The Michigan Daily sat down
with University President Mark
Schlissel to discuss fall plans,
vaccination, carbon neutrality and
disinvestment, Regent Ron Weiser
(R), public records, ongoing collective
bargaining with U-M lecturers and
more. This interview has been edited
and condensed for clarity.
MS: It is really important for as
many students as possible to get
vaccinated, and if they can’t get it
done before they leave town, get it
done over the summer. The supply
of vaccines is getting better, the age
limit has now gone down to 16 years
old so all of our students can get
vaccinated, and the greater fraction
of people who are vaccinated,
the more likely we are to have a
semester in the fall that feels as
close to normal as possible.
TMD: Since we last spoke, the
University announced its intention
for mostly in-person classes and
mostly full residence halls in the
fall. Can you give us your best
and worst case scenarios for what
campus life at the University might
look like in the fall?
MS: The best case scenario is that
95 or 98% of students are vaccinated
and an overwhelming majority of
faculty and staff are vaccinated.
And then what’s likely to happen,
is we’ll begin the semester with
the masks at least indoors, but
with greatly relaxed restrictions
around density. So student clubs
will be able to meet in-person, we’ll
have sporting events … a growing
percentage of your classes will be
in-person or more of their activities
will be in-person. The campus
will feel much more normal and,
as the semester progresses, if our
surveillance
work
on
COVID
indicates that things are safe, then
we’ll start taking the mask off and
getting back to our new normal.
So that’s the optimistic view.
Even though COVID is flaring all
around the state, so is the rate of
vaccination. The fall will feel like
a transition, I think, between the
really challenging year that we’ve
had and then the calendar year
‘22, which should be pretty much a
normal winter semester next year
by all projections.
Worst case scenario, oh gosh. If
I was being Dr. Doom and Gloom,
I’d say that one of the variants
of the virus that occurs learns
how to escape the vaccines, the
effectiveness of the vaccines may be
lower in these mutant viruses and
we may have to continue in a mode
where we’re really, really careful to
prevent the spread using all these
other methods — distancing, density,
masks and the like. That’s the worst
case, but… I think it’s more probable
that we’ll be closer to the best case.
TMD: Some colleges like Duke,
Notre Dame and Rutgers have
recently announced that they will
require students to be vaccinated
upon return to campus in the fall.
How is the University evaluating
whether the COVID-19 vaccine will
be required for students and staff
for the fall semester? When can the
U-M community expect to know
the University’s position?
MS: We are actually discussing
whether
encouraging
and
incentivizing will work better
than requiring or the other way
around. Or maybe requiring in
the dormitories and incentivizing
elsewhere. We’re still far enough
away that I don’t feel tremendous
time pressure to make it mandatory
today. Vaccines aren’t quite widely
available enough today anyway,
and you can’t just walk down the
street, roll up your sleeve and get
vaccinated.
TMD:
You’ve
said
the
University’s public health experts
have been instrumental in the state
government’s pandemic response.
Can you offer any insight into why
state policy response to by far the
most severe COVID-19 outbreak
right now in the country has been
limited to recommendations, when
the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention Director Rochelle
Walensky says Michigan needs to
“really close things down?”
MS: I’ve learned the hard way
that it’s really difficult to second
guess leaders with complicated
jobs. So the governor has actually
done quite well compared to many
other governors. I don’t know the
various pressures that she’s under.
I can tell you that we’re still under
a “work remotely if you can work
remotely” rule. We’re still under a
statewide masking mandate, and
there’s still limits as to how many
people can convene indoors and
how many convene outdoors. I
presume she’s striking a balance
integrating all of the inputs that
she’s getting from around our large
and diverse state. So I won’t second
guess her. I think it’s difficult for
the director of the CDC to have
that
on-the-ground
knowledge
too, but I respect all their positions
and the difficulty in making these
decisions.
TMD: Is it possible that the
current plans for commencement
could change if circumstances
change?
For
example,
more
in-person if vaccinations keep
increasing, or less in-person if cases
remain very high in the state?
MS: I think it’s very, very
unlikely that it would become
more in-person. I could almost say
it won’t. The facts haven’t changed
since we made the decision, and
anything that’s changed has been
the wrong direction. It’s really hard
to predict what’s going to happen
two weeks from now, but the levels
that we have around the state now
are way higher than I predicted
they would be the last time we
spoke (in early March). I think it’s
extremely unlikely that it would be
safe to do more than we’re already
planning on doing.
I’m reasonably optimistic that
we can still have this viewing in the
Big House for students that want
to experience graduation together
with their friends, and the reasons
why are the ones that I’ve spoken
about before — big venue, relatively
small numbers of people.
TMD:
The
President’s
Commission
on
Carbon
Neutrality released their final
recommendations to you in March.
How is the process going for you
in terms of reading through the
document and deciding what to
implement, and how would you
respond to student groups like the
Climate Action Movement who
questioned if the recommendations
went far enough, fast enough?
MS: I think the commission did a
great job. They satisfied the charge,
they defined the scope of the issue,
they defined a timeframe and they
actually made 50 recommendations
for how we can become carbon
neutral. It’s very comprehensive.
I’m really grateful. Another thing
they did that I really appreciated is
it was a very open and transparent
process and involved lots of people.
Nearly a year after the killing
of George Floyd by a Minneapolis
police officer, more than 100
protestors united April 17 to honor
Floyd’s death at Glencoe Crossing
in Ann Arbor. The event, organized
by Value Black Lives and Survivors
Speak, drew families and locals to
either listen or share stories about
the impact of police brutality on their
lives and injustice that continues to
ensue upon people of color.
Floyd was killed in May 2020
when Minneapolis police officer
Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck
for 9 minutes and 29 seconds while
other officers were present. The
murder sparked national outrage
and initiated a racial reckoning over
the summer when cities across the
country protested against police
brutality and called for racial justice
and systemic change.
Following the death of Floyd, the
Minneapolis
Police
Department
fired Chauvin, and he was charged
with second-degree murder, third-
degree murder and manslaughter.
The trial of Chauvin began on
March 8, and on April 20 he was
found guilty on all counts.
Trische’ Duckworth, Survivors
Speak founder and executive director,
was one of the organizers of the
protest. Since last May, Duckworth
has been an active voice in the
community, leading a plethora of
other marches and rallies calling out
police brutality and racial injustice.
Duckworth opened the protest by
also paying tribute to Daunte Wright,
a 20-year-old Black man who was
fatally shot by Minnesota police
after being pulled over for expired
registration and an air freshener
dangling from his mirror.
“How many know we’re in a racial
pandemic as well?” Duckworth
told the crowd. “Not being here, not
raising awareness, just wouldn’t
be right because our Black blood is
continuing to be spattered on the
streets by police.”
Other local groups also joined
community members on the march,
including Boober Tours, Street
Medicine,
Southeast
Michigan
Street Medics, the Bike Alliance
of Washtenaw County and Detroit
Black Syndicate Motorcycle Chapter.
“Understand
this:
We
want
reparations,” Duckworth said. “For
everyone that thinks, ‘Well, I had
nothing to do with that,’ it’s OK. You
didn’t have anything to do with it,
that’s fine, but I wasn’t a slave and
I’m still fighting because we are in
bondage.”
Protestors in attendance were
instructed
to
practice
social
distancing and follow COVID-19
precautions during the event. After
introductions from Duckworth, the
crowd marched to the Washtenaw
County Sheriff’s Office, where
multiple guest speakers shared their
personal stories of police brutality
with the crowd.
Along the way, chants like “No
Justice, No Peace!” and “Get back, get
back, we want freedom, freedom!”
rang throughout the streets.
Protester Spidey Dee was one
of the many members of the Black
Syndicate
Motorcycle
Chapter
who led the marchers on their
motorcycles. When asked why he
thought the rally was important,
Dee told The Michigan Daily he felt
frustrated by the repeated acts of
police violence against Black people.
“We’re standing up for justice
for Black people and things going
on in the world besides just this
pandemic,” Dee said. “I’m here to
stop the police from doing what
they’re doing to our Black people in
the youth and young people.”
Ypsilanti
residents
Sha’Teina
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
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INDEX
Vol. CXXX, No. 16
©2021 The Michigan Daily
NEWS............................2
ARTS............................. 5
MIC...............................8
STATEMENT.................10
OPINION......................15
SPORTS........................18
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ANN ARBOR
Survivors Speak honors death of
George Floyd, Daunte Wright
Event draws crowd of more than 100 to stand up against police brutality
LILY GOODING &
IVY MUENCH
Daily Staff Reporters
One person shot at
Briarwood Mall
Victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries
The Ann Arbor Police Department
first received calls of multiple shots
being fired inside the Von Maur
store of Briarwood Mall around 3
p.m April 16, according to Ann Arbor
Chief of Police Michael Cox.
No suspects are in custody and
their whereabouts are unknown, Cox
told reporters April 16 around 5 p.m.
“This does not appear to be a
random event, however, it is an active
scene currently and we are still trying
to clear some of the stores, ” Cox said.
Cox said there is one male victim
with
non-life-threatening
injuries,
who according to MLive was taken to
Michigan Medicine in stable condition.
When asked to confirm that a victim
was transferred to the hospital, Beata
Mostafavi,
a
spokesperson
from
Michigan Medicine, directed The
Daily to AAPD.
According to Eastern Michigan
University student Matthew Katz,
who was inside the mall at the time
of the shooting, he was told by a
mall security officer to hide, which
he did for about 25 minutes before
leaving the mall. At April 16 5 p.m,
police were still working on exiting
customers from the mall store-by-
store. The mall remains closed, with
state police guarding entry points
with assault rifles.
Those at the mall described
confusion as the situation unfolded.
EMU sophomore Tyler Burkhardt
was visiting a friend working at the
Van’s store when they said they heard
a noise that sounded like balloons
popping. Burkhardt said they then
saw numerous police officers rush
into the building and tell them to
evacuate the area.
“My brain didn’t exactly register it
at first and nobody around me really
did until people were screaming
and stuff, saying they needed
help,” Burkhardt said. “Next thing
I experienced were police pulling
out rifles and stuff like that, the
mall security pouring into the mall.
Everybody just running, and then a
security mall cop looked me in my
eyes and told me to run, so I just ran.”
University of Michigan LSA
junior Cassandra Menzies was at
the Forever 21 store in the mall at
the time of the shooting with four
friends. Though she didn’t see or hear
any shots fired, she said she began to
wonder if something had happened
when employees started closing the
storefront — even though the store
was not expected to close — and
ushering them to the check-out area.
After being checked out, Menzies
and her friends were brought outside
through the back exit of the store,
where they could then walk to their
car and leave the mall. As they were
waiting to leave, they began checking
Reddit, but she said they could not
find any information until she saw
a post saying there was a shooting.
Employees appeared to have as much
information on the situation as they
did, she said.
“I kind of wasn’t super comfortable
leaving because we all thought it
was an active shooter or something,”
Menzies said. “I was more just nervous
because nobody knew what was going
on. I wasn’t totally afraid, but I think
anxious is a good way to describe it.”
AAPD is asking anyone with
additional information to call them at
734-794-6920 or contact the tip line
at 734-996-3199.
JOHN GRIEVE,
LIAT WEINSTEIN,
HANNAH MACKAY,
JASMIN LEE,
ALEX HARRING &
SHANNON STOCKING
Digital Managing Editor,
Managing News Editor,
Daily News Editor &
Daily Staff Reporters
ANN ARBOR
Hayner sanctioned
for homophobic slur
Ward-1 Councilmember loses assignments
The Ann Arbor City Council
met virtually April 19 to discuss a
motion to remove Councilmember
Jeff Hayner, D-Ward 1, from
committee assignments, after he
made a comment on a Facebook
post that quoted a homophobic
slur and demeaned journalists.
The
council
also
discussed
affordable housing developments
expected to progress in the near
future.
The council passed DC-5, a
resolution to remove Hayner from
his current appointments. As part
of the resolution, Hayner would
be removed from the boards and
commissions he has served on
until December 2021, though he
will remain as a voting member on
City Council. The resolution also
requests that Hayner participate
in sensitivity training.
After over an hour of discussion
and multiple failed amendments,
the
resolution
passed
8-2.
Councilmembers Ali Ramlawi,
D-Ward 5, and Kathy Griswold,
D-Ward 2 voted no, and Hayner
was recused from the vote.
During the discussion, Hayner
repeated his apology, which he
gave a day after defending his
remarks in an interview with
The Michigan Daily, for posting
the slur and said he understands
the harm the word caused to the
LGBTQ+ community. However,
Hayner
also
added
that
he
believes being removed from his
positions is “inappropriate” and
overshadows the work he has
done to support the LGBTQ+
community in the past, including
marching with AIDS victims and
supporting gay and transgender
friends and family members.
“I think (this resolution) is a
dangerous thing,” Hayner said.
“Words are dangerous, and the
harm that they cause to the
community is real, but I also feel
that it’s an inappropriate solution.
I don’t see how my quoting
someone’s foul language that was
repeated at infinitum on social
media
and
councilmember’s
websites makes me less able
to steward our parks or read a
liquor license report or read a
Brownfield report.”
Hayner
emphasized
the
sincerity of his apology to the
LGBTQ+ community, but added
his comments did not break any
City Council, state or federal laws.
Councilmember
Travis
Radina, D-Ward 4, spoke on
his personal experiences with
homophobia and said he felt
frustrated by Hayner’s lack of
immediate acknowledgement of
his wrongdoing. Radina posted
the initial screenshot of Hayner’s
comment as well as a copy of an
email he sent to Hayner and other
councilmembers
condemning
Hayner’s use of the slur and anti-
press sentiment.
Radina
said
he
believes
Hayner’s
“eventual
apology
was sincere,” but that as a
governing body, the council has a
responsibility to the community
to call out harmful language,
and that includes voting on this
resolution.
ANNIE KLUSENDORF/Daily
Read more at
MichiganDaily.com
ADMINISTRATION
Schlissel: Fall semester “will feel like
a transition” to a normal Winter ‘22
U-M President talks vaccination efforts, carbon neutrality, Regent Ron Weiser (R)
CALDER LEWIS,
JARED DOUGALL &
JULIANNA MORANO
Daily News Editor &
Daily Staff Reporters
JULIA RUBIN &
DANIEL MUENZ
Daily Staff Reporters
PUBLIC SAFETY
See SCHLISSEL, Page 4
Read more at
MichiganDaily.com