Issuu

SENCHA TO CLOSE, OWNER TO REOPEN ELSEWHERE P2 MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

EARLY WEEK

SENCHA IN STADIUM VILLAGE IS SET TO CLOSE BY END OF MAY

MNDAILY.COM

CAMPUS

Snow place to go

RENAMING

U Regents critical of renaming Some regents say a recent renaming report lacked research, historical context. BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com

Students Vinh Nguyen, Tam Nguyen and Long Nguyen throw snowballs on Saturday, March 9 on campus.

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

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The University is working to clear heavy snowfall and find storage for excess snow.

HOUSING

BY NATALIE RADEMACHER nrademacher@mndaily.com

After a night of heavy snowfall, Steven Blodgett goes out at 5 a.m. to plow snow around the University of Minnesota campus. On a snowy day, Blodgett said he can be out working until around 5 p.m. A gardener for University Landcare, Blodgett is among those who have been working overtime to clear snow from roads and sidewalks, keeping the University running throughout the winter. But Blodgett said he is getting tired as snow continues to fall into March after a record-breaking snowfall in February. Along with Blodgett, the University is struggling to keep up with the snow. University Landcare is having trouble keeping enough student workers this winter and is having to find alternative places to store the snow plowed on campus. On Sunday, Daniel Bereketab, a custodian at the University, was out shoveling snow on the steps of Pillsbury Hall. Custodians normally do not clear snow, but Bereketab said he was offered overtime pay to shovel following a heavy snowfall Saturday night.

City looks to bolster renter protections The proposed policy aims to change dynamics between City, landlords and renters. BY EMMA DILL edill@mndaily.com TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Kaler said. “I think it’s clear state support has been declining, but we haven’t done everything we can do to find alternative forms of revenue besides raising tuition, which I’m opposed to,” said Regent Michael Hsu in an interview. Regents also pointed out growing competition with the Minnesota State system, which received equal or less funding than the University system until 2015. To prevent resident tuition from rising too

A proposed Minneapolis City Council policy discussed last week aims to change future City guidelines to be more centered on students and other renters. The Renter-First Policy lays out a framework for future City policies that would strengthen disciplinary measures for negligent landlords and make property information easier to access for renters and landlords. Ward 3 City Council member Steve Fletcher drew upon his own experiences living in student housing at the University of Minnesota when examining the policy. Fletcher subleased at a Dinkytown property even though his leasing contract prohibited subleases. The lease violation prevented Fletcher from contacting City inspectors to force their landlord to make repairs. “We knew there were major dangerous fire violations happening in our house and we had to decide: Do we give up our cheap rent or fix this situation?” he said. Ward 2 City Council member Cam Gordon said the policy aims to change the culture of fear that often discourages interactions between tenants and the City. “We end up seeing [among] tenants and landlords … there’s a sort of a culture, a history of being afraid to enter into any kind of work with the City because there might

u See REVENUE Page 3

u See RENTERS Page 2

University Landcare blows snow off the path in front of Coffman Union on Saturday, March 9.

Some places in the Twin Cities area received over six inches of snow Saturday evening, adding to the record-breaking 39 inches that accumulated in February. The University is having to find new places to store snow as the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, its typical storage site, is likely to hit capacity after the snowfall over the weekend.

Tom Ritzer, assistant director for University Landcare, said it is not easy finding storage locations near the University due to land around campus becoming more developed and getting more expensive to use. This is not the first year the University u See SNOW Page 3

ADMINISTRATION

Regents may reexamine reciprocity agreement to boost revenue The regents discussed tuition increases, alternative revenue and state funding at a retreat. BY MADELINE DENINGER mdeninger@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota is running out of alternative revenue sources to avoid tuition increases, officials say. President Eric Kaler met with board members at a Board of Regents retreat Wednesday in Chaska to discuss decreasing

Just a week after University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler announced recommendations for renaming Coffman Union and three other buildings on campus, members of the Board of Regents heavily criticized the renaming process in what turned out to be a contentious meeting Friday. In the board’s first major public discussion on the renaming efforts, several regents found fault with the University’s process of reviewing administrators who upheld racist and anti-Semitic practices on campus. Some regents questioned the rigor and accuracy of a University task force charged with examining building names, while others raised concerns about judging historical figures based on contemporary standards. The board is expected to continue debate on renaming, with a vote expected later this spring. Regent Darrin Rosha was perhaps the most vocal critic, digging into the task

state support, alternative revenue sources and tuition, among other things. Board members said without adequate state funding, the University will need to consider “bold” solutions to prevent sharp resident tuition hikes, including examining the school’s current reciprocity agreements. State support as a percentage of the University’s budget has decreased over the past decades. DFL Gov. Tim Walz recently proposed the state fund $39.2 million of the school’s $87 million biennial budget ask. Under this proposal, resident undergraduate tuition could raise as much as 6 percent,

STUDENT LIFE

Proposed policy would prohibit pets on campus, regulate service animals Emotional-support animals would be limited to University housing if a new policy passes. BY JAKE STEINBERG jsteinberg@mndaily.com

Only designated animals would be allowed in University of Minnesota buildings and on grounds owned and controlled by the University, according to a proposed administrative policy. A work group led by University Services is drafting a policy that would prohibit most pets from University offices, labs and classrooms. Service animals for people with disabilities will still be permitted. But emotional-support animals, which typically aren’t trained to be in public, will be limited to University housing. “Our main goal is to provide guidance around the issue of pets ... so people know what is and isn’t acceptable,” said University Services Chief of Staff Paige Rohman. The policy recognizes a number of conditional exceptions, such as animals used

during instruction, animals on campus for medical treatment and animals recognized as official NCAA mascots or participating in patriotic ceremonies. Rohman said a dog could bark, lunge or excrete, as well as irritate people with allergies. When an adjunct brought their dog to campus, it licked a facilities maintenance worker. “For folks of the Muslim faith, the saliva of a dog is not clean, and that created a conflict because it was not a comfortable environment for our employee,” she said. High-profile instances of conflict between emotional-support animals and people — particularly on airplanes — inspired the University to explore creating the policy in December 2017. Since then, University Services has been working with the Disability Resource Center, Housing and Residential Life and other partners to define what animals are allowed on campus. Emotional-support animals are allowed in University housing under the Fair Housing Act pending approval from the DRC. u See PETS Page 2

JACK RODGERS, DAILY

Sophia DeGarmo plays with her dog, Riley, in her apartment on Friday, March 8. Riley is a registered emotional-support animal who helps DeGarmo manage her mental health.

VOLUME 119 ISSUE 45

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

MN DAILY

EXTENDED WEATHER FORECAST MONDAY TUESDAY 30° 39° 17° 36° Sunny

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Monday, March 11, 2019 Vol. 119 No. 45

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Forward Taylor Wente bows her head during the national anthem on Saturday, March 9 at Ridder Arena. The Gophers defeated Minnesota Duluth 4-1 to advance in the WCHA Final Faceoff.

Renters u from Page 1

be some consequences they didn’t want,” Gordon said. Some concerns still surround landlord accountability around campus. At a Feb. 28 Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association meeting, local renters voiced concerns about their landlords’ responsiveness to security and management issues. The policy was developed over the past several months by the City’s Regulatory Services Department. It aims to guide interactions between landlords, tenants and the City across all departments, said Kim Keller, interim director of regulatory services. “We really want to make sure that this policy doesn’t show up as a silo in one department, but that it’s an approach that is infused throughout the city government,” Keller said. Fletcher, a former housing advocate, said the

Pets u from Page 1

The DRC approved 40 such animals last school year. “All of the animals we see on campus are not equal under the law,” said Ben Munson, chair of the Senate Disabilities Issues Committee, which offered feedback on the policy last month. Animal science sophomore Sophia DeGarmo lived with her dog Riley in Middlebrook Hall last year, which she said helped with her depression, anxiety and recently diagnosed panic disorder.

EDITORIAL BOARD Ellen Schneider Editorials & Opinions Editor eschneider@mndaily.com Ariana Wilson Editorial Board Member awilson@mndaily.com Hailey Almsted Editorial Board Member halmsted@mndaily.com Kelly Busche Editor-in-Chief kbusche@mndaily.com

Renter-First Policy will set new precedents within the Regulatory Services Department by providing renters with more information about City inspections and other management requirements. “Even if a tenant complained, our inspectors would go to a property, talk to a landlord about what repairs they needed to do. They would speak in a very technical way … and not necessarily ever ask the tenant if the solutions they were talking about would fix their problem,” Fletcher said. “Tenants were really getting left out of the equation in our enforcement and as a result our enforcement wasn’t really meeting people’s needs.” While most landlords comply with City requirements, Keller said the new policy aims to put more pressure on negligent landlords to improve their properties and respond to tenant concerns. The policy also acknowledges low-income people, like students, are

often the most vulnerable renters. Keller said she hopes the policy will help make all renters feel like they are valued parts

of the City. “I hope that the policy makes it clear that the City views people who rent their homes and rental

She would often bring the little cavapoo to her lectures, which she said never disrupted class. “The only time a professor said anything was when I said it was his birthday and one of them wanted to sing happy birthday,” she said. Service animals, which receive special access under the Americans with Disabilities Act, are trained to complete a specific task for a specific disability, said Alan Peters, executive director of the service dog training organization Can Do Canines. “[Emotional-support animals] might have some basic doggy training. They come

and sit next to you or on your lap and make you feel better,” he said. “But it’s not a trained skill and so it doesn’t qualify under the ADA, so, no public access.” Munson said some people on the committee felt emotional-support animals should have similar rules. Mental health can be debilitating in its own right. The draft policy wouldn’t leave room for people to bring an emotional-support animal to class, Rohman said. However, “as things change, laws change, court cases change, this policy will evolve to meet that.”

Sophia DeGarmo plays with her dog, Riley, in her apartment on Friday, March 8.

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properties as community assets,” Keller said. The City Council will consider the policy at their meeting Friday.

JACK RODGERS, DAILY

Sencha Tea Bar in Stadium Village to close in May The owner of the tea bar will look for other locations once their lease expires. BY MIGUEL OCTAVIO moctavio@mndaily.com

A Stadium Village hotspot for bubble tea is expected to close its doors in the coming months. Sencha Tea Bar, located on

825 Washington Ave. SE., will close by the end of May. Owner Brian Friese decided not to renew the location’s annual lease after he learned about the potential for redevelopment in the area from property owners. The University Foundation Real Estate Advisors owns the parcel of land where the tea bar is located. Sarah Harris, managing director of UMFREA, said plans to renovate or make other

changes to the building are still ongoing. “Our goal is to keep small, well-loved businesses in the area,” Harris said. “What we want is to take what’s working here and enhance that with new things.” Friese purchased the Sencha franchise in 2014 and said plans to open another location are already underway. Instead of renewing the lease, Friese said he will take the

opportunity to find other options to expand the chain. “The fact that we’re closing in the University of Minnesota has nothing to do with how well Sencha is doing,” Friese said. “We still believe the University of Minnesota is a great place to do business.” Friese said he may open a location back on campus once UMFREA’s plans for the building are complete. Sencha Tea Bar has four other

locations in the Twin Cities metro area.

“Our goal is to keep small, wellloved businesses in the area.” SARAH HARRIS University Foundation Real Estate Advisors managing director

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.

Monday, March 11, 2019

Revenue

Snow

u from Page 1

fast in the absence full state funding, regents said the school needs to find alternative sources of revenue. “We need to be very bold and very dramatic in our budget,” said Regent Steve Sviggum. Kaler said the University has exhausted many of its alternative revenue sources, citing the school’s initiative to cut administrative costs, the University’s partnership with Fairview Health Services, external sales and the Driven fundraising campaign. “What have we done? … We’ve got to diversify our sources of income. What can we do? Well, let’s launch a big philanthropic campaign. We’ve done that. Let’s grow external sales in services numbers. There’s a limited capacity for us to do that,” Kaler said. “Let’s revisit our agreement with the people who run our hospital and our medical school and see if we can get more money out of them. Well, we did that. ... What else can we do? ... We can try to reduce overhead costs and administrative costs. We’ve done that. I’m out of things to do.” Kaler said the school needs to consider further increases for non-resident, non-reciprocity students and changes to the University’s reciprocity agreement with North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Manitoba. This agreement is administered by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education in collaboration with the governor, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota State system and the state Legislature. Board of Regents Chair David McMillan said eliminating reciprocity could bring in more non-resident, non-reciprocity tuition dollars and provide more opportunities for Minnesota residents to attend the University. “That’s the biggest slice sitting out there that affects our ability to grow NRNR, that affects our ability to get the kid in from Fergus Falls who can’t get in today,” he said. While conversations are still in early stages, Kaler said it’s a worthwhile discussion for the board. “You talk about doing something bold, that’s a bold thing,” he said.

has reached its storage capacity, Ritzer said. After heavy snowfall in April last year, the University had to use parking lots in the Como neighborhood for storage. On snowy days, a full-time employee for University Landcare will clock in around 5 a.m. and work a 12-hour day. Blodgett said some employees will stay later into the night to keep routes to the hospital and sporting events plowed. Even a couple days after a snowfall, workers will still be out clearing up and salting roads and sidewalks. “I am concerned about my employees; it has been a tough winter on them,” Ritzer said. “A lot of them have young kids. They are

Renaming u from Page 1

force’s recently released 125-page report — which called for the renaming of Coffman Union, Nicholson Hall, Middlebrook Hall and Coffey Hall — saying the report lacked evidence to back up charges of racism and anti-Semitism against former administrators. “Let’s face it, this was a trial,” he said. “I don’t believe that anyone was assigned to challenge the orthodoxy. I don’t believe that the accused were provided any opportunity for counsel, representation or anyone to speak on their behalf.” Rosha said the report was “seeking an end” and used “broad-brush accusations” against former administrators, despite uncertainty about facts highlighted in the report. “When I heard about this, I was expecting whitehooded, brown-shirted racists spewing all this kind of vitriol against these people. And quite frankly, I saw administrators struggling with what appears to be a board that was holding to older positions,” he said. Regent Thomas Anderson also voiced concern, saying he was “really, really troubled with what came forward.” “We are being asked to

have around 50 student employees. While the numbers are down this year, retaining students and getting them to show up on time in the morning has always been an issue, said David Deiman, a former University student and former University Landcare employee.

In part because of the early and long hours, University Landcare is struggling to keep enough student workers. These workers shovel snow on stairs

and around fire hydrants. They also ensure sidewalks are wheelchair-accessible. “They are an important part of our team for campus safety and accessibility,” Ritzer said. There are currently around 30 students working in the department. Ritzer said they usually

Despite the challenges University Landcare is facing, students say the University does a good job clearing snow around campus. “The University has been doing better than most places,” said first-year student Drew Potthast as he walked around a freshly plowed campus Sunday morning. “The sidewalks are typically worse in Dinkytown.” Deiman said the University is able to remove

snow faster than the City can in the neighborhoods surrounding campus because University employees have less ground to cover. While University workers try to clear most of the snow before people arrive on campus, they continue removing snow throughout the day. This can sometimes be problematic when campus is full of students walking to class. There are instances when students are in a hurry and run in front of a snow plow. Sometimes students are on their phones and do not notice if they are in the way of a plow. Blodgett said this is dangerous and could cause an accident. “We are watching out for you; please watch out for us,” Blodgett said. “We are around trying to keep everything open and safe and accessible; just let us do what we do.”

judge individuals on how they judged others almost 100 years ago. Yet, we live in a different society than they did,” Anderson said. “The irony of today is that we are being asked to do exactly what these men are accused of: We are being asked to pass judgment.” Anderson said he didn’t think regents could fairly judge former administrators’ actions. “I don’t know if I’m qualified to administer a ruling on someone’s place on a morality scale. I think that’s actually a decision left for a higher power,” he said. “Quite frankly, I wish we could have a University — and an America, for that matter — that celebrated one’s achievements rather than [limited] one’s accomplishments by default.” John Coleman, cochair of the Task Force on Building Names and Institutional History, said the report tried to reflect the complex legacies of historical figures, examining both the “positive and problematic aspects of their history.” “We’ve tried to be extremely fair in this document about acknowledging the contributions of the four men,” he said, noting the difficulty of “evaluating the past from the context of the present.” However, Regent Michael Hsu disagreed with

this assessment, pointing out that he believes crucial information was omitted from the report. “It did not come off as fair as I expected,” he said. “I just have a concern that the quality of work here is not quite what it needs to be before we make a decision.” Regent Abdul Omari pushed back against other regents’ criticism about the report. He was one of the only regents to do so. “Regent Rosha should write the next report, and I don’t say that facetiously. I actually would love to see what you would come up with,” he said. Omari said he was not as concerned about the historical context in which former administrators acted. “What I have read and what I have seen certainly suggests there was overt racism and anti-Semitism taking place on campus from several members and likely more who are on buildings. I don’t see a context or a time where that’s OK,” he said. Regent Richard Beeson said he wanted to see more research on the administrators in question, including reaching out to administrators’ family members to obtain historical documents. “We are dealing with people who can’t defend themselves, obviously, and whose descendants are concerned about the revisiting

of history eight decades later with the full force of the University’s administration behind it,” he said. “I’m looking for more information and more thinking about historical context.” Beeson questioned whether administration’s actions were out of place compared to times they lived in. He noted other forms of discrimination in the early 20th Century, including the Twin Cities’ history of segregation and anti-Semitism. University law and history professor Susanna Blumenthal, who cochaired the task force, said administrators were not just “men of their times.” She said changing building names is not about condemning former administrators or erasing the University’s history. “Erasure is not what we are about. But to change is not always to erase,” she said. “Change has made this a more equitable and inclusive place for those who live and work on this campus.” The Minnesota Student Association — which passed a resolution last year in support of renaming Coffman — called the regents’ discussion “deeply disappointing.” “Many regents expressed sentiments that d i s r e g a r d e d t h e w o rk and academic integrity of

University faculty members, the serious charges of antisemitism and racism levied against the administrators in question, and the wishes of the student body as a whole,” wrote MSA in a statement. Blumenthal said the task force approached removing building names with humility and care for the University’s history. “The changing of a building name is importantly distinguishable from the burning of a book or other sorts of infringement on academic freedoms,” she said. Board Chair David McMillan acknowledged there are “varying views on the subject” of renaming, asking community members to be “understanding and accepting of differences in perspective.” “This isn’t simple or easy, despite what some might say,” he said. “Let’s make room for decision by all on this challenging question.” McMillan said many members are interested in receiving “a more complete record about what we know and don’t know,” including information about regents’ beliefs and governing practices at the time. “This is consequential and important stuff for this University, its governing board, this state and the people who reside in it,” he said.

Consistently clearing campus TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Students Vinh Nguyen, Tam Nguyen and Long Nguyen throw snowballs on Saturday, March 9 on campus.

not able to spend as much time with their families as they normally would.”

Shortage of students

Amid crowded market, UMN recyclables have fewer places to go The U’s recycling program hopes to recycle 90 percent of campus waste. BY NATALIE RADEMACHER nrademacher@mndaily.com The University of Minnesota’s Recycling Program recycled more than 3.2 million pounds of material in 2018. But with China’s ban on most imported recyclables, some of the University’s recycled material has no place to go. More than one year after the Chinese government banned most recyclable materials from being imported into the county, the United States recycling market is crowded with products that previously would have been sold to China. At the University, the recycling program must store recyclables in their facilities for longer periods of time as the supply of recycled materials in the U.S. exceeds demand for it. “It feels like we are waiting in line,” said Nick Kluge, waste services supervisor for the University’s recycling program. However, the University’s program has avoided most of the ban’s negative impact because of the way material is recycled on campus. The University’s program keeps recyclables in separate bins, which are later hand sorted. This lowers the amount of wrong recyclable material being mixed together, Kluge said. When material is mixed together, it becomes contaminated, making the material less valuable. The program is still receiving revenue for the recycled material they sell, which Kluge said is not as common in the

industry as it once was. Before China’s recycling ban was enacted last year, around 45 percent of the world’s recycled material was imported to China from 1988 to 2016, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. In some places around the country, certain recyclables are being incinerated because there is no market for the material at the moment. Minnesota has a statute that prohibits recycled material from being sent to a landfill or incinerated. To stimulate the market for recyclable materials in Minnesota, an initiative in Gov. Tim Walz’s proposed budget would offer grants to help companies start and expand their use of recyclable materials. This would help provide the University with a bigger market to sell their materials. The University currently needs to store some recyclables in the University’s ReUse Program Warehouse because there is not enough room in the recycling facility. While the recycling industry is struggling, some say the cause of the problem goes back to how much material consumers are using. “Recycling and these things are all great, but we have to look at consumption,” said Todd Tanner, the University’s ReUse program coordinator. “A lot of people recycle a little bit here and there and think they are making a difference, but really they are just scratching the surface.” The University’s unique approach to recycling Around 40 percent of material disposed of at the University was recycled

or composted in the fiscal year 2018. The recycling program has a long-term goal of getting 90 percent of material out of the trash stream, said Elizabeth Logas-Lindstrom, the University’s recycling coordinator. The University has different collection bins around campus for recycling paper, cans and bottles. After recyclables are collected on campus, they are then hand sorted by employees at the University’s recycling facility before being sold to manufacturing companies. These collection and sorting methods lower how much material accidentally gets mixed together. Most large-scale recycling companies collect their recyclables in one bin, which is then sorted by a machine before they’re sold. “Having a cleaner product makes it easier to find a market for material,” said Brandon Wright, vice president of communications and media relations for the National Waste and Recycling Association. “What we need right now is more markets.” Wright said the singlebin recycling collection system has increased how much material is recycled, but has also increased how much non-recyclable material contaminates the recycling stream. Around onefourth of material recycled in the United States is contaminated, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. “Historically, contaminated recycling streams were not a problem because there was still a market for those materials,” Wright said. “The market is not what it used to be.” After China’s ban went into effect, some recycling

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Recycling program coordinator Todd Tanner demonstrates how the new organics bins will work on Saturday, March 2 at the Como recycling facility. The bins will be put into every building at the University.

programs had to give their recyclables away because they can’t make a profit from it, Tanner said. Most of the University’s recycling program funding comes from the University, which has protected them from financial stress due to the ban. Educational ef forts With a more competitive market for recycled materials, recycling programs, including the University’s, are increasing efforts to educate people on what can be recycled to prevent wrong material from getting into the stream. “Quality is much more important now,” said Ben Knudson, a recycling expert for Hennepin County. “In the past it was, ‘Let’s recycle more and we will figure it out.’ Now [it is], ‘When in doubt, throw it out.’” To help educate people on campus about recycling and organics, the University

launched a green ambassador program earlier this month that trains students, faculty and staff on how to educate others about waste reduction and better recycling practices. “People think if something is plastic, they can throw it into the recycling. It is much more complicated than that,” said Léa Payette, a University student who attended a training session on Saturday for the green ambassador program. While the University is storing collected recyclables in its facilities for longer periods of time, it’s continuing to increase what material can be recycled on campus. This semester, the recycling program is rolling out a pilot project to recycle plastic film, including plastic bags and packaging, in certain buildings on campus. In an effort to help

the recycling market in Minnesota and increase the value of recycled material, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is pushing for an $800,000 biennial fund to provide grants to Minnesota manufacturing companies to help increase their use of recycled materials. “Our markets here in Minnesota are being flooded with material from other parts of the country,” said Wayne Gjerde, a sustainable materials management specialist for MPCA. The organization helps companies use recycled material in their products, and the budget initiative is a way to increase these efforts, Gjerde said. As the University is storing more recycled material in their facilities, they are continuing to find ways to expand recycling on campus while educating the community on best practices.

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

MEN’S HOCKEY

U tops Michigan in Big Ten playoffs The Gophers swept the Wolverines in two games to move to the next round.

ELLE MOULIN, DAILY

Junior Rem Pitlick skates with the puck on Friday, March 8 at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis.

BY JACK WARRICK jwarrick@mndaily.com

A come-from-behind win on Friday built momentum for the Gophers that they carried into Saturday’s match against the Wolverines. Minnesota (18-154) scored three goals in the first period and finished with a 4-1 victory over Michigan (13-16-7) at 3M Arena at Mariucci on Saturday to complete the sweep in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. The Gophers will play in the semifinals next weekend against Notre Dame. “[I’m] very happy how we came out and took control of the game. That was a critical piece of the whole night,” said Gophers head coach Bob Motzko. “We’re playing good hockey, and ... we have to have the mentality of moving on.” After letting Michigan score the first two goals on Friday, Minnesota took its turn piling on the early goals. Gophers forward Rem Pitlick scored the third goal of the game with 4:17 to play in the first period on a top-shelf wrist shot. Then, late in the second period, Pitlick scored a power play goal with a one-timer slap shot assisted by line mate Tyler Sheehy to bring the lead to 4-0. Pitlick tallied

four points in the two games against Michigan over the weekend. Mat Robson, Minnesota’s goaltender, was looking for his first shutout of the season late in the third period, but Michigan’s Adam Winborg dug a rebound into Robson’s net with 6:21 left in the third to make it 4-1. The Gophers’ other goaltender, Eric Schierhorn, has one shutout this season in

the second game against St. Lawrence in November. “It’s no secret, [Robson’s] a great goalie. He helps us out a lot ... enough said about that,” Pitlick said. Gophers sophomore forward Scott Reedy made it 2-0 with 7:18 left to play in the first period when he made the best of a blind pass from a Michigan defender in front of the net. He caught the puck a couple stick

lengths away from the net, gained control, spun around and buried it in the net. It was his seventh goal of the season. In the first six minutes of play, Gophers’ forward Tommy Novak beat a defender on the outside, skated in front of the crease and deposited the puck into the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

Gophers’ forward Brannon McManus scored the game-winner in overtime on the power play Friday night when Pitlick sent him a feed to the front of the net and McManus redirected it in past the goaltender on the far glove side. The Gophers have won seven of their last eight games. “That was a big sweep for us, and [a] good first

round of the playoffs ... we really need that,” Pitlick said. “[We] want to take what we’ve been doing and keep doing it, and be consistent.”

MEN’S HOCKEY RESULTS

SATURDAY Michigan Minnesota

1 0 3

2 0 1

3 1 0

FINAL 1 4

SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

MEN’S GYMNASTICS

Gophers win battle with Ohio State and Nebraska Minnesota posted its highest score in nearly a month in the away victory. BY PAUL HODOWANIC phodowanic@mndaily.com

After five rotations on Friday, the outcome looked bleak for the Minnesota men’s gymnastics team. The Gophers trailed No. 7 Ohio State by eight points with one rotation left. The Gophers headed to the vault, while the Buckeyes tried their luck on high bars. Minnesota proceeded to have their best showing on vault since Feb. 9 scoring a 71.850. Ohio State struggled on high bar, putting up an event-worst 63.000. The result gave Minnesota the win with a final score of 406.300 beating Ohio State and No. 8 Nebraska in the final away meet of the season. “What I’m extremely proud of [is] the team never gave up. They never hung up their grips and started pouting. They had a great attitude,” assistant coach

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Sophomore Shane Wiskus competes in the pommel horse at the Maturi Pavilion on Saturday, Jan. 26.

Kostya Kolesnikov told Gopher Sports. “We were trying to do everything we possibly could, and we did. There was a little bit of luck, but now there’s hope. Now I think that the guys

will trust more in the competition, have a little more confidence, and it’s going to be big for the team’s spirit, I’m sure of it.” Head Coach Mike Burns was absent because of an

illness, leaving Kolesnikov and the other assistants to help the team along. “I hope I never have to miss another meet. That was the most nerve-wracking two hours of my life,”

Burns told Gopher Sports. “Luckily I have two awesome assistant coaches who stepped in and got the job done in admirable fashion.” The team meet was filled with ups and downs for the Gophers, as the team posted season-high scores on floor and rings but posted a season-low on high bar and their secondworst score of the season on pommel horse. Sophomore Shane Wiskus led the team in the all-around with a careerhigh score of 84.350, which is the third-highest score in the country. Wiskus earned titles and career-highs on rings and high bars, scoring a 14.350 on both. Wiskus also earned second-place finishes on the floor and the vault. Senior Justin Karstadt, who was recently nominated for the Nissen-Emery Award, competed on allaround with a season-best 81.900. Karstadt finished second on pommel horse and rings and third on parallel bars. The Gophers had the best finish on parallel bars

amongst the three teams with a 68.350. Freshman David Pochinka was the highest finisher for the Gophers, placing in second with a 14.150. Fellow teammates Karstadt and Shaun Herzog weren’t far behind finishing in third and fourth. Minnesota crushed their previous rings season-high score with a 69.600, more than two points higher than their previous best. Freshman Garrett Kasiski filled in last minute for injured Russell Johnson and scored a career-high 13.300, while Wiskus and Karstadt finished as the top two. With the win the Gophers moved to 2-2 in the Big Ten, trailing Illinois and Michigan by 0.5 for top in the Big Ten season. The Gophers will look to pass those teams in the coming weeks to win the first-ever Big Ten regular season title. Minnesota returns home for the final two weeks of the regular season and will start by taking on No. 13 Air Force on March 17 at 1 p.m.

SOFTBALL

Minnesota beat No. 9 Texas twice, go 4-1 in Longhorn Invitational The Gophers picked up additional top25 victories early in the season. BY PAUL HODOWANIC phodowanic@mndaily.com

No. 22 Minnesota softball traveled to Austin, Texas for the Longhorn Invitational over the weekend, taking on Texas Southern and No. 9 Texas. The Gophers came out of the weekend 4-1, defeating Texas Southern twice and taking two out of three from the higher-ranked Longhorns. “It was a great weekend, to come down here and [play a] three-game series against a quality opponent — Texas, a top-10 team — and beat them on their home field,” said head coach Jamie Trachsel. The Gophers began

the weekend on Friday with a 7-0 victory over Texas Southern. Freshman Natalie DenHartog went 3-4, belted two home runs and drove in four runs. Sophomore Hannah Bailey took the mound for her first career start and pitched a complete game shutout. “That’s not a easy situation, there’s a lot of excitement and a lot of emotions,” Trachsel said. “She was attacking hitters and our defense made plays. ... It was a really great performance for her.” The Gophers rode their momentum into the second game of the night facing Texas, beating the Longhorns 4-1. Hope Brandner got the Gophers going in the first with an RBI single and DenHartog added insurance in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run double. Sydney Smith started the game,

throwing four scoreless innings, and Amber Fiser finished it off. The duo gave up just three hits combined. Minnesota began Saturday with a rematch against the Longhorns. Minnesota got on the board first thanks to a Carlie Brandt RBI single in the fourth. However, the Longhorns scored three in the bottom of the fourth and plated two more in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 5-1. DenHartog gave the Gophers life in the top of the seventh as she smashed her third home run of the weekend to cut the Longhorn lead in half, 5-3, though it was not enough to overcome the deficit. “She’s got a lot of confidence,” Trachsel said of DenHartog. “She has natural power and is a big strong kid, and when she hits it, it is going to go somewhere.”

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Infielder MaKenna Partain swings during a game against Northwestern on Saturday, April 15, 2017 at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.

The team rebounded in the second game of the day against Texas Southern, beating the Tigers 7-4. Smith took the mound for the second time that weekend and threw 6 2/3 innings with 11 strikeouts and no runs. MaKenna Partain

provided the bulk of the offense for the Gophers, going 3-4 and knocking in three runs. “I really just love watching her fight; she’s a competitor and she doesn’t give up,” DenHartog said of Partain. “With a 0-0 count or

a 0-2 count, she’s someone who is still a threat to hit no matter what.” The Gophers finished off the weekend against Texas. Minnesota scored first for the fifth-straight game, plating two in the first inning. Brandner added an RBI single in the third, which was all Minnesota needed, winning 3-1. Fiser pitched six innings, allowing just one run on eight hits and Rachel Lowary finished it off in the seventh, getting the save. The win against Texas gave Trachsel her 300th career win as a head coach. “We’re super happy for her and super happy to have her as our coach, and hitting that 300 mark just shows the good things that have happened and the good things that will continue to come,” DenHartog said.

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

RECREATION

All fired up& ready to burn

ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

The Minneapolis Fire Collective hosts events, fire education classes. BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com

Smoke from frequentlyextinguished fires surrounded the lights inside the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center in Minneapolis on Friday. In the studio, a group of 10 people gently spewed fire from their lips and led lit trails of flames up their arms. Amy Bloss, positioned nearby in her recognizable “cat hat,” watched over her students with pride. Friday’s level two fire breathing class is only a fraction of what the Minneapolis Fire Collective offers.

Bloss, better known as Fire Mama, founded the group in 2008 and is its current director. “It wasn’t a big community [originally], just a bunch of us playing with fire,” Bloss said. The collective started as a Burning Manconclave. They would choreograph performances for the last part of the event: the burning of the Man. The group has since moved away from the fire conclave and transformed into a program offering education and its own events. The educational aspect of MFC came to be when a family approached Bloss for help with their fire skills. She created a four-week program so they could perform at the Bridget Ritual in

Powderhorn Park. “When it came to the event, they couldn’t get the cap off the fuel. I was like, ‘This is the biggest problem?’” Bloss said. “Other people were like, ‘Well I want to do that,’ so then I just started teaching classes.” Bloss creates classes and programs for anyone interested in playing with fire, no matter their skill level. Her teaching method is extremely attentive. On Friday, she caught her students’ accomplishments throughout the class despite being caught in conversation. At one point, she spent about 10 minutes trying to get the perfect Boomerang GIF for a student performing a trick. She is wholly involved in her students’ progress. “People are like, ‘How

long are you going to do this?’ And I was like, ‘As long as people want to keep coming,’” Bloss said. MFC student Kyla Lalime completed Bloss’s intro classes, which include safety training and guidance of prop use. She came to the fire breathing class to refine her skills. “I think [my biggest feat was] taking that step into playing with fire,” Lalime said. “It’s kind of a threshold that I cross through to respect the fire.” Other MFC students have similar stories. At the beginning of Friday’s class, Bloss took a poll of who had previously taken a class with her. Everyone raised their hand. “She’s really great at organizing things and hav-

ing a vision, and then getting the right people to help,” said Jayme Halbritter, a friend of Bloss. “There really aren’t that many people that are doing anything like she’s doing.” Bloss runs multiple events under MFC’s name and a few under her own. “Burning Toilet Paper Roll Man” is a spoof of Burning Man that Bloss used to host in her own backyard under the MFC name. Under her own name she hosts “That Thing at the Cabin.” This camping trip culminates in the burning of an entire cabin that Bloss and her team have built. In the spirit of community and inclusion, this is done in the nude. “I have had 30-some naked people dancing around the

cabin and a lot of them are my students,” Bloss said. “I think those are my proudest moments, seeing them naked and spinning.” While Bloss and the Minneapolis Fire Collective are familiar names in the Twin Cities fire community, Fire Mama doesn’t shy away from outsiders who wonder: “How the hell does she do it?” “It’s funny when people ask, ‘Well what do you put in your mouth?’” Bloss said. “I say ‘magic water.’” What: “Intro to Fire” with Fire Mama When: First class on April 11, 8-9 p.m. Where: Minneapolis Fire Collective, 3512 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis Cost: $180 for the five-week course

DANCE

Last weekend at the Walker: Dancing in a void space “What Remains” challenged the way black bodies are expected to dance.

“We become figures in the end but then the lighting is not there for you to see us. We’re people in the end, but we’re not like giving it all away either.”

BY BECCA MOST bmost@mndaily.com

Hiccuped calls of “you” echoed through the dark performance space on Thursday as four dancers wandered the length of the stage. Clad in black flowing clothes, they lurked in dark corridors next to the audience. The dancers’ calls varied from short staccato-ed yelps to low soulful yowls as they shuttered, whispered and jolted to low waves of static. “What Remains” was performed at the Walker Art Center this weekend, following appearances in New York, Chicago and New Haven. A collaboration between renowned poet Claudia Rankine, choreographer Will Rawls and filmmaker John Lucas, “What Remains” calls its audiences to join the four dancers in a void space that sacrifices lucidity and cohesion, making a point about the surveillance of black bodies in America. “[There are] practices for making your body and voice appear in this space in ways that are unexpected or grotesque,” said Tara Aisha Willis, one of the dancers in “What Remains.” “What can you accomplish when you actually lean into the other possibilities for your body and your voice that don’t kind of follow that linear trajectory [the audience expects]?” Throughout the show, performers babble nonsensical words, play with a microphone set to a high-pitched frequency and drag a massive disco

LESLIE CUYJET performer

ball on the ground so it sends light bouncing in circles on the walls. The piece doesn’t appear to have a consecutive beginning-middle-end. Dancers who lucidly recite poems eventually dissolve back into the garbled speaking and jumbled body movements of the show’s opening. Audience members drawn to the performance by the lure of a dancing-poetic experience or admiration for the big-name creators on the playbill may have been uncomfortable, not knowing exactly what they were viewing or how it should make them feel. The dancers encouraged this.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WALKER ART CENTER

Dancers perform “What Remains” at the Walker Art Center.

“It is a kind of a privilege … to think that you need to know everything or to think that you deserve to know everything or [that] everything should be made accessible to you,” said Jeremy ToussaintBaptiste, a dancer and sound designer for the show. “It’s not about you.” According to TouissaintBaptiste, this “not-knowing” and discomfort is a sign of growth. “[It] is so fortunate to be

able to sit in something for an hour and not know what you’re seeing and actually be challenged,” he said. “And I always like to be an audience member who has to do some work.”

The depiction of black bodies changes over the course of the show, aided by costuming and lighting. Lighting equipment traditionally used in photoshoots is pointed away from the performers on stage.

Willis said this light manipulation plays into the idea of spectacle and surveillance, which is especially prevalent in her daily life. Even as the dancers begin to act more rationally, changing into more form-fitting clothing, the audience is obscured from seeing their bodies fully. “We become figures in the end but then the lighting is not there for you to see us,” said performer Leslie Cuyjet. “We’re people in the end, but we’re not like giving it all away either.” For the dancers, fostering dialogue and establishing a community around movement allowed for the creation of this type of performance. “I think it was really important to create a world for us first that spoke not only to us as a group and as individuals, but also [to] the connections between all of us,” said Cuyjet. “For most of my career, I couldn’t say that I would have been able to walk onto stage with that amount of confidence and security and safety. Because I know that’s our positioning in the work, and this is what we’re cultivating every time we do it.”

6 MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions LETTER TO THE EDITOR

COLUMN

Please, for the benefit of us all, learn and practice better transit etiquette Taking small steps to save space on public transit streamlines the transit experience for all parties.

ublic transit is a beautiful but sometimes soul-sucking modern marvel. In the recent winter months (and in times past), University of Minnesota students have been PALMER HAASCH plagued by inadcolumnist equate buses, delays in transit and uncomfortable rides on the regular. However, I’m not here to critique the failings of the University’s transit system — others have already reported on and discussed it at length. As someone who has lived and breathed public transit for the past four years of my life across a smattering of metropolitan areas, I like to think I have a decent understanding of how we, as beleaguered transit users, can make both

our journey and others’ easier. In turn, I humbly present my personal guide on how not to be an asshole on public transit. In order make the bus onboarding and offboarding processes simpler, use the rear doors to exit whenever possible. This rule becomes a bit muddled on campus buses since riders can enter and exit from every door. However, exiting in the back and entering through the front creates a cleaner traffic flow that helps the bus leave sooner. This is especially true on city buses, where riders must pay a fare and can only enter through the front. “How will I thank the bus driver?” you plead, ever the conscientious Minnesotan. “You still can!” I respond gleefully, mirth twinkling in my eyes. Just do it from the rear door. Perhaps most crucially, don’t take up seats with inanimate objects. If the bus is relatively empty, it’s fine to take up an extra seat or two with your belongings. However, when the bus you’re riding reaches the Blegen Hall stop and there are 50 plus people waiting to get on — put your backpack on your lap. It does not need a seat. A related note for those of us who struggle to assert ourselves: you’re not being cruel if you ask someone to move their backpack. Side-eyeing them won’t get them to move it. Speaking of backpacks, take it off when you

can. Placing it between your legs on the floor — I know this isn’t always ideal because of abhorrently dirty floors — saves space for everyone. This applies to saving space on the hellish fourseat arrangement on most campus buses. It’s not difficult to take your backpack off and put it on your lap so someone can sit across from you. Yes, it’s a pain. Yes, I hate it too. Stop complaining and let someone sit by you. Finally, don’t push to get on the bus. The 4th Street Circulator stop at the Bridges Apartment is an absolute nightmare, as everyone has to get to class on West Bank. I, too, lament the fact that it doesn’t run more frequently. However, after injuries and complaints on social media about that stop in particular, it’s crucial we prioritize safety over getting on the bus. Don’t push people to get on the bus, full stop. There’s not much to be done about hellish transit conditions before the winter concludes (if it ever does; my soul is dying). However, we can all take small steps to upgrade the collective transit experience on campus from utterly nightmarish to mildly annoying. Palmer Haasch welcomes comments at phaasch@mndaily.com.

EDITORIAL

The Minnesota Daily’s endorsement for MSA president and vice president After interviewing candidates, the Editorial Board endorses Mina Kian and Jael Kerandi for MSA.

Over the past week, the Minnesota Daily’s Editorial Board interviewed three sets of candidates for Minnesota Student Association president and vice president positions. A fourth set of candidates was not interviewed, as they’re not in a practical position to be elected. The Daily will not be endorsing candidates in the Council of Graduate Students and Professional Student Government races because the leaders of MSA oversee a larger population of the University community. The goal of this endorsement is to recommend candidates who are able to navigate the complex infrastructure of the University of Minnesota while elevating the student voice. The president and vice president of MSA are at the forefront of improving student experiences and education; therefore, candidates should display knowledge of University functions and have an outlined vision for their term. As students at the University, it’s important to exercise your right to vote in these elections. The president and vice president of MSA have the ability to push campus-wide initiatives, bring student body needs to the attention of administrators and Legislators and ensure student voices are present at high levels of the University. It’s important to elect candidates with a viable platform who have the well-being of the University in mind. Mina Kian and Jael Kerandi Mina Kian and Jael Kerandi have the experience, expertise and excitement we believe is necessary to represent the study body in a effective and comprehensive way. Kian and Kerandi have both accumulated considerable experience in MSA. Kian currently serves as MSA’s vice president and serves as co-chair of the sexual assault task force. Kerandi is subcommittee chair of the sexual assault task force and a member of MSA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

We believe this experience has provided them with the abilities to pursue new initiatives and continue laying the groundwork for long-term goals that cannot be realized in single term. We also believe an incredibly important aspect of the job is the ability to work effectively with University administrators, regents and state legislators. Kian and Kerandi have previously established relationships with many of these leaders through previous and current work with MSA. These relationships will ensure a continued line of communication to campus decision-makers. We feel the student voice is integral to these conversations, and Kian and Kerandi will make sure it’s heard. Lastly, we feel Kian and Kerandi have passion that will drive them to push new initiatives, advocate for students typically without a voice and bring enthusiasm to work that is often tedious and exhausting. Some initiatives the duo are spearheading made us excited, like their sustainability plans that include expanding composting efforts and implementing environmental justice education. This is in addition to increasing access to affordable food and housing options, as well as a continued emphasis on mental health advocacy. We encourage readers to check out their website to learn more about their platform. Osirus Washington and Janet Nguyen As candidates who didn’t climb the ranks of MSA, Osirus Washington and Janet Nguyen have a platform we commend. The duo’s ground-level outreach to student groups shows a strong connection to the student body. Washington and Nguyen are clearly passionate and qualified candidates who took the time to reach members of the student body who are often overlooked. While we commend their platform, a lack of continued work with administrators and state legislators may hinder their ability to make change right away. Much of Washington and Nguyen’s focus is on creating healthier dialogue between students and MSA representatives. They want to mitigate any disconnect between MSA and the student body and ensure MSA is a more

welcome place for people to work. While we appreciate these efforts, we’re concerned the efforts to restructure MSA may detract from efforts that benefit all students. Some of their initiatives we admire include bringing more affordable food options to campus, continued efforts to combat sexual assault on campus and connecting the campus community with greater Minneapolis. Spencer Kleinschmidt and August Schutz Spencer Kleinschmidt and August Schutz are new to student politics at the University, but are dedicated to ensuring that students feel more connected to making change on campus. They want to use their unique perspective from outside student government to give students in similar situations a voice. Much like their opponents, Kleinschmidt and Schutz want to focus on students’ access to quality food resources. They also support decreasing and freezing tuition rates for students. We appreciated their want to hold town meetings where students can directly speak with MSA leaders. We believe making an effort to truly connect with students is important and is a strong point of their campaign. A note on our endorsement process Daily employees outside the editorial board were not involved in the decision process. The separation between the newsroom and editorial board is deep. Nothing is communicated between the two entities regarding student government elections or newsworthy matters. The four members of the Daily’s editorial board are Kelly Busche, the Daily’s editor-inchief and a journalism and political science senior; Ellen Schneider, the Daily’s editorial and opinions editor and a senior studying political science and journalism; Ariana Wilson, a senior studying journalism with a media studies minor and Hailey Almsted, a journalism senior with a minor in public health. Our goal of the endorsements is to recommend candidates based on fair evaluations. It is our opinion that readers should vote according

COLUMN

On the value of investing meaningfully

Socially responsible investing sends a message about what you are hoping to see succeed.

he bareminimum financial move any time we receive a paycheck is to put a certain amount of it away for retirement and emergencies. As you may have UMA VENKATA h e a r d , ro u g h columnist common knowledge is to have six months’ income as backup at all times and to save 10-15 percent of income starting in our twenties. I’m sure you’re allowed to save a lot more than that, if you want to. Savings mechanisms come in different ways. One is the individual retirement account, or IRA. Contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax income, but the funds are not subject to tax on withdrawals or earnings. A traditional IRA’s contributions in comparison are tax-free, but income tax applies to withdrawals. This does make a difference. When you need to know what difference it makes for you, it’s time for a fiduciary. IRAs, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds

and other things on the back page of the Sunday paper are all ways to put your faith in the market, contribute to business and economic growth and capitalize on it in a few decades. Of course, people also store wealth in real estate, which provides invaluable help for high-expenditure items when you have a mortgage you can refinance. There’s no reason not to invest in both real estate and the stock market. The former is fairly straightforward. The latter, however, is powerful because it affects many more people than just those who live in a particular house. What you invest in sends a strong message about what you’re willing and hoping to see succeed, affecting vast masses of people. That’s why socially responsible investing (SRI) has become an object of focus lately. Investors who engage in SRI use this tool to pull financial support from companies that partake in human rights abuses, environmental mismanagement, child labor and irresponsible governing, among others. More than a decade ago, a “green bond” was issued by the European Investment Bank to back projects for renewable and efficient energy. By 2017, both public and private green bonds at a value of more than $155 billion have been issued. We’ve seen our own impact-investing drive here on campus with the Divest movement, which passed the referendum by a 3.4 percent margin last March out of more than 6,000 votes, according to Minnesota Daily reporting. Its goal was to “demand that the Board of Regents

divest from companies that are 1) complicit in Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights, 2) maintaining and establishing private prisons and immigrant detention centers, or 3) violating Indigenous sovereignty.” This was all about money talking, implicitly through any university investments. What this all amounts to may just be too little too late. At the rate we are building and investing in sustainable energy, it will take 400 years to transform that system, according to an MIT Technology Review article. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change still found 12 years left to avoid catastrophe in climate. Investing is important, money does talk. Maybe you could rationalize it as some sort of rolling-basis financial democracy, which demonstrates the will of the people. The true power is with those who make state, federal, and international-level decisions. The rest of us are responsible for choosing those representatives wisely. In the meantime, SRI may not cause the U.S. to promise to remain in the Paris Climate Accord in 2020, but it can send continuous, impactful messages and support. Apart from voting responsibly, spending meaningfully is effective too.

Uma Venkata welcomes comments at uvenkata@mndaily.com.

Vote ‘yes’ on UMN tenured faculty sexual misconduct referendum Starting Monday, students can vote on this important referendum: “Should tenured faculty be held to the same standard as nontenured faculty and staff when accused of sexual misconduct involving a student?” As President of the Council of Graduate Students, which sponsored this referendum, please allow me to explain why we urge you to vote “yes.” In May 2018, City Pages reported that a University of Minnesota tenured faculty member allegedly committed appalling sexual harassment against students. These previously unknown cases demonstrated the great extent to which the power differential between tenured faculty and students can harm students. Tenured faculty positions are among the most secure jobs in the U.S. Once granted tenure, faculty appointments are considered lifetime and cannot be terminated without a cause. The tenure system is designed in theory to protect academic freedom so that faculty can teach and conduct research without fear. I recognize the majority of faculty at the University are excellent teachers and mentors. However, some tenured faculty have abused their tenure status with behaviors ranging from bullying and verbal abuse to sexual misconduct. Particularly, tenured faculty hold tremendous power and discretion over the career progress of graduate students. For instance, the Minnesota Daily recently reported a professor was reprimanded twice for creating a work environment of “intimidation and fear” in his laboratory. Center to this referendum are the layers of protections those accused faculty enjoy. When a faculty member is found responsible for sexual misconduct, the college dean has to take extraordinary steps to give out sanctions, such as required consultation with peer faculty. Moreover, when termination is involved, that faculty member can appeal all the way to the Board of Regents. In contrast, for non-tenured faculty and staff committing a similar offense, the authority in charge can choose to not grant them tenure or not renew their contracts. Both these explicit and implicit protections of tenure can contribute to serious misconduct. Within days after sponsoring this referendum, COGS collected over 600 signatures — a sign of strong will among students. The purpose of referendum is simply two-fold. First, we want to put those faculty who abuse their tenure and commit sexual misconduct on notice. No, you won’t get away without consequences and students won’t stay silent. Second, we hope to bring this serious issue to the attention of the wider University community, including the regents, alumni and state and local community leaders. Most importantly, work collectively to prevent another professor Gianluigi Veglia or professor Michael Lee situation. The University launched President’s Initiative to Prevent Sexual Misconduct, and I want to fully acknowledge President Eric Kaler and his team’s commitment. Other students and I have been invited to be part of this important campaign. With broadbased experts and stakeholders, we hope to keep this conversation going and work hard to prevent future sexual misconduct. We won’t let this go until real policy and longterm cultural changes happen. Before that, let’s now vote “yes” to show our will and let us be heard. Sean Chen is President of the University of Minnesota’s Council of Graduate Students. This letter has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity. 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.

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

THE EDIT ORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPAR TMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEW SROOM

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

DR. DATE

HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (3/11): 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 a 9 — Compute expenses and make sure bills are paid before spending on non-essentials. Discipline and experience make the difference.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 9 — Invest in the highest quality you can afford. Make plans for long-term growth. Collaborate with someone who shares your interests.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 9 — You know what you want; go for it! Make powerful requests. Help coordinate the action. Acknowledge supporters graciously.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is an 8 — Work quickly and carefully with your partner. Coordinate your response. Avoid provoking jealousies. Provide a stabilizing influence.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is a 6 — Peaceful productivity suits your mood. Organize and make plans behind closed doors. Plot your course toward realizing a dream.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — Find ways to increase the efficiency of your routine movements. Physical energy can surge when inspired by a dream.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 9 — Offer encouragement and a positive vision. Your team is especially hot! Set long-range goals, and share possibilities. Invite participation.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is an 8 — Emotions could surge with a loved one. Address an uncomfortable situation head on. Get advice and make your own mindful decisions.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — A career opportunity comes into focus. This could be a lucky break. Major obstacles are in the past. Listen to your dreams.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 7 — Things get busy at home. Make household repairs and upgrades to reduce the impact of a potential breakdown. Keep your patience, humor and cool.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Travel and action flow more freely. Pay attention to what’s going on. The news can affect your itinerary or route. Make a long-distance connection.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is an 8 — Catch up on the news. Keep your finger on the pulse of current events with your networks. Share updates and interesting information.

Dr. Date,

After years of begging my parents and months of trying to get an emotional-support animal letter, I finally moved into my own place with the girl of my dreams — a kitten named Rosie. She’s the cutest thing in the world, and I’ve never been happier. But apparently not everyone is happy about my status as cat mom. I mentioned my struggles with my apartment building’s rules to my boyfriend, but he thought I wasn’t being serious about getting a cat. When I sent him the first Snapchat photo of the two of us, he left me on read, then texted me he wouldn’t come over to my apartment anymore. He continued to ignore any mentions of Rosie until last night, when we ended up back at my place after drinking too much … and I woke up to him screaming. Apparently my boyfriend has a severe fear of cats stemming from some childhood trauma. Even though she’s maybe 2 pounds soaking wet, he acts like there’s a tiger sleeping in my bed every night. He refuses to go back to my place and told me we have no future unless I get rid of her. What can I do?

—A Rose and Her Thorns

Dear A Rose and Her Thorns,

Sorry, you’re going to have to throw the whole man away. But seriously, trauma can really mess you up. I can’t blame him for being scared. However, the fact he’s telling you the two of you have no future is problematic. Trauma is something you should take seriously. If it’s personally better for him to end things, take him seriously. But, you should also see if you can work with him on overcoming his fear (maybe only spend a few hours at your place and sleep at his?). If he refuses to work on your relationship, consider what you want in your life for the next 10 years — an adorable cat, or a man who throw out ultimatums?

— Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

I have a thing for Gopher sports guys. Hockey, basketball, wrestling or football — as long as you have the possibility of being on Barstool Gophers, I’m DTF. I’ve been petitioning Tinder for an athlete filter, and have

been known to knock on past hookups’ doors in the Radius after big games. What can I say, there’s nothing better than stealing one of those maroon and gold jackets or backpacks after a long night of celebrating! Lately, I’ve been sticking to one guy in particular. We’ve been hanging out for a few months, and I think I might want to be exclusive. But my friends have a different idea. Guys from this team have a reputation of being … smaller, and not just in the weight room. My guy is the exception, but my friends have laughed at me for even thinking about settling down with someone from the team. Aside from sending a picture to my friends, I don’t know what to do to stop the teasing. How do I prove he knows how to handle his stick?

—Size Doesn’t Matter

Dear Size Doesn’t Matter,

Have you thought about making a graph by team to show how he compares? Some people won’t rest until they see real evidence. If you want to get a little more serious with this guy, you’ve got to learn to ignore the criticism. Yeah, your reputation is pretty funny, but there comes a point where you have to tell your friends to mind their own business. They’re not going to handle him, so why do they need to know?

— Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

I never considered myself the jealous type, but my girlfriend is very close with one of her guy friends. I trust her and I try to ignore it, but it really bothers me. How can I bring it up to her without getting into a fight?

—Outside Looking In

Dear Outside Looking In,

Don’t bring it up. Just add “chilling out and trusting your girlfriend” to your own personal list of things that you need to work on. You’re the one she’s holding hands with; you’re the one she gets nasty with. Trust her, and don’t make her feel weird for having a close friend.

—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

3/11/19

Monday, March 11, 2019

MSA candidates look to leave their mark All of the candidates running for MSA are advocating for students differently. BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com

Voting begins this week for the next Minnesota Student Association president and vice president. From affordability to diversity, the 2019-20 MSA president and vice president candidates have a diverse range of goals and visions for the future of the University of Minnesota. President candidate Mina Kian and vice president candidate Jael Kerandi Current MSA Vice President Mina Kian is running for the presidency alongside current MSA Ranking Representative to the Board of Regents Jael Kerandi. Kerandi said one of the pair’s biggest goals is creating long-lasting change at the University, with an emphasis on improving affordability. “Bottom line is I want to make this University a better place not only for myself and my peers now, but for

the Gophers that are going to come in ten years and in fifteen years,” Kerandi said. Another priority is increasing the resources available to sexual assault survivors. Kian previously served as co-director of an MSA task force to combat sexual assault. Kian and Kerandi both expressed their desire to create a more diverse student body at the University and to provide mental health resources for diverse students. “I’m really passionate about our recruitment and retention of a diverse student body. … Not only getting these students here, but how do we have a campus that allows them to feel welcome and comfortable?” Kerandi said. Sustainability is another issue the pair is focusing on. Kian said they hope to push for more sustainable models in dining halls. Kian emphasized her and Kerandi’s experience with governance and advocacy at MSA, as well as their hope to maintain a close relationship between MSA and incoming President-Designate Joan Gabel. “I know that me and Jael are the best-equipped

individuals and the most passionate individuals to take up the responsibility of governing the Minnesota Student Association in the upcoming year,” Kian said.

President candidate Osirus Washington and vice president candidate Janet Nguyen Third-year student Osirus Washington, current MSA at-large representative, is running for president alongside running mate Janet Nguyen, also a current at-large representative. Washington said he is the only black male student with voting power within MSA, and emphasized the importance of improving diversity and representation in the University’s student government. “Equity is including all voices, every background, every student, and that’s what we want to do,” he said. Washington and Nguyen both said they hope to focus on tackling food and housing insecurity on campus. Their goal is to work with groups in the communities surrounding the University to implement more opportunities for students to access fresh food. “[B]eing a land-grant

institution, we believe that the University has a social responsibility with becoming more involved with these communities,” Nguyen said. Washington said they also hope to continue MSA’s It Ends Here campaign and further education about sexual violence. Washington said he hopes to do more outreach and make student government more engaging for students while making MSA more internally inclusive. “It’s important to bring in new faces and new voices to our undergraduate student government, and me and Janet would definitely be able to do that,” he said. President candidate Osirus Washington and vice president candidate Janet Nguyen.

President candidate Spencer Kleinschmidt and vice president candidate August Schutz Third-year student Spencer Kleinschmidt is running for president alongside thirdyear August Schutz. The pair is not currently involved with MSA. Kleinschmidt said he hopes to to introduce a new grocery store to Dinkytown or Stadium Village to make affordable food options more

COURTESY OF JANET NGUYEN

MSA candidates running for president and vice president, Osirus Washington and Janet Nguyen, respectively.

accessible for students. He also said he hopes to bring more nutritious and fresh food options to first-year students by revamping some of the dining halls. Kleinschmidt emphasized the power of the student body in helping to implement some of these changes. “If you get the students behind it, there’s not a lot you can’t do at a University,” he said. He hopes to implement

town hall-style opportunities for collecting and listening to student input. Kleinschmidt said he also wants to work on ways to make campus feel safer, such as working with University police to get timely warnings about crimes on campus out faster. Kleinschmidt said it’s important to believe sexual assault survivors and provide them with the resources they need. He said he wants to make mental health resources more accessible.

Students ask regents for mental health resources Regents discussed enrollment plans for the U system at the latest meeting. BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents reviewed recommendations from student representatives and discussed system campus’ enrollment plans at a meeting Friday. Student representatives to the regents presented their annual report to the board, which focused on sustainability, mental health

and campus climate. “While each campus is unique without a doubt, we offer a glimpse into topics and issues that are present on all campuses,” said University of Minnesota Duluth senior Alexandra Ulland, vice chair of the student representatives to the board. The report recommended increasing collaboration across the University’s five campuses, including reinstating a systemwide strategic sustainability committee, as well as adopting a systemwide task force and providing a biennial student survey on campus climate issues.

However, mental health quickly emerged as the predominant concern for regents. Student representative chair Marta Dean said mental health remains a perennial issue for students, highlighting the rising number of students with a mental health condition, according to recent Boynton Health surveys. “We recognize this is not the first time we have brought this issue forward and it will likely not be the last,” said Dean, a University of Minnesota-Crookston senior. “There is still more that can be done to address

mental health on campus.” The student representatives’ report recommended a “comprehensive systemwide action plan” based on a new external review of the University’s approach to mental health, as well as reviewing mental health services every five years. With the demand for mental health services outpacing the University’s capacity, President Eric Kaler said the University may have to look to private health insurance and other forms of support. “I do think we have been effective in addressing the needs, but I appreciate you

noting that the demands are ever-increasing,” he said. “Pragmatically, at some point we can’t provide all that’s needed for that population.” Though he recognized the ongoing need to address mental health concerns, Kaler said he was “neutral to negative” on an external review of the University’s practices. Regent Dean Johnson said he often hears mental health is an issue for young people, but wants to understand the underlying causes. “Where has it risen to this level? I agree we need

to deal with it, but I’m trying to figure out the symptoms,” Johnson said. Regent Darrin Rosha said today’s students face additional challenges than previous generations. “I don’t envy students today … the expectations of your generation are greater,” he said. “I think this is going to be one of the great issues we’re going to have to deal with.” Some regents were concerned that there is no mental health office on the West Bank, including Regent Peggy Lucas. “I know we can do better,” she said.

PSG, COGS candidates vie for top positions Many are vying for student leadership and advocating for University change. BY KAIT ECKER kecker@mndaily.com

This week three candidates are on the All Campus Election ballot to fill four positions available in the University of Minnesota’s graduate and professional student governments. Two candidates are running for vice president in the Professional Student Government, with one of the candidates also running for the president position. In the Council of Graduate Students, the sole candidate for president is running unopposed and the only candidate for vice presidency has dropped out. Joshua Clancy, candidate for PSG president and vice president Joshua Clancy from the School of Public Health decided to run for both the presidency and vice presidency in PSG because both positions interested him. He has three key pillars for his platform, including equity in policies, environmental sustainability and community engagement. “This is a pretty big institution,” Clancy said. “There’s a lot of moving parts, but I’m hoping that my kind of knowledge about where to put a little bit of grease in the gears can help start shifting and changing this University to be a more equitable, more environmentally conscious and a more community-focused institution.” Clancy said he’s running because it’s also a l e a r n i n g a n d g ro w i n g opportunity. “I want to be better at

“I withdrew for personal reasons and also because ... there were some potentially disqualifying unethical issues occurring within the leadership of COGS as relates to the position of vice president.” RYAN MACHTMES former candidate for COGS vice president

leading people,” Clancy said. “I have a lot of changes I want to make in the world, and I want to explore all the avenues I can to make those changes.” Andrew Durkot, candidate for PSG vice president Also running for PSG’s vice president is Andrew Durkot from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Confronting sexual misconduct on campus and helping professional students seeking dual-master’s degrees are integral to his platform, he said. His platform also focuses o n i m p ro v i n g c a m p u s sustainability. “It’s the tiny little things that really add up in the long run, especially when you apply that to a campus as big as the University of Minnesota,” Durkot said. The current PSG president Alanna Pawlowski encouraged him to pursue the opportunity, he said. The less intensive time commitment of a vice president opposed to a president’s time commitment appealed to Durkot as well, he said. Tommy Keller, candidate for COGS president The only candidate running for president in COGS is Tommy Keller, who is studying

applied economics. “I would like to see graduate students receive more financial support from the University,” Keller wrote in an email to the Minnesota Daily. He said he would like to see this financial support come in the form of travel grants. His candidacy statement mentioned making sure graduate students have the resources they need with future changes to the Graduate Assistant Health Plan. An open position for COGS’ vice president There’s no candidate officially running for COGS vice president. The former candidate for COGS vice president, Ryan Machtmes, said he ran because he thought there would be at least one other candidate. “I withdrew for personal reasons, and also because it had come to my attention that there were some potentially disqualifying unethical issues occurring within the leadership of COGS as relates to the position of vice president, that I had no interest in being party to,” Matchtmes said. Whoever receives the most write-ins will be elected vice president of COGS.