On Friday, Oct. 2, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, stating that she did not have the authority to extend executive orders regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the safety protocols she unilaterally put in place.
College students have done everything they can to acclimate to the new pandemic lifestyle. Months of quarantine followed by continuous social-distancing and adherence to public health guidelines brought us to a point today where grabbing a mask before heading out the door has become a natural instinct. Though maintaining six feet of space between ourselves and those we encounter is not exactly how we planned to live our lives as students at a Big Ten university, we’re making it work.
In the Middle East, the month of September was marked by the signing of deals for peace and diplomatic relations between two countries, a very rare occurrence. In a part of the world marked by an extensive history of bloodshed, two agreements brokered by the U.S. and President Donald Trump were reached, with both the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain establishing official ties with Israel.
Within the Big Ten conference, including at the University of Michigan, women do not have an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from college sports this fall when compared to men. Because of this, there is a compelling case to be made that the Big Ten is operating in violation of Title IX, which prohibits gender discrimination. Women and gender non-binary students who play fall women’s sports could potentially have strong Title IX claims against universities within the Big Ten.
Last Wednesday, the cops who killed Breonna Taylor got away with murder.
As staff of the University of Michigan, we are deeply troubled by the administration’s inadequate handling of the return to in-person instruction, the aggressive legal action taken against our own graduate students who were on strike through Sept. 16 and the threats of retaliation made against striking resident advisors.
“If the structure does not permit dialogue the structure must be changed.” ― Paulo Freire
It’s hard to say how many undecided voters there still are, but to a good deal of them — perhaps, even, to a good deal of those who have already made up their minds — the idea of voting for presidential nominee Joe Biden or for President Donald Trump in November presents something of a Sophie’s choice.