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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thursday, September 10, 2015
CELEBRATING OUR ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH YEAR OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
Administrators say
departments, units
will guide strategic
planning process
By LARA MOEHLMAN
Daily Staff Reporter
University
President
Mark
Schlissel hosted a second diversi-
ty summit Wednesday afternoon
in which he further outlined the
University’s plans to improve
equity and inclusion on campus.
During the summit, the presi-
dent emphasized the drive behind
the planning process:
“Dedication to academic excel-
lence for the public good is insep-
arable from our commitment to
diversity, equity and inclusion,”
he said. “We cannot be excel-
lent without being diverse in the
broadest sense of that word.”
The meeting was closed to the
press, but was live streamed on
the University’s website.
Though a complete strate-
gic plan has yet to be released,
Schlissel detailed goals dur-
ing Wednesday’s event to direct
about 60 appointed facilitators
within each college and campus
unit to collaborate with faculty,
staff and students to design their
own programs for enhancing
diversity within their units.
These planning leaders will
be responsible for overseeing the
planning process within their
specific areas as well as partici-
pating in coordination with the
overall campus diversity efforts.
Schlissel
emphasized
that
success in enhancing diversity
largely depends on the collective
efforts of each individual depart-
ment rather than simply the cen-
tral administration.
“At this stage, we’re not seek-
ing to define where we will end
up or what success will necessar-
ily look like,” he said. “We want
to have a structure in place that
will allow us to engage the great
minds and passionate individuals
on our campus and to move for-
ward in a collaborative manner.
President also
announces $175
million grant for
apprenticeships
By EMILIE PLESSET
Daily News Editor
WARREN, Mich. — At the
first stop of his administration’s
nationwide Back-to-School tour
Wednesday, President Barack
Obama returned to Macomb
Community College in Warren,
Mich. to champion increased
access to affordable education
and vocational training.
Traveling with Dr. Jill Biden, a
community college professor and
the wife of Vice President Joe
Biden, the president discussed
his administration’s efforts to
expand funding for apprentice-
ships and promote initiatives to
make community college free.
“I want two years of commu-
nity college to be as free and uni-
versal as high school is today,”
Obama said.
Before
Obama
began
his
26-minute speech, Biden — who
has taught at a community college
for more than 20 years — touted
the Obama administration’s focus
on education, citing investment
in early childhood education and
efforts to increase the number of
students graduating high school
and attending college.
During
her
speech,
Biden
announced she would serve as
chair of the College Promise Advi-
sory Board, a new independent
commission composed of commu-
nity college leaders, policymakers,
businesses and foundations that
will explore ways to expand exist-
ing programs that provide free
two-year college degrees.
During his State of the Union
address in January, Obama pro-
posed a $60 billion program that
POLITICS
Roads, marjiana,
higher ed. funding
and LGBTQ rights
to receive attention
By EMMA KINERY
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan State Legis-
lature reconvenes today after
months away on hiatus for sum-
mer break. After key propos-
als — such as Proposal 1 to fix
Michigan’s roads — failed to pass
in the last session, here is a recap
of issues to watch as the year
unfolds.
Roads
While many Michigan resi-
dents agree the state’s roads are
in poor condition, legislators
have yet to agree on how to fix
them.
The last session ended with 78
percent of voters defeating Pro-
posal 1.
The proposed bill would have
increased the Earned Income
Tax Credit, removed the fuel tax
and increased the sales tax from
6 to 7 percent.
Several
road
improvement
proposals are already on the
docket for introduction in both
Michigan’s House of Repre-
sentatives and Senate. Over the
summer, legislators held several
closed-door meetings to discuss
potential plans to increase road
funding.
House Bill 4440 aims to create
a distinct transportation fund in
the state treasury where money
will be allocated for road repairs.
The proposed bill provides $2.5
million to go specifically toward
annual road improvement with
the percentage of funds to be
divided based on the area’s popu-
lation — 40 percent would go to
communities with 1,000,000 to
1,749,999 residents, for exam-
ple. HB 4611 similarly creates a
transportation fund within the
state treasury, but in this version,
would be funded through special
vehicle and fuel taxes.
Rep.
Jeff
Irwin
(D–Ann
Arbor) said while he would like
to see a roads bill pass, he doesn’t
currently see one he supports.
“I don’t think a good bill to fix
the roads will pass, but I hope it
does,” Irwin said. “I would vote
for a balanced plan to fix our
roads, coupled with rolling back
the Republican tax increases on
the working poor. But, I don’t see
MICHIGAN
IRENE KIM/Daily
LSA freshman Michelle Shumonov takes a free Group X yoga class at the Central Campus Recreation Building on
Wednesday.
YES TO YOGA
Students talk foreign
affairs, negotiations
as review period
nears conclusion
By ISOBEL FUTTER
Daily Staff Reporter
The Iran Deal has dominated
conversation
in
Washington
since it was negotiated this sum-
mer, and many University stu-
dents are joining in.
Officially known as the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action,
the Iran Deal was announced in
late July by the Obama admin-
istration. The JCPOA is a pro-
posal designed to significantly
decrease Iran’s nuclear program
in exchange for reduced sanc-
tions by the P5+1 countries — the
United States, the United King-
dom, China, France, Russia and
Germany.
If the deal goes into effect,
Iran would be allowed to have
a small amount of enriched ura-
nium and materials. The permit-
ted amount would not be large
enough to create a nuclear bomb,
according to experts. In return
for reducing their nuclear sup-
ply, Iran would receive sanctions
relief.
The deal has been lauded as
a historic agreement by sup-
porters. But for some University
students, the deal hits close to
home.
Maryam Arbabzadeh, a Ph.D.
candidate in Natural Resources
and Environment, is an Ira-
nian student and a member of
University retains
No. 4 spot among
public universities
By TANAZ AHMED
Daily Staff Reporter
The University ranked 29th in
this year’s U.S. News and World
Report survey of the country’s
best colleges released Wednes-
day, maintaining its spot from
the 2015 rankings.
The University also retained
its public university ranking
from the previous year, holding
on to the fourth-place spot.
The University of California,
Berkeley, ranked as the num-
ber-one public institution, with
University of California, Los
Angeles, and University of Vir-
ginia ranked second and third,
respectively.
The Ross School of Business
was rated the nation’s fourth-
best
undergraduate
business
school, maintaining its rank-
ing from last year. The College
of Engineering came in at sixth
place for best undergraduate
engineering
programs,
mov-
ing up from last year’s seventh
place.
ACADEMICS
President Barack Obama speaks alongside Jill Biden, Second Lady of the United States, at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan on Wednesday.
Obama spoke about his plan to increase education in America by creating free and public acess to two years of community college.
See DIVERSITY, Page 2A
See OBAMA, Page 3A
» INSIDE
the b-side
See IRAN, Page 2A
See STATE, Page 3A
SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Schlissel:
Diversity
plan slated
for 2016
ADMINISTRATION
Obama plugs community
college during Mich. trip
State legislature
returns from
summer hiatus
Iran Deal generates debate
on campus ahead of vote
U.S. News
ranks ‘U’
29th best
in nation
INDEX
Vol. CXXIV, No. 123
©2015 The Michigan Daily
michigandaily.com
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Obama touts familiar message in Warren visit
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