The
University
of
Michigan’s chapter of Biden for
President hosted Sen. Bernie
Sanders, I-Vt., in Ann Arbor’s
Kerrytown Monday afternoon.
More than 75 people attended
the rally in person, while more
than 500 supporters logged on
to the virtual livestream.
Sanders started the event by
emphasizing the importance of
continuing to make progress in
a thoughtful, informed way.
“We can keep our country
moving forward if we do so in
a way that is disciplined, not
dangerous, that is responsible,
not reckless,” Sanders said.
“And we (need to) listen to
science.”
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell,
D-Mich., spoke to supporters
about her excitement for the
election.
“(It’s
a)
really
exciting,
important day for me,” Dingell
said. “We are four weeks out
from
the
most
important
election of my lifetime. I’ve
been talking to Bernie about
things we care about … we
both know how important
the young people are in this
election.”
Sanders appealed to young
people, saying they are leading
activists in many social justice
issues.
“This is a generation that
is leading the fight against
systemic racism and police
brutality,” Sanders said. “It
is a generation that is leading
the fight against xenophobia,
a generation that is leading
the fight against sexism. A
generation that is leading the
fight against religious bigotry,
a generation that is leading
the
fight
against
never-
ending wars and a bloated
military budget. And this is a
generation, unlike the current
president of the United States,
that knows that climate change
is real.”
Sanders said despite young
peoples’ achievements, they
have
one
“major
political
shortcoming:”
low
voter
turnout.
The Michigan Daily sat down
with University of Michigan
President
Mark
Schlissel
to
discuss the University’s COVID-
19 response, increasing testing
availability at UHS, why the
University sought an injunction
against GEO, the role of policing
on campus, the Faculty Senate
vote
of
no
confidence
and
whether he’s still friends with
Jim Harbaugh.
This interview has been edited
and condensed for clarity.
Mark Schlissel: Obviously,
(the election is) getting closer
and closer. We’ve been working
for years now trying to drive
voter
registration
at
the
University, particularly among
students, (and we’re) doing
many things trying to make it
easier. The county clerk and
the Secretary of State here in
Michigan
have
collaborated
on letting us set up (a satellite
office) in the art museum, a
very convenient site where
students can actually go vote
today if they want to, there’s
early voting in the state of
Michigan, they can register, or
they can drop off their absentee
ballots in person, removing any
anxiety that somehow the post
office will slow them down or
lose them … You know I think
everybody on campus who’s
eligible to vote should vote. And
that’s what we can do to make a
difference.
The Michigan Daily: So,
first
on
COVID-19.
There
have been mixed responses
to the University’s protocols
and resources for addressing
the COVID-19 pandemic on
campus. Students, parents and
faculty have voiced concerns
about
quarantine
housing,
outbreaks on campus and a lack
of testing to name a few. How
do you think the University has
handled the first few weeks
of school, and do you think
the reopening plan has been
successful so far?
MS: I think COVID-19 is
the
biggest
challenge
that
we face as a community, at
least in this generation, and
certainly in my career. There is
a lot of uncertainty, so we make
our best plans based on our
knowledge and our judgments
and our values. And then we
modify them as we learn more
and as the situation changes.
One
of
the
University
of
Michigan’s
metrics
for
reevaluating campus operations
amid the COVID-19 pandemic
has been triggered, University
President
Mark
Schlissel
confirmed coming two days after
the guidelines were published
online.
Schlissel
acknowledged
the
trigger in a Friday email to
faculty members concerned about
the spread of the virus in the
surrounding community.
“Yes, the metrics were triggered,
and as per the new policy, our
public health and medical advisors
are discussing, based on the
details of the cases and overall
context, which next steps are most
appropriate,” Schlissel wrote in the
email obtained by The Michigan
Daily. “As we stated, there are
many options for interventions
that must be tailored to the exact
circumstances. (sic) involved.”
On the University’s Campus
Blueprint website, the criteria
include
Washtenaw
County
seeing more than 70 new cases per
million, sustained test positivity
rates of 10% or 3 consecutive days
of a more than 10% case increase.
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
Though
the
University
of
Michigan
provides
free
COVID-19
testing
to
symptomatic students, some
asymptomatic
students
are
opting
to
get
tested
off-
campus.
Engineering senior Maya
Getachew
was
tested
at
University
Health
Service
as well as an outside urgent
care center. Getachew said
the UHS process was faster,
but the restrictions on who is
eligible for testing frustrated
her.
“I kind of had to lie on my
form to get an appointment,”
Getachew said. “But once I
actually went in for the test,
really fast, I was in and out of
the building within like five
minutes. With urgent care,
there was a little bit of a wait,
but it was pretty much the
same thing, once I got the test
I was out in like 30 seconds.”
Getachew said she got her
results back from UHS in less
than 24 hours, while it took
the urgent care about three
days.
The University is currently
testing
all
symptomatic
students
through
UHS.
Students with symptoms can
fill out an online survey to see
if they qualify for testing, and
a UHS employee is supposed
to
call
and
schedule
an
appointment usually on the
same day. Other local testing
sites are run through the
Washtenaw
County
Health
Department, and vary from
local urgent cares to pop-up
testing locations across town.
Andie Ransom, who co-leads
COVID response at UHS, told
The Michigan Daily that the
University’s testing capacity
has
significantly
increased
from the beginning of the year.
According to Ransom, the
requirements have changed so
that any student who has been
exposed to the virus can get a
test at UHS.
“When COVID first started,
we were very limited in what
we could do,” Ransom said.
“And so this new expanded
testing feels really good for
us because we want to do
what’s right for the student.
And
(being
exposed
is)
worrisome. We want to make
sure that these students are
getting the testing that they
want.”
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INDEX
Vol. CXXX, No. 133
©2020 The Michigan Daily
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O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
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STATEMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
SPORTS.......................15
michigandaily.com
For more stories and coverage, visit
COVID-19
Follow The Daily
on Instagram,
@michigandaily
SARAH PAYNE
Daily Staff Reporter
DOMINICK SOKOTOFF/Daily
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders visits Ann Arbor to campaign for the Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden Monday afternoon.
DOMINIC COLETTI
& JENNA SITEMAN
Daily Staff Reporters
SAYALI AMIN &
LEAH GRAHAM
Managing News Editors
See METRIC, Page 3
Washtenaw COVID cases exceed ‘U’
threshold for review of operations
Cases per million in county repeatedly top 70 per million in September, breaching
one of University’s metrics for reevaluation of campus protocols amid pandemic
Bernie Sanders stumps for Joe
Biden at campaign event in A2
Vermont senator and former presidential candidate makes case for Democratic
ticket at small rally in Kerrytown, argues country needs new style of leadership
Students weigh options
between getting tested
on campus or heading
outside of University
U-M President:
‘Things are not
heading in the
right direction’
Schlissel comments on rise in COVID-19
cases among students, recent strikes
EMMA STEIN,
DOMINIC COLETTI
& CALDER LEWIS
Daily News Editor &
Daily Staff Reporters
See SCHLISSEL, Page 3
See TESTING, Page 3
MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily
The University announced criteria that would lead to reevaluating campus operations on Wednesday.
Read more at
MichiganDaily.com
People face restrictions with accessing
testing at University Health Services