Around 8 p.m. on Monday 
night, the Michigan Student 
Power Network created a petition 
called 
#UMichColdShoulder 
demanding the University of 
Michigan cancel classes.
“The University of Michigan 
- 
Ann 
Arbor 
must 
close 
campus during harsh weather 
conditions - not just in extreme 
circumstances,” 
the 
petition 
reads. “A refusal to do so 
is classist and ableist, with 
disproportionate 
effects 
on 
workers, low income community 
members, 
and 
community 
members who are not able-

bodied.”
The petition calls for students 
to email and call University 
President Mark Schlissel as well 
as sign the petition. As of 10 
p.m Monday night — about two 
hours after its creation — the 
petition had 2,236 signatures.
Students say they’re cold and 
upset
The 
petition 
came 
after 
students trudged through deep 
snow in an effort to make it to 
class on Monday. U-M students 
felt the effects of Winter Storm 
Jayden, facing a day of constant 
snow that accumulated quickly 
on University sidewalks and 
streets. The weather conditions 
caused many students to question 

the 
University’s 
decision 
to 
remain fully operational.
According to the National 
Weather 
Service, 
a 
winter 
weather advisory was put into 
effect for the Ann Arbor area at 
4:30 p.m. Monday. The advisory 
predicted two to four inches of 
snow to accumulate throughout 
the day.
LSA junior Rylei McAllister 
took to Facebook to express her 
opinions on the University not 
canceling classes on Monday.
“I 
understand 
why 
the 
University doesn’t cancel classes 
for weather,” McAllister wrote. 
“But think of the kids who are 
already at a disadvantage because 
they are struggling to afford to 

go here and are expected to walk 
long distances.”
Over 
the 
weekend, 
the 
University sent out multiple 
warnings regarding the severe 
cold, 
detailing 
remaining 
outside in subzero temperatures 
could result in frostbite in less 
than 10 minutes.
“The university released a 
statement telling these same 
students they will get frostbite if 
they are outside for longer than 
ten minutes,” McAllister wrote. 
“But (the administration) knows 
misses (sic) classes can mean a 
lower grade for attendance and 
participation, which financial 
aid rides on. 

michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, January 29, 2019

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Amid 
growing 
concerns 
over the lack of transgender 
voices in conversations about 
coverage plans, University of 
Michigan graduate employees 
met with human resources 
representatives 
and 
the 

MHealthy Advisory Committee 
Friday to urge the University 
to 
cover 
gender-affirming 
surgeries.
Members of the Graduate 
Employee 
Organization’s 
Trans Health Caucus discussed 
potential 
improvement 
to 
GradCare, a healthcare plan for 
University graduate students 

that covers most transgender 
surgeries yet deems certain 
ones, such as facial feminization 
surgery, as cosmetic and not 
medically necessary. 
The conference was closed to 
the public, yet more than 50 GEO 
members and allies lined the 
hallways of Wolverine Tower 
holding signs of support that 

read “Are you ready to listen?” 
and “Our lives are not cosmetic.”
University spokesman Rick 
Fitzgerald said the goal of the 
conference was for members 
of HR to better understand the 
perspectives and experiences 
of the Trans Health Caucus’ 
members.

On 
Monday, 
the 
Ford 
School of Public Policy hosted 
an event featuring Manny 
Teodoro, 
director 
of 
the 
Policy and Politics Program 
and associate professor at 
Texas A&M University, who 
has 
conducted 
significant 
research on the nation’s water 
systems. 
The 
event, 
titled 
“Water System Finance: the 
Political Pitfalls of Public-
Private Partnerships,” covered 
the effects of public-private 
partnerships on water systems.
Teodoro started his talk by 
introducing a unique caveat 
in the water market — the 
disparity in the visibility of the 
price of water and its quality 
in the market.
“With 
water, 
the 
cost 
is much more visible than 
quality,” Teodoro said. “Most 
of the contaminants in water 
are invisible to us. However, 
the price of water is very easily 

GOT A NEWS TIP?
Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail 
news@michigandaily.com and let us know.

INDEX
Vol. CXXVIII, No. 63
©2019 The Michigan Daily

N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CL A SSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
michigandaily.com

For more stories and coverage, visit

Bursley bus 
crashes into 
tree during
snow storm

M-bus slides off icy Fuller Road,no 
reported injuries after reported incident

BARBARA COLLINS
Daily Staff Reporter

On Friday, President Donald 
Trump passed a continuing 
resolution 
proposed 
by 
Congress 
announcing 
the 
federal 
government 
would 
reopen for three weeks while 
negotiations over immigration 
policy continue.
Since the initial shutdown 
on Dec. 22, the absence of 
government 
funding 
has 
impacted 
several 
programs 
and 
departments 
at 
the 
University 
of 
Michigan, 
specifically publicly funded 
research projects and other 
areas dependent on federal 
government support.
Another affected group at 
the University has been the 
Public 
Service 
Internship 
Program, or PSIP. Each year, 
the program accepts more 
than 100 students interested in 
government work, preparing 
them for summer internships 
in Washington, D.C. 

Federal
shutdown 
hurts PSIP 
members

GOVERNMENT

University internship 
program in Washington,
D.C. faces challenges

BEN ROSENFIELD 
Daily Staff Reporter

GEO Conference discusses improving 
transgender healthcare program

Trans Health Caucus proposes updates to GradCare, increases benefits

LIAT WEINSTEIN
Daily Staff Reporter

Director 
talks water 
visibility 
and safety

CAMPUS LIFE

Texas A&M professor 
debates public-private 
infrastructure partnership

MICHAEL ZHANG
Daily Staff Reporter

See SNOW, Page 3

Follow The Daily 
on Instagram, 
@michigandaily

See PROTEST, Page 3A

On Monday at approximately 
2:30 p.m., a Bursley-Baits bus 
accident 
occurred 
at 
1100 
Block Fuller Road, according to 
Melissa Overton, deputy chief 
of police & public information 
officer for the University of 
Michigan Police Department. 
About 
20 
passengers 
were 
aboard the bus and there were 
no reported injuries.
“(The bus) slid off the road 
crashed into a small tree,” 
Overton wrote in an email 
response to The Daily.
Public 
Health 
senior 
Olajumoke Jegede was on the 
bus when the accident occurred. 
Jegede told The Daily in a 
statement she fell out of her seat 
and was afraid the bus would tip 
over.
“Our bus hit a tree. It was 
scary because we were afraid 
the bus would tip over for a 
moment,” Jegede wrote. “I had 
fallen out of my seat whn the bus 
spun out and when I got back 
up, we were facing traffic on 
the side of the road, thankfully, 
and the windshield was cracked. 
Thankfully no one was hurt, but 
someone definitely could have 
been. I think there needs to be 
more consideration for students 

and other commuters in terms 
of travelling to class in weather 
like this.”
LSA sophomore Juliana Rose 
was on a different Bursley-Baits 
bus, which passed the scene of 
the accident earlier today. Rose 
said she saw police cars and tow 
trucks near the bus, and traffic 
was moving slowly in the area 
surrounding the crash.
“We just saw it on the side 
of the road,” Rose said. “There 
were tow trucks, police cars, 
all the traffic is moving slow 
… I was like, ‘Oh wow, I hope 
that doesn’t happen to me. I 
don’t want to be stuck out in the 
snow.’ (Our bus) was sliding a 
little bit when we were turning 
corners.”
LSA sophomore Grace Miller 
was on a Commuter North bus, 
which was stopped just before 
the crash. Miller watched tow 
trucks pull the bus back onto 
the street and said there were 
students, faculty and hospital 
workers on her bus, which 
stopped for approximately 10 
minutes.
“We’re really quiet but this 
one lady asked to get off because 
we’re literally not moving,” 
Miller said. “We’re just stopped. 
People are trying to get home 
from work before it gets worse.

SAYALI AMIN
Daily News Editor
ALEX HARRING
Daily Staff Reporter

MAX KUANG/Daily
Students, faculty and staff struggled to navigate campus Monday due to hazardous weather conditions. 

See PSIP, Page 3
MAX KUANG/Daily
Protestors support the GEO Trans Health Committee Negotiators at Wolverine Tower Friday. 

‘U’ remains open during hazardous 
weather, students voice concern

Community members question Adminstration’s decision to not cancel classes during snowstorm

Read more at 
MichiganDaily.com

See ACTIVISTS , Page 3

