In 2019, a record high of 
22 startups spun out of the 
University 
of 
Michigan’s 
Office 
of 
Technology 
Transfer, a unit responsible 
for the commercialization of 
U-M research. The number 
represents the most startups 
to come out of the University 
in a year and covers a 
wide range of industries, 
from 
circadian 
rhythm 
management and artificial 
intelligence video analytics 
to medicine and car safety. 
Kelly 
Sexton, 
associate 
vice president for research 
at the technology transfer 
and innovation partnerships 
at the University, said she 
expects this trend of success 
to continue going forward.
“It was a record number, 
record year for startups,” 
Sexton said. “We think that’s 

probably going to be the new 
normal. All of the increased 
activity, it’s really around 
faculty interest and seeing 
the results of their research 
have 
an 
impact 
beyond 
campus.” 
Regarding the contribution 
of faculty members, Sexton 
explained the University’s 
support system for business 
ventures. 
“The 
fact 
that 
they 
continue, year over year, to 
send us their ideas, to entrust 
us with their technologies, 
with their discoveries, shows 
that we’re headed in the right 
direction,” Sexton. “We’re 
providing the right resources 
to support our faculty.”
Students and faculty from a 
variety of departments added 
to the University’s existing 
business portfolio, focusing 
on applying technology in 
a 
more 
interdisciplinary 
manner. 

About 
60 
people 
were 
in 
attendance 
for 
a 
2020 
Presidential 
Debate 
Town 
Hall hosted by the University 
of Michigan’s Central Student 
Government Tuesday evening. 
After the announcement the 
University 
will 
be 
hosting 
a 
Presidential 
debate 
next 
fall, event organizers gave a 

presentation 
and 
answered 
student 
questions 
regarding 
campus safety, venues, tickets, 
campus climate and more. 
Venue and seats
The 
Commission 
on 
Presidential Debates determined 
the University will be hosting 
the third Presidential debate on 
Oct. 15, 2020. According to Ann 
Zalucki, operations co-lead of the 
2020 Debate Initiative, the third 
debate is traditionally the town 
hall formatted event. This means 

community members would be 
allowed to ask the candidates 
questions directly throughout 
the event.
Despite a capacity of 13,000 in 
the Crisler Center, Zalucki said 
the debate hall will only host 
800-1000 people.
“This is a studio, its meant to 
be viewed on TV,” Zalucki said. 
“Crisler is a gigantic venue, it 
is a 10,000-person venue. The 
size of the venue is not the size 
that we’re going to fill. You’ll 

notice the seating size, a 10,000 
venue, we are looking at roughly 
800-1000 seats that participate 
in this viewing pleasure. But 
again, that is not meant to be 
all housed, it is meant to be 
viewed.”
According to Zalucki, only 
about 
100-200 
tickets 
will 
be given to the University 
of Michigan to distribute to 
students and no tickets will be 
sold.

michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday, October 23, 2019

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

University 
of 
Michigan 
Central Student Government 
discussed 
the 
University’s 
decision 
to 
host 
the 
2020 
presidential debate, differences 
in Advanced Placement and 
International 
Baccalaureate 
credits within LSA and the 

search for a new vice president 
of Student Life during their 
weekly meeting Tuesday night.
The meeting began with 
a 
visit 
from 
Alex 
Ramer, 
president of Be the Match 
On Campus, an organization 
which urges students to join 
a registry of potential blood 
stem cell donors. If such donors 
are then matched to a patient, 
their blood marrow transplant 

can cure blood diseases such 
as leukemia, lymphoma and 
immunodeficiency disorders. 
Ramer 
shared 
while 
Caucasians have a 77-percent 
chance of finding a match from 
the registry, African Americans 
have only about a 23-percent 
chance.
“We’re trying to get as 
many people on the registry as 
possible, but being a minority 

plays a huge role in your chance 
for finding a match,” Ramer 
said. “I would love for you to 
encourage other people to join 
the registry so that we can close 
this minority gap.” 
Following 
this, 
two 
representatives 
from 
the 
Sexual Assault Prevention and 
Awareness 
Center 
provided 
bystander intervention training. 

Located 
between 
the 
entrances 
of 
Bivouac 
and 
Ashley’s on State Street, the 
Arbor Vitae Loft is a six-person 
co-op aiming to provide a 
counterculture 
safe 
space 
for live music, community 
activism 
and 
do-it-yourself 
art.
Amid high beamed ceilings 
and 
walls 
stacked 
with 
records, LSA senior Tegwyn 
John, an advocate for the 
property, explained its rich 
historical role to The Daily. 
Arbor Vitae, John said, has 
long been seen as a symbol for 
creativity and self-expression 
in the Ann Arbor community.
Arbor Vitae’s history dates 
back to the 1800s. Over the 
years, it has functioned as 
a speakeasy, corset factory, 
dance hall and even mini-golf 
course. In 1962, Ann Arbor 
resident, traveler and architect 
Rich 
Ahern 
purchased 
it, 
and converted the loft into a 
community living space. John 
explained the eccentric nature 
of the loft is reminiscent of 
Ahern. 
“He was so multifaceted,” 
John said. 

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INDEX
Vol. CXXIX, No. 16
©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

‘U’ launches 
22 startups in 
2019, breaks 
former record

Business portfolio includes artificial 
intelligence, medicine, car safety

The University of Michigan’s 
Office for Diversity, Equity & 
Inclusion held a panel Tuesday 
evening in collaboration with the 
Center for Campus Involvement, 
Student 
Life 
and 
the 
Islamophobia Working Group 
to discuss respecting religious 
identities. 
The 
University 
launched 
its 
five-year 
DEI 
Strategic Plan in 2016 to foster 
a more diverse and equitable 
campus for students, faculty and 
staff. 
According to the 2016 Student 
Campus 
Climate 
Survey 
on 
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, 
38.4 percent of students are non-
religious. 
Samer Ali, associate professor 
of Middle East studies and chair 
of the Islamophobia Working 
Group, introduced the event 
by admitting faith is often left 
out of DEI conversations, and 
emphasizing the importance of 
fostering 
open 
conversations 
about religion, especially at a 
secular university funded by 
public taxpayer dollars. 
Although 
the 
University 
is growing in diversity and 
working to make the campus 
more equitable, there are still 
broader, national issues affecting 
campus, Ali explained.

Panel talk 
examines
religion in 
DEI plan

CAMPUS LIFE
CSG addresses Giving Blue Day, 
policies for AP/IB class credit

Representatives discuss University’s upcoming donation campaign

Hidden
loft faces 
threat of 
closure

ANN ARBOR

Follow The Daily 
on Instagram, 
@michigandaily

CLAIRE MEINGAST/Daily
College of Engineering senior Alex Ramer speaks about Be the Match, an organization that raises awareness about being bone marrow donors during the CSG meeting 
at Palmer Commons Tuesday evening.

Town hall looks at logistics of 
hosting 2020 presidential debate

ATTICUS RAASCH
Daily Staff Reporter

ANGELINA LITTLE
Daily Staff Reporter

See CSG, Page 3A

CLAIRE MEINGAST/Daily
Ann Zalucki, Operations Co-Lead of the 2020 Presidential Debate Initiative discusses facilities and logistics of the debate at the Michigan League Tuesday evening. 

statement

See RELIGION, Page 3A
See LOFT, Page 3A

HANNAH MACKAY
Daily Staff Reporter 

See STARTUPS, Page 3A
See DEBATE, Page 3A

ABBY TAKAS
Daily Staff Reporter

Event highlights role 
of faith in strategic 
initiative on campus

Counterculture space 
on State Street fails to 
comply with state code

JULIA FANZERES & 
MADELINE MCLAUGHLIN
Daily Staff Reporters

