Fifth annual
ceremony gives
array of awards to
groups, individuals
By ISHI MORI
For the Daily
About
100
University
of
Michigan students, faculty and
staff celebrated the fifth annual
Michigan Difference Student
Leadership Awards Thursday
night at the Michigan Union’s
Rogel Ballroom.
Hosted by the University’s
division of Student Life, the
event recognized individual
students as well as student
organizations
that
have
made a positive difference on
campus and in surrounding
communities. Nominees were
selected from a pool of online
applications submitted both
by
prospective
nominees
and
recommendations
from
students.
Steve
Bodei,
assistant
director of student development
and experiential learning, said
earlier iterations of the awards
ceremony
have
been
more
academically-oriented, which
attendees found discouraging.
“Originally,
the
award
ceremony was drier, academic
… it was during (the) day and
no one really came,” Bodei said.
“We really tried to spice it up
and put a lot of life into it.”
He said the event committee
within Student Life remodeled
the event to recognize students
across campus and disciplines
they
believe
are
doing
remarkable work.
Awards
in
multiple
categories were given out this
year, including Cross Cultural
Programming, Excellence in
Philanthropy and Outstanding
Benefits Office says
economic inflation,
FDA regulations
played role in hike
By ALEXA ST. JOHN
Daily Staff Reporter
Due to rising prices and the
increased availability and use
of specialty drugs, the cost of
the
University
of
Michigan’s
prescription
plan
through
the University Benefits Office
increased significantly in 2015.
Specialty drugs are defined
as
high-cost
drugs
used
in
cases
requiring
specialized
medications, such as rheumatoid
arthritis, multiple sclerosis and
oncology.
The prescription plan itself
cost $121.6 million in 2015 — a
15.8-percent increase since 2014.
The total cost on a per-member
per-month
basis
would
be
13.4-percent increase, ultimately
making the cost of the plan $15
million more than 2014.
Rich Holcomb, senior director
Group asks
audience about
trust in state
government
By CALEB CHADWELL
Daily Staff Reporter
The Center for Michigan held
a polling event in Ann Arbor
Wednesday, during which 68
percent of attendees said their
trust in Michigan’s government is
“low” or “very low.”
The event, held at the Ford
School of Public Policy and
attended
by
25
community
members,
aimed
to
gather
research on public trust in state
government.
Polling
topics
included
the
government’s
ability to protect public health,
provide services for low-income
families and foster economic
growth, as well as the fairness of
the emergency manager system
and term limits in the Michigan
legislature. The group plans to
publish their findings with the
aim of affecting policy change in
Michigan.
The center is a non-profit
organization that gathers data to
gauge how residents feel about
state-wide issues. During the
event, each of the 25 people in
attendance was given a clicker to
respond to a variety of questions
regarding their level of trust in
the state government.
Public Policy Prof. Elisabeth
Bipolar disorder
and solutions to it
focus of movie and
discussion
By NISA KHAN
Daily Staff Reporter
The
University
of
Michigan’s
Depression
Center aired an early showing
of
the
PBS
documentary
“Ride the Tiger: A Guide
Through the Bipolar Brain”
Wednesday
along
with
a
panel discussion featuring
researchers, activists and Ed
Moore, the film’s producer
and director.
The
film
features
prominent
figures
living
with bipolar disorder such
as Academy Award-winning
actress
Patty
Duke,
who
passed away Tuesday. Melvin
McInnis, research director
for the Heinz C. Prechter
Bipolar Research Fund at
the
University,
made
an
appearance both in the film
and as the panel’s moderator.
He
discussed
hisresearch,
which compares the brain
matter of those with bipolar
disorder to those without, by
working with stem cells.
Moore
said
the
film’s
initial focus was on bipolar
entrepreneurs
who,
in
anticipation
of
a
heavy
workload
and
need
for
professionalism,
stopped
taking their medication. This
is known as “riding the tiger,”
which Moore said is similar
to a Chinese proverb about
a fear of facing reality, and
can result in patients’ driving
themselves into hypomania,
a persistent state of mood
elevation.
The
panel
discussion,
which
featured
people
from the documentary, was
livestreamedon
the
PBS
website, following the film
screening.
Moore said he was informed
early on by one of the film’s
advisers that the goal of the
documentary should be to
spread knowledge about the
Messages like “Stop
Islam” on Diag
draw student calls
for action
By ALEXA ST. JOHN
Daily Staff Reporter
Several
political
and
religious statements chalked on
the Diag this week, including
“Stop Islam,” “Trump 2016”
and “Build the Wall,” prompted
students to call University of
Michigan
police
Wednesday
and group together to wash the
chalkings off.
Though the phrases were
written
in
chalk,
students
gathered
on
the
Diag
Wednesday
afternoon
said
they thought the effects of
them were more permanent on
campus climate.
Rackham
student
Banen
Al-Sheemary said she and fellow
students who encountered the
writing and gathered in the
Diag found the sayings hurtful
and disturbing.
“This is so reflective of
our student campus and the
depths
of
racism
and
the
things that students of color
have to endure and that the
administration is continuously
silent on,” Al-Sheemary said.
“This is just another example.
This is happening year after
year and we’ve been telling the
administration the same things
over and over again.”
Al-Sheemary
said
she
and other students had been
attempting
to
contact
the
University’s Division of Public
Safety and Security as well as
the University’s administration
regarding the writing since
Wednesday morning without
much response.
“I’ve been getting bounced
around from one person to
another, and I understand it’s
after hours, but there should be
some kind of emergency number
besides the police because a lot
of students of color don’t feel
comfortable calling the police,”
Al-Sheemary said. “They’re our
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thursday, March 31, 2016
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
INDEX
Vol. CXXV No. 100
©2016 The Michigan Daily
michigandaily.com
NEWS......................... 2A
OPINION.....................4A
CL A SSIFIEDS .............. 5A
SUDOKU..................... 2A
S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 A
B - S I D E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 B
NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM
Blanco on a tear at the plate for Michigan
MICHIGANDAILY.COM/SECTION/SPORTS
GOT A NEWS TIP?
Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail
news@michigandaily.com and let us know.
WEATHER
TOMORROW
HI: 52
LO: 31
See CHALK, Page 2A
See AWARDS, Page 2A
See PANEL, Page 2A
See FORD, Page 3A
See DRUGS, Page 3A
SINDUJA KILARU/Daily
Dwayne Barnes, Center for Michigan outreach coordinator, speaks at the Ford School of Public Policy Wednesday.
MARINA ROSS/Daily
LSA junior David Schafer presents an award to LSA freshman Linday Lore at the Michigan Difference Student Leadership Awards at Rogel Ballroom in the
Michigan Union Wednesday.
Then and now: your complete guide
to shopping and dining in style
» INSIDE
the statement
The B-Side celebrates April Fool’s a day early by
envisioning a University fight club.
» INSIDE
The (April Fool’s) B-Side
Police called
in response
to anti-Islam
Diag chalk
Michigan Difference event
recognizes student leaders
Nonpartisan polling center
gauges opinions of residents
Documentary
film panel talks
mental health
U’ plan for
prescription
drugs jumps
in total cost
CAMPUS LIFE
HEALTH
SCIENCE