Acclaimed
author
Peter
Kornbluh, an Ann Arbor native,
advocated for open negotiations
between the U.S. and the Cuban
government
with
several
anecdotes about secret meetings
and spies at Literati Bookstore
Monday evening.
Kornbluh spoke to promote
his new book, “Back Channel
to Cuba: The Hidden History
of
Negotiations
between
Washington
and
Havana,”
which
he
co-wrote
with
William LeoGrande, professor
of government at the American
University School of Public
Affairs.
The
event
had
a
question and answer format
moderated by Jesse Hoffnung-
Garskof, associate professor of
history and American culture at
the University of Michigan.
The book explores events
during former President Bill
Clinton’s administration, the
CIA’s attempt to recruit Fidel
Castro as an informant and
President
Barack
Obama’s
appearance
on
a
Cuban
television show. It also discusses
secret
political
associations
throughout the Cold War and
the American embargo on Cuba.
“We have to be able to say it
is not heresy to negotiate with
the Cubans; every president
since Kennedy has done it. Even
Henry Kissinger and Gerald
Ford
wanted
to
normalize
relations with Cubans — why
can’t I?” he said. “And that was
the history we wanted to put
into place, to create a foundation
for that argument.”
Kornbluh has traveled to
Cuba several times with his
work and interviewed many
high-level figures, including the
divisive former Cuban President
Fidel Castro. For his book,
Kornbluh also worked with
The National Security Archive
to help declassify documents
and interviewed government
officials on the significance of
the documents.
“This is the best way, I think,
to not only get to the heart of
these events, but also to bring
people together around it,”
Kornbluh said.
He joked that many people
accused him of having insider
knowledge that Obama was
planning to normalize relations
with Cuba, as his book was
released only a few months
prior to Obama’s July 2015
announcement.
“Everybody thought we were
prescient, that we had known
all along but were keeping the
secret,” he said. “I had two
reactions — one: damn, this is
a timely book, and two: damn,
I’m going to have to go back and
rewrite it now.”
Hoffnung-Garskof
said
he thought the event was
Though nicotine’s addictive
qualities are the most obvious
reason for why people use
vaporizers, a recent study at
the
University
of
Michigan
found that for eighth, 10th and
12th graders, the various flavor
options are more enticing.
According to the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration, vaporizers
— or e-cigarettes — are battery-
powered
devices
generally
designed to look like pens,
often using a liquid containing
nicotine in combination with a
variety of flavors, glycerin and
other ingredients to mimic a
traditional smoking sensation.
Richard Miech, Institute for
Social Research professor and
lead author of the study, has
previously
conducted
studies
on adolescents and other drugs
such as opioids. He said while the
survey has traditionally asked
students about gender and drugs,
it now also asks about the role
of government and the use of 50
different substances. Questions
about e-cigarettes, examining
exactly which substances were
being vaped, were added in 2013
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
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Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail
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INDEX
Vol. CXXV, No. 133
©2016 The Michigan Daily
N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CL A SSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
On Monday, the University of
Michigan released a new online
tool for faculty and staff to report
instances of sexual and gender-
based misconduct as defined
under the University’s recent
update to its sexual misconduct
policy.
The University released a new
version of its sexual assault policy
on April 6, also renaming it “The
University of Michigan Policy and
Procedures on Student Sexual
and Gender-Based Misconduct
and Other Forms of Interpersonal
Violence.” The new policy went
into effect July 1. The updates
revamped a 10-year-old document
and included updates such as fine-
tuning the meaning of consent
and streamlining sanctioning and
appeals procedures.
The policy also holds most
employees
responsible
for
reporting known and suspected
instances of sexual misconduct
to the University to better comply
with Title IX requirements.
Now,
two
months
later,
designated
University-affiliated
personnel will be able to log into
an online platform to report
misconduct
in
addition
to
receiving online training. Topics
covered in the training include
whether the requirement applies
See TOOL, Page 3
MAZIE HYAMS/Daily
Correspondent Molly Ball speaks at the 31st Graham Hovey Lecture, titled “Election 2016: The Great Disruption of American Politics” at Wallace House Monday.
While giving the 31st annual
Graham Hovey Lecture, Molly
Ball, political correspondent for
The Atlantic, discussed the 2016
election — with an emphasis on
the breakdown of both of the major
parties. Ball was a fellow at the
Knight-Wallace House, a sponsor
of the event, in the 2009-2010
academic year.
The Knight-Wallace Fellowship
is a program at the University of
Michigan that welcomes mid-
career journalists to the University
for a year to study a topic of their
choice. When Ball was a fellow,
she focused on the economic crisis
following the 2008 downturn and
was invited to speak by Wallace
House Director Lynette Clemetson,
who formerly worked for NPR and
was a fellow alongside Ball.
Her lecture, titled “Election
2016: The Great Disruption of
American Politics,” explored the
ways in which this election has
been unprecedented on both sides
of the political sphere and will
continue to influence the nature of
national elections long after Nov. 8.
“Every
presidential
election
is a remarkable event; anything
See VAPING, Page 3
AVA RANDA/Daily
Peter Kornbluh discussing his book, ‘Back to Channel Cuba’ at Literati Bookstore on Monday.
MCity internship
opportunities
expand
Startups partner with
driverless car facility
» Page 3
michigandaily.com
For more stories and coverage, visit
Three West Coast startups
recently
announced
their
partnership with Mcity, a 32-acre
site on North Campus created
to test and improve technology
for autonomous vehicles. The
companies — PolySync, Zendrive
and Civil Maps — will work
on
technologies
including
augmented reality, 3-D mapping
and smartphone sensors.
The partnerships are part
of
an
effort
launched
last
February
by
the
University
of
Michigan
Mobility
Transformation Center and the
Center
for
Entrepreneurship
TechLab. TechLab encourages
collaboration among UM faculty,
students and startups to improve
autonomous vehicle technology.
MTC Deputy Director Carrie
Morton, who helps to identify
companies that could benefit from
utilizing Mcity, said there was
high demand from companies
interested in joining TechLab.
“We have had a lot of interest
in TechLab,” Morton said. “The
team and I work (to) find startups
that are emerging with positive
See MCITY, Page 3
See CUBA, Page 3
See PARTIES, Page 3
Tool aims to
aid ‘U’ faculty
in reporting
sexual assault
Journalist discusses impact of
2016 election on political parties
ADMINISTRATION
Tutorial is designed to clarify
mandatory employee responsibilities
ISHI MORI
Daily Staff Reporter
Molly Ball, reporter for The Atlantic, discusses polarization among GOP, Dems
EMMA KINERY
Daily News Editor
Study says
teens vape
for flavor,
not nicotine
RESEARCH
UM research finds
drug not main reason
for e-cig use
ALEXA ST. JOHN
Daily Staff Reporter
Acclaimed author promotes open
negotiations between U.S. and Cuba
Peter Kornbluh talks interviews with Fidel Castro, other notable figures
EMILY MIILER
Daily Staff Reporter
Startups
come to A2
for MCity
research
TECHNOLOGY
Silicon Valley companies
to aid driverless car
testing at University
MADELEINE GERSON
Daily Staff Reporter