The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wednesday, September 17; 2014 - 3A
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EMERGENCY
From Page 1A
on this," he said, though he noted
that such meetings could have
occurred while he was on leave.
"If there's a gun in my
classroom - I will be honest -
I don't know what I would do,"
Campbell said. "I think it would
be gut instincts."
University Police told The
Michigan Daily last week that
community outreach volunteers
in the police department and
hospital security conduct pre-
sentations and training sessions
upon request for student groups
and departments. These presen-
tations address issues of personal
safety and how to respond to an
active shooter situation.
Campbell said faculty
members spend more time
discussing preventative
measures. Including what to
look for in students presenting
abnormal behavior that could
hint at future violence.
"Whenthe shootinghappened
at Virginia Tech, that got us
talking about how we handled
ourselves," he said. "In our
department meetings, we will
talk about who to keep an eye out
for or if we have a student that is
giving off red flags or is seeming
troubled."
Political Science Prof. Nicho-
las Valentino was teaching his
Mass Media and Political Behav-
ior course in the Chemistry
Building during the incident last
Wednesday and said he felt that
his students handled the situa-
tion well. One student in ROTC
told students to lie down in the
aisles and cover their heads
while the professor stood and
blocked the door.
Fabian Neuner, Valentino's
graduate student instructor, said
GSIs typically do not receive spe-
cific instructions during teacher
training about this type of situa-
tion. He said GSIs might discuss
protocol in "breakout sessions
every now and then" and the GSI
handbook mentions emergency
situations.
Despite this, Neuner said he
thought the class handled the
situation well. Most of what to
do, he said, was common sense.
"The only concern that I had
is that I would have liked for the
campus police to come around
and reassure everybody about
what had happened," Valentino
said. "I take it that they tried to
do that but they didn't for our
room - but that may have just
been an oversight."
He added: "We were actu-
ally very worried about what
was happening outside the class-
room. There was no way to know
if there was a false alarm or not."
University Police said com-
munication during an emergency
must occur on multiple platforms
to ensure everyone has an oppor-
tunity to be informed.
An emergency alert is acti-
vated when a police commander
determines that there is animmi-
nent threat requiring people to
take safety measures, as well as
confirmation of that threat. Con-
firmation may come in the form
of 911 calls or firsthand observa-
tions by a security officer.
E-mail is not always the fast-
est way of communicating a
threat to students, University
Police said. There may be fire-
walls or risks that the message
might not go through, especial-
ly in the morning when e-mail
traffic is much greater. Some
reported Wednesday that they
received the e-mail saying the
threat was a false alarm before
they received the initial e-mail
that first announced the threat.
In addition to e-mail mes-
sages, students can register their
phone numbers online with Uni-
versity Police to receive crime
alerts via text message or phone
call. University Police also have
their own Twitter feed, and
buildings with digital signage
read off crime alerts as well.
"The primary thing in these
incidents is getting emergency
responders to the scene to be able
to mitigate the threat, and then
the alerts are companion pieces
to inform people of what's going
on," University Police said.
University Police believe their
system works effectively. Eight
emergency alerts have been
issued in 2014 - two were tests
and four were weather-relat-
ed. The two other alerts were
Wednesday's and another that
was issued last Friday. Universi-
ty Police said they didn't receive
any feedback regarding problems
the University experienced in
receiving them.
In the case of the rubber gun,
Naval ROTC Captain Joseph
Evans said the program is work-
ing with University Police to
reinforce its policy with a new
set of more stringent procedures.
"We are very apologetic and
we are very aware that there are
real threats out there," Evans
said. "We cannot afford for peo-
ple to not to know who the good
guys are and who the bad guys
are."
BY et' tld ftr.! Y EAJ
TOWN-GOWN
From Page 1A
While Schlissel is new to town,
Councilmember Christopher Tay-
lor (D-Ward 3), who has spent the
last six years on City Council and
is currently Ann Arbor's Demo-
cratic nominee for mayor, said
he looks forward to bringing his
years of experience to the table
when addressing University-city
relations.
"I think that having a fiew
president and a new mayor is an
excellent opportunity to increase
communication and I am delight-
ed to hear President Schlissel
emphasize that and I certainly
echo that," Taylor said. "I know
he's still learning about Ann
Arbor and the community and
that he is very excited to do so."
Taylor said he intends to fully
convey the city's perspective on
the University's expansion and
purchasing of land following the
general election on Nov. 4. For
his part, Schlissel said he hopes
FERGUSON
From Page 1A
Berkeley on Nov. 9, 2011 when
Berkeley police "attacked and
brutalized peaceful student dem-
onstration," the resolution said.
During the meeting, amend-
ments were offered regarding
the language of the legislation,
including making it more inclu-
sive and representative of more
minorities.
Clarifications on the content of
to become an active member of
the city and to be viewed as a resi-
dent, constituent and colleague of
the mayor.
Both the University and the
city are public entities, meaning
they receive funding from the
state at large, but they each serve
two very different groups of the
Ann Arbor community with dis-
tinct missions and needs.
Jim Kosteva, the University's
director of community relations,
said despite the occasionally con-
flicting functions of each entity,
the economic and cultural ben-
efits the University provides for
Ann Arbor outweigh any negative
impact the on the city.
"On occasion, our efforts to
serve the public at the University
will generate a conflict with what
the city sees at its mission to serve
the community's general public,"
Kosteva said. "Consistently our
efforts and our hope is that the
activities that the University does
undertake end up having a net
overall positive impact."
Schlissel also addressed issues
beyond taking land off the city's
tax rolls, including "student
noise, dropping red plastic cups
and scoreboards that flash." Resi-
dents regularly file complaints
in relation to student partying,
game day activities and general
disruption in residential areas.
University and city officials feel
they are tasked with responding
to the needs of students and resi-
dents, which often appear to be in
opposition.
"We have to talk through these
issues andbe respectfulofthe fact
that it's a town with a lot of people
living here who aren't members of
the University," Schlissel said. "I
know that the University brings
huge economic advantages and
cultural advantages to the com-
munity, and the community as I
said becomes a wonderful place
for us to recruit students and fac-
ulty to, so I think we just need to
be respectful of one another."
Daily News Editor Sam Gring-
las and Daily News Reporter
Claire Bryan contributed to this
report.
SURVEY
From Page 1A
tion, the University was the
fourth-best public institution,
trailing the University of Cali-
fornia, Berkeley; the University
of California, Los Angeles and
the University of Virginia. Their
rankings are based on similar
criteria, focusing on undergradu-
ate academic reputation, faculty
resources, selectivity, alumni
giving and financial resources.
In an interview with The
Michigan Daily Sept. 8 about
the U.S. News rankings, Univer-
sity spokesman Rick Fitzgerald
said ranking systems like these
are not the only factor that pro-
spective students should use to
consider their future college
choice.
"What's good for one student
is not necessarily the best place
for the next student," Fitzgerald
said. "There's just no number one
school for everybody, no matter
what the rankings say."
the proposal were also discussed
during the meeting.
"When you say any efforts to
militarize the Ann Arbor and U
of M campus police, I think that
might need to be more specific.
Are we saying that we are maybe
opposing them getting taser
guns?" asked Engineering senior
Andy Modell, Engineering repre-
sentative.
The student assembly also
voted to pass resolutions regard-
ing the People's Climate March -
a climate and sustainability event
in New York City - and a resolu-
tion focused on expanding CSG's
presence outside of the Michigan
Union by holding meetings in
other University Unions across
campus.
The proposal to stand in soli-
darity with the people of Fer-
guson against police brutality
was referred to the resolutions
committee. The legislation will
be reviewed by the committee
and then the assembly will vote
on the proposal in the following
meeting.
POLICIANS
From Page 1A
nal candidates Terry Bowman
(R) and Debbie Dingell (D).
The candidates were each
given the opportunity to discuss
the priorities of their campaigns
and express their opinions on
pertinent issues, particularly
Michigan Senate Bill 2. This leg-
islation would enable advanced
practice registered nurses to
examine patients and prescribe
medication without the signa-
ture of a physician.
Most candidates did not take
a firm position for or against the
bill and many stated they did not
yet have the information neces-
sary to make an informed deci-
sion. However, Warren voiced
her her support of the bill.
In terms of his own goals for
his district, Zemke said greater
efforts must be made to attract
and retain people in Michigan.
He mentioned friends of his who
are moving away from the state
due to Michigan's social policies.
"They are feeling that Michi-
gan's not welcoming to every-
one," Zemke said. "So that is a
big part of the reason that I ran
for legislature. Talent attraction
and retention is our number one
issue economically. If you can't
have highly educated talent in all
shapes and forms then you don't
have a sustainable economy."
Zemke added that his cam-
paign is focused on improving
education funding.
"We already have excellent
higher education in Michigan,"
he said. "We need affordable
higher education' in Michigan,'
which it's not."
Lastly, Zemke emphasized the
need for and his previous work
on transit options such as a com-
muter rail in Michigan and the
need to work beyond partisan
divides, especially through the
Michigan House Appropriations
Committee, which he sits on.
Bowman, president and
founder of Union Conservatives
and has worked for 18 years at the
Ford Rawsonville Plant in Ypsi-
lanti, is competing against Deb-
bie Dingell, chair of the Wayne
State University Board of Gov-
ernors, for the seat being vacated
by Rep. John Dingell (D-12).
This seat is without an incum-
bent for the first time since 1955,
when Dingell was first elected to
Congress.
Bowman also criticized the
Affordable Care Act, which
he said took power away from
employees and gave it to employ-
ers.
"I'm telling (union members)
that what Obamacare has done
is give your employers the big-
gest bargaining chip imaginable
when your contracts expired,
because the company can hold
all the cards then against your
unions," Bowman said.
Bowman added that people in
the 12th district have expressed
frustration with what they see as
the negative consequences of the
ACA, including some people los-
ing their longtime doctors.
"It has not kept its promises,"
Bowman-said. "People in the
district are telling me that their
premiums are increasing and
their deductibles are going up.
(The ACA is) not sustainable in
a middle-income household and
that is a shame."
His opponent, Debbie Dingell,
emphasized the need for biparti-
sanship in government. As Rep.
Dingell's wife, she said she has
hostedbipartisan dinners so that
House and Senate members of
both parties could developbetter
working relationships.
"We've got to stop fighting.
We've got to work across the
aisle," Debbie Dingell said. "I
think the American people are
tired of partisan bickering in
Washington. They want to see
us work together to find solu-
tions."
While the WCMS Executive
Council has hosted this speaker
series for nearly 40 years, last
year was the first in which the
group transitioned its forum
from one dominated by a medi-
cal focus to a discussion of issues
of interest to the general elector-
ate. These general sessions are
held four times per year, with
candidates invited to two of the
events.
Event organizer Belinda
Chandler, WCMS executive
director, said she wanted to add
more variety to the sessions that
were originally dominated by
medical questions and answers.
"We are trying to open it up
more. It used to be just doctors
that would come and it was all
medical topics," Chandler said.
"We would like to have people
come, ask questions and give us
input for topics."
fMinnesota cities to take part
in pilot for high-risk areas
Program aims to
minimize impact of
extremists' threats
to the United States
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -
The cities of Minneapolis and
St. Paul will participate in a
Department of Justice pilot
program designed to engage
at-risk communities and stop
extremists from recruiting
Americans to join terror orga-
nizations overseas, U.S. Attor-
ney Andy Luger said Tuesday.
Luger, who announced the
Twin Cities' participation in an
interview with The Associated
Press, said the program will
bring more national expertise
and resources to address ter-
ror recruiting in Minnesota to
"build what we hope will be a
model for the rest of the coun-
try."
The goals, he said, are to
engage the community and
build trust to put a stop to
recruiting. Two other cit-
ies will also participate in the
pilots, announced a day earlier
by Attorney General Eric Hold-
er. Those cities have not been
publicly named.
Authorities in Minnesota are
investigating how a handful of
people were recruited to travel
to Syria and take up arms with
militants. At least one Minne-
sota man has died, and some
families fear their daughters
have also gone overseas to take
up the cause. Several Somalis
have been subpoenaed to testi-
fy before a federal grand jury -
some as recently as last week.
Luger said it would be hard
to quantify whether Minnesota
is seeing more recruiting than
other areas, but he said the
state's large Somali population
is a natural target for recruit-
ers.
"The Somali community
here deserves to live in peace
and security and what is hap-
pening with a small number of
people within their community
is disturbing to them," he said.
"So we in the federal govern-
ment owe it to our community
leaders, our religious leaders,
to make every effort to help
them combat this."
The pilot program - which
brings together prosecutors,
religious leaders, local law
enforcement and community
representatives - is a natu-
ral for Minnesota, which has
already been held up as an
international example for its
efforts in reaching out to at-
risk communities. Outreach
efforts have been a focus for
law enforcement since more
than 22 men began traveling
to Somalia to join the terror
group al-Shabab years ago.
Luger has already partici-
pated in regular dinners with
imams, one-on-one meetings
with community leaders and
quarterly discussions with
security officials. He said the
pilot brings several new ele-
ments to the table.
Among them, his office now
has access to national and
international experts on radi-
calism and recruiting, and can
use them to help community
members put together pub-
lic service announcements or
other messages - perhaps with
the help of the music industry
or Hollywood - to counter
extremist views that kids may
see on social media.
TWITTER (MICHIGANDAILY
Redefine your Future
Choose your country and program.
peacecorps.gov/openings
It only takes an hour to apply!
Campus Office: 734.647.2182 or peace.corps@umich.edu
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