The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Tuesday, September 30, 2014 - 3
TROTTER
From Page 1
on the requests by the BSU.
Jackie Simpson, the newly
appointed director of Trotter,
said necessary improvements
also a included those to air
conditioning units. and safety
lighting.
In an interview with The
Michigan Daily, Simpson said
Trotter is also launching a
series of new initiatives on top
of facility changes.
A student programing board
is in the works, as well as a
multicultural advisory board
intended to discuss current
campus climate issues. Orga-
nizers are also planning to
launch a health and wellness
initiative, which will include
Zumba classes and designated
forums for students to engage
in discussion.
As the University plans for
a new Trotter, Rullman said
there is not yet a budget set
aside for that project. The
planning process is currently
underway and the first focus
group met last Wednesday.
Simpson said she strongly
desires a central location for
the new center.
"I am firmly committed for
there to be a multicultural
center on Central Campus,"
Simpson said. "My goal in this
facility is to make it a place and
space that, until the new facil-
ity is built, students feel good
about coming to."
0 ALBANIA
From Page 1
Albanians," Nishani said.
Political Science Prof. Anna
Grzymala-Busse, director of the
I Weiser Center, helped coordi-
nate the lecture. She also intro-
duced Nishani and noted that the
Weiser Center wanted to hear
Albania's perspective on its tran-
sition from a repressive regime
to a NATO military allowance
member and candidate for EU
membership.
"Albania, the country that
once built bunkers to fight.
against the West, became in
2009 a NATO member. Albanian
citizens who once were the most
isolated in the continent, now
travel in a visa-free regime in
Europe," Nishani said.
Nishani spoke about Albania's
long-standing religious toler-
ance, a relevant topic considering
the nation hosted Pope Francis
II last week. He said religion is
part of Albania's national heri-
tage and mentioned the peaceful
coexistence of various religions
within the country, as well as its
protection of many of its Jewish
citizens during World War II.
"Although a small nation, it
can provide a great contribution
with its model for religious tol-
erance and coexistence and of
accepting the others who are dif-
ferent," Nishani added.
He spoke about Albania's role
in the history of the Balkans and
emphasized that neutrality in the
conflicts ofneighboringcountries
has always been a priority.
He also focused on relations
between Albania and the United
States, which he said have large-
ly been positive dating back to
former U.S. Ambassador Charles
Telford Erickson's days in the
early 1900s. Though there was
some tension during the World
War II era, and a freeze during
the Cold War, Nishani said both
nations continue to be "close
friends, loyal allies and strategy
partners."
Nishani described Albanian
citizens as hardworking.
LSA senior Linda Camaj, pres-
ident of the Albanian American
Student Organization, said the
group does not have a specific
political preference and added
that Nishani's visit was well
received.
"As a group we are very sup-
portive just to have someone
from our country coming to the
University," Camaj said. "There
has been 100-percent positive
reaction to the president coming
here."
An audience member ques-
tioned Nishani on the country's
notoriety for corruption in its
judicial system. Nishani admit-
ted that the system still has
shortcomings, but noted that
under his presidency, there has
been a substantial increase in the
number of judges evaluated.
"The justice system reform is
one of the most crucial and need-
ed steps that we need to have in
our agenda now in Albania," Nis-
hani said.
Nishani also acknowledged
that crimes committed during
the communist era have to be
properly dealt with and noted
there are efforts to build insti-
tutions for restitution and com-
pensation of nationalized private
property during the communist
years.
C-SPAN
From Page 1
talented enough to benefit from
the level of education we pro-
vide here."
When asked by a caller if he
believes the University's $13,486
in-state tuition and $41,906
out-of-state tuition - on top of
$10,246 room and board charges
- are affordable, Schlissel said
he recognizes the costs.
"College is expensive," he
said. "I view it as a lifetime
investment ... another invest-
ment that families can make
that will benefit their children
throughout their lifetimes."
He also stressed the adminis-
tration's commitment to making
a University education acces-
sible to all citizens of the state
and - to the best extent possible
- to students outside the state
and around the world. Schlissel
noted the University is one of
few public institutions commit-
ted to a need-blind admissions
policy for in-state applicants.
"If we are not successful
making a college education
affordable based on merit, based
on willingness to work hard,
then in the long run our country
is in big trouble," Schlissel said.
The University's Victors for
Michigan fundraisingcampaign
is aiming to raise at least $1 bil-
lion for financial aid, scholar-
ships, work-study programs and
graduate fellowships.
In light of the 2008 economic
downturn, Schlissel pinpointed
the challenges associated with
declining financial support
from the state.
"I think much to their credit
our current state government
is beginning to reinvest in
public higher education as the
economy recovers, and that is a
very good trend," he said. "That
said, the increase in tuition is
inversely proportional to the
decrease in public support. I
would love to think the level of
support would increase and the
tuition would moderate, but the
total amount of dollars it takes
to give students an outstanding
education is growing up mod-
estly."
Schlissel recalled his own
time as an undergraduate stu-
dent, when he took advantage of
financial aid and loans, in addi-
tion to working an off-campus
job, to cover the cost of college.
He also highlighted the Uni-
versity's Flint and Dearborn
campuses as prime options for
people working toward a degree
over a longer period of time,
often while working or fulfilling
other responsibilities.
The conversation about
accessibility also touched on
the reason tuition continues
to increase when the Univer-
sity has an $8.4 billion endow-
ment and Athletic Department
spending continues to increase.
Schlissel said a significant
portion of the endowment feeds
financial aid and that the Uni-
versity is hard at work to fund-
raise additional support.
Though he recognized ath-
letic spending has become larg-
er as the public and media pay
increased attention to college
sports, he noted athletics don't
draw from the University's gen-
eral fund.
"Here at the University of
Michigan we are very fortunate
because of the attention of our
alumni and the involvement of
the community in supporting
some of the major sports," he
said. "Our athletic programs are
self-supporting."
The men's basketball and
football programs provide
enough resources to pay for all
27 other men's and women's
sports, and provides approxi-
mately $20 million to the cam-
pus budget because it pays the
cost of its athletic scholarships
Though Schlissel almost
exclusively answered questions
regarding affordability in high-
er education, some callers ques-
tioned the breadth of University
course requirements. :
"College is more than trade
school," Schlissel said. "We are
educatingstudents for alifetime
and it is very difficult to predict
what their lifetime needs will
be."
Schlissel said course require-
ments are diverse in order to
provide students with a compre-
hensive undergraduate experi-
ence.
"The things driving the econ-
omy today barely existed 20
years ago," Schlissel said. "We
offer a breadth of different dis-
ciplines as well as a basic educa-
tion with a set of what we hope
are transferable skills to fuel a
lifetime of personal satisfaction
and employability."
Throughout the 45-minute
interview Schlissel consistently
emphasized the University's
efforts to improve affordabil-
ity - which he noted is a chal-
lenge for institutions across the
nation.
"The core mission of the Uni-
versity is transforming lives
through education and doing
research that will fuel future
opportunities in our economy,"
he said.
Following Schlissel's inter-
view, the C-SPAN tour bus was
open to students in front of
Rackham Auditorium. The bus
is customized as a multimedia
demonstration vehicle that vis-
its middle schools, high schools,
universities, debates, book festi-
vals and conventions.
The bus also includes touch-
screen computers, televisions
showing C-SPAN's various pro-
grams, a mini-classroom area
and free access to the network's
video library with more than
200,000 hours' worth of cover-
age dating back to 1987.
Doug Hemmig, a C-SPAN
community relations represen-
tative, said the program is hop-
ing to raise awareness about the
issues being faced by universi-
ties across the country.
"When we have the Univer-
sity president on it is really a
chance to engage the whole
community, not just the stu-
dents, but the city, and discuss
higher education," he said.
SACUA
From Page 1
ride the policy.
After a discussion, SACUA
members unanimously decided
that the new policy did not assure
adequate representation of aca-
demic concerns and that they
would urge Schlissel to override
the model.
Business Economics Prof. Scott
MastenASAUTJA chair,.sai-the
group had some degree of choice
regarding the proposal.
"The issue from our perspec-
tive is, 'Do we want to override
all or none of it?' I think there will
be little pressure from athletic
directors to get faculty involved,"
Masten said. "I think the political
economy of this is, you're more
likely to see the two things you
want if you reject this."
SACUA said Schlisselis inclined
to override the proposal anyway,
but it wnuldbe helpful for himto
have the faculty's support.
Masten also recapped a recent
meeting with the deans of the
University's many schools. They
discussed similar sentiments of
a need for faculty inclusion in
administrative problems, and
Masten echoed their concerns.
"Too often faculty feel that it's
either ignored or resented when they
participate in central governance,"
he said. "It's really important to have
their expertise and to represent dif-
ferent units and their views."
THE MICHIGAN DAILY IS 124 NOW TURN UP
LECTURE
From Page 1
The work examines other women
who also contributed to the
beginnings of the environmental
movement and how they comple-
mented Carson's efforts.
Carson's "Silent Spring"
described the harmful effects of
pesticides on the environment
and human health. When it was
published, the book played a
major role in raising the general
public's awareness of environ-
mental concerns, including the
popular chemical DDT. Carson
is seen as an environmental pio-
neer who singlehandedly cata-
lyzed the modern environmental
movement. Regarding the effect
of "Silent Spring" on today's
society, the Natural Resources
Defense Council states that the
book led to the birth of environ-
mentalism.
LAW
From Page 2
noted is the fact that beneficiaries
of affirmative action tend to have
lower grade point averages once
they get to college than students
who have not benefited from affir-
mative action. Affirmative action
is a popular topic in the news,
and survey data shows that more
people believe they have lost a
position or acceptance because of
affirmative action than the total
number of people who could pos-
sibly have lost a position or accep-
tance because of affirmative action
policy, Primus said.
During his lecture, Musil said
uncovering the other female fig-
ures in the environmental move-
ment who are not as popularized
as Carson was the main motiva-
tion for writing his book.
"I began to ask myself, as in
other areas of history, Rachel
Carson cannot be alone and the
only main woman," Musil said.
"I wanted to challenge the myth
that she was a lone genius."
Some of the prominent
female figures who are featured
in Musil's book include Shir-
ley Briggs, who collaborated
with Carson on multiple proj-
ects before "Silent Spring" and
became the first executive direc-
tor of the Rachel Carson Coun-
cil; Susan Fenimore Cooper, the
first female nature writer and
Dr. Alice Hamilton, a University
alumwho devoted her life to rais-
ing awareness of occupational
safety and health issues and who
pioneered the field of toxicology.
Officially, the University cannot
use racial preferences in its admis-
sions processes after the Supreme
Court upheld the state constitu-
tion's ban on affirmative action.
Following the 2006 referendum,
Black enrollment at the University
has fallen by about 30 percent.
"It was a watershed mark for
affirmative action and from my
personal standpoint, not neces-
sarily what I wanted to see," said
Rackham student Pete Haviland-
Eduah about the decision.
Haviland-Eduah was one of
a handful of University students
who attended the lecture because
of his interest in the intricacies of
affirmative action.
Musil's book also discusses
how the environmental move-
ment existed before Carson
wrote "Silent Spring," assert-
ing that the public perception
of Carson's book as the birth of
the environmental movement is
inaccurate.
"(Carson) worked with a close
network of friends to call atten-
tion to the problem that has been
around for years," Musil said.
"So the idea that ('Silent Spring')
started the movement is rather
far from the truth."
Though his book brings many
additional female figures into the
spotlight, Musil did not under-
mine Carson's works or legacies.
"(Carson) combined literature,
science, humanities, and health
sciences in ways that are quite
extraordinary," said Musil. "She
was the first, the most success-
ful, and the most popular envi-
ronmentalist to link nature with
human health."
Primus explained that the
University may have alternatives
to increasing diversity without
relying on affirmative action pro-
cesses. He cited an existing policy
implemented at the University of
Texas at Austin in which students
from the top 10 percent of public
high schools are automatically
admitted. Due to lingering racial
divides in Texas public schools,
this process has the potential to
bring in more Black students.
"I think the University of Michi-
gan has always had a history of
trying to promote diversity. And I
think the University should contin-
ue along that path." said Rackham
student Andrew Floyd.
The 2014 Wallenberg Medal and Lecture
University of Michigan
www.wallenberg.umich.edu
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