Housing disputes tend to 
be between a landlord and 
a tenant, but in LSA junior 
Samantha 
Goldstein’s 
and 
her roommates’ case, their 
disagreement 
found 
them 
allied with their landlord 
and fighting against their 
neighbor’s 
landlord. 
Now, 
Goldstein and her landlord, 
Kaveh Esmael, are speaking 
out about their neighbor’s 
abusive proprietor.
Goldstein 
and 
her 
six 
roommates live in a house 
on South University Avenue 
between Walnut and Linden 
streets, about a five-minute 
walk 
from 
campus. 
On 
March 25, Goldstein and her 

roommates notified Esmael, 
their 
landlord, 
that 
their 
water had stopped working 
and 
their 
basement 
had 
flooded. Esmael, manager of 
Ava Holdings LLC, checked on 
their property. He suspected 
the problem was larger than 
just a plumbing issue and 
called the Ann Arbor Public 
Works Department. 
According to Esmael, an 
Ann 
Arbor 
Public 
Works 
employee, 
whose 
name 
Esmael could not remember, 
responded to the property. The 
city employee determined the 
water main line had burst, but 
it also needed to be replaced 
due to the 2018 revised Lead 
and Copper Rule. 

S. Jack Hu is the current vice 
president for research at the 
University of Michigan, but will be 
joining the University of Georgia as 
its next vice president for academic 
affairs and provost beginning July 
1. Hu has spent the past 30 years 
at Michigan, first as a masters and 
doctoral student (’86, ’90), then 
as a faculty member. He is a J. 
Reid and Polly Anderson professor 
of manufacturing, professor of 
mechanical 
engineering 
and 
professor 
of 
industrial 
and 
operations engineering. Prior to his 
role as vice president for research, 
Hu served as the associate dean 

for academic affairs and the 
associate dean for research and 
graduate education in the College of 
Engineering. The Michigan Daily 
sat down for an interview with Hu 
to discuss his time at the University 
as he reflects on his academic and 
administrative career.
The Michigan Daily: As your 
time at Michigan comes to an end, 
how do you feel?
Jack Hu: I’m not completely 
leaving Michigan — I have a 
few students, I have a few active 
grants, so those will continue in 
some way. But as a graduate of 
the University, I will always be 
affiliated, associated with the 
University. I may be departing 
from here, but the University will 

never leave me.
TMD: In this position, what 
are you the most proud of while 
you have been here?
JH: I would say I changed the 
culture somewhat in a number of 
areas. We (the Office of Research) 
really instilled a service attitude, 
and I think in our value statement 
we have the word ‘altruistic.’ 
The words we use are that we 
take joyful satisfaction in faculty 
success, so I think that really is 
what we do: supporting faculty, 
catalyzing 
research. 
I 
think 
Michigan has done well as the 
top public research university 
for seven years in a row, in spite 
of challenges with uncertainty 
in federal support for research. 

We tried to diversify sources 
of funding, tried to have more 
support from industry, from 
foundations and from individuals 
… together, the University has 
done well. The reputation is always 
excellent, other universities — big 
and small, good and not so good, 
they all come to Michigan to 
benchmark. Whether we’re doing 
the right thing or not, people come 
to us, but I think we are doing the 
right things. Maintaining that 
leadership role as the top public 
research university, of course 
credit goes to faculty. If they’re 
not writing grants, they’re not 
doing research — we would not be 
as successful.

Rackham 
student 
Cherline 
Bazile won the 2019 Paul & 
Daisy Soros Fellowship for New 
Americans, making her one of 30 
students across the country to 
be selected for the scholarship. 
The PD Soros Fellowship offers 
$90,000 
to 
high-achieving 
immigrants 
or 
children 
of 
immigrants to pursue a graduate 
degree in any field of study in the 
United States. Since its founding 
in 1997, 12 University of Michigan 
graduates have been selected for 
the award.
Bazile, who was raised by 
Haitian immigrants in Florida, 
earned a bachelor’s degree in 
English at Harvard University 
before coming to the University. 
Currently, she is pursuing a Master 
of Fine Arts in creative writing and 
is in the process of writing a novel.
Bazile said she is grateful for the 
support system that helped give 
her strength to succeed, especially 
because systemic barriers like 
poverty and lack of opportunity 
often stand in the way of many 
immigrants 
or 
first-generation 
students seeking higher education.

michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday, April 17, 2019

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Issues with 
water draws 
conflict with 
A2 landlord 

SpringFest showcases live music, 
local arts, student organizations

See LANDLORD, Page 3A

ANN ARBOR

Tenants recount problems dealing 
with manager of Carlson Properties

Festival features more than 65 student organziations and Ann Arbor businesses

See FELLOWSHIP, Page 3A

PD Soros 
fellowship 
awarded to 
grad student

ACADEMICS

Cherline Bazile receives 
prestigious scholarship 
to pursue higher degree

MICHAEL BAGAZINSKI/ DAILY
S. Jack Hu, vice president for research at the University of Michigan, speaks with The Daily in the Fleming Administration Building Tuesday morning.

Outgoing VP Jack Hu looks back on 
career overseeing research at ‘U’

After 30 years at Michigan, professor to leave for new post at University of Georgia

SAYALI AMIN
Daily News Editor

See MUSIC, Page 3A

On 
Tuesday, 
the 
Huron 
Valley Group of the Sierra Club 
hosted a presentation at the 
Matthaei 
Botanical 
Gardens 
Auditorium 
addressing 
the 
per- and polyfluoroalkyl crisis 
in Michigan. The presentation 
featured 
Christy 
McGillivray, 
Great Lakes state organizer for 
the Sierra Club, and Brian Steglitz, 
manager of water treatment 
services for the city of Ann Arbor.
The presentation began with 
McGillivray defining PFAS and 
identifying its properties and uses. 
Known as “forever chemicals,” 
PFAS is a class of chemicals that 
is waterproof, greaseproof and 
fireproof. They are often found 
in 
industrial 
and 
consumer 
products such as fire fighting 
foam, non-stick cookware and 
stain-resistant fabrics.
McGillivray then discussed 
the health risks associated with 
PFAS, such as cancer and immune 
system weakening. 

Sierra Club 
hosts talk 
on PFAS in 
Michigan

ANN ARBOR

Presentation analyzes 
ongoing crisis caused by 
chemical contamination

JIALIN ZHANG
Daily Staff Reporter

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

INDEX
Vol. CXXVII, No. 105
©2019 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

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

For more stories and coverage, visit
Follow The Daily 
on Instagram, 
@michigandaily

See RESEARCH, Page 3A

Tuesday 
afternoon, 
MUSIC Matters hosted their 
annual SpringFest, a festival 
of 
live 
performances, 
art 
installations 
and 
dozens 
of 
local 
and 
University 

showcases. 
SpringFest 
was 
held alongside State Street 
and North University Avenue, 
which were closed down for 
the duration of the event.
Attendees 
enjoying 
long-
awaited warm weather walked 
among food trucks, exhibitions 
and tables from more than 65 

student organizations and local 
businesses while listening to 
continuous live music.
SpringFest Chair Anuksha 
Singh, Business senior, said 
MUSIC Matters went into the 
year with ambitious goals for 
the daytime festival, which 
is actually only one part of 

SpringFest — the event also 
includes a nighttime concert, 
which this year featured rapper 
A$AP Ferg. Singh remarked 
on a desire to continuously 
expand the event, involving 
and attracting more people.

statement

the

“In-State”: A reflection on the U.P., its 
 

students and the University of Michigan

Simulation trains participants to 
confront effects of social privilege

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ASHA LEWIS/DAILY

Students and Ann Arbor residents enjoy Springfest, the annual festival organized by MUSIC Matters to showcase the best of what the University and Ann Arbor 
have to offer at the corner of State Street and North University Tuesday.

HANNAH MACKAY
Daily Staff Reporter

LIAT WEINSTEIN
Daily Staff Reporter

RACHEL LEUNG
Daily Staff Reporter

Read more online at 

michigandaily.com

