In light of racist comments written on Black students’ doors this past weekend in West Quad, many students are unhappy with University President Mark Schlissel’s apparent silence. Though Schlissel tweeted a response Sunday evening to the writings — where students found “N-----” written on their dorm door name tags — Schlissel has since not spoken outwardly about the racism and any action the University would plan to take with regard to these types of incidents. Aside from the Division of Public Safety and Security investigation into the incident, there have not been any other administrative responses. LSA senior Isaiah Land, president of the University of Michigan branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, acknowledged the conflicts that Schlissel may be facing with regard to making a statement, but stressed the fact the Black community deserves the same amount of support and attention as any other group on campus. “I’m just really disappointed,” Land said. “I know that he’s handling a lot The positive impact of the Blavin Scholars Program is unquestionable to donors Paul and Amy Blavin. Stepping back from the support it provides for 37 students who have experienced foster care in their life, they see a broader goal. “It’s the American dream personified,” Paul Blavin said. When the Blavins introduced the program, they said they were met with uncertainty. Still, since 2009, the Blavin Scholars Program has strived to create a stress-free community in which students can have a “normal college experience.” In addition to financial aid of up to $5,000, Blavin scholars receive campus coaches, educational programming and options for year-round housing, including during holidays and breaks. BSP Director Miriam Connolly said the program intentionally grants their scholars’ requests to remain invisible. She stressed how important the prospect of anonymity is. “This is what we call an invisible population,” Connolly said. “Some want to remain invisible because they just want a normal college life. I feel like it’s really critical for the student to feel like this is their program.” Housed within the Dean of Students Office and in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services, the program has admitted 54 students and currently supports 37 students, with eight graduating next spring. The program also boasts a 95 percent retention and graduation rate. After reading Dave Pelzer’s novel “A Child Called ‘It,’” Blavin said he was inspired to begin the program with his wife. In the novel, Pelzer tells the story of an abused child who goes into foster care only to face even more challenges later in life. According to the Foster Care Alumni of America, only 3 to 10 percent of individuals who have spent time in foster care graduate from college, and more than 425,000 children in the United States are in foster care. The Blavins and Connolly aim to change the narrative of those who experience foster care. “There aren’t very many of these programs around the country,” Paul Blavin said. “Through trial and error, we’ve figured out that On Tuesday’s Central Student Government meeting, CSG President Anushka Sarkar, an LSA senior, spoke on the weekend’s racist incidents in West Quad Residence Hall, in which three Black students found derogatory remarks on their dormitory door decorations. She confirmed CSG’s responsibility in representing those affected by such incidents, and expressed her disappointment in the weekend’s events. “To be honest with you, I don’t know what to say about it. It’s incredibly hurtful and frustrating for the students who experience that and to the campus community as a whole when we see this sort of thing happen and you don’t feel like you can do anything about it,” she said. “We are very passionate about finding a way to rework the bias response incidents program that the University has … this weekend is proof that if you don’t step up and work on these issues there will be no improvement in the way that we take on the response process.” michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Wednesday, September 20, 2017 ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know. INDEX Vol. CXXVII, No. 93 ©2017 The Michigan Daily N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 CL A S S I F I E DS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 After racist writing, no action from ‘U’ leaders Colin Powell speaks on state of race relations in the United States See RESPONSE, Page 3A HALEY MCLAUGHLIN/Daily Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell dicusses his own past and his opinions on the future of national security at Hill Auditorium on Tuesday. STUDENT LIFE Following racially charged incident, students want response from Schlissel AMARA SHAIKH Daily Staff Reporter Also touches upon the importance of tech to a full audience in Hill Auditorium U.S. General and former Secretary of State Colin Powell was greeted with a standing ovation at a packed Hill Auditorium on Tuesday afternoon. The event, organized by the University of Michigan College of Engineering, was part of the James R. Mellor Lecture in conjunction with the Goff Smith Prize. The event was formatted as a discussion between Powell and Alec Gallimore, dean of the College of Engineering, who read questions composed from a few of the hundreds of questions that audience members had submitted in advance. The questions covered topics such as technology and politics and offered advice for future generations. LSA freshman Eve Winter was interested in what Powell had to say about politics. “Colin Powell is really well known, and I’m really interested in politics so I decided to come,” she said. “It’s also a really good way for me to continue to explore the field. This is the second event that I’ve gone to, and it’s really nice to see students come and get involved and I think that more students should take advantage AMARA SHAIKH Daily Staff Reporter Behind the Lie See CSG, Page 3A CSG body addresses West Quad racism, Lyft STUDENT GOVERNMENT The assembly also announced new ride program for night safety JORDYN BAKER Daily Staff Reporter DESIGN BY OLIVIA STILLMAN Blavin Scholars Program provides support for students in foster care Campus coaches, housing and educational programming help ease financial stress KEVIN BIGLIN Daily Staff Reporter Behind the Lie: “It’s not alcoholism until you graduate” A look at addiction recovery services at the University. » B-SECTION michigandaily.com For more stories and coverage, visit See PROGRAM, Page 3A See POWELL, Page 2A In Montgomery Research Group, students are important contributors to many diverse research projects led by John Montgomery, the University of Michigan Margaret and Herman Sokol Professor in Medicinal or Synthetic Chemistry. Some of these students include LSA juniors Sara Alektiar and Jake Wilson, along with Rackham student Jessica Stachowski. Alektiar said one of her favorite things about studying chemistry, which directly relates to her research, is that the concepts are logical and applicable. “It’s nice to be working on something where you can see the point of it, you can see the direct application of it to something that is relatable to everyone,” she said. Alektiar explained the lab focuses on the science behind life, which contributes to a number of biological concepts. She said the lab also does work in organometallic chemistry, the study of compounds that See CHEMISTRY, Page 3A Lab works to advance chemistry research RESEARCH The Montgomery Research Group is led by Synthetic Chem professor JENNIFER MEER Daily Staff Reporter