Students 
and 
faculty 

convened 
Sunday 
in 
the 

Annenberg 
Auditorium 
for 

the 
first 
annual 
WeListen 

fall 
conference, 
a 
day-long 

event focused on maintaining 
open 
communication 
among 

individuals 
from 
different 

political backgrounds.

WeListen, a University of 

Michigan student organization 
aimed at bridging the political 
divide 
through 
bipartisan 

discourse on pertinent political 
issues, 
supports 
healthy 

political discussion rather than 
heated debate.

Co-president 
of 
WeListen 

Nicholas Tomaino, a Public 
Policy 
junior, 
shared 
the 

organization’s goal for the first 
conference.

“Since 
its 
inception, 

WeListen has been advocating 
for a space wherein students 
from all political persuasions 
may talk about the things that 

matter in our civic sphere, ” said. 
“WeListen’s first annual Fall 
Conference will convene 100 
students from the University of 
Michigan to do just that: engage 
in 
dialogue, 
find 
common 

ground and work to bridge the 
American political divide.”

The keynote event featured 

a discussion between Neera 
Tanden and William Kristol 
— esteemed political analysts 

from opposite sides of the 
political spectrum. 

The University of Michigan 

Law 
School 
community 

organized a rally of more 
than 70 students and faculty 

member 
called 
“Respect 

Women, Respect Survivors and 
Respect the Court” Friday in 
support of survivors of sexual 
assault at the conclusion of a 
week highly focused on the 
Supreme Court nominee Brett 
Kavanaugh allegations.

Kavanaugh 
was 

publicly accused of sexual 
assault 
in 
September 

by 
Palo 
Alto 
University 

professor 
Christine 
Blasey 

Ford and Deborah Ramirez. 
The 
confirmation 
hearing 

concluded Friday afternoon, 

after beginning on Thursday 
with 
testimonies 
from 

Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh 
and 
questioning 
from 
the 

Senate Judiciary Committee. 

The University of Michigan 

has appealed a court ruling that 
mandates the University allow 
students 
accused 
of 
sexual 

assault 
to 
directly 
question 

their accuser. The University 
claims the ruling will not only 
discourage 
survivors 
from 

coming forward but will also be 
unfair to students with lower 
incomes.

In the federal Sixth Circuit 

Court of Appeals ruling, the 
court held the University partial 
against students accused of 
sexual misconduct. The ruling 
claimed the University violated 
the due process rights of a 
male student accused of sexual 
assault because it did not allow 
him to directly question his 
accuser.

Deborah Gordon, the accused 

student’s 
attorney, 
said 
the 

University is making exceptions 
for students accused of sexual 
misconduct 
rather 
than 

following their long-standing 
process.

“The 
University 
provides 

everyone 
with 
cross-

examinations except students 
accused of sexual misconduct,” 
Gordon said. “Why would it 
be any different for them? It’s 
a longtime policy, but now 
the University says you can’t 
do that (direct questioning of 
accuser) when you’re accused 
of sexual misconduct … Yet, 
students 
accused 
of 
sexual 

misconduct 
have 
the 
most 

severe punishment.”

The 
three-judge 
panel 

ruled the cross-examinations 
can take one of two forms — 
either allowing the accused 
student to directly question 
the accuser or allowing an 
“individual aligned with the 
accused 
student” 
to 
cross-

examine the accuser.

In the court appeal, the 

University found several issues 
with the two options. 

University appeals case 
regarding sexual assault

CAMPUS LIFE
CAMPUS LIFE
GOVERNMENT

The 6th Circuit Court ruling required University to let 
accused student directly question their accuser

Bipartisan student group WeListen 
hosts first annual Fall conference

Keynote event featured discussion between Neera Tanden and William Kristol

DANYEL THARAKAN/Daily

William Kristol, founder and editor of The Weekly Standard and Republican strategist, speaks at the Conversations 
Across Difference event with Democratic strategist Neera Tanden hosted by WeListen in Weill Hall Sunday.

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Over 70 protestors rally in 
support of assault survivors

DANYEL THARAKAN/Daily

Protesters gather at a rally organized by law students and professors against the Kavanaugh confirmation and in support of sexual assault survivors on the 
Law Quad Saturday morning. 

Organized by the law school community, protest follows Supreme Court hearings

michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Monday, October 1, 2018

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

STILL BREATHING

Michigan had to overcome 

a 17-point deficit against 

Northwestern to move 

its winning streak to four 

games.

In an effort to highlight 

the 
current 
scientific 
data 

surrounding medical marijuana 
by 
world-class 
researchers, 

scientists and physicians, the 
first Green Wolverine Science 
Symposium took place Saturday 
at the Ross School of Business — 
ending precisely at 4:20 p.m. 

Student 
organization 

Green 
Wolverine 
arranged 

lectures and panel discussions 
where speakers debated the 
professional 
study 
of 
THC 

and CBD, the active chemical 
ingredients 
in 
marijuana. 

Speakers were given time to 
explain their research and sit 
in on panel discussions where 
audience members asked their 
own questions in response.

Green Wolverine President 

Abigail Kennedy, a Business 
senior, 
emphasized 
the 

informative role the organization 
plays and how this event was 
created to educate students 
and community members about 
scientific features of cannabis.

Following the death of longtime 

economics 
professor 
John 

DiNardo last summer, about 40 
friends, colleagues and students 
gathered in his honor to present 
and discuss a series of 10 research 
papers regarding modern labor 
economics.

The event, hosted by the Ross 

School of Business and Ford School 
of Public Policy, took place this past 
Friday and Saturday. According to 
Paula Lantz, associate dean of the 
Public Policy School, prominent 
economists 
from 
around 
the 

country were in attendance to 
listen in and speak about various 
papers highlighting labor issues 
and policy.

“Some of the most prominent 

labor economists are here,” Lantz 
said. “There’s 10 papers being 
presented and they’re all being 
presented by very well-known 
labor economists working on really 
important policy issues of the day. 
Every presenter is someone who 
worked with (DiNardo), people 
from his dissertation committee, 

Student-led 
symposium 
talks weed
legalization

Economics 
conference 
celebrates 
professor

Green Wolverine discusses 
cannabis industry, effects 
of usage with science

In honor of John DiNardo, 
students and faculty 
discussed his research

CATHERINE NOUHAN

Daily Staff Reporter

ATTICUS RAASCH

For the Daily

MADELINE MCLAUGHLIN

Daily Staff Reporter

GRACE KAY

Daily Staff Reporter

KATHERINA SOURINE

Daily Staff Reporter

CAMPUS LIFE
GOVERNMENT

Read more at 
MichiganDaily.com

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MichiganDaily.com

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MichiganDaily.com

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