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Thursday, February 9, 2017 — 3
“Matt and I did not send them,
and we don’t know who did. As
I teach in my computer security
classes, it takes very little technical
sophistication to forge the sender’s
address in an email.”
In response to the emails,
parallels are being drawn to similar
anonymous racist acts on campus
earlier this school year, including
multiple
rounds
of
posters
promoting white supremacy from
September and October.
Early
Wednesday
morning,
40 protesters gathered outside
Schlissel’s
house
on
South
University
Avenue
to
demand
action from the president. He came
out of his home to address the
demonstrators, affirming students’
protesting is crucial to combatting
racism on campus.
“The most important thing you
can do right now is stand together
and call out this bullshit,” Schlissel
said. “We’ll keep working together
on this, because I really do need
your help and I can’t promise
you the world’s going to be better
tomorrow or next week. I wish I
could … I’m just as powerless as
you to stop people from doing these
things.”
The conversation has taken to
Twitter as University sources and
organizations post denouncements
of the emails and, in many cases,
criticisms
of
the
University.
Engineering senior Basel Alghanem
tweeted his experience as a person
of color at the University.
Alghanem wrote in an email
interview that just because the
route through which the hacker
entered the email server can be
closed doesn’t mean the problem of
racism on campus will disappear.
“Closing an email server loophole
doesn’t fix the real problem,
that members of our Michigan
community … are being attacked,
that they don’t feel safe, and that
this email isn’t an isolated incident,”
he said.
On
the
Michigan
Students
Twitter account, Trevor Jones, an
LSA sophomore, briefly took over
the account between 8:00 and
9:00 last night, criticizing previous
tweets from same account. In
multiple tweets, he wrote the
University
should
meet
these
challenges
head-on
instead
of
tossing them to the side.
“The tweets from this account
are unacceptable and as someone
who has tweeted for this account
before,
the
person
currently
tweeting did not do a very good job
of handling the situation,” Jones
wrote in three separate tweets.
“This campus needs to address
these issues. Ignoring these issues
means being tolerant of these issues,
and this is NOT ACCEPTABLE for
the University of Michigan.”
Many
professors
addressed
the emails in their classes on
Wednesday. History Prof. Anne
Berg sent a Canvas message to
students notifying them she was
available to talk for anyone who
feels targeted on campus. In
an interview, she said she sent
the message to her students to
make sure her classroom is a safe
environment for students of color.
“I wanted to make sure if
students … wanted to talk to
someone, that I would be there
and that they could come and talk
to me so that they don’t feel left
alone thinking this campus is going
insane or something like that,” she
said. “This is not who we are. We
won’t let that happen. We are here
to protect you.”
Postdoctoral
fellow
Austin
McCoy studies racial justice in
the United States, and focused his
entire class today on unpacking the
emails. He said the University has
been the location of these past racist
attacks because of the University’s
public efforts to diversify its student
population through its Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion plan, a 49-part
plan spearheaded by Schlissel
and released last October. He also
cited the large amount of student
activism on campus in the past
couple of years as a reason why trolls
continue to target the University.
Addressing
the
University’s
earlier statement, McCoy said the
University often goes through
a predictable pattern of digital
response and condemnation when
racism emerges on campus.
“From
the
administration,
I anticipate them sending out
probably an email and saying that
they condemn the acts and then
that they’re investigating, but other
than that, I don’t know what else
the administration plans to do,” he
said.
Engineering
senior
Greg
McMurtry, president of the campus
chapter of the National Society of
Black Engineers, echoed McCoy’s
statements and referenced the
posters from last semester as
another instance of the University’s
stunted response to acts of racism.
“(The administration is) not
really using more than their
statements in emails, which is
disheartening because we had
something similar happen in the
fall semester so it’s upsetting and a
little disheartening but at the same
time, it’s expected,” he said.
In a Storify page, McCoy tweeted
Schlissel ideas from his class
discussion about the situation. He
said there is a difference between
formulating plans to combat racism
and taking measurable action.
“(Students) see the DEI plan,
ur
emails,
@umich
diversity
statements, but they only see that
y’all can’t prevent hateful acts,”
he wrote on Twitter. “Multiple
students of color said that it’s going
to take someone getting hurt before
you took action.”
Elizabeth James, Afroamerican
and
African
studies
program
associate, said she expects students
to rise up and combat the hateful
rhetoric displayed Tuesday night.
“Racism is based on fear of the
other and hiding behind flyers and
computers makes it easier in many
ways for the perpetrators to behave
in this heinous manner without
being revealed for their shameless
and reprehensible actions,” James
wrote in an email interview. “Over
the coming days, I believe we will
see a rise in students mobilizing and
speaking up about their concerns
that this be a safe and secure
environment.”
LSA junior Joshua Blum, chair
of the Hillel governing board,
said Hillel encourages the entire
University population to speak out
against racism toward all religions
and races.
“We strongly condemn these
emails and we hope that the
University and people and all the
students can come together and
stand united against bigotry and
hatred,” he said.
Hillel Executive Director Tilly
Shames
referenced
an
email
statement she sent from Hillel
earlier today saying actions speak
louder than words.
“While it’s important for us to
make this statement that we did,
condemning this language, I think
it’s even more important that we
are all working to bring our campus
community
together,”
Shames
said. “In our statement, we said
that there’s no room for this kind
of hate on our campus. I believe as
we fill our campus with support
and solidarity and a strong sense of
Michigan community, then there
will be no space for this kind of
hate.”
Engineering freshman Gabriel
Shlain,
Jewish
Engineering
Association president, is in his
first semester as president of
the association. He said that
as of today, he has been in
contact with other engineering
associations across campus and
University administrators to form
a bridge between students and
administration.
“I kind of feel a little bit
responsible to make sure everyone
who is Jewish — not only Jewish,
but Black — that they’re represented
and that they know that something
is being done and we’re talking to
other organizations and that we’re
talking to higher up people who are
representatives of the University to
hopefully prevent these things,” he
said. “Right now, our main focus is
to have a dialogue so that we can
then plan our actions accordingly.”
McMurtry said administrators
should start listening to its students
when situations like these occur.
“One
thing
the
University
really needs to start doing is when
students come with their concerns,
(is) follow up with those students
and say, ‘Hey. You brought these
concerns. We did X, Y and Z. Is this
good? Is this what you had in mind
or is this not what you had in mind?’
” he said. “Because currently, it’s
just ‘Here’s what we’re doing. Do
you think it’s good? Yes or no?
Thank you for your feedback and
we’re going to keep doing what
we’ve been doing.’ ”
EMAILS
From Page 1
able to get a number of bipartisan
co-sponsors, who have urged the
chairman of the finance committee
to have a hearing, so we’re pretty
positive that we’ll get a hearing this
time around.”
If
the
legislation
passes,
Michigan will join the small
but growing list of states that
no longer tax feminine hygiene
products. Minnesota, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Jersey and
Pennsylvania have removed the
luxury good designation from
tampons and pads, and several other
states have recently introduced bills
to do so as well.
Though it is intended to help all
women, supporters of the bill hope
the legislation will especially have
a hand in improving the lives of the
many women of the state living in
poverty. The average woman uses
these products once a month for
roughly 40 years of her life, and
while the 6-percent sales tax may
seem small, Warren feels it adds up.
“They’re not inexpensive, and
they’re
products
that
women
… spend money on every single
month, so that 6-percent tax is just
money they aren’t spending in other
places,” Warren said. “We have a
pretty large percentage of women
and children living in poverty, and
anything that we can do to help
those women find resources is a
benefit.”
Joanne Bailey, a women’s studies
lecturer specializing in women’s
health, agrees all women should
have easier access to menstrual
hygiene products, considering what
little choice women have in the
matter.
“Of course, we shouldn’t have
it be taxed in general,” Bailey
said. “All women menstruate; it’s
something all women have to pay
for … Menstruation happens, and
you have to manage it somehow,
so I think that is a component of
women’s health.”
On the other hand, as happy as
she is about the proposed legislation,
Bailey feels there might be more
pressing issues for our senators to
solve.
“In the grand scheme of things,
this is a very small part of all our
problems right now,” Bailey said. “If
this were six months ago, I would’ve
thought, ‘Woo hoo, so cool!’ … (But)
it doesn’t solve the whole problem.
HYGIENE
From Page 1
as the growing potential of STEM
education in the country.
“After President Obama eased
travel restrictions in December
2014, I sought to find faculty in
Cuba with similar backgrounds
and experiences to me,” Love
wrote. “My casual email/phone
exchanges led to my being invited
to give seminars last summer at
the University of Havana. That
was what led to the ‘on the ground’
logistics to resolve whether a
classroom
experience
on
site
could be proposed and pulled off
… Moreover, STEM education in
Cuba is alive and growing.”
Love noted that his students are
looking to gain insight into how
the Cuban economy functions,
while noting new technologies and
industry gaps. He added that many
of his students attending speak
fluent Spanish.
“A large fraction of engineering
students in the program are
bilingual in Spanish already and
I think our Cuban counterparts
are likely to impressed that a
large fraction of the UM student
ambassadors can communicate
to them in their language,” Love
said. “Our students are looking to
observe the state of the art with
regard to technology, industrial
capacity and gaps. We also hope
to gain insights on how the Cuban
economy flourishes.”
Engineering junior Archit Gupta
said the class has been preparing for
the differences in the availability of
resources between Cuba and the
United States, as well as studying
the different factors associated
with solving engineering problems
there. He further explained that
the University offers numerous
opportunities to make prototypes
of designs, using technology not
available in Cuba.
“We are focusing on prototyping
and design challenges presented
in
a
resource-constrained
environment,” Gupta said. “We
have been doing research on the
social, economic and geographical
factors associated with solving
an
engineering
problem,
and
how these problems are solved
differently in Cuba versus here in
the states.”
Gupta described the differences
in
education
styles
between
American and Cuban education
systems, stating Cubans emphasize
working on projects rather than
focusing on creating models and
pouring over planning. Because of
the excess of resources, the group
will visit science labs and medical
centers, as well as other cultural
centers.
“Some things we have learned
are that there is more emphasis
placed
in
learning
theory
compared to school here, whereas
there is some emphasis placed in
just doing it and getting your hands
dirty, due to the excess in resources
available,” Gupta said. “In Cuba,
we are going to visit a solar farm,
medical laboratory where there is
some of the world’s most advanced
lung cancer treatment, and explore
cultural aspects of the country
among other activities.”
Love explained that he hopes
the trip is the first of many and that
he can establish a collaborative link
between research venues in Cuba
and the University.
“Personally, I hope to establish
UM as a viable collaborative venue
for research, teaching and larger
engagement with public and private
enterprises in Cuba,” Love said.
“Maybe there are opportunities
to run other programs, and I hope
to help faculty at UM and in Cuba
build collaborative links.”
CUBA
From Page 1
is creating so much panic and
uncertainty for scholars, students,
and professionals because things
are so vague and unclear at
the moment,” Fadlalla wrote.
“Maybe further explanation and
clarification will make it helpful
for those of us who study or work
in these regions.”
To address related concerns, the
Middle East Studies Association,
a national organization, issued a
statement for faculty and students
at higher-education institutions
across the country.
“We condemn this Executive
Order, which is discriminatory
and does damage to academic
institutions in the United States,” it
reads.
The statement claims there have
been conflicting guidelines as to
the order’s impact on green-card
holders. It also calls for continued
support
from
colleges
and
universities.
“Academic institutions should
prepare to make accommodations
for students, staff and faculty
affected by this suspension of
entry and closely follow changes
in the interpretation of the Order
as legal challenges and agency
reinterpretations
continue
to
unfold,” it reads.
University
President
Mark
Schlissel’s statement — signed
immediately after the release of
the executive order — affirms the
University’s refusal to disclose the
immigration statuses of students,
in addition to its support of the
international community.
In an interview with the Daily
at the end of January, Schlissel said
the University has been keeping up
with related developments.
“Like the whole nation, we’re
following very carefully — things
that are changing quite quickly, they
change by the hour sometimes,” he
said. “We have staff keeping very
close watch so we know what the
situation is and we can best advise
members of our community.”
In the same interview, Schlissel
emphasized the importance of the
contributions of immigrants at the
University.
“The reason I really wanted
to speak up with clarity is I don’t
necessarily think many people
appreciate how international —
not just our university — but all
the great universities are,” he
said. “We have students from
over 100 countries around the
globe. The idea of excluding a
significant fraction of the world
as being potential members of our
community, I think would hurt
us.”
In response, Fadlallah wrote
that she felt the University has
responded to the executive order
appropriately.
“Yes protecting our students
and scholars who work in these
areas is necessary,” she wrote. “I
am very proud that the president
and the institution stand behind
its inclusive values of making
connections and strengthening its
global reach.”
Khaled Mattawa, an associate
English professor at the University,
is originally from Libya — another
banned country. He immigrated to
the United States in 1979 at the age
of 14 and became a citizen in 1996.
He wrote in an email interview that
he travels to the Middle East often.
He is currently on leave in Egypt.
In his email, Mattawa wrote,
as citizens, he and his family are
not affected by the executive
order. However, he expects to be
interrogated upon returning to the
United States.
He said the new regulations
seem to point to the beginning of a
“war against immigrants” — those
who are naturalized and those who
are not.
“As to my concerns, they
run deep. I feel that these new
regulations — I’m sure these
are not the last word(s) on this
matter — are part of an attempt
to fundamentally change the
United States, not only in its racial
make-up but in its structure as
a democracy,” he wrote. “Taken
under guidance from Alt-Right
White supremacists, this policy
aims to bring an end to all
immigration
from
Non-White
countries.”
He noted that since 1965,
the country has had a non-
discriminatory policy regarding
immigration, making it the most
diverse nation in the world —
something that has benefited both
the country and him personally.
However,
he
wrote
that
he believes the White House
now supports a racist vision,
particularly against Muslims, and
he foresees a divide in citizenship.
“I foresee the creation (of)
two kinds of citizenship whereby
citizens from Muslim countries
and other brown folks become
second-class citizens,” he wrote.
“The second step is perhaps to
deny entry visas, and certainly
citizenship, to all non-Whites ...
You begin with Muslims because
they’re the easiest target and you
move down the list of undesirables.
Yes, it’s a war against Muslims, but
it’s racism pure and simple.”
Mattawa wrote that Egyptian
scholars, even those whose nations
are not affected by the executive
order, are concerned. He said they,
and those whose nations are on
the list, will not come to the United
States.
“Scholars from the current
banned nations will seek to do
research elsewhere,” he said. “And
those who are already here will
seek to leave to places that offer
them hospitality and security.”
Mattawa feels there is no
reason to limit immigration and
the executive order is addressing a
problem that is nonexistent.
“There’s no economic reason
to limit immigration to the extent
that the Trump administration is
calling for,” he wrote. “And there’s
no security reason whatsoever
behind Trump’s executive order.
Hardly any immigrant from the
countries mentioned in this list
has committed terrorism; their
involvement in crime is almost
nonexistent.”
Mattawa
wrote
that
the
immigrants who come to the
United States “tend to be the best,
most equipped and most ambitious
individuals in the world” — echoing
Schlissel’s claim. He said they are
people who enter the United States
economic system and receive no
financial support from citizens.
Sheira Cohen is a Rackham
student and graduate student
instructor from New Zealand. She
is helping the Graduate Employees’
Organization negotiate a new
contract with the University. Cohen
specifically
helped
construct
a proposal to protect graduate
student working hours.
Under student visas — licenses
which most international GSIs have
— people cannot work more than
20 hours each week. However, by
the University’s current contract,
supervisors can require more than
20 hours of work from graduate
student instructors. The proposal
asks to change this regulation to
protect students from violating
their visas.
“One of the things I think that
makes it imperative in the current
climate is that there are increasing
amounts of attention being paid
to students on visas — trying to
find ways to take those away and
especially scrutiny at the border
by border officials,” she said. “If
the University says that they want
us and that they protect us, in
response (to) the executive orders,
this is a concrete way that they can
do that.”
Cohen said she thinks the
executive order will heighten
the proposal’s urgency and the
importance during its negotiations.
She said she was asked how
many hours she worked at the
Canadian border, and so she can’t
imagine how much more difficult it
would be for international students
who are not white, or from Western
countries.
She said the gap in the contract
makes
international
students
vulnerable at borders, and adjusting
it would be a way for the University
to support international students
given the current immigration
climate.
FACULTY
From Page 1
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to break out of that shell and
interact with people face to face
who are different than you, meet
new people, which I think we
don’t do that enough, so TEDx
really leverages all the cool ideas,
research and experiences.”
The event led off with a talk
by Koen Vanmechelen, a Belgian
conceptual artist who pioneered
the
Cosmopolitan
Chicken
Research Project — an artistic and
scientific study that works to cross-
breed different species chickens
from around the world. According
to Vanmechelen, the chicken is a
metaphor for the phenomenon of
globalization and diversity.
Vanmechelen noted that he
believes his message will hold
more relevance with an American
audience than a Belgian one,
because of the country’s current
state of racial division.
“In the beginning, the talk is
all chickens,” Vanmechelen said.
“You know, it can be funny, then
the talk is built up, and after a little
while everyone realize how serious
it is. What is happening with this
country is the content of my talk,
and I like it.”
Caitlin Holman, game designer
and co-founder of GradeCraft,
centered her talk around diversity
of a different kind — the issue of
intellectual diversity, and how
educators can better improve their
classrooms.
Holman said she was inspired to
create GradeCraft because of her
background in game design and
her observations that people work
longer and harder on problems
when they are presented in a game-
like environment.
Several of the topics at the event
dealt with issues pertaining to
public health. Dr. Erika Newman,
a pediatric surgical oncologist at
the University C.S. Mott Children’s
Hospital, spoke about the fight
against childhood cancer — in
particular,
the
neuroblastoma,
a form of cancer that manifests
primarily on the adrenal glands.
For Newman, cancer has always
been a part of her life. When she
was young, she lost her mother and
two uncles to the disease. Newman
said she was personally inspired
to find a cure for neuroblastoma
after removing a large tumor from
the chest of a 10-year-old boy, who
then asked why a cure did not exist
already.
At that moment, Newman said
she asked herself, “Why aren’t we
aspiring for the extraordinary?
Couldn’t we at least try?” She
then described how these sort of
moments in people’s experiences
lead them to their purpose in life.
“Our personal and professional
experiences,
they
shape
our
dreams,” Newman said. “They lead
us to our destiny. Our challenge is
to be open to the clues, the quiet
nudge that leads us to our life’s
purpose.”
Furthering the discussion on
public health, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed,
the director of the Detroit Health
Department
and
specialist
in
epidemiology,
focused
on
his
work in Detroit tackling public
health issues such as heart disease,
childhood asthma and accidental
pregnancy.
TEDX
From Page 1
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