As part of Transgender
Awareness
Week,
the
Spectrum
Center
and
TransForm,
a
student
organization
that
focuses
on
transgender
activism
and support, held a panel
discussion Thursday where
speakers at the University
of Michigan who identify
as transgender women or
transgender femme shared
their experiences on campus.
At the discussion, attended
by
about
35
students,
panelists told stories of when
they
struggled
to
realize
their gender identities and
determine how they wanted
to represent them publicly.
Panelists
described
how
they struggled with realizing
and
expressing
their
gender identities, as well as
anecdotes
about
receiving
threats
and
being
called
names on campus because of
them.
Panelist LaVelle Ridley, a
Rackham graduate student,
said it was important to
discuss transgender women’s
positive stories to contrast
those
of
bullying
and
intimidation.
“Trans
women,
and
especially trans women of
color, fall into these stories
of just being harassed or
Students
and
staff
filled
the Hatcher Graduate Library
gallery Thursday for the annual
Campus Sustainability Town
Hall Meeting to discuss the
University of Michigan’s efforts
to meet long-term sustainability
goals.
In 2006, the University set
several goals for reducing the
campus’s negative effect on the
environment by 2025, including
the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions by 25 percent and of
landfill waste by 40 percent.
At Thursday’s event, various
University
staff
members
addressed
these
particular
goals by outlining initiatives
to reduce both emissions and
waste.
Andy Berki, director of the
Office of Campus Sustainability,
said the University’s efforts
thus far have been moderately
successful, citing the relative
stability of the University’s
environmental
footprint
despite its 22 percent growth in
infrastructure — an increase of
8 million square feet in the past
10 years.
However,
he
also
said
additional
efforts
and
innovative
solutions
are
necessary to meet the reduction
numbers set in 2006.
“A lot of efforts are making a
difference, yet our goals are not
normalized,” he said. “They’re
absolute. … As an institution,
that’s one of the big challenges
we face, is how to meet our long-
term sustainability goals.”
Presenters
described
several operations that will be
implemented in the coming
years, including an increase
in the amount of power the
University produces internally,
the transition of the Big House
to zero-waste production by
2017 and a boost in composting
opportunities around campus.
Presenters also raised the topic
of fostering a sustainability-
oriented
campus
climate,
highlighting initiatives like the
Sustainable Living Experience
theme community for freshmen.
The
event
also
included
various booths, manned by
various University departments
and student organizations that
audience members could visit
before and after the event.
Focusing
on
sustainability
efforts, these booths included
Planet Blue Student Leaders
and the Student Sustainability
Initiative, which aim to facilitate
a campus-wide commitment to
sustainability-related actions.
Tracy Artley, an employee
with
the
University
Waste
Reduction
and
Recycling
Office who presented during
the
town
hall,
emphasized
the importance of events like
Over
the
past
month,
MHealthy’s
Tobacco
Consultation
Service
has
encouraged smokers in the
University
of
Michigan
community to “Quit For A
Day” on Thursday as part of a
nationwide anti-smoking day
sponsored by the American
Cancer Society.
As part of their campaign,
TCS
connected
with
other
branches
of
the
University
Health System by attending
staff meetings and discussing
their services throughout the
month.
The service also distributed
quit kits on campus, which
hold information about ways to
quit, including devices like Red
Hots candies, worry stones and
other resources, and to patients
across the health system who
are interested in quitting.
Additionally, TCS sponsored
a webinar Tuesday led by
Kate
Collins,
regulatory
counsel in the Food and Drug
Administration’s
Center
for
Tobacco Products, to discuss
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Friday, November 18, 2016
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INDEX
Vol. CXXVI, No. 32
©2016 The Michigan Daily
NEWS......................... 2A
OPINION.....................4A
CL ASSIFIEDS...............6A
SUDOKU..................... 2A
A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 A
FOOTBALLSATURDAY...1B
See STORYTELLING, Page 3A
PAUL AHNN/Daily
Ashley Blake, community and engagement lead at Avalon House, speaks about addressing chronic homelessness in the School of Social Work Building Thursday.
The University of Michigan’s
School of Social Work hosted
a talk on the current state of
homelessness
in
Washtenaw
County and the efforts social
workers
and
organizations
undertake to combat it Thursday
evening.
The
event,
organized
by
the
Community
Action
and
Social Change Student Board
and presented to an audience
of about 20 students, included
speaker
Ashley
Blake,
a
community building lead with
Avalon Housing, an Ann Arbor-
based nonprofit organization
that both manages and develops
affordable housing units in the
county.
According to Blake, there are
currently 342 known homeless
individuals
in
Washtenaw
County,
301
of
whom
are
unsheltered.
Blake
said
138
of those individuals reported
having a serious mental illness
and 70 reported problems with
substance abuse, both of which
are issues heavily associated
with causing homelessness.
“People with mental illness are
disproportionately affected by
homelessness, so it is estimated
that 26 percent of homeless
See SMOKING, Page 3A
ELIZABETH XIONG/Daily
Emily Canosa, assistant director of Sustainable Living Experience, speaks at the Hatcher Graduate Library Gallery
Thursday.
Mike being Mike
Michael Jocz is known for
being the brainiest member
of the Michigan football
team. But it’s not quite that
simple, and it hasn’t always
been easy.
» Page 4B
michigandaily.com
For more stories and coverage, visit
See SUSTAINABILITY, Page 3A
See HOMELESSNESS, Page 3A
Preparations are in place to
fill the seat of Councilmember
Sabra Briere (D-Ward 1) after
she steps down in December.
After nine years in office,
Briere announced her intention
to resign last week.
Briere has been an Ann
Arbor resident since 1973 and
the
Ward
1
representative
for City Council since 2007,
making her the longest-seated
current council member. On
Nov. 7, Briere published an
online letter announcing her
plans to resign. She stated in
the letter that she is resigning
to move with her husband to
Santa Rosa, Calif. to be closer
to their son.
Though Ann Arbor’s city
charter states the council must
appoint a replacement to fill
Briere’s seat within 30 days
of the vacancy, Briere pointed
out in an interview there is no
mention in the rules of how
the council gets news of the
vacancy or fills the vacancy,
just that it must be filled. When
Briere finalized her decision to
See CITY COUNCIL, Page 3A
Students talk
about being
transgender
at University
Forum explores reasons for chronic
homelessness in Washtenaw County
CAMPUS LIFE
Discussion focuses on shared
experiences and hopeful messages
RACHEL LEUNG
Daily Staff Reporter
Event highlights affordable housing, wealth disparities and available resources
KEVIN LINDER
Daily Staff Reporter
‘U’ joins in
nationwide
day to stop
smoking
SCIENCE
The campaign aims to
advance national anti-
smoking efforts
JENNIFER MEER
Daily Staff Reporter
During town hall, campus community
reflects on sustainability initiatives
Several offices and departments evaluate current and future long-term efforts
EMILY MIILLER
Daily Staff Reporter
Process to
fill vacancy
on council
commences
ANN ARBOR
City must appoint a
replacement for Sabra
Briere within 30 days
SOPHIE SHERRY
Daily Staff Reporter