EARLY WEEK TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020
MNDAILY.COM
SERVING THE UMN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900
CURRENT EVENTS
Recent events have left many in the Iranian community on campus shaken.
at the memorial. Recent events reverberate among those in Minnesota from nearly 7,000 miles away. With high political tensions and dozens of lost lives, many in the Iranian community are filled with emotion. To express solidarity with Iranian students, ISSS reached out to members of the University’s Iranian community via email last week to offer condolences and offer support to impacted students.
Speaker Mohamad Noori addresses the congregation at a memorial for Ukraine flight 752 in John T. Tate Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 15. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)
BY JIANG LI AND FARRAH MINA jli2@mndaily.com, fmina@mndaily.com
The University of Minnesota Iranian community gathered Wednesday at John T. Tate Hall to mourn the 176 passengers who died after a plane was mistakenly shot down by Iranian missiles on Jan. 8. Dozens of Iranian community members gathered expressing their condolences and mourning with one another. An Iranian community member sang a Persian song, and multiple videos were shown in honor of the lost passengers. “Certainly, loss is personal, loss is private, it’s shared, it’s communal, and I wish for each of us here that this event supports you in all the ways that you are impacted by this tragedy,” said Barbara Kappler, director and assistant dean for International Student and Scholars Services, at the memorial. University Ph. D. student Arash Mahnan planned the memorial in collaboration with the Global Programs & Strategy Alliance, an umbrella unit over ISSS. “I’d like to take this opportunity to honor all the victims of this tragedy, and our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of all these people who have lost their lives,” Mahnan said
Iranian community at U copes with rising tensions
u See IRAN Page 3
STATE GOVT.
Proposal to pay for U renovations Gov. Tim Walz’s higher ed. funding package would allocate $224.2 million to the U in 2020. BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com
As the upcoming session approaches, state lawmakers are weighing how to balance the University of Minnesota’s infrastructure needs with those of stakeholders statewide. In his first capital bonding proposal, Gov. Tim Walz recommended $224.2 million to the University. As lawmakers prepare to begin the bonding process next month, University officials say the governor’s proposal is promising. Walz’s higher education package, the third of a four-part rollout of his capital investment proposal on Jan. 13, would allocate about 70 percent of the University’s $317.2 million 2020 capital request. The University’s 2019 request went unfunded after a bonding bill stalled in the Senate late last session. Bonding bills are typically passed in even-number years, although smaller bills can be considered in odd-years. Without the complete fulfillment of the University’s past capital requests, University President Joan Gabel said campus infrastructure will continue to deteriorate. “We’re very committed and have learned to allot with what we have, and we’re very committed to make the most of the resources that are made available to us,” Gabel said at a press conference earlier this month. “But it’s not sustainable, and it will get harder and harder to maintain quality under existing conditions.” Following the lack of a bonding bill last session, the state has received more than $5 billion in requests from stakeholders statewide. Rep. Connie Bernardy, DFL-New Brighton, chair of the House higher education committee, said a lack of funding for projects statewide can create a backlog in requests and increase competition for state funding. Bernardy said Walz’s proposal reflects the feedback from u See WALZ Page 3
Increased tensions, increased anxiety The email comes amid increased tensions with Iran, after top military commander Qassem Soleimani was assassinated on Jan. 2 by the United States. Regardless of the tensions between the two countries, the University will remain committed to providing support for this community, said Marissa Hill-Dongre, the director of the Immigration Response Team. “I’ve been hearing from some members of the community that they’re feeling sad ... lonely and far away from home,” Hill-Dongre said. University student Maryam Zahedi is fearful of the prospects of another war or a revolution in the wake of recent hostility between Iran and the U.S. It will only lead to more chaos and suffering, she said. “We don’t want another war. We’re just tired. We are hopeless and tired.” The decision to kill Soleimani puts Iranians inside and outside of the country at risk, Zahedi said. Iranian citizens – “just normal
POLICY
Faculty and staff training to implement new gender policy The training, focused on gender identity and pronouns, will take place in early February. BY ERIN ROSE BAKER AND NIAMH COOMEY ebaker@mndaily.com, ncoomey@mndaily.com
University of Minnesota staff and faculty are training to facilitate the recently passed gender equity and access policy. The policy asks that faculty use students’ specified names and gender pronouns, among other rules intended to make the University more inclusive of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. The Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life is now accepting applications for the spring cohort of faculty and staff training. The first cohort took place before the policy passed in December. Saby Labor, GSC director, said the program aims to spread education to different areas of the University by assigning staff who are
familiar with their unit’s culture. “The staff who are now facilitators, they are deeply embedded in the context of their unit, department, college or center,” Labor explained. Once trained, the facilitators are tasked with working to educate their colleagues, helping them work through questions and mistakes. Noelle Noonan, director of student affairs and registrar in the Law School, applied for the spring cohort of the training program. She emphasized the importance of living out the policy and modeling behavior for others. “I think this is a good opportunity for individuals who are passionate and are interested and want to dedicate that time and energy to sort of be champions of that policy,” she said. Facilitator Erin Keyes, who is also the assistant dean of students in the Law School, said in an email to the Minnesota Daily that a training session took place earlier this week for Law School employees. “The Facilitator Training Program for Gender Equity Access allows the Law School to better recognize and honor gender diversity
ENVIRONMENT
ILLUSTRATION BY HAILEE SCHIEVELBEIN, DAILY
in our community, knowing that it is an essential piece of who we are,” she said in the email. Noonan, who has also been involved with learning opportunities for faculty in the Law School, said difficult questions have been and will continue to be raised during the learning process. “That’s part of the process, is to have dialogue, to have open
conversation and to also start to have an improved vocabulary within these conversations and a shared vocabulary in these conversations,” she said. One challenge for the University community will be overcoming social structures that have been deeply ingrained for generations, Labor said. u See GENDER Page 3
STUDENT GOVT.
After years of complaints, UMN student elections group dissolved Administrators called for the replacement of the All Campus Elections Commission last month. BY SAMANTHA HENDRICKSON shendrickson@mndaily.com University of Minnesota Assistant Professor of Medicine Vishnu Laalitha Surapaneni, MD speaks at a “Teach-In” staged by Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate at the Minnesota State Capitol Building on Wednesday, Jan. 15. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)
Community members gather at Capitol, fight proposed oil pipeline Researchers, physicians and students gathered Wednesday morning in opposition to the pipeline. BY BECCA MOST bmost@mndaily.com
Braving the cold Wednesday morning, more than 20 health professionals, students and climate advocates around Minnesota held a teach-in at the Minnesota State Capitol, educating senior staffers u See PIPELINE Page 3
After several years of complaints and last spring’s controversial student government elections, the University of Minnesota is taking a larger role this year in the election process, which used to be primarily controlled by students. The University student government elections for the Minnesota Student Association, the Council of Graduate Students and Professional Student Government were previously overseen by the All Campus Elections Commission student group, with help from administration. Last month, the University dissolved the ACEC with little
student input. Now, elections will be conducted by a representative from Student Unions and Activities, and a three-student advisory committee, each of whom will be independent from the various student governments to avoid conflict of interest. With its new model, SUA said it hopes to “increase efficiency” and find a “better way to run [student government] elections.” The student government elections process will begin in February. For the last couple of years, ACEC has come under fire for issues such as not following their own bylaws, unfair promotion of particular candidates and a lack of voter turnout. ACEC was also accused of “antidemocratic” voting policies, such as excluding professional students from the voting process during a controversial referendum calling u See ACEC Page 3 VOLUME 120 ISSUE 31
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
Daily Review
THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1981 The 444-day Iran Hostage Crisis ends when 52 U.S. captives who were being held at the U.S. embassy in Teheran, Iran are released. HISTORYCHANNEL.COM/TDIH
UMN safety program looks to fill gap in campus crime information Gopher Watch aims to build awareness about safety tips and crime trends. BY J.D. DUGGAN jduggan@mndaily.com Gopher Watch spreads awareness about crime around campus, and now the group hopes more students will take better advantage of its work. The group, which is run by the University’s Office for Off-Campus Living, publishes Minneapolis Police Department data, crime trends and prevention tips for the campus area in a newsletter and online. Since launching a year ago, Gopher Watch continues to make crime data more accessible for students living off campus and the larger University of Minnesota community. Gopher Watch is “basically an online neighborhood watch” for the University area, said Cody Hoerning, neighborhood liaison with Gopher Watch and a University graduate student. In the renter-dominated University neighborhoods, community engagement in crime prevention can be challenging. MPD publishes crime data, but students do not always know how to
access it, Hoerning said. University of Minnesota Police Department safety notifications do not always cover offcampus crime. “A lot of students don’t sign up for the traditional neighborhood watch methods because of the nature of renting in the University area,” Hoerning said. “So it’s a way to kind of fill that gap, still get the information out and make people informed to be able to make safe choices.” Over the past year, Gopher Watch has highlighted crime trends, like increases in auto thefts when a vehicle is “warming up” and an uptick in moped thefts in the University area. Marcy-Holmes resident Cordelia Pierson said neighborhood watches are generally receptive to an area’s current concerns. MarcyHolmes saw a major uptick of violent crime last year, prompting members of Gopher Watch to get involved with neighborhood safety walks throughout the year. “How do you get people to feel like they belong someplace so they’re willing to put some energy into making the whole community safer?” Pierson said. “Sometimes crime data doesn’t necessarily inspire people to
Parked cars along 12th Avenue Southeast in the Marcy Holmes Neighborhood in 2018. (Jack Rodgers / Minnesota Daily)
do that.” Gopher Watch also meets regularly with community members and crime prevention stakeholders and then relays safety tips to the campus community. Hoerning said the group aims to prevent “crimes of opportunity.” These are crimes that aren’t necessarily premeditated, like theft of valuables left in the open or trespassing in unlocked buildings. Kendre Turonie, program
University grad and journalist Olivia Johnson died in a car crash Dec. 28. BY MICHELLE GRIFFITH mgriffith@mndaily.com
Former Minnesota Daily desk editor Olivia Johnson, 22, died in a car crash on Dec. 28. (Photo from Facebook)
Johnson was a budding journalist whose death came as a shock. “She brought pretty much nothing but joy to the job everyday,” said
director of Off-Campus Living, said well-informed students could better contribute to the safety of the community as a whole. “Helping students really understand their role as a community member and being aware of what’s happening to their neighbors on the blocks near them and things they can do to help protect themselves is always in the best interest of the University,” Turonie said. Her office has done
work around student safety for years, but Turonie said Gopher Watch is a promising new way to tackle the issue. “Hosting something specifically on our websites and really pushing out like the tips and making it more student friendly, student-focused is, you know, it’s been a great experience so far,” she said. Editor’s note: Kendre Turonie sits on the Minnesota Daily’s Board of Directors.
Ryan Faircloth, a former Daily editor who worked closely with Johnson. “She was very well-respected.” Johnson was hired as a Daily reporter in 2015. She
assumed the campus activities editor position in fall 2017, overseeing multiple reporters and assisting them with their stories. Johnson also held intern reporting positions at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Star Tribune, among other news organizations. Most recently, she was a reporter for News & Advance, a news service based in Virginia. “Olivia was passionate in all she did and even though her time on this earth was cut short,” an obituary drafted by her parents states. Although it’s customary for reporters to inquire about peoples’ lives, Johnson was curious beyond her profession and genuinely cared about others. “She really was able to work well as a manager and still have fun and do her job well, which is really not easy to do,” said Mike Hendrickson, former
editor in chief of the Daily who oversaw Johnson and other editors. Many beginning reporters at the Daily have little journalism experience and often rely on the guidance of their editor, which Johnson happily shared with her reporters. For current Daily Managing Editor Max Chao, he said he remembers Johnson as a talented, kind person. When Chao just started at the Daily as a freshman, he attended a Board of Regents meeting, not knowing much about what a Board of Regents meeting was. Johnson, who also attended the meeting, came up to him and introduced herself, which Chao said was reassuring and helpful. “She took time out of her day to show this clueless freshman what to do,” Chao said, adding that helping others was just inherently part of her character.
New plan could bring more Marcy-Holmes homes The new apartment proposal includes 110 units of single living homes. BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com A new proposed apartment in Marcy-Holmes will offer more single living homes for students. Representatives at North Bay Companies and DJR Architecture presented plans for an apartment with 110 studio and one-bedroom units to a Minneapolis planning commission committee last month. If finalized by the development team and approved by city officials, the project would likely be completed in 2022. This proposal would be among multiple projects that North Bay and DJR have introduced to Marcy-Holmes in recent years, including a hotel and micro-unit apartments. “[The neighborhood has] good attributes,” said North
Bay owner Daniel Oberpriller. “I’ve always owned and developed property in MarcyHolmes.” The proposed six-story apartment would sit at 600 University Ave. SE and 612 University Ave. SE. The plan would renovate an existing five-story building on the site and demolish another twostory building for new construction. Developers would also remove part of a surface parking lot, according to city documents. “It’s really a great reuse of this land,” said Sam Penders, a Marcy-Holmes resident and former University of Minnesota student. The properties would operate under the name Oliver & Wendell Apartments, referencing Oliver Wendell Holmes, a namesake for the neighborhood. The site plan includes two levels of parking, a rooftop patio, bike storage and a common area including a lounge. Oberpriller and architect Scott Nelson presented their
Vol. 120 No. 31
An Independent Student Newspaper, Founded in 1900. 2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 450, Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: (612) 627-4080 Fax: (612) 435-5865 Copyright © 2020 The Minnesota Daily. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted. OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Cleo Krejci Editor-in-Chief ckrejci@mndaily.com (612)-227-5914 Kyle Stumpf Business Operations Officer kstumpf@mndaily.com (612)-435-5772 Charlie Weaver General Manager gm@mndaily.com (612)-435-5657 EDITORIAL STAFF Max Chao Managing Editor mchao@mndaily.com Desmond Kamas Managing Production Editor dkamas@mndaily.com Michelle Griffith Campus Activities Editor mgriffith@mndaily.com Katrina Pross Campus Administration Editor kpross@mndaily.com Madeline Deninger City Editor mdeninger@mndaily.com Audrey Kennedy Features & Freelance Editor akennedy@mndaily.com Paul Hodowanic Sports Editor phodowanic@mndaily.com Nick Jungheim Assistant Sports Editor njungheim@mndaily.com Liv Martin A&E Editor omartin@mndaily.com Jack Rodgers Multimedia Editor jrodgers@mndaily.com Emily Martens Copy Desk Chief emartens@mndaily.com Layna Darling Assistant Copy Desk Chief ldarling@mndaily.com Creston Halstead Chief Page Designer chalstead@mndaily.com Hailee Schievelbein Visuals Editor hschievelbein@mndaily.com =
Former Daily editor Olivia Johnson dies
She always had a smile on her face, even when working long hours “in the trenches” of a student newspaper, ensuring stories were the best they could be. Former Minnesota Daily Desk Editor and University of Minnesota alumna Olivia Johnson, 22, died on Dec. 28 in a car crash in northwestern Wisconsin. Johnson was in a car with University alumna Micaela Scheider, 22, when Scheider lost control of the vehicle and it crossed into the path of a semitrailer truck near Grantsburg, Wisconsin, the Star Tribune reported. For those that knew her and worked with her,
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Courtesy of DJR Architecture.
plans to the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association in December. At the meeting, community members discussed parking, bike lanes and eco-friendly plantings. Marcy-Holmes resident Cordelia Pierson said the project’s proposed height
and density are mainly consistent with plans for the area. “We need to see development like this,” she said. Marcy-Holmes amenities make it a good place for new developments, Penders said. “It’s not very far from the U. It’s on like several major
transit lines ... It’s super close to downtown across the Stone Arch Bridge,” he said. The five-story building that will remain is already undergoing renovations with first improvements to be completed within the next 30 days, Oberpriller said.
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EDITORIAL BOARD Ariana Wilson Editorials & Opinions Editor awilson@mndaily.com Samantha Woodward Editorial Board Member swoodward@mndaily.com BUSINESS Jacob Kenyon Sales Manager jkenyon@mndaily.com Tiffany Welty Assistant Sales Manager twelty@mndaily.com David Keane Controller dkeane@mndaily.com =
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The Minnesota Daily strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately. The Minnesota Daily is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future. The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations. The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 10,000 issues biweekly. All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste. U.S. Postal Service: 351–480.
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Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Gender u from Page 1
“As adults, it is difficult to change behaviors that have become socialized in us for so many years,” they said. Labor said they believe the staff is very capable of working through these cultural learning moments.
The education this year is focused on names and pronouns, the area of the policy that garnered the most questions during the consultative phase of the policy process, Labor said. Future education will likely focus on the other aspects of the policy. The GSC is in contact with the Minnesota Student Association about potentially
starting similar training for students in the future as well, Labor said. Applications for the spring cohort close this Friday. Training will take place in early February. “The second cohort is where we are going to pause and reflect and integrate learning and see where we’re going to go next,” Labor said.
ACEC u from Page 1
for the University to divest from companies supporting Israel. After this multitude of concerns, some students expressed excitement for the coming changes to who oversees the elections. “The changes are kind of necessary I think,” said Andrew Durkot, vice president of PSG. “From what I gather, this is still ongoing. We are still trying to figure out how everything is going to shake out.” Others, however, have expressed concern that the new model may interfere with student voices being properly heard, seeing it as more of an initiative now run by SUA than a student group. In the past, the University has avowed that it is legally and financially independent of student governments. “That’s a little concerning because it feels like they are taking away the election process from students,” MSA’s Representative to the Student Senate Consultative Committee, Briggs Tople, said. Other students within MSA said they wished the administration had come to them sooner with the changes and allowed for more time for student governments to submit their own proposed changes to the new model
ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH MAI, DAILY
and elections process. MSA parliamentarian James Farnsworth, said they received no notice from administration regarding these changes until Dec. 19, the last official day of classes for students before winter break. When it comes to administration and student government organizations working together, campus elections are usually run hand-in-hand between the two, according to Ernest Ezeugo, policy director for the National Campus Leadership Council. The amount of involvement is “institution to institution,” but students are usually the ones “leading the charge.” Students were given until Jan. 17 to give feedback
Iran u from Page 1
people, ordinary people” – will pay the price of the hostility, she said. Little government support echoes past At these times, Zahedi wishes the U.S. government would show support for Iranians in the country. “When I saw the prime minister of Canada and how much he supported the Iranian people in the last couple of days, I felt like I wish we had that support from the U.S. government, because we want to make our primary home here. It’s hard to see no welcome sign from them.” Zahedi emigrated to the U.S. from Iran by herself five years ago. Her parents, who still live in Iran, cannot visit her because of the travel ban. Though Zahedi’s situation is different, many Iranian students come to the U.S. on single-entry visas where a visit home is risky, said William Beeman, a University anthropology professor who specializes in the Middle East. Single-entry visa
Framed photos of those being remembered are surrounded by flowers at a memorial for Ukraine flight 752 in John T. Tate Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 15. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)
holders would need to apply for another visa, a process that is subject to long delays. “Even during times that were better, Iranians were not given multiple-entry visas,” Beeman said. “Many of them were trapped here during their entire student period. They couldn’t go home because they couldn’t be certain that they’d be allowed back.” The impact of today’s events on Iranians in the U.S. rhyme with those of the past. During the Iranian revolution in the 70s, Iranians were detained at the border,
and Iranian students were threatened with the cancellation of their visas, Beeman said. For Zahedi, being an immigrant from Iran is especially difficult at these times when many Iranians are viewed with suspicion. “Finding a new home and a new identity ... and finding a friend is really hard,” Zahedi said. “Just imagine if you’re from a country that the government hates – it makes [being an immigrant] harder. I wish we had a more supportive government in the United States.”
regarding SUA’s changes. SUA Student Services Manager Erik Dussault said he did not foresee the larger student body noticing much of a difference in the upcoming elections. When asked about maintaining student independence from administration in the election, Dussault said the process is student-run and student voices are heard. “I don’t think it’s really a question of independence,” Tople said. “I think it still honors our independence and autonomy. I think it’s that we have our voices heard no matter what . . . I wish they would’ve have the meeting a little bit sooner . . . The entire process seems like it’s been pretty rushed.” Dawn breaks over the Minnesota State Capitol building on Wednesday, Jan. 15. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)
Walz u from Page 1
University of Minnesota Medical Student Conor Nath speaks at a “Teach-In” staged by Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate at the Minnesota State Capitol Building on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Health professionals from a variety of field discussed the health impacts of the proposed Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline replacement. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)
Pipeline u from Page 1
about the potential risks of a proposed replacement oil pipeline. The new Line 3 pipeline, if approved, would carry about 32 million gallons of tar sands oil per day from Canada through Minnesota and into Superior, Wisconsin. It would carry approximately twice as many gallons per day as it does currently. Dressed in long white lab coats and heavy parkas, health advocates held up colorful poster boards with graphics and charts explaining the various health impacts of the pipeline. Speakers also shared their research, personal stories and concerns about the threat the pipeline poses to residents throughout the state. The event acted as a place where health professionals from a variety of medical backgrounds came together and educated the public on the ever-pressing issue of climate change, something that doesn’t happen often in the health field, experts said. “The health impacts of climate change will impact all of us,” said Laalitha Surapaneni, an executive community member of Healthy Professionals for a Healthy Climate and a University assistant professor. “We wanted to highlight, in a nonpartisan way, that this is a health emergency and that we need to focus
on making sure we protect biodiversity and human health.” Some of the health impacts professionals at the event said they have seen in their practice include respiratory problems from smoke inhalation, declining mental health and more seasonal allergies caused by flooding and mold. Due to degradation of the current pipeline over time, the amount of tar sands oil Enbridge Inc. can transport has gone down. The company says that the new pipeline would transfer more oil more efficiently. As one of the most carbon-intensive fuels on Earth, tar sands oil is difficult to remove if spilled, and spills have caused long-term health problems. “Advocating for our patients’ health is a very critical part of our role as physicians,” Surapaneni said, adding that policy change is necessary to create a better health outcome for the population. Thaius Boyd, a firstyear medical student at the University of MinnesotaDuluth who spoke at the teach-in, said the proposal of a Line 3 replacement pipeline is emblematic of a larger push to continue Minnesota’s reliance on fossil fuels. “We are at this point where we can really be the epitome of renewable energy in terms of leading other states into the renewable future,” Boyd said. Having spoken to members of the Fond du Lac
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Northern Minnesota, Boyd said the new pipeline will be especially disruptive to Indigenous communities as well. The path of the proposed Line 3 will come within 0.5 miles of 17 wild rice water bodies throughout the state, according to Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate. Its proximity would increase the risk of land and water pollution, including wild rice fields, which hold significant cultural, economic and nutritional value for many tribes. Although the expansion of Line 3 will create additional jobs and allow Enbridge Inc. to transport significantly more tar sands oil than before, Brenna Doheny, interim coordinator at HPHC, said the potential dangers greatly outweigh the benefits. “More health professionals and scientists are coming forward and speaking up because we have a responsibility,” Doheny said. “The problem of climate change involves all of us, and it requires all of us to come together and create solutions.”
“Advocating for our patients’ health is a very critical part of our role as physicians.” LAALITHA SURAPANENI university assistant professor
stakeholders gathered by his administration this past year. “It’s about a need and listening to Minnesotans, and I’m really glad that the governor has prioritized the needs of Minnesotans,” Bernardy said. Walz’s proposal would fully fund renovations for three University facilities: chemistry facilities and the Institute of Child Development on the Twin Cities campus and A.B. Anderson Hall on the Duluth campus, which total $99.2 million. The remaining $125
million would go toward the University’s $200 million Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement request to upgrade existing infrastructure throughout the University system. “We don’t want to build more buildings — we have lots of facilities, and so the number one request being HEAPR was in recognition of that,” said Matt Kramer, vice president of University Relations. “We would like state support to maintain and upgrade what we have.” Kramer said the staggered unveiling of Walz’s $2.03 billion bonding bill is promising. Giving higher education its own day
highlights University projects, he said. In a Jan. 9 statement, Senate Republicans advised against a large bonding bill, recommending a figure closer to the two most recent allocations, which were just under $1 billion each. But as the debate over the size of the project takes place in the coming months, Walz said to be critical of any cuts to his proposal. “[Ask] why did they come up with an arbitrary number of that they want to bond for, rather than basing it on the needs and the financial stability and the appropriate amount of funding to tackle the backlog,” he said.
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4
Sports
MNDAILY.COM
MN DAILY
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020
WHAT YOU MISSED OVER BREAK
SCOREBOARD JAN 15
Men’s Basketball Minnesota: 75 Penn State: 69
JAN 16
Women’s Basketball Minnesota: 75 Iowa: 76
JAN 17
Women’s Swim & Dive Minnesota: 136 University of Southern California: 126
Men’s Swim & Dive Minnesota: 149 University of Southern California: 113
Wrestling
Minnesota: 25 Michigan State: 10
Women’s Hockey Minnesota: 1 Ohio State: 4
Men’s Hockey
Gophers Wide Receiver Tyler Johnson receives a pass in the endzone at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Wednesday, Jan. 1. Minnesota held a 24-17 lead over Auburn heading into the third quarter of the Outback Bowl. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)
Minnesota: 1 USA Hockey: 2
JAN 18
Women’s Track & Field Larry Wieczorek Invite Minnesota: 148
Men’s Track & Field Larry Wieczorek Invite Minnesota: 94.5
Women’s Tennis
Minnesota: 6 University of Montana: 1
Women’s Hockey
Johnson shines at Outback Bowl Tyler Johnson set multiple records in his final game with the Gophers.
Minnesota: 2 Ohio State: 1
BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com
Women’s Gymnastics
The ascension of Minnesota football this season coincided with a potent passing attack that featured two first-team All-Big Ten receivers in Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman. In the Outback Bowl against Auburn on New Year’s Day, it was the senior, Johnson, who stole the show and cemented his legacy as the most decorated receiver in program history. With 12 receptions for 204 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Johnson was named the Outback Bowls’ Most Valuable Player in the 3124 victory. Playing his final game in maroon and gold, he torched the Tigers’ secondary to help the Gophers improve to 11-2 on the season. “It was my last chance to go out there and give
Rutgers/BGSU/Ursinus Minnesota: 196.875
Men’s Tennis
Minnesota: 4 Marquette University: 3
Men’s Gymnastics Windy City Invitiational Minnesota: 398.750
JAN 19
Women’s Tennis
Minnesota: 75 University of Utah: 76
Men’s Basketball Minnesota: 56 Rutgets: 64
Wrestling
Minnesota: 15 Michigan: 22
UPCOMING JAN 22
Women’s Basketball vs. Wisconsin 7:00 p.m.
JAN 23
Men’s Basketball @ Ohio State 5:30 p.m.
JAN 24
Men’s Track & Field Rod McCravy Memorial Jan. 24 - 25
Women’s Tennis @ UCLA 1:30 p.m.
Men’s Hockey vs. Ohio State 7:00 p.m.
Men’s Gymnastics vs. Illinois 7:00 p.m.
Women’s Hockey @ Wisconsin 7:07 p.m.
everything I got,” Johnson said. “One last chance to represent not only myself but my family and my community. One last chance at the school that I decided to take my talents to about four years ago.” Entering the game, a pair of program records were well within reach for Johnson. He needed 19 receiving yards to surpass Eric Decker’s record 3,119 and one receiving touchdown to better Ron Johnson’s mark of 32. It did not take long for Johnson to pass Decker. Quarterback Tanner Morgan connected with Johnson on Minnesota’s second drive for a gain of 17 yards. Later in the first quarter, two plays after Auburn muffed a punt to give Minnesota favorable field position, Johnson reeled in another 17-yard catch, placing him firmly atop the program’s alltime receiving yards list. “He’s going to leave here the greatest receiver in the history of the University of Minnesota,” head coach P.J. Fleck said. “That’s no disrespect to Ron Johnson, I think
knew I just had to go up and make a play. Credit to [wide receivers coach Matt Simon] for calling that play, it’s one we were preparing for in every situation.” The spectacular grab was Johnson’s 32nd career receiving score, setting him apart from Ron Johnson, with whom Tyler entered the game tied on the all-time leader board. “People say big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games,” Fleck said. “He had 12 receptions for 204 yards and two touchdowns, and everybody is going to look at that game.” Finishing the afternoon with 12 receptions, Johnson totaled 10 or more catches in a game for the second time this season. He also surpassed 100 receiving yards for the seventh time this season. With the game tied once again in the fourth quarter, it was Johnson again who made the big play, breaking away from his defender for a 73-yard touchdown reception with 10:26 remaining to make the score 31-24. That touch-
down was his 13th of the season, breaking the team record for most in a season, a mark Johnson himself set in 2018. “Coach Simon saw something that he liked,” Johnson said of his second score. “It was on the offensive line to give Tanner some time and they did their job with that and then it was on me to create separation and the rest is history.” Johnson truly saved his best for last. One last Johnson reception on the game’s final drive set new career singlegame highs for receptions and receiving yards (204). Johnson will now focus on preparing for the next chapter of his football career in the NFL after wrapping up his college career with 213 receptions for 3,305 yards and 33 touchdowns. “He was one of the best receivers to ever play for us,” Morgan said of Johnson. “It’s remarkable and I can’t wait to see him do it in the NFL. He’s an elite receiver and he’s going to be making plays on Sunday next year.”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Gophers star Destiny Pitts enters transfer portal Minnesota loses its leading scorer for the remainder of the season. BY BRENDAN O’BRIEN bobrien@mndaily.com
Hours before the Minnesota women’s basketball team played Iowa at Williams Arena on Thursday Jan. 16, junior forward Destiny Pitts announced her intentions to leave the team and enter the transfer portal. In a written statement posted to Twitter, Pitts wrote she was suspended indefinitely because of her body language during the Gophers loss to Northwestern last Thursday night. Pitts did not
finish the game for Minnesota and did not travel with the team for its matchup against Illinois last Sunday. Pitts has never been suspended during her time at Minnesota and wrote she was shocked when she learned of the suspension last Friday. After evaluating her options, Pitts decided it was in her best interest to play elsewhere. Despite her decision to transfer, Pitts thanked her teammates for their support. Pitts also explained why Taiye and Kehinde Bello did not travel to play in the Gophers’ loss to Illinois. “The Bello sisters (Taiye and Kehinde) truly went above and beyond - as teammates and as friends - by sitting out last weekend’s trip to
Forward Destiny Pitts looks to pass the ball through a defender at Williams Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The Gophers fell to Missouri State 69-77. (Liam Armstrong / Minnesota Daily)
Illinois in protest of a suspension they know is wrong,” Pitts said. While the Bello sisters sat out for the Gophers’ last
game in protest, it is uncertain if they will play in tonight’s matchup against Iowa. Pitts’ time with the Gophers was filled with
success. She was the 2017-18 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was up for the National Player of the Year honors this season. She also reached the 1,000 career points mark on November 17 in a win against Arizona State. Coming off four consecutive losses in the Big Ten, Minnesota will have a major void to fill for the remainder of the season with Pitts gone. Pitts led the Gophers this season with 16.3 points per game, 50 assists and shot 45.9 percent from three-point range. Pitts is the second Gopher to enter the transfer portal during this season. Sophomore guard Mercedes Staples announced she would add her name to the transfer portal on December 13.
WRESTLING
No charges for University wrestlers in sexual assault case The wrestlers were arrested in June on suspicion of criminal charges. BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com
Source: Gophers Athletics. Times and scores accurate as of time of publication.
Ron would back me up, I think Eric Decker would back me up, I think [Tyler Johnson] has proven whether it’s yards or receptions or touchdowns, he’s the ultimate receiver here.” On the snap after Johnson set the record, running back Mohamed Ibrahim gashed the Tigers defense for a 16-yard touchdown run tying the game, 10-10. With time winding down in the first half and the score tied at 17, Johnson again played a pivotal role in a Minnesota scoring drive. Morgan connected with Johnson across the middle of the field, gaining 29 yards and putting the Gophers in position to take the lead before halftime. One play after a nine-yard reception by Johnson set up Minnesota at the Auburn two-yard line, Morgan found him again. This time, Johnson reached up with one hand and snagged the pass, tapping his toe in bounds, inches from the end line. “I was hoping I landed in bounds,” Johnson said. “I
Freshman Gable Steveson stands on the podium after he receives his second place award on Sunday, March 10 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. (Elle Moulin / Minnesota Daily)
Gophers wrestlers Gable Steveson and Dylan Martinez will not be charged in a sexual assault investigation, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said on Dec. 20. Steveson and Martinez were arrested in June on suspicion of criminal sexual conduct. They were released from jail without being
charged, but the investigation remained open. Few details have been released in order to protect the victim, according to Freeman. He did say the Minneapolis sex crimes unit conducted a “very thorough” and “complete” investigation. “In the interest of justice, there is inadequate evidence to fairly charge and prosecute this case,” he said on Dec. 20 in a press conference announcing the decision. While it was unclear whether Martinez had representation, Steveson’s attorney, Christa Groshek, was vocal in saying her client maintained his innocence.
Following their June arrest, Steveson and Martinez were suspended from all team activities. With Friday’s decision, the University issued a statement declaring both athletes eligible to return to team activities. “We became aware today of the Hennepin County Attorney’s decision to bring no charges against two of our student-athletes. In accordance with our StudentAthlete Code of Conduct, we have decided to lift the suspension of the studentathletes involved. They are immediately eligible to rejoin team activities,” the statement read.
Following his reinstatement, Steveson made his season debut that night against South Dakota State. He earned a 21-8 major decision over Blake Wolters and landed 10 takedowns. Since his debut, Steveson has gone undefeated and is currently the No. 1 ranked heavyweight. With Steveson back in the lineup, the Gophers have their eyes set on the NCAA championships, taking place just across the river at U.S. Bank Stadium. Between the NCAA championships in March, and the Olympic trials in April, it will be a busy spring for the top-ranked heavyweight.
5
MNDAILY.COM
MN DAILY
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020
MUSIC
TOP 5
While it’s hard to decide which albums were truly the best, these five projects stand out. BY ALEX STRANGMAN astrangman@mndaily.com
5. Denzel Curry: ZUU Denzel Curry has made great strides as an artist since his days in Raider Klan. His newest project “ZUU” is a testament to just how far the Florida MC has come. “ZUU” is his fourth studio album and arguably his most complete project to date. On “ZUU,” Curry gets reflective on tracks like “SPEEDBOAT,” when he laments about losing friends
and prays he doesn’t have to use his Desert Eagle. He also shouts out his native Miami with tracks like “BIRDZ” featuring Florida rap legend Rick Ross. “ZUU” offers an explosive 29 minutes of straight bars from the 2019 Genius Community’s lyricist of the year. It’s perfect for a long bus ride or a high-energy session at the rec. 4. Tyler, The Creator: IGOR Long gone are the days of “Wolf” and “Goblin.” On his sixth solo album “IGOR,” Tyler, The Creator continues to mature before our eyes, trading in homophobic slurs for bars about a boy being “sweet as sugar, diabetic to the first degree,” like on the
track “A BOY IS A GUN*.” “IGOR” is the next step in Tyler’s progression as an artist, giving listeners a more polished version of the jazz and funk infused poprap he experimented with on “Flower Boy.” Complete with guest spots from Playboi Carti, Kanye West, Solange and more, “IGOR” paints a bright future for the versatile young MC. 3. Lana Del Rey: Norman Fucking Rockwell! Lana Del Rey utilizes her signature slow tempo crooning to perfection on her sixth studio album. Whether it’s the dreamy love ballad “Love song” or the nostalgic track “The greatest,” Del Rey succinctly
albums of
A&E’s 20
19
captures the essence of love, both lost and found, in the modern era. On the tenth track of NFR!, “The Next Best American Record,” Del Rey sings, “We were so obsessed with writing the next best American record, ‘cause we were just that good, it was just that good.” Whether or not NFR! is the next best American record is up for debate. Regardless, it definitely makes for a great listen. 2. Young Thug: So Much Fun Eighteen mixtapes, three EP’s and a compilation album later, Young Thug finally graced the world with his debut studio album in August, titled “So Much Fun.” The aptly named project is just that: fun. This album
also marks a turning point in Thug’s career, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and solidifying the rapper’s spot as a 21st century hip-hop icon. With features from other rap superstars including Future, Lil Uzi Vert and 21 Savage, this album has been and will continue to be on repeat at clubs, parties and pre-games well into the new year. 1. Purple Mountains: Purple Mountains After a decade-long hiatus, Purple Mountains’ frontman David Berman, formerly of the indie rock outfit Silver Jews, makes peace with his life at rock bottom on “Purple Mountains.” A project that pushes listeners directly into their
feels while simultaneously forcing them to bop their heads along to the beat, “Purple Mountains” comes off as an ode to giving life your best shot, even if that means sometimes falling far short of the target. The album proved to be his final project because Berman took his own life just 26 days after its release. On “Purple Mountains,” there is a successful juxtaposition between often uplifting melodies and the melancholy lyrics contained within. While the album can be emotionally overwhelming at times, delving into lost love, meaningless existence and utter despair, from cover to cover, Berman excels at spotlighting the beauty within life’s unpleasantries.
ART
From textbook to sketchbook: making legal concepts accessible Maddy Buck uses simple illustrations to explain even the most complex legal situations.
As a lawyer, I noticed just how complicated legal information is communicated. Once you learn the concepts, it doesn’t need to be so complicated, but it’s kind of this masking thing that I feel like lawyers do.”
BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com
For those unfamiliar with law, it can seem very black and white. Studying law can require hours of reading about difficult concepts and practices, to the point where they become nothing more than words on a page. Maddy Buck has taken it upon herself to illuminate these concepts with a stroke of color. Buck, who works for the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance at the University of Minnesota, became frustrated while studying for the bar exam during law school. There was a seemingly endless list of terms and concepts, but she found it challenging to memorize them all. So, she began to draw them out. “As a lawyer, I noticed just how complicated legal information is communicated,” Buck said. “Once you learn the concepts, it doesn’t need to be so complicated, but it’s kind of this masking thing that I feel like lawyers do.” The illustrations are endearingly simple, and she shares them through Instagram. She draws the Minnesota Supreme Court Justices as smiling faces that are a step above stick figures and gives the state of Minnesota a very loose outline. Her art features pops of vivid watercolor here and there. “I just suddenly needed some color [in law school],” Buck said. “One of the things that I feel strongly about is trying to find ways to communicate legal information in a way that might be more interesting.” Buck doesn’t have any initial formal training in illustration. She just felt it was the best way to combat the blandness that sometimes came along w i t h s c h o o l w o rk . S h e started drawing every day, whether it was about legal
MADDY BUCK coordinator of Health, Safety, and Compliance at the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance at UMN
Maddy Buck uses her simple, approachable illustrations to explain complex processes and legal concepts. Top, a page from “Lake Moments.” Above, a page from “Book of Anger.” (Courtesy of Maddy Buck)
concepts or her own life. “She’s always been a creative person,” said Aimee Ny, a friend of Buck’s. “It kind of just became a practice that she did to make herself feel better, like how you brush your teeth or you work out or make yourself dinner.”
This routine opened her up to new opportunities. She’s worked on projects from designing a new sign for a farm to illustrating a book on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) litigation at the end of 2019. “I like the idea of being
able to respond to current events and explain the law around them,” Buck said. “It’s something that I’ve played around with. Especially when you’re thinking about complex concepts, it can be really helpful to draw.” In addition to her
illustrations about DACA and renaming Minneapolis lakes, Buck works with other lawyers to help them aid their clients. Marian Saksena, who works as an attorney at law for the Minneapolis law firm DeWalt, Chawla + Saksena, LLC, has partnered with Buck
to create a cheat sheet on divorce law for those who may be starting the process. “We want to reach people in a multimodal way,” Saksena said. “Art can cut through a lot of intellectual confusion or emotional stress. When it’s something that’s going to be affecting your life, your children or your finances, you definitely and desperately want to understand it.” Buck’s art is easy to digest. It doesn’t feel unattainable in the sense that the average viewer couldn’t mimic it, but that’s why her drawings are so appealing. “[Buck] is capable of doing great stuff but there’s a simplicity to her art where people connect to it,” Ny said. “They don’t brush it off as like, ‘Oh, this is out of my comfort zone.’ It makes you think of how you get through the day or express [yourself].” Buck’s bottom line is that anyone can draw, no matter their skill level, if they put their mind to it and find joy in it. “I don’t like it when people say, ‘I can’t draw,’” Buck said. “It’s something that we don’t always think about when we’re in a school setting for so long. There’s all these benchmarks you have to meet, but you have the power to learn and do something on your own.”
6 TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
Editorials & Opinions
EDITORIAL
Lessons in health education are now more accessible for youth and young adults
Medical professionals are utilizing Tik-Tok to help teens and young adults build a better understanding of their general and sexual health through evidencebased practices.
W
ith the rise of the app Tik-Tok in our culture, every download comes with numerous videos of people lip-syncing to Mariah Carey and dancing to “Renegade.” But what’s spicing up people’s feed? Sex-ed and nicotine talk. Medical professionals have taken to the social media
platform to share their quirky takes on vital health information. One of the top Tik-Tokers in the medical field is the University of Minnesota’s very own, Dr. Rose Marie Leslie (@drleslie). A second-year resident doctor in family medicine, Dr. Leslie started making medically-motivated Tik-Toks in May of 2019. Her past experience working in health education, specifically with teenagers, has equipped her to tailor her online content to a more vulnerable demographic. “I think that teens are eager to learn about their health and it’s intimidating to go to a doctor,” Leslie tells the Daily’s Editorial Board. Her content is centered around debunking health misconceptions, normalizing medical procedures and raising awareness of alarming health statistics. Leslie’s “Daily Doctor Fact” videos answer and provide insight on day-to-day health questions while providing a more humanized look at health professionals. In the end, Dr. Leslie’s goal in making these 60-second videos has been “to create a space for teens to feel comfortable and learn more from evidence-based practices.” There is a significant lack of sexual health education with American youth. In 2017, the Center for Disease Control’s National Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 21 percent of all new HIV cases were
COLUMN
After Iran, attention turns to the draft
Uma Venkata columnist
T
he Iranian nuclear deal has never been stable, and Trump threw it for a special loop when he entered office in 2016. The proxy war continues and hasn’t stopped yet. Then we kick off 2020 with a Trump-issued American offense on Iranian soil, with the death of Qasem Soleimani, a general of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Compare it to his military counterparts in the U.S. for an idea of how unacceptable this was. Then Iran committed a ‘mistaken’ offense in shooting down a Ukrainian civilian jetliner on Jan. 8. During this recent melee, there was a scare (that originated from a hoax) that the draft would be reinstated what with the Iranian issues. The website about selective service was so jammed with queries about an impending draft that it crashed, as reported by NPR on Jan. 7. This entire conflict is obviously deeply complicated, but the scare of the theoretical draft indicates that people will not start paying attention until that threat is possible. As we all know, there is none at the moment. I think we can plan on none being implemented in the near future, either. The last time the Selective Service System (independent of the armed forces or DOD) implemented a draft was in 1973. And what we generally know about from that time period are protests, Agent Orange and M*A*S*H (about Korea, but aired during Vietnam). In terms of morale and support, it’s
outside the interests of politicians who support war for the populace to oppose it. I believe too that united, we stand. However, this then means that it’s outside the interests of the government to institute a draft, because Americans — especially of our particular age demographic here at school — will start to pay attention to why we’re fighting, because our particular lives are suddenly at stake. No government wants that kind of scrutiny. We’ve always been comfortable sending a few people overseas to die for something vague, and our patriotism for the armed forces is instead expressed in catfights over kneeling before the flag at a game. Not a war game, just a sports game. The point of this is that we don’t have to let it take a vague threat of bodily harm to ourselves to scrutinize the government. Trump’s authorization for Suleimani’s death is interpreted as a transparent PR stunt to egg on Iran into doing something that would give license to Americans to call for yet another war — which mobilizes the nationalism base into support for Trump and makes everyone else against that hypothetical look like a bunch of pansies who are afraid to stand up for their country. Trump isn’t the first to do this. People noticed when Bush did it, too. Plenty of politicians will up unnecessary antes for their own job security, even against the interests of our country and citizens (this includes ally relationships). We give them license to do that by being too busy to notice, then focusing only on our own skins. Accountability is bipartisan. It’s hard, but this is our country. We, the voters, should enforce it.
Uma Venkata welcomes comments at uvenkata@mndaily.com.
among young people aged 13-24. It also found that 210,000 babies were born to girls aged 15-19 in 2016. However, not all who use the app to spread medical content have the same objective in mind. A user known as Nurse Holly (@nursehollyofficial) made a video about abstinence-only education in regards to preventing sexually transmitted diseases. This video received a lot of pushback from both the Tik-Tok and medical professional community, as research has shown this type of education leaves teens uneducated and unprotected. Some question whether or not learning from a platform, where anyone can post, is a reliable source of information. This inquiry, although valid, raises the same question for anything posted on the internet. When it comes to health education, we should trust the doctors and other medical professionals who have been to medical school and have experience in the practice. The information may just be delivered to us with Juice WRLD playing in the background. Researchers have not conducted a study that shows a viral video decreases the numbers of teens and young adults affected by STDs or teen pregnancy. However, if a medical professional was able to reach those who did not have access to health insurance to discuss proper prevention education or
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Welcome Week from a Welcome Week leader’s perspective
T
he invaluable first introduction to the University of Minnesota would be impossible without Welcome Week leaders. The good news is being one means a week filled with community building, leadership strengthening and heaps of Gopher pride. Do you see yourself as a leader? A year ago, I honestly didn’t. How about a Welcome Week leader? A year ago, I definitely didn’t. Even so, I relived the whirlwind of Welcome Week as a leader this past summer. When I applied on a whim last spring, I never could have imagined the growth I could experience in one very exhausting, very invigorating week. I cannot give enough praise to this program, its staff and its volunteers. It’s created an environment where everyone is motivated toward change and compassion, which was a gift to be a part of. Receiving a group of 30 remarkable individuals to lead all week, then, was an opportunity to grow this uplifting environment outwards. It was a very special feeling to be a part of the new beginnings of their lives, especially watching them grow confidence and comfort in their new home. Community is an invaluable feeling to hold onto, and Welcome Week taught me how to create it. As a future educator, I held my time as a WWL as a period of learning. I learned facilitation and how to activate an audience; I learned sensitivity to diverse backgrounds and beliefs; I learned to vulnerably communicate and to conquer a public speaking fear; I learned to love leadership and self improvement; and, most importantly, I learned how to hold a space for everyone. I’m not going to dismiss the fact that this role is difficult — but it’s difficult in a wonderful way. Growth develops fastest when we’re uncomfortable, and this experience absolutely tested my confidence, responsibility and endurance. Being in leadership mode from sunrise to sunset took a toll on every WWL. Trusting yourself as someone’s welcome to their university is stressful and depending on your intuition through uncertainty is integral — but
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Response to “Free college: everyone else is doing it”
I
enjoyed the article “Free college: everyone else is doing it,” published by Jonathan Ababiy because it directly relates to themes discussed in my philosophy class. Free college for everyone would be an ideal case, but there is misleading information about the aid available to students and drawbacks to free college for everyone. The University of Minnesota has many
financial aid programs in place for students from low income families. In 2016, students coming from families making less than $30,000 a year received grants that actually exceeded the cost of attendance by $1,553. Being one of these students, without this aid I would not be able to attend college because my family financially cannot contribute anything to my education. In 2017, the University raised the middle class income ceiling from $100,000 to $120,000 for their need-based program, U Promise Scholarship. This change provides students with $306 in additional aid. This article is confusing because it mentions how there needs to be a guaranteed financial aid program in place to help middle income students, but there is already one in place. The article fails to mention any counter arguments. If free college for everyone happened, many people would be furious and oppose it. Taxpayers without children would be against it because if they have no kids, then why would they pay for someone
provide information on various forms of birth control, the health and well-being of youth and young adults today might have been made easier. Dr. Leslie said that she has learned a lot about communicating to engage in conversations to facilitate growth and learning. Our time for learning is never over and we should be open to understanding emerging data and differing perspectives. It allows us to grow. We must never think that our time for learning is over. Being open to emerging data and differing perspectives is what allows us to grow. Learning about health education through an app on your phone may seem unconventional, but it helps to break the stigma around asking the weird yet important health questions in our generation.
else’s kid to go to college? Opposite viewpoints are critical in this article because it provides more evidence as to the challenges faced and reasons for the program not yet being implemented.
all of this stress was made worth it by an overwhelming sense of community support. Orientation leaders, program coordinators and other WWLs are always willing to help, so I never felt isolated while struggling. Indeed, if your birthday happens over Welcome Week as mine was, prepare yourself for nearly a hundred birthday wishes, hugs and a very happy heart. As I wrap up my ever-growing list of reasons I loved being a Welcome Week leader, I’ll leave you with one final thought: I feel grateful to sit here today and gush about something that exists in my heart with pure joy. I feel immense gratitude to spread the word of such a transformative program (for everyone involved) and to tell you a success story. Life becomes the depth that we invest into it, as does Welcome Week, so I hope you’ll apply in this new decade and give yourself the gift of growth, and new gophers the gift of your encouragement. You’ll be very proud in a year’s time.
Written by Stefanie Amundsen. This letter to the editor has been lightly edited for style and clarity.
SHARE YOUR VIEWS The Minnesota Daily welcomes letters and guest columns from readers. All letters must include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification. The Daily reserves the right to edit all letters for style, space, libel and grammar. Letters to the editor should be no more than 500 words in length. Guest columns should be approximately 350 words. The Daily reserves the right to print any submission as a letter or guest column. Submission does not guarantee publication.
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Ivana Kamenchouk is a student at the University of Minnesota. This letter to the editor has been lightly edited for style and clarity.
EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020
MN DAILY
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HOROSCOPES
Today’s Birthday (01/21/20): Group participation gets results this year. Steady focus can realize long-term dreams. Discover an inspiring purpose this winter before adapting to a health or work challenge. Sidestep a barrier with a community effort this summer, leading to flowering physical performance. Connect and cooperate for shared gain.
To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Written by Nancy Black
Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is a 8 — You can handle a professional challenge. Get a boost from a friend. Explore options and potential solutions to arrive upon the best fit. Provide satisfaction.
Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 7 — Domestic projects provide satisfying results. Cook, clean and decorate. Use mood lighting for extra twinkle. Rest and share tasty treats with family and friends.
Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 8 — Advance your journey step by practical step. Studies provide more mysteries to investigate. Ignore a distant mirage or illusion. Make an interesting connection.
Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 9 — Let yourself get lost in creative expression. Paint, sketch or write your ideas. Follow a fascinating thread. You’re especially brilliant. Go for it.
Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — Contribute to a shared financial venture. Grow the kitty with steady feeding. Collaborate with creative ideas and practical efforts for common gain.
Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — Lucrative opportunities are worth seizing. Do the homework. Can you hold a meeting on the trail? Find ways to mix business with fun. Step lively.
Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — You and a partner can whip up something wonderful together. Try a new recipe. Learn from an expert. Collaborate and share the rewards.
Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is an 9 — Take charge to get the results you want. Don’t steamroll anyone; ask nicely and get farther than imagined. Friends can open doors. Investigate personal options.
Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 9 — Practice your moves. Physical action grows your results. Gain confidence with repetition. Nurture your health and fitness with good food, warm water and rest.
Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is an 7 — Pay attention to your dreams. Contemplate mysteries and curiosities. Consider upcoming options and choose your path. Organize your schedule to realize a vision.
Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Creative inspiration and romance spark with ease. Listen for your muses. Connect with the ones you love. Come up with fun ideas to share.
Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is an 8 — Attend meetings, classes and parties. Group efforts can win satisfying results. Find what you need through your networks. Share resources, data and opportunities.
DR. DATE Dr. Date,
Ah, military men — is there anything sexier than a guy working out in camouflage pants to serve his country? Maybe it’s just a me thing, but I love men in green, and my friends know it. They set me up with a guy a few weeks ago, and I fell head over heels. He seemed to like me as well, considering he asked me to be his girlfriend by the end of the date! I said yes — but now I’m thinking of rescinding my answer. He’s shipping out to an undisclosed country next week and will be gone for almost a year. I kind of figured that this would a month-long fling and I might see him when he gets back, but as time goes on, he seems to be getting more serious than I expected. He keeps making comments about me waiting for him and how we should be committed so I won’t find another guy. When he asked me my ring size last week, I started to get a little worried. Now he’s got this romantic picnic planned that he says will be “super special.” Basically, I’m scared he’s about to propose to me. I like the guy, but not that much! How do I tell him I’m not that interested?
–Not A Military Wife
Dear Not A Military Wife,
I’m not saying you should say yes, but hey, talk about a compliment. He’s been with you for two weeks and already knows you’re the one? Looks like a lifetime of love to me! Kidding — sounds like he doesn’t want to come back to a nonexistent relationship and is determined to lock you down fast. If he starts to get down on one knee, tell him that while you’ve enjoyed hanging out with him, you two should probably put any chance of a relationship on hold. You’ve only been dating for a few weeks, and he shouldn’t expect you to wait forever. If you’re both single when he comes back, he can give you a call. Until then, enjoy the time you two have and steer clear of any ring-shaped boxes in his camo pants.
Dr. Date,
New year, new hookup! This Tinder guy and I have had a lot of fun during winter break, but now that school’s about to start, I’m ready to get a little more serious. My friends are back in town, so we all went out drinking last weekend so they could meet (judge) my new guy. No labels, but I think this could actually be something. Things were going well, the alcohol was flowing and my friends seemed to approve. We were talking about free therapy sessions (we’re emotional drunks) and my not-boyfriend brought up Boynton and how he didn’t find their services useful. I thought he was going to follow that with “I just wish they were open on weekends” or something, but instead? “They hand out all those free condoms, but why don’t they account for those of us who are much bigger? Seriously, they’re way too small! Why don’t they hand out free Magnums instead?” Criiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinge. I physically watched my friends’ approval go from a solid six to a flat zero. I was HUMILIATED — look, he’s a little bigger than average, but do you need to point that out and brag about it? I’m not sure if it’s worth staying with this guy. What if he says that to my parents?! What should I do?
–Magnum Douche
Dear Magnum Douche,
If he was drinking and said something dumb about his size, I can’t fault him a ton for that. However, if he keeps bringing it up and said he doesn’t regret bragging about it, that’s a red flag. Tell him he needs to buy his own condoms and to keep his size to himself — otherwise, he’ll be advertising his purchases on a new Tinder bio.
–Dr. Date
–Dr. Date
Dr. Date is a satirical advice column dissecting real-world situations. Want advice from the love doctor? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com
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1/21/20
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8
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Gabel discusses salary for new provost She also discussed a possible budget request and plans for this semester. BY DYLAN ANDERSON AND HANA IKRAMUDDIN danderson@mndaily.com hikramuddin@mndaily.com President Joan Gabel discussed the salary for incoming Provost Rachel Croson, the ongoing effort to create procedures around renaming and a potential budget request to the Legislature in her final sit down with the Minnesota Daily of the decade in December. Do you have any plans for break? I am going to South Carolina for the first time since the end of June when I drove my car up here with all my boxes in the back. I am going to see my children. All of us will be together, which is a gift when your children are grown, and then I’m going to the bowl game. There was some pushback on the salar y for incoming Provost Rachel Croson. Why is this contract, be it maybe high in some people’s minds, why is it a good investment for the University? Well, I’ll start with the notion that the contract is high. It’s a big salary. It’s an aspirational salary for a lot of people, but it’s right in the middle of the market nationally. Slightly above market nationally, slightly below market in the Big Ten, which is exactly where we sit for how we make a variety of financial determinations. We figure out what we think people deserve based on markets all the time. It’s how my own negotiation went for my salary, which I know received some criticism at the time too. And it’s what we used to determine a fair salary for her. … I believe we should pay people according to those standards, that that’s the way to be consistent, it’s objective, it’s fact based. And so that’s how we made the decision the way that we did. But I think that’s totally separate from our
excitement about her and what she brings to the table, both in her skill and experience and also in her personality and desire to be here and why she wants to be here. She really has a spectrum of experiences and competencies that I think fit exactly what we want to do. … I think she has it all. What we’ll see come out of that is real action on the execution of our new strategic plan. ... And then her partnership with me on some of the things I want to do around student mental health ... around making sure our programs impact Minnesotans, are inspired by Minnesotans and are delivered at world class levels. With [discussion about how the University deals] with the renaming process going on, how do you think descendants should be involved in this process? And should that include both descendants related to the person for which the building was named and [descendants of] people that may have been affected by that? I believe in both. When we met with the board on this issue during the governance committee [in December], we presented for examples of how this question broadly has been approached. … Each of these policies, handled in different ways but existing in all of them, that says one needs to look at the person in their total context. … So who were they, what the family may have, their own letters, testimonials, service, things that they were doing beyond their work that should be considered. There are also people who would be affected by whatever act has brought that person to the table for consideration about whether they’re deserving of a naming or whether they’re things named for them should be renamed. What the impact was, their conversation, their testimonial, that is a totality. And that is how we should look at these questions. The state has a budget surplus, how do you
ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN LA CASSE, MINNESOTA DAILY
want to lobby the Legislature to get more funding for the University? So we’re in the process of developing that now. We’re glad to see the state have fiscal strength. … So we always have what we have had approved by the board for capital improvements, the kinds of things for which we seek bonding. We have several initiatives that we’ve been talking about around student success, student wellness, how we reach students [and] how we serve the state. And we’re brainstorming now, which of those we could potentially articulate into a proposal for the state. At the December [board] meeting, you said you wanted to shift money in the University system
Parking & Transportation Services Presents.. Navigating Your Way To and Around the University Parking:
- Public Parking: Hourly, daily, meter, off-peak and event parking (visit umn.edu/pts for rates and locations) - Carpool Parking: $3.50 before 9 a.m. at Victory Lot & Lot 108 - Gopher Rideshare: Connect and share your commute to save time, money and reduce congestion (gopherrideshare.umn.edu) - Contracts: Guaranteed space through student lottery or staff waiting list - HOURCAR: On-campus car-sharing (incl. gas/insurance) - Motorist Assistance Program: FREE service (lock-outs, jumpstarts and air for tires) for legally-parked PTS customers. Call 612-626-PARK
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Biking: - Parking: 9,000 free bike racks or Secure Parking: $40/yr - Helmet & Headlights: Purchase at Boynton Pharmacy - Bike Center: Repair services, showers, Zap! in Oak St. Ramp
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to pay of f the debts the University [campus in] Duluth has. Why did you decide to do that? We’ve actually been working on that for a long time. Those conversations preceded me. … But the Duluth financial challenges, the structural challenges that they’re going through, took many years to kind of take the shape that they have now and take some real pain and sacrifice to try and resolve. The thought was that there’s not a lot of value in making a lot of people really make very tough choices or have their personal circumstances be really affected negatively, if they can’t start something fresh when they’re done. So the idea is, they’ve made the tough choice, and so we as a system also make the tough choice. We meet
in the middle, we make a sacrifice as a system to help them come out from under. They make the sacrifice as a campus so that the debt doesn’t increase so that they’re right sized for the demand for what they offer. And then now when they think to the future, it’s strategically what’s our next, rather than having a cloud over their head. What are your specific goals you want to accomplish in the spring semester? We want to get the strategic plan further along. We want to get some real articulation around the student mental health initiative. We will be onboarding the new provost, will be standing up the interim [vice president for human resources] and
getting the parts that you can do during the interim phase going. We’ll make a budget proposal. It’s important to note around the budget proposal that this is year two of the [former President Eric] Kaler budget because we do biennial budgeting, so there are fewer degrees of freedom than there would be if it were your one of the next biennial budget. But within those degrees of freedom, we’re looking at the budget proposal that we’ll make to the board. And it looks like we’ll be coming forward with maybe some proposals for resources from the budget surplus and going through the process for that. This interview has been edited for length, grammar and clarity.