Thursday, June 6, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Thursday, June 6, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
11l
University to launch fundraising
campaign in November 2013
Garnering financial
aid funds for
students top priority
By SAM GRINGLAS
Daily StaffReporter
Over the last few months,
University administrators and the
University's.Board of Regents have
welcomed several multi-million
dollar donations - the $110 million
donation from Charles Munger to
build a graduate residence hall and
the $50 million from the Zell Family
Foundation to endow the Masters of
Fine Arts in Creative Writing broke
records for University and LSA
giving respectively.
But the University's rallying cry
for philanthropic action has yet to
officially commence.
After months of planning and
two years of courting preliminary
donors, University officials are set
to launch the next capital campaign
Nov. 8.
In April, an army of campaign
leaders and volunteers - as well as
students, faculty and outgoing and
incoming provosts Phil Hanlon
and Martha Pollack, respectively -
met in preparation for November's
kickoff.
At the meeting, real estate
mogul and University alum
Stephen Ross announced he would
CASE
From Page 1
"It was a pretty weak identifica-
tion, (the witness) said that he could
have been wrong," Syed said. "That's
pretty significant when a witness
says that."
Last spring, it was revealed that
Strong made several phone calls
to his mother and girlfriend both
admitting his crime and saying that
Tyner was in fact not at the scene of
the crime at all. After Strong's death,
a suspected suicide,his mother came
forward with the new evidence.
The clinic is helping Tyner appeal
his case to the State Supreme Court
after new evidence was found that
may indicate he is innocent of the
murder he was convicted of in 2007.
chair the campaign although he
extended an open invitation for a
co-chair to join him.
Tom Baird, assistant vice
president of campaign strategy at
the University, said a chair serves
as the campaign's "top volunteer,"
providing a public persona, bringing
leaders together and solidifying the
campaign's brand.
While the University has found
its top volunteer, scores more
are needed to run a successful
campaign - and many of them have
already assumed a ready position.
Baird said volunteers are crucial in
any capital campaign as they form
committees, bolster the University's
network of connections, serve on
regional committees and tell the
University's story.
"They serve as examples of
people that are giving back and
having an impact," Baird said.
"They tell the story that Michigan is
important to support and endorsing
what people can achieve with the
University of Michigan through
their giving. They can have a real
impact on the world."
In framing the campaign,
University administrators have
set a list of focus areas for giving,
which Baird said would focus less
on infrastructure projects than
its predecessor, The Michigan
Difference, which ended in 2008
and raised $3.2 billion.
The campaign's highest priority
Strong's mother and girlfriend
testified and the case was granted
a motion for a new trial, although
the court of appeals reversed the
decision without hearing the case.
The clinic then took the case to the
State Supreme Court who ordered it
sent back to the Court of Appeals for
review.
Syed said although Tyner did
eventually get his whole story heard,
cases such as these, which he labeled
as a "weak conviction," often go
unchecked.
"It's not that uncommon that
someone gets convicted on the tes-
timony of just one witness," Syed
said. "Our system has 'proof beyond
a reasonable doubt' but I don't think
people understand in practice how
little that is."
Devon Holstad, a student attor-
ney forthe clinic, said the trendsthat
will be extending greater financial
aid to University students.
Additionally, the University
hopes to focus on projects to
extend classroom learning into
real world experiences that could
develop students' global views or
entrepreneurial spirits, for example.
Pollack said the University also
intends to use gifts toward public
good, centering around four areas:
human and environmental health,
poverty and inequality, sustainable
transportation and K-12 education.
"The University's a great
platform to have impact," Baird
said. "It's a very collaborative
institution. It's a place where if
you want to have an impact in any
area of human endeavor, Michigan
can probably help you realize your
passions by supporting people
doing the hard work that are the
best in the world."
In a February interview,
University President Mary Sue
Coleman told The Michigan Daily
the campaign must showcase the
power of giving in the lives of
students and faculty.
"We need to fashion this in a
way donors can get excited about
the difference they can make in
people's lives so a lot of this will be
storytelling about what students
have done and what the impact of
having various scholarships has
been," Coleman said.
Baird said University
lead to weak convictions include
faulty witness identification and
prosecutorial misconduct.
"They want to convict someone,"
Holstad said. "So they will latch onto
the first person that it may seem like
there's a chance that they commit-
ted the crime and ... ignore any other
evidence to the contrary."
Syed said another common prob-
lem in wrongful convictions is poor
representation for the accused. The
National Legal Aid and Defender
Association reported in 2011 that
Michigan ranked 44th in public
defense spending, with $7.35 spent
per capita.
"It has a lot to do with money but
it has a lot to do with things slipping
under the radar," Syed said. "In a
situation where budgets are tight,
criminal defendants aren't exactly
the first that get consideration."
Communications Director Lisa
Rudgers would likely play a
role in not only the branding
of the campaign, but also help
to effectively disseminate the
University's narrative to donors.
The upcoming project would
include a greater web presence and
emphasis on social media.
In addition, Baird said
telling the University's story to
potential donors takes on greater
importance as other universities
compete for donors' dollars. With
the end of the 2009 recession,
Baird said more public universities
have begun launching campaigns.
Campaigns by large private
institutions like Stanford - which
raised $6.2 billion - have brought
in billions of dollars.
With roughly five months before
the campaign launches, campaign
organizers are continuing to set
goals and organize volunteers. The
campaign's name, fundraising goal
and end date have yet to be set, along
with the campaign's role in the
University's upcoming bicentennial.
Development officials will also
continue to raise money for the
campaign's Nucleus Fund - gifts
collected in advance of a campaign's
launch. Since July 2011, the
University has gathered one billion
dollars in donations.
With the latest capital
campaign yet to begin, this total is
far from final.
The clinic is one of few in the
country that deals specifically with
non-DNA evidence. Syed said often
the only cases that are reopened
are those where new DNA evidence
emerges because DNA evidence is
considered the most likelyto change
the outcome of a case.
However, most cases don't have
any DNA evidence at all and prob-
lems like faulty witness testimony
are much more common, Syed said.
Brian Levy, a student attorney in
the clinic, said while DNA evidence
revealed the extent of wrongful con-
victions, there is now a much higher
demand for non-DNA clinics that
has not yet been met.
"There are constantly cases that
we are having to put on hold and not
able to investigate," Levy said. "It's
very sad that we can't do more than
we're doing."
?the khioan BaeUe
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327
www.michigandaily.com
KATIE BURKE MERYL HULTENG
Editor in Chief Business Manager
CONTACT INFORMATION
Newsroomofcehours
Sun.-Thurs 1im -2 a..
734-763.2459opt.3
Correstions correctionmihigadily.com
LetterstotheEditor othedailyym.chanda iy.com
or visit michigndal eomlters
PhtDepartment photo(,o ni.g..da.ly..om
Ars Sectinl samcius ,,,.ws lx.om,
Editorial Page opinion.mechiganda .com.
Sports Section sports mechigandail com
Magazine statement( nm.ch.ganda .com.
Advertising Phne:74-6-05
Department displey michigandi.com
tlassifieds Phone:7s34-764-0557
Department classified@michiganaiv.com
EDITORIAL STAFF
Elliot Alpern Managing Editor
nl pern@michigansaily.com
Aaron Guggenheim ManagingNewsEditor
agiggenhamichigandaily.com
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR: Alicia Adamczyk
EicFeregusonm Editorial Page Editor
SENIOR EDITORIA L PAGE EDITOR:
Megan McDonald
Greg Garno m Min a naging Sports Editor
SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS:
Jeremy Summitt, Alexa Dettelbach
John ynch ManagingArtsEditor
jp'Rn E R:i edig aRdRi sx.R i
SENIusOR RSEDTS: endall.uss,,,MaxRdwin.
Report Card: Grading Michi
n softball's 2013 season
By ALEJANDRO ZUNIGA,
ERIN LENNON and GREG
GARNO
Daily Sports Writers
From Orlando, Fla. to Fullerton,
Calif, to Lincoln, Neb., and finally
Oklahoma City, the No. 8 Michigan
softball team went the distance this
season,literally.Likeanyyoungteam
- one that boasted seven freshman
and four sophomores on its roster
- Michigan has experienced the
turbulence associated with a five-
monthseason and arunat anational
championship.
There were the highs - two
Super Regional final comeback
wins. to send the Wolverines to
the Women's College World Series
- and the lows, like an early exit
from the Big Ten tournament.
As it is in the classroom along
with the softball field, after the final
comes the grade.
Most Valuable Player: Sara
Driesenga
Sure, freshman shortstop Sierra
Romero swung her way to a Big Ten
Player of the Year award. But like
the old saying goes: They can't win
if they don't score.
For that reason, this year's most
valuable player is sophomore right-
hander Sara Driesenga.
Inplace ofthe preseason National
Collegiate Player ofthe Year finalist,
Haylie Wagner, Driesenga was
a horse from the start. Pitching
became the story of non-conference
play, as Driesenga bailed out a
streaking, youngoffense to earn the
Wolverines 21 victories. And when
Wagner returned, Driesenga didn't
relinquish her spot as Michigan's
No. I on the pitching staff.
When an offense that warranted
preceding adjectives like explosive,
contagious,potentorunstoppablein
the regular season was shut down
during the postseason, it was
Driesenga in the driver's seat all the
way to Oklahoma.
The Hudsonville, Mich. native
threw four complete-game shutouts
in nine NCAA tournament appear-
ances and earned seven victories.
Driesenga finished her
sophomore season with a 1.89
ERA and 31 of Michigan's 51 team
victories - a performance worthy
of first team All-Big Ten honors and
Michigan's 2013 MVP.
Most Improved: Sierra
Lawrence
One of just two freshmen on
scholarship at the University, left
fielder Sierra Lawrence finished
this season as the Wolverines' most
N In H s oe hILLIA MS/ aily
Junior first baseman Caitlin Blanchard helped lead a Micigan offense that ranked seventh nationally in runs scored this season.
Marlene Lacasse Managing Photo Editor
photo@michigandaily.com
Austineed Managing Design Editor
Meaghan Thompson ManagingCopyEditor
copydesk@michigandaily.com
BUSINESSSTAFF
Leah Louis-Prescott S ales Manager
improved player.
A recruit out of Greater Atlanta
Christian High School, Lawrence
was projected to find her home
next to a fellow Sierra, as in fresh-
man shortstop Sierra Romero. As a
senior in high school, Lawrence hit
.568 with a record-setting 14 home
runs and 49 bases stolen - a testa-
ment to her speed at 5-foot-8.
After struggling through fall ball,
Lawrence was questionable as a
starter, let alone a starting infielder.
When Romero secured her position
at shortstop, Lawrence was forced
to adjust to the outfield - in the
Wolverines' only unfilled position
in left field. The freshman commit-
ted three fielding errors in Febru-
ary and March, but was perfect the
remainder of the season.
Much like her defense, Lawrence
found her home in the batting order
midway through the season. In just
six days as the number-nine hitter,
Lawrence used her speed to turn
over the lineup and score 26 runs
for the offense in six Michigan
victories. A mid-season offensive
surge pushed Lawrence up in the
order behind junior slugger Caitlin
Blanchard.
Though it took a few months
to brand 'The Sierra's,' both were
selected to represent the United
States on the 2013 Junior Women's
National team in April.
In the Wolverines' final game at
the Women's College World Series,
Lawrence was the only player to
score against Washington - after
stealing second base, no less.
Lawrence finished the season
hitting.314 with 47 runs scored and
a team-leading 11 stolen bases, and
was one of six Wolverines named to
the All-Big Ten first team.
Offense: A/A-
It's tough to give Michigan any-
thing less than this grade after the
numbers it put up. Really, this team
went as far as its offense went.
The Wolverines finished the sea-
son tied with Tennessee for sixth
place in runs scored, with 6.64, and
entered the NCAA Tournament
ranked second. They finished 15th
nationally in team batting average
(.321) and had the Big Ten Player of
the Year in slugger Sierra Romero.
Butthe postseasonmay be a more
accurate determiner of how the
offense actually performed, which
simply put, was nohexistent. The
Wolverines ranked eighth out of
the eight teams in the WCWS and
totaled just 10 hits while scoring
only four runs. Only Arizona State
(Michigan's only win) had less runs,
but played fewer games.
And while the Big Ten season
may have contributed to inflated
numbers, they were still spectacu-
lar. Nine mercy-rule victories, 21
runs in a game and 74 home runs
certainly deserve some respect.
Pitching: B+
Sara Driesenga can only do so
much. And while she certainly is
deserving of Michigan's MVP, her
teammate in the circle couldn't
quite keep up, bringing this grade
down just a notch.
Driesenga and her teammate,
sophomore left-hander Haylie
Wagner, put up impressive numbers
together, like a combined ERA of
2.38. Along with right-handers,
freshman Alice Fitzpatrick and
senior Stephanie Speierman, the
Wolverines posted a solid 2.31 ERA,
good for 41st in the nation.
But Wagner was injured and
never fully regained her old self
from last year's stellar season. Fitz-
patrick and Speierman were never
strong enough to fill in, and both
ended the season with a high ERA.
The result was a one-woman show
that exposed depth at a position that
wasn't expected to be an issue.
Defense: B-
In a second elimination game
against Washington on Sunday, the
No. 8 Michigan softball team car-
ried a one-run lead into the top of
the sixth inning with a chance at a
rematch with No.1 Oklahoma.
The Huskies led off the inning
with a single. A subsequent ball
off of sophomore pitcher Sara
Driesenga's ankle into right field
and throws to home, second and
third, put Washington up by one
with a runner on third.
It was one of the rare times
the defense had failed Driesenga
throughout the Wolverine'sjourney
to the WCWS, but something that
didn't surprise Michigan coach
Carol Hutchins.
As a team, Michigan committed
77 errors this season, which is well
over an error a game.
And while the roster may have
boasted offensive stars, the defense
often looked like a whole different
team. Freshman shortstop and
hitting sensation Sierra Romero
may have hit 23 home runs, but she
finished the season with a team-
leading 24 errors at shortstop. With
13 errors of her own, senior second
baseman Ashley Lane finished her
season second to Romero in both
home runs and errors.
The team also converted just 22
double plays on the season.
The Wolverines earn a passing
grade on defense because of the post
season and the post season alone.
When a laboring Driesenga found
herself with the bases loaded several
times throughout the WCWS, it was
the defense that came through in ,
the clutch.
In Michigan's sole victory in
Oklahoma City against Arizona
State, senior third baseman Amy
Knapp - a newcomer to third
base in her senior year - fielded a
sharp grounder and threw home
to start a 5-2-3 double play and
end a bases-loaded threat. At third,
Knapp committed just six errors
this season - the lowest among
Michigan infielders. Lauren Sweet
also finished with a team-leading
.986 fielding percentage.
Like alB' at the classroom, there's
room for improvement.
Final Grade: A/A-
Hutchins has done it again.
A winning season is not enough.
More than 1,300 wins is not enough.
With a program that has won 15
conference titles, made 10 world
series and taken home a national
championship - the first and
only title east of the Mississippi -
Oklahoma was always the goal.
Still, this season was intended to ...
be one of rebuilding. Having lost all-
star Amanda Chidester and captain
Bree Evans, 2013 was to be about
grooming the talented freshmen
class into a title-winning machine.
Hutchins talked of potential for
greatness from early on, if only this
squad would realize its potential in
time.
And they did.
The Wolverines went undefeated
in the Big Ten before meeting
Nebraska in Lincoln to snap
a 23-game winning streak. At
Alumni Field, the home team was
undefeated during the regular
season and dropped just one game
in the NCAA Super Regional to
Louisiana-Laffayette.
But at the WCWS, the Wolverines
were given a taste of their own
medicine by top-seeded Oklahoma
in Sooner territory - the team that
would go undefeated en route to a
national championship. And yet,
with their backs up against the wall
and in the wee hours of the night, a
nonetheless, Michigan earned a
victory over Arizona to extend its
season, if only by hours.
For now, let's remember that
this team was one of eight teams to
make it to the WCWS, and one of six
to win a game while in Oklahoma
City.
The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is
published every Thursday during the
spring and suner termas y students
at the University at Michigan. One copy
is available free of charge to all readers.
Additional copies maybe picked up at the
Daily's oftice tar $2. Suhscriptions turtall
tern, starting in Septemher, uia U.S. nail
are $110. Winter term l(anuary through
April) is $115, yearlong (September
through April)is $195. University affiliates
are suhject In a reduced suhscription rate.
On-canpus suhscriptius fur tall tern
are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid.
The Michigan Daily is a member of The
Associated Press and The Associated
Cnllegiate Press.