The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.cam
Friday, October 10, 2014 - 3A
* The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom N tW Friday, October 10,2014- 3A
NEWS BRIEFS
FLINT, Mich,
Man sentenced
to five years for
drunken accident
A young man has been
sentenced to at least five years
in prison for a drunken wrong-
way crash that killed a woman in
Genesee County.
Zachary Parker shed tears
Thursdayashetold ajudgethathe
wishes he could trade spots with
the victim, Mariah Bailey-Collins,
who was killed in February.
The 19-year-old Parker was
driving the wrong way on U.S. 23
in Mundy Township. He was 18
at the time, and his blood-alcohol
level was more than twice the
legal limit. Bailey-Collins' son and
new husband were injured in the
crash.
Parker will be eligible for parole
after five years. His maximum
sentence is15 years in prison.
OAKLEY, Mich.
Judge: Oakley
police department
is closed for now
A judge has declared there's no
police department in a small town
in Saginaw County.
The Saginaw News says Judge
Robert Kaczmarek granted an
injunction Thursday, saying
Oakley can't have a police
department after the village
council voted to disband it last
month.
Chief Robert Reznick had
resumed patrols after obtaining a
privately funded insurance policy.
Oakley has roughly 300
residents, but Reznick had a corps
of 12 officers and 100 reserve
officers who lived around the
state and helped pay for the police
budget.
AUSTIN, Texas
Texas judge rules
against voter ID
requirements
A federal judge likened Texas'
strict voter ID requirement to
a poll tax deliberately meant to
suppress minority voter turn-
out and struck it down less than
a month before Election Day -
and mere hours after the U.S.
Supreme Court blocked a similar
measure in Wisconsin.
The twin rulings released
Thursday evening represent
major and somewhat surpris-
ing blows to largely Republican-
backed voter identification rules
sweeping the nation that have
generally been upheld in previous
rulings.
Approved in 2011, Texas' law
is considered among the nation's
harshest and had even been derid-
ed in court by the Justice Depart-
ment as blatant discrimination.
Wisconsin's law was passed the
same year and has remained a
similar political flashpoint.
MEXICO CITY
Leader of Juarez
drug cartel arrested
by Mexican officials
Federal police arrested alleged
Juarez drug cartel leader Vicente
Carrillo Fuentes in the northern
city of Torreon on Thursday,
Mexican officials announced.
After investigators narrowed
Carrillo Fuentes' whereabouts
to a neighborhood of Torreon,
he was taken into custody at a
traffic checkpoint without a shot
being fired, National Security
Commissioner Monte Alejandro
Rubido said.
Attorney General Jesus Murillo
Karam called the arrest "a capture
of great importance."
"We are extremely heartened
by the court's decision, which
affirms our position that the
Texas voter identification law
unfairly and unnecessarily
restricts access to the franchise,"
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
said in a statement. "We are also
pleased that the Supreme Court
has refused to allow Wisconsin
to implement its own restrictive
voter identification law."
-Compiled from
Daily wire reports
DETROIT
From Page 1A
people."
The series is held weekly in
Detroit, with program operators
offering transportation for stu-
dents of the class and others.
Thursday's event, "Reflections
on the State of Detroit Public
Schools," focused on controver-
sial topics around education in
Detroit and featured three guest
speakers.
Linda Spight, former Mum-
ford High School principal,
Asenath Andrews, former prin-
cipal of Catherine Ferguson
Academy, and Yolanda Peoples,
the parent of both a current and
former DPS student, all voiced
concerns about the schools in
Detroit.
Peoples called for the Univer-
sity to give up its partnership
with the Detroit School of Arts,
saying the school is being mis-
managed. She cited overall atten-
dance dropping, arts programs
being cut and what she sees as
a poor decision to replace the
school's certified teachers with
teacher volunteers from Teach
for America.
"What self-governing schools
are supposed to do is to allow
the school and the community
to run itself," Peoples said. "It
is supposed to work to improve
academics and whatever
performance is lacking.
But remember DSA wasn't
lacking. It wasn't lacking in
attendance, it wasn't lacking in
performance, it wasn't lacking
in overall academics. So we have
to ask ourselves, 'Why are you
here?"'
Spight voiced separate
concerns, saying Republican
Gov. Rick Snyder's Educational
Achievement Authority
initiative, implemented
in 2012 and designed to
improve struggling schools, is
experimental and not turning
around schools.
Andrews, whose school
exclusively enrolls pregnant
and parenting teens, criticized
DPS for dropping Catherine
Ferguson from the district after
it became expensive, forcing it
to become a charter school. n
After the lectures, the floor
opened to the audience for
commentary, resulting inheated
comments from attendees.
Elena Herrada, member of
the DPS board, asked for the
EAA to revert DPS back to
Detroit and for the University to
withdraw its presence from the
Detroit School of Arts.
"We're asking for the support
of U of M students to go to the
School of Education and to tell
them to get out of Detroit School
ofArts,"Herradasaid. "Students
have the power to do this. You
don't have to live with what
Detroit students are livingwith.
They will never get to U of M if
they continue on the path that
they're on. You have the power
to make this happen for our
students. I'm asking you to go
to your Board of Regents, go to
your professors, go everywhere
and tell them hands off Detroit
Public Schools."
LSA junior Amy Kanka said
she took the mini-course to
learn more about the current
events and history of the city
she enjoys visiting and where
her father grew up.
"I just thought it was really
interesting that I actually never
knew about any of these topics,"
Kanka said. "I thought with
discussing schools in Detroit,
we would talk about unions or
the effect the economy had on
schools. I didn't know it was
such a deep, emotional topic, or
that the University of Michigan
had a direct relationship with it.
I'm applyingto the School of Ed.
and I had no idea that the school
had any correlation to DPS."
Regester said SID has a
philosophy that there are many
different kinds of educators
for their students, including
Detroiters who have formal
and informal qualifications.
The series is open to the public
to enable deeper learning for
everyone in attendance.
Members of the public who
attend at least five lectures
will receive a certificate of
participation, Lolita Hernandez,
SID creative writing lecturer
and Detroit native, said.
"When we open it to the
general public,we'regoingtoget
a wider array of perspectives,
viewpoints, life goals, and
developmental phases,"
Regester said. "All of that just
makes for a richer conversation,
and everybody ends up learning
more in the end."
The series will take place
most Thursdays this fall at
the U-M Detroit Center until
November 13. The University's
Detroit Center Connector bus,
which travels between Ann
Arbor and Detroit, provides
free transportation to and from
Detroiters Speak. Spaces for the
public can be reserved on the
UM Detroit Connector website.
MCUBED
From Page 1A
because it often isn't digital, or
is restricted by copyright laws.
"Our solution is to build
a system that would deliver
the songs in context of the
performance and then engage
performers in cataloguing
their music," Conway said.
"We educate them about their
options for copyright release
and ask them to make some
decisions song by song."
RackhamstudentVenkatram
Pepakayala was participating
in a much different project. He
spent the past year working to
improve biomedical implants
by removing cells that would
cause scar tissue formation.
Pepakayala said he was in
need of funding when he heard
about MCubed.
"I was looking for funding
for my Ph.D. work, and my
previous budget ran out last
year," Pepakayala said. "My
adviser got in touch with one of
the doctors from the eye clinic,
and they applied for a grant
and they got it."
LSA senior Jeff Pituch
was at the Symposium not
as a member of a cube but
for personal enjoyment. A
researcher himself, he said
he came to the Symposium
the year before and found it
inspirational.
"I found it really helpful in
terms of giving me new ideas
to approach other people in
different areas of research that
have similar ideas that I could
collaborate with in the future,"
Pituch said. "We're always
looking for new, innovative
solutions that I think are best
brought about when you talk
with somebody who really
doesn't know exactly what
you're doing, but likes to
research and has a passion for
finding out new things about
literally anything."
TECH
From Page 1A
the ingenuity of the tech trans-
fer team, the quality of research
being done at the University and
the resources and support pro-
vided by the University and com-
munity.
"The record number of new
inventions is a reflection of
the level of engagement our
researchers are having," Nisbet
said. "Because of their creativity,
we are seeing more of their work
coming to us."
University research discover-
ies are implemented around the
world, Nisbet said, though tech
transfer tries to boost the local
economy by finding local busi-
nesses that can benefit from the
inventions and creating startups
that are - at least initially -
located in Ann Arbor.
When looking to put their dis-
coveries on the market, research-
ers first report their idea to tech
transfer. The office gets more
than 400 reports per year, Nisbet
said. Specialists at tech transfer
then work on assessing, techni-
cally and commercially, what
wduld need to happen to make
the discovery a viable and valu-
able market item. They work
with the researcher on either
integrating the technology into
an existing business, or creating
a startup with the new technol-
ogy at its core.
After initial success, the busi-
nesses and startups pay royalties
to tech transfer and that money
is reinvested into research at the
University.
The record number of agree-
ments reflects a growing interest
in collaboration between busi-
nesses and the University, Nisbet
said. For example, the Michigan-
based engineering corporation
Michigan Aerospace has licensed
University technology through
tech transfer that allows for bet-
ter detection of ice and snow on
aviation equipment.
University startups are creat-
ed with the help of Tech Trans-
fer's Venture Center. A start-up
located in Ann Arbor called Aler-
tWatch, which allows physicians
to see all their patient informa-
tion in one centralized location,
was created with guidance from
the Venture Center.
"That's the whole idea," Nis-
bet said. "It's to have the work
of our research help the general
public."
Nisbet also spoke aboutthe rep-
utation of the University and the
research being done here, tying
the record-breaking success of
Tech Transfer this year to the suc-
cess of the University as a whole.
"The reason we have over
$1.3 billion in research expendi-
tures every year is because our
researchers are of such high qual-
ity," Nisbet said. "We're viewed
as one of the best research uni-
versities in the world."
The University will recognize
Tech Transfer's endeavors at the
14th annual Celebrate Invention
reception, which will be held in
the Michigan League Ballroom
Oct. 28.
SURVEY.
From PagelA
American 18 to 29 year olds eli-
gible to vote found that overall,
only 19 percent of those sur-
veyed considered themselves to
be politically active. In contrast,
30 percent of respondents in the
Daily's survey said they were
"politically active" and an addi-
tional 5 percent who said they
"strongly agreed."
Peter Levine, director of the
Center for Information and
Research on Civic Learning and
Engagement at Tufts Univer-
sity, said low levels of engage-
ment among young people and
differences between young
people enrolled in college and
those who are not can often
be explained by differences in
mobilization - the process of
disseminating campaign infor-
mation and encouraging voter
participation.
"There's a good effect to
mobilization. It works," Levine
said. "The University can be a
place that's targeted for mobili-
zation for party operations and
party volunteers to reach out
and that's a good thing. Rela-
tive to suburban neighborhoods,
there may be less mobilization
going on (there). Everybody's
young and they tend be off lists
and not noticed. On the other
hand, relative to low-income
working twenty-year olds in
Detroit, a University of Michi-
gan student is much more likely
to be contacted."
He added that at four-year,
competitive institutions like the
University of Michigan, several
factors can contribute to rela-
tively higher level of engagement
in comparison with others in the
same age demographic, most
namely higher levels of societal
advantage among the campus
population.
Michael Burns, director of
the Campus Vote Project, said in
terms of direct political partici-
pation by voting, there are also
several basic structural barriers
to the act of voting for college
students, namely lack of knowl-
edge about deadlines, residency
requirements for out-of-state
students and other logistics.
Only 23 percent of voters in
the Harvard survey said they
would "definitely be voting" in
this year's November midterm
elections, and in the last mid-
term elections in 2010, 24 per-
cent of 18-29 year olds voted,
according to U.S. Census data.
On college campuses, a little
over 30 percent of college stu-
dents voted in 2010, according to
data from CIRCLE.
In comparison, the average
voting rate among eligible voters
in U.S in the 2010 midterm elec-
tion was 45.5 percent.
"I think alot of it is just over-
coming - I like to call it an
information deficit," Burns said.
"Only about 13 percent of (col-
lege students who don't vote)
say 'Oh, it just wasn't important'
or 'Oh, my vote wasn't going to
change anything.' So I think the
majority of folks would vote,
even in midterm elections, if
they had the right information."
For two of the biggest partisan
political student organizations
on campus - the College Demo-
crats and the College Republi-
cans - high levels of potentially
unengaged and undecided eli-
gible voters are something they
see as both an opportunity and a
responsibility.
According to The Daily's sur-
vey, along with alack of demon-
strated political engagement and
a tendency toward indecision,
only 40 percent agreed that they
were well informed about politi-
cal issues.
"I think that there is a huge
problem of disengagement from
politics with young people," LSA
senior Trevor Dolan, chair of
the University's chapter of the
College Democrats, said. "A lot
of it is people haven't necessar-
ily had the time to experience
what political processes can
do for them, and they're sort of
divorced from it because they
haven't been moved by it ever."
LSA senior Gabriel Leaf, chair
of the University's chapter of
the College Republicans, said
especially on college campuses,
the first step towards becoming
engaged can be difficult.
"It's hard for youth to get
involved in politics ... it's defi-
nitely not something we think
about all the time," he said. "It's
the first election for many of us."
Dolan said for this year's mid-
term election, College Demo-
crats is choosing to focus on
specific issues and the progres-
sive values they speak to, as
opposed to simply encouraging
people to vote Democratic, in an
effort to better cater to students.
He pointed to several issues
as particularly relevant for stu-
dents from the Democratic per-
spective, including incumbent
candidate Republican Gov. Sny-
der's 15 percent cut to university
funding in 2011 and the recent
introduction of amendment to
the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights
Act by several Democratic state
senators and representatives,
which would change the act to
include sexual orientation, gen-
der identity and gender expres-
sion as protected classifications.
"It's really important that
people understand that what's
being debated impacts them
very directly, like for example
their tuition increase, or that
they'll be secure in their job and
can't be fired because they act
too effeminate," he said. "I think
that's what our responsibility as
the College Democrats is, to con-
vey to them why what is happen-
ing right now matters, and why
the people they vote for matter."
Leaf said College Republicans
was also taking an issues-based
approach, namely focusing on
jobs and the state's economy.
"I see us as an opportunity,"
he said. "We are there to educate
everyone, to provide opportuni-
ties, to give people access to that
(and) further their involvement."
BOYCOTT
From Page1A
- we don't leap to conclusions
or take on new projects - until
we've completed the first step:
trust," he added. "Trusting the
team, its leaders, and those
who help it develop - that is
how we open doors to a bright-
er future."
As confirmed by a search of
MCommunity, all respondents to
Dishell's statement in the com-
ments section of the CSG web-
site were alumni. In addition to
thoughts posted on MGoBlog
and the CSG website, recent
data analysis conducted by The
Michigan Daily revealed that
the majority of signatures on
the CSG petition to fire Brandon
were also graduates.
University alum Joseph
Lechtner said he agreed with
Dishell's sentiment that students
must support their athlete peers
on football Saturday. That, how-
ever, was why he endorsed the
boycott.
"As you clearly state, it's criti-
cal to support the players off and
on the field," Lechtner wrote in
his comment. "With the current
AD in place, the correct coaching
staff will never be here in Ann
Arbor and we'll continue to let
down the next group of Michi-
gan Student Athletes."
Law School student Zachary
Robock added commentary in
support of Dishell's statement,
writing that he is a proponent of
Brandon's firing, "But ... waiting
outside the game is not the way
to send this message."
"Regardless of the intended
message, an empty student sec-
tion is a signal to our players that
we don't support them," Robock
wrote. "We should not be airing
our concerns over Dave Brandon
by undermining our support in
the football team."
In a phone interview Thurs-
day, Dishell said he understands
the student body's call for a per-
sonnel change, but feels that
working to create effective poli-
cy changes within the preexist-
ing boundaries will be the most
realistic method of creating a
positive student experience.
As to Brandon, Dishell said
meeting with the Athletic Direc-
tor was a humanizing experi-
ence, and explained Brandon is
different than the pejorative way
some students portray him.
"He's someone who we're
looking to build a relationship
with to bridge the gap that exists
between students and the Ath-
letics Department," Dishell said.
"Absolutely it's going to take
time but I can tell you, the way
to build relationships is not by
going out and attacking some-
one. At the end of the day, agree
with him or disagree with him
on certain things, he's still our
athletic director."
To mitigate this perceived
gap, Dishell said CSG will soon
be releasing a survey where stu-
dents can respond to questions
and publish their criticisms of
the Athletic Department, which
he will parse through with Bran-
don in subsequent meetings.
Although he couldn't reveal
the exact plans for working with
the department until next week,
he hinted that they will entail
setting up a new, streamlined
way for students to communicate
with the Athletic Department,
while making administrators
more transparent and available
to the student body.
"I'm still going to go to rep-
resent the student voice, but the
way to do that is not by boycot-
ting," Dishell said.
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