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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