' 3A - Thursday, November 6, 2014
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
WALKER
From Pagel1A
mentor and inspiration.
Walker's talk focused on the
theme of friendship, examining
the different kinds of friendship
that exist. She also emphasized
the importance that creating con-
nections has in achieving world
peace.
"Friendship is really impor-
tant, and not just between men
and women and women and
women and people you know; it's
important between countries,"
Walker said.
She is a vocal social justice
advocate and explained the criti-
cal potential she believes global
diplomacy can have in preventing
war and other atrocities.
"We in this country are in the
habit of dropping bombs on peo-
ple, dropping napalm on people,
dropping drones on people,"
Walker said. "The only way we
will save ourselves, the water,
the mountains that haven't been
decapitated ... is if we do it as
friends, on aglobal scale."
In her lecture, Walker said the
midterm election held Tuesday
was futile and that the American
political process is not on the path
to actual change. She discussed
her belief in the need for a new
system - one that defies politics.
"I see the political system as
not only born broken, but unfair,
and destined to be unfair forever,"
she said. "If we really want to
have a world that is safe for our
children, we really need to have
more imagination than to just talk
about red states and blue states
and Republicans and Democrats."
Walker characterizes herself
as a "womanist," and believes
this is important in her activism.
DAAS Professor Michael Awk-
ward, founder of the Zora Neale
Hurston Lecture, mentioned in
an interview with the Daily that
Walker uses the term "womanist"
to "signify that gender equity for
Black American women is impos-
SPLIT-TICKET
From Page 1A
against the party of the presi-
dent, thus giving Republican
statewide officeholders a boost.
Gerber also added that the
structural advantages of incum-
bency - such as having greater
name recognition - helped the
Republicans defeat their Demo-
cratic challengers.
Unlike those races, neither
Peters nor Republican opponent
Terri Lynn Land was running as
an incumbent, but rather for the
open seat created by Sen. Carl
Levin's (D) retirement. The out-
come in this race had more to do
with circumstances unique to
their race than common mid-
term election trends, according
to Gerber.
"I think (Peters) was just a
stronger candidate," Gerber said.
"He sort ofwon on his own record;
I'm not sure Terri Lynn Land was
as strong as a candidate."
In Congress, Peters broke
with the Democratic leadership
on fiscal issues on more than one
occasion, which Gerber believes
' could have improved his cross-
party appeal. Exit poll data from
NBC News showed evidence
of cross-party activity tilting
in Peters' favor: 20 percent of
Rick Snyder voters also voted
for Peters, while just 5 percent
of those supporting Democratic
gubernatorial candidate Mark
Schauer also voted for Land.
It is difficult to determine
whether Republican crossover
can be attributed to a negative
impression of Land that pushed
Republican voters away or sim-
ply to a positive attraction to
Peters. Yet given Land's rela-
tively good name recognition
as Michigan's former Secretary
REGENTS
From Page 1A
"I will continue to listen and
apply my experience to find solu-
tions to our stakeholders' con-
cerns," White said. "I also intend
to continue to be in close commu-
nication with student leaders to
make sure I have an understand-
ing about their concerns and can
address them promptly."
Behm currently works as a
litigator in Flint and is an active
member of the Democratic Party.
He worked as a volunteer lawyer
for the Clinton campaign in 1996
and created programs to edu-
sible to imagine until we recog-
nize that the lives of Black women
and men are inextricably bound
together."
Walker discussed her opposi-
tion to war and how she wrote a
children's book titled "Why War
is Never a Good Idea." She said
her strong anti-war and anti-
apartheid opinions contribute to
her opposition to the Israeli occu-
pation of the Gaza strip.
During, the question and
answer portion of the event, an
audience member asked about
Walker's view of the conflict in
Gaza, and Walker responded by
again emphasizing the impor-
tance of friendship and empathy.
She also compared the struggle
of the Palestinians with that of
African-American slaves, saying
it is critical that the situation be
resolved.
"There's something about that
situation that is really crucial for
the world to understand," she
said. "If we don't understand
what's happening there, I don't
think we can make it as a world.
It's that crucial."
Another question posed to
Walker was about how people
achieve friendship and peace
among others who murder and
commit atrocities.
"I think it's more about com-
passion, that they are such a mess,
and what they're missing in life,"
Walker-said. "I'm not eager to go
to the prom with those men in
that group in Nigeria, but it has a
lot to do with your own capacity
to have empathy for people," she
said in reference to an incident
in April when terrorists from the
Islamic extremist group Boko
Haram kidnapped almost 300
young girls.
Walker shared a few of her
poems throughout the lecture,
including one titled "Hope,"
which she said was dedicated to
humanity.
"Hope that every failure is an
arrow pointing towards enlight-
enment," she read. "Hope to sin
only in the service of waking up."
of State, Gerber theorized that
some Republican voters just
gravitated toward the congress-
man based on policy appeal
In addition to fiscal policy
drawing crossover, Political Sci-
ence Prof. Mike Traugott said
the gender wage gap was also
a deciding factor. Land took
positions against abortion and
same-sex marriage.
"I think especially for women
in the electorate, the Land cam-
paign was at a distinct disad-
vantage against Gary Peters on
these issues," Traugott said in
an interview Tuesday night.
NBC News exit poll data
showed that Peters performed
better among women who iden-
tified as either Republican or
Independent than Schauer did
in his race.
While his victory amidst a
political climate favorable to
Republicans was not the norm,
Peters did say it was a very fea-
sible outcome in Michigan.
"I think Michigan has always
had a history of ticket splitting,"
Peters told reporters at the MGM
Grand in Detroit on Tuesday
night. "(Voters) look at individual
candidates, look at what those
candidates bring to the office and
are willingto splittheticket. That
doesn't happen often."
To find the precedent, Peters
would have to go back 24 years
and recall the electoral his-
tory of Levin, the man he will
replace. In 1990, Republican
challenger John Engler unex-
pectedly defeated incumbent
Democratic Gov. Jim Blanchard
by a narrow margin. Despite the
election of a Republican gover-
nor, Levin easily fended off a
challenge that year from then-
U.S. Rep. Bill Schuette, who is
now Michigan's attorney gen-
eral.
Student startup creates product
for infant care and joint pain
Warmilu creators
hoping to find
business in area
hospitals
By EMILIE PLESSET
Daily StaffReporter
After being diagnosed with
joint disease, Fay Lum-Lee, a
58-year-old resident of Califor-
nia, experienced a great deal of
pain when moving throughout
her day and spent much of her
time in bed. However, Warmilu,
an advanced therapeutic warm-
ing technology created by Uni-
versity graduates, reduced her
pain and allowed herto continue
driving and moving around with
her family.
The Warmilu technology
was originally created to pre-
vent hypothermia in preterm
babies and help them retain or
increase body heat to improve
their chance for survival. The
technology is now also being
used as a non-pharmacological
treatment for adults with osteo-
arthritis or chronic joint pain.
Warmilu CEO Grace Hsia, a
University alum, who completed
her Master's of Entrepreneur-
ship in 2013, created the startup
idea during her senior year as an
undergraduate in the Universi-
ty's Material Science and Engi-
neering program. Hsia said the
technology generates warmth
instantly for three and a half to
five hours. The device - which
is incorporated into heating pads
and blankets - also has safety
features that limit the maximum
temperature so it doesn't burn or
overheat the user.
"We're spreading the warmth
to save infant lives,"Hsia said. "But
we'realsousingwarmthtoimprove
the lives offolks here inthe U.S."
The startup is looking into
applying the technology to a
wearable band so that it can be
applied to joint pain more direct-
ly. For people like Lum-Lee, this
technology has subdued joint
pain and improved movement.
"For a lot of these folks who
have a chronic condition like
the chronic joint condition, that
is amazing, it's liberating," Hsia
said. "That's what we're able to
do: provide this liberation and
continued mobility and freedom
for these baby boomers."
The startup began manufac-
turing the technology two years
ago and made its first sale in the
last quarter of 2013. Depending
on shipping, a warming pack can
cost between $30 and $40 and a
blanket is about $10.
When Warmilu began in 2011,
it was called M-Wrap. However,
at the suggestion of a University
professor, the company changed
its name to better convey its
vision of using warmth to trans-
form lives aroundthe world, and
not just at the University.
"Parents love their child,"
Hsia said., "Unfortunately their
love is not enough to reduce the
likelihood of death in these pre-
term infants. Warmth becomes
the embodiment of the parent's
love for these infants. That's
why we're called Warmilu: it
stands for 'I love you' at the end
of the name."
To develop the technology,
the Warmilu team tested out
the warming blanket in India,
where it positively improved
the health of 20 infants. The
organization is working to
expand the use of their warm-
ing technology and is hoping
to bring the blankets to Detroit
area hospitals.
The Warmilu team used
many of the entrepreneurial
ecosystem and resources avail-
able in the Detroit and Ann
Arbor areas such as the Univer-
sity School of Information and
the Innovate Blue initiative in
order to create the technology
and put it on the market.
Engineering graduate stu-
dent Alex Chen, Warmilu's
chief operating officer, said the
technology is an example of
how science and engineering
principles can create positive
change in the world.
"When you have a social ven-
ture, it means more than just
making a product," Hsia said.
"With startups you're address-
ing a problem with a potential
product or solution that can
be commercialized, but when
you're a social venture you're
looking at some social challenge
that you're looking to address.
There is a problem there that
has to deal with people."
Hsia said social entrepre-
neurship involves listening to
peoples' challenges and under-
standing social issues.
"As a social entrepreneur what
you find yourself doing is not
only trying to develop a product,
but also really understanding the
social systems and the gaps in the
system that are creating social
challenges," Hsia said. "You've
got to have passion for it"
CITY COUNCIL
From Page 1A
the renewal of the annual licens-
ing and maintenance agreement
with the ESRI, a service used
to create maps and other forms
of data presentation. The ESRI,
which includes the Spatial Data
Engine, is responsible for Ann
Arbor's base software utilized for
the maintenance and access of the
City Geographical Information
System databases.
The ArcSDE is responsible for,
spatial information storage in the
database. Programs like ArcSDE
are used to create sophisticated
maps and graphics. This engine
provides access to multiple users
while maintaining a secure envi-
ronment.
To renew this annual agree-
ment, the Information Technol-
ogy Services Fund budget has
planned for the cost of$58,435.62.
Resolution to direct Powers
to negotiate with Dahlmann
Corporation
Councilmembers Mike Anglin
(D-Ward 5), Jack Eaton (D-Ward
4), Jane Lumm (I-Ward 2) and
Sumi Kailasapathy (D-Ward 1).
- sponsored a resolution that would
require Powers to negotiate with
Dahlmann Corporation regard-
ing the use of the former YMCA
Lot, located across the street from
the Ann Arbor library, and the
affordable housing fund..
DennisDahlmann,headofDahl-
mann Corporation, has expressed
interest in using the former Y Lot
to generate money for Ann Arbor's
Affordable HousingFund.
This resolution, which was
originally on the Council's Oct.20
agenda but was postponed, would
require Powers to use all of his
resources to formulate an agree-
ment to make this official.
Hieftje's last Council meeting
After serving as Ann Arbor's
mayor for 14 years, Hieftje will
lead the Council tomorrow for the
last time.
In the mayoral election Tues-
day, Democratic candidate Chris-
topher Taylor, who served on the
Council for six years representing
Ward 3, defeated Independent
candidate Bryan Kelly.
Taylor's first Council meeting
as mayor is scheduled to be Nov.
17.
This will also be the last meet-
ing for councilmembers Sally
Petersen (D-Ward 2) and Margie
Teall (D-Ward 4). Incumbents
Kailasapathy and Chuck Warpe-
hoski (D-Ward 5) were reelected
along with new councilmembers
Julie Grand (D-Ward 1), Graydon
Kraphol (D-Ward 4) and Kirk
Westphal (D-Ward 2).
RECORDS
From Page 1A
sent to and from Brandon -
who resigned his post Oct. 31 -
between July 24 and July 26, 2013
was denied on the same grounds.
Both requests were made dur-
ing the process of investigating
the circumstances surrounding
former kicker Brendan Gibbons'
permanent separation from the
University for violating the Stu-
dent Sexual Misconduct Policy.
"If you have a government
employee creating any kind of a
document, even electronically,
that's a public record," said Frank
LoMonte, executive director of
the Student Press Law Center.
"If he's writing to other people
that he does business with about
Athletic Department business,
then that absolutely should be a
publicrecord."
The Michigan Penal Code
states: "All official books, papers
or records created by or received
in any office or agency of the
state of Michigan ... are declared
to be public property."
While the penal code does
not explicitly define the Univer-
sity as an "office or agency of the
state of Michigan," the Freedom
of Information Act does, stating:
"All state agencies, county and
other local governments, school
boards ... and public colleges and
universities are covered."
Fitzgerald, however, said the
University is "not a formal part of
state government," and Univer-
sity employees are free to choose
if, when and how frequently they
delete their e-mails.
The University has argued in
court multiple times that it is a
state agency, including the 1994
case of Moore v. University of
Michigan, regarding the firing
of a whistleblower in the school's
information technology depart-
ment. The case centered on
"whether (the University) can be
characterized as an arm or alter
ego of the state," according to the'
case brief. The University pre-
vailed in court on the back of an
argument that it is "an extension
of the State."
"Itwouldbe shockingto insist,
in the face of decades of legal
precedent, that open-record laws
don't apply to a public univer-
sity," LoMonte said. "Michigan
law requires every state agency
to maintain and enforce a records
retention schedule."
In comparison, Michigan State
University's document retention
policies appear to comply with
the law, requiring"General inter/
intra and non-institutional office
communication that deals with
the operation of a campus unit"
to be maintained for two years
before it can be deleted.
"(MSU's) schedule contains
the same two-year retention
policy for correspondence ... (as)
the records retention schedule
for state agencies in Michigan,"
LoMonte wrote in an e-mail
interview.
Policies at Western Michigan
University and Northern Michi-
gan University are also in compli-
ance with the state's document
retention schedule.
University General Counsel
Timothy Lynch declined to com-
ment on the relationship between
state law and University policy,
as did MSU General Counsel
Robert Noto.
The Daily's FOIA requests for
Brandon's e-mails were submit-
ted months before an Oct. 28
report from MGoBlog.com, a
popular non-University-affiliat-
ed Michigan sports blog, which
gained national traction largely
thanks to e-mails allegedly
sent from a University e-mail
address associated with Bran-
don's name.
The e-mails, confirmed as
authentic by MGoBlog, were
deemed by many to be confron-
tational and unprofessional, and
included phrases such as "Quit
drinking and go to bed," and
"Have a happy life." The Daily
could not independently con-
firm the authenticity of these
e-mails.
When the Daily submitted
requests for e-mail archives
of various other Big Ten ath-
letic directors in mid-2014,
representatives from MSU, the
University of Iowa, the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin, the University
of Nebraska, Purdue University
and the University of Illinois
responded with offers to provide
the records. The University of
Minnesota, Indiana University,
Pennsylvania State University
and Ohio State University did not
respond immediately.
The Freedom of Information
Act, passed in 1966, states that if
"the public body has arbitrarily
and capriciously violated this
act," the circuit court can award
compensatory damages plus
$500 in punitive damages to the
individual who submitted the
original request for records.
The Michigan Penal Code lists
a similar penalty for willfully
destroying records, a violation
"punishable by imprisonment in
the state prison not more than
two years or by a fine of not more
than $1,000.00.
The University's transpar-
ency, especially at a high level,
has been repeatedly criticized
in recent years. In 2011, The
Michigan Daily published a spe-
cial report detailing the Univer-
sity's high fees for Freedom of
Information Act requests, find-
ing that it charged much more
for documents than comparable
public institutions. Separately,
in July, the Detroit Free Press
announced that it would be
suing the University's Board of
Regents for allegedly violating
Michigan's Open Meetings law,
which requires that public bodies
adhere to a number of guidelines
for public debate.
cate citizens about elections to
discourage voter intimidation in
2004.
As a newly elected regent,
Behm's priorities lie in making
college affordable and accessible
statewide.
"I would like to see the state
of Michigan reinvest in the Uni-
versity of Michigan and in pub-
lic education," Behm said in an
interview with the Daily late last
month.
This year the results of the
regents do not parallel those at
top of the ticket races, despite
what historical patterns for state
boards have predicted.
In 2012, Democrats Mark Ber-
A
nstein and Shauna Ryder Diggs
won the two open seats on the
board and were carried to victory
in partby the election of President
Barack Obama at the top of the
ticket. Republicans Andrea Fisch-
er Newman and Andrew Richner
won the election in 2010 on the
coattails of Republican Gov. Rick
Snyder's landslide victory.
Weiser currently serves on the
board of many for-profit and non-
profit organizations, including
the $4.6 billion-valued real estate
company he founded, McKinley
Associates. He stressed his exper-
tise in the fields of diplomacy,
accounting, finance and politics
throughout his campaign and
was endorsed by The Detroit Free
Press in October.
Though Weiser said it was
unfortunate that he lost by such a
small margin, he does not intend
to stop working with the Univer-
sity in the coming years.
"It is what it is," he said.
Steele was the second repub-
lican candidate who ran in the
election. He stressed transpar-
ency in University actions during
his campaign, offering open office
hours for University students and
faculty and posting the check-
book and budget online.
He ran for the board in 2012
as well and was unavailable
Wednesday for comment.
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PAPER?
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for your enjoyment.
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