The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
Thursday, December 7, 2017 — 3A
including Public Policy junior
Gabby McFarland, are upset
about the name of their degree
from the department.
“I
originally
decided
to
minor
in
Chinese
because
of the benefits of speaking a
second
language.
However,
once
I
studied
abroad
in
China I grew interested in
the cultural aspects of the
minor,” McFarland wrote in an
email. “I feel like there being
no
specific
Chinese
major
or
minor
is
fundamentally
ignorant. Having an Asian
Language Department fails to
recognize individual countries
and
cultures,
and
instead
groups them.”
As McFarland said, there
is no Chinese major or minor.
Students also can’t get a degree
in Japanese, Thai, Sanskrit
or Urdu. But by taking any of
those languages — or any of
seven others — for three years,
plus a few other classes, and a
student could declare an Asian
languages and cultures minor.
According to Ashlee Wolfe,
curriculum
and
student
services
manager
for
the
department, this blanket major
is mostly an administrative
necessity. Within Wolverine
Access, majors allow for a
second,
specific
program
sub-plan to be named. For
example, Asian studies majors
can declare a sub-major with a
further specified area of study,
and that sub-major will show
up on their transcript. But this
same technological capability
doesn’t exist for minors.
“That
really
has
to
do
with
administrative
and
technological capabilities. …
But they’re still minoring in
Chinese, they’re still minoring
in Hindi; it’s just that their
transcript can’t really reflect
that,” Wolfe said. “The only
way it could reflect that is if
we actually created (eleven)
separate
minors
for
the
program and that’s excessive.”
The Slavic Languages and
Literatures
Department,
on
the other hand, does offer
specific minors for different
languages (although one of its
minors is a combined minor in
Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian
languages).
Prof.
Michael
Makin, department director
of
undergraduate
studies,
explained this separation as a
way for students to focus in on
a certain area of Slavic culture.
“When we have had enough
teaching
resources
and
courses, we have created a
minor in each of those other
language areas, and, indeed,
it is my own impression that
students want to take minors
that
specifically
identify
distinct areas of Slavic culture
— after all, Czech language and
culture are radically different
from, say, Russian, or the South
Slavic
area,”
Makin
wrote
in an email. “I would have
nothing against the creation of
a minor in ‘Slavic Languages
and Cultures,’ but, to my mind,
such a minor would denote
general coverage of the area.”
Wolfe said her department
understands this desire to hone
in on a certain topic, and the
minor is set up in a way that
student can do that. However,
separate minors are not a
reality for the department.
“It’s
a
little
bit
more
realistic for all other units,”
she said. “For us, it’s more
just administratively silly and
redundant to actually create
separate
minors
for
every
single one of our languages
that qualify for a minor. …
Minors don’t really get a line
on a student’s resume. Majors
get a line on a student’s resume.
So when it comes to minors it’s
more about the skills students
get from these minors … and
they have the transcript to
back these up.”
According to Wolfe, students
usually don’t have a problem
with the generality of the
minor’s name once she explains
to them how the degree works
and what employers care about.
Nonetheless, McFarland still
didn’t feel satisfied after she
received a similar story.
“When I declared my minor,
our conversation was focused
around my Chinese curriculum
so it didn’t really occur to
me that it would eventually
say
Asian
Languages
on
my
transcript,”
McFarland
wrote. “I think having an
Asian
Languages
minor
could negatively impact my
resume because there could be
expectations that I might not
fulfill having only concentrated
in
Chinese.
Additionally,
I
chose the Chinese program to
develop language skills, which
I would like to explicitly list on
my resume. An Asian Language
minor inhibits this.”
Yet, Wolfe said students
should recognize what they are
really getting with an Asian
languages and cultures minor.
“It’s more about highlighting
the skill-set you gained from
a
minor,”
she
said.
“And
(students) can easily say that
they have, for instance, a
Korean minor, because truly
they do. The fact that it’s named
Asian languages and cultures
is truly just an administrative,
bureaucratic thing.”
LANGUAGE
From Page 1A
at other schools to compare
incidents,
administrative
response and student activism,
whether these incidents result
from a difference in religion,
culture, politics or policies.
University
President
Mark
Schlissel announced Nov. 21 the
University planned to proceed
with Spencer’s request to speak
on campus, on the condition it
could ensure him a safe setting.
The decision was confirmed at
an emergency meeting for the
University’s Board of Regents.
Schlissel’s reasons for the
decision
were
trifold.
He
explained the University cannot
restrict the content of speech,
based on the First Amendment;
denying Spencer would result
in more public attention given
to Spencer; and free speech
is fundamental to democratic
society
—
an
attribute
the
University must protect.
Kyle Bristow — an attorney
for Cameron Padgett, a Georgia
State
University
student
submitting requests for Spencer
to speak on multiple campuses
— tweeted Oct. 27: “This evening
@CameronVPadgett
requested
to rent a room at @UMichfor
@RichardBSpencer
to
speak.
Your move, @DrMarkSchlissel.”
Rick Fitzgerald, assistant vice
president
for
public
affairs,
confirmed Oct. 31 the University
was made aware of Spencer’s
request to speak.
Stop Spencer at the University
of Michigan — a coalition that
formed
in
response
to
the
request — posted on Facebook
in
early
November,
saying
though it knows Schlissel and
many administrators do not
want Spencer to come, “they
have failed to acknowledge the
severity of the situation and
have yet to say no to Spencer.”
The group used the hashtag
#HailNotHeil.
Nov. 17, they posted a link to
an article from the Detroit Free
Press, explaining Bristow would
give the University until Nov. 24
to decide if Spencer could speak,
or face a lawsuit.
The
night
of
Schlissel’s
announcement, the group called
on the University community
to protest the decision. Nov. 25,
it called for a week of action,
using the hashtag #StopSpencer.
Subsequently, during the week
of Nov. 27, student protesters
participated
in
speak-outs,
teach-ins and strikes, calling
on the administration to deny
Spencer.
The University has yet to
decide on a safe setting and time
for Spencer to speak on campus.
Although the threat of lawsuit
has been delayed until Friday, it
is uncertain if it will allow such.
In an email to The Daily,
LSA senior Hoai An Pham, the
press coordinator for the Stop
Spencer at the University of
Michigan coalition, wrote the
administration has not made
any effort to ensure the safety of
students.
“During
our
week
of
action, which called for the
administration to take action,
they only issued a statement
that they did not support the
protests (only the teach ins),
again without offering anything
productive,” she wrote. “There
has been no action taken by
the administration to support
students.”
Furthermore,
Pham
emphasized
she
believes
the statements made by the
administration
have
been
lackluster.
“While
the
administration
thinks that simply saying that
it does not stand for Spencer’s
ideologies is enough, that is
an
inactive
and
bystander
response,” she wrote. “It is easy
to say that you do not agree
with Spencer. It is harder to
admit that in allowing him
on campus, you are placing
marginalized students in an
incredibly dangerous situation.
A
statement
against
white
supremacy does not stop a bullet
from being shot into a crowd, as
has happened with Spencer and
his supporters.”
“Spencer has already scored
a victory”
History
lecturer
Anne
Berg, who spoke at one of the
#StopSpencer teach-ins, wrote
in an email to The Daily she was
not sure why the University is
taking its current position.
“I suspect it is much for
the same reason that Florida
allowed Spencer to appear on
campus – both Florida and our
own institution have essentially
bowed their head and accepted
the terms of the debate set by
Spencer and his team, they have
been complicit with Spencer’s
insistence that this is an issue
of free speech rather than one
of violent threats and dangers to
student safety,” she wrote. “In
that respect Spencer has already
scored a victory.”
To
Berg,
the
debate
surrounding
Spencer’s
appearances
are
incorrectly
attributed to free speech, rather
than the violence rhetoric within
Spencer’s “ideas.” She said his
denial of people and their right
to exist was very much a threat.
“Spencer’s platform denies the
right to exist for Black people and
people of color more generally.
Accordingly, the mere presence
of people of color seems to be
taken as a provocation by many
of Spencer’s supporters and
accordingly they feel entitled
and emboldened to follow up on
Spencer’s “ideas” with their fists,
cars and guns,” she explained.
Schlissel, in a school-wide
email, emphasized his disgust
for Spencer and his beliefs.
This has been reflected in other
schools as well.
In December 2016, Spencer
spoke at Texas A&M University.
According to an article from
The Battalion — the university’s
student newspaper — Spencer
was greeted with applause and
boos. He was asked to speak on
campus by Preston Wiginton, a
former student, amid negative
reactions
from
the
campus
community.
The
university’s
president,
in
fact,
endorsed
several guest speakers who came
to campus to “counter” Spencer.
At a protest during the event,
Texas A&M University student
Aaron Blasband, the student
president of Texas A&M Hillel,
said he opposed neo-Nazism.
“I’m
here
because
I
am
against white supremacy,” he
said. “I am against neo-Nazism
as a Jew. My grandparents
were in the Holocaust and a
large majority of my family was
killed in the Holocaust from
very similar thinking to this. So
when something is going on like
this it makes me want to go out
there and spread love more than
anything else.”
Alt-right
organizers
then
scheduled
a
“white
lives
matter” event to take place on
Sept. 11, 2017 at the university;
Spencer was supposed to speak
at the event. However, in a
press release, the university
administration
canceled
the
event due to safety concerns.
Aug. 16, Janine Sikes, assistant
vice president of public affairs at
the University of Florida, said in
a statement the university would
deny Spencer his request to rent
space, following concerns for
campus safety. However, once
it was faced with a lawsuit, the
university relented and allowed
Spencer to speak on campus in
October.
U-F President Kent Fuchs
said in a video announcement
the university’s values do not
align with those of Spencer.
He encouraged students to not
attend the October event.
“The values of our universities
are not shared by Mr. Spencer,
the National Policy Institute
or his followers,” he said. “Our
campuses
are
places
where
people from all races, origins
and religions are welcomed and
are treated with love. … I urge
you to do two things. First, do
not provide Mr. Spencer and
his followers the spotlight they
are seeking. I urge everyone to
stay away from Phillips Center
October 19. Second, although I
urge you to avoid the Spencer
event, I ask that you do not let
Mr. Spencer’s message of hate
and racism go unchallenged.
Make it clear that messages of
hate on our campus are contrary
to our values.”
In an article from the Florida
Alligator — the University of
Florida’s
student
publication
— Oggi Parry, a senior at the
university,
protested
Spencer
at the October event. He said
he voted for President Donald
Trump in the 2016 election,
but he wanted to show Trump
supporters do not align with
Spencer. He wrapped his body in
an American flag and wore red,
white and blue sunglasses.
“Conservative views are not
(Spencer’s) views,” he said. “We
are not with him.”
Back in Michigan, University
Regent
Mark
Bernstein
(D)
said to deny Spencer would
be an immoral act of the First
Amendment. Schlissel echoed
similar upholding values of the
First Amendment in his school-
wide email.
SPENCER
From Page 1A
that teach them about STEM
fields, as well as others. This
part is led by Lab coordinator
LaShawn Sims, who explained
the importance of introducing
youth to career fields and the
emphasis of personal assets.
“They do an activity that is
called the Strengths, Interests
and Values, where they look at
their own individual strengths,
interests and values,” Sims
said. “They are able to look at
about 45 different careers and
determine what would be a
good fit for them based on their
own characteristics.”
The second half of the
program
follows
with
the
conceptualization of an idea or
invention by the students, and
then its subsequent creation.
Lab coordinator Haley Hart
facilitate
this
part
of
the
program,
which
highlights
the engineering and hands-on
aspect of the program.
The lab hosts about 30
students
per
day
and
is
predicted to host approximately
3,000 students in one year.
While the original Thinkabit
model has been functioning
at
Qualcomm’s
San
Diego
headquarters for four years, the
Detroit Thinkabit Lab began
its soft launch in September
and has been perfecting the
program for the past two
months.
The Detroit lab is the second
Thinkabit location, excluding
the headquarters in San Diego.
Virginia Tech partnered with
Qualcomm in fall 2016, opening
a workshop at its Northern
Virginia Center.
Plans for the MEZ and the
Thinkabit lab include possibly
expanding available programs
to the summer.
“Really, the progress or the
outcome that we’re looking is
for kids to have opportunities
to learn about STEM careers,
and get involved in hands on
activities that would get them
interested
in
learning
and
following down that pathway,”
Hart said.
STEM
From Page 1A
managing the event would be
uniquely vulnerable. One of her
supervisors, she said, alerted
her
that
Spencer’s
requests
specified the Unions, some of
the few buildings on campus
available for public rent.
“Students
are
central
to
any event held in University
Unions,” Proegler said. “We’re
responsible for A/V — including
the
microphone
he
might
speak in — tables and chairs,
troubleshooting
…
student
workers cannot be removed
from the equation.”
Multiple
employees
said
building directors did not broach
workers’ concerns until talk of
protest reached administrators
this week. LSA junior Tim
Williams,
Michigan
Union
building manager, met with the
Union building director Amy
White on Monday about the
sit-in. White told Williams the
protest as planned would violate
multiple building policies — the
same ones employees are paid
to enforce — including building
hours and misuse of room keys.
Student employees participating
in the sit-in, she said, would do
so at risk of losing their jobs or
being replaced by other workers.
“I thought that was fair.
Violating building policy comes
with consequences,” Williams
said. “Amy suggested we sit in
the hallway during business
hours instead. People could be
fired as a result of that specific
protest.”
Unions senior director Susan
Pile wrote in an email statement
administrators
would
not
encroach on workers’ freedom
outside their jobs.
“Student
employees
are
an
important
part
of
our
organization and would not
lose their jobs for engaging in
protest activity outside of their
work responsibilities. We seek
to provide a work environment
that is supportive and flexible
for student employees in all
kinds of ways,” she wrote.
Still, both students agreed,
administrators failed to take
initiative on quelling employees’
fears. Williams said his meeting
on the protest finally signaled to
administrators that “we haven’t
really talked to our employees
and maybe we should.” He
called these efforts, however, “a
little late.”
Proegler said scheduling a
meeting with Xavier Wilson, her
building director at the League,
was like “pulling teeth.”
“He was dismissive of student
worker concerns,” she said. “The
assumption was that if (Spencer)
comes, of course it’s going to
be safe. Our greatest fear is
that they are going to suddenly
thrust the event on us in a way
that disempowers us.”
At
past
Unions
events
featuring controversial speakers
like Milo Yiannopoulos two
years ago and Charles Murray
earlier this semester, student
workers still set up the rooms
and were in close contact with
the
event,
though
Proegler
said administrators made up
most of the staff for the event
itself. Part of the uncertainty
around employees and Spencer
stems from the vague nature
of the event status — the event
might not even take place in
the Unions, as the buildings are
difficult to secure.
“It is too early to say how
we might staff an event, if
one even occurs,” University
spokeswoman Kim Broekhuizen
wrote in an email statement.
Uncertainty
around
the
circumstances
of
Spencer’s
appearance is at the core of
most students’ grievances with
the negotiation process. In an
interview with The Daily last
week,
University
President
Mark Schlissel was reluctant to
detail who would be involved
in deliberations around what
safety meant.
“I don’t want to discuss the
details — it will be people that
are trusted to understand the
legal issues that are involved
and the public safety issues
involved,” he said.
League
building
manager
Natalie Ramos, a Social Work
student, said her workers at the
League — half of whom she said
were students of color — have a
stake in the definition of safety.
“As a Latina woman of color, I
want the right to determine my
own safety. And as a supervisor,
I don’t want to obligate other
students of color to come to (an
event with Spencer) and direct
them,” she said.
“I would feel an immense
amount of guilty and mental
burden to take all this effort, but
to no avail,” Ramos continued.
“We don’t think people are
listening.”
Given Pile’s stated flexibility,
all
three
employees
agreed
students likely would not be
penalized for not working the
event. Williams noted, though,
event duties can only be shirked
so far.
“Students would likely be
asked to be there, but maybe
we would be exempted,” he
said. “But even then, temporary
workers, who are often more
disenfranchised and vulnerable,
cannot call in sick. You can’t
get robots to staff the event.
Someone’s going to have to do
it.”
UNIONS
From Page 1A
With the
Thinkabit lab,
it definitely just
expands on the
mission of the
MEZ
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