21 Thursday, May 16, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Thursday, May 16, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 17 SPH opens Center for Cancer Biostatistics e emnsa Reeling 'M' needs improvement New facility to bring together graduate and undergrad work By AMRUTHA SIVAKUMAR Daily Staff Reporter As cancer research increases in complexity, interdisciplinary research methodologies are becoming more important in extracting viable results. As a result, the School of Public Health, in collaboration with the Comprehensive Cancer Center, will establish a new Center for Cancer Biostatistics within its departments. Unlike the current research conducted through the two institutions, the new center will involve advanced statistical methods and technologies to PROGRESS From Page 1 The site provides resources to undocumented students by offering contacts within the Office of Admissions and Office of Financial Aid and directingstudents to outside groups - such as the National Immigration Law Center - that can support their application to and enrollment in the University. While the site encourages the application of undocumented immigrants, it acknowledges that the University does not offer any specific financial aid programs to these applicants. Undocumented students are not able to file a Free Application for improve the quality of results. InApril,the Public HealthSchool announced in a press release that Biostatistics prof Jeremy Taylor will head the center. Taylor said the new center will be focused on statistical methods and will bring more complexity to the existing research methodologies of the school. "It's sort of a stimulus to get to a higher level from what we largely do already," Taylor said. "Now we have more to offer interms of intellectual power, focus and organization ability." Biostatistics prof Trivellore Rag- hunathan said, given an increasing volume of available cancer-related data, a "cutting-edge method to pro- cess these data and predict the can- cer-related outcomes" was required. Though the center will be housed within the Public Health Federal Student Aid without a social security number and are therefore ineligible for federal financial aid and centrally awarded University financial aid. Fitzgerald said the University acknowledged the difficulty of clearing this financial hurdle for undocumented students. "There are other private scholarships, some scholarships in individual schools and colleges that don't require the use of the FASFA form but... most financial aid requires FAFSA," he said. "That is a tough burden to overcome." Fitzgerald added that the process of applying to the University and receiving financial aid were two separate processes. Application to the University does not require School, Raghunathan said the pool of resources utilized by the center will be a joint enterprise between University departments. He stressed that while various University schools and colleges served as effective "administrative boundaries," there is no reason why research should be confined within those boundaries. "We need to comprehensively think about the methods that are needed to process all of these large amount of data," Raghunathan said. "We thought that bringing all the faculty and staff together under one roof would facilitate much more collaboration." Raghunathan said analyzing data from sources such as the federal Cen- ters for Medicaid and Medicare Ser- vices, survey research and statistical trials requires a greater collaboration of resources than currently exist. proof of citizenship while receiving financial aid does. University alum Kevin Mersol- Barg, one of the founders of CTE, said while he is appreciative of the website, more needs to be done. "CTE is really happy to see that the University has taken the first step to provide a more welcoming environment for undocumented students and prospective undocumented students," Mersol- Bargsaid. "However we believe that the University has much more work to do in terms of increasing access for undocumented students." Mersol-Barg added that CTE appreciated that, on the site, the University was forthright about the "grave financial hurdles" that undocumented students face. In June, faculty from the center will begin their migration into the new facility in the School of Public Health. However, Taylor said extensive planning and coordination is yet to be done. "(The center is) openbut we don't really have a game plan of what we wantto achieve," Taylor explained. Raghunathan said students stand to benefit from the center because of the opportunity for research grants and concentrated resource pools. The Public Health School pri- marily houses graduate programs, but Raghunathan said an expansion to undergraduate students is a pos- sibility through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program. "By bringing everybody into one building we think that we can exploit the strength of all these individual groups and enhance the research," he said. He said he has so far been disappointed with the outcome of the task force report. "There has been an utter lack of transparency in terms of progress that has been made in terms of their deliberations and what we can expect in terms of timeline and where the University will ultimately stand on the issue," Mersol-Bergsaid. In the meantime, Mersol-Berg said CTE will continue to be active in protests, including a presence at the May 16th regents meeting, and will find it "utterly unacceptable if progress has not been made come September." Fitzgerald said the website does not represent a shift in University policy regardingtuition equality. He said any shift in policy would come after University President Mary Sue Coleman and other top administra- tors reviewed the task force report submitted to the regents in March. "There has been no change in our policy at this point but certainly folks at the highest levels of the University administration have been looking very carefully at that task force report," he said. "(We are) trying to determine what the next step for the University might be." Fitzgerald said the University would continue work on the issue over the summer. "It is a complicated problem that we are looking very closely at and that is what we will continueto work on," Fitzgerald said. "Everybody expects that they will be moving ahead as quickly as they possibly can." 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com KATIE BURKE MERYLNULTENG Editor in Chief Business Manager CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom ofcehours Sun-Thurs 11 am. -2a.m .734-63-2450op,.3 Letters to the Editor tothedaily@michigandaily.com or visit michigandailycomletters PhotoDepartment photo @micindaiy, '"m Editorial Page opinion@michigandaily.com Sports Section sports@michigandaiycom Magazine statement@michigandaily.com Advertising ePene en741o-11 Departenrt doilydsplay@gail.com EDITORIAL STAFF Elliot Alpern Managing Editor Aaron Guggenheim Managing News Editor SENIORNEWSEIOR: Alicia Adamczyk EricFerguson Editorial PageEditor opinioneditors@michigandaily-com SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR: Megan McDonald GregGarno ManagingSportsEditor s portsed itors @michiga ndaily.com SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR: Jeremy summitt, Alexa Dettelbach lohn Lynch ManagingArtsEditor Jpl yn@michigandaily con SENIOR A RTS EDITORS: Max Radwin and Kendall Russ Marlene Lacasse Managing Photo Editor ,hoto( m ihegana lv.com AustinReed Managing DesignEditor MeaghanrThompson ManagingCopy Editor coprvdesk@michigandai, com BUSINESS STAFF Leah Louis-Prescott Sales Manager The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published every Thursday during the spring and summer terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is availabietree o charge to all readers. Additional copies maybe picked up at the Daily's oifice for $2. Subscriptions tor tall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April)is $195. University affiliates are suhject to a reduced suhscription rate. On-campus suhscriptionsbor ptall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press. The Michigan softball team blazed through regular-season conference play, garnering a 20-2 record and earning a sixth-straight Big Ten championship. But when the postseason began, the Wolver- ines experienced a harsh reality: It's a whole new ballgame. ALEJANDRO In the post- ZUNIGA season, every mistake is On Softball amplified. In the postseason, every team plays with a chip on its shoulder. And in the postseason, a tournament run can end after one bad inning. The postseason isn't for just anyone. Only the best succeed. But Michigan - by far the league's best offense - looked downright ordinary during the Big Ten Tournament in Lincoln, Neb. last weekend. After they terrorized Ohio State to the tune of 33 runs in three games in early April, the Wol- verines squeaked by the Buckeyes, 3-2, in the conference quarterfinals. The following afternoon, Michigan managed to plate just three runners as it was blasted by Wisconsin, 9-3. The Wolverines had also lost their first series of the season just two weekends before against Nebraska. Now, they have to regroup and take care of business at home in the NCAA Regional against new opponents if they want their season to continue. Fortunately for the No. 8 seed, Michigan is a perfect 16-0 at home. But maybe the Wolverines have lost some of their edge after facing nine ranked opponents before their Big Ten slate. Michigan entered April as the only conference team in the Top 25 and didn't play another ranked foe until April 26-28 at Nebraska. The Wolverines were then eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament by No. 24 Wisconsin, dropping Michigan's record against ranked opponents to 1-3 since league competition began. After terrorizing pitchers all sea- son, Big Ten Freshman and Player of the Year Sierra Romero might take a lot of the blame for the Wol- verines' recent struggles. The Mur- rieta, Calif. native's 32-game streak of reaching base was snapped when she went 0-for-4 against Ohio State in the conference quarterfinals, and she followed with an identical line against the Badgers the follow- ing afternoon. Romero also went 0-for-7 in the regular-season series against Nebraska when she failed to deliver in pressure situations, a facet of her game where she had no previous issues. But don't point to the freshman as the only reason for Michigan's sudden return to mortality. Haylie Wagner, last season's Big Ten Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, returned from an apparent back injury 19 games into the season and couldn't reproduce the same dominance as in 2012. The sophomore allows a full run per seven innings more than she did last year, while batters average over 30 points better - and Wagner has pitched 20 fewer complete games (albeit in 14 fewer games started). Even after Wagner's return from injury, sophomore Sara Driesenga has taken the bulk of the workload in the circle and delivered. The right-handed ace boasts a 26-6 record with a 1.81 earned-run average and has better than a 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. But Driesenga's production in the box has dipped sharply, and she bats .275 after hitting .340 last season. Behind the pitchers, Michigan's defense has been a source of frustration. The Wolverines' .958 fielding percentage is in the bottom half of the Big Ten, and their 66 errors are worse than all but two teams in the conference. In the postseason, those perfor- mances aren't enough to contend. But led by veteran coach Carol Hutchins, star-studded Michigan has the tools and experience neces- sary to make a deep postseason run. They have home-field advantage if they advance to the Super Region- als, where a three-game series will determine a berth in the Women's College World Series. But that's a big "if," and the Wolverines have to put all of those tools together quick- ly in order to challenge for the pro- gram's second national title. I Michigan to host NCAA Regional' By ERIN LENNON Chippewas, 11-0. Wagner threw Daily Sports Writer the shutoutand the offense ignited to the tune of four home runs of Despite an early exit from the the bats of freshman shortstop Big Ten tournament, the Michigan Sierra Romero and senior first softball team earned the nation's baseman Ashley Lane. No.8 seed and will host an NCAA With both Wagner and Rome- regional final this weekend. ro struggling of late, the second The Wolverines (20-3 Big Ten, matchup promises a closer result. 45-11 overall) will face Valparaiso As the only ranked team on Friday at 7 pm. Central Michi- besides Michigan in the Ann gan and No. 20 California will Arbor regional, California (30- round out the regional, which uti- 9) poses the biggest threat to the lizes double-elimination format. Wolverines. Having made it to the Valparaiso (34-25) clinched a College World Series in 2012, the spot in the Big Dance after win- Bears boast experience Michigan ning the Horizon League Champi- lacks. Cal dropped nine of its last onship. Following two wins over ten regular-season contests due Eastern Michigan, the Crusaders in large part to the absence of lost seven-straight games and did senior ace Jolene Henderson, but not win a series until the confer- in the final game of the season, ence championship. A late-season Henderson pitched a complete offensive surge from outfielder game and allowed just two runs. Amanda Korbb could spell trouble Michigan will host a regional for sophomore left-hander Hay- at Alumni Field for 12th time lie Wagner, who has given up 10 in the last 13 seasons. Last year, home runs in 25 appearances this Michigan travelled to Louisville, season - including a grand slam Kent. before it advanced to the in a loss to Wisconsin on Saturday. Super Regional against Alabama. 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CLEMENTS LIBRARY Sn z m 'I m1 B a h D f.1 4 ai! -'r;, ISM r .. y, :/ yy t 1 "ii1: i 1" 1% war. ; H,.-,m 7 8 4 9 2 4 6 7 5 5 1 7 72 1 36 4 6 1 92 E 35 6 In its sole contest against Central Michigan this season, Michigan took care of business in five innings, blasting the For softball NCAA tournament coverage, visit theblockm.com I 1 kd I Alw II ' . 1J ' i b' d 'i . " * .iii % .4 ,# ' 7 1 far