February 15, 2005 - Arthur Miller, one of the University’s most distinguished alumni and a leading force in American theater, died in his Roxbury, Conn., home Thursday night at age 89. The Associated Press reported heart failure as the cause of his death. The prolific playwright was born Oct. 17, 1915 to a prominent Polish-Jewish family in Harlem. He is best known for writing “All My Sons,” “Death of a Salesman” – which earned him a Pulitzer Prize – and “The Crucible.” Before he made his Broadway premiere in 1944, he developed his writing skills as a University student from 1934 to 1938. He found the University alluring because of its Hopwoods Awards, creative-writing prizes given to students with a cash reward. The awards were established in 1931 in memory of dramatist Avery Hopwood. “This place seemed, because of the Hopwood Award, to be taking writing seriously,” Miller said during a visit to Ann Arbor last April. When financial constraints kept him in Ann Arbor one spring break, Miller found himself with enough free time to write a play, he recalled in his 1987 autobiography, “Timebends” He submitted the highly autobiographical play, “No Villain,” about a coat manufacturer and shipping clerks’ strike, to the Hopwood Awards Committee in 1936 under the pseudonym Beymom. The play won him $250 and the minor award for drama. In his book “Arthur Miller’s America: Theater and Culture in the Time for Change,” Theater and English Prof. Enoch Brater writes that a judge said the play possessed “an excellent modern theme handled with a tender insight into character.” His subsequent Hopwood Award came a year later for “Honors at Dawn,” submitted under the pseudonym Corona. The play focused on working class issues, a theme Miller returned to in many of his other works. It draws on both his experiences working in an automobile parts warehouse and his time at the University. He made a third and final attempt to secure a Hopwood in 1938 for a prison play titled “The Great Disobedience” but did not win. Miller had arrived at the University two years after his high school graduation from Brooklyns’ Abraham Lincoln High School, where he was a sub-par student – he failed algebra three times. Miller hadn’t seen any plays to speak of, “maybe two or three plays in my life.” Hoping to further his development as a writer, Miller joined The Michigan Daily’s news staff. The byline “Arthur A. Miller” first appeared May 21, 1935, in an article titled “Anti-Red Bill Sent to Senate.” “When I worked for the Daily I did just general reporting, and I was the night editor fo a while. And I got to write some good stories abot all sorts of stuff,” Miller told the Daily in 2000. In his book, Brater writes, “Miller’s reporting for The Michigan Daily falls rather neatly into two separate categories: one dealing with campus events and information of a nonpolitical nature, the other reflecting his growing commitment and attraction to progressive causes.” Miller eventually lost interest in journalism – which was his major until switching to English in 1936 – and his last piece to appear in the Daily ran on May 31, 1937, as a letter to the editor supporting a labor sit-down strike in Washtenaw County. “He said he stopped writing for the Daily because he didn’t like sticking to the facts. He much preferred making things. The rest, you know, is history,” Brater said. Miller’s reputation as a playwright began to take shape ir. Prof. Kenneth Rowe’s drama class. November 9, 2006 - University President Mary Sue Coleman pledged yesterday that the University would fight the implementation of Proposal 2 in the courts. A defiant Coleman addressed thousands who gathered on the Diag about the potential impact of the constitutional amendment that will ban affirmative action programs in Michigan. The administration’s immediate concern is trying to delay the implementation of the amendment so all of this year’s applicants will be evaluated under the same admissions guidelines. The constitutional amendment will likely take effect in late December; depending on the date the Secretary of State certifies the election results. If this happens, the University would be forced to change its admissions policies halfway through the admissions cycle – a scenario the administration desperately wants to avoid. “Today, I have directed our General Counsel to consider every legal option available to us,” Coleman told the crowd. Because the potential impact of Proposal 2 has been known for months, many observers expected swift legal action by the University yesterday to maintain the continuity of this year’s admissions process. But it was the radical pro- affirmative action group By Any Means Necessary, not University lawyers that went to the U.S. District Court in Detroit yesterday afternoon to try to block the implementation. A spokesperson for BAMN did not return phone calls for comment on the lawsuit yesterday. In an interview after her address, Coleman said she was unsure when the University would file its first legal challenges to Proposal 2, but she expected she would know within a few days. “The lawyers are working hard on this,” Coleman said. Officials at the University of California and the University of Texas systems successfully delayed the bans on their affirmative action programs in the courts until after completing their admissions cycles. Coleman said she is optimistic the courts would side with the University and allow this year’s admissions cycle to continue unaffected by Proposal 2. But such an outcome is not necessarily certain. Any legal action brought by the University against Proposal 2 would name the state of Michigan, represented by Attorney General Mike Cox, as the defendant. Cox, a Republican who was elected to a second term Tuesday, has actively opposed the University’s affirmative action policies in the past. In a rare act of defiance by an Attorney General, Cox refused a 2003 request by Jennifer Granholm to author an amicus brief on behalf of the state supporting the University in Gratz v. Bollinger. This year Cox was the only statewide candidate from a major party that openly supported Proposal 2. Cox could not be reached for comment yesterday. Doug Tietz, a spokesman for the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, criticized Coleman yesterday for trying to “trump the opinion of 58 percent of the electorate.” Looking to the long term, Coleman reiterated the University’s commitment to diversity. BAMN beats administration to filing lawsuit to block proposal’s implementation The day after: ‘U’ to fight Proposal 2 in court WALTER NOWINSKI Daily Staff Reporter Bicentennial The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com Friday, September 15, 2017 — 9 Read more at MichiganDaily.com Read more at MichiganDaily.com The University’s most famous alum never forgot his roots Acclaimed alum dies at 89 January 4, 2007 - University alum and former President Gerald Ford, who sought to restore trust in the presidency in the aftermath of one of the most scandal-ridden administrations in American history, died at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. on Tuesday. He was 93. When asked in 1995 what his greatest accomplishment was as president, Ford said it was “healing America.” And heal America he did. Ford’s decent, honest Midwestern demeanor calmed a nation beset by a deep unease after the traumas of Vietnam and Watergate. The cause of Ford’s death has not been released, but he had been hospitalized repeatedly over the past year. Ford was never elected to the presidency or vice presidency. In 1973, Nixon appointed then- Congressman Ford to take the place of Vice President Spiro Agnew after bribery charges forced Agnew to resign. His presidency will be remembered most for a single act – the decision to grant Nixon an unconditional pardon for all crimes he committed while president. The pardon sparked a national outcry and sent Ford’s approval ratings plummeting. It likely cost him the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter. Now, the pardon has become widely viewed as a necessary step to prevent the nation from having to see a former president in court for years. Ford received a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage award for the decision in 2001. Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, who had criticized Ford when he granted the pardon, said the decision was “an extraordinary act of courage that historians recognize was truly in the national interest.” Ford graduated from the University in 1935 with a double major in economics and political science. He played center on a football team that won two national championships. Ford was named the team’s most valuable player in 1934. The University retired his jersey, number 48, in 1994. He came to Ann Arbor in the middle of the Great Depression from his boyhood home in Grand Rapids with just $200 in hand. Half of that was for tuition. His football coach helped him find jobs washing dishes and waiting tables. One of the places where Ford washed dishes was his fraternity house, Delta Kappa Epsilon. Ford was also a member of Michigamua, the elite senior society. Ford turned down offers to play for the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions after graduation. Instead, he headed east to Yale University, where he was an assistant football coach and student at the law school. After serving in the Navy during World War II, Ford returned to Grand Rapids and opened a law firm. He was elected to Congress from Michigan’s 5th District in 1948, a seat he held until assuming the vice presidency. Ford remained close to the University throughout his life. He spoke at commencement ceremonies in May 1974 and kicked off his re-election campaign in September 1976 in front of a crowd of more than 15,000 at Crisler Arena. He returned to Ann Arbor to speak at forums and conferences throughout his retirement. Since 1977, Ford has held the title of adjunct political science professor. Ford’s presidential library is located on North Campus, and the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy is named for him. The Ford Presidential Museum is in Grand Rapids. Ford School Dean Rebecca Blank praised Ford “The Ford School community has been enriched by our connections with President Ford,” she said. “His visits here helped our students learn about the complexities of policymaking and understand the role of politics in our society. President Ford’s commitment to public service was a hallmark of his entire career.” University President Mary Sue Coleman said Ford was a strong contributor to the University community. “I am deeply saddened by his death but grateful for his many years of inspiration to his University,” Coleman said in a written statement. “I have had the great privilege of knowing both President Ford and Mrs. Ford. An ardent Michigan football fan, President Ford was equally passionate about interacting with students on issues of public policy and world affairs.” Coleman also noted Ford’s support for the University’s use of affirmative action in its admissions decisions. Ford published an op-ed piece in the New York Times in 1999 condemning two lawsuits filed against the University that challenged its use of affirmative action. “At its core, affirmative action should try to offset past injustices by fashioning a campus population more truly reflective of modern America and our hopes for the future,” Ford wrote. Ford’s stance on affirmative action was indicative of his moderate Republican leanings. Both he and his wife, Betty Ford, were supporters of abortion rights. In 1976, Ford faced a primary challenge from the more conservative Ronald Reagan, whom he defeated. Ford did not attend a single social event at the White House during Reagan’s eight years in office. Ford survived two assassination attempts in September 1975. It was Ford who presided over the removal of the last American troops from Vietnam in April 1975. After the fall of Saigon, Ford called on Americans to put the nation’s first real military defeat behind them. “I ask that we stop refighting the battles and the recriminations of the past,” he said in a speech at Tulane University. “I ask that we look now at what is right with America, at our possibilities and our potentialities for change and growth and achievement and sharing. I ask that we accept the responsibilities of leadership as a good neighbor to all peoples and the enemy of none.” Ford echoed Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address, saying “the time has come to look forward to an agenda for the future, to unify, to bind up the Nation’s wounds, and to restore its health and its optimistic self-confidence.” The Associated Press reported Wednesday that plans are underway for Ford’s body to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Saturday. A state funeral will likely be held on Tuesday in the National Cathedral. After that, his body will travel to Grand Rapids, where he will be to be buried. Ford is survived by his wife Betty, his daughter Susan and his sons Michael, John and Steven. Plans for a memorial at the University have not yet been announced. Our president A Life on the Grand Stage ANDREW GROSSMAN Daily Staff Reporter JENNIFER M. MISTHAL Daily Staff Reporter I ask that we stop refighting the battles and the recriminations of the past. I ask that we look now at what is right with America RYAN MCLOUGHLIN/Daily “I was an undergrad here in the early ’90s, and reflecting back to my experience at that time, I feel like the Bicentennial is the time to celebrate that the University of Michigan is a place where people can come and reach their potential...I’m now in the fortunate position of helping other students do that. So when I think about the Univeristy of Michigan and what I would celebrate about it, is that it’s a place for people to come and if they want to they can embrace all of the opportunities to learn about the most pressing social and political issues of our time, how to think about them, and to grow both personally and collectively.” Evelyn Al-Sultany, American Culture professor FE ATURE D PEOPLE “So the Bicentennial at it’s core is about the celebration of the University and it’s history. I feel that while it is important to celebrate the wonderful work the University has done, it is also important to embrace the ways we have improved from faulty and problematic parts and components of our past. We still have much to improve on, and I hope that the Bicentennial provides an avenue for student leaders and activists to engage with the community and pave a positive future for our Michigan.” LSA senior Yong-Joon Kim, SAPAC co-coordinator FILE PHOTO/Daily 1972 — Ann Arbor City Council passes ordinance setting fine for possession of marijuana at $5 1983 — President Ronald Reagan presented the National Medal of Science to Chemical engineering professor Donald Katz 1984 — Engineering alum Thomas Knoll and brother John created Adobe Photoshop 1983 — New computing station opens in the Union 1986 — New U-M hospital opens 1981 — Computers continue to become more prevalent with growing computer centers 1974 — President Gerald Ford takes office — the only alum to ever do so