known, the level of competition
lower and the revenue far small-
er.
As a symbolic measure of com-
parison, Michigan Stadium’s list-
ed capacity is 107,601 spectators.
Brown Stadium’s is 20,000.
Schlissel stepped into a world
that was, at least in this respect,
much different than the one he
left. While he doesn’t have to run
this world, he does have to over-
see it, and his first year forced
him to be more involved than
a number of school presidents.
Despite this, Schlissel is quick to
note that he’s no stranger to the
athletic realm.
“I don’t think I was as naive as
many people suggested I was,”
Schlissel said in a September
interview with the Daily. “I’ve
been a sports fan as an individual
my whole life. I played basketball
and tennis growing up, played
golf in high school, went to base-
ball games with my dad. It’s not
as if I’m unaware of the sports
world.”
The
University
Athletic
Department was at a crossroads
when he arrived. Ticket sales for
the department’s flagship sport,
football, were low, while prices
were at an all-time high. The
football team was struggling.
Athletic Director Dave Brandon
was on uneasy terms with the
Michigan fan base.
But
the
department
has
rebuilt, stabilized and built up its
good will with the fans. Ticket
sales have rebounded, Jim Har-
baugh has taken the helm of the
football program and Hackett
has pleased the fans, by and
large.
Before those situations got
better, though, they got worse.
* * *
When Michigan historians
look back on this year and all of
the upheaval it brought, they will
see Oct. 31, 2014 as the turning
point. That day, Schlissel accept-
ed Brandon’s resignation and
replaced him, for the time being,
with Hackett. Since then, the
Athletic Department’s person-
ality — and the public’s percep-
tion of its success — has changed
immeasurably.
Before then, morale among
fans was at a historic low. Schlis-
sel took office at the beginning of
football season, and that season
brought an average attendance
of 105,371, the lowest since 1991,
according to the Bentley Histori-
cal Library.
Many sports, especially the
non-revenue sports, were thriv-
ing. Brandon had upgraded a
number of facilities and had
plans to upgrade more, and the
teams had been successful, too
— men’s gymnastics and men’s
swimming both won national
championships during his ten-
ure.
But ticket prices and other off-
field issues in football bothered
fans, and as the on-field product
worsened, so too did the image of
the department. On Oct. 23, 2014,
in a dual announcement with the
Central Student Government,
the department lowered student
season ticket prices from $280 to
$175. It seemed like a last-ditch
effort to save Brandon’s job, but it
wasn’t enough.
Schlissel said student backlash
went “beyond having a football
team that didn’t achieve a record
that met people’s expectations.”
“It was part of the issue, why
people were anxious, but it
wasn’t the main issue,” he told
the Daily in September. “I think,
what people felt was, football in
particular and perhaps the other
sports were becoming more
distant from the campus. That
they were becoming more of an
enterprise and less of an activity.
I think our non-athlete students
… felt estranged — they felt like
customers.
“I think we’ve gone a long way
in the months since … to reset
the way the Athletic Department
views its role on the campus,” he
added.
When Brandon resigned on
Oct. 31, Michigan was 3-5 and
coming off a second straight
blowout loss at Michigan State
University. Students had print-
ed shirts that read “Fire Dave
Brandon” and planned to wear
them to the next day’s home
game against Indiana University.
Chants calling for Brandon’s fir-
ing had become regular at Michi-
gan Stadium.
The Athletic Department had
been embarrassed off the field
during Schlissel’s first months,
too. There were, of course, the
lighthearted incidents, such as
the promotion to give away two
free tickets with the purchase of
two Coke products at the Michi-
gan Union.
But more serious, of course,
was the incident regarding quar-
terback Shane Morris’ injury
against the University of Min-
nesota on Sept. 27, just more than
three weeks into Schlissel’s ten-
ure. Morris sustained a jarring
hit to the helmet and was slow to
get up early in the fourth quarter.
Then-head coach Brady Hoke
then left him in the game for one
play, took him out and re-insert-
ed him three plays later.
That incident, and the Univer-
subjects. One of the subjects
displayed a black handgun and
demanded property.
The suspects were described
as two Black males in their early
20s. One was wearing a dark
hooded shirt and the other was
wearing dark clothing and a
floppy bucket hat.
Anyone with information is
being asked to contact DPSS at
(734)763-1131 or the Ann Arbor
Police Department’s tip line at
(734)794-6939 or tips@a2gov.org.
wonderful opportunity to talk
to groups of these students,” he
said. “Many tell me that the work
they do here is inspiring them
to live and work in Detroit after
they graduate. When companies
like Amazon make a lasting
commitment to the city, those
dreams become reality. We have
a great partnership to build on.”
During his first year in office,
Schlissel made several efforts to
engage members of the University
community
with
Detroit.
In
August, he hosted an event for
University
students
interning
in the city. When Schlissel first
moved to Michigan, the first stop
on his tour of the state was Detroit.
The president has also emphasized
efforts to encourage high school
students in Detroit to apply to the
University and in May, he visited
with students at Detroit’s Cass
Technical High School.
“I look forwarding to building
on this energy as we continue
to engage in Detroit — because
Detroit is essential to our campus
and its future,” he said. “And to
the state of Michigan and our
collective future.”
Lou Anna Simon, Michigan
State
University
president,
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan
and Dan Gilbert, the founder of
Bedrock Real Estate Services and
chairman of Quicken Loans, also
attended the press conference.
Amazon also said the company
would donate $10,000 and 30
Amazon Fire tablets to the Carver
STEM Academy program in the
Detroit Public Schools. Amazon
was not the only company to
announce
Detroit
investment
plans on Monday. Lear Corp., a
Southfield-based auto supplier,
will purchase a building in
the
historic
Capitol
Park
neighborhood. The company will
buy the building from Gilbert’s
Bedrock Real Estate Services,
with plans to convert the building
into a design studio.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 — 3B
UHS now offering
sexual assault exam
The University Health Service
now
provides
an
exam
for
survivors of sexual assault.
A
Sexual
Assault
Nurse
Examiner conducts the exam.
These nurses are trained to
identify physical trauma as a
result of a sexual assault, give
preventative
measures
for
sexually transmitted infections
and pregnancy, as well as collect
evidence for survivors to use if
they would like to press charges.
It’s
recommended
for
survivors to come in for the
examination within five days of
the sexual asault.
Survivors can also be examined
at
the
University
Hospital
Emergency Department any time.
The new initiative was created
as part of a push by Central
Student Government to increase
services for survivors of sexual
assault.
University joins
coalition to improve
admission process
The
University
joined
the
Coalition
for
Access,
Affordability
and
Success
on Monday. The coalition is
composed of more than 80
colleges and universities across
the country to work together
to create online resources for
students applying to college.
The first online tool is set
to be launched this January. It
will include a digital portfolio, a
place for students to collaborate
and an application portal.
The coalition hopes these
online tools will improve the
application process for minority
and low-income students.
University receives
$9.5 million grant
to study child health
The
National
Institute
of
Environmental Health Sciences
gave the University a $9.5 mil-
lion grant as part of a nationwide
study on the impacts of the envi-
ronment on children’s health.
The grant comes as part of the
newly created four-year NIEHS
Children’s
Health
Exposure
Analysis Resource Program.
Six other universities were
awarded funds as part of the
study as well.
The University’s research will
focus on obesity, ADHD, preterm
birth, autism, abnormalities in
reproductive
tracts,
asthma,
allergies and early puberty.
EMU loses money
on beer sales at
football games
Eastern Michigan University
lost about $3,000 when the uni-
versity tried selling beer at their
home game against Ball State
University two weeks ago.
The University of Michigan
does not currently sell beer at
the Big House.
A report in The Ann Arbor
News indicates EMU paid $7,000
for a beer truck and increased
security measures, but only net-
ted $4,000 during the game. The
16-ounce cans of beer sold for $7.
After the loss in sales, EMU’s
athletic director reported the
school will no longer sell beer at
games.
Mich. Democrats
announce end to
popular fundraiser
Jefferson-Jackson dinners are
historically popular fundraisers
for state Democratic parties.
Recently there has been a
national trend for Democrat-
ic parties to drop the dinners
because both Thomas Jefferson
and Andrew Jackson were slave-
holders.
— EMMA KINERY
AMAZON
From Page 1B
CRIME ALERT
From Page 1B
SCHLISSEL
From Page 1B
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Interim Athletic Director Jim Hackett holds a town hall meeting with students on April 1, 2015.
JAMES COLLER/Daily
University President Mark Schlissel takes a photo with football fans at the Alumni Association’s tailgate in Salt Lake City
before the game against Utah.
sity’s handling of it in the coming
days, became a national story for
the entire week that followed.
Brandon stood by Hoke, and vice
versa, but it became clear at that
point that change was inevitable.
In this atmosphere, Schlissel
handed Hackett the keys to the
Athletic Department and asked
him to start picking up the pieces.
***
Little by little, Hackett has
turned around the perception of
Michigan athletics in the eyes of
fans. His biggest step in doing so
— almost as big as Schlissel hiring
him — was bringing Harbaugh to
Ann Arbor.
“I think hiring Coach Har-
baugh was fantastic,” Schlissel
said. “I think he was the … best
coach on the market, college or
pro, at the time we were looking
for a coach. So boy, that was for-
tunate for us that he was avail-
able. And it was a testimony to the
recruiting skills of Jim Hackett,
but also the allure of the Univer-
sity of Michigan to an alum who
sort of grew up here.”
Overall, Schlissel added, Har-
baugh’s
presence
on
campus
marks a “wonderful honeymoon.”
Exactly four weeks passed
between the day Hackett fired
Hoke and the day Harbaugh was
introduced as head coach. Hack-
ett had his sights set on Harbaugh
for much of that time, and in the
end events conspired to allow
Harbaugh to fly on a private plane
to Michigan on Dec. 29, 2014.
The
coach
has
dominated
headlines for most of the past
eight months, but Hackett has
still been busy in the shadows. He
has had the benefit of a new sup-
porting cast as well. That includes
Chrissi Rawak, who heads exter-
nal relations and strategic initia-
tives, and Rob Rademacher, who
heads facilities and day-to-day
operations. Hackett also brought
in Bob De Carolis, the former
Oregon State University athletic
director, as a senior adviser.
Hackett has not set a timetable
for his future as athletic director.
His title still carries the “interim”
tag, and though it hasn’t been dis-
cussed much lately. He took the
job soon after retiring as chief
executive of Steelcase Furni-
ture, and he hasn’t decided on his
future between Michigan and his
family.
When he was asked in April
about how long he plans to have
the job, his wife, Kathy, interject-
ed. At that time, the Hacketts had
two sons, two grandchildren and
a third grandchild on the way and
had to balance family and the job.
“We’re back and forth, we don’t
really have time,” Kathy Hackett
said. “I will answer: There’s lots
to be done and he will see to it
(until) he feels it’s all good.”
Once Hackett replaced Bran-
don and public reaction to the
Morris controversy died down,
the rebuilding process could
begin. In the days after Morris’
injury, Schlissel called for “a thor-
ough review of our in-game play-
er safety procedures, particularly
those involving head injuries.”
Brandon called for two imme-
diate changes to the injury pro-
tocol. First, he put an “athletic
medicine professional” in the
press box to have a bird’s-eye
view of the game as well as the
benefit of replay. He also said the
department was “examining how
to reinforce our sideline commu-
nication processes” to communi-
cate that information.
The review Schlissel requested
was published on the University’s
website on April 16. It concluded
that the University’s medical
team, medical staff on the field,
abilities of the medical team and
policies regarding health were all
comparable to other schools from
the Big Ten, ACC, SEC, Big 12 and
Pac-12.
The review did, however, call
for an extra trainer in the press
box instead of on the field to pro-
vide an overhead view. It also laid
out a plan for communication
between the trainers during the
game to avoid another incident
similar to what happened last
September. That effort has been
in effect this fall at Michigan Sta-
dium.
The concussion incident was
only one roadblock in the Athletic
Department’s way as it tried to
overcome the problems of 2014.
The changes appear to have
accomplished that as Michigan
forges on toward a new future.
***
The final effects of many of
Hackett’s actions have yet to be
determined, but the decisions he
has made, he has made with con-
viction.
Earlier this year, Harbaugh
hired
childhood
friend
and
Marine veteran Jim Minick as
his director of operations. Minick
was later promoted to associate
athletic director for football, was
arrested for drunk driving on
May 8 and blew a blood alcohol
concentration of 0.185. On July
8, Hackett revealed that he had
refused a letter of resignation
from Minick.
“This is a man who served
seven tours of duty (in the
Marines),” Hackett said. “Self-
lessness is a way I would describe
him. He got thousands of e-mails,
most of them from people who
served in war with him, urging
him to soldier through this.
“He and I had deep conver-
sations about it, and I was con-
vinced this is a guy who will learn
from this mistake.”
In the same meeting with
reporters, he said he declined an
offer for the Michigan football
team to play a game at a neutral
site in front of 160,000 fans.
“I thought about it,” Hack-
ett said. “But I don’t think that’s
going to be the kind of game you’ll
want to see.”
One of his biggest decisions has
been signing a new apparel con-
tract for the Athletic Department.
After being with Adidas for the
past eight years, Hackett chose
to sign with Nike for a nation-
leading $169 million over 15 years
starting in 2016.
Moving forward: It wouldn’t
be hyperbole to say these chang-
es have reshaped the Athletic
Department over the past 12
months. But the biggest differ-
ence might be Hackett’s overall
philosophy, which he elaborated
upon during an April fireside
chat with students. He told the
students he doesn’t want Michi-
gan athletic events to feel “cor-
porate.”
“I don’t want to sound sarcas-
tic,” Hackett said. “What I don’t
want is more entertainment that’s
not football. I think that works
in the pros, but we’re in college.
I believe college shouldn’t be like
the pros. It shouldn’t cost like the
pros.”
So that’s where the Michigan
Athletic Department stands after
one year of Schlissel’s tenure.
Schlissel faced a bevy of tests out
of the gate, but he, Hackett and
Harbaugh appear to have stabi-
lized things heading into another
football season.
“What I’m responsible for is
selecting good people and mak-
ing sure that we share a common
set of values and we agree upon a
strategy,” Schlissel said. “But it’s
up to folks like the Interim AD
Jim Hackett in the same way it
would be up to the LSA dean to be
responsible for their unit and its
success — and to get credit when
it’s successful.”
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