February 13, 2020

A&E’S GUIDE TO EVERY KIND OF VALENTINE’S DAY PAGE 4

LATE WEEK THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

MNDAILY.COM

SERVING THE UMN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900

HOUSING

CRIME

MPD warns of spike in auto thefts

Senior Garrett Williams poses for a portrait in the basement of his former residence in the Marcy Holmes neighborhood on Saturday, Feb. 8. The Miles Groupowned property suffered from hazardous heating equipment, a partially collapsed ceiling and an overall lack of maintenance. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

This year’s citywide auto theft count for the first three weeks of January the highest in five years. BY YVES DE JESUS yjesus@mndaily.com

As temperatures drop, Minneapolis officials attribute a five-year high in auto thefts to cars being left running. A citywide total of 262 stolen vehicles were reported between the first and third week of January, up almost 90% from the same time frame last year. Minneapolis Police Department 2nd Precinct neighborhoods including Marcy-Holmes, Como and Prospect Park saw the sharpest increase in auto thefts, rising more than 136 percent from last year. MPD officials released an advisory last month telling residents to avoid leaving their cars running while unattended. Of the 262 auto thefts at the beginning of the year, about 73% were the result of the owner leaving the vehicle running. “For most of these, they’re preventable,” said MPD spokesperson Garrett Parten. “I know it’s a pain in the neck to have to [start] your car every time you get back into it, but it’s also no fun to have your car stolen.” Since the advisory was released, this trend in the 2nd precinct has continued. Auto thefts are up 83% between Jan. 24 to Feb. 11 compared to that time frame last year, according to MPD data. Como resident Wendy Menken said she left her car unlocked by accident one night late last year. After she found her car had been rustled through, she said she is more careful about locking her car. “So what it told me is that there are constantly people checking on these cars on the street for an opportunity,” Menken said. Chris Lautenschlager, executive director of the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association, said he has not seen the issue brought up by neighbors at community meetings. He said car thefts are often easily preventable. “The idea is that it happens anywhere in the bat of an eye,” Lautenschlager said. “Somebody sees a car that’s turned on, they’re just going to take it — not that they came into the neighborhood thinking, ‘I’m going to steal it’ … or whatever — they just see a car and go, ‘that’s it.’” Parten said intervention by residents can help prevent auto thefts. “If I’m seeing people pulling on car doors, I’m going to stop that person because that’s suspicious behavior — but that’s because I’m in the area, and I’m seeing it happen,” Parten said. “We can’t be everywhere all the time. So that’s where the public comes in. [Their] steps of preventative measures help us reduce crime in the long run.”

Students voice concerns with The Miles Group Complaints include security deposits, safety violations and squirrels. BY DYLAN MIETTINEN dmiettinen@mndaily.com

Former University of Minnesota student Caytlin Neuburger moved into a house with friends in the Como neighborhood in September of 2017. The house was one of many in the area managed by The Miles Group, a Minneapolis-based property management group. Problems were apparent as

soon as they moved in. The first day, roommate Mads Bartz noted a laundry list of alleged problems: garbage from previous tenants, rotted wood on decks and patios, holes in drywall and leaks fixed with duct tape. Since coming under the management of The Miles Group in 2002, the property Neuburger and Bartz rented has been cited for at least 94 code violations, according to data obtained from the City of Minneapolis. Seventeen of those, ranging from minor repairs to potential safety issues such as an illegal bedroom, were found in 2019 alone. The Miles Group manages approximately 40 properties around

the University and throughout the Twin Cities. They are one of several property management companies listed on the University’s Office of Off-Campus Living non-compliance list. Companies on the list have received at least three substantiated or unresolved complaints from tenants to Student Legal Services in the past year. “It is actually rare for a landlord to end up on the list,” Bill Dane, senior attorney for Student Legal Services, said in an email to the Minnesota Daily. “However, once a landlord gets on the list, it is not easy for it to get off.” Other companies that appear on the University’s non-compliance

u See MILES GROUP Page 3

CAMPUS

Faculty, staff voice concern with new security measures The changes went into effect in December, and impact several campus health sciences buildings. BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com

While some feel safer, some staff and faculty have voiced discontent with the tightening of security in several University of Minnesota buildings. The security changes, which came after a recent increase of trespassing incidents, were implemented in December in some of the health sciences buildings on campus. In recent meetings, faculty and staff have raised concerns about the impact this heightened security presence could have on homeless individuals, marginalized communities and the identity of the University as a public, land-grant institution. The new security measures

Pedestrians make their way into Moos Tower on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019 As temperatures drop Moos Tower sees an increase in foot traffic. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

include checkpoints at main entrances at which students, staff, faculty and guests must display University identification or proof of their purpose in the buildings.

University Services Vice President Mike Berthelsen and Chief of Staff Paige Rohman have been visiting senate committees and other groups in recent

A&E

weeks to discuss the changes and gather feedback. At the Jan. 23 Professionals and Administrators Consultative Committee meeting, concerns were raised about the limitation of public access to the buildings, as well as security’s impact on marginalized communities. At this meeting, an email representing the views of a portion of P&A library staff was shared. “These policies, and those that create physical barriers to entry, or require interaction with gatekeeping personnel, create actual disparate impacts on people with disabilities, and many members of other marginalized groups,” the email read. “These cannot be considered unintended consequences; they are foreseen and foreseeable effects.” The new security is being temporarily provided by the contractor Securitas while the University works to hire more u See SECURIT Y Page 3

ACADEMICS

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, erotic art show pops up in Minneapolis

‘To be or not to be’: English faculty members debate Shakespeare class A proposal to change the major would still require students to take a Shakespeare course.

The two day pop-up show takes a regular gallery and turns it into an open conversation.

BY FARRAH MINA fmina@mndaily.com

BY ALEX STRANGMAN astrangman@mndaily.com

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and if you’re still not sure where to take bae, Otherworldly Arts has you covered with an event that’s the perfect mix of sex and art. This upcoming weekend, a diverse group of artists will share their own takes on art and eroticism at “Safeword: An Erotic Art Show.” The two-day pop-up event at the A-Mill underground museum will feature over 80 artists, with works ranging from photographs to wood-block prints. There will also be performance art on display, including an appearance from “The Feminist Strip Club,” a BDSM demonstration by

list include The Arrow Apartments, formerly known as Prime Place, and Millennium Management, which manages at least 11 properties. As of late January 2020, Millennium Management had one unresolved code violation, according to City of Minneapolis data. Properties owned by the Miles Group had at least 39. Neuburger and their roommates stayed in the house for two years, saying that although the house was run-down, it was less of a hassle than finding a new place. “We could try and find a better place, and spend all this time when we were in our junior year of

Angel Hawari evaluates the placement of a painting during setup for Safeword: An Erotic Art Show at the A-Mill Underground Museum on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Andy Kosier / Minnesota Daily)

Bondesque and a Shibari installation. As if that’s not enough, the art show will also have an erotic art market, phallic-themed chocolates and “pussycakes” cupcakes by FoxCakes (on Feb. 14 only) and “love potions” from Twin Spirits Distillery. Danielle Pebbles, creator of The Otherworldly Arts Collective, said she wants to create a safe space for artists to show off their erotic works. “I never realized there was such a strong artistic voice when it comes to sex, sexuality and eroti-

cism that just exists here in Minneapolis. There’s artists I’ve known for many years ... they’ve got hundreds and hundreds of amazing erotic art works that they’ve never had a place to go with,” she said. Pebbles said “Safeword” had the highest number of artists from out of state and outside of the country contact her about being in the show. There were over 200 submissions. However, putting together an erotic art space isn’t easy, and Pebbles said she encountered u See ART SHOW Page 3

University of Minnesota English department faculty members are in contention over requiring English majors to take a course on William Shakespeare, a provision most top universities have discarded. The English department undergraduate studies committee created a proposal that suggests adding an upper-level diversity requirement to better integrate “diverse authors and subjects into the curriculum.” However, it maintains the class “Introduction to Shakespeare,” the only singleauthor course required in the major. Some faculty members called into question whether the department should continue to require undergraduate students to take the Shakespeare course over concerns that the curriculum centers around a white male perspective. “You can’t be saying you’re for diversity, and then say, ‘By the

way, the most important writer is Shakespeare — a white man,’” said Qadri Ismail, a professor in the English Department. Ismail chaired the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee that wrote a report in the fall and made several recommendations to the department, including curricular reforms. However, there is strong opposition to removing the Shakespeare requirement, said Douglas Kearney, a professor in the English Department and the current EDI committee co-chair. Four of the top 52 universities and liberal arts colleges required their English majors to take a Shakespeare class, according a 2015 study by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni that was cited in the EDI report. Despite offering classes in areas such as African American, Native American and Asian American literature, the department does not require students to take them. “It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that a student could go through our program having never taken a class in literature u See SHAKESPEARE Page 3 VOLUME 120 ISSUE 38

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

MN DAILY

Daily Review

MNDAILY.COM

CAMPUS EVENTS CALENDAR FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Dating in Different Cultures Jazba 2020 4 - 6 p.m. at the International Center Learn about dating norms in Vietnam and Indonesia, and enjoy free food.

SUNDAY

NOW PLAYING

End of the Rainbow Auditions “Countdown”

6 p.m. at the Carlson Family Stage, $5 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Rarig Studio A Fri. and Sat. at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. at This Bollywood-fusion dance features Sunday is the last day of auditions for the Coffman Union Theater; Friday at competitors from across the country. this Judy Garland play. Sign up online. 8 p.m. at the St. Paul Student Center

Big Ten students call for their schools to divest from fossil fuels The Association of Big Ten Students voted unanimously for divestment.

BY SAMANTHA HENDRICKSON shendrickson@mndaily.com In a national effort to fight climate change, student governments nationwide are calling for their universities to stop investments in the fossil fuel industry. The Association of Big Ten Students, which represents over 500,000 undergraduate students across the Big Ten conference, unanimously passed a resolution late last month for their schools to stop investing in oil, coal and gas companies. The University of Minnesota declined to comment on whether it invests in the fossil fuel industry. The resolution stated that the crisis of climate change threatens the lives of both future and current generations and “demands concerted and widespread a c t i o n f ro m s o c i e t y ’ s leaders.” The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor instigated the resolution

Illustration by Hailee Schievelbein / Minnesota Daily

after the city of Ann Arbor declared a climate emergency in November. Declaring a climate emergency means that not enough is being done to address climate change and gives entities more power to help with the issue. “We knew this was

definitely relevant across all Big Ten schools,” said Aidan Sova, ABTS executive director and student at the University of Michigan. “This was not just a Michigan-unique problem.” The University of Minnesota implemented a plan in 2011 to reduce carbon

emissions by 50 percent by the end of this year and offset 100 percent of emissions by 2050. The City of Minneapolis declared a climate emergency in December. In an effort to take that declaration a step further, Megan Connor, Minnesota Student

Association’s sustainability chair, will ask the University to declare a climate emergency for the campus. “By saying that there’s a climate emergency, that says a lot about not only we’re willing to provide a curriculum that says how to change it, but we’re actually willing to do it ourselves,” Connor said. Savannah Wery, founder of UMN Climate Strike, said it is up to the student body to put pressure on administrators for the changes they wish to see surrounding sustainability and climate change. “That’s a form of power that we have,” Wery said. “No administrator likes the feeling of unrest on campus.” The UMN Climate Strike asks for the University to stop investing in any company on the Carbon Underground 200 list, which encompasses the top 100 gas and oil companies and top 100 coal companies that contribute carbon emissions, such as ExxonMobil. “I think that as time goes on, it becomes more and more evident. This is an immediate threat as we continue putting funds into these sources,” Sova said.

Historic trail included in governor’s proposal The last three miles of Grand Rounds could receive first phase funding. BY BROOKE SHEEHY bsheehy@mndaily.com A historic bike and pedestrian trail in Minneapolis could receive funding to begin completion of its “missing link” through campus neighborhoods. Gov. Tim Walz announced his $2 billion 2020 capital bonding proposal for construction projects across the state last month, including $12.35 million to go toward completing the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway trail. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has long advocated for funding to complete the trail’s last remaining segment, which goes through Prospect Park and Southeast Como. “By funding the missing link of the Grand Rounds, Governor Walz is helping

[Minneapolis] accomplish a century-old transit goal,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “A Grand Rounds should be grand and round. No sudden dead-ends, no unlinked gaps.” The 140-year-old Grand Rounds is a connected series of parks that would, once completed, create an approximate circular path throughout the City of Minneapolis. The three miles connecting Prospect Park to Como to the Mississippi River, also called the “Bridal Veil Trail,” would complete the network. Representatives from the University of Minnesota, the Towerside Innovation District and MPRB have formed a task force to promote Walz’s proposal to lawmakers as they craft their own bonding proposals. The task force is currently looking to fund-raise $40,000 to conduct a feasibility study looking at a possible crossing over the train tracks between Malcolm Avenue Southeast

and Kasota Avenue Southeast in Como. “The team includes structural engineering, civil engineering and traffic engineering to ask [and] answer basic questions about the type of bridge that we could expect to see and its basic structure,” said University Design Center senior research fellow Bruce Jacobson, who is working on the project. “We can start to answer questions about cost and who would own it, who would maintain it, and other kinds of design elements.” Having this information would help convince lawmakers to get on board with the project, said MPRB Commissioner Chris Meyer. “We have a little bit of a chicken and egg problem because some legislators want to have a better idea of where the bridge is going to go before they want to commit to phase one,” Meyer said. The money from Walz’s proposal would go toward phase one of the completion

Illustration by Eva Berezovsky / Minnesota Daily

The new city work group can help businesses navigate unique challenges. BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com City officials are seeking ways to better work with local establishments, which business owners around the University of Minnesota say is a welcome venture. A City Council economic committee approved a proposal last week to direct city staff to form a working

group that would encourage greater relationships between the city and small businesses. The authors of the proposal said the group would work to address racial inequity in monetary resources for businesses. “[We] really need to address the disparities … that are still kind of persistent in our city. And at the same time, we have a department that’s been leading on a lot of great initiatives,” said City Council member Jeremy Schroeder, who helped coauthor the proposal. “So it’s important to kind of lift up

Vol. 120 No. 38

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Mardelle Madsen, Fran Holmsten and Mary Rafferty walk past a map of the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway on Monday, Sept. 24, 2018. They walk a loop on the East River Parkway section of the byway every Monday. (Jack Rodgers / Minnesota Daily)

project. Phase one includes a comprehensive study to determine where the bridge will be constructed. The proposal would also fund trail amenities like trees, land and benches. Meyer said Walz’s proposed funding was a “victory” for the park board after the project went unfunded in then-Gov. Mark Dayton’s 2018 bonding

recommendation. “If the governor had not made his recommendation, that may not have sparked the Towerside Innovation District’s action,” Meyer said. “So, it’s really meaningful that the governor made that recommendation, and it is turning this project that a lot of people had previously given up on into a reality.”

City seeks to deepen relationships with small businesses some of their work, [but] at the same time, hold the [planning department], as well as the city, accountable to kind of reaching our equity goals.” The working groups would be made up of city stakeholders from various departments, including those working in planning, inspection services and legal areas. According to city documents, the group will also focus on getting better community feedback and improving policy decision-making through data collection. City Council member Jeremiah Ellison, who also coauthored the proposal, said at the committee meeting that the city could do more to help small businesses and hopes the working group would lead to a series of new city recommendations or internal policy changes. Data can help the city understand what types of businesses might be struggling and proactively inform policies to address issues, said Ward 3 City Council member Steve Fletcher, who represents the Marcy-Holmes

Thursday, February 13, 2020

and Dinkytown areas, during the meeting. “There is more that we could do with more data,” he said. Barriers exist for peopleof-color-owned businesses, but the city’s charge is a good thing in helping alleviate some of those, local business owners said. Russom Solomon, owner of The Red Sea Ethiopian Restaurant and Bar in Cedar-Riverside, said difficulties in running a small business have improved over the years and that better communication can help. “Having a working relationship is always good [to] identify areas that need to be improved. It’s a good thing,” he said. Businesses in Minneapolis might engage with the city by expressing concerns to city council members or participating in neighborhood associations. In her work as owner of the 44-year-old Book House in Dinkytown, Kristen Eide-Tollefson said she has been fighting to sustain

the culture of the small business community. “The clientele, the culture and the character of the places that I’ve done business [in] in Minneapolis are really, really excellent,” she said. “It sounds like a great group of city departments to bring together.” The City Council plans to discuss the proposal on Friday.

“[We] really need to address the disparities ... that are still kind of persistent in our city. And at the same time, we have a department that’s been leading on a lot of great initiatives.” JEREMY SCHROEDER City Council member

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 article “Alumni Association creates first-ever group for Muslim graduates” incorrectly identified which entity created the new alumni group. It was created by the Alumni Association. 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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Thursday, February 13, 2020

Miles Group u from Page 1

college, taking classes and getting ready for finals … in an area that had a huge housing shortage, or just stay put,” Neuburger said. In an emailed statement to the Minnesota Daily, The Miles Group said they continually work to maintain and upgrade existing properties they manage, and, in some cases, elect to tear down houses to build newer rental properties. “We work very hard to be accessible to all of our tenants and feel we have a very good relationship, many long lasting, with the people we rent to,” the email said. Trials and tribulations When Garrett Williams, a fourth-year engineering student, moved into a Miles Group-managed property last year, functional problems started to appear right away. Some were rather funny, like the squirrels he shared his home with — he said he once saw tiny paws scampering across a fluorescent light — to the more serious, like improper outlets and a leaky roof that led to water damage. Williams said the other landlords and property managers he has interacted with besides the Miles Group have maintained the properties better and been more responsive to maintenance requests. “The other landlords I’ve had in the past and currently, we haven’t had these big issues,” Williams said. “Especially around the University of Minnesota, where there are so many students, they know that people need houses. As long as super major stuff doesn’t happen, I think they know

Security u from Page 1

security personnel. The officers are required to receive a written implicit bias brief before beginning work at the University, and to meet state training statutes, according to University spokesperson Lacey Nygard. At last week’s Senate Consultative Committee meeting, Berthelsen said he and Rohman received feedback from health sciences students that these changes have made them feel safer. Rohman said requiring every individual entering the health sciences buildings to show ID or proof of purpose was intended to remove bias. For some, however, such as Renée Crichlow, bias in enforcement has already been a reality. Crichlow, who is an assistant professor with

that college students will deal with it.” Emily Roach, a biology student who lives near the intersection of Como Avenue and 26th Avenue Southeast, said that her house, one managed by The Miles Group, is pretty on par with those in the area: it is old, creaky and a little bit drafty. She has relatively few complaints, she said. She likes that The Miles Group allows her to keep her dog at home. However, the dysfunctional stove can occasionally prove a consternation: it is a gas stove, but she has to grab a lighter every time she uses it to ignite the flame. She also said a storage area right off her bedroom is susceptible to mold growth. “I recently opened the door and everything was just covered in mold. Like, my bed is right next to this,” Roach said. The address where Roach currently lives has three unresolved code violations, according to Minneapolis data. Despite Minnesota state law requiring a landlord to post a notice about citations for tenants’ knowledge, Roach said she was unaware of any code violations. An emailed statement from The Miles Group read, “we work closely with City of Minneapolis Rental Licensing and Inspections to make sure the properties are regularly inspected and up to code.” Code violations are not the only issue The Miles Group has faced — some former tenants have sued the company, but settled out of court. Senior Elena Bueltel and five of her friends fell in love with a Miles Group property off of Talmage

Avenue in Como. The six of them, four of whom were unrelated, signed the lease in October with no issues — until they received an email from the company in June of 2017, she said. “Someone from The Miles Group was like, ‘Are you all related? If not, we will need to release two tenants and rewrite your current lease agreement,’” said Bueltel. A Minneapolis ordinance at the time capped rental tenants at two related and three unrelated individuals, making the contract with six signees null and void. “We were like, ‘Wait, what’s this delay for?’ We had no idea about this law, but [The Miles Group] knew we had six people when we signed in October,” Bueltel said. Buetel utilized Student Legal Service and sued for losses; she said they settled out of court, recouping the deposits they had placed on the unit. But Buetel and her roommates still had to quickly find a new place to live. Eric Hauge, the executive director of HOME Line, a Minnesota tenant advocacy organization, said that students renting from The Miles Group have reached out to the organization in the past. Though Hauge said he could not characterize the number of code violations or rental issues, he said that the primary reasons for calls to the organization were property maintenance, repairs and withheld security deposits. “Both prospective student tenants and current student tenants should recognize that their lease is a serious legal contract,” Hauge said in an email to the Minnesota Daily. “They

the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, said she gets checked for ID while other groups are able to walk past. “I always get checked,” she said. “... I’m black, I’m just used to that. And people don’t even notice that that’s happening, they don’t even notice that they’re doing it.” Crichlow said putting criteria in place and following it helps to eliminate room for bias. “When you let people pick and choose, implicit bias always comes in,” she said. The security changes have not been difficult overall, Crichlow said, but it has made it more challenging to meet in the health sciences buildings with individuals who typically are not on campus. Ian Ringgenberg, the former P&A Senate chair and a College of Liberal Arts Honors adviser, said he is concerned about the way homelessness has been

framed in discussions about the new security. “I think we’re putting a lot of money into security and cops and door scanners and cameras and things like that and I would rather see that money going into housing people who need a place to live,” he said. John Connett, a professor in the Division of Biostatistics in the School of Public Health, said the changes have not impacted him personally, but that he had heard of some safety concerns in the past. Connett said while the security may be more effective at night, during the day it is easy to enter the buildings without a U Card due to the amount of traffic in and out of the doors with card scanners. “I worry that we are kind of giving in to paranoia and fear around this and I’m not sure that the steps that we’re taking are going to dramatically increase safety,” Ringgenberg said.

University of Minnesota program seeks to make health care more age-friendly 2020 is the first year Minnesota has more older people than youth. BY NATALIE CIERZAN ncierzan@mndaily.com A University of Minnesota program is a part of a statewide mission to make health care more age friendly. The program, referred to as Minnesota Northstar Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program, has five main goals that revolve around promoting age friendly health systems in Minnesota, such as focusing on dementia care and support. Within the University, medical directors and staff from the Smiley’s Clinic and Community-University Health Care Center are working to meet these standards. “What we’re trying to do is work with all of those organizations and the state ... to have the GWEP project be a major player that will coordinate into that domain of addressing the health of older adults,” said James Pacala, University professor and head of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. The project began when Pacala’s department was awarded a $3.74 million award from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, which began

in July. The age-friendly health systems movement began nationwide in 2017, he said. In order to be age-friendly, the clinics have to address what they call “the four M’s:” what matters to the patient, mentation, medications and mobility. “There’s this huge observation out there … where we have shown, demonstrated through research, that care can be improved, and we can get better outcomes,” Pacala said. “Yet we just don’t have the healthcare systems yet that are incorporating those changes into healthcare.” Joseph Gaugler, a University professor at the School of Public Health, is a leader of outreach in the program and directs the work that provides dementia education. “My goal is to visit every county in Minnesota to provide education and outreach. That’s the GWEP program,” he said. More than 100,000 people in Minnesota have dementia, and many caregivers are unpaid and require support, Gaugler said. “A major, major issue that’s facing the state of Minnesota— and really throughout the U.S. — is the geriatric workforce shortage as well as the lack of education,” he said. The GWEP program will of-

fer a wide range of resources to fix this. GWEP is also involved with the work that Gov. Tim Walz is doing to make Minnesota age-friendly. Last December, Walz signed an executive order to establish a Governor’s Council for making Minnesota age-friendly. The names of the members of that council were released two days ago. “The purpose of the council is to explore ways that the state can support this agefriendly concept,” said Councilmember Rajean Moone, the University faculty director for Long Term Care Administration and the executive director of the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging. The council will make recommendations to Walz about how to move forward in making Minnesota officially age-friendly, he said. This designation requires addressing eight different domains, including health. “2020 is the first year we have more older people in Minnesota than we have children in elementary, middle and high school put together,” Moone said. “This gives us amazing opportunities to ensure that our communities are vibrant, livable places, and we know that clinic system physicians play a very important role in that.”

should get legal and practical advice before entering into it.” Chris Stanley never rented a property managed by The Miles Group, but in 2016, he was still impacted by their practices. He was leaving through the back entrance of a friend’s house, a Miles Group property, when he allegedly fell into an uncovered egress window, a deep window sill that allows for escapes from a basement. The fall caused a massive cut in his arm and jammed his teeth, which required a trip to the ER, two root canals and six months of braces. Though Stanley died of unrelated causes in 2017, his mother, Melissa Gonzalez, still recalls what ensued after his fall into the egress window: many calls to The Miles Group that went unanswered and an eventual settlement. “We are not litigious people, but we felt this was important,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t know if they ever covered that egress window hole, but it was a hazard.” Because settlement cases, such as Bueltel’s and Stanley’s, are resolved out of court and out of the public record, the exact number of settlements with The Miles Group are unknown. “We have handled a number of matters with [The Miles Group] over the course of the past 15 years,” SLS Senior Attorney Bill Dane said. “Some of those matters have been resolved through negotiation. Others have been more difficult to resolve and have even required litigation.” A comment from The Miles Group confirmed that the company is intent on getting off of the noncompliance list. “We have had great

interaction with Student Legal Services over the past year to make sure our relationship with them is open and we can work towards common goals,” an emailed statement said. Questions arise over a “routine range” of violations Karre Wagner began renting from The Miles Group at the start of her sophomore year in 2016. However, she said she quickly realized that the property was not exactly what she signed up for. Wagner said she was under the impression that she would be renting one of three private bedrooms. This was not entirely the case; as Wagner describes it, “you had to actually walk through my bedroom to get to the other two.” She also noted mice and electrical issues. According to public records, there were at least 15 violations cited by the City of Minneapolis at the address where Wagner resided between 2016 and 2017, two of which included potential safety violations. Kellie Jones, director of housing inspection services for the City of Minneapolis, said that The Miles Group were within a “fairly routine range of violations” for property managers of their size. She added that the company generally corrects issues within an allotted time frame, but that they tend to have yearly violations. Of the 11 interviewed past and current tenants of properties managed by The Miles Group, none said they were surprised that the company appeared on the University’s noncompliance listing. Kendre Turonie, program director for Off-Cam-

pus Living, said that once a property owner or management company makes the list, they are not allowed to advertise on the University’s Off-Campus Housing listing services or participate in the Off-Campus Housing Fair. She typically notifies other University entities, including the Office of Student Experience, which housing companies are not compliant with University policy. “By publishing the [non-compliance] list, we’re just trying to be transparent. Having that list in no way means that people shouldn’t live with these folks,” Turonie said. “If anyone is thinking about renting from there, we just want them to be their own best advocate.” Remaining on the noncompliance list is not necessarily permanent. Removal is possible, though the process is arduous and takes at least 18 months of compliance. “I can say, anecdotally, that it seems like The Miles Group has made significant progress toward being eligible for removal from the list,” Dane said in the email. “SLS views the removal of a landlord from the noncompliance list as a very positive development.” During her lease with The Miles Group, Wagner eventually had a falling out with her roommates. That, coupled with what she said were poor living conditions, proved too much. “At that point, I just moved out,” Wagner said. ‘I’m going to cut my losses, because it’s just not worth it anymore.” Editor’s note: Kendre Turonie sits on the Minnesota Daily’s Board of Directors.

Douglas Kearney, an Assistant Professor in the English Department, fields questions from his colleagues in Lind Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 8. (Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)

Shakespeare u from Page 1

that exposes to them to anyone who’s not white,” said Mariela Lemus, a graduate student and EDI committee member. The department will convene later this month to discuss and potentially take a vote on the proposed curricular revisions. If approved, the changes could go into effect next fall. John Watkins, a professor in the English department, has taught Shakespeare several times. Though Watkins said he thinks the department should cut down its requirements as a whole, he said the matter should not come down to Eurocentrism. “England happens to be part of Europe. If you’re going to work on England at all, you’re dealing with Europe,” he said. “Anyone teaching that course is probably teaching it with global context.” When he teaches Shakespeare, Watkins said he incorporates race, gender and sexuality, while also looking at interventions in Africa and the Atlantic.

Josephine Lee, a professor in the department and cochair of the EDI committee, said she does not agree that Shakespeare should remain a requirement for the major. However, it is possible to incorporate EDI values when teaching it, she said. “... As someone who has taught Shakespeare many times, I do think there are ways of teaching this subject so that we can see the integral connections between the work of this dead white male author and the anti-colonial, anti-racist, and anti-militaristic aims of EDI — as well as the performative impulse to simplify deep conflicts by generating stageworthy heroes and villains,” Lee said in an email. A student’s experience taking the course will ultimately depend on how the professor decides to teach the class, Lemus said. “I don’t have much faith that we could guarantee our undergrads that Shakespeare will be taught in a more contemporary way. It all depends on who’s teaching it,” Lemus said. “... I think that’s unfair for undergrads.” Senior students have shown in surveys declining

support for the Shakespeare course, said Andrew Elfenbein, the chair of the department. Elfenbein said although he has encountered students who have expressed concerns about the course, he has also been approached by students who have been enthusiastic about it. When asked about his opinion about the requirement, Elfenbein said he will follow what the department recommends. The University of Minnesota is not alone in having these discussions. In the past, the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles required its English majors to take three single-author courses. Students had to take courses about John Milton and Geoffrey Chaucer, in addition to Shakespeare, in order to graduate. It removed this requirement in 2011. Despite receiving public criticism for this decision, UCLA is still seeing full Shakespeare classes nine years later, according to Janel Munguia, an undergraduate counselor in the Department of English at UCLA. “Shakespeare hasn’t really gone anywhere,” she said.

4 MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

COLLEGE KITCHEN

A&E’S WEEKEND GUIDE BY MEG BISHOP

A&E has the Valentine’s weekend plans for you and those special people in your life.

FRIDAY:

Brewery Roller Skating Kick your average Valentine’s Day plans to the curb! Grab your Valentines or “palentines” and roll around a brewery this Friday. This will be the third year in a row that Modist Brewing has pushed their tables aside and invited the public to roller-derby the bar. There will be a line for skating, which will revolve in 30-minute increments. Tip: you can skate more than once if you go back in line! Modist suggests to RSVP; the event is first-come, first-served.

Cocktails and playlists for every Valentine’s Day #mood Valentine’s Day. It’s a holiday which many people – with or without a significant other – write off. But no matter how your Valentine’s Day shapes up, we’ve got the drinks to keep you satisfied and specially curated tunes to get you through the holiday. BY NORAH KLEVEN nkleven@mndaily.com

To set the mood

Congratulations, this holiday is meant for you. Raise a glass of Valentine’s Day Punch with your boo and feel the love.

6 - 10 p.m.

Ingredients: • 2-3 oz of vodka • 1/2 cup orange soda • 1/2 cup cranberry juice • 1/2 cup Sprite • fresh lemon juice • 1 orange, sliced

Modist Brewing Co., 505 N. 3rd St., Minneapolis $3 skate rental fee

Directions: In a large bowl, mix soda, juice and vodka. Squeeze lemon to add fresh juice. Slice the orange peel and add for garnish.

WITH PHOTOS BY KAMAAN RICHARDS

Now that you’ve quenched your thirst, it’s time to set the mood. This playlist blends lo-fi beats from different genres to make for romantic background music.

SATURDAY:

Mind Your Health Spend a self-care day at the mall — and no, we don’t mean retail therapy! This Saturday, the Mall of America will be hosting mental health awareness classes to help teens and adults better understand how to live their best life by having a healthy mind and body. This event features activities from multiple Minnesota health organizations.

1. Stay Flo - Solange 2. Feel Like Makin’ Love - D’Angelo 3. Pyramids - Frank Ocean 4. Go to Town - Doja Cat 5. Child’s Play - SZA (feat. Chance the Rapper) 6. Give It to Me - HOMESHAKE 7. What’s My Name? Rihanna, Drake 8. Shadow Play - ATTLAS, Lune 9. The Beach - The Neighbourhood 10. The Little Things (Kasbo Remix) - Big Gigantic

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mall of America, 60 E. Broadway, Bloomington Free

Hanging with your Galentines

Sometimes, all you need on Valentine’s Day are your best friends and a few Cosmopolitans. Ingredients: • 2 oz vodka • 1.5 oz triple sec • fresh lemon and lime juice • 1 cup cranberry juice Directions: Combine ingredients and a glass and stir or shake in a cocktail shaker. Squeeze half of a lemon and half of a lime into drink and serve.

Once you turn this playlist on full blast, it won’t matter that there’s not a man in sight. All you need is a full glass, your girlfriends and the serenade of this feel-good playlist. 1. 1999 - Charli XCX, Troye Sivan 2. Yikes - Nicki Minaj 3. Good As Hell - Lizzo 4. Only Child - Tierra Whack 5. Love$ick (feat. A$AP Rocky) - Mura Masa 6. Partition - Beyoncé 7. She Wolf - Shakira 8. Red Light Green Light - Duke Dumont, Shaun Ross 9. Tell Me - No Mana 10. Feel So Close - Calvin Harris

If you find yourself alone and bitter

So you probably have a case of the Valentine’s Day blues. Maybe you’ve had them for years now. No worries, nothing pairs better than loneliness and wine. Cure your Valentine’s Day blues with a magic wine elixir. Ingredients: • 1 cup red or white wine • 1/2 cup carbonated water • raspberries • mint leaves Directions: Mix wine and carbonated water in a glass. Garnish with frozen raspberries and mint leaves.

Sometimes you need to cry. And sometimes it’s because you’re alone on Valentine’s Day. Let the tears flow to this playlist featuring Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey and more. 1. when the party’s over Billie Eilish 2. Should Have Known Better - Sufjan Stevens 3. listen for you - flor 4. Video Games - Lana Del Rey 5. Her - Vincent 6. Somebody Else - The 1975 7. Over You (feat. Frida Sundemo) - Kasbo 8. Solace - RÜFÜS DU SOL 9. Compass - Zella Day 10. Get Low - James Vincent McMorrow

If your date cancels

Ditch the tissues, grab a cheap bottle of Champagne and turn on this emergency playlist ASAP. This blushing mimosa is the cure for your V-day blues. Ingredients: • 1 cup Champagne • 1/2 cup orange juice • 1/2 cup pineapple juice • a splash of grenadine Directions: Add Champagne, orange juice and pineapple juice in a glass. Finish with a decorative and tasty splash of grenadine and enjoy.

A mix of rebellious, inyour-face anthems and more subdued songs, this playlist will perfectly accompany your feelings this Valentine’s Day. If your cancelled plans have left you just sad, refer to the alone and bitter playlist. 1. Doses & Mimosas - Cherub 2. Better - Valentino Khan, Wuki, Roxanna 3. Seven Nation Army The White Stripes 4. Set It Up - Kamaiyah, Trina 5. I’m Fine - graves, EZI 6. Paper Planes - M.I.A. 7. Needed Me - Rihanna 8. Bruises - NGHTMRE & Grabbitz 9. Ways to Go - Grouplove

EVENTS

SUNDAY:

Music Under Glass Maybe you were already thinking about visiting the Como Park’s conservatory for your newest flowerfilled Instagram post this weekend. This Sunday evening you can take photos and listen to live music. A local band called The Jorgensens will be playing a set ranging from blues to bluegrass inside the tropical gardens. 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Drive, St. Paul Free

Artwork lines the gallery space as Angel Hawari works to finalize the gallery layout for Safeword: An Erotic Art Show at the A-Mill Underground Museum on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Andy Kosier / Minnesota Daily)

Safeword u from Page 1

many challenges trying to set up the show. The event’s social media pages constantly got flagged and taken down, which resulted in Pebbles being thrown in “Facebook jail,” and many art spaces refusing to host the erotic event. Regardless of the

challenges faced during setup, Pebbles is optimistic about the event. She specifically chose Valentine’s weekend because she thought it would be the one time of the year where sex isn’t so nerve wracking for people. She also hopes the event serves as a sort of educational experience for attendees, giving them an opportunity to learn more

about sexuality, sex work and erotic art as a whole. Artist Dovanna Cleary says that art shows like “Safeword” are very important because they bring topics like sex and sexuality to the forefront, making them less of a taboo. “The more [sex] is out in the general public, the more it’s normalized … the more it’s not scary. The more it’s not wrong. It shouldn’t

be scary. It should be fun,” Cleary said. For artist Rob McBroom, “Safeword” will hopefully also curate a sense of community among attendees. “If people come in and they are squeamish about it, or if they’re dealing with things on their own, they can go and see that they’re not alone,” he said. By showcasing a wide array of erotic art, “Safeword”

will capture the physical side of love this Valentine’s day weekend.

“Safeword: An Erotic Art Show”

7 p.m. to midnight February 14 and 15 A-Mill Underground Museum, 315 SE Main Street, Minneapolis $20 21+

5

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

COLUMN

The great Iowa Caucus of 2020

If the mishaps of the Democratic primaries are any indication of the next four years, maybe every candidate will get to take a turn in the White House.

Caroline Skoog columnist

I

was initially concerned that writing about the Iowa Caucus a week after it took place would be a done-to-death, trivial column by the time it came out. And now it just won’t end. Not to say that the Caucus’ bureaucratic stroke was ‘good for content,’ but the slow hemorrhaging of information really snitched on the fragility of the democratic process. This is what happens when you outsource democracy to a gimmicky start-up app.

It’s like the Iowa Democratic National Convention walked out of a movie 62% of the way through and then tried to write an essay on it. Reporting the results on a rolling basis served as a narrative boost for Pete Buttigieg. The results suddenly froze at an advantageous point in time for Buttigieg, allowing media outlets to create, speculate and publish content alluding to a victory for the former mayor. That is, the unclear political limbo period (which we haven’t left yet), combined with Buttigieg declaring victory before all of the results were reported, gave him undeserved momentum from undecided voters. The Iowa Democratic Party may be wearing pants around their ankles for the most absurd political breakdown, but at least they averted attention from Bernie Sanders’ success. Their incompetence worked to their advantage. Although Buttigieg beat Sanders by a margin of 0.09 percentage points, the Associated Press has refrained from declaring a winner, citing “numerous precinct results that contained errors or were inconsistent with party rules,” for their pause. Notably, the AP found “dozens of precincts reported more final alignment votes than first alignment votes, which is not possible under party rules,” and there were “a handful of precincts in which officials awarded more state delegate equivalents to candidates than there were available to be won.” Taking Sander’s 3.5 percentage point lead in the first alignment, and 1.5 point in the second alignment, I speculate that these errors worked in Buttigieg’s favor. Accordingly, both the Buttigieg and Sanders campaigns formally requested a partial recanvass this weekend.

Sanders supporters undeniably showed up last Monday. And it counted. Sanders won the popular vote, which by ordinary democracy metrics, should mean he won Iowa. The amount of votes Sanders received in the first alignment demonstrates the passion and rigor of his supporters. It’s not a number based on technicalities or bureaucratic loopholes; Sanders’ campaign targeted the satellite caucuses, which allow people who are unable to attend the traditional, 7 p.m. event at their regular precinct caucus location to participate at another approved location and time. Considering the regular caucuses can go on for hours, require standing and are just generally inaccessible, the satellite caucuses represent an amalgam of disenfranchised people. The disability community, lateshift workers, people caring for children or people with language barriers – just some of the people that the satellite caucus accommodates. Which is why Sanders’ undeniable popularity at satellite locations (55.5 state delegate equivalents compared to Buttigieg’s 1.2) is so meaningful. It’s grassroots mobilization at work. This is the excitement that the Iowa Caucuses are notorious for generating, and I hope it has put the electability qualm to bed (goodnight, Joe Biden). This is the first year the Iowa Democratic Party recorded and released numbers from the first and second alignments in the Caucus, as the election is determined by which candidate receives the highest state delegate equivalents (SDEs). When putting the metrics side by side, SDEs versus total votes in each alignment, isn’t it obvious how irrelevant state delegates are? They’re a technicality. Technicalities exist to protect

status-quo. Does the Democratic Party honestly believe that the candidate who won by an obscure formality and the hair on his chin can beat Donald Trump? Sanders left Iowa with a victory regardless of the results of the recanvass. This debacle just further de-legitimizes the institutions that are actively attempting to stifle the movement behind Sanders; the first and second alignment votes also showed that this, electing Sanders, is possible. Exceedingly possible. A political platform stirring this much excitement, inspiration and hope at the grassroots level is a remarkable force, and attempts to suppress this enthusiasm come as no surprise. We remember 2016. That’s why it’s important to celebrate this as a victory, to not let mainstream centrist journalism dictate the trajectory of the Sanders’ campaign, and to keep working at it. This is not over, and last week we got a glimpse at the challenging road ahead. Rest assured, we need to keep rallying.

Caroline Skoog welcomes comments at cskoog@mndaily.com.

COLUMN

Is it always worth standing up for what you believe in? For Senator Mitt Romney, yes it is.

L

Samantha Woodward columnist

ast Wednesday, President Donald Trump was acquitted on two articles of impeachment: obstruction of justice and abuse of power. The vote

for obstruction of justice was split clean, dividing Democrats voting to convict and Republicans voting to acquit. This came as no surprise to those who understand party politics. It’s not likely that politicians would remove someone from power that belongs to their own party. But what did come as a surprise? Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican candidate for the presidency, defied the party he has been loyal to for over 20 years and voted to convict President Trump on abuse of power. Some may see this move as a frivolous rebellion – Romney’s vote was not enough to get the Democrats to the 67 votes to convict that they needed. However, the Utah Senator played a small but important role in how we perceive politicians and the work they do in our government. The 72-year-old former Massachusetts governor took the floor to defend his vote in an emotional attempt to persuade other Republicans to vote to convict the President. Romney, a devout Mormon, used his time in front of his fellow senators to demonstrate his love for his country and the importance of his job being a public servant – “my promise before God to apply impartial justice required that I put my personal feelings and biases aside. Was I to ignore the

evidence that has been presented, and disregard what I believe my oath and the Constitution demands of me for the sake of a partisan end, it would, I fear, expose my character to history’s rebuke and the censure of my own conscience.” Timothy Johnson, a professor of political science and law at the University of Minnesota, finds it “refreshing to see [Romney] put country above party. It’s a statement about the system, institutions shouldn’t be driven by ideology or adherence to party but to the Constitution of the United States.” Romney has since been vilified by his Republican colleagues for his choice to stand against the president. Along with politicians, prior supporters of Romney have reacted in varying ways. Doug Durbano, an attorney from Utah, wrote a letter to the Senator shaming him for his actions and formally asking for the $5,000 he donated to his campaign back. Mitt Romney was aware of the repercussions he would face and continued to do what he thought was right, regardless of what fellow Republicans did to strike back at him. This one simple vote doesn’t change the entire way Mitt Romney goes about his politics. These remarks from politicians and

donors alike will seize their importance as will the demands for Romney to leave office. This one vote against his party will not be his undoing nor will his colleagues hold it against him for the rest of the time. Mitt Romney is setting an example for younger generations in politics and how we must proceed in positions of power with guidance from our moral compasses, not donors or allegiance to political parties. We must do what we believe is correct, not what will benefit a greater institution.

physically is me drunkenly falling onto him while singing Dancing Queen later that night. I don’t know if this moving in together thing is the two of us being ridiculous, him trying to hint that he wants to date me or him maaaaajorly friendzoning me. I know he’s attracted to women, but I’m not sure if he’s attracted to me. Dr. Date, I’m really, really, really into this guy. I want to figure out where we stand, but I don’t know what to do without potentially making it weird. What do I do?!

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.

Dear He’s No Help,

letters@mndaily.com Fax: (612) 435-5865 Phone: (612) 435-1578 Letters and columns to the editor 2221 University Ave. SE Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414

Samantha Woodward welcomes comments at swoodward@mndaily.com.

CARTOON BY ROBERT MCGRADY

Dr. Date,

My boyfriend’s best friend is getting married and chose my boyfriend as his best man. He couldn’t be happier, considering they’ve been friends since the third grade and see each other as brothers. Ever since he was asked a few months ago, he’s been planning, writing speeches and looking up bachelor party ideas. However, I’m worried about the idea that every guy seems to think is required for a “last night of being single” party — the strippers. I don’t want my boyfriend SEEING other women naked, much less being around them! He told me after we started dating that he’s never watched porn, so I know he’d be shocked if he saw a girl in lingerie, much less a stripper dancing to Pony by Ginuwine! But the best man apparently has his heart set on the idea, and my boyfriend doesn’t want to let him down. (Obviously my boyfriend wouldn’t want strippers!) How can I convince him to do something more family-friendly?

–No Spearmint Rhino

Dear No Spearmint Rhino,

Look, do you really think your boyfriend has lived his entire life without once seeing a woman naked? Sex ed? Game of Thrones? Some weird friend in elementary school who wanted to show his entire class the “magazine” under his dad’s bed?

But, I do get your point. Having other naked women near your partner can be cause for some jealousy. Treating the night before a wedding as a “pretend you’re single” night is a little problematic for both best man and groom, but while he should respect your feelings, the bachelor party isn’t about the best man’s girlfriend. There’s not much you can do besides have a conversation about trust. Your boyfriend is with you for a reason — if he really respects you, he won’t throw your whole relationship away because he saw another woman naked.

Dr. Date,

You know what they say: love blossoms during Blarney’s Karaoke Night. When the guy at the bar bought me a Long Island Iced Tea and asked me to sing Mamma Mia with him, I knew that we would end up forced out of the bar and left to drunkenly walk back home. I texted him as soon as he dropped me off, and we’ve been talking ever since. And by talking, I mean contemplating moving to the French Riviera and selling homemade jams. I’m head over heels for him, and he seems pretty serious about me too — we’re constantly together, we text all the time, he crashes at my place every night and we just toured an apartment together for next year. The problem? He’s not my boyfriend. We haven’t had sex. And ... we’ve only known each other for five days. Hell, we haven’t even kissed! The furthest we’ve gone

–He’s No Help

Woah. I mean, regardless of if he likes you romantically or not, you guys might need to slow down on the whole lease thing. The infatuation is real but might wear off by the time you guys move in. Even real couples should seriously consider moving in together — when you two are a “notthing,” this can only end badly. I know it’s awkward, but you’ll have to ask directly to really find out. It sounds like you guys have a connection even if it isn’t romantic, so he probably (hopefully) won’t instantly ditch when you request clarification. You guys have skipped the first six months of friendship; it’s time to DTR. Maybe over Valentine’s Day drinks?

–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

EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.

THE EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPARTMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEWSROOM

4

Sports

SCOREBOARD FEB 10

Women’s Basketball Minnesota: 52 Michigan: 77

UPCOMING FEB 13

Women’s Basketball vs. Ohio 6 p.m.

FEB 14

Softball

vs. Ohklahoma State 10:30 a.m.

Women’s Tennis vs. Drake 2:00 p.m.

Softball

vs. Florida State 5:00 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. Notre Dame 6:00 p.m.

Women’s Tennis vs. USD 6:30 p.m.

Baseball vs. Oregon 8:30 p.m.

FEB 15

Men’s Tennis vs. UCSB 1:00 p.m.

Baseball

vs. Pepperdine 2:00 p.m.

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Powell fills void in starting lineup Jasmine Powell has averaged almost 20 points per game in her last five games. BY BRENDAN O’BRIEN bobrien@mndaily.com After scoring 14 points in 36 minutes in Minnesota’s season-opening loss to Missouri State in early November, senior guard Jasmine Brunson was asked about her willingness to play significant minutes for the Gophers. Brunson said she was not going to complain and was willing to do what it would take to help her team win, especially with it being her final season in the maroon and gold. In the midst of a difficult stretch for the Gophers in the middle of Big Ten play, Brunson continued to fight through the adversity and take her game up a notch while still logging lots of minutes, all in an attempt to help her team win. In her last full six games, Brunson averaged around 35 minutes, 13.7 points and 3.8 assists while shooting 94.1 percent from the free throw line. Her play drew complimentary reviews as head

coach Lindsay Whalen listed many different qualities she liked about Brunson’s game, including her decision-making, intensity and leadership. But since the first half of the Gophers’ doubleovertime win against Rutgers on Feb. 2, Minnesota has been without its senior floor general as Brunson left the game due to injury. While the Gophers were able to seal the victory against Rutgers in her absence, the results have been mixed since. In the rematch against Wisconsin on Feb. 6, Minnesota took care of business in the first half but let the Badgers back in the game during the second half to make it interesting down the stretch. Four days later, the Gophers were blown out against Michigan at home and looked like they really missed Brunson. However, during Brunson’s absence, a bright spot has emerged in freshman guard Jasmine Powell. Powell was expected to step up for the Gophers and has accepted the challenge thus far. Powell’s initial rise started while Brunson was still on the court. She averaged

Gopher forward Jasmine Powell approaches defenders in Williams Arena on Sunday, Feb. 10. The Gophers suffered a defeat against Michigan 52-77. (Liam Armstrong / Minnesota Daily)

19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game in the last five games — her first games as a starter in her collegiate career. In each of those games, Powell led the team in scoring or tied for the lead. Whalen hoped moving Powell into the starting lineup alongside fellow point guard Brunson would create more movement and spacing on the floor. Whalen’s move looked as if it would do

just that until Brunson went down. But Whalen’s faith in Powell has not wavered, and she said earlier this season that Powell is prepared for any challenge thrown her way. As the Gophers move into the final stretch of the season, they will need Powell to continue her stellar play and hope to return Brunson sooner rather than later if they want to make a push into the

NCAA Tournament. As of Tuesday, Feb. 11, ESPN Bracketology projections list Minnesota as one of the first four teams outside the tournament field. “Obviously it’s going to be tough,” Brunson said earlier this season. “It’s going to be hard but we all have to rise to the challenge. It’s the Big Ten, these teams aren’t going to feel sorry for us so we just have to figure it out.”

Men’s Gymnastics vs. Nebraska/Army 4:00 p.m.

WRESTLING

Softball

Underclassmen give Gophers bright future

vs. Virginia Tech 4:00 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. Notre Dame 5:00 p.m.

Wrestling

Six underclassmen compete in each dual, three of which are highly ranked.

FEB 16

BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com

vs. Iowa 8:30 p.m.

Softball

vs. Missouri 8:30 a.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Iowa 12:00 p.m.

Baseball

vs. San Diego 4:30 p.m.

Women’s Gymnastics vs. Nebraska 6:30 p.m.

Source: Gophers Athletics. Times and scores accurate as of time of publication.

The Gophers’ wrestling team knew early on they’d be relying heavily on their underclassmen during the 2019-2020 season. Of the 10 athletes that compete in each dual, six underclassmen — Patrick McKee, Brayton Lee, Ryan Thomas, Bailee O’Reilly, Garrett Joles and Gable Steveson — all regularly appear in the lineup for the Gophers. Together, they have a combined 4719 record in duals and have helped the Gophers to a 9-6 record overall. That’s an impressive feat competing in what head coach Brandon Eggum calls the toughest conference in the country. The young roster quickly had to adapt to the grind of the Big Ten, and have excelled in the process. McKee, Lee and Steveson are all ranked in the top 15 in their respective weight classes, with Steveson taking the top spot among heavyweights, according to InterMat Wrestling. McKee and Lee are having standout freshman

Gophers Sophomore Gable Steveson faces off with his opponent at Maturi Pavilion on Sunday, Feb. 9. The Gophers lost to Penn State 31-10. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)

seasons and it comes as no surprise to redshirt senior Carson Brolsma, who predicted big years for the duo prior to the start of the season. “I think Pat could have a really good year. I think all the freshmen in the lineup ... Brayton Lee, he’s going to be a dog for us. He’s going to be awesome,” Brolsma said in October. “He’s going to be a contender for a national title and All-American status right out of the gate.” As if he had a crystal

ball, Brolsma was right. McKee and Lee have strung together 38 wins for Minnesota, and Lee has proven he’s a contender at the 149-pound weight class, currently ranked No. 7 in the nation. He’s also coming off a wild come-from-behind victory against Penn State’s Jarod Verkleeren in a match he was trailing 3-0 heading into the third period. It was Lee’s second victory in as many weeks where he was down going into the third period.

“[Lee]’s been a leader for the guys and wrestled a really solid season,” Eggum said. “He’s a guy that’s just thinking more about wrestling versus winning and losing. I think that’s just a really good mindset.” Lee, along with Steveson and Thomas, were bright spots for the Gophers in a brutal 31-10 dual loss to the defending national champion Nittany Lions. But despite the loss, the Gophers are poised for a bright future on a team chalked full of freshman

and sophomore talent. Eggum has been impressed with the way his young roster has competed throughout the season. “Bailee O’Reilly’s been another guy that kind of came from nowhere. ... He’s done a great job. Ryan Thomas stepping in now has beat a couple ranked guys,” he said. “Then you look at a guy like Pat McKee who’s had some big wins for us as well. It seems like he’s really started to settle into his own right of being a top contender at 125 pounds.” With six underclassmen regularly starting for Minnesota in duals, the future is bright at Maturi Pavilion. The Gophers aren’t overlooking the present, however, and with the NCAA championships in Minneapolis, they believe they can make a run this year. “I feel like we have the right culture. I know we do the right things, and I know it’s just a matter of time for some of us to start really getting after it every single time we get out there,” Lee said. “I think our team will just keep growing. Yeah, we have a young team and I think our team’s going to be something serious soon. We can do it this year.”

MEN’S HOCKEY

Gophers ready to face Notre Dame after losing winning streak Despite the loss, the Gophers feel they have momentum going forward. BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com After losing to Michigan State on Saturday, and with it their six-game winning streak, the Gophers men’s hockey team isn’t worried about a late-season stumble. They’ve handled the loss well, and it feels more like a bump in the road as they continue to improve, not a sign they’re slipping back into the old habits they showed in beginning of the season. That’s the hope at least. The team returned with a business-like attitude, high-tempo practices and with special attention to quick transition plays ahead of another tough weekend

Gophers Forward Jaxon Nelson follows the puck after a goal attempt at 3M Arena at Marriucci on Friday, Feb. 7. Gophers won against Michigan State 4-1. (Emily Urfer / Minnesota Daily)

of games. “I think we’re in good spirits,” senior captain Tyler Nanne said. “You can’t dwell on the losses, we had something good going there for a few weeks, and we still have a great second half of

the season.” One challenge in facing Notre Dame, the Gophers’ weekend opponent, is the physical differences in Notre Dame’s rink and 3M Arena at Mariucci. Unlike Minnesota’s Olympic-sized

ice sheet, which is 197 feet by 98.4 feet, the Fighting Irish play on an NHL-sized rink, which is significantly more narrow at 200 feet by 85 feet. The smaller rink makes it even tougher to get past Notre Dame’s shut-down style and will most likely force Minnesota to chip more pucks to try and get past the neutral zone trap, said forward Blake McLaughlin. Returning to South Bend, Indiana, where the Gophers’ season came to an end last year in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, is complicated emotionally for McLaughlin. “For me personally, it’s [a] love-hate situation. I lost a great group of seniors the last time I went there, so kinda looking to put it back in their faces for making me lose a couple of my great friends,” he said.

The two teams met once earlier this season in early November. The Gophers came away with a tie and a loss, but head coach Bob Motzko said the focus is less on what Notre Dame is doing or did in its last meeting, but on what the Gophers can work on to improve. Minnesota let in two goals while on the penalty kill last weekend and with Notre Dame scoring 16 goals in their last two series, special teams are something the team has been paying attention to, Motzko said. For Nanne, the team’s response to the loss shows it was just a misstep as they continue to improve themselves in the second half of the season. Practices this week were good, he said, with the team showing up with the right attitude and demonstrating a strong work ethic. Currently in a three-way

tie for second, Minnesota sits just two points behind first place Penn State in the Big Ten standings. Another good weekend is vital for the Gophers as the following week they travel to University Park, Pennsylvania, to play the Nittany Lions. “I think we’ve grown immensely as a team and we’re happy with our progress, but we’re not done yet,” Nanne said.

“I think we’ve grown immensely as a team and we’re happy with our progress, but we’re not done yet.” T YLER NANNE senior captain

7

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Demir provides front court consistency

After a tough start, the grad-transfer is averaging 7.4 points per game. BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com

When senior Alihan Demir transferred to Minnesota, the Gophers did not expect him to become a fixture in the starting lineup. Now, 23 games into the season, Demir has started in all but one. Demir, a native of Ankara, Turkey, began his career playing at the junior college level with Central Wyoming before transferring to Drexel of the Colonial Athletic Association. He played with the Dragons for two seasons and after earning his bachelor’s degree, decided he was ready to take the leap to major college basketball and join Minnesota. “I really liked the coaching staff, and all the facilities were impressive,” Demir said. “I thought it was the right fit.” When the Gophers landed Demir, they believed he was a good fit for the program as well. In 201819, Demir ranked second at Drexel in both scoring average (14.8 points per game) and rebounding (6.4 per game). Minnesota’s coaches anticipated they were getting a contributor in Demir, but they didn’t know how much they would rely on him. When redshirt junior Eric Curry suffered a torn ACL before the season, Demir was thrust into the starting lineup at power forward. “Alihan was a key get for us,” head coach Richard Pitino said. “We weren’t sure with Eric Curry, and we needed a little bit of insurance there. Just because he’s had such bad luck, it was important to get a guy like Alihan.” The transition did not come easy for Demir, who scored 10 points in the

Gophers Forward Alihan Demir attempts a dunk at Williams Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Minnesota defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 75-69. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

season opener but endured a three-game stretch in which he shot 6-25 from the field. Pitino acknowledged that Demir faced challenges adjusting to higher level competition early on but also credits him for steadily improving. “He was really frustrated early,” Pitino said. “Now he’s starting to play really well. The role hasn’t changed — what’s changed is he’s getting comfortable. Now all of a sudden he’s happy all the time, and he’s smiling all the time and that’s great to see.” In late November, Demir began finding his form, scoring in double-figures

three times in a four-game stretch, including a season-high 14 points against DePaul. Then in early January, Demir had three consecutive double-digit scoring games against Big Ten opponents, playing a crucial role with 13 points in a 75-67 victory over Michigan. Averaging 26.6 minutes per game, Demir has provided a consistent presence for a Minnesota front court that has struggled to find scoring from players other than sophomore Daniel Oturu. Demir ranks first among Gopher forwards with 7.4 points per game, a number that represents

CROSSWORD

significant growth from the beginning of the year. “I don’t really know what the problem was,” Demir said about his early season struggles. “It’s just getting better so I have to keep doing whatever I wasn’t doing before.” At 6-foot-9 and 235 pounds, Demir is not the biggest power forward, nor is he the most athletic. However, his technical skill has allowed him to succeed against the powerful forwards he has faced in Big Ten play. “I’d call it like, ‘old man game,’” sophomore Jarvis Omersa said of Demir’s play style. “He’s got nice

post moves, slow buckets. But, that’s different — it changes up the pace. So when you’re playing in the Big Ten, people try to get to things quick but his pace is really good, and I think that’s something he worked on for a while.” One of Demir’s most productive games of the season came against Iowa on Dec. 9. As much of the team struggled offensively in a 72-52 defeat, he scored 13 points on 5-9 shooting including two 3-pointers. The Gophers will hope for a similar output from Demir on Sunday as they host a rematch with the No. 21 Hawkeyes.

SUDOKU

Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved

Last issue’s solution

2/13/20

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk. © 2020 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis. © 2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

“He was really frustrated early. Now he’s starting to play really well. The role hasn’t changed — what’s changed is he’s getting comfortable.” RICHARD PITINO head coach

8

Thursday, February 13, 2020

U implements coronavirus precautions The University is working with state entities to combat the virus spread. BY JIANG LI jli2@mndaily.com

Wendy Gao, a University of Minnesota Chinese international student, struggled to pay her tuition this semester because of the coronavirus outbreak. Her hometown bank was closed and did not reopen until Feb. 9 — seven days after tuition was due. The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the lives of many on the University campus, not just Gao. Many students attend classes bearing face masks, and the University has suspended all Chinese study abroad programs. In response to the worries and inconveniences from the epidemic, the University is working with state entities to combat the situation. International Student and Scholar Services is providing some Chinese international students with tuition and travel accommodations in response to the outbreak. The University currently has no patients under investigation or confirmed coronavirus cases. There are currently more than 3,000 Chinese international students attending the University, according to the Star Tribune. The chances of having a confirmed coronavirus case on any of the University’s five campuses is relatively low, according to Dave Golden, director of public

health and communications at Boynton Health. In case an outbreak does occur, the University has prepared two isolation rooms. In case of potential virus outbreaks, the University has a plan that is reviewed each year that faculty and staff regularly rehearse for preparation, Golden said. All measures the University has taken so far follow procedures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he added. “A lot of people can be self-isolated at home,” Golden said. “That is the general recommendation that people are getting. If that is not possible, we will try to figure something out for that student.” ISSS has been working to help students who have been affected by the outbreak, like cooperating with One Stop Student Services and communicating with individuals to create plans for extending the tuition deadlines if needed. Chinese international scholars and students with a J-1 visa, or those who come to the U.S. through cultural and educational exchange opportunities, cannot leave the United States. “This is complicated and so much is evolving,” said Barbara Kappler, ISSS director and assistant dean. “ISSS is making sure units on campus are aware of these situations and are encouraging accommodation as possible.” ISSS sent an email to University Chinese scholars, professionals and students in Chinese expressing condolences about how the virus was affecting them.

“We know from the bottom of our hearts that it must be difficult for you guys studying in a totally different continent while also keeping an eye on the epidemic,” the email reads. “We also know that for some of you, your family and friends are isolated and we’re so sorry about that and the coronavirus outbreak also casts a shadow over the Spring Festival, for which you guys should have been celebrating.”

The University’s Health Emergency Response Office has been working closely with the Minnesota Department of Health, providing information and communicating with students and staff about coronavirus updates. The COVID-19, the coronavirus’ official name given by the CDC, broke out at the end last year in Wuhan, a city in the Hubei province in central China. As of Wednesday, it has resulted

in over 45,000 confirmed cases in China and more than 1,100 deaths worldwide, according to the New York Times. There are 12 confirmed cases in the U.S., and Wisconsin confirmed its first case earlier this month. “Fear is understandable as there has been so much media attention, and this is new and unknown,” Keppler said. “But we don’t have to act on fears.” Golden said it is unfortu-

nate that the big outbreak in a certain country, which makes the public think it is the fault of people from certain places. Boynton Health has received concerns from students about their fellows as well as the potential of infecting others. “We really appreciate it that the overall University support and those offices to be able to do this kind of planning and rather than just waiting for it happens,” Golden said.

Illustration by Hailee Schievelbein / Minnesota Daily

Biomedical Library to get a new home The new library will encourage collaboration among medical fields. BY HANA IKRAMUDDIN hikramuddin@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota’s Biomedical Library, currently located inside Diehl Hall, is set to be relocated this summer to a newly constructed building. The library, to be renamed the Health Sciences Library, as well as the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine, will both occupy the new Health Sciences Education Center. The libraries are meant to encourage learning between medical professions through large group and communal spaces. Both will open on July 1. “The focus is for it to be inter-professional because that’s the way in which health care providers actually practice,” said

Margaret Moreland, Ann K Pham, Mattea Schubert and Claire Kelley work on a group project in the Biomedical Library on Monday, Feb. 10. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

Janice Jaguszewski, the director of the Health Sciences Libraries. “These different professions work together in a holistic way to support the patient. But we aren’t teaching that

way [currently].” The library is intended to create active learning experiences for both faculty and students. The Faculty Commons, which is meant to be an educational

space for faculty, is also a place to share perspectives between professors in different departments. The new library will also be equipped with a data visualization center and

video-making studios, which were a feature of the old library but are planned to be expanded upon within the new building. “We are going to try to have programming that draws in expertise from different disciplines,” said Jonathan Koffel, the library’s emerging technology and innovation strategist. Koffel referred to “makerspaces” which are studios that include virtual reality headsets, allowing medical trainees from any background to practice simulations before applying what they have learned to realworld situations. “We really re-envisioned the ways in which this library will be embedded in the curriculum. It will be an anchor in the new building. So people will be moving through our spaces, [and] we will be able to move into the classrooms,” Jaguszewski said. Most print collections are not intended to move with the library to its new

location. Instead, the University will make most content available through online versions, while handing out the print versions upon special requests. According to Jaguszewski, the former library space will act as a storage facility. While the two libraries in the Health Sciences Education Center will not be combined, the spaces between them will be connected, allowing for greater flow and collaboration without confusing the missions between the libraries, Jaguszewski said. First-year student Sahara Isse, who regularly studies at the Biomedical Library, said it might take time to adjust to the new library and its different layout. “[The library will be] the common good; we’re where everybody comes together, all the disciplines come together, and we can bring everyone together to help solve it,” Jaguszewski said.

Efforts increase to engage students with the 2020 census Students are often among the least likely to respond to the census. BY JESSICA TOLEDO jtoledo@mndaily.com

With the upcoming census approaching, efforts are ramping up to make sure students are being counted. College students are one of the biggest populations in Minnesota unlikely to respond, making them more likely to be missed in the 2020 census count. Census employees and University staff are taking extra steps to inform students about what the census is all about. Some students tend to not self-respond out of fear and lack of education about the census, said Andrew Virden, census operations and engagement director for the Minnesota State Demographic Center.

“There’s a misperception or misconception on behalf of people to say, if we put down how many people actually stay here, as opposed to the number there on the lease, maybe our landlord will find out and we’ll get evicted. The answer to that is, you won’t,” he said. Virden said this issue is common among college students, who are more likely to house more people in one home than allowed on a lease. Another reason for lack of participation is that students may think only U.S. citizens are counted. Peter Hartono, an international student, said he does not know anything about the census, because he has only been living in the United States for three months. He said he would participate in the census if he knew more about it. “[B]eing counted in the census is literally for

everyone. That counts for non-citizens, ... students who are studying in the United States like this is their study abroad, they should be counted here,” Virden said. While the census count does not start until April 1, recruiting efforts are already underway. “[College students] are going to be one of the first populations that we’re going to go ahead and focus on,” Daniel Crawford, a recruiting assistant for the 2020 census, said of the process. “We know that there’s a time crunch with students in [University] housing — that they’re going to be leaving for the summer, many of them will be, so we’re trying to get out there and get the message out.” Another challenge people like Crawford are trying to address is informing students what the census even is.

Illustration by Sarah Mai / Minnesota Daily

“I don’t really know much about it, but I know it has to do with counting people in the U.S.,” said. University student Ifrah Noor. Along with efforts from census workers, University libraries are also working to educate students on census-related matters and pushing for more

civic engagement. Alicia Kubas, University government publications and data librarian, is part of a team trying to help provide students with materials and information regarding the census and how to navigate the process. “I think we’re going

to have to try to reach students where they are, whether that’s like social media. We’re hoping to have some bookmark that we can put in books that we’re checking out that will have some of the highlights of what to understand about the census,” Kubas said.