The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
2 — Graduation Edition 2022

ARTS

over the

YEARS

Bis etum il ius eliquam usaerum eium 
velicti comnit dunt, tota que consequo is 
essunture dolor molesti beriore, il ea ne 
plab ipsae excero te volorep tation re 
videndunt omnihil ipienda veliqui nobites 
et laboriame lantiossunt hil ius arumqui 
dentibus, qui aliat pa qui simolessit, nes 
escilit harum que volorit eicia con plis 
everum fugitatur si quiae esto blaturem labo. 
Itatas mos venis arumnihilla ntentotatem 
aut etum hil il mod quam es est as endaesc 
ipiendis escium lation cupta doluptam ab 

2013
2014

APRIL 29: Classes are cancelled due to 
extreme weather as Michigan is plunged 
into what is later referred to as the “polar 
vortex.” Temperatures reach as low as -18 
degrees. 

SEPTEMBER: Joe’s Pizza opens up its first 
location outside of the boroughs of New 
York City on South University Avenue. 
Joe’s goes on to win the Michigan Daily’s 
“best pizza” award in 2021.” 

JANUARY 15: UMich president Mark 
Schlissel is fired for having an “inappropriate 
relationship” with a subordinate. The Board 
of Regents releases 118 pages of Schlissel’s 
emails with “individual 1.”

MARCH 12: Jonathon Vaughn’s campsite, as 
well as other protestors’ belongings, are removed 
from the front of the president’s house after 150 
days of protesting the University’s handling of 
sexual misconduct allegations.

2020

MARCH 11: Classes at all three U-M campuses 
are moved online for the rest of the Winter 
semester, just hours after the World Health 
Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak 
a global pandemic.

FEBRUARY 21: Olympic wrestler Andy 
Hrovat becomes the first athlete to publicly 
accuse the late Dr. Robert E. Anderson, former 
University of Michigan athletic doctor, of sexual 
misconduct. 

NEWS
over the
YEARS

 2021
2022
2019

MARCH 26: Four members of the Board of 
Regents call for Ron Weiser’s resignation 
following his comments at a North Oakland 
Republican Club meeting, in which he 
called Michigan Democrat lawmakers 
“the three witches” and made 
references to political assassination.

JULY 21: The Ann Arbor Art Fair returns 
after a two-year hiatus because of the 
COVID-19 pandemic. The fair welcomed 
vendors from all over the country. 

Former Vice President Joe Biden will 

be the 46th President of the United States, 

according to the Associated Press on 

Saturday. Biden claimed Pennsylvania’s 

20 electoral college votes, leaving him 

with 273 –– more than the 270 needed to 

win the presidency, according to Decision 

Desk. 

Biden has garnered more votes in his 

favor than in any presidential election in 

history, breaking records with more than 

74 million votes.

In an address Friday night, Biden 

preached patience to his supporters.

“My fellow Americans, we don’t have 

a final declaration of victory yet, but the 

numbers tell a clear and convincing story: 

We are going to win this race,” Biden said.

Though Election Day was Tuesday, 

votes in key states including Nevada, 

Arizona, Pennsylvania and Georgia took 

days longer to be counted. 2020 saw 

record turnout and a massive increase 

in the number of absentee ballots cast 

in 2016, with more than 100 million 

Americans casting ballots before Nov. 3.

The Associated Press declared that 

Biden won Michigan’s 16 electoral votes 

Wednesday night, flipping the state 

Trump won in 2016. Biden won 2,795,714 

votes in Michigan, amounting to 50.5 

percent of the vote, beating Trump by 

about two and a half points.

Through the tight race, the Trump 

campaign and supporters attempted 

to cast doubt on election results by 

spreading misinformation on Twitter 

and protesting ballot tabulation. Trump’s 

campaign filed a lawsuit against the 

Michigan Court of Claims earlier on 

Wednesday to halt ballot counting in the 

state, which was dismissed Thursday 

night.

Trump provided no evidence to 

support his allegations about threats 

to election integrity, and in a speech 

Thursday night, he lied repeatedly about 

the vote-counting process in Michigan.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair 

Lavora Barnes defended the security of 

the state’s voting system in a statement 

Wednesday after President Donald 

Trump repeatedly cast doubt on the 

safety and reliability of mail-in ballots. 

“Yesterday Michigan held an election 

with record turnout levels,” the statement 

read. “It takes a considerable amount of 

time and volunteer hours to count every 

single vote. … The voters have cast their 

ballots and they are being meticulously 

counted and when that process is over, all 

Michiganders together will find out the 

results.”

Biden’s campaign has stressed unity 

through hard times and criticized 

Trump’s response to the COVID-19 

pandemic. Biden held rallies in Michigan 

with former President Barack Obama and 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer days before the 

election, blaming Trump for America’s 

world-topping COVID-19 death rate. 

“Imagine where we would be if we 

had a president who had worn a mask, 

instead of mocked it,” Biden said last 

weekend. “I can tell you this, we wouldn’t 

have 5 million confirmed cases of COVID 

in this nation, we wouldn’t have 230,000 

deaths … He knew and he hid it from the 

people, he knew it was so much worse 

than the flu, he lied to the people. He 

knew it wasn’t going to disappear.”

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., will 

be the first woman of color to occupy 

the vice presidency as a Black and South 

Asian woman.

In 
light 
of 
Governor 
Gretchen Whitmer declaring 
a State of Emergency early 
Tuesday 
morning, 
the 
University 
has 
decided 
to 
cancel all events and classes 
on campus for Wednesday, 
Jan. 29, and intends to resume 
activity at 7 a.m. Friday. This 
will be the third time in 40 
years the school has closed 
due to weather.
The 
University 
Record 
announced 
classes 
were 
canceled 
at 
3:30 
p.m. 
on 
Tuesday.
“The 
University 
of 
Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus 
issued an emergency reduction 
in 
operation 
effective 
at 
midnight Tuesday through 7 
a.m. Friday, due to predicted 
extreme low temperatures and 

wind chills,” The Record said.
The last time the University 
halted 
activity 
was 
in 
February 2015 due to a winter 
storm which resulted in 18 
inches of snowfall. Before 
that, there was a closure in 
2014 due to extremely cold 
temperatures — specifically, 
a wind chill of -30 degrees. 
The first time the University 
closed was in January 1978 
due to climate conditions. 
Weather projections estimate 
a wind chill of nearly -40 
degrees for Wednesday and 
part of Thursday.
Before the announcement 
was 
made, 
University 
Spokeswoman 
Kim 
Broekhuizen 
explained 
the 
University had been working 
with various individuals to 
determine the best action to 
take.
“University 
officials 
are 
working closely with internal 

and 
external 
partners 
to 
monitor 
the 
predicted 
temperature and windchill for 
later this week,” Broekhuizen 
said in an email to The Daily.
The 
decision 
to 
cancel 
classes comes after of closures 
on 
campus 
and 
of 
local 
business around Ann Arbor on 
Monday. University student 
groups, such as the Michigan 
Student 
Power 
Network, 
also took to advocating for 
a campus closure through 
their 
#UMichColdShoulder 
petition, 
which 
currently 
has over 9,000 signatures. 
The petition also encouraged 
students to call University 
President 
Mark 
Schlissel 
as well as other University 
administrators. 
The University joins MSU, 
Wayne 
State 
University, 
among others to cancel classes 
because of extreme weather 
conditions. 

ACADEMICS
University decides to cancel 
classes and events amid 
Winter Storm Jayden

AMARA SHAIKR 
2020 Daily Staff Reporter

JULIA ROBIN
2021 Daily Staff Reporter

ANN ARBOR

Joe Biden wins presidency, 
unseating incumbent 
Donald Trump

University 
of 
Michigan 
President 
Mark 
Schlissel 
has 
been 
fired 
effective 
immediately 
following 
an 
internal 
investigation 
revealing 
Schlissel’s 
inappropriate behavior with a 
subordinate at the University, 
according to a Saturday press 
release from the Board of 
Regents. 
The decision was made at a 
closed-door Board of Regents 
meeting 
Saturday 
morning 
without a public vote after 
the board hired a third party 
investigator 
to 
determine 
whether or not Schlissel’s 
actions 
as 
president 
had 
violated 
the 
University’s 
supervisor relationship policy.
“It 
is 
with 
great 
disappointment 
that 
we 
announce that the University 
of Michigan Board of Regents 
has 
removed 
Dr. 
Mark 
Schlissel 
as 
President 
of 
the University of Michigan, 
effective immediately,” the 
Board of Regents wrote in a 
Saturday press release.
The 
policy, 
which 
was 
introduced 
in 
July 
2021, 
states that “a Supervisor may 
not, implicitly or explicitly, 
initiate or attempt to initiate 
an 
Intimate 
Relationship 
with a Supervisee over whom 
they 
exercise 
supervisory 
authority,” 
and 
was 
implemented in July 2021 
following allegations former 
Provost 
Martin 
Philbert 
had 
used 
his 
position 
to 
coerce women into sexual 
relationships. 
The 
firing 
comes 
after 
an 
anonymous 
complaint 
submitted on Dec. 8. revealed 
Schlissel had been in an 
inappropriate 
relationship 
with a University employee. A 
subsequent investigation was 
performed which found he 
had used his University email 
account 
to 
inappropriately 
communicate 
with 
said 
employee. 
Schlissel’s existing contract 
contained a morals clause 
which stated his behavior 
as President “be consistent 

with promoting the dignity, 
reputation, 
and 
academic 
excellence of the University.” 
The 
Board 
of 
Regents 
released a letter transmitted to 
Schlissel informing him of his 
termination. In it, the regents 
outlined their justification for 
firing him, citing messages 
sent from his University email 
to a subordinate. Because 
the regents fired Schlissel 
for cause, he will no longer 
receive the golden parachute 
he and the regents negotiated 
when he announced he would 
resign in 2023.
Schlissel 
had 
previously 
provoked the regents’ ire for 
failing to to communicate 
with the board regarding the 
Detroit Center for Innovation. 
Talks broke down between 
donor Stephen M. Ross and 
Dan 
Gilbert, 
who 
owned 
the 
site. 
An 
anonymous 
administration official who 
spoke to the Detroit Free 
Press said the regents felt 
Schlissel left them in the dark 
as negotiations faltered.
In 
October, 
Schlissel 
announced that he would be 
stepping down from the job in 
June 2023, a year earlier than 
planned. The Detroit Free 
Press at the time categorized 
his stepping down early as a 
deal between the members of 
the board who were satisfied 
and 
dissatisfied 
with 
his 
performance. 
The decision was announced 
Saturday 
night. 
A 
press 
release from the University 
announced president emerita 
Mary Sue Coleman will serve 
as interim president. Coleman 
served as president from 2002 
until 2014. 
In a statement posted to 
the Board of Regents website, 
Coleman wrote she was sad 
to learn of the allegations 
against 
Schlissel 
but 
was 
honored to once again be 
leading the University.
“While saddened by the 
circumstances, I am honored 
to be asked to again serve 
the University of Michigan,” 
Coleman wrote. “When I left 
the U-M campus at the end of 
my presidency in 2014, I said 
serving this great university 
was 
the 
most 
rewarding 
experience of my professional 

life. I’m happy to serve again 
in 
this 
important 
interim 
role.” 
The University has hired 
the private law firm Jenner 
& 
Block 
to 
continue 
the 
investigation into Schlissel’s 
behavior. According to the 
Detroit 
Free 
Press, 
the 
firm 
is 
also 
investigating 
whether 
Schlissel 
misused 
University funds to support 
his 
relationship 
with 
the 
unnamed subordinate. 
In an email obtained by the 
Michigan 
Daily 
addressed 
to LSA employees Saturday 
night, LSA Dean Anne Curzan 
wrote she would be meeting 
with fellow deans and senior 
leaders tomorrow and will 
communicate 
additional 
updates in the coming days.
Curzan wrote Schlissel’s 
firing reinforced to need for 
sexual misconduct prevention 
on campus.
“As I process this news, 
it 
only 
strengthens 
my 
commitment 
to 
continuing 
the 
work 
we 
have 
been 
undertaking in the college, 
with 
the 
wise, 
research-
informed 
guidance 
of 
the 
Preventing 
Sexual 
Harassment Working Group,” 
Curzan wrote. “It is essential.”
Jonathan Vaughn, former 
University 
football 
and 
notable survivor of the late 
Doctor Robert Anderson who 
has been camped outside of 
Schlissel’s house for nearly 
100 days in protest of the 
University’s 
handling 
of 
sexual misconduct tweeted 
Schlissel’s firing would help 
create a safer campus. 
“This 
news 
is 
fuel 
for 
my mission: the safety & 
protection of the students 
of this university,” Vaughn 
wrote. “After 99 days of being 
ignored in front of former 
President 
Mark 
Schlissel’s 
home, 
the 
regents 
finally 
made 1 good choice. But there 
must be many more if U-M is 
to be fully accountable.” 
Daily 
News 
Editor 
Roni 
Kane and Daily Staff Reporter 
Michal Ruprecht contributed 
reporting.
Daily News Editor George 
Weykamp can be reached at 
gweykamp@umich.edu

NEWS
UMich President Mark Schlissel 
fired for “inappropriate 
relationship” with employee

GEORGE WEYKAMP
2022 Daily News Editor

‘U’ moves classes online in 
response to coronavirus

The University of Michigan 
announced 
on 
Wednesday 
all 
classes on all three campuses will 
be held online beginning March 16 
through the end of the semester, 
April 21, in response to the COVID-
19 virus. Classes on Thursday and 
Friday will be canceled. However, 
the University will remain open, 
including dorms and dining halls.
In a statement shared on Twitter, 
University President Mark Schlissel 
wrote the changes are meant to 
maximize the safety of the campus 
communities.
“To protect the health and safety 
of our communities and minimize 
the spread of #COVID19, @UMich 
is making changes to classes, travel, 
study abroad and large events on 
our Ann Arbor, @UM_Dearborn 
and @UMFlint campuses,” Schlissel 
wrote.
Events expected to attract more 
than 100 people will also be canceled, 
including 
Honors 
Convocation. 
According to the statement, updates 
about plans for commencement will 
be provided when more information 
is available.
On-campus sporting events will 
be limited to parents and members 
of the press.
All spring and summer study 
abroad 
programs 
through 
the 
University will be canceled, given 
the severity of the outbreak. All other 
University international travel will 
also be suspended, except under rare 
circumstances requiring approval.
The World Health Organization 
declared the COVID-19 outbreak 
a global pandemic Wednesday 
afternoon as the virus continues to 
spread globally.

The move to online classes comes 
a day after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer 
signed an executive order declaring 
a state of emergency following the 
diagnosis of the first two cases of the 
COVID-19 virus in Michigan.
In a press conference Tuesday 
evening, 
Whitmer 
said 
she 
declared the state of emergency to 
maximize efforts and to assist local 
governments and officials in slowing 
the spread of COVID-19.
“We’re taking every step that we 
can to mitigate the virus spread and 
keep Michiganders safe,” Whitmer 
said in the press conference.
The two diagnosed cases in 
Michigan include a middle-aged 
Oakland County woman who has 
recently 
traveled 
internationally 
and a middle-aged Wayne County 
man who has recently traveled 
domestically.
Michigan Medicine announced 
Wednesday morning the hospital is 
treating one of the two confirmed 
Michigan coronavirus cases.
According to the University’s 
webpage on COVID-19, individuals 
should wash their hands often with 
soap for 20 seconds, avoid close 
contact with those who are sick and 
to stay home when sick to prevent 
the spread of the virus.
Prior 
to 
the 
University’s 
decision to move classes online, 
universities across the state had 
already 
suspended 
in-person 
classes. Michigan State University 
suspended 
all 
face-to-face 
classes beginning at noon today, 
MSU President Samuel Stanley 
announced in an email to MSU 
students this morning. Online class 
instruction will last until April 20.
Central 
Michigan 
University 
also asked students not to return 
to campus after spring break and 
announced they will be moving 
their classes online through March 
20. CMU will make a decision on 
whether to continue online classes 

on March 19.
Wayne 
State 
University 
announced Wednesday afternoon 
it will be extending spring break 
until March 23 to help plan for the 
transition to online classes.
Other 
universities 
across 
the United States have called 
off in-person classes this week, 
including Harvard University and 
Ohio State University.
As classes have been canceled 
across the country, some on social 
media have noted the sudden 
requests for students to leave 
campus may be harder to adjust to for 
students who may rely on university 
housing or meal plans. Additionally, 
they said some students may depend 
on work-study as a source of income.
Others have noted students may 
not be able to go home because 
of transportation costs or travel 
restrictions, or because coronavirus 
may be more widespread in that 
location.
Before 
the 
University 
announced the cancellation of 
classes, students on campus began 
creating a spreadsheet of resources 
to help students who may be 
disproportionately impacted by the 
changes.
Michigan Dining sent an email 
to MDining employees Wednesday 
afternoon letting students know 
they plan to continue having food 
available. 
The email stated MDining is 
increasing their sanitation processes 
– including the back of the house 
and some spaces leading up to the 
dining hall. Additionally, greeters 
are no longer swiping M-Cards and 
students swipe their own. 
Symptoms of coronavirus include 
fever, cough and shortness of breath. 
To stop the spread of the virus, 
the Centers for Disease Control 
recommend people wash their 
hands often and avoid touching their 
eyes, nose and mouth.

BARBARA COLLINS, 
CLAIRE HAO & EMMA STEIN
2020 Daily News Editors

DOMINICK SOKOTOFF/Daily
Students began stockpiling groceries at local stores after the University announced classes would be moved online due to COVID-19.

