B ack in September, when the University of Michigan announced there would no longer be a spring break for students and faculty, I figured I would be fine. COVID-19 did not appear to be slowing down anytime soon and, with the semester concluding on April 30, I would benefit more from an extended summer than a week in March. All in all, it seemed to be a good deal. After the fall semester, I was drained. The transition from high school to college was strenuous, amplified by the challenge of studying remotely. Our month-long break was much needed, but in many ways, the hecticness from the first few months remained. I never felt as though I was truly “shut- off” from the daily grind of a college student. Now, with a little over a month to go before the academic year ends, I am wishing the administration granted us, students, those seven coveted spring days. Alas, the University thought of “Wellness Days” to compensate for the persistent workload we’ve received since Martin Luther King Jr. Day. And they come in twos — separately, of course! This will surely alleviate our stress and fatigue, right? Not even close. In February, my wellness day was spent studying for my upcoming Math 115 exam. A few days ago, it was spent writing a paper for my BCOM 250 class. If “wellness” is somehow defined by the security you experience in knowing that you’re a little more prepared than you were before or taking the necessary steps to finish an assignment on time, then mission accomplished. However, that is not the case. “Wellness,” as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is described as “the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal.” In our current era of isolation and social distance, I cannot think of a greater priority than maintaining our mental health. Yet, if that was truly the University’s goal, they failed miserably. Instead, they should have labeled them for what they really were: 24-hours-without-class days. Understandably, that’s not as catchy. Many of us, including myself, are feeling psychologically taxed and constrained right now. The Zooms and phone calls I’ve had with upperclassmen friends to catch up, which used to last at least half an hour, now barely crack 15 minutes. What was once a welcomed release for both parties is now viewed as a distraction from the contextualized task at hand. Moreover, all correspondence usually ends the same way now: “Yeah I know we’re all super busy and things are super hectic so I don’t want to take up any more of your time. Talk to you soon, bye.” I don’t fault the students or the professors for this educational strain we’re all experiencing; we’re all fulfilling our commitments to the University and to each other. However, anyone who’s learned a thing or two about productivity knows that you can’t work people to their limits for four consecutive months. It simply cannot be done. Let’s do some math. Research conducted by psychologists shows that our productivity is maximized when matched with our ultradian rhythms. Therefore, we are most efficient when we work in longer sessions of approximately 90 minutes, followed by 15 to 20-minute breaks. Out of a given 105 minutes, we are working between 80 and 85% of the time, but operating at peak productivity. By attending classes alone, students of the University of Michigan are “working” nearly every day of the semester. The only reprieve from this work is during — you guessed it — those golden Wellness Days. I understand that we’re students, not professionals. Yet, our otherwise pretty- darn professional university expects a certain level of professionalism from us. This university houses some of the world’s best and brightest future leaders — don’t we want to see what we’re capable of when we operate at the fullest capabilities? I know I sure do. Hopefully, this will all be a moot point in the fall. In a perfect world, when the majority of society is vaccinated, we can quit worrying about the potential health consequences of spring break. Hopefully, then we can have fun and truly unwind for a week, much to the enjoyment of everybody here in Ann Arbor. For now, however, let this serve as a cautionary tale. We shouldn’t be overworked and expected to grind for four months straight. Our attention will drift, our guard will slip and everyone will be left to suffer the effects of a stressed-out, fatigued campus population. How’s that for a Wellness Day? Opinion BRITTANY BOWMAN Managing Editor Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. CLAIRE HAO Editor in Chief ELIZABETH COOK AND JOEL WEINER 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 Julian Barnard Zack Blumberg Brittany Bowman Emily Considine Elizabeth Cook Brandon Cowit Jess D’Agostino Andrew Gerace Krystal Hur Min Soo Kim Jessie Mitchell Zoe Phillips Mary Rolfes Gabrijela Skoko Elayna Swift Jack Tumpowsky Joel Weiner Erin White This is far from the first time Weiser has spurred outrage with his words and actions, not only on campus but across the state of Michigan. His misbehavior has ranged from sending regents an email containing only a picture of a woman wearing a bikini with no context to urging fellow regents to support him during earlier calls for his resignation, prompting them to “remember Germany in the 1930s.” Weiser also faced backlash for his initial response to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and failure to condemn former President Donald Trump. He has failed to attend a single regents meeting in 2021, other than the meeting in which he was censured. It is obvious that his continuing to serve on the Board of Regents undermines the University of Michigan’s character, and if he cared about the University he would resign from his position immediately. Nevertheless, he has made it clear that he has no intention of doing so, accusing those calling for his resignation of engaging in cancel culture. In light of this, we have chosen not to write this editorial to call for his resignation, as such an attempt would obviously be futile. Instead, we implore our state’s voters — the people who elected Weiser to this position of power — to more heavily scrutinize future candidates for the Board of Regents, at this university and others, and consider how they might affect the universities and the state of Michigan at large. The only avenue to remove Weiser prior to the 2024 election is an unrealistic one — The Daily’s article regarding calls for a resignation states, “(Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn) Benson would have to file an official petition. No later than 25 days following the filing of the petition, Benson would then have to declare if the petition has enough signatures for a recall or not. To trigger a recall election, the number of signatures on the petition needs to equal 25% of votes cast by Michigan residents in the 2020 general election.” Therefore, voters must think critically about who they cast their ballot for in 2022. The content of Weiser’s remarks has been specifically harmful and in a politically divisive atmosphere like the one we live in today, any semblance of violence should be avoided. There have been several acute instances of political violence, and threats of political violence, in the past year, ranging from a right-wing plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last fall to the armed riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6. It has even happened recently here in Ann Arbor. A week ago, a group of right-wing “boogaloo bois,” armed with large rifles, planted themselves in front of Ann Arbor’s city hall in an anti-government protest, despite cold reception from the community. Though this thankfully did not escalate into a larger conflict, the fact that it is normal in America for armed protestors to congregate outside of government buildings represents the deeply toxic political environment that exists in our country. Even in a time of political tranquility, it would be abhorrent for a member of our Board of Regents to joke about assassinating members of the government. The fact that violence is seen as a valid means of political action by so many only underscores why Weiser’s charade was so dangerous. Weiser’s use of the term “witches” is particularly problematic since this misogynistic word has historically been used to undermine influential women. In 2016, people circulated images online of Hillary Clinton dressed in a black hat and holding a broomstick. The term is harmful because it connotes an evil figure who should not be trusted, so when someone uses it to describe a powerful woman, such as Gov. Whitmer, they are undermining the legitimacy of the referenced woman’s power. And when someone as influential as Weiser uses this sexist terminology, he gives his listeners the language not just to criticize the government — which should be encouraged in any democratic society — but to take it a step further and delegitimize the governor’s power on the basis of her gender, a reprehensible and ominous message. During the board’s meeting, Weiser apologized for his comments but pointedly refused to resign, saying instead that he would “not be canceled.” This refusal to resign demonstrates that, at best, Weiser misunderstands the harm his comments caused, and, at worst, that he values the power that comes with being a regent more than his responsibility to the University’s students and the state’s voters. In electing Weiser as an administrative member of its second- largest university, Michigan voters gave him a legitimate prominent platform on which to speak as a public official. Everything Weiser does are the actions of a representative of Michigan, rather than the actions of a single citizen. The comments would be problematic even if they came from a private citizen, but in being uttered by a University Regent — and the Michigan GOP chair — those comments will travel further and be more harmful to the well-being of democracy in Michigan. In removing Weiser from his position as a regent, his constituents have the ability to demonstrate there will be repercussions for the flagrant and anti- democratic language he perpetuated. It is obvious that Weiser should resign. He has repeatedly acted in ways that are entirely unbecoming of a regent, and these latest remarks, with their harmful connotations, are simply the icing on the cake. His reprehensible comments are rooted in misogyny and a clear disregard for democratic values, and these actions have and will continue to negatively impact the Michigan community. However, given that Weiser appears entirely content to remain on the Board of Regents until he goes up for reelection in 2024, it is important to remember the power that voters have. Both University students and Michigan residents should maintain high standards and demand more from their representatives. Though the Board of Regents may not be the highest-profile election on the ballot, voters should keep Weiser’s actions in mind as we approach the 2022 elections and choose candidates accordingly. ALEX NOBEL | COLUMNIST W hile billions of people worldwide have had their lives uprooted and drastically transformed by COVID-19, many societal practices from the pre-pandemic world have continued. Some of these practices are beneficial like getting an education and improving medical knowledge, while others continue to have devastating results on public health and the environment. One of these harmful practices that has not only continued but worsened during the pandemic is deforestation. We have seen deforestation efforts increase globally last year, leading to catastrophic health effects on the environment, climate, people’s everyday lives and pandemic prevention. This practice must be put to an end in order to ensure that people and the planet are safe and healthy. 2020 was a devastating year for forests as global deforestation efforts increased by 12%. The estimated area of woodlands torn down was 10 million square acres — equating to roughly the size of Switzerland or Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut and New Jersey combined. The country that included the largest spike in tree removal was Brazil with an increase in deforestation by 85%. The most harmed areas were parts of the Amazon rainforest, which happens to be one of the world’s largest absorbers of carbon dioxide. The next logical question to ask is why is deforestation increasing? To answer that, we must look at why deforestation occurs at all. There is no sole reason as forests are removed for everything from infrastructure expansion, land-use changes, urbanization and wood extraction. The logging and forest removal industry is estimated to produce between $30 billion and $100 billion each year. The massive profits from this sector cannot be overlooked as they are one of the factors fueling the increases we have seen this past year. Deforestation’s effect on the environment is vast and incredibly damaging. Removing trees decreases precipitation, which disrupts the water cycle and causes changes to river and stream flows. Water is not only vital for forests but almost every living thing on the planet. A decrease in precipitation could leave species and entire ecosystems without water, forcing them to fend for themselves or migrate. The drop in the amount of water in the ecosystem also allows for potential droughts, which can disrupt ecosystems by reducing food supply. Dry conditions also contribute to an increase in forest fires, as the lack of water makes it easier for flames to catch and spread. Deforestation contributes to soil erosion, as tree roots help anchor the soil, and the trunks and branches help protect it from wind and water. Soil erosion has many negative impacts, from loss of fertile land to worsened flooding, as the ground can no longer absorb floodwaters. Between disrupting the water cycle and eroding the soil, deforestation has countless consequences on the environment. Like many of the ways humans interact with our environment, deforestation also contributes to climate change. Not only does clearing forests release carbon dioxide stored in the trees into the atmosphere, but it also eliminates organisms that absorb carbon. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization found that deforestation accounted for about 20% of greenhouse gas emissions, making it the second-largest contributor to climate change. Forests, as a whole, absorb 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, roughly equivalent to the emissions from two million cars. Essentially, deforestation makes global warming worse and adds to climate change on two different levels. The ramifications of deforestation extend beyond the environment and the climate, as it affects human public health as well. Removing trees and forests directly contributes to an increase in infectious diseases that could potentially turn into epidemics and pandemics. When forests are demolished, animal habitats are destroyed and their natural inhabitants are forced to migrate into new areas. Whether those areas are near humans or just around different animals, germs and diseases are spread and can become outbreaks. Sixty percent of all infectious diseases that affect humans originate in animals. Moreover, when forests are destroyed, animals are forced to move closer to humans increasing the likelihood of disease spread. This has been observed in Brazil where experts believe that the rise in malaria cases is directly linked to deforestation. Between 2003 and 2015, scientists and researchers found that an increase of 10% in yearly forest loss corresponded with a 3% jump in malaria cases. One year that saw an additional 618 square miles of forests being removed resulted in an extra 10,000 cases of malaria. Clearing forests directly leads to an increase in infectious disease and increases the chances that another pandemic — like the current one — ravages the world. Aside from the harmful effects of deforestation, forests also offer many benefits to people and public health. One major reason is that forests are home to 300 million people and 80% of terrestrial biodiversity. Another 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods and survival. Forests are also huge mitigating factors when it comes to climate change and acts to lessen the future effects. They function to increase clean oxygen levels in the atmosphere as well as moderate global temperatures. Deforestation is a dangerous practice that must cease before even more damage is done to the environment and global health. I urge you to speak for the trees, for they have no tongues and one day you will wish there was something you could have done. One tree two tree, red tree dead tree Alex Nobel is an Opinion Columnist and can be reached at anobel@umich.edu. SAM WOITESHEK | COLUMNIST The grind hasn’t stopped this year — that’s a mistake Sam Woiteshek is an Opinion Columnist and can be reached at swoitesh@umich.edu. The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com 12 — Wednesday, April 14, 2021 From The Daily: Weiser must resign A t a March 25 gathering with the North Oakland Republican Club, Regent Ron Weiser (R) called three female Democratic officials “witches” and referenced “burning them at the stake.” He also joked that the only way to get rid of two anti-Trump Republican congressmen, besides voting, was assassination. On April 2, the University’s Board of Regents censured him and called for his resignation, leading Chairwoman Denise Ilitch (D) to strip him of his committee assignments. On campus, his actions have led to the mock renaming of Weiser Hall and many have called for his resignation. DAVID FORSEE | OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR T he Order of Angell, formerly known as Michigamua, has disbanded without any serious reparation for the years of indignity and harm caused to Indigenous peoples. The work of BIPOC Order alumni and students has been instrumental in stopping this institution’s perpetuation. At the end of their website’s apologetic history page is a link to the Bentley Historical Library’s Order of Angell records. You can’t view the actual materials online, but if you request them ahead of time, helpful staff will bring the records out to warmly lit reading desks for you. No pens are allowed, liquids are prohibited and gloves are provided. The records have the name “Michigamua” crossed out on the large boxes and replaced with “Order of Angell” in Sharpie. Call number 87248: a collection of musty boxes and oversized folders that hides an insidious history. Nearly a century of archival materials kept in the Bentley Historical Library does more than just document the organization’s misdeeds. I have sifted through these materials numerous times, trying to understand the blueprints that layout tomahawk wall-accents on their custom-made “wigwam” in the Michigan Union tower. Trying to parse through each member, each of whom has a dedicated “Indian name” such as Silver Throat and Dick Weake on the yearly pride’s roster. There are so many small moments in their sprawling history: letters between friends, initiation blindfolds and pictures of old white men at outdoor banquets in front of totem poles. The sheer enormity, the utter banality, the paper trail of white supremacy was right before me looking at the Michigamua archives. While photographing these records, a library aide came up to me and asked me if I’d like to see a sculpture in the back garden of the Bentley. In this library’s graveyard of unwanted icons was a stone tomahawk medallion. Without any collection number, two feet wide, it lay covered in moss on the ground. We both stared at it for a moment. No one wanted to deal with the now-culturally insensitive relic, and now it was in the care of the library. Michigamua’s true legacy was an opportunity for predominantly white Michigan students to bastardize Indigenous culture. One only needs to go to the Bentley and see for themselves the photographic evidence, as well as the excuses and artifacts of U-M’s home-grown white supremacist organization. The following comes from an account of Rope Day, an initiation ritual for Michigamua, taken directly from the Bentley records: “Our rope day ceremony started at the rooms. We covered ourselves with dry paint mixed with water and donned an Indian blanket, a head dress of feathers, and a jook strap. We ran, skipped and howled down the State Street side of the campus carrying a long rope. Most of the braves were so winded that we had to stop and rest several times. We would sit down and ‘hold a pow wow’ intermingled with occasional war whoops. “The young bucks gathered at the foot of the Tappan Oak at Six booms. We circled the tree with the rope, binding them against it, tore their shirts off and doused them (with) dry paint and water. Then we started beating them with snow shoes, rope and barrel staves.” I will pause here to let anyone who wishes to see the mark of Michigamua look at the red-stained bark of the Tappan Oak in our Diag. Stopping just past human height, the paint stains the tree even after all these years. Michigamua, even in disbanding, still manages to disappoint — disbanding will never erase its past. In their letter issued after disbanding, they claimed that, “We realized that any actions we could take would not be adequate in healing the past and improving the future of the organization. Ultimately, the historical lack of transparency and sufficient action prevent the achievement of this core mission.” While acknowledging their past is a positive step, they must go further. Past members must engage in some measure of reparation and restorative justice before their organization is allowed to fade into the miasma of “past mistakes.” As of right now, the only legacy Michigamua has left behind is within the Bentley Library and the harm they’ve done. It is critical for our community to remember this harm and ensure that another organization will not find a place on our campus. The impact of the Order of Angell David Forsee is a graduate of the BFA InterArts Performance program. They can be reached at dforsee@umich.edu.