versity in on its Facebook page Wednesday. “The Center for Campus Involvement understands that there are many perspectives regarding the film American Sniper,” the statement read. “... We are planning to screen Ameri- can Sniper separately from the upcoming UMix event, in a forum that provides an appropriate space for dialogue and reflection.” Tuesday morning, after dis- covering UMix — a University- sponsored social event held most Friday nights — was planning to show the film “American Sniper,” LSA sophomore Lamees Mekka- oui wrote to the Center for Cam- pus Involvement regarding her concerns about the film’s showing. Directed by Clint Eastwood, “American Sniper” is based on the autobiography of U.S. Navy Seal Chris Kyle, who gained rec- ognition for having the most con- firmed kills by a sniper in U.S. military history during his ser- vice in Iraq. While some see it as a film as a testament to American nation- alism, others, like Mekkaoui, felt the film inspired anti-Muslim sentiment and did not think it was appropriate to show at UMix, which is generally a positive and safe alternative to other Friday night activities. “The reason why the film was disturbing to be played at UMix is because UMix is supposed to be fun and inclusive, and the movie ‘American Sniper’ raised a lot of controversy from all sides of the spectrum,” Mekkaoui said. “It’s clearly not something that could be fun and inclusive. It just doesn’t go with Build-A-Bear and inflat- able laser tag, those things just don’t go with ‘American Sniper.’ ” Wednesday evening, Univer- sity spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said it is unclear whether the “American Sniper” screening will still include a panel discussion, as promised initially by the CCI. Mekkaoui said the panel dis- cussion is central to her support of the University’s decision to show both films. “I’m really thankful to CCI for taking quick action in order to make sure that the voices of stu- dents were heard on campus and that CCI really acknowledged and made them feel like they mattered,” Mekkaoui said. In response to the controver- sy, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh wrote in a tweet that he plans to watch the film with his team. 2-News 2A — Thursday, April 9, 2015 News The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for fall 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 subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press. JENNIFER CALFAS Editor in Chief 734-418-4115 ext. 1251 jcalfas@michigandaily.com DOUGLAS SOLOMON Business Manager 734-418-4115 ext. 1241 dougsolo@michigandaily.com Newsroom 734-418-4115 opt. 3 Corrections corrections@michigandaily.com Arts Section arts@michigandaily.com Sports Section sports@michigandaily.com Display Sales dailydisplay@gmail.com Online Sales onlineads@michigandaily.com News Tips news@michigandaily.com Letters to the Editor tothedaily@michigandaily.com Editorial Page opinion@michigandaily.com Photography Section photo@michigandaily.com Classified Sales classified@michigandaily.com Finance finance@michigandaily.com EDITORIAL STAFF Lev Facher Managing Editor lfacher@michigandaily.com Sam Gringlas Managing News Editor gringlas@michigandaily.com SENIOR NEWS EDITORS: Shoham Geva, Will Greenberg, Amabel Karoub, Emma Kerr, Emilie Plesset, Michael Sugerman ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: Anastassios Adamopoulos, Tanaz Ahmed, Neala Berkowski, Alyssa Brandon, Nabeel Chollampat, Gen Hummer, Emma Kinery, Lara Moehlman, Carly Noah, Irene Park Aarica Marsh and Derek Wolfe Editorial Page Editors opinioneditors@michigandaily.com SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Claire Bryan and Matt Seligman ASSISTANT EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Regan Detwiler, Michael Paul, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Mary Kate Winn BLOG EDITOR: Tori Noble Max Cohen and Jake Lourim Managing Sports Editors sportseditors@michigandaily.com SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS: Max Bultman, Daniel Feldman, Rajat Khare, Erin Lennon, Jason Rubinstein, Jeremy Summitt ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS: Chloe Aubuchon, Minh Doan, Jacob Gase, Kelly Hall, Zach Shaw, Brad Whipple Adam Depollo and adepollo@michigandaily.com Chloe Gilke Managing Arts Editors chloeliz@michigandaily.com SENIOR ARTS EDITORS: Jamie Bircoll, Kathleen Davis, Catherine Sulpizio, Adam Theisen ARTS BEAT EDITORS: Alex Bernard, Karen Hua, Jacob Rich, Amelia Zak Allison Farrand and photo@michigandaily.com Ruby Wallau Managing Photo Editors SENIOR PHOTO EDITORS: Luna Anna Archey, James Coller, Virginia Lozano ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS: Amanda Allen, Zach Moore, Sam Mousigian, Paul Sherman Emily Schumer and design@michigandaily.com Shane Achenbach Managing Design Editors Ian Dillingham Magazine Editor statement@michigandaily.com DEPUTY MAGAZINE EDITORS: Natalie Gadbois STATEMENT PHOTO EDITOR: Luna Anna Archey STATEMENT LEAD DESIGNER: Jake Wellins Hannah Bates and copydesk@michigandaily.com Laura Schinagle Managing Copy Editors SENIOR COPY EDITORS: Emily Campbell and Emma Sutherland Amrutha Sivakumar Online Editor amrutha@michigandaily.com Kaylla Cantilina Managing Video Editor Carolyn Gearig Special Projects Manager BUSINESS STAFF Madeline Lacey University Accounts Manager Ailie Steir Classified Manager Simonne Kapadia Local Accounts Manager Olivia Jones Production Managers Jason Anterasian Finance Manager THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY In this week’s B-Side, The Michigan Daily profiles Xylem, the University’s undergraduate student-run literary magazine, including its composition and submission processes and other aspects of its operation. FOR MORE, SEE B-SIDE 2 CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Medical school aid WHAT: Back by popular demand, a workshop will be held to help students prepare to apply to medical schools. WHO: The Career Center WHEN: Today from 1 p.m to 2 p.m. WHERE: The Career Center Japan’s 3/11 Triple Disaster WHAT: A lecture will explore the Great East Japan Earthquake and the impact it had on media. WHO: Center for Japanese Studies WHEN: Today from 12 p.m to 1 p.m. WHERE: School of Social Work CLARIFICATION In the April 8 issue of The Michigan Daily, the byline of the author of the piece “Investigational Equity: Student challenges University sexual assault policies” did not appear in print. Senior News Editor Emma Kerr wrote the piece. Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@ michigandaily.com. The National Football League has hired the first full-time female referee, ESPN reported. Sarah Thomas was named one of nine new offcials on Wednesday. She has previously worked on exhibition games. 1 Louis Benech WHAT: Renowned landscape designer Louis Benech will give a presentation on his work. He has carried out over 300 projects around the world. WHO: Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design WHEN: Today from 5:10 p.m to 6 p.m. WHERE: Michigan Theater Three U.S. soliders were shot by an Afghan colleague on Wednesday, CBS reported. One U.S. solider was killed during the shooting while the other two were wounded. It took place during an embassy meeting. 3 M-Fly WHAT: A team of engineering students will discuss their work of creating a radio-controlled airplane. WHO: University of Michigan Retirees Association WHEN: Today from 3:15 p.m to 4:15 p.m. WHERE: Wyndham Gardens Hotel Film screening WHAT: 2014 documentary film “Cambodian Son” shows the journey of Kosal Khiev from prisoner in America to world-class poet in Cambodia. WHO: International Center WHEN: Today from 6 p.m to 10 p.m. WHERE: Palmer Commons, Forum Hall IRENE KIM/Daily LSA freshmen Marah Brinjikji and Lane Tobin try to find the frequency of a rotating string at Randall Laboratory on Wednesday afternoon. GOOD VIBRATIONS TUESDAY: Campus Voices THURSDAY: Twitter Talk FRIDAY: Photos of the Week WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers MONDAY: This Week in History FDR Lecture WHAT: A lecture will be held that explores America before the entry to WWII and how Presi- dent FDR faced a coun- try that was against the involvement of war. WHO: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute WHEN: Today from 10 a.m to 11:30 a.m. WHERE: Rave Cinema American public opinion WHAT: Guest speaker prof. Jack Citrin will give a lecture on the varying identities in American public opinion. WHO: Center for Political Studies-Institute for Social Research WHEN: Today from 4 p.m to 5:30 p.m. WHERE: Institute for Social Research, 1430 President draws on experience to discuss genetics By DYLAN BENNETT For the Daily When about 150 Biology 172 students opened their notebooks on Wednesday, the lecturer at the head of the class was not their usual professor; it was University President Mark Schlissel. Schlissel discussed personal- ized medicine and the human genome as a guest lecturer Wednesday morning in Rackham Auditorium. Biology Lecturer Laury Wood invited Schlissel to teach her Biology 172 class for a day. Schlis- sel’s lecture took the place of Wood’s regular Wednesday lec- ture. Before the lecture, Wood said her students were looking forward to hearing from Schlissel since they had spent time in class studying the human genome. Schlissel’s lecture drew on his lengthy career in the sciences. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in bio- chemical sciences and earned both an M.D. and Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he also served as a faculty member later in his career. He also served as dean of biological sciences at the Uni- versity of California, Berkeley, from 2008 to 2011 and has years of research experience in biology. Before he assumed the presi- dent, Schlissel was a noted researcher in the field of immu- nology. A focus of his work cen- tered on how immune cells form in bone marrow. In 2013, he pub- lished five papers while provost at Brown University, and during this time continued to work with his last Ph.D. students at Berkeley. As he walked into Rackham, Schlissel said he was excited to have the opportunity to teach, especially about a subject he is passionate about and in which he has a lot of experience. “I love to teach, and I was invited by a faculty colleague earlier in the year who thought it would be both fun for me and fun for the students, and I jumped at the chance,” Schlissel said. At the start of his lecture, Schlissel noted that it was his first time teaching a class at the University. “I intend to do some more of this as the years go by, but thanks for being my guinea pigs,” Schlis- sel said. Several of Schlissel’s com- ments centered on recently devel- oped biological research tools used to understand the basic functioning of cells and organ- isms. Schlissel said these tools are now used to combat disease and improve human health. “It really represents one of the future trends in clinical care,” Schlissel said. To gain a sense of the audi- ence’s future career plans, Schlis- sel asked how many students plan on applying to medical school. A majority of the student audience raised their hands. LSA freshman Eli Simons, a Biology 172 student, said he was fascinated by Schlissel’s profes- sional background in biology. “I think its really exciting that we have someone who is so expe- rienced in this growing field that is likely the future of many cures of different diseases,” Simons said. “The fact that he is president of our school adds a lot of gravitas to what he has to say.” Another student in the class, LSA freshman Michael Stan- do, said he was particularly impressed by how Schlissel took the time to interact academically with students. “I think it’s nice he spends his time with the student body,” Stando said. “People actually see him as a person rather just a fig- ure.” Schlissel lectures biology class on the human genome Matthaei Botanical Gardens staff cuts down plant By KATIE PENROD Daily Staff Reporter After 80 years at the Matthaei Botanical Garden, the Univer- sity’s American agave plant was cut down before a group of spectators Wednesday morn- ing. According to Mike Palmer, the garden’s manager of horti- culture, the American agave is monocarpic, meaning that after flowering, the plant naturally dies. Most plants grow for 25 to 30 years before flowering. This specific agave grew for 80 years before it flowered over the summer, making it a rarity, Palmer said. Palmer said after years of slow growth, the plant reached six feet in height and eight feet in width, and it began to show a flower stalk last year. “We don’t know why it took 80 years, but it started sending up a flower stalk a year ago in April and it was very exciting,” Palmer said. “But also we know what happens when an agave flowers; it eventually dies, so that was kind of sad.” According to a University press release, University alum Alfred Whiting brought the plant to Ann Arbor from New Mexico in 1934. The plant is native to Mexico and the south- western United States. It was kept in a pot for 30 years before being moved to the garden in the 1960s. Palmer said after the stalk became visible last April, the plant began to grow at a rapid rate. At this time, it also became a popular attraction for the garden; last year, visitor traffic increased by 50 percent after the agave bloomed. “It grows so slow for 80 years, then when it switches over to flowering, the hormones and everything in the plant changes and it begins to send up this unique flower stalk,” Palmer said. “It was shooting up at six inches every 24 hours. It went right up to the glass and then we took the glass off so it could grow above the glass. It’s 28 feet tall.” Palmer said the American agave is “officially dead,” and is being cut down due to the dan- ger it would pose if it were to fall over. Though the plant is now dead, Palmer said it will live on in two ways. For one, the Botanical Gardens will reuse its seeds to plant a new agave. Second, the plant’s stalk has been given to a music profes- sor who is planning on making flutes from the material. Palmer noted the unique nature of the plant and that it differs from the plants people typically interact with in their daily lives. “This speaks to me about the fragility of the ecosystem and the life that these plants have. I think this plant has given people more to think about,” he said. American agave plant dies after first bloom in 80 years Zingerman’s CEO Ari Weinzweig used to be enrolled in the Stamps Art & Design “#DYK Ari Weinzweig majored in #art while at the University of Michigan? #UMichTalks” — @umich “New app from @UM_SPH gives users the chance to look at their past and get in touch with their DNA. -@umich A new app from the School of Public Health gives users the opportunity to learn more about their specific genes. Each week, “Twitter Talk” is a forum to print tweets that are fun, informative, breaking or newsworthy, with an angle on the University, Ann Arbor and the state. All tweets have been edited for accurate spelling and grammar. Rep. Debbie Dingell spoke highly of women’s role in public policy during her time at the Ford School last Thursday. “The Ethics of Caring - that’s what women bring to public policy. Great to join future leaders at @fordschool today!” — @RepDebDingell FOLLOW US! #TMD @michigandaily “ “ SNIPER From Page 1A