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University email spurs confusion regarding financial aid packages, withdrawing classes Recipients express concern over effect of dropping credits amid CARES Act JENNA SITEMAN & CALLIE TEITELBAUM Daily Staff Reporters
After the University of Michigan chose to extend the add/ drop deadline for classes until April 21, financial aid recipients — both on merit or need-based aid — received a mass email from the University on March 24 reminding students to seek out resources from the Office of Financial Aid if needed. While extending the drop deadline was meant to provide academic f lexibility, according to Kedra Ishop, vice provost for enrollment management, students receiving University aid were warned about the potential consequences of dropping below the 12-credit-hour requirement for full-time student status. Despite different financial aid packages varying in eligibility requirements, including credit hours, the last part of the email noted that the amount of aid a student receives can be impacted by a change in full-time status. Though the email said aid “can be impacted,” the message created confusion among aid recipients who interpreted the message as
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stating students with any form of need or merit-based aid will risk losing their financial package if they choose to drop below full time. Public Policy junior Molly Macleod, recipient of the University of Michigan Grant, was initially misled by the email. After moving off campus, Macleod dropped a minicourse and lost her on-campus job, but remained a full-time student. While
Macleod’s specific grant does not require full-time status during a typical school year, Macleod assumed this message applied to her. “I read the email and I thought that I have to remain full time, otherwise I won’t get my financial aid,” Macleod said. In an email to The Daily, Tammie Durham, assistant vice provost and executive director of financial aid, said financial aid
will not be impacted for students who drop below full time. “During this winter term, students who are unable to complete a full-time course load because of Covid 19 who started the class prior to the pandemic will not experience adjustments in their aid,” Durham wrote. “All students interested in federal financial aid will be considered as long as they are enrolled in a minimum of six credits during any
Students reflect on tuition for future term
Community discusses spring, summer course costs considering continuation of remote learning ANGELINA BREDE Daily Staff Reporter
On March 23, University President Mark Schlissel notified the University of Michigan community that spring and summer terms classes would be conducted remotely. Despite the move to continue online instruction, tuition for the spring/summer terms will remain the same, University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald told The Daily. “There will be no changes in tuition and fees for the spring/summer terms,” Fitzgerald wrote in an email. “Spring/summer tuition is based on the number of credit hours a student is taking.” While students’ summer plans continue to change amid various internship and job cancellations, students said these cancellations and the move to remote learning
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are making them consider spring or summer term classes. This is the case for LSA sophomore Nathan Martin, who will be taking summer courses in lieu of working with one of the many canceled internship programs he applied to. “I definitely wouldn’t have taken
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Michigan spring/summer courses, but I’m planning on taking summer courses simply because I don’t see myself as being able to do much else with my summer,” Martin said. “I’m on the lookout for remote internship gigs, but those are pretty hard to come by I feel.”
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The cost per credit hour in spring and summer terms is the same as fall and winter. Students typically take less credits in spring and summer than in fall and winter. In an interview with The Daily March 27, Schlissel said not every course originally expected to be taught for spring and summer semesters may not be because the ones that will will be taught well with more preparation for the remote teaching format. “We probably won’t be teaching every single course we planned to teach, but the ones we teach are going to be at a University of Michigan level quality, we’ll have time to prepare,” Schlissel said. “The students will get the same kind of full credit they’d be getting if they were taking the course entirely in person. It’ll just be delivered remotely, but the usual tuition will apply.” See SUMMER, Page 3
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given term. This is not a change in policy.” According to the Office of Registrar website last updated on March 27, undergraduates who withdraw from a course after March 10 through the last day of classes will not receive a “W” on their official transcript indicating dropping the class; however, a “W” will appear on the student’s unofficial transcript. See AID, Page 3
ANN ARBOR
City plans CO 2 goals, neutrality
A2Zero forges ahead on environmental initiatives JULIA RUBIN
Daily Staff Reporter
The city of Ann Arbor launched a billion-dollar plan March 30 to make the city carbon neutral by 2030. The plan, named A2Zero, includes more than 50 points aimed at slashing the community’s 2.1 million metric tons of carbon emissions to zero in 10 years. This would ideally be accomplished by powering the electrical grid with 100 percent renewable energy, switching appliances and vehicles to natural gas and See CARBON, Page 3 NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 SPORTS.........................7
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Professor Lindy Greer talks teamwork on virtual platform Webinar reaches several thousand U-M alumni, professionals to discuss ways of optimizing remote workspaces, organization LAURA MILLAR For the Daily
In a webinar delivered to more than 2,000 University of Michigan alumni and business professionals, Lindy Greer, associate professor and faculty director of the Sanger Leadership Center, explained how remote working can change a workspace for the better by allowing for productive team communication and organized leadership. In her discussion, Greer acknowledged the downfalls of remote work before diving into the benefits. She discussed the struggle of not being able to sync up with a work team as well as the lack of excitement in video chats. Greer sympathized with workers around the nation who are working from home throughout the current COVID-19 pandemic. “I’m super excited again to talk about why remote work sucks and is kind of awful at times as many of us have realized,” Greer said. “But at the same time, then how do we take these challenges to get really intentional about the peoples’ side of work?” Greer responded to questions from employees of companies throughout the country who were viewing the seminar. Melanie Weaver Barnett, chief executive education officer at the Business School, spoke on behalf of remote viewers, taking questions and ideas from the webinar’s chat. Barnett asked if there is a
specific personality and aptitude needed to be successful in remote management. “For me, if I’m doing remote work, what are the three things to look for,” Greer said. “(For me, it) would be productivity or independence, comfort with technology and social support.” Greer transitioned to discuss the positives involved in remote working, noting that many
“We’ve been starting out our meetings by saying we’re going to do a quick check-in with your teammate. And immediately everybody’s paired up with one other person, you don’t know who you’re going to get paired up with,” Barnett said. “You do a quick checkin: What’s working for you/What are you struggling with? Is there anything you need? And people have expressed really benefiting from that.” Business freshman Noah Cox said he was interested in how businesses are transforming their communication while working remotely. “Business is all
Scaffold together your team to be intentional about the core things that teams need to do well. This includes the culture, the objectives, the processes and the ability to experiment, and write and use those playbooks to run your virtual meetings.
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about communication, but communication is only 7 percent the words you say,” Cox said. “So even work that can be done remotely is hugely impacted in this environment, but businesses have to learn to adapt like using video conferencing as much as possible.” Greer ended the webinar with a few key takeaways. She offered advice on how to manage a remote team in an organized, intentional manner. “Scaffold together your team to be intentional about the core things that teams need to do well,” Greer said. “This includes the culture, the objectives, the processes and the ability to experiment, and write and use those playbooks to run your virtual meetings.” Contributor Laura Millar can be reached at lamillar@umich.edu.
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successful remote teams work to build a family culture. She said by keeping a company’s values in mind, such as customer service or trust, leaders can create a community for their workers. With a feeling of belonging, Greer said employees become more engaged and more willing to handle the issues at hand. “One of the unique things that they mentioned that I thought that was very interesting about what makes them work well remotely is culture and having a really strong culture where they really promote this idea of family,” Greer said. “They put a lot of effort there to build a family-like culture where they check in with people a lot.” Barnett engaged in the discussion, exploring what methods and technologies have worked best for her own work.
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AID From Page 1 Durham said the University sent the mass email cautioning students receiving financial aid about the risk of dropping below full time prior to President Trump signing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law on March 27. The act outlines a monetary relief package which in part provides the University with funds to support students reliant on financial aid. “We did intentionally send that email to help students plan in case federal relief was not made available to colleges and universities,” Durham said. “Thankfully, since that email, the CARES Act has provided flexibility for those students impacted by Covid 19.” During any particular school year, students receiving need
SUMMER From Page 1 Martin said he should not have to pay full tuition with the loss of on-campus resources and facilities. “I’m not able to utilize things like the buildings for my classes,” Martin said. “I’m not sure exactly how much building maintenance and upkeep costs each student, but whatever it is I’d like to keep my portion of that since I literally cannot use the buildings… Obviously the (University) could not have foreseen this and they can’t just not clean buildings, but they can reduce the services they apply to buildings.” For Martin, tuition is not just about credits, but the opportunities available on campus. “I’m not just paying for the credits,” Martin said. “I’m paying for the ability to network with other students, have research opportunities, engage in the student clubs and experience college life in Ann Arbor. The actual exchange of goods from the University to me is, yes, a degree, but that’s not the only
CARBON From Page 1 electric, and improving energy efficiency in homes, businesses, schools, places of worship, recreational sites and government facilities. Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor said the plan will be disruptive, but will create a community that better incorporates its values of sustainability and equity. “Ann Arbor 2030 will be materially different than Ann Arbor 2020,” Taylor said. “It’ll be a denser community, a more electrified community, a community that emphasizes renewable energy.” The plan will dedicate $900 million to reduce miles traveled in vehicles by at least 50 percent, which will eliminate 8 percent of communitywide emissions. Missy Stults, Ann Arbor’s sustainability and innovations manager, said some of the costs can be offset by outside sources of funding, but A2Zero’s billion-dollar price tag is necessary.
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Friday, April 10, 2020 — 3
and merit based scholarships are required to meet federal as well as University set guidelines specific to their scholarship, known as Satisfactory Academic Requirements. These guidelines can include volunteer hours, academic grade point average and minimum credit hours. The CARES Act now ensures that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, students receiving financial aid will not be penalized for not fulfilling these requirements. In Section 3509, the act states that in determining whether a student maintains satisfactory academic progress, “an institution of higher education may, as a result of a qualifying emergency, exclude from the quantitative component of the calculation any attempted credits that were not completed by such student without requiring an appeal by such student.”
Angela Morabito, U.S. Department of Education press secretary, reiterated the purpose of this act in an email to The Daily. “We know that this national public health emergency has created challenges for students and we are continually working to provide institutions and students with the flexibility they need as they make the transition to distance education,” Morabito wrote. Students who assumed they could not drop below full-time credit status due to the initial email sent on March 24 can still withdraw from a class due to the University-wide add/drop policy extension. Macleod said the University’s lack of clarity regarding required credit hours is placing a further burden on students with financial aid. “I think it’s incredibly misleading,” Macleod said.
“I think they are concealing some opportunities for people, that they don’t have to stay full time necessarily to keep their scholarships. But by sending a mass email to everyone saying that you have to stay full time, that just kind of closes some doors for people.” LSA junior Amytess Girgis is another student who misinterpreted the email by the University. Girgis is a recipient of the Penelope W. and E. Roe Stamps Scholarship merit-based scholarship. Under federal guidelines during a typical school year, students receiving this scholarship are required to maintain full-time status. Girgis felt this message was particularly damaging due to the uncertainty many students with financial aid feel due to job losses, moving and a quick transition to online classes. “The impression to me was just that a lot of students, including
myself, who are thrown into this confusing COVID situation, who are suddenly spending a lot more time than they normally would taking care of family members, taking care of themselves, moving, working, are scared because they read this email and think that there is absolutely no way they can cut back on their course load,” Girgis said. Girgis attributed the misunderstanding to poor communication by the University. “This is a communications issue,” Girgis said. “I wish that the University had been smarter about how they relate these messages and had done it with a bit more caution in how they word their emails.” Reporter Callie Teitelbaum can be reached at cteitelb@umich. edu. Reporter Jenna Siteman can be reached at jsiteman@umich. edu.
reason I and many others attend college. Some things simply can’t be replaced online.” Though Martin is in favor of tuition reduction, he recognizes that faculty and staff must be paid to continue teaching classes and provide some services remotely. Martin said this only further complicates the issue of tuition costs and financial resources available to the University. A FAQ page from the Office of the Registrar addresses winter term tuition and fees and this approach also will apply to spring/summer term as well, according to Fitzgerald. The page explains that tuition will continue to pay faculty and staff as well as additional expenses. “Tuition and fees will continue to pay for our faculty teaching courses as well as all the associated costs of delivering our educational experience in this COVID-related remote environment,” the page reads. “Instructors will be available and delivering content, albeit in an alternative format, and students will be completing their classes, receiving credit and grades, and continuing to work toward their
degree requirements at a world-class institution.” Unlike Martin, Engineering freshman Kashaf Usman said she has canceled her previous plans to take summer courses. With a difficult transition to remote learning, Usman said in an email to The Daily that being charged full tuition for online classes was not ideal for her. “I had planned on taking a few courses before everything started bandwagoning, but staying home and taking classes via Zoom has hindered my learning greatly,” Usman wrote. “I have always had trouble focusing in general, and this situation isn’t helping. Since this was my first semester at Michigan and I experienced this semester with such hardship, I decided not to take courses over the summer.” Usman also noted the types of classes taken online might affect how they occur online. “Many people don’t have the option to take summer off and paying full tuition for online classes is a little absurd,” Usman wrote. “People who have interactive labs are at a greater disadvantage than students like me
that are mostly taking EECS courses, which are I guess doable online.” Biology lecturer Cindee Giffen teaches Biology 173 lab over the spring/summer term and said though students may feel they are getting less out of interactive labs, courses like these are needed in order for students to graduate on time. “Nobody that’s teaching in spring and summer is doing it because we get a lot of money or because we’re enjoying this,” Giffen said. “The reason why I’m doing it in spring and summer is because I teach a course that’s a prerequisite for a lot of other courses and if we didn’t offer it this spring then a lot of students would be behind in their education. From a lecturer’s perspective, we’re just trying to offer the courses so that students can progress in their degree requirements. Our concern primarily is to make sure that students can actually finish.” She said if tuition were to be lowered, as a lecturer she would make even less money during the spring/ summer term. “For lecturers, the vast majority of our appointments are dedicated to
teaching,” Giffen said. “The people that are doing a lot of the teaching and in spring and summer are lecturers. When you look at the faculty salaries for people who are teaching in spring and summer, we’re not the people who make the big money. If I don’t teach in spring and summer, I make no money — zero dollars — for four months. For my spring class that I’m teaching, by the time benefits and everything are covered, I’ll probably make around $7,500 for the whole summer.” Giffen said the faculty and staff would be most affected by tuition lowering compared to administrators, who make significantly more money. “Not that I would tell students who they should be complaining to, but I don’t think that it’s the faculty that have the really deep pockets here, especially given that most of us are lecturers and do make less money,” Giffen said. “I think the place where there is extra money would be among our administrators.” Daily Staff Reporter Angelina Brede can be reached at angbrede@umich. edu.
“It is expensive, but inaction is far more expensive, as we’re coming to find out,” Stults said. “Whether or not we do this, the climate is still changing. This is just an imperative to help mitigate the impacts of what’s coming.” Though City Council passed Resolution 19-2103: “A Resolution in Support of Creating a Plan to Achieve Ann Arbor Community-Wide Climate Neutrality by 2030” long before COVID-19’s disruption, leaders designed A2Zero as a “living plan” prepared to adjust to obstacles. Taylor said the COVID-19 crisis will hurt and hinder the community’s ability to achieve carbon neutrality, but the scope of the crisis can be viewed as an opportunity. “All lines of work, all manners of doing things, are open to interrogation,” Taylor said. “The old way of running an economy, the old way of doing business, the old way of operating civil society is subject to change, subject to reexamination, subject to improvement. As we figure out where we go next, reconstituting as a functioning society with the goal
of carbon neutrality will be a part of our recovery.” Stults said the current COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity to double down on the plan’s resilience efforts intended to strengthen community responses to a changing climate. She said while most of our lives have paused because of the pandemic, natural and manmade disasters will continue. “From a resilience standpoint, I’m terrified thinking about what’s going to happen during a pandemic when we’re socially isolated and the storm takes power out,” Stults said. “What do we do then? What does it look like when our food supply chain gets disrupted? The pandemic isn’t related to climate change, but the pandemic is laying bare the vulnerabilities that we have regardless.” Stults said the community needs to accept a degree of failure as part of the process to achieve the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality. “This idea of being okay with failure, or failure positive as we call it, is a total paradigm shift in most situations, but so is climate change,” Stults said. “So,
we have to be comfortable with trying something and being okay coming back and saying, ‘You know, that was not as successful as we thought it was going to be.’ The ultimate objective is a safe climate, it’s a high quality of life. Basically, a bunch of things can fail for different reasons, and we have to be okay with that.” Rackham student Matthew Sehrsweeney, an organizer in Michigan’s Climate Action Movement, said environmental activists on campus have been grappling with how to continue their work amid social distancing measures. He said activists have worked to understand how to maintain low-carbon lifestyles after social distancing measures are lifted, demonstrate solidarity with movements fighting for racial, economic and carceral justice and highlight the danger posed by environmental injustices such as poor air quality. Sehrsweeney pointed to ways the University could reduce its carbon emissions. “Universities are always flying people in and hosting big conferences
where people are flying across the country,” said Sehrsweeney. “Now we’re demonstrating all these online tools that we can use to bring people in virtually and you don’t have to be flying them across the country.” Sehrsweeney said there are significant barriers to achieving carbon neutrality, pointing to state laws and COVID-19, but that the community’s plan is essential. “It’s absolutely necessary,” Sehrsweeney said. “Especially for a city like Ann Arbor that has pretty concentrated wealth. If Ann Arbor can’t do it, then how are any poor cities going to do it?” Taylor said the community will accomplish carbon neutrality by 2030. “The bottom line is, we have a carbon neutrality goal,” Taylor said. “That is a commitment from the city government, and we’re going to do everything we can to achieve that goal.” Daily Staff Reporter Julia Rubin can be reached at julrubin@umich. edu.
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SANIA FAROOQ | OP-ED
Facing COVID-19 as a public health student
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ANIK JOSHI | COLUMN
How George W. Bush addressed a different public health crisis
T
he nation’s 43rd president, George W. Bush, is a polarizing fig ure. In foreign affairs, the most well-known part of his legacy is probably his decision to pursue military action in Iraq and that will, in all likelihood, remain the thing for which he is known best. However, it is important to consider that this is only part of his legacy in international affairs. Another part of it is the role America played to address the AIDS crisis in Africa. Former President Bush pushed for the establishment of the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This is an initiative to address the global health crises surrounding HIV/ AIDS that has, to this date, spent more than $90 billion on this crisis since 2004. Bush rose to office as a different kind of conservative. He was a “compassionate conservative” — he wanted to use the government to improve the general welfare and PEPFAR was one way in which he did that. Bush’s interest in Africa came from a 1990 visit to The Gambia with his wife, Laura Bush, and in the lead up to his decision to enter the race, then-advisor (and future Secretary of State) Condoleeza Rice pressed Bush to make addressing the AIDS epidemic in Africa a serious part of his foreign policy legacy. This 1998 conversation proved far more prescient than either of the participants could have imagined. Bush announced the program in his 2003 State of the Union Address, though it was overshadowed by the
fact that this speech also featured justifications for the invasion of Iraq. The project was one owned by Bush — he was willing to stick his neck out for additional money from Congress if he saw results. As it happened, the results he saw were incredibly encouraging. PEPFAR has saved the lives of millions and improved the lives of millions more and to his credit, it has done it in an effective, efficient manner — it prevented deaths from HIV for under $2,500 per death prevented. Though it is an AIDS program, some studies have suggested that it reduced the odds of death by 20 percent in general in countries where it existed. Further, it has directly reduced tuberculosis infections and deaths. In today’s discussion around COVID-19, much attention is paid to how former President Barack Obama handled Ebola. I agree that Obama’s work was commendable there. However, in the global health arena, one place Obama left something to be desired was with regards to PEPFAR. Obama and his team created budgets that “slashed hundreds of millions of dollars from PEPFAR.” Unfortunately, President Donald Trump has gone further here and has released budget proposals with “$1.35 billion in cuts to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.” Both of these presidents have cut and increased funding to different programs, as has been their prerogative. However, this goes to show why Bush deserves credit for PEPFAR. It was his prerogative and should be recognized as such, especially in light of its exemplary results.
PEPFAR was a way for America to lead in the global health arena. The AIDS crisis ravaged America in the 1980s and the initial response by the government was a subject of criticism then and widespread denunciation now. PEPFAR was a chance to reverse this issue and Bush seized the issue to show why America deserved to lead the world in global and public health and how exactly it would go about doing so. Because of American leadership regarding AIDS, an AIDS-free generation is within sight and PEPFAR has played a large role in getting to this point. However, there must be more. Thankfully, cuts to PEPFAR were rejected by Congress under Obama and Trump and in both cases, funding was set at levels beyond those requested by the president. This is something but isn’t enough. Bush may have been an unlikely catalyst for a public health revolution but he very clearly was one — the results do not lie. Today, however, that kind of compassionate conservatism and desire for American leadership doesn’t exist as it did under Bush and the nation, world and public health are all worse for it. PEPFAR is an example of America at its best. Like other programs, such as the Marshall Plan or the Berlin Airlift, it is proof that when American leadership decides to accomplish a goal, that goal will be accomplished. Bush wanted to make his mark with AIDS, and it is hard to argue that he didn’t. Anik Joshi can be reached at anikj@umich.edu.
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B
eing able to witness a pandemic like COVID-19 in our lifetime has been both a dream and a nightmare for me. For many public health students, a real-life pandemic is everything our education has been building toward. In every class, we are reminded of our predecessors who created the polio vaccine and eradicated the source of cholera way back when. We are constantly empowered to work for communities that are the most vulnerable and under-served. We aim to uplift the voices of those that may be hidden by systematic oppression. Yet when news of the virus coming to the state of Michigan came, I found that many of us were quiet. No matter if you’re in public health, medicine or any other field, the COVID19 pandemic scares every single one of us. We’re all human. As public health students, we realize the importance of social isolation; of flattening the curve; of making sure that our health systems and hospitals are not given more than they can take. But at the same time, the human in me is still stressed, confused and helpless. Every day, as I slog through hours of online classes, I look back at all the times I took my life for granted—seeing my friends every day, not having to worry whether someone in my family has been exposed, being able to go about my day as I normally would. Not finishing the semester out is one thing, but being removed from our lifestyles has left many of us in a state of shock. I’ve learned that this “disturbance” is the cause of my newfound constant exhaustion and lack of motivation. My heart aches as I see all the stories on Twitter or on the news. Every time I FaceTime a friend, I’m being told of more heart-wrenching narratives. It hurts to see photos of vulnerable populations, like the
elderly and those who cannot afford to buy in bulk in grocery stores, looking so helpless when they see nothing on the shelves. It hurts to see videos of people whose parents, aunts, uncles and loved ones are dealing with the virus. This pandemic is bigger than anyone ever imagined it to be. Students are being hurried off of campus, even if they don’t have the means to do so, as fast as everything is occurring. A huge disparity still remains between those who are actually being tested and those who are not. Every day more celebrities announce they’ve been tested for the virus, while regular people are not. Many still have to go to work to pay their bills because they cannot afford to give that money up to stay home; unpaid leave is not an option. COVID-19 has made me realize my privilege and I encourage everyone to realize theirs too. You don’t have to be a public health major to see how important it is for us to take care of each other, to keep in touch or to reach out to those who may be struggling during these times. These are times for solidarity. This pandemic motivates me to see how impactful the public health field can be and how it facilitates change so fast. The biggest thing about public health is that, if we do our work well, you won’t see the effects of the issue later. Though COVID-19 has already destroyed the lives of many, I am hoping that we all can prevent it from getting worse for others dealing with it or who are susceptible. It’s the least we can do for humanity. It is both a dream and a nightmare, but I’m hoping that I can wake up soon and it’ll be over as fast as it started. Sania Farooq is junior in the School of Public Health and can be reached at sffarooq@umich.edu.
LEENA GHANNAM | CONTACT CARTOONIST AT LZGHANNA@UMICH.EDU
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Arts
Friday, April 10, 2020 — 5
BOOKS NOTEBOOK
Why we need less faithful adaptions of literature TATE LAFRENIER Daily Arts Writer
“OK, Boomer,” I mutter, as I follow Laurence Cook, a senile Iowan farmer who foolishly attempts to divide his agricultural empire among his three daughters, with disastrous consequences. If this story sounds familiar, that’s because you’ve likely heard it before: It’s the plot of Jane Smiley’s 1991 novel “A Thousand Acres,” which in turn is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “King Lear.” As far as adaptations go, “A Thousand Acres” is surprisingly faithful to the source material, yet Smiley manages to infuse the novel with her own personality and flair, exploring topics such as second-wave feminism and ecocriticism. Of course, with Shakespeare adaptations, this is not uncommon: There have been numerous critically acclaimed Shakespeare adaptations set in radically different settings, such as the 1957 film “Throne of Blood,” which places Macbeth in feudal Japan, or a 2013 production of “Julius Caesar” set in contemporary Africa. And who could ever forget the Disney classic “The Lion King”? This list goes on, and is only a testament to the transcendent relevance of the Bard. To be fair, theater lends itself well to creative liberty: The cast and crew are what imbue a play with life, and no one production will look the same as the next. Western culture seems comfortable with the malleability that theatre permits, but this comfort seems to dissipate when the same malleability is introduced in book or film adaptations. A common complaint of adaptations is that they “are nothing like the book,” or didn’t “capture the magic of the source material.” I’ve made these complaints myself about a multitude of adaptations and reboots. A few that come to mind are the infamous Percy Jackson films, the Broadway musical “Fun Home” and HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” However, whatever one’s thoughts are on these, these works still possess artistic value (OK, maybe that isn’t true for the Percy Jackson movies) and perhaps shouldn’t be expected to adhere perfectly to the source material. In fact, I’d argue that we should push for more liberal adaptations, ones that aren’t afraid to be different, even if the deviations cause discomfort among fans
of the original source. Such deviations exemplify the beauty and value art has: Art is living and transcendent yet deeply intimate. Jane Smiley shows that relative fidelity can be highly effective, and there is nothing wrong with adaptations that adhere perfectly to the subject of adaptation. But more drastic divergence from the original creator’s vision allows the adapter to explore different themes and create a distinct standalone artwork. Take Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” as an example. The 1980 masterpiece is based on Stephen King’s eponymous novel, and has remained a staple in cinema since its release. However, King has stated his dislike for the movie, and has repeatedly expressed frustration at Kubrick’s numerous alterations from the book. And King is right about one thing: The movie bears little resemblance to the book. But that’s a good thing. Whereas King’s novel paints the main character as fundamentally good, Kubrick’s film portrays him as fundamentally evil, and these two drastically different messages stretch the basic narrative far beyond what either artist originally intended. The supernatural and psychological evils portrayed present entirely different layers of fear and tension, and both works have their own strengths and goals. The novel allowed King to draw upon his struggles with alcoholism and writing, and the film allowed Kubrick to explore whether madness is inherent or created. The horror genre would not be the same without either of these masterpieces, and I think that illustrates the value in changing a work of art to create something new. “The Shining” isn’t the only film to draw the ire of the source material’s creator and the praise of everyone else. Peter Jackson’s legendary “The Lord of the Rings” film trilogy has undoubtedly shaped the West’s relationship with high fantasy since its debut in 2001, but Christopher Tolkien, the son of author J.R.R. Tolkien, was not as impressed. And, controversial opinion, I’m not a fan of the films either: I feel that they eviscerate Tolkien’s original work, trading depth in exchange for excitement and thrill. That being said, I still believe that these films are irreplaceable, and that, in spite of my distaste for how the source material was treated, I can appreciate the directions Jackson took the
film in. Tolkien’s three-volume saga simply is not translatable directly into film. In fact, his identity as a European white man who was born at the turn of the twentieth century further complicates this. “The Lord of the Rings” books are predominantly descriptive affairs, with indulgent commentaries on religion and Germanic history. Further, Tolkien’s seminal work is built upon an extensive internal history that cannot be explained by a bit of mere exposition, and is self-referential to an absurd degree. It can be a bit intimidating to jump into his universe and be hit with the feeling that you skipped a book in the series, and to the general moviegoing audience, this would be a huge turn off. Peter Jackson managed to condense much of this lore into a digestible plot, alluding to bits of in-universe history as was necessary, and substituted lengthy descriptions with stunning set design and scenery. Jackson even manages to make the films just a *little* less of a sausage fest than what Tolkien’s books were, which helps offset the clear male identity Tolkien was writing from. Thus, as I gain more perspective, I grow to appreciate the beauty in what Jackson made, and have come to terms with the fact that, in a few ways, his trilogy even improves upon what Tolkien wrote. Sometimes, though, adaptations can go a step further, and deviate almost completely from the source material, even in terms of themes and tone. The musical “Fun Home,” based on Alison
Bechdel’s graphic novel memoir of the same name, is a perfect example of this. Both the musical and the graphic novel depict the same set of events, and the same individual’s life. However, whereas Bechdel’s memoir portrays specific episodes in her life that she clearly remembers, the musical plays around with the structure, drawing from multiple scenes to create one scene that is representative of many. The text-to-stage translation isn’t “literal,” but it uses this to its advantage and explores the narrative with a different sort of vibrancy and life from what the memoir had. Likewise, the memoir captured elements that the musical could not, such as the depth and genuineness Bechdel poured into her work. I listened to the musical before I read Bechdel’s memoir, and the difference was clear to me. At first, it was difficult for me to reconcile these two works with one another, as they were so different in tone, and I became unsure of which one I enjoyed more, or if they were even comparable in quality. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that the differences between the two enhanced one another, and I stopped measuring them against each other. I began to enjoy them as separate entities, and my appreciation for both has increased as a result.
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MUSIC REVIEW
On new album, Yves Tumor turns into a rockstar JIM WILSON
Daily Arts Writer
Some say the place you’re from is what makes you who you are. If that truly is the case, then Sean Bowie certainly is a complex person. Born in Miami and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, they attended college in Southern California and briefly resided in Leipzig, Germany. Bowie, better known by their recording name Yves Tumor, now lives and works in Turin, Italy. If that was too much, here’s a streamlined version: first Miami, then Knoxville, then Southern California, then Leipzig and now Turin. That’s a lot of places, and somehow, not a single one sticks out as a prominent influence on Tumor’s music. Yves Tumor’s brand of rock is unlike that of any other artist. They have so many influences it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where the Yves Tumor sound comes from. However, it has been said that Tumor started making music as a way to escape their conservative and growth-stunting surroundings in Knoxville. Of all the places that have shaped Tumor, this is the most important one. Their music is an artful, expressive escape from the bland and monochrome ordinary, established by 2018’s outstanding Safe in the Hands of Love. Their most recent album, Heaven to a Tortured Mind, keeps that same momentum. Heaven to a Tortured Mind is a bit of a throwback album, calling back to the massive sounds of ’90s
behemoths like Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl way they want to. Their lyrics perfectly accentuate Jam, but the record is like the weird kid brother the noise, with lines like “He’s got scarlet colored to that style. The album’s foundations are laid in teeth, she had severed heads / And six hundred huge choruses and soaring riffs. Tumor is never teeth, and six hundred / And six hundred, and six afraid of exploring other genres, but this project hundred,” making the song even stickier than it always seems to return to its rock roots. Somehow, already was. all this mixing and matching works, and it works Some of the tracks, like “Gospel for a New really well. Thanks to Tumor’s fearless exploration, Century” and “Kerosene!,” lean more heavily Heaven to a Tortured Mind is toward the rock end of the as sticky and enjoyable as an spectrum, and they’re all the album can get. better for it. These rock songs Take “Medicine Burn” are something of a cheat as an example of this code for Tumor. They pull fearlessness. Outwardly, it them out like a winning card ‘Heaven to a Tortured sounds like a standard rock hidden in their sleeve; these Mind’ song, but there’s a whole songs cannot be beat. They Yves Tumor lot more going on beneath sound like they’re made for the hood. The cacophonous stadium tours, even though Warp guitars live on the verge they incorporate typical nonof noise, and around the rock instrumentation like middle of the song they bombastic brass or dreamy suddenly and abrasively keys and synthesizers. They break the noise barrier, both have gigantic hooks erupting into nothing that practically beg to be short of pure madness. Surprisingly, the track screamed out loud for the whole world to hear. eventually fades into nothing more than a handful Miraculously, these aren’t the only songs that stand of futuristic blips and bleps, with no trace of the out on the record. earlier instrumentation to be found. But somehow When Tumor begins to slow things down and this combination works, resulting in one of the turn a bit darker and more insular, they begin to most infectious songs on the album, all thanks to shine brightest. “Hasdallen Lights” is the best Tumor’s ability to wrangle any sound exactly the example of this, though “Strawberry Privilege”
and “Super Stars” deserve to be mentioned as well. “Hasdallen Lights” kicks off with a little warped guitar lick that is quickly joined by a moody string section, supporting Tumor as they ask questions like “What are your running from? / What do you miss? / Tell me, what do you crave? / How do you feel?” in a delicate falsetto, as Tumor is asking themself these very questions. After a couple of repetitions, Tumor, drenched in despair and reverb, finally begins to piece the answers together: “Her song, her song, her song … Running from my shadow … I miss the sound of you … trouble, trouble, trouble.” It is in these moments that Tumor begins to show who they really are and how the places they grew and developed in affected them. Heaven to a Tortured Mind is the perfect followup record to Safe in the Hands of Love. It takes Safe’s already accessible version of rock-infused avant-garde music and makes it simultaneously more rock-centric and more experimental. It’s a bit of a tough combination to wrangle together without sounding like you’re trying too hard to be experimental, but Tumor managed to pull it off with ease. Given that Heaven to a Tortured Mindl builds off of Safe in the Hands of Love, where Tumor goes next remains up in the air. They might go more toward rock, they might go more toward ambience or noise or they might go somewhere completely different. Tumor’s trajectory remains cloudy and uncertain, but that uncertainty is what makes their music so captivating and exciting.
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Arts
VIDEO GAME REVIEW
Friday, April 10, 2020 — 6
LITERATURE COLUMN
‘Animal Crossing’ makes life cozy Witches, spinsters and lesbians DYLAN YONO Daily Arts Writer
There’s no better time to play “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” than when you’re trapped at home with little to do. The same can be said for most video games, but especially so for “New Horizons”; no better game could have been released on March 20, 2020. Animal Crossing is often called a “life-simulation” game, but calling it a “personalization” or “customization” game would be just as accurate. The game revolves around your character transforming a deserted island into a thriving village from the ground up, and customizing everything to your liking: your character, your home and as you progress, the island itself. The distinguishing detail is that the game is played in real-time. A hallmark trait of the Animal Crossing series, gameplay is dictated by the clock: You can only catch a guppy during the day, while tarantulas only appear at night. The main item shop is only available from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. in the time zone you live in. Special characters visit only once per week; one character can only be found Sunday mornings from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Variety is the spice of life in Animal Crossing, and that variety is derived from when you choose to play. For many, quarantine amid coronavirus has opened the opportunity to play Animal Crossing at any time on any day, eliciting maximum variety. “New Horizons” expands on its predecessors with more new villagers to befriend and invite to your island, more new bugs and fish to catch and more new items, styles, fashions and customizations. The biggest new addition is the ability to modify the island terrain, raising mountains and creating rivers to your heart’s content. That’s the core of Animal Crossing: creating a world to escape to. It’s a platform for more creativity and self-expression than ever before in the series’ history. Beauty doesn’t come easy — building your dream island takes time. “New Horizons” makes it a
winding journey. The game forces players to take everything slowly, even down to the most basic functions. Accessing a shop, store or service requires going through the same dialog over and over. Picking up items from the ground or depositing items into storage must be done one at a time. Advancements like recruiting a new villager, upgrading your home, building a bridge or ordering new items all take at least one day to be fulfilled. There’s very little in the way of immediate gratification. For some, it’s a way to slow down, unwind and relax. For others, it’s unbearable tedium. Animal Crossing isn’t for everyone. There’s a sense of progression to the game, but one that’s stretched out over a long time. The island terrain editor, maybe the game’s biggest selling point, will take at least two weeks to unlock, even for the most optimized Animal Crossing aficionado. For the average player, maybe much longer. New crafting recipes are tantalizingly drip-fed, just a few each day. Commitment to daily play is rewarded with various bonuses and perks, while your villagers will make sad remarks about missing you when you spend long periods away. Many customizations are exorbitantly expensive, requiring lots of in-game time spent earning money for sometimes minor changes; if you’re no longer happy with where you put your house on day one, expect to shell out 30 thousand bells to move it. All of this can infuriate some, but for others, it’s tranquility. The long-winded path to a f lourishing Animal Crossing village creates an organic and natural feel to the game, encouraging your island to grow over time and build around early decisions you made much like a real-world town. There’s no getting straight to the point — that’s the point of Animal Crossing. When I first walked into GameStop to preorder “New Horizons” the night before it came out, I was ecstatic to walk out with a copy of the game a day early. Ten days later I sold it to my brother at a $20 loss. It was too easy to sink hours into the game that I would never see back. But if you’re looking to make quarantine feel a little faster, Animal Crossing is an addiction that could make it go by in a blur.
FILM REVIEW
Your vote in ‘Slay the Dragon’ EMMA CHANG Daily Arts Writer
At its best, politics is stressful. At its worst, it’s a mindboggling maze of rules and red tape. And, as we get older, the messiness of our current bureaucracy becomes increasingly obvious, revealing a system that is much more complicated than Schoolhouse Rock! makes it out to be. The power we hold as voters is daunting to most, but to a select few, it’s a threat to their livelihood. Politicians are meant to be held accountable by the public; any AP US History student could tell you that. Enter the convenient practice of gerrymandering — a district drawing technique that takes away the threat of public opinion. Both political parties are guilty of dividing voting districts in a way that ensures them seats in state legislatures and, though a little bit of innocent gerrymandering might be considered part of the rat race of the government, such is not the way of politics. If your hands aren’t dirty and your inbox is clear of incriminating emails, you’re not doing it right. But what happens when citizens are fed up with the system? Is there capacity for change? The newest documentary from Magnolia Pictures, “Slay the Dragon,” answers these questions with a captivating story about those working to fight the corruption rampant in our governing bodies. Before considering the political connotations of “Slay the Dragon,” however, it’s important to note the actual storytelling ability of a documentary like this one. Often, these films toe the line between informative and boring, intriguing and emotional. Most run the risk of losing their audience’s attention, especially in these streaming-heavy days of quarantine. But “Slay the Dragon” weaves a fantastical tale about gerrymandering beginning with impressive visuals and graphics that highlight the strange nature of strategic redistricting. As the opening credits roll, “Slay the Dragon” forces its audiences to consider what it actually means to “re-district” with an animated line carving its way through a city. The image establishes the concept of gerrymandering as something
concrete, setting up the intimate relationship between an audience and a major character of the film. As the story progresses, the visuals become ever more important in showing the increasingly questionable practice of gerrymandering. At one point, watching “Slay the Dragon” was similar to trying to find the constellations — the audience stares at indiscernible, odd shapes that take on no meaning until a detailed drawing is put over it. But the effect remained. “Slay the Dragon” was able to emphasize the absurdity of gerrymandering with a few wellplaced examples of specific districts. Beyond the graphics, “Slay the Dragon” also provided an excellent story. There were many beginnings to this story — 2016, when Katie Fahey started her quest against gerrymandering; 2010, when Project REDMAP began flipping state legislatures; even 2020, the first census year since many of these antigerrymandering laws were put into place. However you decide to define the start, it’s obvious what “Slay the Dragon” is about: the rise and hopefully coming fall of gerrymandering in the United States. But is it really that simple? In an age of political unrest, “Slay the Dragon” provides a hopeful message for those of us just about to come of age in this important election year. In a speech after the anti-gerrymandering proposal was passed in Michigan, Katie Fahey is seen telling her campaign team how important every one of their actions is. The underlying message that every action, every vote is essential to the success of democracy is one that we could all stand to remember, regardless of what year it is. The eye-opening moments of a documentary should be few and far between — a good documentary should make its audience reflect and question what’s presented to them. The immediate nature of an “eye-opening” moment is the opposite of conversation-sparking. “Slay the Dragon” understands this and, though it is very left-leaning, it still manages to present its audiences with a strong and informative message about gerrymandering. It highlights the importance of every citizen’s participation in democracy, making it one of the better documentaries to watch.
EMILY YANG
Daily Literature Columnist
Sylvia Townsend Warner, “Lolly Willowes” The cover of my copy of Sylvia Townsend Warner’s first novel is decorated with a drawing of a witch by August Neter. Neter was an outsider artist, one of Hans Prinzhorn’s “schizophrenic masters,” whose art was an attempt to capture his hallucinations. The image depicts the profile of a short-haired woman covered in plants, roads and animals, an effect that suggests a map. It’s an apt choice on the part of the publisher: Warner’s style resembles Neter’s double image in its porous curiosity and naturalistic oddness. It’s also apt because the novel is about a witch. The witchiness here is less Shakespearean and more ordinary, spinster-ish; Warner suggests that the closest relative to the witch is the unmarried tradeswoman or the country wife who prepares her own dandelion wine. Written in the 1920s, the novel seems to suggest that someone can become a witch simply by refusing the trappings of polite society, by “politely declining to make the expected connection with the opposite sex,” as John Updike (of all people) puts it on the back cover of my copy. We first see the titular Laura Willowes (called Lolly by her niece, a nickname that sticks) moving in with her brother Henry and his wife Caroline after the death of their father. It’s a move from the countryside to London. Caroline describes Laura in passing as “a gentle creature” and then turns to logistics: a writing desk has to be moved, a bureau that another relative wanted is allocated to “small spare room” in which “aunt Lolly” will live. The rest of the novel is, in part, an elaboration on what Caroline missed. Laura won’t become a witch until the last third of the novel, but even before then she has a strangely textured inner life and a tendency to feel out strange essences from ordinary surfaces. We next see a very young Laura stealing into the room where her great-aunt’s disused harp collects dust and plucking the strings, which “answered with a melancholy and distracted voice.” She then dwells on the lock of her great-aunt’s hair that was embroidered into a picture of a willow tree as something of a memento mori. Hints of morbidity and the occult are common in Warner’s evocation of English country life. Laura’s childhood with her father is quiet and practical, to be sure, but there’s suggestion of rural magic everywhere. She helps her father out in his brewery, gathers medicinal herbs from the forests, climbs trees, absorbs traditional remedies and age-old practices from the “country servants of long tenure.” While her brothers Henry and James get shuttled off into professional life, Laura stays with her father and notes how one servant makes traditional beeswax polish and fills the house with “a resinous smell” and how another recommends infusions of nettles and mugwort for longevity. She’s content to continue
living like this, and has an antipathy toward marriage that she never loses. Her father doesn’t push the point. She becomes instead the mistress of the house with “an easy diligence.” When her father dies and Laura moves to Henry’s house in London, she brings her preternatural intuition to bear on the rhythms of life in the city. Henry and Caroline are people with customs and routines in place of personalities, but Warner still has a flair for catching the shadow that follows each gesture. At one point she describes Henry winding the grandfather clock in the hall — “first one and then the other the quivering chains were wound up, till only the snouts of the leaden weights were visible, drooping sullenly over the abyss of time wherein they were to make their descent during the seven days following.” This image, at once bleak and Carroll-esque, captures well the feeling of dullness that starts to weigh on Laura as she settles into her new life. Even so, the satire is even-handed and just. Laura’s relatives aren’t caricatures, they’re just ordinary middle-class English people, and that’s the problem. We get a sense of Laura’s strangeness, not the uniqueness of her quiet subjugation. Laura is twenty-nine at this point and it’s 1902, meaning her prospects for marriage are increasingly unlikely. Caroline and Henry occasionally host Eligible Bachelors, but Laura determinedly ignores them or says eccentric things to them and after a while everyone involved stops trying. Laura then becomes something like an unpaid housekeeper to her brother’s family. There are long passages that list her duties, which range from the arrangement of flowers to embroidery to looking after her nieces. After nearly twenty years of this Laura starts to long for more, starts to feel tempted to leave. She is finally persuaded to do so after seeing canned fruit and homemade preserves in a “countrified” shop while running errands: she has a sudden vision of herself staring up at an apple tree late in the season, reaching up for the fruit outlined against the fading grey sky. That night, she announces to her relations that she’s moving to Great Mop, a small town in the Chilterns. She ignores their indignant protests (“now Lolly, what you want is absurd!”) and sets off the next day. Just as Warner avoids generalizing about her characters, she also avoids panoramas and self-conscious theses. It would have been easy to write this book in a manner that presented opposites — the stiflingly domestic world of Caroline and Henry’s house and the totally free world of country life. When Laura arrives in Great Mop her newfound independence is rather vexing. She spends her days exploring the area on foot for hours and ends up exhausting herself. “She knew in her heart that she was not really enjoying this sort of thing, but the habit of useless activity was too strong to be snapped by a change of scene.”
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Sports
7 — Friday, April 10, 2020
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
The complications of playing football this fall
ETHAN SEARS
Managing Sports Editor
Of all the people within college football, Chip Kelly provided a font of wisdom on Thursday. “The governors of the states and mayors are going to be the ETHAN ones who SEARS tell you whether we can (come back),” the UCLA coach told reporters Thursday. “Because the NCAA can say, ‘Hey, you guys are all going back,’ and if (California) Governor (Gavin) Newsom says, ‘We’re not going back,’ then we’re not going back.” Through the muck of inarguable fact, that underscores the only hard conclusion anyone can have right now regarding college football’s eventual return and the ever-present possibility of its delay: Playing games in September is going to be an immense challenge. And anyone trying to speak authoritatively on the subject is
either lying or delusional. This would include Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, who said this week that he aims to have football employees come back by May 1, with players following shortly. “They are 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 years old and they are healthy and they have the ability to fight this virus off,” Gundy said. “If that is true, then we sequester them, and we continue because we need to run money through the state of Oklahoma.” Setting aside the obvious stupidity and tone-deafness of that suggestion (which was quickly scuttled by the Big 12), it gives a window into why college football can’t take the same route professional leagues have reportedly looked into: bring players and staff back under quarantine from the general public, put them all in the same place and have them play games on practice fields or in empty stadiums. As the people who run college sports are quick to remind us, athletes are students. This, we’re told, is why they can’t be paid in accordance with the millions of dollars they bring in to universities. And this is
why they can’t be treated any different in the face of a global pandemic. If it’s not safe for thousands of students to return to campus in the fall, then unpaid athletes certainly can’t be forced to come back and play. So rule that option out. For the sake of argument, let’s suppose that by the fall, COVID-19 is under enough control that classes can happen in-person. When it comes to football at the University of Michigan, you then run into a refrain that gets repeated when you ask around about the subject: Are you going to feel safe going to a stadium with 100,000 people in September? OK, well, let’s say you play it without fans. Are people still tailgating? Is that considered dangerous? What about people watching at bars and restaurants, which would surely grow in number if nobody can attend games in person? It should be pointed out that these concerns are fairly deep in the weeds. Logistically, they fall behind questions like, what happens if one state gives the OK and another doesn’t? Or, what if traveling and staying
in hotels every other weekend still constitutes risk? Let alone, could the system handle a player or coach getting coronavirus without shutting down entirely? And that’s without mentioning the obvious: If people are still dying in large numbers, it’s not appropriate to have a large sporting event where anyone might be put at risk. If playing requires testing everyone on the field, and such testing takes resources away from hospitals that need it, forget about it. The financial incentive to play college football, even with no fans, with a delayed season or both, is massive. Michigan, along with every other FBS athletic department, makes most of its money from the sport. Without it, non-revenue sports will be drastically affected. Jobs will be lost. So will scholarships. College careers that people worked their whole lives for, ruined. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday that there is a “strong conviction” among people in college football to play this year, in some way, shape or form. That’s much of the motivation as to why.
ALEC COHEN/Daily
Playing college football in 2020 could be difficult, with or without fans.
But Schefter tweeted that at 4:10. At 4:15, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said, “I think everybody needs to think seriously about canceling large summer events. From my perspective today, I don’t see how we’re going to have large gatherings of people, again, until we have a vaccine, which is months and months away.” At 4:25, Los Angeles public county health director Barbara Ferrer said, “We’re going to come out at the other end in a matter of weeks,” but that of course comes with the caveat that Newsom, the governor in her state, shot down the idea of sports returning anytime soon just a few days ago. This decision is not just
going to be made by people in college football. This is to make two points. First, there is a myriad of opinions and information, and it’s going too fast for anyone to keep up. Making a coherent prediction out of that is impossible, but on aggregate, it doesn’t look good. Second, having college sports requires everyone — the federal government, 50 state governments, localities, school administrators, coaches, athletes themselves — to be on the same page. Does that seem likely to you right now? Sears can be reached at searseth@umich.edu or on Twitter @ethan_sears.
How Zach Charbonnet fits into a crowded running backs room DANIEL DASH
Daily Sports Writer
It only took one game for running back Zach Charbonnet to draw lofty comparisons. Last August, the most impressive statistic from Charbonnet’s college debut wasn’t his 90 rushing yards. Rather, in Michigan’s 40-21 win over Middle Tennessee State, it was the true freshman’s pass blocking that stood out most. He picked up nine blitzes in as many tries, showing strength in an area of the game that often keeps highly-touted freshmen off the field. He became the program’s fourth true freshman to start at running back in the season opener since 1944, and he left a lasting impression in doing so. “I don’t think we’ve had a back get nine pickups in a protection since we’ve been here, one single back,” coach Jim Harbaugh said at the time. “And to be 100 percent, nine out of nine, that’s like, ‘Wow.’ That’s really good. … He just was handling it, with not even a misstep. That’s rare. “I’ve had pro guys that don’t understand the protections as well as (Charbonnet) in this game.” When tight ends coach Sherrone Moore touched on it later that week, he likened Charbonnet to a former college teammate of his own. “I’ve only seen one other
freshman back block like that, and that’s a guy I played with,” Moore said. “That was really impressive to watch, nine-for-nine in pickups, just go up and strike people and never back down and know who to block with all the exotic pressures (Middle Tennessee State) brought.” The other freshman back? That would be future NFL Hall-of-Famer Adrian Peterson, who played alongside Moore at Oklahoma 15 years ago. For Charbonnet, pass blocking was only one bullet point on a long list of tests
he aced as a true freshman. After rehabbing a surgicallyrepaired meniscus last spring, his 11 rushing touchdowns set a new program record among freshman running backs. On his way, he also showed glimpses as a receiver and an ability to get it done in short downand-distance situations. Just days after being
the subject of praise from Harbaugh and Moore, Charbonnet followed through with another big game. In week two, he posted 100 rushing yards and three touchdowns, the last of which helped Michigan escape unranked Army in doubleovertime. The performance earned
He was just handling it, with not even a misstep.
him a Big Ten Freshman of the Week nod, but the 33-carry workload took a clear toll on his recentlyrepaired knee, deviating from the Wolverines’ preferred running back by committee approach. Charbonnet carried the ball more than 15 times just once over Michigan’s remaining 11 games, even though the Wolverines’ coaching staff insisted he was in good health. While Charbonnet’s ideal career trajectory would include a major bump in usage this fall, it’s difficult
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Sophomore running back Zach Charbonnet ran for 726 yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman in 2019, impressing Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.
to see that coming to fruition. He proved himself as a capable workhorse back while at his best last season, but the improvement of converted-linebacker Hassan Haskins and the return of suspended running back Chris Evans could put a dent in Charbonnet’s workload. Over Michigan’s last five games in 2019, Haskins logged 62 carries compared to Charbonnet’s 40. And with the stakes at their highest against top-ranked Ohio State, it was Haskins (12 rushes) who emerged as the go-to guy — not Charbonnet (four rushes). In offensive coordinator Josh Gattis’ up-tempo system, having multiple starting-caliber running backs works in the Wolverines’ favor. Even if his carry totals dip, Charbonnet’s efficiency stands to benefit from another offseason in the weight room, the experience of starting as a freshman and additional time to recover from last year’s knee surgery. “You could just tell by the way Zach carries himself,” Moore said last September. “He’s all about his business, very mature for his age. And, obviously, he’s a special talent.” In Charbonnet’s case, it’s the little things that can keep him on the field. And in 2020, all it might take is an extra blitz pickup.
Sports What Michigan’s young corps learned from national team tryouts
8 — Friday, April 10, 2020
NICHOLAS STOLL Daily Sports Writer
Three players from the 2019 Michigan volleyball roster were invited to the USA College National Team tryouts. In the fall, they accounted for a combined 56.8 percent of the Wolverines’ kills, 48.4 percent of their blocks and 44.6 percent of their serving aces. Another key fact about them: All three are underclassmen. Sophomore outside hitter Paige Jones is the oldest of the three, being invited after a season where she topped the team with 463 kills. Jones’ attack power slotted her as the Wolverines’ top offensive weapon and secured her a unanimous selection to the AllBig Ten First Team. Middle blocker Jess Robinson and opposite hitter May Pertofsky, meanwhile, both received invitations fresh off of All-Big Ten Freshman Team nominations. Pertofsky and Robinson were second and third on the team in blocks and third and fourth on the team in kills, respectively.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Even with just 204 college athletes from across the country taking part in the National Team tryout, it’s clear why Michigan’s young core were invited. But while their basis of selection may be evident, the Wolverines’ experience at the tryout was not as easily predicted. The underclassmen knew they would be separated into three waves and participate in many drills over the course of the three-day February tryout in Colorado Springs, Colo. They knew that they would be split up by position and ranked by evaluators. They knew they would be separated from their teammates. But they didn’t know just how much that might impact them. “It was really individualistic,” Robinson said. “When we came back, the first thing our coaches asked us was to share one thing we thought we had learned at USA, and the first thing that I said was ‘teammates.’ ” Robinson was offered a position on one of the national
teams and turned it down. She cited her desire to work with her own team in Ann Arbor over the summer as the primary reason why. Robinson wasn’t alone. Pertofsky, who was offered an alternate position, declined for the sake of her team as well. “I think the biggest lasting impact for me, honestly, would be I never really realized how important having a real connection with the people you’re playing around is,” Pertofsky said. “I remember I was blocking with a bunch of different
middles, and then I went on a court with Jess (Robinson) and we were just super connected and super fluid, and it was fun. It just felt right.” For the rest of the time, when it didn’t feel ‘right,’ the tryout was something new for all three Wolverines. It forced them out of their comfort zone and asked them to perform at the highest level possible without their Michigan teammates in order to impress the college coaches who served as evaluators. For Michigan coach Mark Rosen, who served as one of the evaluators, that lack of comfort
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Sophomore Jess Robinson is a key part of Michigan’s young core.
was exactly what he wanted for his players. “For us to learn, for us to grow, and for us to get better, we have to be uncomfortable,” Rosen said. “We have to struggle. We have to fail. … I want them to struggle, and not because I want them to not feel great, but I just know it’s what they’re going to get better from.” One of the largest struggles for the players at the tryout will be an important adjustment in the fall — adapting to a new setter. Experienced senior setter MacKenzi Welsh played her final season at Michigan this past fall, and the Wolverines will need to find a new rhythm with a fresh setter, whether that setter is former freshman Maddie Dowd or incoming freshman Jenni Liu. Jones, a player Rosen described as a strong tempo hitter, ran into some struggles with the constant switching of setters at the tryout. “It was a little tough trying to connect with the setters there,” Jones said. “It was a good lesson to learn that we both had
to adapt and it wasn’t on one person … but it was definitely a challenge.” Jones didn’t bat an eye, however, at the insecurity of losing Welsh, citing the adaptability she, Robinson and Pertofsky learned in Colorado Springs as a key factor in the transition. “It can only go up from here,” Jones said. “It was nice that we had young players last year because now that we have that we’re able to just keep them and build off of their experiences that they had last year.” The Wolverines will enter their upcoming season with just two seniors on the roster, only one of whom was in the starting rotation last year. And its young core looks ready to become a force come fall. Michigan is replacing seven seniors from a year ago and will have to rely on all levels of players to find success. But after their tryouts, the Wolverines aren’t worrying much about experience or talent. They believe one thing to be more important than anything else: teamwork.
Jayde Riviere relishing journey from World Cup to Ann Arbor AVI RAJENDRA-NICOLUCCI
Daily Sports Writer
For many students, the summer before heading to college is filled with leisure time and bittersweet memories with high school friends. Not for Jayde Riviere. But she’s not your typical 18-year old. For her last summer as a high school student, she was in France representing Canada in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. But before she competed on soccer’s biggest stage, Riviere sat in a training camp in Spain with no idea if she was going to be selected to the Canadian squad. At the end of the camp, all of the players were led into a dark room. The lights flipped on and projected onto a board were the names of the final World Cup team. The celebrations erupted. Riviere said that she almost broke down in tears when she realized she was going to France. “For me, the World Cup is huge,” Riviere said. “It defines women’s soccer. The FIFA Women’s World Cup — everyone knows about it. To be a part of it at a young age, no one can take that away from me.” Being the secondyoungest member of the team, Riviere felt that connecting with the veterans was important. 36-year-old star forward Christine Sinclair took Riviere under her wing and when she was handed a start
in the second match of the group stages against New Zealand, Sinclair challenged her to bring her A-game. It ended up being one of her best performances for the national team, and Canada cruised to a 2-0 victory. “My coach likes to say that if you don’t get butterflies or anything with an international match then there’s something wrong with us,” Riviere said. “There’s obviously a lot of pressure to be representing my country. Always a sense of pride and pressure when you’re wearing that jersey and have that badge over your heart.” Riviere was selected for a reason. With her pace and attacking qualities, she fit in well at the wingback position. Canada finished in second place in their group, advancing to the knockout stages. Unfortunately for Riviere and her teammates, her run ended in a 1-0 loss to Sweden in the Round of 16. *** For Riviere, playing soccer isn’t just about winning games or scoring goals. It’s about family. Her father, Antony Riviere, grew up playing soccer in the island nation of Dominica. He taught her everything he knows about the game. But Antony wasn’t the only member of the family who helped teach her about the game. One of her role models growing up — alongside Sinclair, Ronaldinho and Cristiano Ronaldo — was her late-grandfather,
Arlington Riviere. Arlington saw promise in his granddaughter and wanted Jayde to be just as invested in her academics as her athletics. Arlington was never able to see her represent Canada or play at Michigan. He passed away when she was young. But playing soccer allows her to stay connected to her role model. “I was kind of like his favorite granddaughter,” Riviere said. “Every time I walk on the field I do the sign of the cross and I always point to him because I know he has the best seat right now.” That emphasis on academics was part of the reason Riviere ended up at Michigan. In her recruiting process, she had it narrowed down to two schools: Michigan and West Virginia. Riviere chose to come to Ann Arbor partly because she planned on graduating college, and saw value in getting a degree from Michigan. During an era in which growing numbers of players are choosing to forgo college altogether, Riviere is playing the long game. “Because of my success, I’ve had agents reach out,” Riviere said. “But my answer has been the same for every agent — I’m going to continue to do my four years at Michigan and get my diploma from there and after that, the doors can open up to anything professional-wise.” When Michigan coach
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Jayde Riviere made the Big Ten All-Freshman Team this season after playing in last summer’s World Cup.
Jennifer Klein accepted the job two years ago, Riviere was already committed to playing for the Wolverines. “One of the big things about Michigan and Canada is there is a connection between the two programs,” Klein said. “Michigan has had a lot of great Canadians that have been part of our program so that relationship was created years ago and we’ve just been able to continue to develop that relationship.” Riviere was initially recruited to play as a wide forward closer to the goal. But, as she became more involved with the national team she shifted to the wingback role which combines the defensive duties of a traditional outside back with the attacking responsibilities of a winger. The Canadian national team let the Michigan coaching staff
know they preferred Riviere to be deployed in a more defensive role at fullback to continue her development. “Defensively her individual ability, her speed is good,” Klein said. “I think those skill sets allow her to be impactful within our group and I’m just excited for the experience that she’s going to gain being with the Canadian team. “I think she has the ability to be a major contributor for our program. I think as the season went on last year you could see that she has the ability to take a game on and really capitalize and put the ball in the back of the net when the team needs it.” *** Due to the postponement of the summer Olympics, Riviere is planning on using this summer to do online classes and said that as of right now the Wolverines are preparing to play in the
fall. She has kept in touch with teammates during quarantine, using Zoom to reach out to incoming freshmen and returning players. Even though Riviere had her eyes on Tokyo, she is still focused on the upcoming fall season. “There will definitely be a kind of new flair to Michigan,” Riviere said. “I believe that we’re trying out new platforms, maybe new players in different positions kind of having a more versatile team. I think we obviously want to win a Big Ten (championship) and we want to win an NCAA Tournament. I think we set the bar last season and now it’s just about raising that bar.” Riviere has already played on some of the world’s biggest stages in women’s soccer. Now she’s ready to bring that experience and flair to Michigan.