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Friday, February 17, 2017 — 3

the field. 

Pamela Heatlie, the deputy 

Title IX coordinator in the 
Office 
for 
Institutional 

Equity, said much of her 
work at the OIE is aimed at 
improving the 3.6 percent 
sexual assault reporting rate, 
including updating the sexual 
misconduct policy in July to 
include expanded definitions 
and 
scope 
of 
acceptable 

conduct.

She 
emphasized 
this 

process 
was 
centered 
on 

giving 
students 
choices 

and control with how they 
proceed.

“For the most part, we 

want claimants to feel a sense 
of control in what can feel 
like a very uncontrollable 
situation,” she said.

She 
discussed 
whether 

sexual 
assault 
should 
be 

handled 
internally 
at 
all, 

as 
this 
can 
compromise 

investigations. She elaborated 
that civil rights laws, in 
particular Title IX guidance, 
require the school to provide 
services to investigate sexual 
discrimination, 
including 

sexual assault.

Holly Rider-Milkovich, the 

former director of the Sexual 

Assault 
Prevention 
and 

Awareness Center, attempted 
to dispel what she felt was a 
fallacy in the way campuses 
dealt with sexual assault.

“Oftentimes, when I am 

talking 
about 
this 
issue 

on campus, there is a false 
dichotomy that is struck,” 
she said. “That we can either 
focus on prevention, or we 
can focus on compliance, 
and I really encourage us 
as 
a 
community 
and 
us 

nationally to stop dividing 
these two pieces, that we 
can both do excellent work 
in compliance, and excellent 
work in prevention. And I 
would argue that the best 
way to achieving compliance 
is to do our very best work in 
prevention.”

She used the University 

as an example of a school 
that has a robust system for 
dealing with sexual assault, 
and to her, the first step in 
creating this kind of system is 
a focus on long-term funding.

Rider-Milkovich discussed 

how 
the 
University’s 

program has evolved over 
the past 25 years, beginning 
with 
an 
initial 
focus 
on 

preventing 
sexual 
assault 

and 
its 
consequences. 

While this was considered a 
standard industry practice 
for the time, she detailed 
how 
the 
University 
has 

since spearheaded a more 
comprehensive approach. This 
approach emphasizes what 
healthy sexuality looks like 
and mandates participation 
in healthy sexuality events 
for all incoming students. 
With these steps, she also 
referenced 
the 
desire 
to 

increase student reporting of 
crimes, as well as the hope 
for a decrease in overall 
incidents.

Public Policy senior Emma 

Zorfass, who has volunteered 
with 
SAPAC 
throughout 

her 
entire 
college 
career, 

underscored the need for 
more education.

“We want to start talking 

more explicitly about the 
connection between sexual 
violence 
and 
other 
forms 

of violence,” Zorfass said. 
“Sexism, racism, xenophobia, 
etc., they all happen in the 
same 
space 
and 
they’re 

interconnected, so it makes 
sense to talk about them all 
together.”

This focus has increased 

outreach 
between 
student 

organizations and facilitated 
dialogue about increases in 
violence as well. Dialogue 
between 
SAPAC 
and 

student groups is something 
Zorfass feels can help reach 
more students on campus 
throughout 
their 
college 

careers. 

SPEAKERS
From Page 1

— helping facilitate a program to 
improve the city’s low-income 
public housing. He acknowledged, 
however, that there is still progress 
to be made in those areas, which 
is what motivated him to run for 
re-election. 

“We have a roads plan, but 

many streets remain dangerous for 
pedestrians and cyclists,” the press 
release read. “We have rehabbed 
our public housing system, but 
we have done little to build new 
workforce housing — housing for 
our teachers, retirees, restaurant 
workers, and young professionals.”

Recently, many residents have 

expressed frustration with the city’s 
lackluster progress on pedestrian 
safety after a local high school 
student was killed while crossing 
the street on his way to school.

In a February meeting of City 

Council, 
Ackerman 
supported 

a resolution to review President 
Donald 
Trump’s 
executive 

order ceasing federal grants for 
“sanctuary jurisdictions,” while 
expressing concerns about the 
future of public housing.

“We need to be wary of slashes 

to federal funding, and I’ll only 
say, to me, that comes in the form 
of federal funding to our Section 
8 programs,” he said. “These are 
programs in the city that distribute 
up to 1,300 vouchers for housing to 
those who otherwise may be living 
on the streets.” 

CITY
From Page 1

out, except if you’re targeting 
Jewish students at the University 
of 
Michigan,” 
Greenstein 

said. “In that case, the record 
is clear that the University 
administration 
will 
remain 

silent and take no action.”

In response to Greenstein’s 

comments, Schlissel reiterated 
previous statements denouncing 
both racism and anti-Semitism 
as unacceptable on campus.

“Bigotry 
of 
any 
kind 
is 

unacceptable in our community 
and I’ve said so countless times,” 
Schlissel said. “Bigotry includes 
bigotry on the basis of race, 
ethnicity and on religion. Anti-
Semitism is not tolerated here or 
elsewhere and should not be.”

Despite 
these 
remarks, 

community speakers continued 
to step up reaffirm the previous 
statements. 
University 
alum 

Sheldon Freilich outlined four 
steps he said the University 
should take to reverse “double 
standards” when responding to 
anti-Semitism.

“Concrete steps that this 

University should take include 
the following four,” he said. 
“Disciplinary 
measures 
for 

those 
who 
commit 
anti-

Semitic bigotry, publicly and 
forcefully 
labeling 
incidents 

that are explicitly anti-Semitic 
… 
educating 
teachers 
and 

students about the dangers of 
anti-Semitism … and informing 
all students of the school’s 
procedures and policies when 
seeking redress for incidents of 
discrimination and harassment.”

In his address to the board 

earlier in the meeting, LSA 
senior David Schafer, president 
of Central Student Government, 
said students on campus who 

were not affected by recent 
attacks contribute to an attitude 
of apathy.

“This is something that we 

can and must address in some 
form or another if we hope 
to empower more students to 
become allies,” he said. “An 
offense against any member of 
the Michigan community is an 
offense against all. When one 
student or one community is 
made to feel unsafe … that must 
matter to all of us, even if it’s not 
someone that we know.”

The executive board of the 

Black Student Union attended 
the event, wearing all black in 
solidarity. LSA sophomore Jesse 
Love, political actions chair of 
the Black Student Union, said 
the University’s response was 
inadequate 
and 
measurable 

action must be taken.

“We want to the University 

to know, although we couldn’t 
get a speaking time, that 
our 
presence 
is 
definitely 

something that’s going to be 
felt and that this is an issue that 
we have with the University,” 
he said. “Obviously it’s not 
every day that we come to 
Regents meetings, but we felt 
it was specifically necessary 
that we come to this meeting 
so that they can see that their 
inaction did not go unnoticed.”

Recreation 
Facility 

Changes

The 
Regents 
approved 

$21 million in renovations 
to 
the 
Bennie 
Oosterbaan 

Field House, among other 
construction 
plans. 
The 

project consists of building 
a 
32,000-square-foot 

performance 
center 
within 

the 
fieldhouse 
for 
use 

by 
the 
football 
program. 

Additionally, the plan calls 
for 
a 
5,000-square-foot 

mezzanine level to be created. 
Other 
renovations, 
such 

as 
upgrading 
heating 
and 

ventilation, will also be made 
to address safety concerns.

Prior to the plan’s approval, 

Business junior Nate Fisher, 
president of the men’s club 
rugby team, asked the Regents 
to delay the project. Fisher 
spoke on behalf of the 31 club 
sports teams at the University, 
citing that almost a third of 
these teams utilize Oosterbaan 
for practice and competition. 
The construction, he said, 
would hurt their programs.

“The 
reduction 
of 

Oosterbaan translates to fewer 
hours of practice to refine 
skills, fewer scrimmages to 
prepare 
against 
opponents, 

fewer games and less time to 
become a team that is capable 
of 
upholding 
the 
prestige 

expected of students at the 
University,” he said.

Fisher 
noted 
club 

sports 
allow 
students 
to 

gain 
leadership 
skills 
and 

interact 
with 
alumni 
and 

administration. 
He 
cited 

that in recent years, teams 
that practice in Oosterbaan 
have 
attended 
National 

Championships 25 times and 
won five titles.

“Oosterbaan is very valuable 

due to its size and indoor 
benefits,” he said. “Seven out of 
the nine teams require a space 
the same size as Oosterbaan 
with 
a 
similar 
ceiling 

height 
to 
play 
sanctioned 

games, and together we play 
approximately 
35 
games. 

The renovated indoor track 
building that (the University 
Athletic 
Department) 

described will not meet these 
league standards or have the 
additional run-off room on the 
sidelines for safety.”

Among other things, Fisher 

noted that, if the capacity 
of Oosterbaan is reduced, as 

suggested by the proposal, 
only one team could practice 
safety at a time.

Administrative 

Appointments

The Regents made two major 

administrative 
appointments 

Thursday afternoon.

Kallie 
Bila 
Michels 
was 

appointed 
full-time 
vice 

president for communications. 
After serving as associate vice 
president for communications 
since 2008, Michels will take on 
the role of chief communications 
officer, 
working 
with 
the 

Board of Regents and other 
executive officers to organize 
communications and marketing-
related initiatives. She will also 
oversee the University’s social 
media outlets.

The action request signed 

by Schlissel said Michels will 
be responsible for enhancing 
the university’s reputation and 
visibility locally, nationally, and 
internationally. It will also work 
to position and differentiate 
the University among leading 
institutions of higher education.

The 
board 
also 
confirmed 

Elizabeth B. Moje as dean of the 
School of Education. Moje is 
currently serving as interim dean 
and teaches classes in secondary 
and adolescent literacy, cultural 
theory and research methods. Her 
research focuses on youth literacy 
in Detroit, specifically addressing 
the intersection of disciplinary 
literacies of school and literacy in 
and out of school.

The action request signed by 

Interim Provost Paul Courant, 
in his first official appearance 
before the board as interim 
provost, says Moje’s “enthusiasm 
and dedication” to the School of 
Education is evident in all her 
work.

Michels assumes her position on 

Feb. 17, while Moje’s appointment 
takes effect on March 1.

REGENTS
From Page 1

said. “It’s about investing in 
Michigan’s future to create 
jobs.”

At the State of State address 

in 
January, 
Snyder 
made 

infrastructure improvements a 
main pillar of his speech.

“Michigan residents deserve 

safe, 
reliable, 
sustainable 

infrastructure,” Snyder said. 
“We need to invest more, we 
need to literally invest billions 
of dollars of new investment 
over the next several decades.”

Including 6 percent sales 

tax and excluding the federal 
gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, 
Michigan’s combined tax rate 
will total about 37.8 cents per 
gallon, the fifth highest in the 
nation 
after 
Pennsylvania, 

Washington 
state, 
Hawaii 

and New York. Federal tax 
revenue will not go toward 
infrastructure repairs.

This increased cost will place 

a significant burden on drivers, 
especially student drivers, such 
as LSA freshman Catharine 
Greenberg.

Greenberg, 
a 
resident 
of 

Vermont, 
said, 
though 
her 

state’s harsh weather should 
yield 
similar 
damage 
to 

its 
infrastructure 
system, 

Michigan’s roads are in far 
worse condition.

“My first time driving in 

Michigan, it was very obvious 
that 
the 
roads 
weren’t 
as 

comfortable 
to 
drive 
on,” 

Greenberg said.

Though most of Greenberg’s 

driving is done in Vermont, she 
has a car on campus, which 
she said is becoming more 
expensive than she expected.

“My car doesn’t get great 

gas mileage,” Greenberg said. 
“For a college student trying to 
scrape things together, that’s 
going to cost me about four 
dollars extra each time I fill 
up my tank, which is a really 
significant amount.”

Despite 
this 
relatively 

large change in gas prices, 

Sam 
Beydaun, 
manager 
of 

University Fuel Mart on Main 
Street, said he has not seen any 
changes in demand for gasoline 
at his station.

“The price of gas changes 

so much on its own that I 

don’t think people paid much 
attention to the 7 cent increase,” 
Beydaun said. “It seems like 
just another fluctuation.”

Many 
Michigan 
residents 

have stressed the urgency with 
which 
infrastructure 
needs 

to be repaired. The package, 
which was announced in 2015 
and included taxes that did 
not take effect until 2017, does 

not allow revenue to go toward 
roads until fiscal year 2019. The 
full dedication of revenue to 
roads will not be available until 
fiscal year 2021.

The $455 million in expected 

tax revenue actually replaces 
the 
$400 
million 
allocated 

by the state’s general fund 
to go toward infrastructure 
improvements in the 2015-2016 
fiscal year. The $400 million 
amount was not in the current 
fiscal year budget.

In addition to the increased 

gas tax, annual registration 
fees for cars, vans, light trucks 
and commercial trucks will 
rise 20 percent. Prior to the 
increase, the average annual 
fee was $120. With the 20 
percent increase in place, an 
additional $24 will be charged, 
making the total fee $144. Gas-
electric hybrid vehicles will 
experience an average increase 
of $47, and electric vehicles will 
experience an average increase 
of $135.

Democrats have expressed 

concern that with such large 

sums of money coming out of 
the state’s budget to fund the 
parts of the project not covered 
by tax revenue, less money 
will be available for issues like 
health care and education.

State 
Rep. 
Yousef 
Rabhi 

(D–Ann Arbor) said taking 
money from the general fund 
was a reckless decision that 
will not solve Michigan’s roads 
problems.

“We 
should 
never 
have 

touched the state’s general 
fund,” 
Rabhi 
said. 
“It 
is 

just 
fiscally 
irresponsible, 

especially since 1.2 million isn’t 
even enough to fix our roads. 
We are looking at cutting 600 
million from our budget, and it’s 
a year after year expenditure.”

No 
conversations 
have 

taken place to discuss what 
programs could potentially lose 
funding, despite the inevitable 
losses. Rabhi speculated this 
conversation is not taking place 
because supporters of the tax 
are trying to avoid a public 
relations “nightmare.”

“It’s just another example of 

the government being treated 
like an ATM,” Rabhi said.

Rabhi agreed that fixing 

Michigan’s roads is a critical 
issue that needs to be addressed. 
However, he said he does not 
think the state has addressed it 
efficiently and fairly.

“The thing that I am cautious 

about it that it is a regressive 
tax,” Rabhi said. “People with 
lower 
incomes 
pay 
higher 

percentages of their income 
because of it. I think an ad 
valorem tax would make it 
more fair.”

Though the increases are 

significant, Beydaun said, when 
boiled down, the issue at hand 
is simple and uncontroversial.

“The 
revenue 
is 
going 

towards a good cause,” Beydaun 
said. “I don’t think anyone has a 
problem with it. We need to fix 
the roads.”

State Rep. Kevin Cotter (R–

Mount Pleasant), who orginially 
aided in manufacturing the 
intrastructure funding plan, 
did not respond to request for 
comment. 

TAX
From Page 1

It’s about 

investing in 

Michigan’s future 

to create jobs

then build on one’s own knowledge 
to help others.

“We have to get quiet enough to 

hear where the cries for healing are 
coming from,” McCoy said. “What 
can I use to speak from my tradition 
to be able to answer the call?”

The event was the first in a series 

of three, aimed to build coalitions 
between the organizations and 
identity groups on campus in 
order to bring about joint civic 
engagement, according to LSA 
senior Zara Melitts, a member of 
Hillel.

McCoy also led a communication 

and relationship building activity 
her organization uses to guide 
attendees 
in 
the 
process 
of 

addressing grievances across lines 
of disagreement and identity.

LSA sophomore Vivian Obia 

described how the activity helped 
her work through experiences 

she had in confronting peers who 
had voted for President Donald 
Trump.

“Even while you’re dealing 

with (situations like that), you 
still have to find peace within 
yourself in some type of way,” 
Obia said. “At the end of the day, 
even if we do disagree on things, 
I still know who I am as a person, 
and this has honestly allowed me 
to love myself even more even 
with all that’s going on.”

LSA senior Micah Griggs, 

vice 
president 
of 
Central 

Student Government, said she 
appreciated 
McCoy’s 
words 

and acknowledged her ability to 
put current political climate in 
perspective.

“(McCoy) really put things 

in perspective, that we need to 
acknowledge and appreciate how 
people feel, and give ourselves 
space and support when things 
like this happen on campus 
and learn and realize we can 
move forward as communities 
together,” she said.

TROTTER
From Page 1

