to show actual female body hair, which discusses hair removal as a variety of equally valid choices (“however, whenever, if ever”) instead of as a matter of right or wrong. Whether you remove the hair on every part of your body, or just the stuff on your toes; whether shaving is a daily routine, a special occasion, or skipped altogether – it’s entirely up to you. Rather than treating shaving versus not shaving as a binary, this kind of language creates a spectrum of body hair removal, allowing a reclamation of our bodies and what we choose to do with them. Most importantly, the examples set by mass media can be carried into our personal and professional lives, so our choices are not only our own – they are accepted. So wear your crop top on game day whether or not your pits are hairy. Pick out the perfect career fair look regardless of whether you’re shaving your legs. Your choice — as long as it’s your choice — is your participation in the new body hair revolution. Embrace it. Oh, and you’re allowed to shave your bodies, too.

LENA SISKIND | CONTACT CARTOONIST AT LENASISK@UMICH.EDU

Mary Rolfes can be reached at morolfes@umich.edu.

What I’ve learned from young activists

sometimes wish I had a of such here on campus, more courage. Maybe it alone, asking for something would help me speak up or pushing for change in such a daunting instead of turning environment? away, or help me This past Friday, confront how I feel people around the when I know it may globe walked out be difficult. I wish of classrooms and I had more courage gathered in town – particularly in the centers, streets and face of adversity. squares pushing Telling one person for change with something they painted signs and don’t want to hear is difficult enough. No SAMANTHA exasperated voices. SZUHAJ Millions reportedly one likes delivering responded to the bad news, no matter how predictable said news call, with outlets noting may be. Now, imagine standing this to potentially be one of alone, in front of differing the largest climate protests news outlets and world leaders, in history. This action was sharing information that something that Thunberg they may be familiar with but individually called for in her nevertheless is not easy to own right over a year ago swallow. That takes someone – standing alone with her with courage and a desire cardboard sign asking fellow to bring change far beyond students to join her in striking what most are capable of – no to bring attention to the matter their age, background or nature of our environment. particular beliefs regarding an issue. To me, activist Greta Thunberg is that champion of courage. The Swedish 16-year-old has been an active advocate for the climate, beg inning with her standing alone outside the Swedish Parliament in 2018. Since then Thunberg has been a vocal leader of the climate change movement, meeting with various world leaders, including former President Barack Obama in recent weeks, discussing the importance of dedicating national and international efforts towards stalling human impact on our If Thunberg can do it, so environment. If a single individual like can we. And the thing is, there are Thunberg can make a change, numerous young activists so can we. I used to feel, and still do that have already answered at times, like I am but a single respective calls to action. voice and actor and therefore Sophie Cruz, at only five years my thoughts and actions can old, handed a letter to the only make a minute impact. Pope, voicing her fears of ICE, How can I, as one person, due to the immigration status make a difference in my day- of her parents. Sophie since to-day? How can I push for then has spoken out in favor of change, and back my opinions immigration reform, meeting with action when I sometimes with Obama and speaking in fail to speak up and out? front of audiences including Could I as a single person the Supreme Court and those have the bravery to sit outside gathered at the Women’s parliament, or the equivalent March on Washing ton. She is

If a single individual like Thunberg can make a change, so can we

now eight. If they can, so can I. I challenge myself to be more courageous. Courage means various things to different people. It could be introducing ourselves to someone new, trying something that scares us or simply giving ourselves a break. Courage is a little different to all of us – but the common thread is that courage can catalyze change in whatever form it may take. As we go into the year, I want to not only stand up, but stand out for things I believe in. I am going to push myself to not just say, but actually do something about how I feel. Whether it be joining a new organization, participating in events for my current commitments or seeking out groups championing things I believe in, I want to dedicate my energies without fear or apprehension of being the first to stand out, or stand alone. Do you think the first person to decide to speak up against something was scared? Do you think Thunberg experienced some form of hesitation or doubt regarding her push for strikes and school walkouts? Without knowing personally, I would make an educated g uess, that yes, they probably were. And that is what makes us human. But those who have championed movements — whether local or global — are also human. They have most likely been filled with the same reservations that we all face daily. We can all take a page out of the books of those like Thunberg, the person who raises their hand in the large lecture or one who starts an organization on campus because it stands for something they believe in. I will try to be. And maybe, with time, my actions will drown out the voices we are all so accustomed to hearing – the doubt that just because we are one person we cannot make a difference. Samantha Szuhaj can be reached at szuhajs@umich.edu.

ISABELLE SCHINDLER | COLUMN

The continued fight for fairer elections

he right to vote is one of the most sacred powers with which we have been entrusted. However, this right must continue to be protected from politicians and special interest groups who, through partisan gerrymandering, seek to meddle and exert undue inf luence. Last November, Michigan voters voted 61.27 to 38.73 percent in favor of Proposal 2, which will create an independent redistricting commission to draw the state’s electoral districts. No longer will the majority party in the state legislature be able to redraw districts to benefit their party. Instead, this new commission will be staffed by ordinary citizens, not career politicians.  As per the proposal, there is a very specific process to choose who will be on the commission. There must be four voters who identify as Republicans, four who identify as Democrats and five who either identify as a member of a third party or as a member of no party. In order for the new districts to be approved, consensus must be reached by a majority of the commission, including two Democrats, two Republicans and three of the people with no party or independent affiliation. Additionally, safeguards have been put in place to prevent people with political inf luence from getting on the commission. For instance, if you, your child, your parent or your spouse have served in the last six years as an elected official, partisan candidate, campaign consultant, lobbyist or a member of a governing body, then you are prohibited from serving on the commission.

Each of these stipulations helps to ensure a fair and honest commission that will draw the district boundaries that Michiganders deserve.   However, the commission cannot effectively do its work if Republicans continue to weaken and undercut the committee at every turn. Since the approval of Proposal 2, Republicans in Michigan have waged a series of legal challenges to try to prevent the formation of

Partisan gerrymandering has wreaked havoc on our electoral system

this commission. This week, the Republican-controlled legislature took yet another step to restrict the effectiveness of the commission. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has said that 4.6 million dollars is needed to properly fund the redistricting commission. However, the   budget plan passed by the Republican controlled House and Senate Conference Committee allocates 3.4 million dollars. This 1.2 million dollar shortfall would be detrimental to the commission’s effectiveness. With something as important as our elections on the line, we cannot cut corners. Across the nation, partisan gerrymandering has wreaked havoc on our electoral system.

It has allowed for the disenfranchisement of voters and for politicians to stif le change and unfairly choose their constituencies. In my own state Senate district in New York, the electoral lines have been systematically drawn to favor Republicans, splitting up towns and creating disjointed districts. When I worked on various local political campaigns in New York, people would come to the local office not sure who their representative was, given that their town had been divided during the redrawing of the districts. Gerrymandering is practiced by both parties, and it is simply unacceptable. Independent commissions, such as the one in Proposal 2, are the only way in which we can create districts that are fair and allow voters’ voices to be heard. That is why it is so important that all of us in Michigan raise our voices to support the creation and full funding of this commission. There is a reason why Michiganders supported Proposal 2 by such a wide margin: They realized that, regardless of party, we should all strive for more fair elections free of outside influence.  You can call your state senator or assembly member and voice your opposition to this funding cut. You can also sign up to volunteer and receive updates from Voters Not Politicians, the advocacy group that championed Proposal 2.  If we truly want this, then we must push back against these budget cuts and work to ensure that Proposal 2 is properly enacted. Isabelle Schindler can be reached at ischind@umich.edu.

Arts

5 — Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

STYLE COLUMN

Velveteen dreams: On the uniform of identity

COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW

SAM KREMKE

Daily Style Columnist

KATIE ROMERO

Armageddon Beach Party with a very Atomic Omelet ALIX CURNOW Daily Arts Writer

“We are all atomic particles, mixing together, in one big omelet,” says Engineering Junior Surar Al-Gayani about the process of collaborating artistically with his band members in Atomic Omelet. Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti-based band Atomic Omelet has one of the best names in the Washtenaw County music scene. While the image of an atomic breakfast first caught my attention, this band has proved to be much more than a product of creative marketing strategies. With an eclectic mix of ska, punk and funk in their repertoire and an incomparable stage presence, Atomic Omelet is a band you’ll want to see live at least once in your lifetime. Thankfully, this coming Saturday you will have the chance. Atomic Omelet will be performing alongside music acts “Isaich,” “Any Island” and “Industrial Sunglasses,” among others, at the Art of Armageddon Beach Party in Detroit, Michigan.

Sat., Sept. 28 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. 18+, $5 cover 1517 Putnam Street, Detroit, MI I recently had the opportunity to sit down with the band and talk about their upcoming show. It was a particularly sunny Sunday morning, and each of the band’s members were joyfully laughing with one another over donuts that had been purchased from the bakery just an hour before. I had expected a more rambunctious crew of people, perhaps because their E.P. “Live at the Blind Pig” is filled with such electrically upbeat party rock. The band members’ calm personalities did not reflect the sound of their songs. “I’ve learned that it’s cool to have meaning. But I’m not a good enough poet to have a good enough meaning to all of our songs,” says Atomic Omelet’s lyricist, guitar and vox

player Sean Bass. At the Armageddon Beach Party this Saturday, audiences can expect a wide range of songs from Atomic Omelet. Some with meaning, others simply easy to dance to. “If you’re a dancing person, we have friendly but rowdy mosh pits at our concerts,” says Atomic Omelet’s drummer Stephen Valley, a 3rd-year graduate student in the College of Pharmacy. “There’s a good chance people will be jumping around on Saturday night, so if you come, be ready to have a good time.” The venue, Armageddon Beachparty, is an Art Duo & Creative Umbrella conceptualized by Motu & Komza, a married, Detroit-native artist pair who work collaboratively by merging their strong collection of artistic abilities. The duo have created over four hundred works of art together. The venue is surrounded in psychedelic art. The pieces at the venue remind me of ones you would find in the popular art collective “Meow Wolf.” “Meow Wolf” is an immersive art installation in New Mexico that was founded by a collective of artists. It is known for its unique and interesting interactive art. In addition to being excited about the venue, the band members couldn’t stop raving about the other musicians that will be playing alongside them. “We’re playing the show with a bunch of our best friends. I’m excited because Connor booked a rapper, “Isaich.” We don’t get to play with a lot of rappers. It’s going to be a really fun show,” Valley said. Atomic Omelet is known for their vibrant stage presence during their sets. “You always have to hold the fifth member of the band in mind, which is the audience. They feel what we are feeling,” Al-Gayani added. Saturday evening’s set will be a collection of both original songs and covers. When discussing performing with the band members, their faces lit up. “If Armageddon was going down, why not have a beach party? Especially in the times we live in now,” Atomic Omelet’s guitarist, Surar Al-Gayani said. Atomic Omelet will be hitting the stage at 9 p.m. Saturday night, so start your evening off right by arriving to the venue early. If you want to spend a few hours immersed in equally exhilarating art and music be sure to make your way over to Detroit on Saturday night.

I’ve been thinking a lot about uniforms lately. The first images that come to mind hail from eye roll-inducing, cliché depictions of elite schooling: Plaid skirts, navy blazers and khaki pants. A young Matt Damon getting branded as an anti-semitic prick as he gets dejected from his cushy preHarvard purgatory, or Jenny Humphrey using her brother’s L.L. Bean pants as a punchline — the list goes on. Outside-looking-in type glimpses into the supposedly Shakespearean highs and lows of the very rich and disproportionately white. The most culturally significant edition of that canon — the one that feels like its been beaten into our heads with a Vuitton monogrammed baseball bat, is getting a reboot that will likely do well regardless of its content. Despite a social climate that seems a little bit less eager to simultaneously admonish and celebrate a system that bottlenecks the distribution of wealth and power, I can already envision articles about the new Serena and her $10,000 endangered crocodile skin boots. I’ve practically written, read and commented on that article in my head. That is why the show will succeed in its role as one part soap opera, one part live-action fashion editorial drowning in product placement. Before “Gossip Girl” transcended its own DNA, which was very much rooted in high school politics gone the way of Macbeth, the school uniform played a major role in the show. Often taken as a light suggestion as opposed to a unifying standard of dress, its employment in the visual makeup of each character was always more of a foundational class signifier. It merely symbolized the monetary weight of the storyline, the amount of status, power, fame and money that was at stake with each condescending quip or stock-plundering blast. The emphasis was on what was worn on top of it, around it, under it and what alterations were made to it. Blair, the conservative and conniving power

Often taken as a light suggestion as opposed to unifying standard of dress, (the uniform’s) employment in the visual makeup of each character was always more of a foundational class signifier.

MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW

‘A BOY’ tells lavish story DIANA YASSIN Daily Arts Writer

The music video for Tyler, the Creator’s “A BOY IS A GUN” follows the Igor alter ego yet again as he wanders aimlessly, angry and exasperated around a lavish mansion. With a platinum bowl cut, black shades and pastel suits, “A BOY” ventures into vulnerable territory, literally and figuratively. Whereas “EARFQUAKE” prods more at self-defeat and embodies a satirical slant with its music video, “A BOY IS A GUN” is livid and uncertain, a cauldron of unresolved emotional turmoil. The narrative of the music video is framed in ultra-saturated, grainy pastel blues and greens like a distressing Wes Anderson film. True to the title, a rifle consumes the width of the intro frame as Tyler, the Creator cocks it back to fire into an aquamarine sky. He then slumps forlornly on a stunning white staircase only to storm onto a golf field and fall on his face. From here we follow a series of vignettes that details an ongoing argument between Tyler and his lover. This can easily be split into parts — in the first, the artist is frustrated, pleading with his boyfriend to “take your hoodie off, why you hide your face from me?” The second ruptures any emotional containment, oscillating between Tyler begging his lover to “stay right here” and snarling “stay the fuck away from me.” An array

A BOY IS A GUN Tyler, the Creator Columbia

of narratives and descriptions paints these verses, channeling themselves directly into the video. Every scene and scenario, from the lovebirds arguing in the bathroom to Tyler, the Creator’s lover bringing his ex-girlfriend to breakfast, is tinged with unease. Tyler argues, pleads and breaks down but no one acknowledges his anguish and pain. The characters drive, pack their bags and serve dinner, but do so passively, with no expressions crossing their face. They are yielding side characters to a protagonist who festers in heartache and distrust, a visual hyperbole to Tyler’s suspicion that his words fall on dead ears. “A BOY IS A GUN” is yet another landmark to Tyler, the Creator’s ever-maturing persona since Flower Boy. It toys with his standard music video hallmarks, but does so poignantly and meticulously, the spirit of the song embodying every frame. Tyler deftly transfigures Igor’s wounded spirit into a breathtaking, visual masterpiece as it traverses effortlessly through his toxic, engrossing love story.

that B, would fashion herself into the Queen of England during periods of vulnerability — clinging to veneers of her projected status as everything that lined it was tossed into a meat grinder. Serena, the best friend and foil to Blair, always seemed to find a low-cut tee shirt/vest combo, loosened tie, smattering of dangly gold necklaces and an ever-receding hemline to suffice. The impossibly beautiful and doesn’t know it (wow!), bad-girl-gone-good-but-sometimes-still-bad and sunshine barbie chaotic venus archetypes she simultaneously embodied were balanced by her beachy, sea-salt waves and the Chanel scarf that seemed to just fall from the sky and wrap itself

around them. You wanted to be Serena. She was genuinely kind and happy and unbothered by the wild amount of pressure she endured throughout her tenure as “Gossip Girl”’s mythological golden goddess muse. In doing so, you became Blair, who spent her days toiling over the things that materialized out of thin air for Serena, that Serena never bothered to ask for and turned into a “95 pound, doe-eyed, bonmot-tossing, label-whoring package of girly evil” in the process. Mega-sexist, only one queen can reign overtones aside, the ups and downs of their character arcs were underwritten by what they wore. They had a personal uniform, a range of tastes and proclivities that spoke to who they were as people; and a school uniform, the access card to a general mist of unattainability that followed them around as they erected entire utopias before

THE CW

burning them down within the span of a single episode. There are a lot of ways to go about dressing oneself. Many of their determining factors have to do with what’s appropriate or what will provide the most safety in a certain context. What’s going to get me through the day? Do I want to be seen? Do I want to project authority? Do I want to hide? What’s the amount of discomfort I’m willing to deal with in order to look good? Do I need to pass as something? All run like lightning bolts through the mind as we thumb through our cotton/poly in the morning. It doesn’t pay to give a lot of thought to it in the moment — the best outfit decisions are usually the quickest ones, too. Discussions about personal style, held long after those first calls are made and often drawn up in opposition to someone else’s (whether they be complementary or not), are when the self is defined. Somewhere in the interplay between private and public identity is where our current and ideal selves float around in the abstract. How we view ourselves and the securities we cling to, what we abide by. We all want to feel like our decisions are our own and not just a product of who we talk to and what we look at. Directors don’t make every decision and designers don’t oversee every thread that gets stitched. Production teams are like organisms, and the final product is one that had to pass through a lot of hands to get there. We might not be able to exert what feels like even a morsel of control over what trickles up to our processing centers and how we make the decisions that we do. We might not always be able to decide what channel of information flows through us, who we surround ourselves with or who we compare ourselves to. Thinking about what we look at, how we look at ourselves, and what might be influencing those two things is a surefire way of changing that course, though. Whether it be with a pair of Feiyues, a tried and true denim jacket or a pair of scandalous croc-skin boots — when you dress yourself, who is it that you’re trying to be?

SINGLE REVIEW

Lauv gets sentimental KAITLYN FOX Daily Arts Writer

Lauv gets down to the authentic emotions in his new single “feelings.” The fifth release off his upcoming album, ~how i’m feeling~ , “feelings” is an open letter from Lauv asking a girl if she would like to take their relationship to the next level. The song is intimate and deep, possessing a youthful infatuation experienced by many young people today. While the lyrics are vulnerable,

enthusiasm is also hinted at in the song with its uplifting clapping and hopeful lyrics. Lauv sings “Know we’ve been friends / And love only knows broken ends,” exemplifying a kind of trust found in love and close relationships. This new song is another artifact in Lauv’s incomplete scrapbook of emotions. While we’ve already seen themes of loneliness, addiction and sadness, “feelings” stands out with its emphasis on optimism and holds onto a hope for authentic happiness. The divergence from Lauv’s previous releases will leave listeners in anticipation for some more of these positive feelings.

feelings Lauv AWOL

HAPPY PLACE

Lauv sings with a confidence that suggests he’s sure of himself and the status of his relationship with his “friend.” The mellow, easy-goingness of the tune also contributes to the notion of young love and the risks taken to feel something real and intimate. Although the song deals with deeper emotions, Lauv presents the tune with genuine optimism. In his music video, he’s blowing bubbles and dancing amidst clouds, hearts and 2000s themed polaroids. This kind of joyful

LAUV

Arts

6 —Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

TV NOTEBOOK

Here’s what you missed at the Emmys. You’re welcome. only keep up with, but to even steal scenes from living legend, Patricia Arquette should not go unnoticed. To contextualize my claim, imagine Noah Centineo holding his own alongside Bob Odenkirk. Now laugh because that would never happen. There’s always next year, Jo-Jo!

DAILY TV BEAT Daily Arts Writers

Alright. So maybe the Homer Simpson animation that opened the show was a miss, but you know what was a bigger miss? “Green Book” winning Best Picture. We hope you enjoyed the big wins, the bits that actually landed and the sheen on Tony Shalhoub’s mustache. But, most of all, we hope you remember the times that we picked correctly, and that we told you so. Forever yours, The TV Beat Lead Actor in a Drama The Winner: Billy Porter (“POSE”) Since TIME Magazine obviously isn’t going to do it, it’s about time we label 2019 “The Year of Billy Porter.” After serving a look as instantly iconic as the tuxedo gown at this year’s Academy Awards, most celebrities would have stopped. After being carried into the Met Gala by a troupe of beefcakes — in all gold might I add — most celebrities would have lost their momentum. But Billy Porter is not most celebrities and, if this year is any indication, he will not be removing his foot from the collective neck of America anytime soon. No, I will not take up precious time gloating about how I told you so, and how I just might be the voice of high-brow taste. But I will take up your time to spearhead the campaign to get Billy Porter on Disney’s forthcoming “The Little Mermaid” album. Not only will this earn him the final “G” in his quest to the elusive E.G.O.T (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), but it also will preemptively make “The Little Mermaid,” starring Halle Bailey, the Blackest film of 2020.

— Ally Owens, TV Beat Editor Lead Actress in a Comedy The Winner: Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”) The Nine-Time Emmy Winner: Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep”) Before this category was announced I declared that if Julia Louis-Dreyfus did win, I would cry. And if she didn’t win, I would also cry. So spoiler alert: I cried. Watching JLD lose in her final season as Selina Meyer, failing to break the record of straight wins in this category, was like a punch to the gut. I know this millionaire comedian has no idea who I am, and she sure doesn’t care who I am. But I really thought she had this one. That being said, if the winner couldn’t be JLD, I am thrilled it was another woman of three names, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. In fact, it was a huge night for PWB, taking home Lead Actress, Outstanding Comedy Writing and Outstanding Comedy Series (more on that later). Waller-Bridge crafted a character most women could connect to — sarcastic, sexy and deeply damaged. Not even Selina Meyer could rig that vote. Outstanding Comedy Series The Winner: “Fleabag” May I just take this moment to say: I told you so. They all doubted me, they said it couldn’t happen. Yet here we are, the week after the Emmy’s, and “Fleabag,” a beauty of a show birthed from the magnificent brain of Phoebe

AMAZON PRIME VIDEO

Limited Series The Winner: “Chernobyl” As I said, this category was Craig Mazin’s “Chernobyl”’s to lose. While I still think “Fosse/Verdon” has the better performances and “When They See Us” packs the most emotional punch, “Chernobyl” excels in all of these categories, from the supposedly uncannily accurate recreations of the Soviet era to the pilot which has a valid argument for being the single best episode of TV in the entire year. The scenes including the firefighters are as pathos-inducing as others are thrilling, and “Chernobyl” is a worthy winner even among its stiff competition. Lead Actor in a Comedy The Winner: Bill Hader (“Barry”) That’s two years in a row now for Bill Hader’s tour de force performance as the titular character in HBO’s “Barry.” And like I said in my prediction, this probably wasn’t even a close vote. What impresses me the most is just how convincing the fundamental changes are portrayed in the hitman-turned-actor and how Hader sells his endearing awkwardness. He is supported by other skillful performances by Sarah Goldberg, Anthony Carrrigan and Henry Winkler, but as much as he has the ability to play off their work, the fact that Barry is still repressed internally and carries the darkest of secrets forces him to ultimately take the lead and stand above the rest.

your favorite teacher has a real chance in the running to win next year. Variety Talk Show The Winner: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” The Robbed (But Still Sexy): “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” Let’s be honest here. Pretty much all variety talk shows today consist of similar material and jokes, because 99 percent of them draw from politics. After all, the Trump administration gives them plenty of comedic material to work with, and it’s nearly impossible to avert your eyes from the trainwreck that is American politics. So while all these hosts have their own spin on the happenings of the day, any one of them could have won and nobody would have been that surprised. Since “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” is on HBO, Oliver and his team can definitely push more boundaries in the comedy realm than the other networks can. So I get it. Everyone loves Trevor Noah and Stephen Colbert, but there wasn’t much potential for this category to have a huge upset anyway. They could have drawn the winner from a hat. — Sophia Yoon, Daily Arts Writer

— Sayan Ghosh, Daily New Media Editor

Lead Actress in a Limited Series The Winner: Michelle Williams (“Fosse/Verdon”) The (Honorary) Most Improved: Joey King (“The Act”) OK. So maybe I’m not the pinnacle of high brow taste. I’m allowed to make mistakes! If it means anything, I am very satisfied that, if anyone, it was Michelle Williams that took home the prize for her performance as Gwen Verdon — even if my pick, Joey King, decisively proved herself to be “Most Improved.” The range, the career savvy to make the leap from “The Kissing Booth” to “The Act” in under a year should not go unnoticed. Her ability to not

Waller-Bridge, has an Emmy perched on its mantel. My reaction to this win? Shock, at first. As much faith as I had in “Fleabag,” I thought it was pretty certain the final season of “Veep” had this category in the bag. I would’ve been happy of course — “Veep” is the holy grail of which all comedy writing should be compared to. Yet my inevitable re-watch of “Fleabag” following its win has proven that this was not an upset nor an underdog story. There never has and never will be another show with the emotional depth yet comedic wit of “Fleabag,” and that deserves to be rewarded. — Samantha Della Fera, Senior Arts Editor

Guest Actor in a Comedy Series The Winner: Luke Kirby (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) The Robbed: John Mulaney (“Saturday Night Live”) How could this happen? Was our favorite lanky comedian really robbed of an Emmy even after “Bodega Bathroom”? Even after two successful runs on SNL? Sure, everyone that’s been nominated for an Emmy has a “winner” edge to their work, but John Mulaney should have been the winner. His comedy is anecdotal, but always has a relatable quality to it, and he’s a model for what the future of comedy better look like. I’m sure Luke Kirby did a great job, but the disappointment that comes with Mulaney’s loss is one that is comparable to seeing your favorite teacher lose the “Teacher of the Year” award. You really loved that teacher, but you understand that maybe the winner was a little more popular. With consistency,

HBO

FILM REVIEW

Release Date: Thursday, September 26, 2019

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

ACROSS 1 Indian food option 5 “4x2=8” rapper from Korea 8 Blood component 14 Et __: and others 15 Troy, N.Y., school 16 Trojan War hero 17 Delivery method 19 Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, familiarly 20 Fall 21 Boats and gravy boats 22 Stockpiled 24 Tigers, on scoreboards 25 “Miracle on Ice” winners: Abbr. 28 Pours carelessly 29 Start of el año 31 Quick bite 33 Chef’s collection 35 Siri device 37 Pointed facial features 41 Morris Buttermaker’s “bad news” team 43 Big name in smooth jazz 44 Spray can output 46 Like some U.S. mail 47 African antelope 50 Binge 52 Montgomery of jazz 53 Part of UCLA 54 Due 56 Easy marks 59 __ del Fuego 62 Angular abode 63 Complex containing thiamine and niacin 65 Close tightly 66 Half of eleven? 67 Spots at the prom? 68 Discount phrase 69 Farm sci. 70 Mower holder DOWN 1 Brit’s raincoat 2 Rick’s love in “Casablanca” 3 In __ of 4 Decrees

5 1996 Richard Gere/Edward Norton thriller 6 Spot buyer 7 Half a cosmic whole 8 Walked nervously 9 Some summer babies 10 Santa __: dry winds 11 Withdraw formally 12 “Resurrection Symphony” composer 13 Invites for 18 Antacid brand 21 Italian scooter 23 Long-running Mad feature suggested by this puzzle’s circled letters 25 Yard, say 26 Junior-to-be 27 Tennis immortal 29 “The Neverending Story” author 30 Acronymically named boy band 32 White House architect James

34 Rug rat 36 More than want 38 Had down cold 39 Thornfield Hall governess 40 Capt.’s subordinates 42 Bouquet for a señorita 45 On the soapbox 47 West Texas city 48 Preppy shoe 49 Celestial 51 Zeno’s home

54 Coterie members, in slang 55 “Aunt __ Cope Book” 57 Black Friday event 58 Controversial radio host 60 Like chocolate cheesecake 61 Actress Hathaway 63 Intl. news broadcaster 64 Rest area?

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

09/26/19

‘Two Ferns’ is too silly for a story SAMANTHA NELSON Daily Arts Writer

Whether we welcome it with open arms or try our hardest to shun it, celebrity culture pervades everyday life. Through the rise of platforms like Twitter and Instagram, the gap between celebrities and average folks has narrowed, strengthening the illusion that these millionaire stars are just like us. Perhaps it is this very superficial connection that allows “Between Two Ferns,” which is essentially an hour-long roast of A-list stars hosted by Zach Galifianakis, to find its audience. Though Galifianakis’s niche humor is a bizarre mix of silly and abrasive and the film’s plot is painfully elementary, if we fully embrace the absurdity we may laugh more than we expect to. It seems pointless to even provide a synopsis for this movie because the relevance of the “story” is minimal. Zach Galifianakis (“The Hangover”) plays a wacky, corporate-controlled talking head who dreams of hosting his own show one day. When business tycoon Will Ferrell (“Blades of Glory”) offers Galifianakis a chance to turn his dream into a reality, he and his equally peculiar crew drive across the country to complete a series of celebrity interviews under a time crunch. If this sounds nonsensical, that’s because it is. Filled with foolishness and lacking pacing, “Between Two Ferns” watches as more of a “Saturday Night Live” skit or a Netf lix comedy special than an actual film.

It is questionable whether this spectacle can even be deemed a “movie” because it is so unconventional in its strong emphasis on comedy and disregard for plotline. The film targets a distinct it’s unlikely that Galifianakis’s goofiness will peak your interest. In terms of quality, “Between Two Ferns” is missing a variety of important elements like engaging cinematography, a memorable score and genuine character development. Though director Scott Aukerman makes it quite clear from the start that “Between Two Ferns” is not meant to follow any sort of conventional structure, the lack of traditional movie features is frustrating for any audience member wanting more than just snippets of celebrities being insulted in interviews.

Despite its narrow intended audience, “Between Two Ferns” is not the worst option if you’re looking for an addition to a late-night Netf lix binge. The sheer ridiculousness of the plotline and level of overall awkwardness throughout are enough to make anyone crack a few smiles. However, if you are looking to watch something substantial, you are definitely better off scrolling past Aukerman’s latest f lick.

Between Two Ferns Netflix

NETFLIX

Sports

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Thursday, September 26, 2019 — 7

Granowicz making adjustment to college hockey Wolverines top Rutgers MEGAN CHAPELLE Daily Sports Writer

MOLLY SHEA

Daily Sports Writer

Size. Strength. Speed. School. The four horsemen of college hockey. And for many incoming freshmen, these elements create turbulence in the transition from junior level hockey to the NCAA level. In a high-intensity environment where every game counts, freshmen Wolverines must learn quickly. Arriving on campus in September and kicking off the season on Oct. 6 leaves little time for hiccups in the transition process. Michigan’s roster features five freshmen: Cam York, Eric Ciccolini, Johnny Beecher, Keaton Pehrson and Nick Granowicz. Granowicz’s path to playing for the Wolverines was different than that of teammates like Beecher and York. Whereas they spent time with the USNTDP he spent three seasons playing junior hockey, though not unusual to the world of hockey. After graduating high school, he began his junior career in Topeka, Kan. After one-anda-half seasons, he moved on to Cedar Rapids, Iowa then a few months later to Merritt, British Columbia with the Merritt Centennials in the BCHL. After three years, Granowicz was NCAA bound. “For me it’s a big difference,” Granowicz said. “In juniors, we practice for about an hour (and) twenty. Maybe have a workout that day, but not for more than an hour and the rest of the day was ours to kind of hang out and do whatever.”

ALEC COHEN/Daily

Freshman forward Nick Granowicz comes to Michigan from the Merritt Centennials of the BCHL, a junior hockey league.

When freshmen step off the ice, the pressure doesn’t cease. They have to learn how to balance their obligations to the team and in the classroom. Most players in junior leagues don’t take classes, which creates excess free time. During the college season, free time is a luxury most players don’t get to indulge in. There’s class. Then after class there’s practice. Some days, there’s weight training. Some days, they dedicate time to watching film. And then, there’s homework. “It’s a lot of time management,” Granowicz said. “So it’s like non-stop till 8, 9 o’clock at night. I think it’s good to be organized and kind of focus with everything you have coming up in the day ahead of you, and you kinda gotta plan out your times. You don’t get really much of a break, and you’re always going, going, going.” An increase in practice time isn’t the only adjustment in

The thing I find is they put so much pressure on themselves.

Granowicz’s path, because even as a 21-year-old freshman, he faces a size disadvantage. Because of players coming in from juniors and being older than traditional freshmen, he’ll come face-to-face with players as old as 24. And with age and size comes strength. “I haven’t experienced a college game yet,” Granowicz said. “But I know that guys on our team, they’re coming in around 200 pounds, even a little bit over, and I’m weighing in about 175. I know it’s more physical and harder. That’s why it’s the next level.” Size is just one difference in competition between the junior level and NCAA. Speed is a huge factor. Play is faster. The intensity is higher. Players skate in practice with the intention of mirroring game conditions. Players are given some help with the transition though.

Michigan coach Mel Pearson and the coaching staff try their best to help ease guys coming from juniors into the rhythm of college hockey. He counts on senior players like captain Will Lockwood, Jake Slaker and Michael Pastujov to take freshmen under their wings and give them guidance. Their advice isn’t exclusive to balancing classes and training, it carries over onto the ice during games. In the lineup, Pearson pairs the new players with more seasoned ones to ease the burden on their shoulders. “(The freshman) just have to fit in,” Pearson said. “They just have to come in and be what they are and play hard. We don’t try to put a lot of pressure on them. The thing I find is they put so much pressure on themselves. (They’re) competitive. They wanna do well, they wanna please.”

You don’t really get much of a break, you’re always going.

The set teetered back and forth late in the second set, with neither team giving in. Rutgers had built an early lead, but the Michigan volleyball team fought back to gain a late lead. Then, sophomore outside hitter Paige Jones broke the tension as she secured the win with a kill — putting the Scarlet Knights at an insurmountable deficit. Jones bolstered the Wolverines offense and recorded her fourth consecutive double-double as Michigan topped Rutgers in 3 sets, (25-14, 25-23, 25-14). “Paige has really taken her game to a new level after her freshman year,” said Michigan coach Mark Rosen. “She plays the way you would expect from a veteran, and she’s surrounded by good offensive players.” The Wolverines not only played well offensively but in all aspects of the game. They outperformed Rutgers defensively and consistently blocked the Scarlet Knights — their 10 blocks were their second-highest output this season. This combination of strong defense and powerful offense gave Michigan the advantage it needed to snatch the win. At the start of the first set, both teams hustled to take the lead, but the Wolverines seized control at 5-4 and never trailed. Rutgers tried to close the gap, but lapses in communication hindered the Scarlet Knights from cutting into Michigan’s lead. The Wolverines — particularly excelling in defense — won, 25-14. “We defended well,” Rosen said. “Cori (Crocker) played particularly well. She got 6 of our 10 blocks. The blockers did a good job, and the floor fed off of that.” Michigan, lulled into security by the win, lost its groove at the start of the second set.

“Early in the second set, we were sloppy,” Rosen said. “We did not take care of things we needed to, and that gave the other team momentum. They started to play at a much higher level. It’s a dangerous thing to do — to give another team momentum.” Rutgers led the second set, 10-5. But the Wolverines chipped away at the Scarlet Knights’ lead and eventually took the advantage. The teams stayed within a few points of each other, and by the time the match point rolled around Michigan had the lead. Jones’ attack won the Wolverines the set, 25-23. The Scarlet Knights’ momentum dissipated as Michigan dominated the third set. Success blanketed the court for the Wolverines, especially offensively. “It’s certainly the plan to have a good offense,” Rosen said. “We have very good attackers and things we can do offensively are difficult to stop. It all comes from good passing.” Michigan stayed comfortably ahead of Rutgers the entire set. From the start, it looked as if the Wolverines would tack on their seventh-straight victory over the Scarlet Knights. Jones finished the game with a kill — giving Michigan a win to open its Big Ten slate. “We have ambitions to win every match we play,” Rosen said. “We are just taking it day by day. Right now we are focusing on our Ohio State Sunday.”

ALEC COHEN/Daily

Paige Jones notched a double-double.

Michigan looking to Tokyo 2020 Reed propels ‘M’ past Kent State DREW COX

JACK KINGSLEY

Three weeks into the season, Michigan swimming and diving has its sights set on success. Not only for the upcoming competition year, but also for 2020 in Tokyo. “It’s an Olympic year,” said Wolverines coach Mike Bottom. “We are the only college pool in the country that has the Olympic Countdown Clock.” It may be over 300 days until the opening ceremony in Tokyo Olympic Stadium, until the final runner lights the Olympic torch to commence the Games, but Bottom is already eager to gear his swimmers up for qualifying events. On Friday and Saturday, Michigan (2-0) opened its season with a two-day dual meet series featuring sweeping victories over Navy (1-1) and Miami (OH) (0-2) on both the men’s and women’s sides. For Saturday morning’s contest, which included relays and short swim events, the Canham Natatorium pool was extended from 25 yards, its traditional competition length, to 50 meters, the standard Olympic length, to create the long-course-style pool that qualifying Wolverine swimmers will face in Tokyo. “We want to make sure we are giving our student-athletes a great opportunity to make their Olympic team,” Bottom said. “We’re going after it. We’re going after it hard.” And indeed the Wolverines went after it. On Friday, the men powered past the Midshipmen and Redhawks, winning 15 of the 16 swim events and trouncing their opponents, 225-75 and 253-45, respectively. In the diving well, the women swept first through fourth place in both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard events. Junior Ross Todd took first place in both events on the men’s side, while senior Jake Herremans took second.

On two penalty corners, Kayla Reed was positioned in the same spot, right in front of the right post. Both times, it resulted in the junior midfielder finding the back of the net for two of the No. 9 Michigan women’s field hockey team’s (5-2) four goals in a 4-0 win over Kent State (4-5) on Sunday. Reed’s first goal came in the second minute of the second quarter, on the fourth of a stretch of four consecutive corners. Senior midfielder Kay Feijer made a pass off the corner to junior defender Halle O’Neill, who found Reed. Reed dove to get a stick on the ball and redirected it into the net. The second came just six minutes later, and looked almost identical. This time, sophomore midfielder Kathryn Peterson made the initial pass to O’Neill, whose pass went straight to the stick of Reed for an easy redirection goal. “Definitely over the last three years it’s been a go-to corner play for us,” Reed said. “I feel like if you look back on the stats, it’s one of our most scored corners.” Throughout the game, keeping possession was an important factor for the Wolverines. In the

Daily Sports Writer

KATELYN MULCAHY/Daily

The Michigan swim and dive team has its sights on the Olympics.

On Saturday, with the 50-meter Olympic length in place, the men’s and women’s teams won nine of 12 relays, with the women capturing first in all three freestyle relay events and both teams taking first in the 400-meter and 800-meter medley relays. In the 50-meter butterf ly, Michigan swept the podium with sophomore Maggie MacNeil (27.54), senior Vanessa Krause (28.77) and freshman Megan Glass (28.83) claiming first, second and third place. On the men’s side, senior Miles Smachlo took first place in the 50-meter f ly (25.11), which he tallied on top of his first place finishes in the 100-yard (47.59) and 200-yard (1:46.59) f ly from Friday’s meet. Alongside Smachlo, fellow veterans like senior Tommy Cope and graduate student Miranda Tucker led the way for the Wolverines, with Cope and Tucker each taking first place in both the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke for their respective sides on Friday. Cope was also a part of the first place 800-meter medley relay, while Tucker (33.67) won the 50-meter breastroke and was a part of three of five winning women’s relays on Saturday. “We have a whole lot of seniors who have been through

the wars, and truthfully, they’re tired of not winning,” Bottom said. “They want to win and they’re leading this team in that direction.” But the seniors were not the only ones producing. Freshman Kaitlynn Sims made a splashing debut by taking first place in the 500-yard (4:50.50) and 1000-yard (9:53.49) freestyle races, showing great promise for the future of the Michigan women’s program. “On the women’s side, we lost a big senior class last year, but (this year’s) class is doing a great job putting their arms around the freshmen and sophomores and getting them ready for the future,” Bottom said. “We’re trying to understand where we’re going and what our purpose is, who we’re doing it for. For us to triumph at the end (of the season), we’re going to have to work hard.” Though the greatest trials and tribulations of the season are still on the horizon, and Tokyo remains far in the distance, the Olympic countdown clock in Canham Natatorium ticks away in the background as the Wolverines hop in the pool each day. They can hear it, and they are working.

We’re trying to understand where we’re going.

first quarter, they constantly played in Kent State territory, but had difficulty getting passes to the center and getting shots on net. Michigan broke through in the second half, when the four consecutive penalty corners and Reed’s goal gave it momentum, and went on to attempt 22 shots. “It’s always important to keep possession,” said Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz. “We’re always working on it and I thought today we did quite a good job.” After taking a 2-0 lead into halftime, the Wolverines switched into more of a defensive mode in the second half. While the Golden Flashes were not getting many scoring opportunities in the first half, they had even fewer in the second. Michigan held them to no attempted shots in the second half, and only three in the entire game. “I was proud of our team defense,” Pankratz said. “I thought we stepped up and intercepted well.” The fourth quarter may have been the Wolverines’ most sound quarter from both an offensive and defensive standpoint. They continued to stifle Kent State

defensively, and they consistently threatened in the offensive zone. Sophomore midfielder Sofia Southam added to Michigan’s lead with a high goal off her own rebound within the first thirty seconds of the quarter, and senior midfielder Guadalupe Fernandez Lacort tallied the final goal for the Wolverines with ten minutes remaining. “I thought our team worked really hard,” Pankratz said. “We had to be very disciplined and organized today and I thought we were.” The win marks Michigan’s fourth in a row, giving the Wolverines a sizable amount of momentum going into the start of the Big Ten season on Friday. Their difficult nonconference schedule, including four ranked opponents, has made them confident that they can compete with the best of the best. “I think we feel prepared,” Pankratz said. “It’s by design that we play a tough pre-conference schedule to play against the best, to improve and see where we are.”

We had to be very disciplined and organized today.

ALEC COHEN/Daily

Junior midfielder Kayla Reed scored twice as No. 9 Michigan beat Kent State, 4-0, on Sunday afternoon.

Sports

8 — Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

A moment of truth for Gattis

osh Gattis told his players a story this week. He recalled a time, three years ago, when his Penn State group sputtered out of the gate. The Nittany Lions lost by three to Pittsburgh early in the year, before traveling on the road and getting shellacked by Michigan, 49-10. They took that adversity and responded, ripping off nine straight wins en route to a Big Ten title and a MAX Rose Bowl appearance. MARCOVITCH The underlying parallels to this Wolverines group were clear: a talented team, a scuffle out of the gate, a sobering road loss, a moment of reflection. It is possible, the thinking goes, for this team to respond and make something of this year. “Sometimes adversity is something that you never want to use to bond your guys together,” Gattis said Wednesday, “but it’s something that forms a bond.” For Josh Gattis, crucially, that is where the 2016 Penn State parallels diverge. He is not a mere wide receivers coach. This is his offense. It has been from the moment he took the job. And with that the responsibility of its failures. “Being the guy that’s in charge, I hurt when I’m not able to see those guys have that success,” Gattis said. “I take it very personal just as (the players) take it personal.” After three weeks, Gattis’ offense, expected to bring the dawn of a new era, has appeared to be some combination of illconceived and ill-prepared. The unit showed signs of vertical ability against Middle Tennessee State, but ultimately struggled to sustain consistency throughout the game. Against Army, the

offense was suddenly devoid of the creativity it promised, hammering inside zone into oblivion. Last week against Wisconsin, the Wolverines failed to convert a third down for the first time since at least 1995. Through three weeks, Michigan is 116th of 130 teams in yards gained, 91st in points and 104th in offensive efficiency, according to ESPN. Nine turnovers haven’t helped, either. But if you’ve watched any significant portion of the Wolverines’ first three games, you don’t need that empirical data to parse through what’s painfully obvious: This offense has been a mess. The promised spread has turned into muddled ineptitude. The impending RPO cascade has bewildered its signal-caller, Shea Patterson, not to mention imperiled his health. All the while, the most talented weapons on the offense have been indisputably underutilized. To an untrained eye, Gattis appears to have outsmarted himself. The result is a unit that, even its own players say, has no discernible identity. Sometimes a cute hashtag is just that. And now, Gattis faces a moment of truth — a point of inflection, perhaps. A dose of reality, no doubt. Asked Tuesday whether anything has taken him by surprise in his first few weeks as an offensive coordinator, he offered a rhetorical chuckle. “A lot,” Gattis said. If the bye week hadn’t already done so, the 35-14 drubbing at Wisconsin on Saturday poured cold water on the hype. Monday, Gattis put together a 100-play cut-up, both for his own viewing and ultimately to pass along to players. It included every negative play the unit has accrued thus far. For each play, he showed his team what happens when it’s run correctly and what happens when it isn’t. “For us, offensively, it’s a

consistency deal,” Gattis said. “There hasn’t been a lot thrown at them that they haven’t previously had experience with. There’s some things that we’re still carrying over from last year.” On Monday, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh did not waver on his faith in his new offensive play-caller. It’s clear, for whatever it’s worth, that Gattis hasn’t lost faith in himself, either. There is a learning curve to all of this — calling plays, directing an offense — that Gattis never had the luxury to adjust to. When you’re pegged as the savior of a woebegone unit, the vessel through which this program intended to enter the modern era, that pressure mounts quickly. Still, even the most staunch pessimists couldn’t have seen that breaking point come this early. To Gattis’ credit, he stood in front of the media Wednesday and answered every question. He didn’t deflect. Didn’t excuse anything. He assumed the blame, and assured they’d turn things around. At this point, it would be as unwise to relinquish hope in Gattis as it would to assume a breakthrough is imminent. Sure, this team could be a redux of 2016 Penn State. It could just as easily mirror the 2017 Michigan team that went 8-5, a low point of the Harbaugh era. “When you go through the pressure situation, it only makes you tighter,” Gattis said. “I believe in every single one of our players.” The real question now, though, is whether those players feel the same about him. Because if they don’t, this house of cards will come tumbling down sooner than later. Marcovitch can be reached at maxmarco@umich.edu or on Twitter @Max_Marcovitch.

Amid questions, Gattis keeps faith ETHAN SEARS

Managing Sports Editor

ALEC COHEN/Daily

Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis must fix his unit’s problems after a 35-14 drubbing at the hands of Wisconsin.

At times when Josh Gattis spoke on Wednesday, it seemed his every other word was “adversity.” Over 22 minutes, he used the word nearly 15 times. During one 25-second stretch, he used it four times. It was when he got asked if there were any surprises over his first three weeks. And when you come in the way Gattis did as Michigan’s offensive coordinator and perform the way he has — overpromising and underdelivering through three grueling weeks of offensive football — what else is there to do besides fall back on the language of cliches and overcoming challenges? “We ran what we wanted to run,” Gattis said. “The thing is, we just didn’t capitalize on the plays that we had in front of us.” This comes just a couple days after multiple offensive players brought up questions about identity, saying they were uncomfortable throwing the ball as many times as Michigan did on Saturday. A large portion of that likely isn’t what Gattis had planned — once the Badgers got out to a big lead, there was little choice but throw the ball — but it’s still hard to comport that statement from Gattis with what Jon Runyan Jr. said on Monday. “Once you get knocked back on our heels like that during the game, we kinda have to stray away from (the plan),” Runyan said. “… We were throwing the ball 42 times that game, which is something I haven’t seen at Michigan since I’ve been here.” While the rest of the Wolverines are in the midst of an existential crisis post-Saturday’s 35-14 drubbing at the hands of Wisconsin, Gattis tried to convey some semblance of confidence. He took responsibility for the issues, but like he did after a disappointing performance against Army, he pointed to turnovers as the biggest part of the problem. He said Michigan left plays on the field. He stressed consistency. He’s not wrong in any of that. The conversation surrounding Michigan right now would be drastically different if it hadn’t

turned the ball over nine times in three games. Things would be a lot better if the Wolverines executed in games the same way they purport to do so in practice. Consistency folds into all of that — and so do injuries, as Gattis said his unit has yet to practice with all 11 starters. But the questions outside the building have turned to the viability of the system itself. Senior quarterback Shea Patterson is averaging 7.0 yards per attempt, down a full yard from last season. The offensive line has struggled to open up holes in the run game. Junior receiver Nico Collins, who seemed destined to take a leap, has eight catches — most of little consequence — through three games, and has rarely been involved. When Michigan reached third down on its first drive of the fourth quarter on Saturday, Collins ran straight past his man, into open space. Instead of hitting the open man downfield, Patterson threw to Ronnie Bell in double coverage, just short of the sticks. Collins threw his hands as the ball fell incomplete. “I don’t think you can look out there and say one person was frustrated,” Gattis said. “I think all together, including myself, offensively, we were frustrated.” Still, that doesn’t change what everyone can see. The receiving group as a whole — which figured to be a massive strength with Collins, Tarik Black and Donovan PeoplesJones, who returned from injury Saturday — has underwhelmed. “We’re not where we need to be in that room,” Gattis said. “That falls on me.” Doubtless, that wasn’t what Gattis envisioned himself saying to a room of reporters about his most talented position group a few days before a game against Rutgers that should be chalked up as an automatic win. On Monday, Gattis put together tape of 100 plays — all the negative plays Michigan has had — and watched it with the players. Then he showed them how those plays would look when they worked. But practice and film rooms, as Gattis has found out the hard way, is different from games. And regardless of where that disparity comes from, it’s his to fix.

BY THE NUMBERS

Michigan’s offense through three games under Josh Gattis

3.5

Yards per carry, down from 4.8 in 2018 and on pace to be the worst-ever mark Michigan has had with Jim Harbaugh as head coach by a margin of 0.7 yards.

35.9%

Michigan’s third-down conversion rate, including 0-for-10 on Saturday against Wisconsin and good for 81st in the FBS. Last year, the Wolverines ranked seventh in the category at 48.39%.

Total number of Michigan turnovers through three games. The Wolverines’ -1.3 turnover margin per game ranks 114th in the FBS.

104th

Michigan’s rank in offensive efficiency, per ESPN.com, down from 12th in 2018. The Wolverines are averaging 5.1 yards per play compared to 6.1 in 2018.