Similarly,
a
report
by
the College of Engineering
showed that across bachelor’s,
master’s
and
doctoral
programs at the University,
women comprised less than 30
percent of degree recipients in
the 2016-2017 school year.
However,
the
professors’
study also shows that even
though the applicant pool for
IA positions averaged about
16.5 percent female, women
tended to score about nine
percent higher than men. As a
result, women filled 56 percent
of the IA spots.
According to James Juett, an
author of the study and EECS
lecturer, the professors did not
take gender into account when
hiring IAs for EECS courses.
Juett said the department’s
focus
on
alternative
methods of evaluation, like
interviews and video teaching
demonstrations, was one factor
that led to a more gender-
balanced class of IAs.
“We found that the staff
that we hired were much more
balanced in terms of gender
than if we had hired based on
GPA or previous grades the
student earned in the course,”
Juett said. “If you hire based
on those metrics, then you
end up with a gender balance
on your staff which is pretty
much exactly the same as the
balance in the overall student
population.
So
through
a
process that is not just based on
numbers on paper but is based
on people actually coming
in for in-person interviews,
submitting
teaching
demonstrations, et cetera, this
leads to a more gender diverse
staff.”
Amir Kamil, chief author of
the study and EECS lecturer,
said
seeing
diversity
and
representation in his classes
as an undergraduate at the
University
of
California,
Berkeley made him feel more
confident
about
pursuing
computer science. He said
although the University of
Michigan professors involved
in the hiring process did not
intentionally create a cohort
that was diverse in terms of
race and gender, they naturally
achieved a gender balance that
may be beneficial for students
who are wary of entering the
field.
In the past few years, the
University
has
taken
steps
to recruit more women to
computer science in an effort
to diversify the population
of CS majors. In 2016, a team
of doctoral students founded
CS
KickStart
to
introduce
incoming
freshman
women
to
basic
principles
of
CS.
Beginning in fall 2018, the
CS Department also ran a
one-credit course, EECS 198:
Discover
Computer
Science,
aimed at freshman women
with no formal experience
in programming. Even with
these programs, women remain
a minority in almost all CS
classes.
Nonetheless,
Engineering
senior
Amy
Baer,
an
instructional aide for EECS
183, said she rarely experiences
sexism or issues with professors
or students in her classes at
the University. Instead, Baer
said there is a general sense of
fear and intimidation that goes
along with majoring in a field
that is male-dominated.
“The intimidation factor of
women moving on is a huge
part of it, when women are so
aware that they’re among the
minority and are thinking, ‘Oh,
I’m abnormal, I’m not supposed
to be here,’ makes them not
want to continue,” Baer said.
“It’s a circular reasoning type of
thing, where there are not a lot
of women in computer science
so some of the women joining
computer science see that, and
then not join computer science.
I
think
that’s
the
biggest
problem, it’s intimidation and
not seeing that there are other
women.”
Similarly,
Engineering
sophomore Bella Gribov noted
how imposter syndrome, or
the feeling that you have not
fully
earned
your
success,
is
common
among
women
in CS and is something she
occasionally struggles with as a
woman and a CS major. Gribov
said the professors and IAs in
lower level CS classes discuss
imposter syndrome in some of
their first lectures to reassure
students that they can succeed.
“I think that a lot of the time,
I would think I wasn’t good
enough because I’m a girl and I
didn’t see a lot of girls around
me, and not because of things
other people said or did,”
Gribov said. “... A lot of girls
do drop out of the major just
because they feel like, ‘There
aren’t a lot of girls around me,
this isn’t for me,’ when that’s
not true.”
Juett
acknowledged
that
his study did not explicitly
address why women performed
better
in
the
application
process. However, Juett said
it is possible there was some
degree of self-selection among
applicants, meaning only the
most qualified women in CS
sent in applications for IA
positions.
“We know that women tend
to experience some barriers
in computer science because
of
the
culture
that
men
don’t,” Juett said. “Studies
have found that that can lead
to
lower
confidence.
One
possible explanation is that
the women who applied were
those that were exceptionally
qualified.
That’s
both
encouraging, because we do
have several qualified women
candidates,
and
it’s
also
discouraging because if that’s
the explanation, then it means
that there are people who
aren’t applying who should be
applying.”
Baer, who has some say in
the application process due to
her position as an IA, said the
study revealed how women
are equally qualified to occupy
IA positions even though they
remain a minority in CS classes
at the University.
“We
can
hire
an
equal
amount of men and women
and hire the best people still,”
Baer said. “I think there’s this
misconception that if you’re
hiring more women, it means
that
you’re
hiring
worse
candidates. I think the study
shows that this is not true.”
The first activity, a budgeting
simulation, had attendees disperse
limited resources to various living
categories such as housing and
health care. The second activity,
an
online
simulation
called
SPENT, prompted attendees to
make day-by-day financial choices
for a full month. Each day, a new
scenario was presented, forcing
participants to make difficult
choices.
According
to
Vargas,
the
simulations
allowed
students
to invest in their choices and
experience the consequences or
rewards of their actions while
keeping their societal privilege in
mind.
“The
first
simulation
was
straightforward,
there
wasn’t
really any consequences that
came with it, people were very
idealistic,” Vargas said. “I think
that happens when people are
not really aware or in tune with
those experiences so they don’t
know the consequences that
happen. The second simulation
gave us more of that experience
where we’re now facing the
consequences
and
limitations
that come with our actions and
identities.”
LSA sophomore Camilla Cantu,
a Chi Upsilon Sigma member,
helped facilitate the discussion
and said the simulations fostered
self-realization through difficult
decisions.
“I think it’s really hard to brush
off our own privileges,” Cantu
said. “But I think when people
are forced into that mindset and
forced into a perspective that
shows them their daily privileges
and lack of privileges from other
people, they think, ‘Wow, this is
actually kind of a struggle.’ I think
the simulations and the game
is kind of necessary for people
to gain the perspective for the
privileges they may or may not
have.”
Engineering freshman Yanella
Lopez said the event exposed her
to different ways of thinking
about her life and privilege.
“It was an interesting take
on our daily lives and how
we perceive certain events
and situations we’re placed
in,” Lopez said. “There’s a lot
of things that, one, we don’t
really think about, and two,
we don’t really have a lot of
control over, like what race
or class we are born in, the
amount of money we have and
things of that nature. I really
enjoyed talking about that and
hearing other perspectives.”
Vargas
said
he
hopes
to
continue
similar
conversations
by
hearing
perspectives
on
privilege
from other groups who come
from a different social and
economic background.
“I think in this room, we
shared a lot of identities that
are historically marginalized,
disenfranchised,”
Vargas
said. “It was a very interesting
space, because I am a student
at the University, I am first
gen, I can realize a lot of
these privileges and I think
it
was
a
very
important
space to have where we can
have these straightforward
conversations
about
what
are
these
privileges
that
come
with
socioeconomic
status and intersectionality
with gender and other social
identities.”
One of the group’s constraints is
they need Apple laptops in order for
it to become an iOS app, which none
of the group members currently
have. In addition, they expressed
they do not have the resources to
spread awareness for the app if it
does end up being developed, which
is why they came to CSG.
“We know that one of our
limitations is just our platform,
and this is why we’re here to come
present in front of CSG,” Toure said.
“We know that CSG has the access
to possibly send out emails to future
freshmen that could be coming in,
and we feel that this is the most
effective way of getting this app
across.”
CSG Treasurer Niccolo Beltramo,
an LSA senior, questioned how the
group plans on ensuring first-year
students do not take advantage of
the app and engage in inappropriate
dialogue and activity.
“My number one concern when
thinking about a large-scale social
networking app is what messaging
is going to look like,” Beltramo said.
“I was wondering if you had thought
about what form content moderation
might take on the platform if there is
harassment or what have you?”
In order to prevent this type of
behavior from occurring, the group
explained they could filter out
certain vulgar words. In addition,
they said they could develop a strike
system, in which users’ accounts
would be disabled after a certain
number of reports by other users.
Later
in
the
meeting,
the
assembly voted to adopt the Ethics
Committee’s report on an ethics
investigation involving Greene. The
report found no evidence of unethical
behavior on Green’s part. At the CSG
meeting on Feb.12, Engineering
junior Zeke Majeske, chair of the
Executive Nominations Committee,
brought up his concerns on the
ethics behind Greene’s process for
approving the position of chief of
staff. Majeske pursued an ethics
investigation against Greene.
Concerns
surrounded
the
executive
branch’s
varying
interpretations of the word “may,”
specifically in regard to the
nominations process.
After deliberation, the Ethics
Committee ruled that at the time
of the event, Greene proposed an
interpretation of the word “may,”
and, CSG Speaker Austin Glass, a
Rackham student, did not object
because he believed that doing
so would, “irreparably damage
the
relationship
between
the
Executives and the Assembly,
given the partisan tensions and
volatility present in CSG right
after the election.” The committee
also ruled that at the moment, the
executive interpretation of the
word “shall” meaning “may” was
in the best interest of the situation
at hand.
Furthermore,
Majeske
brought up that Greene’s initial
interpretation of the word should
have set precedent for later the
interpretations in the case of
the approval of chief of staff.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
Wednesday, March 27, 2019 — 3A
ANIMALS
From Page 1A
PRIVILEGE
From Page 1A
“I think that a lot of
the time, I would think
I wasn’t good enough
because I’m a girl and
I didn’t see a lot of girls
around me, and not
because of things other
people said or did...
A lot of girls do drop
out of the major just
because they feel like,
‘There aren’t a lot of girls
around me, this isn’t for
me,’ when that’s
not true.”
EECS
From Page 1A
CSG
From Page 1A
AWARDS
From Page 1A
The
Nominations
Committee,
which
determined
the
award
winners, is comprised of
nine members of campus
life professional staff and
undergraduate
students.
Some
representatives
included
individuals
from
MLEAD, Graduate Student
Employees
for
Fraternity
& Sorority Life, Housing,
Recreational
Sports
and
the
Center
for
Campus
Involvement.
LSA
sophomore
Evie
Winter,
Nominations
Committee
member
for
MDSLA and chief of staff of
Central Student Government,
said this ceremony aims to
recognize individuals and
groups on campus who are
not typically acknowledged.
“I think that a lot of groups
that are nominated and win
tonight are student groups
who make really meaningful
impacts on campus but often
don’t get the recognition for
it,” Winter said.
Winter said groups like
CSG are often more talked
about campus, as opposed
to other organizations on
campus that also have impact
on campus issues.
“For
example,
student
government gets a lot of clout,
but you know we’re really
visible and some of these
other
organizations
don’t
necessarily have the same
kind of name recognition
on campus,” Winter said. “I
think by recognizing a lot
of these organizations and
individuals it reinforces the
idea that, you know, everyone
has a place on this campus
and a lot of people are doing
good work even though it’s
not often recognized the way
it should be.”
University President Mark
Schlissel
and
E.
Royster
Harper,
vice
president
for student life, attended
the
event.
Harper
said
the
ceremony
represents
members of the University
community supporting each
other.
“Being
a
part
of
a
strong
community
means
celebrating and recognizing
the
accomplishments
of
others,” Harper said.
Harper said the awards are
not about winning, but about
recognizing the outstanding
students
working
toward
social
change
in
the
community.
“It’s an award ceremony,
but really that’s not what
this is all about. It’s about
hard work, the prospect of
creating positive change in
the world.”
Harper
acknowledged
some
individuals
in
the
audience such as Meaghan
Wheat, the recipient of the
Social Change Award who
worked with the Women’s
Studies
Department
to
create a new minor focused
on social class and inequality
that will be offered in the fall
of 2019.
Public
Health
senior
Amani Echols was awarded
Senior of the Year. Echols
is in the top 5 percent of
her class in the School of
Public Health, and program
coordinator of Dial-a-Doula
program,
which
connects
women giving birth in the
hospital to Doula services. In
addition, she co-created and
co-chaired the Health Equity
High School Summit, which
brings about 100 students to
the Public Health School to
teach about public health,
and is on the Ginsberg Center
Student Advisory Board for
service and learning.
Echols said she usually
doesn’t speak publicly about
her work, and she appreciates
receiving the recognition.
“The
award
means
recognition for the work
that I’m doing,” Echols said.
“Because as people have
mentioned, I don’t like to
speak about what I’m doing.
It’s not something I think
about, it’s just I’m doing it
because I’m passionate about
it, it’s something that I want
to do. So it’s nice that I have
friends that are willing to
nominate me and notice all
the hours that I’m putting
into
my
extracurriculars
outside of school.”
The First Year Student of
the Year Award was awarded
to Aya Fattah, Sophomore of
the Year Award went to Brett
Zaslavsky, Junior of the Year
Award was given to Olivia
Livernois
and
Graduate
Student of the Year was
Kevin Lieberman.
Many
organizations
were
acknowledged
for
international
work.
The
student
organization
Blueprints for Pangea was
awarded the Global Impact
Award for their work to
alleviate
global
health
disparities by distributing
unused
medical
supplies
from U.S. hospitals to people
in need overseas.
The
LGBTQ
Survivor
Peer Led Support Group
was given the Social Justice
Award and The Dot Org won
the Innovation or Research
Award for their commitment
to
raising
awareness
of
menstruation-based
health
disparities
and
providing
people experiencing poverty
with
menstrual
hygiene
products.
Winter
emphasized
the
award ceremony’s intention
of honoring the work of
those on campus who are
underrecognized.
“We
just
recognize
there are a lot of student
groups and individuals on
campus who might not be
recognized in other ways, so
we just wanna take a night
to really recognize their
accomplishments and thank
them for everything they’ve
done for campus.”
“This is a description of
multiple incidents of clear and
unadulterated negligence that
must be punished,” Budkie
wrote. “The staff involved in
these incidents should never be
allowed to work with animals
again.”
LSA
freshman
Josh
Goettner works with mice
in a lab at the North Campus
Research
Complex
through
the Undergraduate Research
Opportunity
Program.
Goettner
condemned
the
animal life negligence in these
labs, but said he maintains
his support of animal testing
for its potential benefits in
improving human care.
“I didn’t really know all
this was going on in other
labs,” Goettner said. “After
finding out about the incident,
I think that accidents that
kill animals on such large
scales should not be allowed
to happen. However, I fully
support animal testing just
because I value human lives
so much more. If all goes well,
my research project will help
tens of thousands of people
with type 2 diabetes, and to me
that’s worth some mice.”
LSA
freshman
Sydney
Musser also works in a UROP
lab in the Department of
Human Genetics and said she
had to go through extensive
training consisting of online
courses,
in-person
training
classes and a tour of the mouse
room in order to be authorized
to work with the mice in her
lab.
“This was a long process
that I had to go through and
I believe Michigan does a
good job of making sure those
wanting to work with mice
or other animals in research
are qualified,” Musser said.
“I also learned about how
much the animal husbandry
monitors the animals and how
communication between the
animal husbandry and the lab is
extremely important. Because
of this, I can understand how
mistakes
could
happen
if
there is a miscommunication
between the animal husbandry
and the laboratory staff. It
is unfortunate that mistakes
led to the deaths of so many
animals.”
In an email to The Daily,
University
spokesman
Rick
Fitzgerald
wrote
the
University took all necessary
steps to self-report and correct
these isolated incidents, and
corrective action plans were
put
into
place
to
prevent
any similar incidents from
occurring in the future.
“The University has many
strong policies and controls in
place to monitor all projects
involving the use of animals,”
Fitzgerald wrote.
Fitzgerald
wrote
the
University
will
continue
to refine their practices to
maintain their commitment to
achieve and exceed national
and professional standards in
animal care and use.
“The University of Michigan
recognizes that working with
animals to advance human and
animal health is a privilege that
requires constant diligence and
a commitment to the highest
standards of animal welfare in
all aspects of our research and
teaching,” Fitzgerald wrote.
“We deeply regret the loss of
these animals, most of which
were zebrafish.”
On The Daily: UM Dentistry
School to provide free dental
care to children aged 4-18
On March 30, the University
of
Michigan
School
of
Dentistry will provide free
dental care to children aged 4
to 18. The annual event, Give
Kids a Smile Day, seeks to help
communities that may have
trouble accessing dental care,
such as those in low-income
communities, those without
health insurance and those
with accessibility issues. The
event will take place at the
University’s Dentistry School
on North University Avenue
and aims to serve 80 families.
Dental student Mary Claire
Kiernan said the event is
part of the American Dental
Association Foundation’s “Give
Kids a Smile” initiative. Forty
people attended the event last
year and just over 60 children
are currently registered for
this year’s event.
Kiernan said dental decay is
widespread among children,
worsened
by
obstacles
to
dental care access.
“Today,
dental
decay
is
the most common childhood
disease in the US,” Kiernan
wrote in an email interview
with The Daily. “To further
complicate
this,
there
are
many barriers to access to oral
health care. Give Kids a Smile
Day serves to provide our
community with the services
they need as well as offer
education
and
preventative
care
in
order
to
promote
lifelong oral health.”
According to the Michigan
State
Oral
Health
Plan,
Michigan has a percentage of
children with excellent or very
good health higher than the
national average (76 percent
compared
to
71
percent).
Still,
the
National
Survey
of Children’s Health said 12
percent of young children and
11 percent of adolescents did
not go to the dentist’s office for
a preventative visit during the
past year. Additionally, Count
Your Smiles, a basic screening
survey, said that 55.9 percent
of
Michigan
third
graders
experienced tooth decay in
2010.
Read more at
MichiganDaily.com