COMMITTEE TO REVIEW LIB ED REQUIREMENTS PAGE 2 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019
EARLY WEEK
THE REDESIGN IS EXPECTED TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN 2020
MNDAILY.COM
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
UMN clinches conference title
FOOTBALL
First court appearance for lawsuit The nine Gophers players sued UMN for discrimination in a sexual assault investigation. BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com
JACK RODGERS, DAILY
Goaltender Sydney Scobee smiles from the bench at Ridder Arena on Saturday, Feb. 2.
The Gophers swept Bemidji State with a 6-3 victory on Friday and 4-3 win Saturday. BY ERIK NELSON enelson2@mndaily.com
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season championship trophy is heading back to Minneapolis. For the first time since the 2014-15 season, and for the 10th time in program history, the Gophers are WCHA regular season champions. No. 2 Minnesota (294-1, 19-4-1-0) defeated Bemidji State (1319-2, 10-12-2-0) 6-3 on Friday and 4-3 on Saturday at Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minnesota. To win the trophy, the Gophers needed victories in both games against Bemidji State and needed Ohio State to
keep rival Wisconsin from winning. That scenario came to be. The No. 1 Badgers tied with No. 10 Ohio State 2-2 on Saturday to secure Minnesota’s title. Goaltender Sydney Scobee made 25 saves on Saturday and won her 11th game of the season. Right winger Grace Zumwinkle, left winger Emily Oden, center Taylor Heise and right winger Amy Potomak scored for Minnesota. Head coach Brad Frost said the Gophers were up to the challenge against the Beavers. “[The Beavers] are tough to play against,” Frost said. “For us to score 10 on the weekend was beneficial.” After the game, the Gophers’ eyes were on Scobee’s phone, which was streaming the game between the Buckeyes and the Badgers at LaBahn Arena in Madison, Wisconsin. When neither team could score in overtime, the Gophers erupted in cheers and hugged one another.
RESULTS
FRIDAY Bemidji State Minnesota
SATURDAY Bemidji State Minnesota
1 2 3
2 0 2
3 1 1
FINAL 3 6
1 1 1
2 0 2
3 2 1
FINAL 3 4
SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM Center and team captain Kelly Pannek said this weekend was exciting for her and everyone else on the team. “It’s the first [time] for a lot of people on the team,” Pannek said. “The last time we won the regular season championship was my freshman year. It’s something we take a lot of pride in. It was an u See HOCKEY Page 4
FACULTY
No academic breach found in UMN fellowship Committee found no academic freedom violations in delayed women’s health fellowship. BY JAKE STEINBERG jsteinberg@mndaily.com
The power gap between graduate and professional students and professors puts students in a vulnerable position and makes it difficult to report, according to discussion at the town hall. For graduate students, retaliation could be detrimental to their careers
A University Senate committee has determined the University of Minnesota’s decision to delay a controversial reproductive health fellowship did not violate academic freedom. The committee also criticized the University’s process and several members said administration should have consulted them first. The fellowship, funded by the Reproductive Health Access Project, would have placed a fellow at a community care clinic for a year, where they would have been trained in reproductive health care — including performing abortions. The University removed the fellowship from its website last May following backlash from anti-abortion lawmakers and conservative media. In September, the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee began questioning whether this constituted a breach of academic freedom. Board of Regents policy describes academic freedom as “the freedom, without institutional discipline or restraint … to explore all avenues of scholarship, research and creative expression.” Following a Nov. 2 meeting that was closed at the request of University President Eric Kaler and Medical School Dean Jakub Tolar, the committee concluded there was no breach of academic freedom. Because the meeting was closed, committee members couldn’t speak to specifics about the University’s decision-making process. “People directly involved were given funding or assignments to continue research or educational directives,” said committee chair Jessica Larson in an email to the Minnesota Daily. Larson said the University still trains physicians in reproductive health care. This includes training for abortions, which is required to maintain an accredited
u See GRAD STUDENTS Page 3
u See FELLOWSHIP Page 3
Grad, professional students discuss sexual misconduct Power imbalances between graduates and faculty can lead to sexual misconduct. BY KAIT ECKER kecker@mndaily.com
JACK RODGERS, DAILY
Tina Marisam, director of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action at the University, speaks at a town hall on Tuesday, Feb. 19. Professional Student Government and the Council of Graduate Students held the meeting to discuss concerns about sexual misconduct on campus.
professional students experiencing sexual misconduct from their professors or advisers. “The reality is [sexual misconduct has] always been creepy,” said Katie Eichele, director of the Aurora Center. “It’s never been fine. We just have people who are tired and are willing to actually say ‘stop it.’”
u See LAWSUIT Page 4
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
STUDENT LIFE
University of Minnesota graduate and professional students recently discussed the power imbalance between graduate and professional students and faculty members that sometimes leads to sexual misconduct. At Tuesday’s town hall, graduate and professional students addressed a new referendum, concerns of retaliation upon reporting, culture change and details of the University’s system for addressing sexual misconduct. The Council of Graduate Students and the Professional Student Government held the meeting to clarify the sexual misconduct reporting process, answer questions specific to graduate students and raise awareness about resources. In 2017, the University’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action investigated complaints of sexual misconduct made against Gianluigi Veglia, a tenured biochemistry professor, and Randy Handel, the associate athletic director. The EOAA concluded that both Veglia and Handel had violated the University’s sexual harassment policy. On the heels of these findings, the University established the President’s Initiative to Prevent Sexual Misconduct in 2017. These cases sparked concern and drew attention to the problem of graduate and
Representatives for nine Gopher football players allegedly involved in a 2016 sexual assault case appeared in court Friday to present a discrimination case against the University of Minnesota. Lawyers for both the players and the University appeared in U.S. District Court Friday morning after the University filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit of nine former and current football players. The players, all of whom are black, are suing the University for discrimination, claiming they were unfairly targeted in the 2016 investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a female student, according to federal court documents. The alleged sexual assault of the unnamed victim took place in fall 2016 and resulted in the suspension of ten Gopher football players. Although no criminal charges were filed, four players were ultimately disciplined after a hearing by the University’s Student Sexual Misconduct Subcommittee and an appeal to the Provost. The lawsuit claims the investigation
STATE GOVT.
Minnesota lawmakers look to tighten restrictions on vaping in public locations The bill would prohibit vaping in some public places, but some say it would be ineffective. BY ERIN WILSON ewilson@mndaily.com
Minnesota may ban vaping in places where smoking cigarettes is illegal if a bill heard at a House committee earlier this month passes through the legislature. Chief author Rep. Laurie Halverson, DFL-Eagan, presented the bill to the House health and human services committee
meeting on Feb. 12. The legislation would broaden the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act to include vaping in its definition of smoking, which means using vape products would be prohibited in areas like public transportation, places of employment, public schools and government buildings. Halverson said she brought the bill forward in an effort to limit youth smoking. “We bring these bills forward today to make sure that Minnesota maintains its status as a leader in health and a leader in preventing youth from starting to smoke,” Halverson said. Some University of Minnesota students
who use vape products said while they understand the motivation behind the bill, these efforts would be difficult to enforce. “I can vape in class. You can do it anywhere. … If I hold it in long enough, the vapor will evaporate in my lungs … and then I exhale nothing,” said Cormac, a University sophomore who uses a Juul vape product. “So, like, you can make it illegal, but for more discreet vapes, it’s not going to do anything.” Because of age restrictions on vape products in Minneapolis, Cormac requested to be identified only by his first name. University sophomore Ian, who also
requested to be identified only by first name, also uses a Juul. He said while the University already bans vaping on campus, the prohibition is not effective. “I don’t even know how you would [enforce it], there’s just too many people doing it. Especially like outside on campus. … You could even see people smoking cigarettes too. Nothing happens,” he said. Ian said vaping has led to more young people developing nicotine addictions. “Especially like because I think it’s ... kind of like a chain, like you’re addicted to u See VAPE Page 3
VOLUME 119 ISSUE 41
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UMN looks to reconfigure lib eds “We’re really hoping to get students to be more conscious about the choices they’re making and thinking about ‘what does it mean and what am I going to get out of this?” SALLY GREGORY KOHLSTEDT College of Science and Engineering professor
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The committee is hoping to eliminate “double-dipping” to meet requirements. BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com
The University of Minnesota’s liberal education requirements have been in place for two decades. Now, a University committee is moving forward with overhauling the curriculum, aiming to simplify and clarify the collection of courses mandated for every student on the Twin Cities campus. The Liberal Education Redesign Committee has amped up conversations, meeting with members of the Faculty Consultative Committee last week. The redesign is expected to go into place by the 2020 academic year.
Although a finalized framework has not been made public, the redesign looks to bring requirements up to date and refocus students’ attention on learning. It would also cut down on the common practice of “double-dipping,” taking one course that meets multiple requirements. College of Science and Engineering professor Sally Gregory Kohlstedt, chair of the redesign committee, said the 20-member group is working to make requirements “simple, linear and much more transparent about our goals.” Kohlstedt said that students too often focus on the easiest path to complete requirements. The new liberal education curriculum hopes to change that. “Instead of saying, ‘what do I want to learn,’ people are saying, ‘how do I meet these basics so I can get on to my
major,’” she said. “We’re really hoping to get students to be more conscious about the choices they’re making and thinking about ‘what does it mean and what am I going to get out of this?’” Under the current curriculum, students can must take around 27 to 39 credits to satisfy the requirements, depending on how many courses they double-dip. The new requirements will likely be around 30 credits in total, according to Kohlstedt. Kohlstedt said that liberal education curriculum, which has been in place since 1994, with only a slight modification in the mid-2000s, is in need of modernization. “What we have is pretty good,” she said. “But we really want to update it and see if we can configure it in such a way that when you take a course, it has a purpose and you know what that purpose is.”
The current liberal education curriculum is split into three parts. All students, regardless of major, must take seven diversified core courses, ranging from arts and humanities to physical sciences; at least four themes, such as civic life and ethics or the environment and four writing intensives. “It’s basically a model that includes what’s called a diversified core that gets at the ways of knowing at the University: epistemology,” said Robert McMaster, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education, at a Board of Regents meeting in December. “And then the designated themes that bring relevance with these topics to society.” Under the current system, students are allowed to double-dip, McMaster said, by taking one course that counts for both a designated core and a theme.
The new framework will keep a three-category structure, requiring a mix of courses that meet disciplinary, thematic and fundamental inquiries while eliminate double-dipping, Kohlstedt said. Going forward, Kohlstedt said the committee will continue consulting with University members. She hopes to bring a revamped framework to a vote in the Faculty Senate by the end of the semester and implement the new system in fall 2020. Kohlstedt said the curriculum is ultimately a “faculty decision.” Amy Pittenger, chair of the Faculty Consultative Committee, said she hopes to have the chance to provide more input in the coming months. “I think it’s important for them to get it right,” she said. “And if it’s not done by then, they should keep working on it.” Though the framework is not finalized, Pittenger said it’s an important issue for faculty. “Certainly faculty are acutely interested in whatever its going to be,” she said.
“It’s basically a model that includes what’s called a diversified core that gets at the ways of knowing at the University: epistemology.” ROBERT MCMASTER vice provost and dean of undergraduate education
MSA looks to increase student data privacy The resolution seeks to initially secure information from the public. BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com
The Minnesota Student Association is looking to increase student privacy by reducing the amount of data the University of Minnesota makes available online. The University’s online student information database hosts students’ information, often without their realization of how much is online. This has raised concerns among MSA members, who passed a resolution this December suggesting the University apply certain changes to the current system. MSA is advocating for personal information, such as home addresses and phone numbers, to be excluded from the database unless the student opts to have the information added to the database. The current default of the database includes a student’s name, x500, phone number,
email address and home address, among other enrollment information. These changes would better support student privacy. University second-year student Sina Roughani brought the issue of student information privacy to the attention of MSA members last year when he presented during an MSA forum meeting. He did extensive research and testing of the online system to discover how easily accessible student information is. Roughani said he spent much of his freshman year looking into the pitfalls of this system and advocating for its change. “I was living [in] the dorms at the time, so this was my talking point to a lot of people. I would go around the dining hall and just tell them ‘hey, did you know that your personal information is [online]?’” he said. Roughani found many issues with the current system, such as the ability for student home addresses to be found with a Google search. He presented his findings to both MSA and University
President Eric Kaler. There is a video on the University’s One Stop Student Services’ website outlining how to remove information from the database. An email also goes out at the beginning of the school year informing students of the information that is online. However, these resources often get overlooked by students, said Austin Kraft, a MSA representative to the Board of Regents. According to the resolution passed in December, approximately 18 percent of University of Minnesota Twin Cities students suppressed data in 2017. Kraft said this information could be overlooked by students because of the mass amount of emails that get sent out to their University accounts. MSA At-Large Representative Kate Kuehl said that having student information online, specifically physical addresses, can be a huge issue, especially when it comes to victims of stalking or sexual violence. Kuehl said she uses pro-
gramming and computer science knowledge to help survivors of sexual assault evaluate their online presence and educate them about what information is included on the database. “I had run into survivors that had their address on there and didn’t even know it,” Kuehl said. “It was a concern within the community, especially [for] people facing sexual harassment or stalking, things like that. It shouldn’t be default that your information is out there.” In addition, international students are also affected by the current Universityimplemented system. Apostolos Kotsolis, MSA at-large representative, said international students on F1 visas in particular are required to be diligent about updating their physical addresses on the database because of immigration laws. “If you are an international student and you don’t keep that information up to date, that’s an immigration violation,” Kotsolis said. Companies can also take
advantage of the information listed on the student database, Kuehl said. “When your information is out there, they can send you whatever and it’s not vetted by anybody,” Kuehl said. “I think they take advantage of people.” Despite some of these issues, the University has been a leading force when it comes to institutionalizing student information privacy, Kraft said. “If you’re a student and you don’t feel that your information is secure, how does that affect your feeling of connection to the campus, your feeling of trust?” Kraft said.
“When your information is out there, they can send you whatever and it’s not vetted by anybody.” KATE KUEHL MSA at-large representative
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Monday, February 25, 2019
Grad students u from Page 1
if it means losing authorship on a study or paper, being badmouthed in the professional community, losing funding or not getting a recommendation letter. As a way of addressing sexual misconduct, COGS voted to put a referendum on the All-Campus Election ballot. “Should tenured faculty be held to the same standard as non-tenured faculty and staff when accused of sexual misconduct involving a student?” the referendum question reads. After the town hall, COGS achieved the 400 signature threshold. The question will be on the ballot for the March 11-15 voting period. “We think this is the most powerful tool to get the attention of the members of the University’s communities,” Sean Chen, president of COGS said. “We hope that this question on the referendum can give students a platform to speak up to vote ‘yes’ to this question, so that it can present the seriousness of this problem to a wider University community.” Although tenured and tenured-track faculty go through essentially the same process when faced with a complaint of sexual misconduct as nontenured faculty and staff, the reality is a little more nuanced, according to discussion at the town hall. Non-tenured faculty and staff have the possibility of not having their contracts renewed, but tenured professors don’t need to worry about this, Chen said. “Tenure system overall is good in theory. It’s to protect faculty members’ academic
Vape u from Page 1
the Juul, and then … your friend doesn’t have one, he’s not addicted to nicotine,” Ian said. “He tries it and he’s like, ‘Oh, this is pretty nice,’ because the initial reaction ... the first time you hit a Juul, you feel it’s just a nice buzz, you know, just like any nicotine product really.” When the Freedom to Breathe Act prohibited smoking in places of employment and public transportation passed in 2007, lawmakers didn’t anticipate the current popularity of vaping, Emily Myatt, Minnesota grassroots manager for the American Cancer Society Cancer Ac t i o n N e t w o rk , t o l d the committee. Sarah Johnston, a
Fellowship u from Page 1
obstetrics and gynecology program in the United States. Therefore, the University wasn’t restraining an avenue of scholarship in delaying this particular fellowship. “We were still able to achieve our academic and research expectations and goals in line with our mission by not doing the fellowship,” said Medical School communications and marketing director Naomi McDonald. McDonald said the
JACK RODGERS, DAILY
Director of the Aurora Center Katie Eichele speaks on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at a town hall by the University’s Professional Student Government and Council of Graduate Students. The meeting was held to discuss concerns about sexual misconduct on campus.
freedom so they can conduct cutting edge research without fear,” Chen said. “I think most of the tenured faculty members are wonderful mentors, are experts in the fields; however, the overall structure of the tenure does in a few cases protect faculty members from sexual misconduct, from giving them sanctions.” After experiencing sexual assault, approximately half of graduate students told someone, compared to
approximately 61 percent of undergraduate students, according to the 2018 College Student Health Survey. “You can’t talk about sexual harassment, especially in a graduate student context, without also talking about retaliation. We know that for many graduate students, especially if they’re experiencing sexual harassment from their adviser or another key faculty member, it could put them in a situation of great vulnerability to report
sexual harassment,” said Tina Marisam, director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action and Title IX coordinator. The values of transparency, accountability, representation and privacy must all be considered while navigating within the confines of the law, Marisam said. The town hall panelists said reporting to the EOAA is not a completely confidential service, but that reporting to the Aurora Center is.
shift lead supervisor at Hideaway smoke shop in Dinkytown, said the legislation would not affect demand of vape products. “I don’t really think [it would affect business] because people are still going to vape regardless,” Johnston said. “I think multiple people that we sell vape products to mostly are probably using it outside and maybe within their own residence.” Halverson said the bill has broad bipartisan support, similar to other efforts to prevent youth smoking. “It’s absolutely, ... vitally important that we don’t normalize the use of e-cigarettes and that we make sure every Minnesotan has access to clean indoor air,” she said. The bill was re-referred to a House commerce committee meeting on Tuesday.
Medical School is still examining the “value” of the fellowship. “We reserve the right to do it if we feel like the time is right and the opportunity is right and it’s in line with our mission,” she said. However, some committee members felt the University should have asked them before deciding to delay the fellowship. “The purpose of having a consultative faculty governance process is for them to consult,” said committee member Jerry Cohen. “It’s not that we think that they did anything wrong. It would
Changing campus culture will also be imperative when it comes to prevention of sexual misconduct, said Karen Miksch, co-chair of the President’s Initiative to Prevent Sexual Misconduct. “We know [that] to really bring about culture change there needs to be embedded in our value system this idea that sexual violence, racism, sexism [and] other forms of discrimination and harassment are not acceptable,” said Miksch.
People who would normally engage in sexual misconduct won’t do so if they’re in an environment where they will be held accountable, Eichele said. After students vote on the referendum, COGS will bring forward a resolution to propose policy changes, Chen said. It will go through a voting process within COGS before going forward to the Board of Regents. “We all need to be prepared for someone to need us and tell us their story,” Miksch said.
HAILEE SCHIEVELBEIN, DAILY
be better in these cases to engage faculty earlier in the process.” According to a statement being drafted by the committee, the appearance of impropriety could have been avoided if the Medical School and administration had broadened the discussion before making its decision. “The absence of soliciting broad consultation may provoke an unnecessary chilling effect and lead to the mistaken belief that political or social pressure has been used to stifle research,” the draft statement says.
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Rep. Schiff warns of subpoenas and lawsuit over Mueller report BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A top House Democrat threatened on Sunday to call special counsel Robert Mueller to Capitol Hill, subpoena documents and sue the Trump administration if the full report on Mueller’s Russia investigation is not made public. Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said his committee will keep close watch on new Attorney General William Barr to see if he were “to try to bury any part of this report.” Schiff, D-Calif., also pledged to “take it to court if necessary.” He said anything less than complete disclosure would leave Barr, who now oversees the investigation, with
“a tarnished legacy.” Schiff’s comments come as Democrats have made it clear that they are ready for an aggressive, public fight with the Justice Department if they are not satisfied with the level of access they have to Mueller’s findings. Mueller is showing signs of wrapping up his nearly 2-year-old investigation into possible coordination between Trump associates and Russia’s efforts to sway the 2016 election. The report isn’t expected to be delivered to the Justice Department this coming week. Barr has said he wants to release as much information as he can. But during his confirmation hearing last month, Barr made clear that he will decide what the
public sees, and that any report will be in his words, not Mueller’s. Schiff, in a television interview, suggested that anything short of Mueller’s full report would not satisfy Democrats. He pointed to a public interest in seeing some of the underlying evidence, such as information gathered from searches conducted on longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone and Paul Manafort, a former Trump campaign chairman. With Democrats taking control of the House in January and Schiff now the committee chairman, he has undertaken his own investigation. That means re-examining issues covered by a now-closed GOP probe that concluded there was no evidence Trump’s campaign conspired with Russia.
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Sports
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WOMEN’S HOCKEY
Hockey u from Page 1
awesome moment for our team to be able to celebrate that together.”
Pannek on the offensive
DAILY FILE PHOTO
Members of the women’s hockey team celebrate after a goal on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at Ridder Arena.
FOOTBALL
Exactly one year after winning gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, Pannek commemorated the milestone by scoring a hat trick. Pannek scored her 12th, 13th and 14th goals of the season as Minnesota defeated Bemidji State 6-3 on Friday. Goaltender Alex Gulstene made 29 saves, winning her 18th game of the season. Pannek said being in the right place at the right time contributed to her offensive outburst on Friday. “I got some great setups from my linemates and the people I was on the ice with,” she said. “I was due for a good weekend like that. It’s sticking with it all and trusting that the puck will go in eventually and sticking with that philosophy.” Frost reunited the “Pots and Pan” line of Pannek, Amy Potomak and Sarah Potomak this weekend. The
trio combined to score five goals and 11 points in two games against the Beavers. Amy Potomak said her line communicated well and tried to keep plays simple. “When you’re playing with skilled players, it can be easy to over-complicate things and try to make pretty plays,” she said. “Keeping it simple, for us, was key.” Minnesota will have a week off before facing the lowest-ranked semifinalist in the first WCHA Final Faceoff semifinal on March 9 at Ridder Arena. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 2:07 p.m. Frost said winning the WCHA regular season title is a testament to Minnesota’s consistency. The Gophers lost only four times, three of which came in one-goal games. “It’s one of the hardest titles to win because it’s over a long period of time,” he said. “Our team has been consistent. We haven’t given any games away this year. All of our losses were against top-10 opponents. The consistency that our team came out and played with each night speaks volumes to this championship.”
MEN’S HOCKEY
Gophers earn ‘hard fought’ victory to split series with Fighting Irish Minnesota earned a victory Saturday and split the series with Notre Dame. BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com DAILY FILE PHOTO
The Gophers won 38-31 with a late touchdown by wide receiver Rashod Bateman on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 at TCF Bank Stadium.
Lawsuit u from Page 1
by University’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action was colored by bias against the players’ race and gender. The players believe the investigation conclusion was predetermined, ignoring their right to due process, the documents state. “Because of Plaintiffs’ gender, and to support an archaic assumption that male football players had a propensity for sexual misconduct against women, the EOAA investigators deprived Plaintiffs of the fair and impartial investigation to which they were entitled under the U.S. Constitution and University policies and procedures,” the civil complaint said. The complaint states the University did not handle past sexual assault and harassment allegations against white male athletic officials with the same bias. The University paid nearly $300,000 in settlements in the case of former Athletics Director Norwood Teague, who resigned in Aug. 2015. The nine players’ attorney David Madgett said in court Friday that University President Eric Kaler and EOAA Director Tina Marisam used the situation to demonstrate efforts to discipline such behavior in the athletic department, according to a report by the Pioneer
Press. Madgett referred to a 2015 email by then-EEOA Director Kim Hewitt about a “potential pattern” of sexual misconduct among football players. He said players were targeted in the University’s effort to improve that image, according to the report. “The University and administrators at its highest levels, including University President Eric Kaler, were complicit in victimizing Plaintiffs by utilizing the EOAA’s overzealous and discriminatory investigation in order to deflect criticism the University was facing for having previously turned a blind eye to charges of sexual harassment by white men in the University Athletics Department,” the lawsuit reads. According the University’s Associate General Counsel Carrie Ryan Gallia, the six players who were not found responsible for sexual misconduct during the school’s investigation fail to demonstrate discrimination in the process. Gallia said the expelled players’ decision not to appeal to the state court system also invalidates the lawsuit’s claims of due process violations, according to the Pioneer Press report. The players are seeking a lift on the four players’ expulsions with expunged records and compensatory damages. After hearing the oral arguments, the judge did not determine when he would rule on the motion.
Playing in their final conference game of the season, the Gophers were in desperate need of a victory. They were playing to keep alive their hopes of attaining home-ice advantage in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. With its back against the wall, Minnesota (14-15-4, 11-103-0 Big Ten) defeated No. 16 Notre Dame (17-12-3, 1010-2-2 Big Ten). The team clung to a one-goal margin, earning a series split with a 2-1 victory. “It was a hard-fought hockey game,” said head coach Bob Motzko.”We scored two goals on the down-low play, we had an attack tonight. [Junior goaltender Mat Robson] was strong when we needed him. We needed a bounce-back night and we got it.” Just like the series-opening defeat on Friday night, Minnesota got off to a strong start. Junior Tyler Nanne put the Gophers in front with a first-period goal off a nice feed from junior Rem Pitlick. “[Pitlick] likes to find me in the slot,” Nanne said. “I passed to him yesterday and it didn’t connect. We made sure it connected tonight.” Momentum shifted after senior Tyler Sheehy took a penalty for interference with 8:18 remaining in the first period. Though Notre Dame didn’t score, it controlled the run of play until the first intermission. The Fighting Irish continued to put pressure on Minnesota in the early stages of the second period, culminating in an equalizing goal just under five minutes in.
TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY
Junior Tyler Nanne celebrates after his goal in the first period on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
MEN’S HOCKEY RESULTS
SATURDAY Notre Dame Minnesota
1 0 1
2 1 1
3 0 0
FINAL 1 2
SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM
The score remained tied for less than five minutes before sophomore Scott Reedy beat the Notre Dame goaltender, junior Cale Morris, top-shelf to give the Gophers a 2-1 advantage. On the play, the Gophers battled on the forecheck and freshman Garrett Wait found Reedy, who made the most of his second chance. “I saw one of our guys in there battling for the puck,” Wait said. “Then I saw [Notre Dame] had pinned it against the wall, so I pinned him against the wall trying to steal the puck from under his skate. I saw Reedy open in the slot and I found him.” The difference remained a single goal throughout the rest of the game. Things got so tense within the early
stages of the third period, though, that one particular body check on Gophers forward Brannon McManus shattered the glass in front of the penalty box. With their net empty in the final minutes, the Fighting Irish sent a barrage of shots toward Robson, who answered the bell every time. Despite multiple deflections and scrambles in front, the puck never crossed the goal line. “It’s more fun to see the guys selling out in front of me,” Robson said. “Our defense made a few saves there at the end, helped me out. Obviously to pull it off was like a cherry on top of the cake. It was fun.” While the Gophers forwards weren’t able to work many pucks to the net, totaling just 17 shots on goal, Motzko credited his front line for taking pressure off the defenders. He said they controlled possession in the Notre Dame zone for long stretches. “We needed to hold a
team down to zero, one or two [goals],” Motzko said. “What really helped is we weren’t in our zone all the time. We could breathe a little bit.” Since the rest of the Big Ten has conference games next weekend, Minnesota can only wait to see who it will play in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. Meanwhile, the Gophers will host No. 11 Arizona State in their final regular season series.
“We needed to hold a team down to zero, one or two [goals]. What really helped is we weren’t in our zone all the time. We could breathe a little bit.” BOB MOTZKO Gophers head coach
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Minnesota has had highs and lows since non-conference play ended The Gophers began conference play with a 2-7 record but have improved to 8-8. BY BABATUNDE JINADU bjinadu@mndaily.com
At one point, the Gophers women’s basketball team was ranked as the No. 14 team in the country — then the Big Ten conference play began, and the team lost seven of nine games. The team struggled early to adjust to the heightened
level of competition in the Big Ten. “It was like night and day. With talent, we were able to win a lot of games covering up mistakes,” said head coach Lindsay Whalen. “Then, early in the Big Ten, we really got exposed.” Minnesota started off the year undefeated through 12 games. That streak was good enough to tie for the thirdlongest winning streak in program history. In the end, after a 12-0 start, the team has a 19-8 record overall, and a 8-8 conference
season record. “The start was not really how we wanted to start Big Ten, but I think we all just stuck together,” said junior Destiny Pitts. “As a team, I think we struggled at first, but then we kind of found our own rhythm and got it together.” As of Feb. 24, the 11 teams that Minnesota played during its non-conference season have a combined record of 93 wins and 183 losses. Only three of the 11 teams have won more than 10 games, and two of the 11 teams have won a total of five games combined.
The lone challenge for the Gophers during the non-conference stretch came when the team took on the No. 12 Syracuse in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. “It was a big adjustment, I felt like the game against Syracuse was as much competition as we would face in the Big Ten,” said senior Kenisha Bell. Bell said that midway through the season, Whalen had individual meetings with players to talk about their goals and what they were learning from the adversity.
“[Whalen] sees what we can do and I think that our focus wasn’t quite there, the things that we usually do we [weren’t] doing,” Bell said. “I think that we just had to adjust to playing in the Big Ten and playing people that [are] as competitive as us, and as good as us.” Amid the ups and downs of the season, one constant for the Gophers has been fan support. Through 17 home games the Gophers have averaged 5,622 fans per game this season, according to a Gopher Sports spokesperson. Through the team’s last home
game, the Gophers were No. 12 in average attendance in the country. The team found a surge after a slow conference start. After a 2-7 start in Big Ten play, the Gophers rattled off six consecutive victories until ranked Maryland slowed them down last week. “We know what it was like to be 2-7, so every game is huge for us,” Whalen said. “We don’t have any room to relax ... we’ve worked really hard to get here, and now we’re just back to even, so now we have to keep going.”
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MN DAILY
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019
COMEDY
Bringing comedy theater center stage … allegedly
An Alleged Theatre Company highlights avant garde to defy traditional theater. BY BECCA MOST bmost@mndaily.com
Riddled with countless bags of Funyuns and molting feather hats, An Alleged Theatre Company brought the renowned Greek play “The Birds” into the 21st century last weekend, but with their own twist. As audience members filed into the snug Phoenix Theater, Danylo Loutchko and Jake Mierva got ready to perform their company’s latest show, “The Birds; or Pete and Earl Want WiFi.” In the show, two stoners desperately try to get access to the internet by manipulating birds to help them in their quest. Founded in 2016 by recent University of Minnesota graduates Loutchko and Mierva, An Alleged Theatre Company is here to take risks and have fun. “The effort of live performance is something that is inherent to all theater,” Loutchko said. “So our step further is that we kind
of make it meta. [ ... ] The characters acknowledge the audience, they interact with the audience, [they play] with the structurality within the play.” As co-owners, co-writers, co-directors and co-leads of “The Birds,” Mierva and Loutchko defy theater norms both on and off stage. “A lot of theater plays it safe,” said co-assistant director Sam Norum, who met Mierva and Loutchko at the University as a freshman. “I think what Alleged Theatre does and succeeds at is that they have entirely novel ideas and just pump them full of absurdity and risks. [They approach their work] with a great professionalism around comedy.” In An Alleged Theatre Company’s plays, characters often break the fourth wall. Mierva and Loutchko sometimes cast the audience themselves to play the role of the “studio audience” in a scene, too. Offstage, Mierva and Loutchko work to promote cast cohesion. Every rehearsal is initiated by a ‘Pow, Wow, Chow,’ where cast members relay the positives and negatives of their day as well as some good food they ate.
“I think what alleged Theatre ... succeeds at is that they have entirely novel ideas and just pump them full of absurdity and risks.” SAM NORUM co-assistant director of An Alleged Theatre Company
“There’s the mentality for some circles to leave your baggage at the door, but we kind of want to invite it in,” Norum said. “To talk about it and get a sense of where people are at, so we can kind of negotiate what needs to be done and how to care for them in that space.” Although shows are scripted, cast and crew have leeway to modify lines and even improv during performances. Norum said this creative openness eliminates some power dynamics that can exist between directors and cast members, ultimately promoting collaboration. The company is small and close-knit. Loutchko said this gives him and Mierva
JACK RODGERS, DAILY
ABOVE: The cast of “The Birds; Or Pete & Earl Want WiFi” warm up before their Saturday, Feb. 23 show at the Phoenix Theater. BELOW: Jake Mierva and Danylo Loutchko perform at the Phoenix Theater on Saturday, Feb. 23.
the artistic freedom to pursue concepts that other larger companies may not have the opportunity to. “You’re taking a lot of risks because you don’t really have much to lose, which is kinda fun,” said University alum and co-assistant director Alexandra Nedved. “With a lot of bigger companies it’s not quite as free because
there are higher stakes. It’s been nice to work at a small company and get your feet wet and just go for it.” Luverne Seifert, a theater professor at the University and a former teacher and mentor to Mierva and Loutchko, said taking the risk to create and share one’s work with the world can be difficult, but is
ultimately rewarding. “[It] requires a strong imagination and a willingness to go forward and fail. [Mierva and Loutchko] both have that, and I think that’s extremely important as an artist, said Seifert.” Editor’s note: Loutchko is a former Minnesota Daily employee.
MUSIC
Adrianne Lenker serenades at sold-out show Lenker finished her most recent tour at the Cedar Cultural Center on Thursday. BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com
TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY
Adrianne Lenker performs at the Cedar Cultural Center on Thursday, Feb. 21.
Plastic chairs, cups of coffee and guitar tuning were abundant during Adrianne Lenker’s intimate set at the Cedar Cultural Center on Thursday. Clutching a cup of tea, Lenker trotted onto the stage. “So yummy,” she said, taking a sip. Lenker’s family moved to Nisswa, Minnesota from Indiana when she was a kid. With family still in the state, the singer-songwriter mentioned how the show felt like coming home to her. Standing behind the mic in baggy clothes and a shy smile, she began to play. The style of the show was similar to Lenker’s music: not too flashy. The artist’s sincerity made it easy to connect with her even though she rarely made eye contact with the audience. Lenker began the set with a number of songs from her band Big Thief, including
“Orange,” “Pretty Things” and “Masterpiece.” Emotion flooded through the speakers while she gently sang certain lines like, “Don’t take me for a fool/ There’s a woman inside of me.” “Hours Were the Birds” and a grittier version of “Kerina” followed, as Lenker moved to music from her solo albums. Between each song, the artist meticulously tuned her guitar. On the surface, the simplicity of the set may have seemed dull. However, Lenker’s evident belief in her lyrics made it difficult to look away. The sold out show somehow felt like a performance in someone’s living room. Lenker soon moved to her latest album “abysskiss” and invited opening act Luke Temple to the stage. Her and Temple exchanged smiles and laughs while leaning in toward each other. What came through the speakers was unexpected. “terminal paradise” was transformed into an airy track that haunted the whole room. Lenker’s acoustic guitar was accompanied by the distorted sound of Temple’s electric guitar; her vocals
“I think people used to tune more. ... It’s gone out of fashion, but I’m bringing it back.” ADRIANNE LENKER musician
echoed out of the mic with high reverb. A synth-like piano then replaced the electric guitar in “cradle.” The airy sound transformed into a fullness that flowed through the room. Lenker looked into the crowd for a moment; the audience stared back attentively. “Minnesota, getting the party going,” Lenker said, laughing. While Lenker’s music is overwhelmingly quiet and heavy, her interactions with those in the room were light. She frequently smiled and cracked jokes to alleviate the tension she purposely added while attentively tuning after each song. At one point, she paused to tell the room that she got her
guitar from Willie’s American Guitars in St. Paul when she was 14-years-old. “I think people used to tune more,” she said. “It’s gone out of fashion, but I’m bringing it back.” Lenker gave her guitar a few words of encouragement before finishing the night with a new song. She made more eye contact with those sitting in front of her during this song than she did the entire show, singing of emptiness, asking questions and seeking answers. The line, “What’s on your mind?” was repeated with a had-to-havebeen-there-to-feel-it heaviness. After Lenker left the stage, she promptly ran back out to do an encore, something she said she doesn’t typically do. “Indiana” and another new song finished off the set. Lenker thanked her team and the team at the Cedar for helping her officially finish her tour. The show was captivating because of its simple nature. Lenker pulled no gimmicks, just sweet, genuine music. Grade: A-
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Editorials & Opinions
COLUMN
Hi, I’m a columnist for the MN Daily The meme,“Hi, I’m a reporter for the Minnesota Daily ...” could only have come from r/uofmn.
T
h e University of Minnesota subreddit, r/uofmn, is a thriving online student community that is the best place for UMN memes. This includes PALMER HAASCH the recent, “Hi, columnist I’m a reporter with a Minnesota Daily …” meme, which riffs off reporters from the Minnesota Daily (hello!) posting on r/ufomn looking for student sources for articles. It’s a beautiful drag, and one that we as staff are taking together in stride. The first iteration of the meme was posted just over two weeks ago. Since then, users have made other posts using Kim Kardashian memes or simple text, including my personal favorite: “Hello, I’m a Minnesota Daily reporter
looking for other Minnesota Daily reporters to report on.” Since I’m a columnist, not a reporter — although I do spend a fair amount of time lurking on r/uofmn — I spoke with Daily Reporter Audrey Kennedy about her experience on r/ uofmn. Kennedy, a long-time Reddit user, said Reddit affords reporters the opportunity to find students willing to speak on issues that aren’t as well-known or are more sensitive. “The anonymity of Reddit helps me get way more responses on more sensitive stuff,” Kennedy said over direct message. “I did a piece on addiction and had a lot of people message me because even if I didn’t end up interviewing them, I still wouldn’t know who they were.” Additionally, r/uofmn is a hotbed for candid conversations about campus issues and University-specific memes. This makes them more useful from a journalistic perspective. “Facebook groups are just filled with sublease posts and tend not to be helpful,” Kennedy said. “I’d say I also write on things that … [are] really big in the meme FB group and on reddit, but not in regular Class of 202_ pages.” Sure, sometimes the subreddit gets clogged up with posts asking for insight about classes or requests for roommates, but it’s frank, genuine and engaged. As a comparison, Facebook is frequently clogged up with posts advertis-
EDITORIAL
Classics should not be left off required reading lists Updating required reading lists shouldn’t mean automatically throwing out classical literature.
You can’t open up a big teacher’s manual on this issue and look up the right answer. Choosing book-reading lists for junior and senior high students is an involved process in which different books may be chosen for a variety of reasons. And for years, many teachers have picked “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee to be on reading lists. In the Duluth school district that will no longer be the case and the decision has drawn much attention. It’s not a new phenomena the book is getting notice for its content. About an Alabama town during the Depression era of the Jim Crow South and the people who live there, the story explores discrimination, poverty, rape and racial injustice. A 1961 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the book has made the American Library Association list of “challenged books,” in which objections to books are raised, for decades. The world of Scout, the young girl who is narrator, is multi-layered with various plots, rich historical context and the three-dimensional characters of her life. This book has stood the test of time for all of those reasons, but now some educators are opting to find other works that include more diverse voices for their required reading lists. That’s a valid explanation to consider other books. The Duluth district is instead requiring students read Minnesota Book Award winner “Spirit Car: Journey to a Dakota Past” by Diane
Excluding a true classic that has become a favorite among so many readers over the decades is a shame.
Wilson. The book explores her family’s Native American heritage and the trauma they suffered during the U.S.-Dakota War. For Minnesota students, many who know little about the 1862 war in southern Minnesota, the selection will no doubt provide much fodder for discussion about what happened here years ago and how it shaped our state and affects its people. But before every district jumps on the bandwagon and crosses “To Kill a Mockingbird” off their reading lists, educators need to consider why the book remains popular and what it can contribute to curriculum. Most books when taught to young people need context and discussion, and “To Kill a Mockingbird” is no different. Teaching the novel in conjunction with other fresh additions might be the compromise that could update reading lists to allow more voices to be heard. (Harper Lee was the only female author on Duluth’s list for years.) Of course, you can’t teach all the worthwhile books in literature during the course of school. Yet, excluding a true classic that has become a favorite among so many readers over the decades is a shame. That might not be a good enough reason for some districts, but maybe this is: One Duluth teacher recounted in an MPR story about a freshman who used to drive around with a Confederate flag on his truck. He told her “To Kill a Mockingbird” was the first book he’d ever read. He was emphatic about how Tom Robinson, the black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, “got screwed over.” He also told the teacher that before reading this book, he’d never enjoyed reading before. Focusing solely on offensive words and uncomfortable content completely ignores those victories. At the very least, “To Kill a Mockingbird” should not disappear from the discussions and bookshelves at schools where it has made a contribution and should continue to do so in the lives of young readers.
This editorial was originally published in the Mankato Free Press.
ing ACR Homes recruitment events. The subreddit, however, is more inclined to critically discuss student experiences with the company. Finally, even if posts from reporters seem like they go unnoticed, that’s not always the case — Kennedy said, “The posts may not get comments, but I get a really good amount of DMs. People laugh because no one responds, but sometimes they do, just not publicly!” Ultimately, the, “Hey, I’m a reporter from the MN Daily meme … ” is testament to the thriving, frequently cynical and sarcastic community on r/uofmn and the draw it has for reporters looking for diverse viewpoints. The meme has been helpful to reporters as well: “The fact that it’s become a meme is actually more helpful than mocking,” Kennedy said. “Now people will click on the post just to roll their eyes and say ‘another one … ’ or comment, therefore bumping up the post. Basically I’m just gaming the system.” It’s one of the best memes to come out of r/uofmn in the past year — something I’m comfortable saying even though (and maybe because) it comes partially at my own expense.
Palmer Haasch welcomes comments at phaasch@mndaily.com.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR On renaming Coffman Union Jake Steinberg’s lead article in the Minnesota Daily on Thursday, “Task force suggests renaming Coffman,” seems to hit all the right notes. However, it also underscores the underlying problem which is elucidated in “American Dialogue” by Joseph J. Ellis in his chapter on Thomas Jefferson: “We should begin with the realization that our battle against racism, like the war against cancer, is an ongoing struggle that must be conducted without having an end in sight.” If one were to take the renaming argument to its logical conclusion, one would also have to rename the Jefferson Memorial and remove Jefferson’s face from Mount Rushmore. However, Ellis goes on to write, “Attempting to erase Jefferson from our memory will do nothing to change the long and deep history of racism in the United States. Forgetting that history will only deprive us of understanding what we are up against in the ongoing struggle for racial equality, a struggle embedded in over three hundred centuries of racial prejudice.” So, what’s a country, what’s a University, to do? Steinberg notes that the Task Force on Building Names and Institutional History “… recommends exhibits be installed in each of the buildings, whether they’re renamed or not, documenting the complex history of their namesake.” Ellis has a similar recommendation of installing panels in the Jefferson Memorial to note Jefferson’s complex history concerning human “equality” and his views on race. A good idea, but realistically, who, when they say, “I’ll meet you at Coffman,” is planning to go read the exhibits? No, what stands out is the name — Coffman. In fear of being too snarky, let me suggest we rename Coffman the “Norman Borlaug Union” to honor the Iowan who is also Minnesota’s Nobel Laureate in order to create a more perfect union between Minnesota and Iowa — or the hatred they hold for one another. Let’s rename Coffey Hall the Amir Coffey Hall, in honor of the University basketball star. And because we have come to the realization that our most fundamental history is riddled with racism, let’s choose another Nobel Laureate and name Middlebrook or Nicholson Halls the Bob Dylan “the times they are a-changin’” Hall.
This letter has been lightly edited for clarity and style. John Fredell is a retired physician and 1977 University of Minnesota graduate.
Planned Parenthood provides vital services and should not be devalued All of the services that are offered by Planned Parenthood must be seen as completely necessary.
O
n Feb. 22, NPR reported the Department of Health and Human Services issued the rule that “any organization that p ro v i d e s o r refers patients UMA VENKATA for abortions is columnist ineligible for Title X funding to cover STD prevention, cancer screenings and contraception.” This directly damages Planned Parenthood and everyone whose health it takes care of. I think it is important for everyone to know — male, female, conservative and liberal — that Planned Parenthood provides much more than abortions. Cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood on the grounds of abortion is like shutting down all musical concerts on the grounds of Taylor Swift, except much more life-threatening. Unfortunately, what this indicates to those who are making these rules is that delivering babies is really the only thing that matters about women. For the fraction of women who
approach Planned Parenthood for pregnancy termination, they must obey laws made by totally uninvolved people. (Please remember that not everyone wants to get an abortion. Undergoing abortion can be the lowest, most harrowing point in a person’s life.) If some women don’t obey those restrictive abortion laws, many more women will not receive basic health care they need. And I do mean need. Women are humans too. Conveniently, the people who need to be told this understand that women are not exactly the same as men. Inconveniently, they have to be told that women require different medical treatment than men, but just as much medical dedication as men receive. And because women are also people, those services matter just as much as the other sex’s do. Do you service a motorcycle the same way as you service a car? Of course not. Are they equally as important? Of course they are. Planned Parenthood offers men’s health services, LGBTQ services, birth control, HIV treatment, pregnancy testing, patient education, women’s health services and STI testing, treatment and vaccines. These are all quite expected from a developed society. Every one of them is extremely important, but there is one particular thing I’d like to bring to your attention. Contraction rates for sexually transmitted infections have been rising for the last four years, according to Centers for Disease Control data. Now, long-term contraception like IUDs weakens the fear of pregnancy, abstinenceonly education is of course still here and the HIV scare is no longer — so sexual caution is a
little more relaxed. But while we’re chilling out about STIs, gonorrhea is becoming antibioticresistant. It is also important not to rape women. Victims of sexual assault are often forced into having babies they do not want and cannot afford. In the eyes of the law, taking off a condom without a partner’s knowledge is rape, according to a 2017 article in the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law. In character on “Veep,” Julia Louis-Dreyfus said that if men got pregnant, you could get an abortion at an ATM. If you don’t think that’s hilarious, maybe you haven’t been grappling with the risk of your life being upended with every sexual encounter or maybe you’re not a woman who has sex with men. I have nothing against men. In fact, I like them a lot. But I don’t like anyone, of any sex, telling the other sex they know more about their body than the person with the actual body does. What this all means is that Planned Parenthood is vital. Medicine saves lives. That should not be an issue here. It’s pretty medieval that some still consider it one.
Uma Venkata welcomes comments at uvenkata@mndaily.com.
EDITORIAL
Supporting the renaming of U of M buildings We urge the Board of Regents to follow through with the renaming of four UMN campus buildings.
A University of Minnesota task force called for the renaming of four buildings on campus in a report released Wednesday. The Minnesota Daily Editorial Board fully supports the task force’s recommendation. We urge University President Eric Kaler and Executive Vice President and Provost Karen Hanson to follow the task force’s report in their upcoming recommendation to the Board of Regents, as well as encourage the regents to follow the task force’s recommendation. The process took an astounding 16 months, with the task force pushing back their deadline multiple times. Compared to other universities across the nation, the University of Minnesota has taken the longest. Coffman Union was finished in 1939 and named for Lotus D. Coffman, who excluded African Americans from University housing and activities. Nicholson Hall was named after Edward E. Nicholson, who exhibited anti-semitic and racist behavior and often called Jewish and African American students communist. Middlebrook Hall was named after William T. Middlebrook in 1966, who also exhibited discriminatory behavior toward students of color or Jewish faith when it came to campus housing. Coffey Hall, on the St. Paul campus, got its namesake from Walter C. Coffey who played a part in establishing segregated campus housing in 1942 and supported policies that segregated black students. Having the names of these men remain on campus buildings and dorms directly impact the school’s reputation and leaves a permanent mark on the face of our institution. These past University leaders held ideals and beliefs that no longer reflect our school’s mission. The task force recommends each building has an exhibit installed that provides the history behind each name, including the good that each leader did for the University. They also suggest a permanent installation of “A Campus Divided” in the student union. Having our school’s history on public display would increase transparency of historic wrongdoing, remind faculty and students of the progress the University has made, and show areas where it may still need improvement. We don’t want to erase the University’s history. We want to continue acknowledging history in a way that does not celebrate historical figures who reflect racist and discriminatory practices and beliefs. We cannot be selective with the information we share about past University sentiments. Our past mistakes should inform our future, ensuring we don’t repeat previous behavior. We also recognize the difficulties the regents face in making the decision to change the identity of buildings, especially buildings named after prominent figures in our campus’ history. Kaler and regents will likely receive pressure from alumni and others who are invested in the University, which can make a decision like this difficult. But our strongest qualities are found in our academic opportunities and dedication to student success, which is something that students, alumni and faculty can all agree on. It is senseless to hold more value in the names of buildings than to create a campus atmosphere that encourages social awareness and growth. The University of Minnesota has a responsibility to maintain an inclusive campus. Celebrating these men, who once kept the campus divided, does not fall in line with what University community members stand for.
EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board. 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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HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (2/25): Communication profits this year. Share your affection and kindness steadily. Study to unveil a mystery. Summer glory for your crew comes before physical obstacles alert you to stop and smell the roses. Follow your heart this winter. Express your creativity and passion.
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 an 8 — Get out and explore. You can get farther than expected. Discover unexpected treasure. Stay focused; grab an educational opportunity. Expand your horizons.
Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is an 8 — A creative project develops in satisfying directions. Get your message to a wider audience. Grow your networks, connections and community participation.
Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 9 — Review reserves and resources over the next two days. Work out priorities and practicalities with your partner. Your collaboration can get especially fruitful.
Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 9 — Your ideas are attracting attention. Keep providing the value that’s bringing home the bacon. Demand for your services in on the rise.
Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — You and a partner are really cooking now. The next two days get especially productive and even romantic. Good fortune blesses your venture together.
Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — Have faith in your own imagination. You’re especially creative and confident today and tomorrow. Try a new outfit or style.
Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 9 — Get moving! Physical action produces satisfying results. Practice, prepare and then perform with confidence. For best outcomes, get yourself energized and inspired.
Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 6 — Slow down to recharge. Process recent activities with rest and meditation. Plan and organize for what’s coming next. Nurture yourself.
Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — Fun comes naturally over the next few days. Prioritize family and romance. Your passions grow and blossom with attention. You’re especially lucky in love.
Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is an 8 — Friends can open doors. Reach out and connect for shared goals. Attract community attention to a cause everyone can get behind.
Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is a 7 — Invest your heart and muscle into domestic renovation. Improve your sanctuary to nurture your family more. Words and action come together for results.
Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 9 — Schedule carefully at work. A professional goal is within view. Old assumptions can get challenged; strike out in a new direction. Advance boldly.
DR. DATE Dr. Date,
I’ve been dating my girlfriend for six months, and it’s been going great. One problem — she pretends we’re not together online. The day she asked me to be her girlfriend, she requested I keep our relationship off social media. I figured it was an understandable request, even though I’ve never been one to spam Instagram with kissing photos. She doesn’t have any social media, so who would I tag? However, now that we’ve been dating for more than a few months, I’ve wanted to do something to prove I’m in a relationship. I haven’t even been able to change my status on Facebook! She screenshots and sends to me any subtweet I have about my relationship with the caption “Seriously?” I don’t know what’s going on with her, but I’m starting to think she’s either cheating or embarrassed to be seen with me. How can I convince her to let me show my love?
—No Posting Allowed
Dear No Posting Allowed,
You’re sure she’s not in the witness protection program? And positive she doesn’t have a partner on the side? (Considering she doesn’t have any social media and you two are publicly together, that’s hopefully unlikely.) I don’t think you should try to convince her. It’s something she told you up front when you first started dating. Compromise is better than forcing the other into changing their decision. If she’s not super comfortable with appreciation or anniversary posts, ask if you can change your status to “In A Relationship,” even if it doesn’t have the name of your partner attached. Double check she doesn’t have any trackers on her computer — the FBI is serious about witness protection!
— Dr. Date
Dr. Date,
My girlfriend has suddenly become super interested in college football. She hated going to Gopher football games until one day when I found her frantically scrolling Barstool Gophers for updates on coaches. Now she has ESPN on 24/7, and she frequents the Instagrams of every player and football reporter out there. However, I’m starting to realize there’s only one reason she’s obsessed — and he comes in the form of a coach who some consider a DILF. Nearly every day I hear a rant about how he is bringing the team a national title. I also caught her setting a picture of him on her desk at work! I’m starting to get uncomfortable. Dr. Date, I don’t know how I can compare to someone so successful. What do I do?
—Average Joe
Dear Average Joe,
Your girlfriend may have a celebrity crush, but I doubt it’s anything serious. All the coaches I can think of are married and probably have a kid or two — the likelihood of your girlfriend leaving you for a football coach is slim. If it’s really making you uncomfortable, talk to her about maybe toning down the obsessive behavior. While you can discuss the objective attractiveness of other people, you shouldn’t compare them to your partner. If it’s any consolation, I don’t get it either — DILFs? Not my type.
—Dr. Date
Want advice from the love doctor? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com
SUDOKU CROSSWORD
Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved 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.
Last issue’s solution
2/25/19
© 2019 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
8
Monday, February 25, 2019
Cultural barriers to health care in Cedar-Riverside Medical providers are looking to close the gap with residents of Cedar-Riverside. BY MIGUEL OCTAVIO moctavio@mndaily.com
Health care providers gathered Thursday as part of an effort to bridge the cultural gap between themselves and patients in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. The event, hosted by Mixed Blood Theatre and HealthPartners Institute, aimed to encourage medical providers to share experiences working with patients from the community. Providers also recognized their personal biases about immigrants and sought ways to better support residents seeking medical attention. “This is really a story circle session where providers get the opportunity to connect with each other and share their own personal experiences,” said Keri Clifton, chief engagement officer of Mixed Blood.
The discussions are part of Project 154, an initiative aimed at addressing medical challenges between providers and patients in the neighborhood. Launched in 2017, the project is a mix of storytelling circles, workshops and events. Thursday was the first time health care providers were part of the programming. Participants focused on “narrative health” to better understand different perspectives from residents and providers. “Narrative health really is story listening,” said EmmaLee Pallai, education manager of the University’s Community-University Health Care Center. “How do we learn to listen to our communities, to listen to the people and to listen to the stories around health?” Pallai also discussed how race, gender and disability status can affect how patients receive treatment. Child psychiatrist Elizabeth Reeve has practiced in multiple urban settings.
JASMIN KEMP, DAILY
HealthPartners facilitated a presentation to educate health practitioners about health equity at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis on Thursday, Feb. 21.
She said the event brought to light personal prejudices health care providers may hold. “It works both ways. We have frustrations too in our actions,” Reeve said.
“How can we make it more reciprocal so [residents] can tell us what you need, but how do we tell you what we need to make the system work better?” Past story circle ses-
sions have only been held for neighborhood residents. Community members raised concerns about assigned medical services, insurance coverage and health stigmas at these
sessions, said Abdurrahman Mahmud, Project 154 coordinator. Mahmud said he wants to continue providing spaces where residents can speak freely about their concerns. “Things like this can create an impact in the future,” Mahmud. “If we continue doing this for a number of years, maybe it can bring a change, but only this is not enough.” Clifton said Mixed Blood plans to merge an event to bring both residents and health care providers together in June. “We felt it was important to listen to the residents and listen to the providers, and then figure out how to connect the two,” Clifton said. Medical providers who attended the event could receive credits to go to professional board requirements. A second event will take place Feb. 27. Clifton said Mixed Blood will continue assessing plans to host more events for medical providers in the future.
Urban farming coming to Marcy-Holmes The group’s new urban gardening plans will start next summer. BY IMANI CRUZEN icruzen@mndaily.com
ABBY ADAMSKI, DAILY
The newly active MarcyH o l m e s N e i g h b o rh o o d Association environmental committee shared urban farming plans last week that would add to a growing movement of community farming in the Twin Cities. The urban farming pilot, slated to begin this summer, would allow residents to volunteer land for others to cultivate. Despite being inactive last year, the Marcy-Holmes environmental committee also has several other initiatives focused on improving environmental quality in the neighborhood planned. Urban farming is something residents have shown an interest in, environmental committee co-chair Cordelia Pierson said. “In the next month, we need to make progress on identifying land owners and residents and figuring out where plants will come from
and what the cost-share structure will be,” Pierson said. After a resident expressed interesting in sharing her yard space for urban farming, the committee looked to expand the concept throughout the neighborhood. The committee currently has two land spaces that they plan to use for a pilot program. “I hope to get at least a few gardeners and gardens connected for this summer and get a framework in place for how the process should work,” committee co-chair Nicole Bridgland wrote in an email, “so that it can continue to run smoothly in future years.” Details of how plants will be cared for and who will undertake the project still need to be solidified, but Pierson said urban farming has the potential to bring the community together. “I think the biggest thing is that we can only do this with volunteers,” Pierson said. “It really, I think, gives people hope for change, if they can do something tangible and then meet other like-minded people.”
Other community gardens, like those in Southeast Como or the University of Minnesota’s West Bank Community Garden, have been models for this initiative, Pierson said. The West Bank Community Garden student group on campus educated students on natural land use, said co-president Natalie Duncan. She noted the movement of community gardens throughout the Twin Cities. “There’s a huge disconnect currently between where food comes from and when it’s actually consumed,” Duncan said. “And I think any sort of initiative to get people in the community gathered around a natural space in any capacity ... I think that’s a really important step.” Increasing greenery in the neighborhood, improving air andwater quality and improving resident engagement are part of the committee’s mission. The committee has future plans to improve Father H e n n e p i n B l u f f P a rk , add trees and greenery and advise developers on environmental impacts, Pierson said.
Students call for change to mental health services A new plan would review the current University mental health services. BY KAIT ECKER kecker@mndaily.com
Student government representatives will bring a report to the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents requesting action for better student mental health services to the board’s March 8 meeting. The proposed plan includes bringing in experts to review and critique the University’s existing mental health services and asks University administration to address any problems an audit may reveal. The plan also requests the board assesses student mental health services every five years. “Right now, we know that students are not completing degrees. Students are not being as productive as they could be academically and students are really struggling because of problems with mental health,” said James Pathoulas, the Professional Student Government’s representative to the board. “The biggest threat to our mission at this University is student mental health.” Pathoulas collaborated with other student board representatives and PSG members to develop the three-pronged approach that addresses student mental health.
“The University has a responsibility to ensure the safety of their students,” said Pathoulas. “That is a responsibility of our school, and mental health is a part of that picture.” In the past, representatives have successfully asked the board for more counselors. After the University added a substantial number of counselors to both Boynton’s mental health clinic and Student Counseling Services, the number of mental health professionals is now within guidelines, Pathoulas said. “It’s not necessarily that we need more counselors, but we need to think about how we’re delivering care,” Pathoulas said. Student representatives have presented the issue of mental health to the board for the past two years, but it’s different this year, Pathoulas said. The climate around mental health stigma has shifted and the plan seeks a sy st em -w id e c h ange . In addition, more people, like President Eric Kaler, President-Designate Joan Gabel, students, faculty, administration and the board want to take action on mental health. “Mental health is not the same for everyone. It’s really a lived experience,” Pathoulas said. The core of the plan is trying to address the difficult task of creating a system that serves everyone
and their unique needs, he added. Scott Lanyon, vice provost and dean of graduate education, said he sees the importance of mental health, especially in graduate students. “I think where the graduate school can really play an important role is [in] trying to reduce the number of students who ever get to that point [of having a serious mental health problem]. It’s more preventative,” Lanyon said. Poor communication between students and advisers can be a major source of stress and can lead to more s e r i o u s p ro b l e m s , l i k e depression, Lanyon said. “We have information about whether or not they’re aware of resources on campus they can use, but we failed to ask whether or not they were getting help for anxiety or depression and we’re hoping to get a little more information,” said Daniel JonesWhite, senior analyst in the Office of Institutional Research. If the proposal made by Pathoulas and collaborators comes to fruition, data from gradSERU, SERU and Boynton’s College Student Health Survey would be helpful to the board in making their five year reviews of mental health services. “Students are at the very core of our mission at this University,” said Pathoulas. “No students, no mission.”