January 18, 2008

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Michigan News

Actor Lou Gossett Jr. and former New York Giant football player Tiki Barber will be on campus on Monday, January 21, to deliver speeches for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Gossett, who has been active in social justice issues such as revitalizing New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina, will deliver the keynote King Memorial Lecture at 10 a.m. in Hill Auditorium. Barber will deliver the Ross School of Business' Martin Luther King Day lecture, "Character Isn't an Audible: Growth with Integrity." He will focus on life after football and how he has incorporated into his own life the principles espoused by Martin Luther King Jr. Barber's lecture will be in Rackham Auditorium at 2 p.m.

AAUM Member Benefits

Check out the Alumni Store for a great selection of U-M merchandise. We have books on U-M history and the football team, stylish Michigan clothing, mugs, CDs, DVDs and even items for kids. AAUM members save on most products. Check out our selection today online.

If you have little kids, you'll want to mark Saturday, January 26, on your calendar for Alumni Day at Sesame Street Live at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. The day includes discounted tickets to the 10 a.m. performance of "Elmo Makes Music," starring Elmo, Big Bird and the Sesame Street gang; and a special preshow breakfast and meet-and-greet with selected characters. Space is limited so get your tickets today. Details are available on our Web site.

Attention Wolverine Shutterbugs! Now that winter is here and snow is falling in many places, it's the perfect time to build a Michigan snowman—and it's a great opportunity to take photos and help us fill our Wolverine Shutterbugs gallery. Show us your best Michigan-themed snowman, including you and/or your family, and we'll post the photos on our Web site. Visit our family Web page for more information.

Research

Is everybody saying it or just one person over and over? New research indicates that the “squeaky wheel” is often perceived as the voice of the majority. Stephen Garcia of U-M's Ross School of Business and Norbert Schwarz, professor of psychology and marketing, together with colleagues from Virginia Tech and Stanford, conducted studies with more than 1,000 students at six different universities to measure individuals' accuracy in identifying group norms and opinions. The research, published recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that one person expressing the same belief three times is, on average, 90 percent as effective as three people each stating the same sentiment once. Since consensus is a major part of how we assess truth, this effect has implications on everything from how we vote to how the boss makes decisions.

Science & Health

Common genetic variants linked to arthritis may also play a role in human height, according to a new study co-led by the School of Public Health. Shorter bones and/or less cartilage may render the joints more susceptible to damage, while longer bones may produce greater levels of damaging stress on the joints. The findings are exciting for many reasons. For one, there are many genes that control height, but only a few associated with osteoarthritis. In this case, the gene that researchers picked also is important in osteoarthritis. The findings also add to the general understanding of height.

True Blue Travel

Join us for "Normandy and Brittany" to explore this region's important role during World War II and to gain a sense of contemporary France. During the 11-day trip, you will learn about the Allied invasion with visits to Caen, its Memorial and Museum for Peace, and Omaha Beach; and the British landing zone at Arromanches; then pay tribute at the World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. You'll also enjoy the culinary traditions of Normandy with a visit to the highly regarded Calvados distilleries. Your journey ends with a two-day stop in Paris, where you can continue your culinary exploration. Find more about this trip and the rest of our True Blue Travel itineraries online.

Sports

The women's basketball team began a new era this season with the hiring of head coach Kevin Borseth, and the Wolverines are racking up impressive feats. Over the weekend, they beat Michigan State 64-55 at Crisler Arena to improve their record to 10-5, 3-2 Big Ten. Not only did the win break a six-year, nine-game losing streak to the Spartans, but it moves Michigan to 7-0 at home for the first time in program history. The Wolverines have now matched their overall (10) and conference (three) win totals from 2006-07.

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Alumni Association of the University of Michigan, 200 Fletcher St., Ann Arbor, MI, 734.764.0384, 800.847.4764, malumni@umich.edu