TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
EARLY WEEK
MNDAILY.COM
SCIENCE
ADMIN
responds Supporting women engineers U to Shapiro venue suit
The University claims it did not violate free speech rights in a motion filed late last month. BY EMMA DILL edill@mndaily.com
COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY
Freshman Elsa Forberger, center, speaks to Ellie Burns, left, and Ashmeta Sarma about the Association for Computing Machinery for Women on Thursday, Aug. 30 outside Lind Hall on East Bank. The College of Science and Engineering held an activities fair for incoming freshmen.
A new program was launched in response to a lack of women in engineering and science fields. BY THERESA MUELLER tmueller@mndaily.com
Faculty members at the University of Minnesota are hoping to support the next generation of female scientists and engineers through a new diversity program. The Emerging Scholars Program, which was launched at the beginning of the fall semester, will bring together female students and other students from diverse backgrounds to cultivate a sense of community, provide resources and encourage
collaboration within the engineering field. The program is funded by a grant from the National Center for Women and Information Technology. Influenced by their own experiences of sometimes being the only female in a class, Maria Gini and Shana Watters, founders of the program and faculty members in the University’s Computer Science and Engineering department, said they wanted to combat feelings of loneliness that can accompany this by providing a welcoming environment in the program. The program was created in part as a response to the low percentage of women and people of color in the computer science field. Women account for around 16 percent of undergraduate students studying in the CSE department at the University, according to data from Peterson’s, LLC.
u See ENGINEERING Page 4
STATE LEG.
U’s strategic plan may prove beneficial in upcoming legislative session Lawmakers and UMN officials aim to find common ground with the system-wide strategy. BY ISABELLA MURRAY imurray@mndaily.com
University of Minnesota officials are set to release the first system-wide strategic plan for the school, which could positively affect state funding at the next legislative session, regents and lawmakers say. The impending plan, which will be discussed at next week’s Board of Regents meeting, will act as a financial framework for academic and state priorities.
Officials say having this concrete strategy might help lawmakers understand a tangible need for upcoming biennial budget requests. “The strategic plan is important in that it shows where we want the U to be in five years,” University Regent and former Minnesota Speaker of the House Steve Sviggum said. In recent years, the University has failed to receive all the budget it requested of the state. In 2017’s session, the University received less than 13 percent of its original request. This failure is due in part to a miscommunication between lawmakers and University officials regarding what the school’s needs are, Rep. Gene Pelowski,
DFL-Winona, said. “The U’s biggest problem is that they present budgets that are wants and they can’t articulate a need,” Pelowski said. “No one is going to throw money at anything. We need to understand a consequence.” Sviggum said the plan can communicate the school’s need for state funding by illustrating freshman retention, graduation times and postgraduate employment rates. “Our job is to make the argument and show through performance, earning increased state allocations,” he said. Last session, the University requested $10 million of the state’s budget surplus. u See LAWMAKERS Page 4
Ice cream rolls into Dinkytown Wonders Ice Cream plans to open shop near the UMN campus by mid-September. BY IMANI CRUZEN icruzen@mndaily.com
books. Boris Oicherman, Weisman creative collaboration curator, quickly saw potential for McCarthy Clifford’s ideas to become something bigger. u See EXHIBIT Page 3
u See ICE CREAM Page 7
Literature and the prison system: art for change and justice A new WAM exhibit grapples with prison system censorship through an interactive display. BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com
COURTESY OF WEISMAN ART MUSEUM, PHOTO BY BORIS OICHERMAN
Viewers of the exhibit, “The Section of Disapproved Books,” interact at the Weisman Art Museum.
stride,” McCarthy Clifford said. “People are responding to it ... which I think is now letting me know that I can actually do this. It’s kind of happening before my eyes.” The project didn’t start with the intention of creating a library of rule-breaking
BUSINESS
One Two Three Sushi’s former Dinkytown location will soon welcome Wonders Ice Cream, the parlor that first introduced rolled ice cream to Minnesota. Co-founded by Joungkong Yang and Kit Houngnakhone in August 2017 in St. Paul, Wonders Ice Cream offers 20 signature flavors of ice cream. The Dinkytown spot, which is expected to open by mid-September, will be its fifth location. “We’ve always wanted to have Wonders in Dinkytown,” Yang said. “We thought that it was a really nice area and there’s a lot of students on campus and we felt that we can bring something really cool to campus.” To make the dessert, ice cream flavors are mixed and spread on an ice grill at minus 20 degrees before hibachi scrapers are used to roll the ice cream sheet and toppings are added. The method gives the parlor its name, a reference to the Seven Wonders of the World. “It’s a really cool process so we kind of felt that our process looked like the eighth wonder,” Yang said. Marvis Monteiro, a first-year graduate student at the University of Minnesota, said he’s had rolled ice cream before and would be interested in going to Wonders Ice Cream. He said the customization rolled ice cream offers appeals to him. “It’s like everything is in the power of the consumer. It’s like he gets to decide what flavor will it be, what would he like to add,” Monteiro said. “It’s not like a conventional box of ice cream where you have a definite flavor.” Yang said the store continues to
A&E
It started with an edgy prison humor zine. “The Inmate Activity Book,” created by recent University of Minnesota MFA graduate Daniel McCarthy Clifford and a partner, followed all necessary federal prison guidelines and regulations, but was ultimately labeled as “a threat to the security of the institution.” The zine, a type of small magazine, eventually grew to become a list of more than 400 pieces of banned literature from prisons across the country. The project that followed became “The Section of Disapproved Books,” an exhibit opening at the Weisman Art Museum on Sept. 8. The exhibit’s shelves house the banned books and attendees are invited to flip through them. Previously displayed at the Northern Spark festival this past summer, the exhibit focuses on issues of justice reform, a subject that McCarthy Clifford has tackled in previous projects as well. “I came out for the grad program [at the University] and started making this work about the justice system. I sort of hit my
The University of Minnesota filed a motion late last month to dismiss a lawsuit that alleges the school discriminated against conservative views when hosting speaker Ben Shapiro in February. The lawsuit filed by conservative nonprofit Young America’s Foundation, Shapiro and student group Students for a Conservative Voice states that hosting Shapiro on the University’s St. Paul campus limited how many students could attend and violated the school’s First Amendment obligations. In the motion, filed Aug. 22, the University states the North Star Ballroom in St. Paul was chosen for security reasons with the consent of SCV. The University argues it did not violate the plaintiff’s free speech rights because the decision was based on security concerns SCV initially raised when submitting a venue request. “The Constitution does not guarantee a right to host an event in a particular venue,” the motion states. The University also argues that campus buildings are limited public forums where speech restrictions are appropriate as long as they are reasonable and viewpoint neutral. The University complied by working with SCV, adding extra seating and livestreaming the speech, the motion states. The motion also maintains that the plaintiffs do not prove injury. The conservative groups, however, claim that limiting the attendance caused injury to the larger campus climate. “When the University takes action like this to censor or treat conservatives disparately, it has a chilling effect on free speech on that campus,” said YAF spokesperson Spencer Brown. The University of California, Berkeley filed a similar motion last spring after a YAF lawsuit claimed the university discriminated against conservative speakers including Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos. A federal judge rejected the university’s dismissal and the lawsuit moved forward. “Berkley did it and lost. Minnesota did it and we believe they’ll lose on that point as well,” Brown said.
VOLUME 118 ISSUE 66
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
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THIS DAY IN HISTORY
476 The Western Roman Empire falls when Emperor Romulus Augustus is deposed by Odoacer, a German barbarian who proclaims himself King of Italy.
Tuesday, September 4, 2018 Vol. 118 No. 66
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Seth Green celebrates earning a touchdown with quarterback Zack Annexstad during the game against New Mexico on Thursday, Aug. 30 at TCF Bank Stadium.
Kaler shares his goals for the year In an interview at the State Fair, Kaler discusses his final year at the U.
BY HELEN SABROWSKY hsabrowsky@mndaily.com The Minnesota Daily met University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler at the Minnesota State Fair last week to talk about his decision to resign, the search for a new president and the University’s presence at the fair. What are you most looking for ward to at the State Fair this year? I always enjoy seeing all of the things the [University] is doing at the fair … the [Driven to Discover] building, the [CHS Miracle of Birth Center], all of the animals and just the general good vibe at the fair and the impact the [University] has on all of the things that go on here. Last month you announced you will
step down as University president a year before your contract was set to expire, what did you weigh as you made this decision? I figured that it’s just time. I’ve done what I set out to do and I think it’s important as a leader to know when that time is and so the opportunity to give the board plenty of time to find my successor is in front of us. I feel I’ve accomplished what I set out to do and now let’s let someone else have a swing at it. How long have you considered resigning? I would say probably a year ago, at the start of the last school year, I began to reflect on what I’ve done, what I can do, what I want to do and what I want to do with my life. What are your priorities in your final year as University President? Really finishing the philanthropic campaign as part of [Driven to Discover] is
really important, that’s what I’m going to do for the year after I step down as president as well. We’re a little over $3 billion towards our $4 billion goal and I want to get that done. I want to also work with the Legislature and new governor to chart a good, strong budget for the University and also continue to work on our strategic plan for the system.
Soon, a search committee will be formed to find the next University president. What would you like to see in the next president? Well, people have different strengths and weaknesses and the next president will probably have a different mix of those than I do. I think that we’re all looking for someone who loves the University and wants to see it succeed and has the energy and passion to drive a vision of excellence and accessibility for Minnesotans. Executive Vice President and Provost Karen
Hanson r ecently announced she will leave her position at the end of the year, what are your thoughts on her decision? Well she’s been absolutely terrific as a provost. We really could not ask for a person with a better set of skills to serve as provost, so the University has been really fortunate to have her service and I wish her the very best as she moves forward. What are you looking for ward to this year with Gopher Athletics? Well we’re obviously excited about the opportunities Gopher Athletics has. I think we’ll see a growth year in football, it is [P.J. Fleck’s] second year and that’s a process of building that he’s engaged in. But I’m very optimistic about our men’s basketball season and of course I’m very excited to welcome Lindsay Whalen back as our women’s basketball coach.
Last year, nearly 2 million people attended
the State Fair — where the University has a large presence. How do you use the fair to interact with Minnesotans, especially those from greater Minnesota? It’s a really terrific opportunity to do that and we encourage everybody to engage. Whether it’s our [Driven to Discover] building or our showcases or other things that feature the [University], it’s just a chance for people from around the state to learn about and appreciate ... the impact the [University] has. As summer wraps up, what are you looking for ward to most this year? Well, I’m always excited about the energy our new students bring. Convocation on Thursday is a great event. We’ll have 5,900 new students [and] 2,000 transfer students, so one of the great joys of higher education is the renewal that each fall brings and I’m excited about that.
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
President Eric Kaler pets a lamb held by veterinary medicine student Jennifer Pitkanen at the Miracle of Birth Center on Friday, Aug. 24 at the Minnesota State Fair.
EDITORIAL BOARD Ray Weishan Editorials & Opinions Editor rweishan@mndaily.com Ariana Wilson Editorial Board Member awilson@mndaily.com Hailey Almstead Editorial Board Member halmstead@mndaily.com Kelly Busche Editor-in-Chief kbusche@mndaily.com BUSINESS Darya Karas Sales Manager dkaras@mndaily.com David Keane Controller dkeane@mndaily.com The Minnesota Daily strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately. THE MINNESOTA DAILY is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future. The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations. The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 10,000 issues biweekly. All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste. U.S. Postal Service: 351–480.
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
EVENTS
Discounts, concerts and art galore A&E’s guide to seeing it all as a student this fall. The world, or at least the Twin Cities metro area, is your oyster. BY MADDY FOLSTEIN mfolstein@mndaily.com
If you’re new to the Twin Cities, exploring can be a little intimidating. Do you stay on campus and see a football game? Take the Green Line to downtown St. Paul? Support some of the art students on campus or hit up a happy hour? Luckily, you have time to see it all. Here’s A&E’s breakdown of what you have to look forward to this semester, from cheap tickets to day trips around the city. Because you need to discover that WAM is more than just the most striking building on campus: The Weisman Art Museum is always free; take advantage of its galleries when you pass it on your way home from class. Luckily, you have a few ways to engage with the museum beyond checking out the latest exhibits every few months. WAM-O-RAMA: Get a glimpse of the magic of the Weisman at this Friday night’s WAMO-RAMA. It’s an annual celebration of the museum and introduction to what you can experience year-round, from live music to performance art and screen printing with Bohemian Press. Where: Weisman Art Museum, 333 E. River Rd., Minneapolis When: 6 p.m. Friday Cost: Free Ar t-sur rounded study night (at home or not!) The Weisman and its student organization, the WAM Collective, host monthly study sessions complete with snacks, music and — of course — art. The first event of the semester will fall on Sept. 19. That same night, the Weisman will host the launch party of its studentspecific HOMEWORK art rental service. If your walls are looking a little bare this semester, you can rent up to two pieces of art for $15 each. Where: Weisman Art
Museum, 333 E. River Rd., Minneapolis When: Sept. 19, 5 - 8 p.m. Cost: Free
Because it’s not just about the museum... The music, dance, visual art and theatre arts departments are located in their own section of the West Bank campus, also known as the West Bank Arts Quarter. These departments are an accessible, affordable way to see some of the newest work being done in the Twin Cities. Here is a sampling of what the arts departments have to offer: “On Purpose: Portrait of the Liberal Arts” The College of Liberal Arts is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. In honor of the occasion, the University will host an exhibit dedicated to the power and scope of the liberal arts. Located in the Regis Center for Art’s Katherine E. Nash Gallery, the exhibit will be composed of life-size portraits by photographer Xavier Tavera. If you’d like to connect more with the art department on campus, you can attend an opening reception and artist talk with Tavera on Sept. 13, which starts at 5:30 pm. Where: Katherine E. Nash Gallery at the Regis Center for Art, 405 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis When: Sept. 12 - Dec. 8 Cost: Free West Bank Arts Quarter Festival Here’s a great introduction to the work created on the West Bank. For a few hours, performances, installations and exhibits will take over the area, giving you a glimpse into the talents of University students. The first half of the night is directed by faculty, and then the students take over for the final hours. Where: West Bank Arts Quarter, 21st Avenue South and Fourth Street South, Minneapolis When: October 11, 6:30 10 p.m. Cost: Free
JANE BORSTAD, DAILY
18th Annual Collage Concert This free, non-stop concert will feature over 300 students and faculty, making it a great introduction to classical music on campus. Just be sure to arrive early if you’d like to get a good seat — tickets are first-come, first-serve. Where: Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 Fourth St. S., Minneapolis When: Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m. Cost: Free “DENIM” University alumna Savannah Reich wrote this newly-devised play about denim and its connections with American history, democracy and class struggles. “DENIM” is described as “a play (with music),” and it runs from late November to early December. There’s no better way to take your mind off of the semester’s upcoming finals. Where: Rarig Center, 330 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis When: Nov. 29-Dec. 9 Cost: $7 student tickets University Dance Theatre The dance department on campus focuses on dance through a global lens. This annual performance, directed by Senior Teaching Specialist Erin Thomp-
u from Page 1
“[McCarthy Clifford] came up with this very clear idea and people reacted. People tried to understand what the hell is going on, why this book is next to that book, how they are related,” Oicherman said. “There is this ... clear language that communicates a very complex idea and very clear sculptural way of going about that.” “The Section of Disapproved Books” acts as an interactive catalyst for conversation about subjects that don’t seem relatable to viewers on the surface. “[McCarthy Clifford] is not just looking at books that aren’t allowed in prison,” said Weisman marketing and communications director Erin Lauderman. “He’s also challenging the way those structures are in place and how he can bring awareness to those systems and bring change.” Numerous classic and popular titles can be found in the exhibit. McCarthy Clifford believes these titles can act as a point of entry for folks to reconsider how they may relate to issues of censorship, among other things. The project’s physical location also carries significance to its agenda. “I’m working to disrupt these systems … and I think the most effective way to do that is from [the inside],” McCarthy Clifford said. “Being a grad student, being
able to show this work in the Weisman is kind of perfect because we’re not in a gallery somewhere in Northeast that’s removed from the institutions. We’re in the institutions. And I think that’s super important.” The project encourages open dialogue about injustices within the federal prison system, McCarthy Clifford said. Eventually, he said he hopes it may lead to action in some capacity. “The goal would be to affect these regulations,” McCarthy Clifford said. “[Banning these books] is a pretty arbitrary process, and I think bringing awareness to it could affect some policy change.” The collaborative nature of “The Section of Disapproved Books” creates a memorable experience that the audience can take with them. They can bring their own perspective, which may not otherwise be there. “[There aren’t going to be] measurable outcomes in three months, or even a year,” Oicherman said. “It will be all of these thousands of people that come [away] from [McCarthy Clifford’s] work, affected by it in some way. And we still don’t know which way [that will be].” What: “The Section of Disapproved Books” When: Sept. 8 to Dec. 16 Where: Weisman Art Museum, 333 E. River Rd., Minneapolis Cost: Free
Because work study pay day is ever y other week... Even when your budget is tight, it’s easy to find a discount around the cities. Just bring your U-card and always ask for a deal, even if they don’t have one posted. Here’s a selection of A&E’s favorite deals for students, whether you’re looking for an affordable date night or an accessible way to see some of the best performances in town. St. Anthony Main Theatre: $6 student tickets always, $5 tickets on Tuesdays. The St. Anthony Main Movie Theatre offers one of the best selections of films in town, from blockbusters to movies from the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul. Loring Bar & Restaurant: 20% off your meal, if you need a splurge-y break from the dining halls. You can also get an all-you-caneat brunch on Sunday for only $15 — so much better than cereal or scrambled eggs at home.
Walker Art Center: $10 admission with a student ID. Or, for an art-filled start to a weekend, you can go on Thursday nights for free. (The Minneapolis Institute of Art is always free, too.) Guthrie Theater: $3$6 off your ticket price, depending on which area of the theater you sit in. You can also try picking up rush tickets 15 to 30 minutes before the show opens — these tickets range from $15 to $25 each. Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra: You can see the renowned Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra for free, always. They perform at multiple venues across the Twin Cities, frequently at the Ted Mann Concert Hall on West Bank.
Because Gopher football is out of town this weekend, and you’re not even a football fan to begin with... Head over to the Gold Medal Park area: It’s the neighborhood home to the Guthrie Theater, the Mill City Museum and some of the most beautiful sights in the city. You can walk over from West Bank or, if you’re located closer to Dinkytown, walk down University Avenue to take the Stone Arch Bridge.
Once you reach the n e i g h b o rh o o d y o u c a n sample Izzy’s Ice Cream, experience the river views from the Guthrie Theater or flip through new reads and zines at Open Book, home to the Loft Literary Center, Milkweed Editions and more. Stroll around the lakes: Make the most of the final warm days by spending a Saturday at the Chain of Lakes Regional Park — it’s the area that connects Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet, Brownie Lake, Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles. Bike, pack a picnic or grab lunch at one of the many restaurants in the area. You can easily get to the park by taking the 6 bus line from Dinkytown and getting off in Uptown. See a concert at one of the area’s many venues: There are just so many to pick from! From the famed First Avenue and 7th Street Entry to the recently re-opened Varsity Theater in Dinkytown, you’re bound to find something that suits your musical preference. Dessa with the Minnesota Orchestra? Florence and the Machine at Target Center? Mitski at First Avenue? It’s all happening here this semester.
MOVIE
ART
Exhibit
son, can introduce you to a variety of the department’s work. Where: Rarig Center, 330 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis When: Dec. 7-9 Cost: $7 student tickets
Review: What’s to find in “Searching”? The film follows the all-computer-screen format of 2014 film “Unfriended.” BY MADDY FOLSTEIN mfolstein@mndaily.com
The dangers of the internet can range from cyberbullying to catfishing to the embarrassing profile photos you haven’t deleted from your early Facebook days. “Searching,” a new thriller directed by Aneesh Chaganty, plays into these widespread fears. The entirety of “Searching” takes place on a computer screen. The opening montage, for example, is rooted in the familiar Windows XP “Bliss” wallpaper; the sunny, slightly-tooperfect blue sky and rolling green hills image. We watch through a computer screen as the Kim family grows and thrives. With “Up”-like sentimentality, we see wife Pamela’s death through a series of painful emails from doctors, photos and videos. Pamela leaves behind her husband, David (John Cho), and teenage daughter, Margot (Michelle La). The father and daughter communicate primarily and poorly over FaceTime and text. David nags Margot to take the garbage out. He types out — but doesn’t send — a message about how proud Pamela would be of their daughter. Margot rushes through a call with her father so she can return to a study session. But Margot doesn’t re-
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB
turn from her study group. That night, David’s monitor is woken by missed calls from Margot. A few days later, Margot is officially missing. She never returns her father’s panicked calls and texts. With rumored superstar detective Rosemary Vick (Debra Messing) assigned as the case’s support, David begins a deep dive into the life of the daughter he raised but didn’t truly know. Beginning with a methodical, Google Sheetsdocumented questioning of each of Margot’s Facebook friends, David uncovers the secrets of his daughter’s online life; a life where she mysteriously Venmo’d $2,500 to an unknown user and spent time on a
livestreaming website. C h agant y navigat e s this digital landscape with ease. “Searching” is underscored by driving music that heightens suspense with every click. Chaganty employs close-ups to highlight virtual clues. Others, however, stay in the background of images; see if you can catch them. No matter how fancy the cinematography, the entire film is ultimately grounded in Cho’s performance. He’s our guide through the film, from his first texts with Margot to his heartbreaking frustration throughout `the search. We won’t spoil the film for you because it would ruin the thrill of Chaganty’s twists, turns and red herrings. But the secret of
Margot’s disappearance is so much less interesting than the clues she leaves behind. As Chaganty leads us down a rabbit hole very much rooted in reality — one with Reddit threads on Margot’s disappearance and a slightly clueless father who doesn’t know what Tumblr is — we expect the outcome of the case to be concrete. The discovery is thrilling in the moment, but it’s almost too neatly-tied-up when you take a step back to reexamine. That’s okay though. The fun of “Searching” lies in the viewing experience, not the answers it leaves you with. Just be sure to see it before the tech becomes obsolete. Grade: B
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
MN DAILY
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
Regent Darrin Rosha speaks during a meeting on June 8, 2017.
Lawmakers u from Page 1
After the funding wasn’t included in the Legislature’s omnibus bill, the regents voted to raise undergraduate resident tuition on the Twin Cities and Morris campuses by 2 percent this academic year. Because the University could not directly communicate where the supplemental funding would go, lawmakers were hesitant to grant
Engineering u from Page 1
“Having diversity is critically important in computing,” said Mats Heimdahl, head of the CSE department. “If you have diversity, both in terms of racial diversity and gender diversity, you get better decision making and better functioning teams.” Combining Gini’s research expertise and Watters’ teaching skills, the two faculty members began collaboration on the program in the fall of 2017. The two say they are hoping to expand the program following the current yearlong pilot run. “We all have great gifts and abilities and we all think differently,” Watters said. “In order to create a society that is operating at its best, you don’t want to leave anybody behind because everybody has the ability to contribute.” The pilot program is one of multiple programs
the request, Regent Darrin Rosha said. “Last session, the Legislature really wanted to see a case about driving down resident tuition; they wanted to know if that would happen with the money,” Rosha said. If the University can clearly express where the funding it receives is allocated, lawmakers might see the request as more of a priority, said Chair of the House higher education committee Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls. “I think the strategic plan
at the University promoting females in computer science. “It’s important to know there is a voice supporting women in computer science,” said Ashmita Sarma, vice president of the Association for Computing Machinery for Women. “When you’re one of a few, it can be hard to reach out to people without feeling uncomfortable.” The program increases communication in computer science, which Sarma said is uncommon in computer science classes. “It’s important for people to know their allies,” she added. “It will help by offering an environment where you don’t have the same pressure as your classes.” To ensure varying perspective among members of the Emerging Scholars Program, Watters and Gini have designated two peerleaders to help mentor women in the program. Emma Schildgen, one of the program’s peer leaders and a sophomore in the
will show a need,” Nornes said. “Asking for a blanket number of dollars is different than when you’ve got a plan. I think a plan will be a very positive thing that our members of the committee will think [of as] proof ... that whatever the University is asking for is needed and legitimate.” Rosha said the strategic plan is on track for completion, and the board plans to move forward in coming months. “We’ve made real progress,” he said.
“I have had a lot of people help me over the years and I have always wanted to help women be more involved in computer engineering.” EMMA SCHILDGEN Emerging Scholars Program peer leader and CSE
CSE department, said she is looking forward to providing mentorship similar to her own experience. “I have had a lot of people help me over the years and I have always wanted to help women be more involved in computer engineering,” Schildgen said. “I think [the program] will be a good way for students to make bonds with one another.”
MNDAILY.COM
“The U’s biggest problem is that they present budgets that are wants and they can’t articulate a need ... We need to understand a consequence.” GENE PELOWSKI Minnesota Representative
PAST UNIVERSITY BUDGET REQUESTS AND FINAL ALLOCATIONS
YEAR
AMOUNT OF STATE FUNDING REQUESTED BY UMN
AMOUNT OF STATE FUNDING GRANTED
2013
$91.6 million
$78.25 million
2015
$148.2 million
$53.2 million
2017
$147.2 million
$18.6 million
SOURCE: MINNESOTA DAILY REPORTING
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
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Sports
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
VOLLEYBALL
Gophers volleyball currently undefeated
Freshman opposite Stephanie Samedy reaches to block the Fighting Hawks at Maturi Pavilion on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017.
Minnesota won five straight matches and will head into the week with momentum. BY DAVID MULLEN dmullen@mndaily.com
While the temperature outside is starting to fall, the Gophers volleyball team is heating up. No. 3 Minnesota (5-0) started its season winning five-straight matches and a Diet Coke Classic championship. “We’re a team to watch out for and we’re getting better every day,” sophomore Jasmyn Martin said. Diet Coke Classic On Friday, the Gophers returned to Maturi Pavilion for the first time this season to kick off the Diet Coke Classic. North Dakota State (15), Georgia Southern (1-5) and Arkansas (3-2) played in the tournament alongside
the Gophers. Minnesota began its weekend Friday night against NDSU, where the Gophers swept the Bison 3-0. The Gophers players were dominant and fed off the Pavilion’s atmosphere, which echoed with the constant yelling of “point U.” “We were in control of our game and we didn’t make a lot of errors,” senior Samantha Seliger-Swenson said. The three set scores were 25-11, 25-12 and 25-19. Sophomore Stephanie Samedy led the team in points with 13.5. She tallied 11 kills and five digs, which she credited to her mental game. “I think it was my mindset to do whatever I needed to do for the team [and]
make smart decisions when I needed to,” Samedy said. On Saturday, the Gophers played two games – an uncommon event in volleyball. “[It is] a weird day; we don’t play too many double headers,” head coach Hugh McCutcheon said. The Gophers faced off against the Georgia Southern Eagles on Saturday morning and swept them in three sets, with final scores of 25-13, 25-13 and 25-10. “I thought we had a really strong performance this morning,” McCutcheon said. The Gophers rallied behind a defense that tallied 12 blocks. Eight of these were made by sophomore Regan Pittman, who said she’s worked on that aspect of her game. “I’ve been really focusing on my blocking,” Pittman said. “I still have a lot of
work to do, but I’m getting there day-by-day.” The final game for the Gophers was against Arkansas in the steamy Pavilion, but that didn’t affect the electric crowd or Minnesota. Like the first two games of the tournament, the Gophers swept the Razorbacks 3-0. The scores were 25-15, 25-19 and 25-18. F r e s h m a n Ad a n n a Rollins, along with Seliger-Swenson and Pittman, were named to the all-tournament team. Pittman was also named tournament MVP. “It feels good to be MVP, but I wouldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Pittman said. Big Ten/ACC Challenge The season began with the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Aug. 24 at the Target Center, this year’s host of the final four.
ALEX TUTHILL-PREUS, DAILY FILE PHOTO
“I think everyone after playing in there was like, dang, we need to do everything we can do to get back [in the tournament],” Martin said. The Gophers started the season against Florida State (2-3), who was swept with sets ending with scores of 25-17, 25-21 and 25-21. Samedy had 14 kills, three blocks and seven digs. The second matchup was against North Carolina (2-3). The Gophers started the match by taking two sets, 25-16 and 26-24. In the third set, UNC fired back.Minnesota took a 17-12 lead but the Tar Heels went on a run, eventually tying the set at 20. North Carolina won the extended set with 30-28. The Gophers answered in the fourth set and finished off the Tar Heels 2523. Pittman led the team with 21 points.
“When we weren’t playing particularly well, we still found a way to win,” McCutcheon said. No. 3 Minnesota will travel to California to compete in the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge where they will play against Oregon and No. 1 Stanford on Sept. 7 and 8.
VOLLEYBALL RESULTS
FRI (AUG 24) Florida State Minnesota
1 2 3 FINAL 17 21 21 0 25 25 25 3
SAT (AUG 25) 1 2 3 4 FINAL North Carolina Minnesota
16 24 30 23 25 26 28 25
1 3
FRI (AUG 31) 1 2 3 FINAL North Dakota State 11 12 19 0 Minnesota 25 25 25 3 SAT (SEPT 1) Georgia Southern Minnesota
1 2 3 FINAL 13 13 10 0 25 25 25 3
Arkansas Minnesota
15 19 19 25 25 25
0 3
SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM
SOCCER
Gophers battles No. 1 Stanford to overtime incredible,” Nielsen said. “Being able to score on them shows that we are good.” Minnesota lost only twice at home during the 2017 regular season. Now, the Gophers have lost three times in four matches at home to start the 2018 season. Head coach Stefanie Golan said Fiedler’s goal increased her expectations of what Minnesota can achieve. “For it to be a freshman to a senior is also a key to what our team is right now,” Golan said. “We have a lot of underclassmen who are playing a lot of minutes. For a senior like Fiedler to step up and put one in the back of the net in this kind of a game is a testament to the seniors’ leadership.”
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
Senior Maddie Castro goes for the ball during the game against DePaul on Thursday, Aug. 30 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.
Minnesota begins the season with three wins, then three losses. BY ERIK NELSON enelson2@mndaily.com
T h ro u g h r e g u l a t i o n time, Minnesota and No. 1 Stanford were even. In overtime, it was the top
team in the nation that secured the victory. As the sun cast a bright glow on the grass at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium on Sunday, Minnesota (3-30) took No. 1 Stanford (4-00) to overtime before losing 2-1. Stanford’s Sam Hiatt scored the game-winning goal off a corner kick in the 94th minute. The Gophers trailed 1-0 at halftime for the fifth
time in six matches this season. In the 75th minute, freshman forward Patricia Ward made a cross pass with her right foot towards the box, where senior midfielder Molly Fiedler waited. Fiedler flicked a shot past Stanford goalkeeper Alison Jahansouz to tie the game. It was the first goal in open play that Stanford had allowed since August 2017. “I thought, ‘Hit this as
hard as I can and get it on frame,’” Fiedler said. “Luckily, it happened.” Sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Nielsen made four saves, including a few where she leaped off the ground and punched the ball out of play. Nielsen said Minnesota can play against any team after battling Stanford in overtime. “We went into overtime with a top team, which is
DePaul shuts out Minnesota The Gophers hoped to pull off a comeback down 1-0 to DePaul (3-2-0) entering the second half Thursday night, but Minnesota’s offense couldn’t score a goal. DePaul held on for a 1-0 win. Minnesota had four shots on-goal. Two came from sophomore midfielder Celina Nummerdor. This was the second-consecutive match in which Minnesota was shut out. The Gophers lost 2-0 to No. 18 Washington State on Aug. 26.
Golan said DePaul’s defense made offensive opportunities challenging for Minnesota. “It was difficult because we made it difficult,” Golan said. “They were dropping eight players behind the ball and doing it all central. All week, we had worked on drawing them in and then spreading the ball out wide and attacking on the flanks. We did not execute that tonight.” DePaul scored the only goal of the match in the 27th minute. Midfielder Avery Hay kicked the ball towards the box and defender Jackie Batliner headed it into the net past Nielsen. Minnesota had three corner kicks in the second half, but none turned into quality scoring chances. Senior midfielder Emily Heslin said it was frustrating for Minnesota to not score for the second-consecutive match. “They worked harder than us in a lot of areas on the field and made it hard to break down,” Heslin said. “We were laid back after the goal and needed to pick it up to find one.” Minnesota’s seven-game homestand continues on Friday when the Gophers face North Dakota State (12-0) in its final non-conference match of the season. The match is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
7
Zack Annexstad opens Gophers’ season In his collegiate debut, Annexstad completed 16 of 33 passes for the U. BY JACK WARRICK jwarrick@mndaily.com
Zack Annexstad became the second ever true freshman walk-on quarterback to start the season opener for a FBS team on Thursday night. After a shaky start that included a fumble in the red zone and just 30 receiving yards in the first quarter, Annexstad finished the game with a convincing victory. The Gophers (1-0) beat the New Mexico State Aggies (0-2) 48-10 with help from Annexstad’s 220 passing yards, going 16-33 with two touchdowns and no interception. Both of Annex-
stad’s touchdowns were to veteran wide receiver Tyler Johnson. “[Annexstad] played a great game today, especially for it being his first game as a college player,” Johnson said. “I’ve just seen a lot of confidence in him. Once he fumbled he just knew that he had to go back out there just let it go and keep playing.” Annexstad and his offense scored 28 points in the second quarter in response to the lackluster first quarter to give the Gophers a 35-10 lead heading into the locker room at half time. In the first drive of the second quarter, the offense went for 75 yards on seven plays, highlighted by a 25-yard reception to freshman wide receiver Rashod Bateman. To finish the drive off, former quarter-
back turned tight end and wide receiver Seth Green lined up at quarterback and ran the wildcat offense outside for a nine-yard touchdown, Green’s first. Green, who was a backup quarterback last year, scored on consecutive drives in the second quarter after Annexstad drove the offense into the Aggies’ red zone. “Big game at TCF [Bank Stadium], home opener, all that stuff, I was really proud of [Annexstad] how he just was himself, kept calm cool and collected and led the offense,” Green said. Annexstad scored his first collegiate touchdown on Minnesota’s third drive of the game, a seven-yard pass to Johnson. Gophers linebacker Thomas Barber caught an interception at the 50-yard line to set
Gophers dominate New Mexico State in football season opener A 28-point second quarter helped the Minnesota Gophers pull away early on. BY MAX BIEGERT mbiegert@mndaily.com
A 10-7 deficit in the second quarter was no match for an offensive explosion from Minnesota in the second quarter to lead the Gophers to victory Thursday. The Gophers (1-0) beat the Aggies (0-2) 48-10 at TCF Bank Stadium to open their 2018 season. Minnesota got off to a slow start, but scored 28 points in the second quarter to take control of the game. Seth Green, a former East Ridge football and basketball standout, got the offense started by scoring two touchdowns out of the wildcat formation. Redshirt sophomore Antoine Winfield Jr., a defensive back, scored his first touchdown of his career on a 75-yard punt return in which he broke several tackles on his way to the end zone. Junior Tyler Johnson added his second touchdown of the half with 57 seconds left in the second quarter to cap the 28-point onslaught. “I thought we accomplished everything we wanted to accomplish,” Fleck said. “I went back in a chart at what I wanted to do and we almost checked off every box.” Minnesota’ busy second quarter began at the 11:35 mark. Green scored on a nine-yard touchdown run from the wildcat formation for the first touchdown of his college career. Then, out of the wildcat once again, Green punched in another touchdown. He
scored his second touchdown of the night with a three-yard carry off of a direct snap to him and a fake hand-off to Rodney Smith. Green followed Smith up the hole and rumbled in for a touchdown with 3:21 left to play in the second quarter. Later, after a quick three-and-out by the Aggies and a punt, Winfield J r . b ro k e t a c k l e s a n d weaved his way through the Aggies’ return team for a score. “I felt like I really wanted to help the team out so whatever I could do to get on the field and help the team is something I would be down for,” Green said. “I told coach, ‘tell me what to do and I’ll run it.’” There had been a lot of questions of how the Gophers were going to use Green. Coming into the season, the Gophers had him listed on the depth chart as a second-string wide receiver. However, his 6’4”, 240 pound build along with his athletic ability allows Minnesota to use him in a variety of ways, including the wildcat they used on Thursday. “Telling Seth Green ‘you are not a quarterback anymore’ was a tough conversation,” Fleck said. “He’s a very selfless player, to be able to giving up playing third string quarterback and play tight end, wide receiver takes a special individual and I give him credit.” Johnson’s second touchdown came on a 33-yard connection from quarterback Zack Annexstad, who was making his collegiate debut. Johnson made one move and cruised past the safety for the touchdown and a Gophers 35-10 lead
“I’m so proud of those guys, Rashod and Chris they came out there and played hard and it looked good.” T YLER JOHNSON Junior
heading into the half. Minnesota enters the year as the sixth-youngest college football team in the nation with nearly 70 percent of the roster as underclassmen. Against the Aggies, the Gophers freshmen made an impact. Redshirt freshman Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 101 yards. Three freshman wide receivers played as well. Rashod Bateman highlighted the trio with five catches for 52 yards. “I’m so proud of those guys, Rashod and Chris they came out there and played hard and it looked good,” Johnson said. “We will look tomorrow to get better but it looked good.” Annexstad had a passer rating of 124.5 and went 16-33 for 220 yards and two touchdown connections to Johnson. He turned the ball over once on a fumble. “[Annextad] played a great game today, especially for his first game, I saw a lot of confidence from him,” Johnson said. Smith said there was a lot of smiles in the locker room, but he knows there is more work to be done. “Tonight was a result that we liked and we know have to get back in the lab tomorrow and prepare for the week and have a short memory,” Smith said.
MINNEAPOLIS — Almost anywhere you look in Minneapolis these days, new construction is pushing the city skyward, inexorably changing neighborhoods that, just a few years ago, were smaller, quieter and roomier. Uptown. Northeast. Dinkytown. All are building up. The building boom is needed to accommodate steady growth in population in the area: The Twin Cities metro area has added more than 83,000 households since 2010, while building less than 64,000 new homes to accommodate those newcomers, according to the Metropolitan Council. As a result, it’s not just new luxury apartments towering over Twin Cities residents, but rents, too, which continue to rise despite all the construction. It’s an issue across the state, but it’s being especially felt in Minneapolis. During his recent budget address, Mayor Jacob Frey called the shortage of affordable housing in Minneapolis a crisis unlike the city has ever seen. Frey is not alone in decrying the city’s housing crunch.
City planners, housing experts and other elected officials — including Gov. Mark Dayton — are all scrambling to find ways to alleviate the problem. But while they all agree on the solution — that we need to build, build, build to give people enough affordable places to live — what’s less clear is how, and if, Minneapolis will be able to do that once theory meets practice; once political ideals meet political reality. Nowhere is there a better example of what a fullblown affordable housing crisis looks like than in San Francisco. A booming tech economy has helped expand the Bay Area’s population by more than 9 percent since 2010. Meanwhile, its housing supply has grown by less than 4 percent. And perhaps nowhere in the Bay Area is the human cost of this housing shortage more evident than in San Francisco’s Mission District. There, families from Latin America settled into old Victorians and created a thriving neighborhood, full of taquerias, panaderias and mercados. But in recent years, many of those longtime residents
and businesses have been displaced by young people drawn by high-paying jobs at tech companies. Along with them came boutiques, juice bars and brunch. In theory, the law of supply and demand would dictate that the market would respond by building enough new housing to meet the needs of residents old and new, rich and poor. That’s the Econ 101 version of the world, anyway. In real life, though, there are neighbors and zoning laws — and geography — that make it difficult to build enough homes in a city to accommodate the people who want to live there. In San Francisco, for example, the city has almost nowhere to grow but up. Located on a 47-square mile peninsula and locked in by the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, the city is much bigger in imagination than in fact. As demand for the limited number of housing units in the city increases, rents have become the priciest in the country, averaging $3,664 a month for a twobedroom apartment, according to a 2018 report from Deutsche Bank.
ished the second quarter by scoring touchdowns on each of its four drives. “He’s got to fail to grow,” head coach P.J. Fleck said. “I’m sure he didn’t want to fumble that football but it’s part of the maturation process.” Annexstad beat out redshirt freshman quarterback Tanner Morgan for the starting spot during summer training camp, but Fleck said there may be times in the season when Morgan sees game time as well. Morgan played the last two drives with 5:43 to play, when the Gophers were leading 41-10. His offense scored on three plays due to a Mohamed Ibrahim rush of 74 yards and a one-yard rushing touchdown from freshman running back Bryce Williams. Morgan completed one
pass for seven yards. The only other FBS quarterback to start as a true freshman walk-on was future Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield at Texas Tech, before he transferred to Oklahoma. When Mayfield played his first game in 2013, he threw 43-60 for 413 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. New Mexico State allowed Wyoming 137 receiving yards less than a week ago when the team played its season opener on Saturday. “We know we failed a lot tonight and we have a lot of things to clean up,” Gophers running back Rodney Smith said. “But I think teams have the biggest growth from game one to game two, ironing out those mistakes and the details.”
Ice cream rolls into Dinkytown Ice cream u from Page 1
Minneapolis looks at its housing crisis BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
up Annexstad. “It was a lot of smiles from him,” Johnson said about Annexstad after the game. “I went up to him and just told him like, ‘keep balling it’s only the start,’ and I’m proud of him, proud of the work he’s put in.” Annexstad completed multiple passes for 10 or more yards, the longest of them a 33-yard reception by Johnson for the final touchdown of the first half. The first quarter saw two three-and-out offensive drives and the first big mistake of Annexstad’s career: a fumble on the Minnesota 12-yard line that would lead to an Aggies touchdown. New Mexico State then kicked a field goal in the first minute of the second quarter to briefly take the lead before Annexstad’s offense fin-
experiment with new ice cream flavors. The parlor is considering adding an entire line of sour ice cream, based off one of the most popular flavors. There are Dinkytown locations that offer ice cream, like Annie’s Parlour and
the Purple Onion Café, but Wonders Ice Cream is currently the only store entirely dedicated to it. Randal Gast, president of the Dinkytown Business Alliance and owner of the neighboring Qdoba, said he was surprised when Chilly Billy’s Frozen Yogurt in Dinkytown closed in 2015. He said he hopes Wonders Ice Cream can prove successful. “It’s good to see something
different,” Gast said. Yang believes it will be, stressing the store’s overall atmosphere, not just the dessert. “There’s really good music playing and you hear the chopping of the ice cream and you hear all the rolling and the smashing,” Yang said. “And then you see all the people in it and it’s just kind of this really cool and unique experience coming into our store.”
Billionaire Liu arrested in Minneapolis BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS — Chinese billionaire Liu Qiangdong, also known as Richard Liu, the founder of the Beijing-based e-commerce site JD.com, was arrested in Minneapolis on suspicion of criminal sexual conduct, jail records show. Liu, 45, was arrested late Friday night and released Saturday afternoon pending possible criminal charges, Hennepin County Jail records show. The jail records don’t provide details of the alleged incident. Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder said Sunday that he couldn’t provide any details because the investigation is considered active. He declined to say where in Minneapolis Liu was arrested or what
Liu was accused of doing. Minnesota law defines five degrees of criminal sexual misconduct, ranging from a gross misdemeanor to felonies, covering a broad array of conduct ranging from nonconsensual touching to violent assaults with injuries. The jail records for Liu don’t indicate a degree. JD.com, the main rival to Alibaba Group, said in a statement posted Sunday on the Chinese social media site Weibo that Liu was falsely accused while in the U.S. on a business trip, but that police investigators found no misconduct and that he would continue his journey as planned. “We will take the necessary legal action against false reporting or rumors,” the company said. Liu recently tried to dis-
tance himself from a sexual assault allegations against a guest at a 2015 party at Liu’s penthouse in Australia. Liu was not charged or accused of wrongdoing, but Australian media reported he tried unsuccessfully to get a court to prevent the release of his name in that case. The guest was convicted. In June, Google said it would invest $550 million in JD.com. The investment reflected an effort by the U.S. tech company to expand its reach into Asian e-commerce. JD.com is China’s secondlargest e-commerce company after Alibaba. Among its other investors is Chinese internet gaming and social media giant Tencent Holdings, the developer of the WeChat messenger app and a major rival of Alibaba, and U.S. retailer Walmart Inc.
8 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
Editorials & Opinions
COLUMN
Lawsuit diminishes the severity of sexual misconduct Football players are suing the University over racial and gender discrimination in mishandling in 2016 sexual misconduct case. In 2016, at least 10 University of Minnesota football players were accused of lining up at an apartment in Dinkytown to await their turn to have sex with just one woman. Condoms and wrappers ELLEN SCHNEIDER were allegedly strewn columnist across the bedroom floor, as the men took videos of their conquests and cheered one another on. A scandal of seismic scale ensued upon the leaking of the University’s report, which detailed the alleged assault in gruesome and vivid detail. While 10 players were allegedly involved and engaged in sexual contact with the woman, none were ultimately charged with having assaulted her. However, the University continued its own discipline of the players and ultimately expelled four of them. In June, nine of the players, all of whom are black, filed a lawsuit in federal court
for racial and gender discrimination in the University’s handling of the sexual misconduct case. A move that is typical of the entitled culture rampant throughout college athletics. The University is finally handling sexual misconduct cases with the severity and seriousness required, and in doing so, there will and should be consequences for those who violate the Student Conduct Code, as well as basic expectations of human decency. Taking this case with the gravity that is necessary does not inherently mean there was any bias against the players. The notion that, in handling this case, those who did the victimizing became victims in the process is not only a stretch, but a blatant dismissal of the severity of their actions and the consequences they must face for them. I do not mean to disregard or gloss over racial bias on college campuses because it does exist. It exists in all of academia, and it certainly exists here. However, it’s not news that athletes, particularly football players, are among the most privileged on college campuses. These students are
handed everything – their educations, their clothes, even mopeds because god forbid an athlete has to walk to class. As many may remember, in response to the players facing the consequences of the alleged gang rape, the Gophers football team entered a boycott. The boycott is the perfect example of how fostering an indulgent culture creates entitled players who don’t know how to face consequences for their actions or feel remorse for them. The players boycotted in response to the University’s decision to discipline players, despite them not being criminally charged. Yet I believe it is fully within the right of University to hold players accountable to a higher standard than that of the law. The University has a lower burden of proof, and you do not need to violate a law in order to violate its code. The University expects more of its students – as it should – particularly the students who are receiving free tuition and representing the school on the lionized football field. The lawsuit alleges that the players were treated differently from their white counterparts accused of misconduct. I can’t speak to this. I’m unsure of the treatment of others who have violated the student misconduct code. However, the athletics
The University expects more of its students – as it should – particularly the students who are receiving free tuition and representing the school on the lionized football field. department went too long brushing sexual misconduct under the rug. There has also already been an outside investigation of the handling of the case. The University commissioned a review, and both attorneys found that the U had followed both the law and its own policies. This is a case of misplaced anger, as these students grasp at straws to restore their sordid reputations. Regardless, finally treating this issue, rape, with the magnitude and solemnity that it should be handled with does not incite bias against these players. Ellen Schneider welcomes comments at eschneider@mndaily.com.
EDITORIALS
Equal representation of minority communities in government still lacking Despite electing minority leaders, even more needs to be done to champion voices of minority communities. Throughout United States’ history, the standard representation of our country’s citizens have been white men. While there has always been a need for diversity and inclusion in our government, minorities have not been welcomed with open arms in positions of mainstream political power. In Minnesota, we’ve seen progress in diversifying our governing bodies, and while that is important to take note of, we also need to understand that these elected officials may not always represent the entirety of the minority communities they come from. Elected officials like Ilhan Omar, DFLMinneapolis, and Keith Ellison, D-Minn, show the importance of having diversity in our government. Not only does the election of minority leaders afford underrepresented citizens a chance to have their voice
heard, but Omar, Ellison and other leaders have become role models who inspire young people to become active in their community. However, simply electing a small number of minority leaders should not be where our fight for equal representation stops. The issues we face in society are much more complex than that which those in charge face — issues that simply cannot be represented by one figure, despite how bright their beacon of hope may shine. Sometimes, it’s difficult to approach those who may not share our experiences or those who do not look like us, making it easy for us to hold misconceptions and assumptions about others. There should be a better understanding that one person of color may not represent the entirety of their community, whether the issue is politically related or not. It can be easy for their presence to serve as a start to combating inequality and championing diversity and inclusion, but without effective outreach and encouraging as many minority voices as
possible, total inclusion and equal representation may truly never occur. So what is the solution to understanding and providing minority communities the opportunity to be heard, understood and represented? Let them speak for themselves. Avoid tokenizing political leaders and instead use them as a resource for guidance. But we cannot stop there. If you are willing to listen to their experiences, then understand and seek out others. Not only would this have lasting effects on policy making but it also encourages understanding and empathy — two characteristics that create better human beings and more inclusive and strong communities. We should all be listening to each other, not just a select few. With the 2018 midterm elections fast approaching, Minnesotans and our fellow Americans will have to make some tough decisions at the polls. This election may be the most important in recent memory, in a time of disagreement and polarity. As November draws near, we will have
Not only does the election of minority leaders afford underrepresented citizens a chance to have their voice heard, but Omar, Ellison and other leaders have become role models who inspire young people to become active in their community.
the opportunity to once again vote for inclusion, hoping to work closer to equal representation for all Americans. This is our time to shape our community and we must make sure we do not squander it.
COLUMN
EDITORIAL
Every time we play a “Johny Johny” video, we stray further from the possibility of redemption.
First Amendment concerns and the public’s right-to-know should be valued over the city’s desire to investigate a leak.
Last week, my Twitter feed was a hellscape of animations of the horrifying, banal nursery rhyme, “Johny Johny Yes Papa.” The song — and its seemingly endless set of iterations — folPALMER HAASCH lows Johny, a sneaky columnist kid who eats sugar, lies to his parents and gets away with it every time. It’s not immediately clear what the moral of the story is, in the same way that it’s difficult to explain why a terrifying animated video of a child with a disproportionately large head and sweets problem went viral. As far as internet meme content goes, “Johny Johny” isn’t all that remarkable. In fact, it fits into a growing trend of bizarre, surrealist memes and internet humor. This trend is part of what brought “Johny Johny” out of the depths of YouTube notoriety. The song has appeared on YouTube on a variety of channels, including a video on the by-and-large irrelevant LooLoo Kids’ channel with a title that hails it as “the BEST song for Children” — bold claim, LooLoo Kids. The clip that went viral was from the Billion Surprise Toys YouTube channel, which depicts Johny as the gremlin-like, Boss Baby knockoff kid whose image is now plastered across everyone’s social media feeds. The serious questions — namely why this meme surfaced now and why Johny can’t stop eating sugar and telling lies — don’t seem to have clear answers other than the fact that netizens love surreal content. Ask anyone why “Johny Johny” went viral or why it’s funny in the first place, and their first answer will likely be a befuddled, “it just is.” Even for those embedded within Twitter and meme culture, there isn’t a particularly salient reason for the video’s virality. It’s surreal nature is what propelled it to Twitter stardom, following memes like “Nick India Dab,” in which a character from an Indian Nickelodeon TV show teaches a classroom of other characters how to dab with vigor and spirit. It’s funny for the same nonsensical reason an unmoving bust saying, “succ” with an echoing,
An investigation by the city of Minneapolis into the leak of a public safety report on the dangerous drug ketamine will have a chilling effect on whistleblowers, threaten the relationship between reporters and their sources and ultimately undercut the public’s right to know. A First Amendment group made that case to Minneapolis officials in a petition delivered Thursday to City Hall that called for an end to the investigation. (Full disclosure: Free Press Editor Joe Spear, as president of the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists, was a founding member of the group). A draft of the report was leaked to the Star Tribune and a June story showed that Minneapolis police were sometimes urging paramedics to administer ketamine, a powerful tranquilizer, to agitated suspects or others without their consent. It was later revealed Hennepin Healthcare was doing studies on the use of this drug, also without much consent from patients. After the story was published, medical officials took immediate action to suspend their studies on the use of the drug, which some political leaders saw as “unconscionable and unethical.” City police also earlier clarified their procedures in light of the report. As the controversy grew, the city announced it was beginning an investigation to discover how the report was leaked and what information might be in the report that it considered private data under Minnesota law. The First Amendment Group, Committee for Defense of the First Amendment, said this action was a threat to journalists and their confidential sources. Those sources are given certain protections under the Minnesota Free Flow of Information Act. They have other rights under whistleblower laws. In reality, most drafts of government reports are already public, with exceptions for redacting private information. The report at hand contained no private information on individuals. The city says it is obligated by state statute to investigate breaches of this type. After the city heard from the First Amendment group, the city also said it is not as interested in determining who leaked the report as much as if there was private information on individuals in the report. That seems to indicate the city is not on a hunt for the confidential source that supplied this important report to the Star
We now have no choice but to embrace surreal internet humor
At this point, if you aren’t already immersed in internet culture to the point that these kinds of memes are automatically funny, you have no choice but to embrace it.
bass-boosted voice is funny. It’s funny for the same reason a grainy image of the Joker with overlaid with text lamenting, “We live in a society” with absolutely no context is funny. It’s funny because it makes you ask, “What the hell?” Ultimately, the popularity of “Johny Johny” is on all sides of Twitter — not just communities that are typically tuned into memes — is testament to the fact that shitposting (publishing nonsensical content without proper context) is now mainstream internet humor. While Minion memes may still dominate local Facebook feeds, other social media humor has pivoted toward the bizarre. At this point, if you aren’t already immersed in internet culture to the point that these kinds of memes are automatically funny, you have no choice but to embrace it. Twitter makes virality easy to achieve given how simple it is to disseminate content. If there are enough larger accounts that pick up a meme, it’s almost guaranteed to gain traction. Now, even the eldritch horrors of YouTube like “Johny Johny” are widely circulated. These bizarre memes aren’t going anywhere soon, and they will continue integrating into popular culture whether we like it or not. And now, more and more, memes that make absolutely no sense are becoming the norm, even if they, like “Johny Johny,” are pulled from the eldritch corners of the children’s entertainment side of YouTube.
Palmer Haasch welcomes comments at phaasch@mndaily.com.
Minneapolis should support the right-to-know in ketamine case Tribune. Let’s hope that is their intention. However, the same statute the city cites detailing its obligation to do an investigation also requires that unauthorized leaking of such reports should come with disciplinary action for employees. The city can’t selectively follow parts of the law. The draft report and resulting story was an example of how confidential sources, whistleblowers and the press can act as a check on government actions that may go against the public good. In this case, government actions in the use of ketamine may have been threatening the safety of individuals. That system of checks and balances will be threatened if the city goes forward with its investigation into the leaked document. Editor’s Note: This editorial was originally published in the Mankato Free Press. 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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9
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (9/4): 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.
CROSSWORD 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 — The next two days are good for travel. Educational opportunities present themselves. You’ve got energy, and the tide is in your favor.
Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is an 8 — Express and communicate what you feel. Put that energy into words, art and music. Create and revise, edit and update.
Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is an 8 — Review reserves and tend finances for a few days. Put away provisions for the future. Quick action can increase your income.
Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 9 — Profit from your actions. Tap into resources through your network.
Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — Add your strength to your partner’s today and tomorrow. Together you can accomplish what neither could budge alone.
Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 9 — Energize a personal project. Upgrade your image and branding. Polish your website or social profiles.
Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — Physical action gets especially positive results through tomorrow. Practice your moves and then nurture yourself with food and rest.
Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 5 — Rest and recharge your energy. Nature feeds your spirit. Find a peaceful spot for contemplation, organization and planning.
Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — Make your move. Show someone how you feel through your actions. Express your heart’s desire. Passion adds wings to your feet.
Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 9 — Many hands lighten a load. Teamwork provides satisfying results. Show up for your friends, and they show up for you.
Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Clean and organize your place. Physical efforts provide satisfying results. Domestic arts feed your roots. Serve traditional recipes.
Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is an 8 — Take on a professional project with gusto. Your energies build your valuable skills and connections. Schedule carefully for efficiency.
Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved
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SUDOKU
DR. DATE Dear Dr. Date,
Am I joining a cult? I met these really cool people the other weekend and they invited me back to their place. We had a good time and hungout until 5 a.m. They talked a lot about healing and the purity of the soul, but I figured that they were drunk and just being funny. I went over to their house this last Sunday and it was super weird. The healing stuff wasn’t a joke and they definitely weren’t drunk. They don’t even drink! I was really hesitant, but the stuff they were saying about finding inner peace and making sure that you aren’t fighting against yourself really made sense. Still, I don’t want to get sucked into some Manson-esque cult where they want me to kill someone. Should I join?
—Easily Influenced Dear Influenced,
I highly suggest that you don’t join that cult. Instead, you should go to school, get a degree, find a high-paying job, get married and die. I can’t tell you how to live your life. Do whatever makes you happy and don’t let others tell you that you shouldn’t. As long as you aren’t hurting anyone, including yourself, you are free to do anything that you want. People get too caught up in wondering whether a certain group is good or a certain idea is good, when all you need to ask yourself is, am I happy? One piece of advice though, move to Bangor, Maine. It’s a great place.
A couple weeks later, another friend of mine — let’s call her Chelsea — made out with the same guy. Like every good sitcom friendship, Chelsea and Allison were hanging out talking about guys they had hooked up with. It came out that both of them had made out with this guy. They are pretending not to be mad at each other, but have been voicing their feelings of jealousy to me when the other isn’t around. Is there any way to resolve this before the friendship dissolves?
—Stuck in the Middle Dear Stuck,
Sounds like it’s time for you to intervene. They’re probably not aware of how much it’s bothering the other because they don’t talk enough. That’s also the reason why they ended up hooking up with the same guy — where’s the communication? Good friends tell each other who they hooked up with the night before. The only way to resolve the hurt feelings is to make them talk it out. It’s not going to be comfortable, but it’s necessary. Remember, kids, honesty matters. Let your friends know who you’re into — call dibs on someone. It’s the least you can do to avoid saddling up with the same guy.
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. 9/4/2018
—Dr. Date
Last issue’s solution
—Dr. Date
Dear Dr. Date,
My friendships are a tangled mess of drunken make outs, Minnesotan passive-aggressive jealousy and an inability to respect each other’s relationships. One of my good friends, we will call her Allison, had a fling with a guy and didn’t tell us about it. They weren’t dating or anything, but they hooked up a couple times.
Want advice from the love d o c to r ? E m a i l D r. D a t e a t drdate@mndaily.com © 2018 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
10
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Student body leaders discuss the year
COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY
PSG President Alanna Pawlowski, MSA President Simran Mishra, COGS President Sean Chen.
Leaders in student government at the U of M talk about goals and initiatives. BY MICHELLE GRIFFITH mgriffith@mndaily.com
The Minnesota Daily recently sat down with the University of Minnesota’s student government presidents to discuss their current initiatives and goals for the school year. Simran Mishra - Minnesota Student Association [Is MSA] continuing any initiatives that star ted last year? We’re strategizing around how to continue our momentum, so a lot of these things like [the campaign to rename Coffman Memorial Union] gained
a lot of traction and we’re thinking of how do we build on that. ... Same with our legislation for expanding medical amnesty — that’s something we will be pursuing with full force come time, and same with our lease legislation. Will MSA play a role in finding a replacement for President Kaler? We definitely want to play a role. We are looking to partner with our system campuses to bring together this collective voice of our [University of Minnesota] campus and really emphasize what students want in our new president. Because it’s not just someone [who’s] going to affect us for however many years they’re here, it’s someone who’s really going to be leaving a legacy that’ll affect students for generations to come.
Alanna Pawlowski - Professional Student Government Are there any initiatives that PSG was working on last year that you’re hoping to complete this year? We are addressing students that aren’t represented by professional school councils. We’ve had new programs being reclassified by the University from graduate to professional. It leads to a situation where if those students aren’t under one of these main councils, they don’t have formal representation. … For the first time this year we created an at-large representative within the PSG congress, so people from an academic program that doesn’t have a council over it [can have representation]. ... It’s over 2 0 a c a d e m i c p ro g r a m s that aren’t represented by a council.
What are the new initiatives PSG is planning to do this year? We’re really hoping to … increase the amount of support for professional students [by] having trainings and spaces for conversations about race, discrimination and bias. … We found that in talking with students, different professional schools will provide different levels of support around diversity and inclusion. … What we’re looking to do ... is try for next year so all professional programs have something at their orientation that provides training on implicit bias and working in a diverse environment. Is there anything that you guys will be working on as the session begins? We’re also looking into how we could survey professional students to find where gaps are and
then fill it in. There was a graduate and professional student-wide LGBTQ group that existed a couple years ago and I’ve talked to a couple of students who are interested in restarting that effort, and we’re dedicated to helping them do that. [Also] we’re going to be publicizing our monthly grant awards on our website … as part of an effort to be more transparent with finances and grants. Sean Chen - Council of Graduate Students Are there any initiatives that COGS is hoping to continue this year? We’ve been working on how we can better prevent sexual misconduct. ... Last year a major piece we did was a resolution ... which called the University to release more information regarding sexual misconduct. What I really care
about specifically is how we [address] sexual misconduct [with] faculty members and graduate students. … In graduate school, you work much closer with faculty members. … There’s often a power imbalance, so that causes a number of issues. … We want to be a part of the need-to-know basis, so at least we have a basic understanding of how prevalent these cases are. What are some of COGS goals this year? The first one is the presidential search … I have nominated the COGS vice president to be on the presidential search committee. ... We also want to look at the basic rights of student employees … and compare them to [other] peer institutions. The interviews were edited for length and clarity.