The Michigan Daily - michigandai
INTERVIEW
From Page 1
said he had not met with Bran-
don since the game. However,
Brandon said, "right after the
game, whenever anyone's injured,
there's immediate discussion, and
the discussion really is centered
around, 'are they OK?'
"The discussion I heard was
that Shane was doing fine," Bran-
don said.
The Athletic Director said he
spent Sunday "getting further
acquainted to what happened on
the sidelines" without Hoke. And
Brandon decided that, at least for
the time being, Hoke will remain
in charge of the football team.
As the person "responsible for
Michigan athletics," Brandon
explained that he made the deci-
sion to release Tuesday morning's
statement, despite Hoke previous-
ly saying itwould come from med-
ical professionals. The Athletic
Director said information learned
throughout the day Monday led to
the release being finalized close to
1a.m.
"The appropriate person in
athletics - and I judged that to
be me - needed to make it very
clear that a mistake Was made,"
Brandon said. "We own it, we rec-
ognize and we acknowledge that
a mistake was made, we apologize
for it - and I did - and we imme-
diately committed that we would
learn from it and make changes
S to ensure that it wouldn't happen
again."
New protocol
Brandon said he is moving for-
ward to improve sideline com-
munication to avoid a situation
"where everybody isn't on the
same page." As a first step, he
said the Athletic Department
will bring in technology the team
has never had before, wiring in
trainers and doctors to be in com-
munication while the game pro-
gresses.
With 110 players on the side-
line spread between the 30-yard.
lines, Brandon's larger goal is
to have his staff connected at in
real-time to process everything.
"There are a lot of voices, a lot
of pak &:ioterpretinginf ma--
tion, communicating informa-
tion," he said. "One of the things

ly.com Friday, October 3, 2014 - 3

we worked really hard to fix, is
to try to bring more protocol and
more process around the whole
communication side of this so,
that we don't get into a situation
where everybody isn't on the
same page."
Brandon's bigger plan is to
insert a medical professional
into the press box, separate from
coordinators and "distractions,"
where they can review each play
in real-time and on a monitor
broadcasting a six-second delay,
all on top of a TV feed of the game
and the stream it displays.
Michigan will implement the
policy as soon as Saturday's game
against Rutgers.
"That provides a couple of
advantages," Brandon said. "He'll
be able to see the field and and see
things occurring that are hard to
see on the sideline. He'll be wired
to the sideline so that he can com-
municate with all those doctors
and trainers in a real-time basis.
He'll have a television set that is
always on a six-second delay. So
what he'll be able to do is watch
the player live from their vantage
point and then he can refer to the
play on television. .
"What I've learned, going
through this process, is that
one of the great advantages we
can provide them, is to get them
wired up in a way they can talk
to one another without hav-
ing to necessarily stand next to
one another, because sometimes
that's difficult."
But that doesn't mean Hoke
will be wearing a headset on the
sideline as a result of the fail-
ure in communication. Brandon
already believes Hoke's commu-
nication is more prevalent than
any other coach he has seen.
Hoke rarely wears a headset
on the sideline, using an assistant
behind him to relay any "infor-
mation that is specific to him,"
according to Brandon.
"That frees him up to better
communicate better with play-
ers," Brandon said. "And that's
just something that coach Hoke
has had as a practice in the way
that he coaches and the way that
he communicates with his play-
ers from the very beginning."
"We've taken some steps that
are both innovative and are
directly addressing the situation
that occuced Saturday in hopes
that something like that is not
going to happen again."

Student connect Sexual Misconduct Policy. The
incident calling for his removal
As of Thursday, more than occurred in 2009.
11,600 people have signed a peti- With a heavy amount of criti-
tion calling for Brandon's remov- cism, Brandon said he hopes to fix
al from his position, and nearly this relationship with students.
1,000 students marched through Despite the outcry, Brandon char-
the Diag to University President's acterized his relationship with
residence Monday, demanding students as "outstanding," noting
Schlissel to take action. widely positive reviews of night
Schlissel, who has the power games and other initiatives devel-
to terminate Brandon's contract if oped within the Athletic Depart-
he finds it necessary, and Brandon ment under his tenure.
began communicating about Mor- "I think there are a lot of people
ris' condition Saturday. Brandon who have decided to not like me
said Schlissel was "interested and who have never met me or have
engaged" in understanding the probably never met me or have
situation, and discovering exactly never been in the same room as me,
what happened and why commu- soI need to fix that," Brandon said.
nication errors occurred. "One of the things I want to do is
Brandon added that the Univer- to figure out ways I could connect
sity's executive officers - which more with the studentbody."
would include Schlissel, Univer- One of the largest criticisms of
sity Provost Martha Pollack and Brandon throughout his tenure
E. Royster Harper, the vice presi- has been his attention to build-
dent of student life - met this ing the brand of the department,
week as usual and discussed the rather than honoring Michigan's
situation in the Athletic Depart- historic athletic tradition. Bran-
ment and Brandon's statement he don, who played football for the
issued early Tuesday morning. University in the 1970s, noted the
For Brandon, though, he said differences between the game-
he hopes to fix his relationship day experience between then and
with students. The protest Tues- now, which for the most part is
day, he said, hit him hard. due to the increase of college foot-
"That's very hurtful," Bran- ball on television.
don said. "Anybody who thinks "The most difficult decisions
that they want groups to gather we make are balancing the com-
with the topic being criticism and mitment and respect we have for
sometimes very personal attacks traditions while also recognizing
on the work and the job. It's hurt- the world is changing around us,"
ful. It's hurtf ul to me, it's hurtful Brandon said. "...Everything's
to my family." different now. We compete with
"I'm not tone-deaf," he added. television sets."
"I felt very badly. My job and my In an effort to make himself
personality is to the best of my more transparent, Brandon will
ability, I have to fix that." make ahost of media appearances
Brandon also noted that he has Thursday, and said he hopes to
received incessant feedback from meet with students and media
alumni and donors. He noted more often to build a better rela-
that some of it was constructive, tionship. The most important
though he did not mention how part of athletics, he said, is the
much of it was negative. student-athletes.
This event is not the first "Michigan athletics cannot be
to call for changes within the successful without the community
Athletic Department. Students embracing this work, caring about
have voiced concern over sev- student-athletes and caring about
eral initiatives introduced dur- coaches, and supporting the work
ing Brandon's tenure, including a they do." Brandon said. "We have
General Admission seating policy, 931 student-athletes and 31 teams,
an uptick in student season ticket and they're not always going to be
prices and an underwhelming winning championships.
2014 football home game sched- "I'm just hopeful that with the
ule. The department came under controversy, personal attacks,
fire in January after The Michi- and demonstrations aside, we stay
gan Daily reported former kicker focused on the real purpose and
Brendan Gibbons was "petma- mission.,of the Athletic Depart-.
nently separated" from the Uni- ment and the young people we
versity for violating the Student care about."

CONCUSS
From Page
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toms must n
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ity of symptoms.
ION The more serious con-
1 sequence, second impact
syndrome, results from a
secondary blow to the head
or body before the brain has
y the Athletic recovered from the first. Cantu
in 2011, Kutcher said these situations, while
e Michigan athlet- rare, can set off a devastating
r with'ties to sev- chain reaction in the body.
Prior to his trip to "There can be a very rapid
epartment praised loss of auto-regulation of
utions to sports blood flow to the brain so that
tionally. the brain becomes engorged
ation with Michi- with blood causing massive
ecially his work as increased inter-cranial pres-
ian has parlayed sure, which in turn causes
ge into becoming brain herniation, which in turn
most sought-after causes death with about 50
logical experts in percent of those cases," Cantu
tates," the depart- said.
in a NCAA.com The second danger, an
uary. increase in symptom severity,
is the most common. In these
**** cases, aplayer returningto play
with a concussion can aggra-
fourth-quarter hit vate the concussion - trans-
Saturday, Kutcher forming a potentially minor
stumble and deter- injury into one that involves
eded to head down weeks, or even months, of
o evaluate Shane," symptoms.
Brandon's state- Contrary to second impact
syndrome, however, increases
before a neurolog- in symptom severity can occur
tion was conduct- even if a player does not sus-
trainers - who, tain an impact after returning
ote, were unaware to play. The physical exertion
njury- finished an of just returning to the field
of Morris' ankle again is enough to cause seri-
him to go back on ous damage.
one play after fifth- While a medical diagnosis
quarterback Devin and treatment are often con-
helmet came off, ducted on the sidelines during
o exit. both college and professional
rologist and other games, Cantu said more and
icians were not more physicians are electing
Shane was being to move players to the locker
turn to the field," room for exams - away from
ote. "(The) prob- the chaos and noise of crowds,
ion diagnosis was coaches and other players.
ear on the field on Cantu also said present-
in the examina- day coaches are much better
as conducted post- at respecting the role of phy-
sicians on the sideline, but
al diagnosis, deliv- that historically there have
ndon's statement: a been concerns with regard
ild concussion. to coaches permitting - or
there is little con- even encouraging - players
rding the defini- to ignore injuries. He added
'mild" concussion that an ideal setup would be
medical field. Most one that gives physicians carte
ictate that symp- blanche over removing players
ot persist past 15 to from the field.
In 2013, Hoke told The New
this timeframe, York Times he views his role as
unclear how such separate from medical staff.
was reached after "I'll defer to Jeff (Kutcher)
conference, espe- on concussions, and he won't
n the postgame tell me how to coach the defen-
did not reveal the sive line," Hoke said. "We'll be
good."
Twitter updates But the responsibilities of
ily's football beat, the medical staff - especially
ned to the game at while players are participating
ree minutes after in the game - appear uncer-
his probable con- tain in this case. After he took
indications from the hit, Morris took one more
randon are that a snap before being removed,
examination was calling into question the team
d on the sidelines. physicians' jurisdiction under
Hoke's management system.


ROMNEY
From Page 1
Reid (D-Nev.), particularly those
pertaining to the Keystone XL
pipeline, the Affordable Care Act,
amnesty for undocumented immi-
grants and Common Core educa-
tion standards.
The Obama administration
has delayed a vote on Keystone
XL, a controversial oil pipeline
approved by the Senate Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural
Resources in June, which would
carry oil from Alberta, Canada,
to the Gulf Coast. The ACA, the
signature legislative achievement
of the administration, has been
a similarly salient policy for the
GOP, especially House Republi-
cans, who have voted to repeal it
more than 5o times. The Common
Core, a set of federal mandates
for state K-12 education, has also
received bipartisan scrutiny.
"This is a person who will
make a difference in Washington
because her voice will take us in a
very different direction," Romney
said of Land.
SAPAC
From Page 1
relevant."
In the play, Chloe, played by
Music, Theatre & Dance junior
Daisy Bishop, becomes intoxicat-
ed at a high school party and can't
remember the events that pro-
ceed. After live tweets and You-
Tube videos begin to unravel the
mystery, the media arrives and
everyone begins pointing fingers.
Christopher Kilmartin, Ph.D.,
a psychology professor at the
University of Mary Washington

Analysts view Michigan as a
key state that the GOP could flip
in their quest to gain control of the
Senate, following the retirement
of incumbent Sen. Carl Levin (D-
Mich.). However, the Senate race
is now viewed as leaning in favor
of Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the
Democratic senatorial candidate
who has maintained a consistent
edge over Land during the last
month of the race, according to
recent polls.
Land, who took the stage after
Romney spoke, echoed several of
the same issuesrepeatingapledge
to vote against the ACA and also
pledging to oppose amnesty for
undocumented immigrants.
She pointed to several other
policy areas as additional focuses,
including fixing Michigan's roads,
and criticized both the Demo-
cratic Party and Peters for their
stances on those issues.
"Washington is broken, and
now it's trying to break Michigan,
and we need a senator who's going
to put Michigan first," Land said.
"We've been through some tough
times here, but we're making a
comeback."
Land also called on the state to

provide more options for skilled
workers in the form of grants,
namely for those who choose to
participate in vocational pro-
grams instead of attending four-
year colleges.
"The federal government gives
loans for four-year colleges, but
they leave behind those who don't
attend a university," she said.
The auto industry bailout in
2008, which state Democrats
have criticized Romney and Land
for not supporting, largely went
unmentioned by both speakers,
though a protest by a SuperPAC
outside the venue over the issue
drew roughly 100 people.
Republican candidates for three
of the state's university governing
bodies - Michigan State Universi-
ty, Wayne State University and the
University of Michigan - were
also in attendance at the rally.
Each university's governing board
currently has two open seats.
"We have an opportunity on
our campuses to create more of a
balance ... politically and from a
policy standpoint," Schostak said
before introducingthe candidates.
The University of Michigan's
Board of Regents currently has six

Democrats and two Republicans.
Both seats up for reelection this
year are currently held by Demo-
crats.
Republican candidate Ron
Weiser, a former U.S. ambassador
to Slovakia, stressed several goals,
including reducing tuition and the
financial burden on students after
graduation. Rob Steele, the other
Republican candidate, echoed
this call for fiscal responsibility.
He also pointed to diversity issues
on campus, and suggested that
the University could do more in
that area by recruiting veterans
through the G.I. Bill.
- Weiser also touched on some of
the negative publicity the Univer-
sity has been receiving recently.
"We have a new president," he
said. "There are some problems.
Give him a chance to fix those
problems."
Romney is the second major
out-of-state politician to visit the
state in recent weeks following a
visit last week by New Jersey Gov.
Chris Christie (R) to support Sny-
der. Michelle Obama is expected
to visit the state later in the month
in support of Democratic candi-
dates.


who attended the performance,
said blaming the survivor was a
common occurrence in the play.
"This is a very common reac-
tion in this case where people
are asking, 'Why did she drink
so much? Why did she dress that
way?' Victim-blaming is a secu-
rity operation. It's a way for peo-
ple to feel safer. I'm going to find
something that the victim did
and attribute her victimization to
that then because then if I don't
do that, I'm going to be safe."
Music, Theatre & Dance senior
Jocelyn Weberg, who attended
the performance Thursday, said
the play was successful in explor-

ing themes surrounding sexual
assault.
"The script is new and it's
really relevant," Weberg said. "I
really think it brought up a lot
of issues that people don't really
talk about. A lot of people aren't
really educated in what's right
and what isn't in these kinds of
situations."
After the show, Rider-Milkov-
ich and Kilmartin moderated a
discussion where audience mem-
bers had a chance to ask ques-
tions and share their comments
with actors and others involved
in the production.
Music, Theatre & Dance sopho-

more Tara Stallion, who plays the
character of Madison, said some
characters in the play have a hard
time speaking up for themselves
and the victim.
"When you're around your
friends a lot of times it's harder
to speak your mind and say, 'Hey,
that's wrong,"' she said. "When
you have a bunch of girls togeth-
er, it becomes a lot harder to
stand out as an individual and to
point out things that are messed
up or that you don't agree with so
you kind of just go with the flow."
"Good Kids" runs Oct. 3, 4, 10
and 11 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 5 and 12
at 2 p.m.

Robert Cantu, clinical pro-
fessor of neurosurgery at
Boston University and senior
adviser to the NFL's Head,
Neck and Spine Committee,
said a proper concussion evalu-
ation - had it been conducted
- would have taken at least 10
to 12 minutes. Certain symp-
toms, such as loss of conscious-
ness, stumbling and impaired
eye movements can lead to a
positive concussion diagno-
sis in fewer than 10 to 12 min-
utes, but a concussion cannot
be confidently ruled out in a
shorter amount of time.
"At the moment of concus-
sion, you don't really know if
it's going to be mild, moderate
or severe, because you don't
know how long the symptoms
are going to last," Cantu said.
Proper neurological exami-
nation following a concussion
includes - but is not limited
to - a 26-symptom checklist,
a neurological assessment of
cognitive aspects and memory,
assessment of eye-tracking and
movement and a range of phys-
ical balance tests.
Each one of these steps is
critical to the overall diagnosis,
especially in potential minor
injury, Cantu said.
"There are certain things
that you really know within
seconds, but for those that have
a lesser degree of concussion
you need to go through a com-
plete neurological exam."
Players who have sustained
concussions face two major
risks if they return to a game
prematurely: second impact
syndrome and increased sever-

In an interview Wednesday
with The Detroit Free Press,
Brandon placed the fault for
Morris' reinsertion on the
medical staff.
"Our medical staff, which
incorporates all of our trainers,
our physicians - it's a rather
large complement of people
down there - their job is to
notify the coaches ifa situation
occurs where either somebody
needs to come off the field or
somebody cannot go back on
the field." Brandon said.
To improve this communi-
cation, . the Athletic Depart-
ment sent out a statement
Thursday evening outlining its
plans to improve communica-
tion regarding player safety.
The new measures will
include having a certified ath-
letic trainer in the press box to
receive a better perspective on
injuries that may occur on the
field. This improvement will
allow the athletic trainer to
view multiple replays to best
watch for potential injuries.
To increase the effective-
ness of the system, the pro-
gram plans to add a two-way
radio communication process
between the medical staff and
trainers to ensure there are no
further breakdowns in com-
munication.
Another update to the proto-
col includes taking players' hel-
mets away once they are ruled
out of the game with an injury.
The new protocol will be
implemented Saturday night
when Michigan plays at Rut-
gers.


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