Civil rights activist Reverend Al 

Sharpton called on the University 

of Michigan to release a report on 

the number of African Americans 

involved in the management of 

the school’s endowment in a letter 

to 
University 
President 
Mark 

Schlissel and Chief Investment 

Officer Erik Lundberg last month.

Sharpton, writing on behalf 

of his organization, the National 

Action 
Network, 
requested 

diversity data both on University 

staff managing the endowment 

and 
leadership 
of 
the 
asset 

management firms the University 

works with.

Citing 
numerous 
studies 

that show women and people 

of color are underrepresented 

in 
asset 
management 
despite 

performing at the same level as 

their peers, Sharpton argued that 

increasing diversity is not just a 

matter of moral responsibility, 

but 
“a 
question 
of 
fiduciary 

responsibility.”

“If a trustees’ responsibility 

is to maximize returns, why are 

elite institutions using women 

and people of color at palpably low 

rates?” Sharpton wrote. 

Robert Sellers, vice provost for 

equity and inclusion and chief 

diversity officer at the University, 

responded to Sharpton’s letter 

by reaffirming the University’s 

commitment to diversity, equity 

and inclusion.

“The University is currently in 

the midst of a planning process 

where every school, college and 

campus unit created a diversity, 

equity, and inclusion strategic 

plan addressing its unique local 

needs and opportunities,” wrote 

Sellers. 

Sharpton 
cited 
a 
December 

University of California report on its 

diverse investment strategy as a model 

for the University and institutions 

across the country. The report detailed 

the UC Investment Office’s workforce 

diversity trends by racial and gender 

makeup, the number of minority- and 

women-owned investment partners 

and a qualitative survey of diversity 

and inclusion approaches at 15 of its 

largest investment partner firms. 

Instead of leaving Ann Arbor 

to go home, Nursing junior Rachel 

Quigley still works as a nurse’s 

aide at the University of Michigan 

Hospital to fill the growing need 

for health professionals during the 

coronavirus pandemic. She said, 

in light of her lung condition, it’s 

reassuring to see the hospital taking 

extra precautions to keep their staff 

on campus safe. 

“I love my job and the experience 

especially right now, it’s interesting 

to see how the hospital is handling 

the 
situation, 
and 
what 
my 

future workplace may look like if 

something like this were to ever 

happen again,” Quigley said. “I’m 

kind of worried about getting the 

virus but I trust the PPE (personal 

protective equipment). I have a 

lung condition so I can’t work with 

COVID patients, and they’re taking 

extra precautions in making sure 

everyone is safe.”

Quigley 
said 
campus 
looks 

vacant as people seem to be social 

distancing properly to help curb the 

pandemic.

“The campus looks very empty 

and bare, it’s really sad,” Quigley 

said. “If you walk into the Diag or 

near the other buildings on campus, 

it just feels kind of wrong … I’m 

glad though to see people social 

distancing. I’ll see when people are 

talking from different houses or 

groups, they are far apart. It looks 

like people are actually taking 

it seriously. And if people are 

partying, it looks like it’s just their 

housemates in their front yards.”

michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday, April 15, 2020

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

‘Campus is pretty dead’: Students who stayed 
behind feel impact of living in empty town

As virus spreads, once 
crowded places now 
stand unused, leaving 
population to adjust

Design by Cara Jhang

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

INDEX
Vol. CXXIX, No. 106
©2020 The Michigan Daily

N E W S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 A

S TAT E M E N T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 B

O P I N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 A

A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 A
michigandaily.com

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

ANN ARBOR

Candidates for Wards 4 and 5 of the 

Ann Arbor City Council participated 

in an online forum via BlueJeans 

Tuesday 
afternoon. 
During 
the 

event, students enrolled in Public 

Policy 456/756 at the University of 

Michigan asked candidates questions 

about affordable housing, carbon 

neutrality 
and 
the 
coronavirus 

pandemic.

Jack Eaton, D-Ward 4, is running 

for re-election. 

City Council hopefuls debate 
local issues at digital event

Letter calls for diversity in management

Rev. Al Sharpton asks ‘U’ to disclose demographics of team overseeing $12.4 billion endowment

ILLUSTRATION BY MAGGIE WIEBE 

Candidates 
participate in 
virtual forum

SAINI KETHIREDDY

Daily Staff Reporter

BARBARA COLLINS & 

BRAYDEN HIRSCH

Daily News Editor & 
Daily Staff Reporter

CALDER LEWIS
Daily Staff Reporter

DESIGN BY CHRISTINE JEGARL

See FORUM, Page 3A
See LETTER, Page 3A

statement

See CAMPUS, Page 2A

