2-News
3-News
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
Tuesday, March 8, 2016 — 3
Faculty selected
as Alfred Sloan
research fellows
Along with 126 scientists
and scholars nationwide, three
University professors were
selected as the 2016 Alfred P.
Sloan research fellows. The
University professors selected
are Paul Zimmerman, assistant
professir of chemistry, Michael
Cafarella and Honglak Lee,
both assistant professors of
electrical engineering and
computer science, according to a
University press release.
The Sloan Research
Fellowships were established in
1955 and aimed to support and
give recognition to scientists
who otherwise do not receive
outside funding. Though
awards were originally given
only in physics, chemistry and
mathematics, other fields such
as neuroscience, economics
and ocean sciences were later
added due to their scientific
significance.
According to the foundation
website, candidates for the
fellowship must hold a tenure
track at an institution in the
United States or Canada, must
hold a Ph.D. in a science-related
field and must exhibit evidence
of independent research
accomplishments.
Each awardee received
$55,000 for any aspect of their
research.
Online platform
created to
encourage public
research input
The University launched
WellSpringboard this week, a
platform University medical
researchers will use for
accepting suggestions from the
public about what they should
study next, according to release
from the University Health
System.
The crowdsourcing and
crowdfunding platform is
focused specifically on children’s
heart disease and cancer,
sleeping problems, adult diabetes
and inflammatory bowel
diseases, but the site welcomes
any idea for their research.
Once medical researchers
decide to take up a research
project, donations can be made
online and people can volunteer
to participate or aid in the
research as well.
WellSpringboard highlights
nine steps for those who are
interested in being involved.
These steps include submitting
an idea along with a brief
video about why the research
is important, gathering votes
for the idea and seeking out
University researchers who
might be interested in studying
the topic.
Search process
begins for new
CEW director,
‘U’ committee
selected
The search process for the
next director of the Center for
the Education of Women is now
underway, with an advisory
committee selected for the
search, according to a University
press release.
Current CEW Director Gloria
Thomas will step down from
the position this June following
seven years of tenure.
Lynn Wooten, ssociate dean
for undergraduate programs at
the Ross School of Business, will
chair the committee, which is in
charge of conducting a national
search for candidates eligible
for the position. Once a list of
candidates has been compiled,
the committee will report to
Vice Provost Sara Blair.
Other members of the search
committee besides Wooten
include professors from the
Medical School, School of
Social Work and the School of
Nursing.
—ALEXA ST. JOHN
NEWS BRIEFS
with a misdemeanor, as state law
mandates.
According to the University’s
2013-2014
Office
of
Student
Conflicts and Resolutionsreport,
there were 515 instances of illegally
possessing or using alcohol on
campus that year, including first
and second-offense and three or
more offence incidences grouped
into three tiers. All three tiers
of alcohol-related offense saw
increases from the 2012-2013 OSCR
report.
“(Current MIP laws are) actually
driving students to use drugs,”
Jones said. “Several parents told me
that college students had decided
it was better to smoke marijuana
than drink a beer because the
breathalyzer would not detect the
marijuana in their system. I think
this is a horrendous message we’re
sending to young people — to use
marijuana, that will keep you out of
trouble.”
Currently,
Michigan
law
mandates that for any alcohol-
related violations for individuals
under 21, a misdemeanor charge is
automatic. For the first violation,
consequences of the charge include
no more than a $100 fine. For a
second
violation,
consequences
include a fine of no more than
$200, possibly accompanied by
imprisonment of less than 30 days
if a previous probation order was
violated. A third violation results in
a fine of no more than $500 along
with potential imprisonment of less
than 60 days if a previous probation
order was violated. Substance
abuse prevention services can be
mandated at any step in the process
as well.
“People believe that we should
not criminalize young people for
one offense of possession of alcohol
because the consequences are not
just a misdemeanor,” Jones said.
“It affects their ability to get some
college scholarships, it affects their
ability to get jobs when they get out
of college and, in fact, there’s some
state jobs, if you have an MIP on
your record, you can’t get a state
job.”
MIP laws have been modified
several times by the state in past
years, generally with a focus on
medical amnesty. In June 2012,
House
Bill
4393
took
effect,
exempting
minors
from
legal
prosecution if the minor in question
or a minor who accompanied the
minor in question specifically
requested medical attention related
to a legitimate health care concern
after consuming alcohol, according
to the legislature.
This and other medical amnesty
laws, some of which have been
extended to drug use, aimed to get
immediate attention for a medical
issue if necessary, without the
concern of legal prosecution.
Some
cities,
including
Ann
Arbor,
also
utilize
the
First
Offender MIP Deferred Sentence
Program, which makes first-time
MIP offenders eligible to avoid
misdemeanor charges, according to
University Student Legal Services.
This program, offered by the
15th District Court, mandates a
student to attend the Brief Alcohol
Screening and Intervention for
College
Students
class.
After
six months of complying with
probation
requirements,
no
conviction would be entered to the
student’s criminal record.
Jones
said
he
thought
it
was important to go beyond
current policy and ensure that
consequences were reduced for all
first-time MIP offenders.
“It’s really quite onerous for one
misstep,” he said.
For University students, the bill
could impact some — but not all —
of the consequences of underage
drinking. On campus, beyond state
law, there are also consequences
levied by the University in regard to
alcohol use. The University Alcohol
and Other Drug Policy specifically
states that illegally possessing,
using, distributing, manufacturing
or selling alcohol at the University
violates
expectations
outlined
under the Statement of Student
Rights and Responsibilities. If
caught exhibiting these behaviors,
students
could
face
sanctions
from the University as stated in
theStatement of Student Rights
and
Responsibilities,
including
disciplinary probation, restriction
from
University
employment,
mandatory workshop attendance or
transfer or removal from University
housing.
LSA
junior
Erin
Dunne,
co-director of Students for a
Sensible Drug Policy, said the
student group thinks the legislation
is a step forward in Michigan’s
current framework of addressing
underage drinking, but doesn’t
acknowledge all of its concerns.
“The position of the Students for
Sensible Drug Policy organization
is that the drinking age should
be lowered and it should be up to
the states to decide,” Dunne said.
“Overall, this legislation is definitely
in the right direction, but it doesn’t
include provisions that we would
ultimately like to see. We don’t have
a position on the best drinking age,
but we think that states should be
allowed to decide.”
Due to the fact that Senate Bill
332 is pending legislation, the
University declined to comment on
this issue. However, several efforts
have been launched in past months
to
combat
underage
drinking
on campus, including piloting a
program in which the University
would alert parents of freshman
students who incurred a second
related
violation.
The
Family
Education Rights and Privacy
Act allows, but does not require,
universities to notify parents when
an underage student incurs an
alcohol or drug related violation.
The
University
also
initiated
programs to engage with off-
campus students about drinking,
along with updates to the “Stay in
the Blue” cell phone application,
which aims to help students
monitor their blood alcohol content.
In 2014, the University also
shortened
freshman
move-in
times in an attempt to reduce
opportunities for underage students
to engage in alcohol consumption.
Jones said for him, legislation felt
warranted because of continuing
alcohol abuse on campus despite
efforts by colleges to limit it.
“I
certainly
don’t
support
alcohol abuse, but I do feel (the
consequences) should be fair,” he
said.
Dunne
echoed
Jones’
sentiments, saying she thought
current laws don’t succeed in
restricting
underage
drinking
and do considerable damage to an
individual’s future.
“Students who do engage in
responsible drinking and still are
faced with a civil infraction or a
minor in possession misdemeanor
charge and haven’t had a problem
with drinking actually experience
more harm from the law than
from the alcohol they’re drinking
because there’s a misdemeanor that
ends up on their record,” she said.
MIP
From Page 1
AMANDA ALLEN/Dailly
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally in Detroit Monday before Michigan’s primary on March 8.
by the people of Flint.
During Sunday’s Democratic
debate in Flint, Clinton was asked
if her support for the city was a
political maneuver. On Monday,
she reiterated that her intention
is to continuously support Flint,
drawing attention to the crisis and
supporting the residents.
“I’m going to keep shining a
bright spotlight on Flint,” she said.
“We have made a commitment to
help Flint recover and give them
the opportunity to be even better
after they do so.”
Clinton also discussed her
plans to decrease the student debt
burden through her $350 billion
plan to help students pay for
college and reduce interest rates.
Her platform on student debt has
the support of both Dingell and
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D–Mich.),
who have both introduced student
loan refinancing acts and are large
proponents for reducing student
debt
and
increasing
college
affordability.
University alum Neil Shah,
who attended the event, said one
of the many reasons he supports
Clinton is her pledge to reduce
student debt. As a recent graduate,
he noted, his student loans have a
continuing impact on his life.
“She has plans to provide
student loan forgiveness for people
like me,” he said. “People who have
jobs but are not making enough
to save for my future. I’m more
focused on paying off my loans
than savings for my future and she
helps change that.”
Clinton
also
spent
time
discussing the state of Detroit
Public
School’s
deteriorating
infrastructure.
The
district’s
approximately $3.5 billion debt has
led to a severe lack of infrastructure
repairs, causing issues like mold
and rodent infestations.
She called upon Gov. Rick
Snyder to remove the emergency
manager that he instituted to
manage Detroit Public Schools as
a fix to the problems.
“Let’s make sure that every
child in every zip code gets a
good education,” she said. “In the
Detroit Public Schools, under an
emergency manager, we’ve got
children in classrooms filled with
mold and rodents. I think that the
governor should turn back the
control of the schools to the people
of Detroit.”
Robyn McCoy, an attorney
with the Michigan Children’s
Law Center in attendance, said
she thought the choice to hold the
rally in Detroit and her attention to
local issues demonstrates Clinton’s
appeal.
“I think that this was a key
location,” she said. “It shows the
strengths of Hillary as a candidate
that she is so well versed in local
issues like Detroit Public Schools.
It shows that she is multifaceted.
She can help us on a local level and
a national level.”
RALLY
From Page 1
After
Sunday’s
Democratic
debate, Hillary Clinton is currently
leading
Sanders
nationally
by
9.6
percent
according
to
a
RealClearPolitics
polling
average. In Michigan, Clinton
leads Sanders by 20.4 percent,
according to a polling average
byRealClearPolitics.
Aiming
to
inspire
voters,
Sanders said Monday night that the
campaign is seen as revolutionary
not only in its radical policies, but
in their high voter turnouts.
“We believe ultimately that
when millions of people come
together and get involved in the
political process, there is nothing
that we cannot do,” Sanders said.
Before the senator took the
stage, Detroit-based band JR JR
performed, followed by Nate Ruess
of the band FUN. Actress Shailene
Woodley, Sen. Nina Turner (D–
Ohio) and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D–
Hawaii) also all spoke favorably of
the candidate.
Sanders’ speech covered all of
the major points of his platform,
from social issues like the wage
gap and high incarceration rates
to trade, revamping the higher
education and health care systems
to addressing climate change and
the Flint water crisis.
The senator said his focus
has been on listening to women,
children and African Americans,
along with other marginalized
groups.
“What this campaign is about
is raising issues that many other
people prefer not to talk about at
all,” Sanders said.
LSA
freshman
Jonathan
George, who attended the rally,
said he would be voting for Sanders
in Tuesday’s primary because of his
stance on listening to marginalized
groups.
“I’ve been a longtime Sanders
fan and I finally wanted to get the
opportunity to see him in person,
so I was very excited to be here,”
George said. “I really like how
Bernie, like he said, he focuses
on policies that not many people
talk about. He focuses on income
inequality, gender issues, racial
inequality — things that aren’t
usually brought up in the normal
election cycle. To find somebody
who connects to their audience
like that to the middle class so well
and has the best interests of the
middle class at heart the best, that
he should be our president.”
LSA freshman Victoria Thach
said she was inspired to support
Sanders because of his inclusive
campaign.
“I am a supporter of Senator
Bernie, just because I am a first-
generation student,” Thach said. “I
don’t come from a very high class,
and being here at the University
of Michigan, it’s a bit hard being
surrounded by so many people of
higher income, it makes me feel a
little small sometimes, and I enjoy
that he’s giving us smaller people a
voice.”
In front of an audience of
largely college students, Sanders
discussed in depth his intentions
to fix the higher education system.
The senator said a college degree
has become what a high school
diploma was 50 years ago, and the
inaccessibility of a diploma based
on the rising cost of college has led
him to view tuition-free education
as the only option.
“When we think outside of the
box, we choose to conclude that we
need to make public colleges and
universities tuition free,” Sanders
said. “We need to substantially
reduce student debt by allowing
those with debt to refinance their
loans at the lowest possible interest
rates as they can.”
Kohlenda said it was this
mindset about college that sparked
engagement in the Student for
Sanders chapter on campus.
“(Students like him) especially
for his proposals that go much
farther than any other candidate
to deal with college debt, and to
basically make sure that college is
universal,” he said.
Countering claims that his plan
wasn’t feasible, Sanders explained
he intended to fund a free-tuition
program with a tax on corporate
speculation.
“When people say: ‘How can
we afford free tuition at colleges
and universities? How can we
pay to reduce student debt? It’s
an expensive proposition.’ It is,”
Sanders said. “You know what
we’re going to do? We’re going
to propose a tax on Wall Street
speculation.”
He also tied investment in the
education system to another piece
of his platform — fixing the issue of
mass incarceration.
“If anybody here thinks that
there is not a connection between
that very high rate of youth
unemployment and the number of
people we have in jail — you would
be mistaken,” Sanders said. “Ready
for a radical idea? We are going
to invest for our young people in
education and jobs, not jails and
incarceration.”
In addition to investing in jobs,
Sanders touched on resolving the
wage gap between men and women,
which he said is maintained based
on “old fashioned sexism.”
The loudest audience responses
of the night, however, occurred
when the senator discussed the
issue of women’s health.
“(The movement is) telling
Republicans who talk about family
values that we know what they talk
about, and what they’re talking
about is telling every woman in this
arena, in this state, in this country,
that she cannot control her own
body. I disagree,” Sanders said.
That enthusiasm was also clear
when Sanders repeated a call for
Gov. Rick Snyder’s (R) resignation
in wake of the Flint water crisis.
“What I saw in Flint, Michigan,
was one of the most unsettling and
disturbing things that I have ever
seen in my whole life,” Sanders
said. “I do believe that the governor
of this state should resign.”
Sanders
began
his
speech
focusing
on
differentiating
himself in the Democratic race,
attacking Clinton’s views on trade
and countering a claim she made
in Sunday’s Democratic debate
that he did not support the auto
industry bailout.
Sanders voted against funds for
the bailout included in the larger
Troubled Assets Relief Program,
which also included mechanisms
to bail out several large banks. He
voted in favor of a different, smaller
package of funds for automakers.
“That is absolutely false, there
was one vote in the United States
Senate, that would be on December
11, 2008, and of course I voted to
defend the auto bailout,” Sanders
said. “What I did not vote for was
a middle class bailout of the crooks
on Wall Street”
He ended his speech in a similar
manner, discussing his confidence
as the Democratic nominee in
defeating Republican frontrunner
Donald Trump.
“We will win because the
American people do not want a
president who insults Mexicans
and Muslims,” Sanders said. “The
American people do not want a
president who insults women.
The American people do not
want a president who insults
African Americans … We will
together defeat Trump because
the American people understand
that we need our people together
— Trump’s divisiveness is dividing
us up. The American people
will defeat Trump because they
understand that community —
helping each other, standing with
each other in our times of need
trumps selfishness.”
After the speech, Sanders joined
JR JR and Nate Ruess on stage to
sing “This Land is Your Land,”
one of several songs the candidate
recorded in a 1987 folk album while
serving as the mayor of Burlington,
Vermont.
SANDERS
From Page 1