The University of Michigan’s 
Black Student Union (BSU) hosted 
a public address event titled “More 
Than Four” Tuesday evening. 
Members at the event presented 
the 
organization’s 
four-point 
platform that aims to support and 
advocate for Black students at the 
University. The platform’s four 
points call on the University to 
increase Black student admission, 
combat anti-Blackness, improve 
DEI policies and to help make K-12 
education more equitable. 
Later Tuesday night, hours after 
the “More Than Four” address, 
BSU members found flyers they 
had posted around central campus 
torn down. These posters were 
promoting the “More Than Four” 
platform, leaving members of 
BSU and the campus community 
frustrated 
with 
a 
“continued 
disregard for the needs of Black 
students.”
The first point of the platform 
is 
increasing 
Black 
student 
enrollment. 
Currently, 
less 
than 4.2% of the University’s 
undergraduate student population 
was Black in 2021, which BSU said 
has not changed significantly from 
the percentage of Black students 

in 1970. The BSU has continuously 
demanded 
the 
percentage 
be 
proportional to the demographics 
of the state, where 14% of residents 
are Black. 
Public 
Policy 
senior 
Kayla 
Tate stressed the importance of 
increasing enrollment of Black 
students and pointed to the 
University’s lack of support for 
Black students. 
“It is the University’s strategy to 
present itself as a powerless victim 
to a racist and unjust society,” Tate 
said. “We know, however, that this 
institution is not a victim … At 
the hands of the University, Black 
students are harmed daily.”
The 
second 
point 
of 
the 
platform demands the University 
to 
be 
transparent 
about 
the 
specific steps they are taking as 
an institution to combat anti-
Blackness on campus. At the rally, 
Business senior Taylor Smith, 
co-community 
outreach 
chair 
at the BSU, said the University 
continues to neglect the fact that 
all Black students have unique 
experiences 
with 
racism 
on 
campus and that the University 
has historically neglected their 
specific needs.
“Everybody else can sit here 
and just focus on their academics,” 
Smith said. “(Black students) have 
so many other things that we are 
dealing with, but the University 

focuses on it as ‘all minorities need 
the same thing.’”
The third point of the platform 
urges the University to rectify 
flaws in its Diversity, Equity 
and Inclusion (DEI) plan, which 
Black students have previously 
expressed disappointment for the 
plan not adequately addressing 
anti-Blackness on campus. In their 
platform, BSU said they believe 
DEI initiatives are not effective 
because they do not sufficiently 
allow for Black students’ input 
to influence the development of 
University programs.
In October 2016, the University 
launched a five-year DEI plan 
— which was an $85 million 
investment — aimed at increasing 
enrollment of minority students 
and 
supporting 
socioeconomic 
diversity. 
During 
DEI 
1.0, 
however, 
students 
questioned 
the effectiveness of the plan 
after multiple instances of hate 
acts occurred targeting Black 
and Jewish students on campus. 
Following the initial plan, the 
University 
announced 
they 
will launch a new DEI plan in 
fall 2023, nicknamed DEI 2.0. 
Until then, the University is in a 
“transitional” phase between the 
two plans during which the U-M 
administration is evaluating the 
first plan and developing the next 
DEI strategic plan.

LSA 
sophomore 
Princess-
J’Maria Mboup said DEI needs to 
be created alongside students in 
order to fully address the needs of 
Black students. 
“DEI is structurally top-down,” 
Mboup said. “That is exclusive to 
students, especially Black students. 
When the needs of Black students 
are not explicitly centered, they 
tend to be neglected.”
The fourth point of the platform 
calls on the University to work 
with local and state government 
officials to invest in addressing 
inequalities 
in 
public 
K-12 
education, and to help close the 
opportunity gap for Black students 
in the K-12 educational system. 
LSA junior Brooklyn Blevins 
said the BSU has sent their 
platform to U-M administrative 
officials, 
including 
University 
President Santa Ono and the 
Board of Regents. Blevins said 
BSU 
is 
requesting 
the 
U-M 
administration to meet with the 
organization.
“We expect a response in the 
form of a public statement as well 
as a scheduled meeting with the 
aforementioned parties and the 
Black Student Union to establish 
a strategic plan and subsequent 
measures 
of 
accountability,” 
Blevins said. 

University 
of 
Michigan 
students rallied on the Diag 
Tuesday afternoon in support of 
reproductive rights and against 
sexual violence. Students gathered 
in front of the Hatcher Graduate 
Library to listen and participate in 
discussions with members of Roe 
v. Rape, the student organization 
that hosted the event.
Founded by U-M alum Emma 
Sandberg in 2019, Roe v. Rape 
advocates for reproductive rights 
on campus and assists survivors 
of 
sexual 
violence. 
Business 
junior Aditi Jain is one of the 
co-presidents of Roe v. Rape. 
She told The Michigan Daily 
that 
Sandberg 
launched 
the 
organization after having a bad 
experience filing a complaint 
with another university’s Title IX 
office in 2019 when she learned 
that 
pursuant 
to 
University 
policy, 
complainants 
at 
the 
University 
of 
Michigan 
were 
required to be cross-examined 
by her perpetrator. Effective Oct. 
2021, University policy states 
cross-examination 
processes 
must now be mediated by an 

advisor from both the respondent 
and 
complainant, 
but 
cross-
examination is still required by 
the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals 
in Michigan.
“When a survivor was hearing 
their case, their perpetrator could 
cross-examine them,” Jain said. 
“That means a victim would have 
to be interrogated by their rapist 
which is completely traumatizing 
and not okay at all. So (Sandberg) 
formed this to have a demand 
against that.”
During the rally, members of 
Roe v. Rape spoke about why they 
believe overturning Roe v. Wade 
has been harmful to a huge portion 
of the American population. In 
June 2022, the Supreme Court 
overturned the 1973 ruling Roe 
v. Wade, effectively revoking the 
constitutional right to abortion 
and enabling abortion bans to take 
place.
Andrew Panter, Engineering 
senior and co-president of Roe v. 
Rape, spoke at the rally about how 
a lack of access to abortion care 
combined with sexual violence 
can create dangerous home life 
situations for many women and 
children, specifically.
“Roe v. Rape is focused on 
sexual violence, but it’s all too 

clear how reproductive coercion 
can stack with these problems 
to not only oppress people, but 
further entrench them in their 
situation,” Panter said.
LSA sophomore Cory Plotzke, 
a member of Roe v. Rape, spoke 
about how the government took 
away reproductive rights from 
students 
by 
overturning 
Roe 
v. Wade and urged students to 
vote for candidates who will 
prioritize reproductive rights in 
the upcoming Nov. 8 election. The 
ballot includes Proposal 3, which 
restores 
reproductive 
freedom 
and prevents the prosecution of 
doctors for providing abortion 
care in Michigan.
Plotzke congratulated attendees 
for embracing political activism by 
coming to the rally.
“I want to outline the absolute 
importance 
there 
is 
in 
this 
upcoming election when it comes 
to 
securing 
our 
reproductive 
rights,” Plotzke said. “Let your 
political 
action 
begin 
(with) 
voting, volunteering and getting 
involved with events like this one.”
After the rally, Panter told The 
Daily how Roe v. Rape has worked 
to promote reproductive rights 
and combat sexual violence over 
the last couple of years. One of the 

organization’s biggest projects has 
been helping to draft Senate Bill 
No. 497, which was introduced in 
the Michigan Legislature by state 
Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, 
in June 2021 and is currently in 
the legislative process. The bill 
would expand the Michigan penal 
code’s definition of “mentally 
incapacitated” to include people 
who willingly ingested mind-
altering substances like alcohol.
“We think it doesn’t matter if 
you drink the alcohol on your own 
or someone (forces you to), you’re 
still 
mentally 
incapacitated,” 
Panter said. “So our proposed bill 
revises that definition to include 
more survivors of sexual assault 
and protect them.”
Panter 
said 
he 
feels 
the 
University’s 
current 
policies 
involving sexual violence are not 
enough to protect its students. 
He added that he is hopeful new 
University President Santa Ono 
will support survivors and work to 
prevent sexual violence on campus. 
At the Board of Regents meeting 
last month, Ono pledged to create 
a central ethics, integrity and 
compliance office to help address 
sexual misconduct complaints.

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INDEX
Vol. CXXXII, No. 99
©2022 The Michigan Daily

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A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

M I C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

O P I N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 1
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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday, November 9, 2022

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

 Roe v. Rape holds protest in support of reproductive rights
Undergrads organize for increased support from ‘U’ in cases of sexual violence 

CAMPUS LIFE

BSU calls on UMich to increase support 
for Black students at Diag rally

Union demands University combat anti-Blackness, fund K-12 
education to increase diversity

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

LILA TURNER/Daily

RACHEL MINTZ & 
CAROLINE WANG
Daily Staff Reporters

On Monday at 2 p.m., Ulrich’s 
shut its doors for the last time. 
For 88 years, Ulrich’s was the 
go-to place for University of 
Michigan 
students 
in 
need 
of textbooks, school supplies 
and 
campus 
memorabilia. 
Located at the corner of South 
University and East University 
Avenues, the Ann Arbor small 
business has a history dating 
back to 1934. Now, the shelves 
are vacant, empty cardboard 
boxes are scattered around the 
floor and the bookstore’s final 
customers have taken home 
the 
last 
heavily-discounted 
remnants of a literary empire.
Usually, at this time of year, 
students would be frantically 
dashing in and out of the 
store all afternoon, snagging 
a Blue Book for an upcoming 
midterm exam or scrounging 
the basement for a copy of the 
history textbook they hadn’t 
realized they needed. But this 
October, the atmosphere at 
Ulrich’s is somber. Patrons walk 
aimless laps around the inside 
of the store, knowing this is the 
last time they will ever be able 
to.
The sign on the outside of 
the door reads, “After 88 years, 
Ulrich’s will be closing its doors 
on October 31, 2022 … Go Blue 
Forever.” 
It is not clear why the 
store 
is 
closing. 
Ulrich’s 
representatives, 
including 
store manager Tracy Buse, told 
The Michigan Daily they were 
unable to comment about the 
store closing. Ulrich’s has also 

declined to speak with other 
local media outlets, including 
the Detroit Free Press and 
MLive, about the reason the 
store has decided not to renew 
its lease, which ends on Nov. 14, 
according to MLive.
The Daily spoke to several 
employees working their last 
shift at Ulrich’s on Monday 
and all of them expressed a 
shared sentiment of sadness and 
nostalgia. Still, they said they 
were not allowed to comment 
on the store’s closing. 
The 
only 
public 
communication 
from 
the 
company 
about 
Ulrich’s 
shutting its doors has been on 
social media. About five weeks 
ago, Ulrich’s shared the news in 
an Instagram post.
“Ulrich’s 
Bookstore 
has 
seen many changes over 88 
years and we have helped 
many young people start their 
educational journey each and 
every semester,” the post read. 
“You’ve all been a part of our 
Ulrich’s story: past and present.”
Leann Fowler is the vice 
president 
of 
Follett 
Higher 
Education, a developer that 
purchases and operates campus 
bookstores 
across 
the 
U.S., 
which acquired Ulrich’s in 2015. 
Fowler wrote in an email to The 
Daily that she has been grateful 
to collaborate with Ulrich’s over 
the years. 
“Follett is grateful to have 
been a part of Ulrich’s story, and 
we’re thankful for the support 
from the University of Michigan 
campus community over the 
past seven years,” Fowler wrote.
Fowler said she was unable 
to respond to any further 
questions about the store.

Former 
President 
Barack 
Obama rallied for Gov. Gretchen 
Whitmer and other Democratic 
candidates running for office 
in 
Michigan 
at 
Renaissance 
High School in Detroit Saturday 
afternoon.
At the event, titled “Get Out the 
Vote”, Obama delivered remarks 
for roughly an hour, talking 
primarily about the importance 
of electing Democrats and calling 
on the few thousand attendees to 
encourage their friends and family 
to go to the polls.
“These days, just about every 
Republican 
politician 
seems 
obsessed with two things: owning 
the libs … and getting Donald 
Trump’s 
approval,” 
Obama 
said. “They are not interested in 
actually solving problems.” 
Former 
President 
Donald 
Trump visited Macomb Michigan 
earlier this month to campaign 
for 
Republican 
gubernatorial 
candidate 
Tudor 
Dixon 
and 
other Republican candidates. He 
criticized Whitmer for her policies 
during the COVID-19 pandemic 
and her stance on crime and 

abortion. Two hecklers attempted 
to interrupt Obama’s speech, the 
first shouting at him while he 
spoke about the violent attack on 
Paul Pelosi, husband of Speaker of 
the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. 
Paul Pelosi underwent surgery in 
San Francisco for a skull fracture 
and injuries to his arm. Another 
protester yelled in response to 
Obama’s 
discussion 
of 
rising 
inflation throughout the country. 
Both hecklers were escorted out 
by event staff.
Following the first interruption, 
Obama spoke about how it is 
important to remain focused on 
issues that matter to voters and 
to avoid getting distracted by 
partisan spectacles or becoming 
apathetic about politics, no matter 
how tempting it might be.
“We get distracted instead of 
focusing on what’s important,” 
Obama said. “I understand why 
people are anxious. I understand 
why you might be worried about 
the course of the country. I 
understand why sometimes it’s 
tempting just to tune out, watch 
football, watch ‘Dancing With 
The Stars.’ But I’m here to tell you 
that tuning out is not an option.”

‘Go Blue Forever’: Ulrich’s closes for 
good after 88 years in Ann Arbor

Obama rallies for Whitmer, Michigan 
Democrats candidates in Detroit

Campus community express sadness, nostalgia 
while closing reason remains unknown

Left-wing politicians advocate for getting out to 
vote, abortion rights

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

CAMPUS LIFE

NEWS

CAMPUS LIFE

IRENA LI
Daily Staff Reporter

LSA Senior and Black Student Union speaker Kayla Tate speaks at the “More than Four: the 4 Point Platform” rally Tuesday evening on the Diag.

Former President Barack Obama greets supporters with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer after 
the Michigan Democrats’ Get Out the Vote Rally in Detroit Saturday afternoon.

JULIANNE YOON/Daily

 JOEY LIN
Daily Staff Reporter

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

RONI KANE , SEJAL PATIL 
& RILEY HODDER
Daily News Editor & 
Daily Staff Reporters

