Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4 — Friday, January 31, 2020

Alanna Berger
Brittany Bowman
Zack Blumberg
Emily Considine
Cheryn Hong

Krystal Hur
Ethan Kessler
Mary Rolfes
Michael Russo

Timothy Spurlin
Miles Stephenson
Joel Weiner
Erin White 
Lola Yang

ERIN WHITE
Managing Editor

Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building
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Ann Arbor, MI 48109
 tothedaily@michigandaily.com

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.

ELIZABETH LAWRENCE
Editor in Chief
EMILY CONSIDINE AND 
MILES STEPHENSON
Editorial Page Editors

Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of The Daily’s Editorial Board. 
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

RILEY DEHR | COLUMN

Your Canada Goose is uglier than it looks

I 

love 
Nicholas 
Cage. 
From 
his 
melodramatic 
performance alongside Cher 
in “Moonstruck” to his laughable 
screaming of “not the bees!” in 
“The Wicker Man,” his movies are 
iconic. While I am excited to see his 
new film, based on H.P. Lovecraft’s 
“Colours Out of Space,” at the State 
Theatre, I highly doubt it will surpass 
the brilliance of 2004’s “National 
Treasure.” Like “The Da Vinci Code” 
for fifth graders, it’s two hours of 
dumb fun that begin with Sean Bean 
and Cage, in all his mouthbreathing 
glory, riding across a sea of snow.
As I watched the movie over 
Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend 
for the first time in a decade, I was 
surprised to see Cage and Bean 
(who somehow survives the movie) 
wearing bright red Canada Goose 
parkas. Founded in 1957 as a jacket 
for Northern Canadians, Canada 
Goose’s parkas are designed to keep 
a person alive in temperatures as low 
as -30 degrees Celsius. In the 1980s, it 
became the iconic jacket of Antarctic 
researchers and the first Canadian to 
reach the summit of Mount Everest. 
Now, it’s the jacket of the rich and 
famous. 
The blue and red logo has been 
seen on dozens of celebrities, ranging 
from Kevin Bacon and Aubrey Plaza 
to a topless Kate Upton, who donned 
one of their parkas on a cover of 
Sports Illustrated magazine to the 
delight of teenage boys everywhere. 
Their parkas not only look like 
sleeping bags, but are described as 
“like wearing a sleeping bag” on 
elite fashion blogs. Even so, the lack 
of style hasn’t hindered them from 
becoming the new status symbol 
among America’s upper class. Most 
versions are priced at over $1,000 
if you get it from a certified seller, 
the only way to ensure it isn’t a fake 
stuffed with German Shepard hair. 
Their increasing popularity has 
been to the financial gain of past 
presidential candidate Sen. Mitt 
Romney, R-Ut., whose former private 
equity firm, Bain Capital, owns a 
majority of stock in the company. 
While I could go on endlessly about 
these implications alone, the jackets 
are most infamous for their coyote 
fur hoods. 
Predictably, people unabashedly 
wearing fur has brought the ire 

of PETA, who released a video 
of distressed coyotes in traps, 
protesting the company’s fur use. 
Canada Goose has fired back by 
saying their trapping of coyotes 
is in accordance with Canada’s 
misleadingly named Agreement on 
International Humane Trapping 
Standards (AIHTS). This agreement 
allows coyotes to be captured using 
Duke No. 3 Rubber Jaws, which 
are banned in the EU for clamping 
down on the legs of animals, usually 
breaking them in the process. In 
the western United States, coyotes 
are then either shot in the head or 
bludgeoned to death, usually with a 
hammer, in accordance with state 
laws that vary greatly in what they 
consider humane. Most require 
a coyote to be trapped and killed 
within 24 hours, but states like 
Wyoming only require traps to be 
checked once every three days. “It’s 
horrible, to put it mildly,” says wildlife 
expert Stanley Gehrt in a Newsweek 
article regarding the controversy 
around the jackets. The coyotes 
often experience a mix of muscle 
damage and dehydration until their 
eventual death due to exposure to 
the elements or blood loss. 
Coyotes, 
which 
may 
form 
monogamous mating pairs like 
people, are also not subject to a 
hunting season in most western 
states, where Canada Goose gets 
their fur. This is done in most other 
fur-bearing species to reduce pup 
deaths, but this courtesy hasn’t been 
extended to these highly intelligent 
and social animals. Mother coyotes 
have even been known to chew their 
legs off in desperation to get back to 
their pups. With no way of knowing 
where the fur comes from, it can only 
be left to speculation how each jacket 
hood met its final moments. 
Some environmentalists have 
thrown their weight behind Canada 
Goose, citing the Western Coyote’s 
status as an overpopulated, native 
invader, thriving in new ranges 
where humans have extirpated 
wolves. This is posing an ecological 
threat to many North American 
biomes, as coyotes inhabit every 
single contiguous state in America. 
Even so, studies have found that 
areas with two-year coyote removal 
programs are back at pre-removal 
numbers within only eight months, 

indicating that hunting may be 
nothing more than a nonsense 
solution with unknown ecological 
implications.
This isn’t the only thing that puts 
the company’s claims of “ethical 
sourcing” in question. The reason 
their jackets can sustain such low 
temperatures is due to the fine 
Canadian Hutterite goose down in 
the jackets. According to Canada 
Goose, “Each ounce of down has 
approximately two million fluffy 
filaments that interlock and overlap 
to create insulating pockets of air, 
which is what keeps you warm.” 
PETA 
released 
another 
video, 
showing one of their supplier farms 
crushing and suffocating its geese as 
they sent them to a slaughterhouse. 
Canada Goose says there is no other 
way to make a jacket that endures 
arctic temperatures without making 
synthetic furs and feathers.
While cruel, animal fur and 
feathers 
are 
relatively 
carbon-
neutral compared to manufacturing 
synthetic alternatives. In order to 
keep people warm in the coldest 
places on Earth, the company’s use of 
animal products may be acceptable. 
This argument, however, merely 
justifies the use of animal products 
in the jackets for Arctic explorers 
and researchers, not Hollywood 
celebrities. Sure, researchers and 
Nicholas Cage need them on their 
Antarctic expeditions, but do the 
students that populate the streets 
outside South University Avenue’s 
luxury condos? 
While 
Michigan 
winters 
are known for their harshness, 
they don’t compare to the places 
where the jackets are necessary. 
At the University of Michigan, 
they are status symbols that 
happen to keep you warm. With 
ample ethical ways to stay warm 
in Michigan, there is no excuse 
to have a fur hood dangling 
over your face in 2020. At best, 
wearing Canada Goose supports 
Mitt Romney and the needless 
killing of coyotes and geese, and at 
worst, it supports unspeakable and 
inexcusable cruelty, making you 
look less like Kate Upton and more 
like Cruella De Vil.

Riley Dehr can be reached at 

rdehr@umich.edu.

VARNA KODOTH | COLUMN

Serving the underserved

“

No matter where you’re from, 
you belong here.” This is 
the powerful message with 
which University of 
Michigan students are 
welcomed upon arrival 
to the Center for the 
Education of Women 
(CEW+) website, or the 
respective building.
The first time I heard 
of CEW+ was at the end 
of the winter semester 
of my junior year, and 
while 
unknown 
to 
many, CEW+ is an 
incredible resource available to 
provide the space and support for 
advocacy initiatives to grow at the 
University. After learning more 
about the program, I took steps to 
involve myself with other strong and 
progressive women. This led me to 
conduct a focus group on women 
and 
marginalized 
communities 
in STEM departments at U-M 
with the support and guidance of 
CEW+. The results of this study 
will ultimately be incorporated into 
the COUNTS Toolkit for student 
success. COUNTS, the Council 
for Nontraditional Students, is 
responsible 
for 
addressing 
the 
importance of a strong community 
for nontraditional and underserved 
students at the University which 
includes, and is not limited to, 
student parents and caregivers.
COUNTS is an online Canvas 
module dedicated to increasing 
awareness about social identities 
in the classroom and educating 
University 
students 
about 
the 
nontraditional student population. 
CEW+’s upcoming initiative is a 
Toolkit meant to teach members 
of the U-M community how to 
navigate different student identities. 
By engaging with this Toolkit, 
University staff are eligible to 
receive funding in support of any 
new endeavors or attempts to better 
support and include nontraditional 
students in their courses and 
programs.
CEW+ 
passionately 
supports 
student-led efforts with the goal 
of improving the campus climate 
for all identities. The center even 
offers students the opportunity 
to apply for funding to implement 
programs or events geared toward 

increasing equity for nontraditional 
student populations. An example 
of this is the opportunity for U-M 
undergraduate student 
organizations to apply 
for $5,000 in funding 
through the Frances 
and 
Sydney 
Lewis 
Visiting Leaders Fund. 
Through the Frances 
and Sydney Lewis Fund, 
CEW+ partners with 
student organizations to 
bring women leaders to 
campus. 
From my work as 
a research assistant to Dr. Tiffany 
Marra, the director of CEW+, it is 
clear that CEW+ is committed to 
creating inclusive, accessible and safe 
educational spaces for undergraduate 
women 
and 
marginalized 
community 
members. 
Engaging 
in the classroom and attaining a 
productive learning experience is 
crucial to degree completion and 
student success. CEW+ is a resource 
that undergraduate students should 
be well-acquainted with, and the 
work that is accomplished here is 
of high impact in the U-M campus 
community. 
CEW+ works to empower women 
and underserved students at U-M by 
serving as an advocate and providing 
resources to help them reach their 
academic, financial and professional 
potential. During my junior year, a 
close friend of mine informed me that 
she had received emergency financial 
assistance from CEW+. Through 
the CEW+ counseling program, 
we are able to award Emergency 
Funds to assist with “unexpected 
financial emergencies that threaten 
to derail degree progress.” The intent 
here is to enable individuals to act 
independently and take control of 
their path. By way of workshops and 
events oriented around promoting 
leadership, career and personal 
development, CEW+ generates a 
safe and uplifting atmosphere for 
accomplishing goals and solving 
problems. Dr. Marra recommends 
that students attend a Midweek 
Mindfulness sit if they don’t feel 
comfortable pausing and reflecting 
on their experiences. Mindfulness 
meditations are 30 minute events 
designed to help people practice 
recentering 
themselves 
in 
the 

present. CEW+ also leads events 
and workshops to address the needs 
of students, including a workshop 
coming up on Feb. 5 titled, “‘Am 
I Good Enough?’ Yes, You Are!”, 
which will focus on self-doubt and 
impostor syndrome. These are 
the types of workshops that exist 
to uplift and motivate students to 
chase after their ambitions. CEW+ is 
committed to ensuring that student 
identities are a positive influence in 
the path to success at U-M rather 
than a hindrance or burden. 
Dr. Marra has discussed her 
passion for working and learning 
from the U-M community of 
women and nontraditional students. 
“Whether it be a student working 
full-time while taking 15 credits or 
a student caring for a loved one or 
a student fighting for the rights of 
DACA students knowing it may not 
lead to better results for himself, I am 
continually amazed by the grit and 
determination of students as they 
trail blaze their path through U-M,” 
said Marra. CEW+ redefines what 
it is that professional development 
means to U-M students. Professional 
development 
events 
at 
CEW+ 
involve stepping outside of your 
comfort zone as a component of 
growth. Taking a risk to be slightly 
uncomfortable can lead to a greater 
understanding 
of 
something 
that students may have felt to be 
unknown or intimidating initially. 
CEW+ is a resource that exists to 
serve U-M undergraduate students 
in the form of events, professional 
development and guidance — and 
it’s right at the disposal of your 
fingertips! To the U-M student 
population 
identifying 
with 
marginalized communities: CEW+ is 
here to foster that sense of belonging 
at Michigan and to support you in 
your educational endeavors. To 
student allies: take the challenge 
to 
diversify 
your 
perspectives 
and better your understanding of 
social identities on campus during 
Winter 2020 through CEW+ events 
and 
opportunities. 
Embody 
what CEW+ represents and ask 
yourself, what can I do better to 
support, include and celebrate the 
diversity of my peers?

Varna Kodoth can be reached at 

vkodoth@umich.edu.

P O L I C Y T A L K S @ T H E F O R D S C H O O L

MICHAEL COPPS 

Former FCC Commissioner

Photo by Steve Rhodes

S T PP LEC T URE SERIE S 
Media, big tech, and 
democracy: What happened?

Free and open to the public. 
Reception to follow. 

Information: 734-615-7545 or 
fspp-events@umich.edu

@fordschool #policytalks

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 
4:00 - 5:20 pm

Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Annenberg Auditorium, 1120 Weill Hall
735 S. State Street 

FROM THE DAILY

Our Provost and sexual misconduct

I

n a sudden and surprising email sent to University of Michigan students on Jan. 22, 

President Mark Schlissel announced that Provost Martin Philbert had been placed 

on administrative leave after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced 

against him. This news came just a day after state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, 

filed a sexual misconduct complaint against state Sen. Peter Lucido, R-Shelby Twp., for 

an encounter in November 2018 where Lucido inappropriately touched her very low on 

her back and made suggestive remarks.
T

hat filing came in the wake 
of Lucido’s inappropriate 
comments 
toward 
a 
young 
reporter, 
22-year-old 
Allison Donahue, on Jan. 14. In 
this interaction Lucidio said a 
group of high school boys “could 
have a lot of fun” with Donahue. 
These stories serve as a glaring 
reminder of the pervasive issue 
of sexual harassment by men in 
positions of power against the 
women around them.
The Michigan Daily Editorial 
Board stands in solidarity with 
those who have come forward 
over the past two weeks, and 
continue to encourage others 
to speak out when necessary. 
Coming 
from 
a 
newsroom 
comprised mostly of young, 
female, 
aspiring 
journalists, 
we support Donahue for her 
bravery in deciding to speak up 
about the incident. Too often, 
young women remain silent for 
fear of backlash or professional 
repercussions. Even McMorrow, 
an elected state official, felt at 
risk of losing her constituents’ 
support by coming forward, but 
was moved to speak out after 
hearing Donahue’s story. 
Unfortunately, 
we 
at 
the 
University are not immune to 
this systemic problem. In 2018, 
ABC 7 disclosed that reported 
cases of sexual assault and 
sexual harassment were up 61 
and 37 percent respectively on 
the U-M campus. The details 
of the claims against Philbert 
have not been made public, 
but from Schlissel’s email, we 
know that an investigation was 
immediately opened after the 
allegations were made, bringing 
in outside legal counsel. Three 

days later, Philbert was placed on 
paid leave. The Editorial Board 
commends 
Schlissel 
for 
the 
swift response and hopes this 
sets a new precedent, while also 
reiterating the importance of 
transparency in the proceedings.
Since activist Tarana Burke 
began the #MeToo movement in 
2006 and it later saturated the 
mainstream with Alyssa Milano 
and 
the 
Harvey 
Weinstein 
scandal, more women have been 
empowered to speak out. Equally 
as important is the need for 
unbiased tribunals to evaluate 
evidence in these cases, weighing 
this against personal claims. But 
beyond judicial bodies, this is 
an issue of culture. How do we 
instill the treatment of women 
into the minds of our young 
men? How does this treatment 
undermine our universal values 
or prop up our definitions of 
masculinity? Where is the line 
between friendly socialization 
and 
workplace 
harassment? 
It is our job as a community 
to continuously ask ourselves 
these questions. To change our 
culture, we will need empathetic 
thinkers who set their sights on 
communal well-being, even at 
the cost of social convenience. 
We will need courageous men 
and women who are ready 
to 
self-analyze 
the 
social 
constructions they have built 
around themselves. We will need 
leaders and the best.
Though instances of sexual 
harassment 
predominantly 
impact women, these behaviors 
and institutions exist at men’s 
expense as well. According to a 
2018 report from the Institute 
of Women’s Policy Research, 

men were the victims in 20 
percent of all sexual harassment 
charges. To change the culture 
we must encourage those who 
face sexual misconduct to speak 
up and reassure them that they 
will be heard and given the 
opportunity to support their 
case. Another imperative step is 
promoting female representation 
in positions of power to disrupt 
traditionally male dominated 
hierarchies. If a woman — 
instead of Harvey Weinstein — 
chaired one of the largest film 
studios in America, it’s likely 
many of these industry workers 
would have not fallen prey to 
Weinstein’s persecution.
We’d like to highlight the 
resources available to our readers 
in the event they are needed. 
The Sexual Assault Prevention 
and Awareness Center (SAPAC) 
provides free and confidential 
crisis intervention, advocacy and 
support for University students, 
faculty and staff survivors of 
sexual assault, intimate partner 
violence, stalking and sexual 
harassment. 
SAPAC 
can 
be 
found on the fourth floor of 
the newly renovated Michigan 
Union. In addition, Counseling 
and 
Psychological 
Services 
(CAPS) offers free counseling 
services to all University of 
Michigan-Ann Arbor students.
Finally, we’d like to remind 
our readers that the The Daily 
has a tip line for these types of 
stories: tipline@michigandaily.
com. This is a private tip line 
viewable 
by 
a 
small 
team 
of 
reporters 
committed 
to 
responsible reporting on sexual 
misconduct and its allegations. 
The Michigan Daily is listening.

VARNA
KODOTH