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

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OPINION......................15 

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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