Issuu

PHOTOS FROM THE GOPHERS’ HOMECOMING WIN PAGE 2

MNDAILY.COM

EARLY WEEK MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2019

SERVING THE UMN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900

STUDENT LIFE

Addiction hits hard for families Addiction poses a challenge to both parents and their children at the U. BY DYLAN MIETTINEN dmiettinen@mndaily.com

Above: Wil Schulz poses for a portrait in front of the University Recreation and Wellness Center on Saturday, Oct. 5. Schulz took on a parental role for his siblings and as a result found the transition to University life difficult. Bottom left: Sara Cummings works at her computer in her apartment on Saturday, Sept. 28. Bottom right: Mia Rose puts makeup on in her home on Saturday, Oct. 5. Rose’s father has battled substance abuse and as a result is genetically predisposed to it as well. (Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)

CITY

The fridge was empty when Mia Rose decided to dig between the couch cushions looking for any change that may have fallen there. She was young — only about 9 years old at the time. Walking hand-in-hand with her younger brother, they made their way to the dollar store to buy lemonade mix, in hopes of setting up a lemonade stand to purchase food for her and her family. But for Rose, lack of food was not her family’s most pressing issue: her father had been addicted to methamphetamine on and off again for more than a decade. It started with a car accident, for which he was prescribed morphine. He then moved onto Percocet and methamphetamine. “I kind of had to grow up fast. It gave me a lot of responsibility and drove me to be successful for my brother and sisters,” Rose said.

Now sober, Rose’s father was one of the nearly 21 million people in the U.S. battling substance abuse disorders. It is a growing issue — admissions into substance abuse treatment facilities in Minnesota increased nearly 4 percent from 2013 to 2016. The impact has been felt on the University of Minnesota campus, though specific resources are limited. There is Recovery on Campus, a student organization for students recovering from addiction. Group and individual counseling services are offered to students, though none are specifically aimed at helping those impacted by addiction. The University’s Care Program, a team of two care managers, aims to help students on an individual case-bycase basis and point them toward specific on- and off-campus resources. Because Rose’s father battled with substance abuse, she is genetically predisposed to as well. “Just as blue eyes can be passed down, so can the propensity for addiction,” said Dr. Lawrence Weinstein, chief medical officer for the American Addiction Centers. “But ... one’s environment is just as important.” u See ADDICTION Page 3

HUMPHREY SCHOOL

Electric bikes to Disciplined U professor set to lead lone capstone course roll onto campus The decision drew swift last year following a University investigation that in spring 2020 concern from students, offoundMinnesota he “more likely than not” many of whom say they Five hundred of the new will not take the class. electric bikes and 1,300 BY DYLAN ANDERSON AND of the existing docked TIFFANY BUI bikes are coming soon. danderson@mndaily.com, BY EMMA DILL edill@mndaily.com

A fleet of black electric-powered Nice Ride bikes will roll into docks on campus and across Minneapolis this April. The electric bikes, which were announced Feb. 7 during an event at the Graduate Hotel, provide riders with a pedal assist that the company hopes will expand ridership. Nice Ride will also increase the number of bike docking stations in Cedar-Riverside and other historically low-income Minneapolis communities. Bill Dossett, executive director of the nonprofit Nice Ride Minnesota, believes the addition of electric bikes will make biking a more viable transportation option for both commuters and tourists. “You won’t have to work as hard, but you do have to pedal,” Dossett said. “You get more assist if you work harder. So, if you’re pedaling up a hill or you’re trying to accelerate, you will get more assist. If you’re going down a hill, you won’t get any assist.” In 2018, a Nice Ride bike in Minneapolis averaged about one trip per day. After the introduction of electric bikes in San Francisco, New York City and Washington D.C., average usage doubled, Dossett said. The company will initially launch 500 electric bikes and 1,300 traditional docked green bikes across the city this spring. During the first few months, Nice Ride will gauge interest in the electric bikes and learn how to keep the bikes charged. Electric bikes require more maintenance than traditional bikes, with batteries that must be manually changed every few days, Dossett said. Dossett said electric bikes are a “stepping stone” for Nice Ride. In the future, customers will return their bikes to charging stations instead of docks. u See NICE RIDE Page 3

tbui@mndaily.com A professor disciplined for alleged sexual harassment by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs is slated to be the sole instructor teaching the only human rights capstone class next spring, leading some students to say they won’t take the class at all. James Ron, a former co-director of the Master of Human Rights program, was disciplined by Humphrey Dean Laura Bloomberg late

violated University sexual harassment policy. Students were notified of the teaching arrangements for capstone classes via email on Sept. 23. The email indicated Ron would be leading the only core human rights capstone class at Humphrey, prompting several students to raise concerns about having to take a course with him. In response, Humphrey Associate Dean Carissa Slotterback sent another email to human rights students less than an hour after the initial announcement was made. u See CAPSTONE Page 3

ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH MAI, DAILY

OUTREACH

FOOTBALL

Gophers’ running attack leads the way in homecoming win Running backs Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks combined for 322 rushing yards Saturday. BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com

Kameron Duncanson, a farmer with the KD2 Farms Partnership and a University of Minnesota alumni, uproots a soybean plant to point out its characteristics on his farm in Mapleton, Minnesota on Friday, Oct. 4. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

As farmers deal with another wet year, UMN aims to help The rainfall, which was the most on record last year, has hurt farmers’ ability to harvest crops. BY NATALIE RADEMACHER nrademacher@mndaily.com

Minnesota has experienced one

of its wettest years yet, which has made it difficult for many farmers to get into the fields and do their job — something University of Minnesota researchers are trying to combat. The Twin Cities just wrapped up the wettest year on record, u See FARMERS Page 3

Entering the homecoming game against Illinois, Minnesota’s ground game ranked No. 126 in the country in average yards per carry, but that weakness turned into a pronounced strength on Saturday. The Gophers rode their redshirt senior running backs to a 40-17 victory while averaging 6.4 yards per carry as a team. The run game proved to be the missing piece Minnesota needed in order to play their most complete game of the season, as they improved to 5-0 and defeated an opponent by more than seven points for the first time this year. “We were running the ball at will,” quarterback Tanner Morgan said. “We were getting a lot of yards, we were dominating the line of scrimmage. In the first half, the Gophers

ran the ball 23 times for 196 yards. Redshirt senior Rodney Smith accounted for most of the production with 146 yards on 12 attempts and redshirt senior Shannon Brooks pitched in with nine carries for 51 yards. Through the first four games, Minnesota’s longest rush of the season was 17 yards. Smith shattered that in the second quarter with a 64-yard gain that set up a receiving touchdown from senior Tyler Johnson two plays later. Brooks added another score later in the quarter on a 21-yard run of his own. “It was relieving to finally have an explosive run,” Smith said. “We’d been close to getting one and to finally get one was exciting.” Increased production from the run game was much-needed for the Gophers as the passing attack struggled early. In wet conditions, Morgan went 4-12 passing in the first half, including an i nterception that Illinois returned for a touchdown. With Illinois loading the box, the Gophers pass game started to u See HOMECOMING Page 4

VOLUME 120 ISSUE 11

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2019

MN DAILY

EXTENDED WEATHER FORECAST MONDAY TUESDAY 64° 69° 49° 53° Sunny

Partly cloudy

Daily Review

MNDAILY.COM

WEDNESDAY 67° 54° Partly cloudy

THURSDAY 61° 47° Showers

FRIDAY 50° 34° Showers

Monday, October 7, 2019 Vol. 120 No. 11

An Independent Student Newspaper, Founded in 1900. 2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 450, Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: (612) 627-4080 Fax: (612) 435-5865

THIS DAY IN HISTORY 2003 Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected California's governor out of the 135 candidates on the ballot.

HISTORYCHANNEL.COM/TDIH OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Cleo Krejci Editor-in-Chief ckrejci@mndaily.com (612)-227-5914 Kyle Stumpf Business Operations Officer kstumpf@mndaily.com (612)-435-5772 Charlie Weaver General Manager gm@mndaily.com (612)-435-5657 EDITORIAL STAFF Max Chao Managing Editor mchao@mndaily.com Desmond Kamas Managing Production Editor dkamas@mndaily.com Michelle Griffith Campus Activities Editor mgriffith@mndaily.com Katrina Pross Campus Administration Editor kpross@mndaily.com Madeline Deninger City Editor mdeninger@mndaily.com Audrey Kennedy Features & Freelance Editor akennedy@mndaily.com Paul Hodowanic Sports Editor phodowanic@mndaily.com Nick Jungheim Assistant Sports Editor njungheim@mndaily.com Liv Martin A&E Editor lmartin@mndaily.com Jack Rodgers Multimedia Editor jrodgers@mndaily.com Emily Martens Copy Desk Chief emartens@mndaily.com Cate Tynjala Assistant Copy Desk Chief ctynjala@mndaily.com Creston Halstead Chief Page Designer chalstead@mndaily.com Morgan La Casse Visuals Editor mlacasse@mndaily.com =

Defensive backs Kiondre Thomas and Jordan Howden hold up their fists at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 5. The Gophers defeated Illinois 40 to 17 to bring their record to 5-0. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

GOPHERS GO 5-0

EDITORIAL BOARD Ariana Wilson Editorials & Opinions Editor awilson@mndaily.com BUSINESS Jacob Kenyon Sales Manager jkenyon@mndaily.com Tiffany Welty Assistant Sales Manager twelty@mndaily.com David Keane Controller dkeane@mndaily.com Chelsea Goetz Creative Director cgoetz@mndaily.com =

A previous version of the article "'Manoomin' brings together UMN researchers and Indigenous tribes" misrepresented who from the University was involved in the 2009 letter. University officials and researchers working on wild rice genetic breeding were not involved with the letter. Additionally, the article misspelled Karen Diver's last name. 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.

Above left, fans cheer at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 5. Above right, Goldy enters the field. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

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.

Right, running back Rodney Smith carries the ball at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 5. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

Left, the Gophers prepare to run onto the field. Above, the Marching Band performs at TCF Bank Stadium. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

Monday, October 7, 2019

Addiction u from Page 1

For Rose, both genetics and environment were against her while she attended Minnesota State Mankato before transferring to the University. She was in an environment where sobriety was not the norm, and she became addicted to Adderall, something she swore she would never do when she was younger. A combination of religion and support from her mother helped her overcome her addiction, aided by her fear of ending up like her father. Looking back at photos and thinking back on memories with her father, Rose said she could not see her father’s addiction then, but does now. She wants to ask for an apology from him, but she yet to find the words. “I’m so close but I’m not there yet,” she said. Histor y with addiction

Wil Schulze struggled to acclimate to University life. The oldest of five siblings, he took on a parental role for most of his life, one he said was compounded by his father’s struggles with substance abuse. “I was really afraid that I when I moved out to college, there’d be no one to protect [my sisters],” he said, adding that he went to the University to stay close to home. For Schulze, addiction was also familial. His father had problems with alcohol and chewing tobacco; his grandfather, alcohol and cigarettes. While the American Medical Association classified alcoholism as a disease in 1956, addiction itself was only formally recognized as a disease in 2011. There is a lot of headway yet to be made in reducing the stigma surrounding addiction, said director of the University’s addiction studies program Debra Wamsley. “I think it’s fairly invisible,” said Wamsley of resources for students whose loved ones are battling or

recovering from substance abuse. “I think the perception of addiction, and our willingness to talk about it, changes with societal norms, like marijuana use or mental health issues.” Words matter, such as using terms like “individual with addiction” as opposed to “addict,” Wamsley said. She is trying to adjust the program’s Foundation in Addictions Studies course to utilize the correct language. Wamsley also said there is a double standard: most people would not admonish a cancer patient for their cancer spreading and the need to go back in for treatment, yet when a person with addiction relapses, that same empathy and support is not often shown. An onlooker would not know that Schulze’s life was impacted by his father’s addiction, but it has been nonetheless. He wants to ensure his sisters are taken care of and that he does not follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. “I know that neither of

them ever had bad intentions,” Schulze said. “I just want them to be able to see [addiction] through my eyes.” Suppor t among students When Sara Cummings came to the University two years ago, she felt something was missing. Her mother was in recovery after battling alcoholism, but there were no support groups like Al-Anon, a program that offers support and connection for the families and friends of those impacted by alcoholism. Sara had participated in Alateen, the same program for teenagers, before enrolling in school. At home, Sara often cared for her brother while her mother was unable to. “Coming to college, I felt like my hands were empty because I finally had to focus on me,” she said. “But there weren’t really [many] resources available on campus [for children of parents with addiction].” She reached out through

Examining the four UMN provost candidates The candidates have been participating in forums to engage with the community. BY DYLAN ANDERSON AND HANA IKRAMUDDIN danderson@mndaily.com, hikramuddin@mndaily.com

All four candidates for the University of Minnesota’s provost position have been announced. Two of the candidates have already spoken at public forums, and the remaining candidates will participate in forums Monday. The forums are a result of a months-long search process to find the next chief academic officer for the system. With the help of a search firm, a search committee made up of University faculty, staff and students selected the four candidates from a pool of about 60. President Joan Gabel was largely removed from the process, though it will ultimately be her decision who will be hired as the next provost. Antonio Dwayne Tillis Antonio Dwayne Tillis, current dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Houston, was the first candidate to be announced. Tillis graduated with a degree in Spanish from Vanderbilt University

Nice ride u from Page 1

Later in the summer, Nice Ride plans to swap out all of the docked green bikes with electric bikes, said Steve Sanders, alternative transportation manager at the University of Minnesota’s Parking and Transportation Services. All traditional bikes will eventually be dockless. “Gradually, the green bikes are just being phased out because they’re getting

Farmers u from Page 1 According to the National Weather Service. The Twin Cities received around 41 inches of precipitation from Oct. 1, 2018 through Sep. 30, 2019. This heavy rainfall impacted planting for many farmers this spring and is affecting their ability to harvest this fall. This makes the growing season for crops shorter. Farmers cannot go out into the fields if the ground is too wet because heavy planting equipment can get stuck in the mud. Kameron Duncanson, a farmer who lives near Mankato, Minnesota, had to delay planting his crops this spring. He was not able to get into the fields on time because of the rainfall. As the state sees more wet weather, the University is finding other proactive solutions for farmers to adapt. The University’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnership works to communicate these solu-

in 1987 and earned his masters in Spanish from Howard University in 1995. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in Latin American literature with an Afro-Hispanic emphasis in 2000. Before joining the University of Houston in 2017, Tillis served as dean of the School of Languages, Culture and World Affairs at the College of Charleston, according to his curriculum vitae, a more comprehensive version of a resume often used in academia. When Tillis started at the University of Houston in 2017, he said he was attracted to Houston because of its “commitment to academic excellence, its diverse student population as well as its mission to be a premier academic institution.”

The final four candidates were chosen by a search committee from a pool of around 60 applicants. dean of the engineering school. As the current dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at Irvine, Washington led strategic planning efforts, a process currently underway at the University of Minnesota and one in which the next provost will be a major player. Washington is the first African American to head any engineering school in the University of California system.

been a significant part of a systemwide strategic planning effort currently underway at the University of Minnesota. Corson taught at Penn for 13 years starting in 1994, is published in more than 70 times in peer reviewed journals and has been an editor of several economic journals.

Gregory Washington Gregory Washington, the current dean at the University of California-Irvine’s engineering school, was announced as the second candidate. Washington holds a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and Ph.D. from North Carolina State University focused around mechanical engineering. Washington then taught at Ohio State University in 1995, starting as an assistant professor. He worked at Ohio State for 16 years, ultimately rising to the role of interim

Rachel Corson Rachel Corson, a current dean at Michigan State University, was unveiled as the third candidate. With a degree from the University of Pennsylvania in economics and philosophy and two more in economics from Harvard University, Corson has been the dean of the College of Social Science at Michigan State since 2016. As a dean at Michigan State, Corson led a strategic planning effort for her college, which led to a 66 percent increase in philanthropy. Outreach has

Carol Fierke Carol Fierke, the current provost at Texas A&M University, was announced as the final candidate. Fierke has a local connection, graduating in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. She has a Ph.D. from Brandeis University in biochemistry and has done postdoctoral study at Pennsylvania State University. Unlike the other three candidates, Fierke is currently a provost and oversees 17 colleges and schools at Texas A&M. She has experience balancing a billion-dollarbudget, like the budget at the University, and has developed a five-year strategic plan, a current undertaking at the University of Minnesota. Before being a provost, Fierke served as a dean of the graduate school at the University of Michigan. She has previously taught at Michigan and Duke University. She has published 251 research articles.

to be almost 10 years old. So, they’re going to be replaced on a one-to-one basis with either e-bikes or [dockless] blue bikes,” Sanders said. Since the program began in 2010, Nice Ride usage on campus has been among the highest in the city, Sanders said. “All the conditions are right. There’s a lot of density, the distances aren’t too great, there’s plenty of stations,” he said. “All the conditions are really right here for them to get used more, and I suspect the

same is going to be true once the e-bikes come in.” Additional docks will be introduced into low-income neighborhoods to promote equity, Dossett said. Nice Ride will also offer reduced price memberships for those who qualify for public assistance. Ward 6 Minneapolis City Council member Abdi Warsame said the program’s expansion in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood is a positive development. “I welcome those kind of programs because they

give people options. If somebody doesn’t drive … it’s a good option,” Warsame said. The expansion will also boost usability for students and others near campus, Sanders said. “All members of the University community are going to be able to get around town regardless of where they live,” he said. “The expansion is really kind of beefing up their whole system in the city, and that’s an exciting thing.”

tions to farmers. Kathryn Draeger, Statewide Director of the RSDP, said they are trying to communicate to farmers that the wetter weather does not have to be a bad thing and that there are ways to adapt to it. Farmers can prevent flooding in their fields by using tile drainage systems, which involve a sort of plumbing below fields that moves water from the soil. Duncanson said the system is very beneficial and is a key management tool in southern Minnesota. While tile drainage is a popular tool to combat heavy rain, there are other alternatives the University is working on as well. One way to mitigate the effects of heavy rainfall in the spring is to plant perennial crops, which do not need to be replanted annually and can reduce erosion, Draeger said. The University has been conducting research around perennial crops, including the grain kernza which was released on the market for farmers earlier this year. Not having to replant

each year reduces the negative impact from heavy rainfall in the spring, which kept many farmers from being able to plant on time. Other ways to combat rainfall, according to Draeger, include implementing keyline designs into fields. This water management tool involves spreading rainwater to drier parts of the landscape. These solutions are important because this year of heavy rainfall is not an outlier, according to Tom Hoverstad, a scientist at the University’s Southern Research and Outreach Center. There has been a trend in more precipitation over the last 50 years. “While most agriculture regions in the world need more rain, we are the opposite,” he said. Part of Hoverstad’s job involves holding educational programs for farmers to provide support and help them find ways to adapt to the climate. Hoverstad said part of what he does is encourage

student Facebook groups, trying to see if other students felt something was lacking or if anyone wanted to form a student group with her. Fourteen people reached out, more than she expected. Sara’s mother, Jennifer Cummings, began abusing substances in the ‘90s. She would party with friends; she drank and even experienced meth-induced psychosis. She has been in and out of recovery since 1997. “It’s been hurting my kids. There’s been a lot of those moments in that dive that I deeply regret,” she said. For the family members of many addicts, the hardest part of recovery is separating their loved ones from their addiction, said Dianne Sullivan, a family program professional at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. However, programs that offer support seem to help expedite the process, she said. “We will have family members who will come here on day one and say, ‘I

hate my husband. I hate what he has done to our family.’ And by day three, they are saying, ‘I love my husband. I hate what this disease has done to my family,’” Sullivan said. Now, Sara Cummings is several hours away from home, trying to grapple with the special brand of anger, distrust and hurt that only those who have seen loved ones battle addiction know. Connecting with others who know what she has been through has helped. “Now, I have 14 contacts in my phone of people who I know are in the same shoes as me, who I know that I could turn to when I’m struggling,” she said. She is thankful that, despite the strain that addiction has placed on their family, her mother – and her relationship with her mother – has survived. “It’s been hard, but somebody who deals with [addiction] is not any less of a human being,” she said. “I’m thankful she’s alive and that she’s still a part of my life.”

Capstone

in the human rights program who has led student conversations about the sexual harassment allegation. “This is hugely concerning for students who are in the human rights program or would have done a human rights project, as they have to choose between working with him or being unable to do a project in their field of study,” Burke said in an email. Humphrey administration confirmed that no students would be required to take a class with Ron and the school is working with other capstone instructors to provide opportunities for human rights related projects. Students can register for any capstone course, regardless of their degree program. According to emails from administration to students, Humphrey administration anticipated students would not want to take a course with Ron. One class he is currently teaching this fall has seven students enrolled and 22 open seats, according to Schedule Builder, a University class registration tool. “Given the history in the past year of the administration and how they have interacted with us, I don’t see a lot of reason for me to believe that they are really looking out for the students,” said Sarah Allis, a Master of Human Rights student. Allis had been attending Humphrey part-time, but quit her job this fall to attend full-time and graduate in the spring. She said she will “absolutely not” take the human rights capstone with Ron. The way Humphrey has dealt with the situation has changed how she looks at the school. “I specifically put University of Minnesota [on a resume], not the Humphrey School,” Allis said. “I honestly feel ashamed of the Humphrey School right now.”

u from Page 1

“My apologies if my email created alarm and I am grateful for the quick feedback you provided,” Slotterback said in the email. “I want to assure you that [no] MHR or other student will be required to take a course with Dr. Ron.” Bloomberg declined an interview with the Minnesota Daily, saying questions around ensuring students feel safe and supported were addressed in a Sept. 6 interview. Capstone courses are a central part of Humphrey curriculum, offering students a chance to gain real-world experience by working for an external organization, according to the email sent to students. Instructors work with students on project management, client coordination and accessing background information among other subjects. Part of Ron’s discipline prohibits him from advising Humphrey school students and supervising student research for two years. After human rights student Karen Chonofsky emailed administration to ask how being a capstone instructor would not fall under these restrictions, Slotterback replied that the restrictions do not apply in this case because the capstone is a class. “I think they are misconstruing what a capstone is,” Chonofsky said. “Past students have told me that you work really closely with your capstone instructor, a lot more closely then you would as an adviser/advisee relationship.” Chonofsky said no matter what the capstone is, even if it is focused on her exact career goals, she will not take it with Ron. Students expressed concern to Humphrey administration in May about Ron teaching the class, said Katie Burke, a second year

Above: Kameron Duncanson, a farmer with the KD2 Farms Partnership and a University of Minnesota alumni, demonstrates how sodden his soybean fields are in Mapleton, Minnesota on Friday, Oct. 4. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

farmers to take advantage of days they have to get things done. “Patience is key,” Hoverstad said. While there has been wetter weather the past couple years, Duncanson has also experienced too little rain as well. He said there are ups and downs when it comes

to farming because of the weather. “Production agriculture is always a challenge, but we as producers, we work together collaborating and learning from our industry and research partners ... to overcome whatever obstacles we face to provide food and fiber to a growing population.”

“While most agriculture regions in the world need more rain, we are the opposite.” TOM HOVERSTAD Researcher

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2019

VOLLEYBALL

Gophers stay undefeated in Big Ten play The win against Rutgers extended the U’s winning streak to nine. BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com The Gophers volleyball team picked up their ninthstraight win on homecoming weekend, taking down Rutgers. They remain undefeated in Big Ten play this season. The Gophers won in four sets: 25-17, 25-20, 19-25 and 25-12. It was their second-straight match missing two starters: setter Kylie Miller and libero CC McGraw. According to head coach Hugh McCutcheon, both are still considered day-to-day. Even without Miller

and McGraw, Minnesota controlled the first set. The Gophers opened the set 3-0 following back-to-back kills from middle blocker Taylor Morgan and another kill from opposite hitter Adanna Rollins. Morgan had another pair of kills late in the set, the first giving the Gophers a 20-15 lead and the second giving Minnesota a 22-15 lead. Rollins added another kill, putting Minnesota ahead 24-16. A Rutgers attack error gave the Gophers the set. The Gophers continued to play their game, even missing key contributors. “I mean we’re all very good players and all very well rounded, so it felt comfortable from the beginning,” middle blocker Regan Pittman said of the team’s rotation changes. “Just have to work on

our communication.” It was back and forth in the second. Rutgers was able to take an 12-10 lead early, but Morgan answered with a kill for Minnesota, cutting Rutgers’ lead to one. Filling in for McGraw in the libero spot, Rachel Kilkelly followed Morgan’s kill with an ace, tying the set at 12. Pittman had a kill late in the set to give the Gophers a 24-20 lead, and another attack error by Rutgers gave Minnesota the set and a 2-0 lead. Rutgers controlled the pace in the third, pulling out to an early lead. The Gophers tied it at 10, but Rutgers started to pull away. A kill by opposite hitter Stephanie Samedy pulled the Gophers within two, but Rutgers didn’t waiver. They took the set and avoided the

Minnesota sweep. “They did a nice job. Especially their middles hit for a good number, that was it,” McCutcheon said. “We were trying to get on them a little bit, we stayed on a read. They were getting on it pretty quick and taking advantage of that. I think it’s just another chance to learn and move on, they had a good strategy and they did well.” The intensity for Minnesota picked up in the fourth. The team huddled before the set, and Morgan had a message for the team. “Just play Gopher volleyball,” Pittman said. The Gophers did just that in the fourth. They dominated the set, winning by double digits. Rollins had six kills in the set, followed by Morgan and

Middle Blocker Taylor Morgan jumps for the ball at the Maturi Pavillion on Saturday, Oct. 5. The Gophers defeated Rutgers three sets to none. (Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)

Samedy who had four each. “We were grinding for a while there, and a lot of that had to do with Rutgers nice play. They had a good performance tonight,” McCutcheon said. “I liked the way we responded in the

fourth set. That seemed to be appropriate. The execution was a little bit cleaner there. Happy to get the win and obviously we move on.” The Gophers will play again on Wednesday against No. 18 Illinois.

FOOTBALL

Minnesota’s defense shows out in win over Illinois A second quarter field goal was the only score the defense allowed. BY JOHN MILLER jmiller@mndaily.com

This isn’t the Gophers defense that Illinois pushed around last year. While the offense had their ups and downs, Gophers defensive coordinator Joe Rossi and his defense shined, holding the Illinois offense to 3 points, winning by a score of 40-17. “I thought our defense played outstanding,” head coach P.J. Fleck said after the game. “The game plan they put together, I thought was tremendous.” Illinois can only thank themselves for Minnesota’s defensive success. After all, it was the 55-31 loss last year to Illinois that caused the Gophers to fire then defensive coordinator Robb Smith and replace him with Rossi. The Gophers are 8-1 since they gave Rossi the reigns of the defense. With all the talk about the Gophers potent offense the last few weeks, they needed help from their

defense until they could find their footing. The defense responded by only allowing a field goal for the game, as Illinois scored the rest of their points on an interception for a touchdown and a fumble return for a touchdown. Both were turnovers by quarterback Tanner Morgan. With Minnesota’s offense struggling, an interception by star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. gave them the boost that they needed with field position inside the Illinois 20-yard line. “The ball was just overthrown and it came right to me. Hit me right in the chest and just made the play,” Winfield said. However, Minnesota would have a quick threeand-out and have to settle for a Michael Lantz 28-yard field goal. With Illinois starting quarterback Brandon Peters leaving the game with a concussion in the second quarter, the Gopher defense smothered the Illini offense when backup quarterback redshirt freshman Matt Robinson came in the game. “We felt like he was just

Running back Shannon Brooks carries the ball at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 5. The Gophers defeated Illinois 40-17 bringing their record to 5-0. (Sydni Rose / Minnesota Daily)

tuck and run and we saw that after the first couple series,” linebacker Thomas Barber said. “We made some adjustments at halftime, making sure to limit that and you can see in the second half it helped.” The Gopher offense finally found their footing at the beginning of the second half. Minnesota’s first drive after halftime took a little

over two minutes on four plays stretching 75 yards, finishing with a 10-yard touchdown to wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell. After another quick defensive stop, Minnesota’s offense quickly answered back again. In a drive that took just three minutes off the clock, redshirt freshman Brevyn Spann-Ford capped off a 65 yard drive

with his first catch, which resulted in a 12-yard touchdown, extending the Gophers lead to 30-10. With a big lead, Minnesota utilized their longest tenured players, running backs Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks, to ice the game. Smith finished the game with 24 carries for 211 yards rushing and a touchdown. The 211

rushing yards are a career high for the sixth-year senior. Brooks finished the game with 16 carries for 111 rushing yards and a touchdown. “Rodney has been here 12 years and Shannon has been here 10 years,” Fleck said with a smile. “To see them have the success they had tonight, it was nice. I’m so proud of where they’ve come as men.” Rossi’s defense dominated the entire game. The defense allowed only 83 yards in the second half and zero points. They finished the game with three sacks and five tackles for loss. Although they didn’t completely shut down Illinois running back Reggie Corbin, they did hold him to only 4.9 yards per rush, when he came into the game averaging 7.1. “I thought we were able to tackle well, swarm better, get around the ball as a defense and play team defense,” Fleck said. The Gophers will need their defense to shine again next week. Minnesota takes on Nebraska and their potent offense led by quarterback Adrian Martinez at home on Saturday, Oct. 12.

CROSS COUNTRY

Men finish fifth, women finish ninth as cross country continues

Redshirt Sophomore Dawson Larance and Redshirt Senior Shane Streich approach an intersection during the 2019 Roy Griak Invitational at the Les Bolstad Golf Course on Saturday, Sept. 28. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily) displayed in Indiana. showing. Obviously a top ten were led by redshirt sopho“I was thrilled, honestly,” finish was a big goal. Being more Anastasia KorzenowsHopkins said. “I thought ninth and beating some re- ki. In a tight and crowded even a top-15 finish in today’s ally good teams, I’m thrilled.” field, Korzenowski finished field would be a really solid The Gophers once again 24th overall with a five kilo-

meter time of 16:49.72. The top runner at the meet was Weini Kelati of New Mexico who ran a 16:01.61. But what defined the team’s success on Friday was the competitiveness of the rest of the Gophers. Jaycie Thomsen, Abby KohutJackson, Zetta Mason and Olivia Hummel all ran well and rounded out Minnesota’s top five runners that contributed to the team’s score. Hopkins said the team will need continue to shrink the gap between the team’s top runner and fifth-best runner. “We are going to be a team that does well because of our group, not simply because of a low stick,” Hopkins said. “It’s great to have Anastasia as a low stick and I think she’ll continue to get better as she develops but it’s also important that we don’t just assume a gap there.” The men’s team had a successful showing on

think the teams that can be balanced at any moment, and can sustain and control the balance, are going to be the most dangerous teams.” As Illinois tried adjusting to account for the pass, Minnesota shifted back to the run as they extended their lead. Smith and Brooks continued to be productive, consistently picking up first downs on the ground. Smith credited improved offensive line play for opening running lanes for

best, look at it as an opportunity to grow and become better. That’s where I’m so proud of Shannon.” Moving forward, the Gophers will need to build off Saturday’s performance. Upcoming opponents include three of the nation’s top-10 rushing defenses in Wisconsin (1), Penn State (7) and Iowa (10). Before that, Minnesota will try to remain undefeated as they host Nebraska Saturday, Oct. 12.

After two weekends of competitions, the teams will have two weeks of rest. BY BRENDAN O’BRIEN bobrien@mndaily.com

Minnesota’s cross country program had a strong showing in the second straight weekend of competition for both the men’s and women’s teams. On the women’s side, the Gophers finished ninth overall against a competitive field at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational on Friday with 265 points. Utah took home the team title with 110 points. The race featured nine of the top 25 teams in the country. Minnesota entered the meet ranked No. 29. With the Gophers running against difficult competition, head coach Sarah Hopkins was excited with the efforts her team

Homecoming u from Page 1

open up in the second half. Morgan connected with receiver Rashod Bateman on the first play after halftime for a 59-yard reception and then with redshirt sophomore Chris AutmanBell two plays later for a score that put Minnesota ahead 23-10. “We want to be balanced,” head coach P.J Fleck said. “I

the backs. “They definitely take pride in getting better each and every week,” Smith said. “I think you can see the growth. They’re getting more comfortable out there as a unit. Those guys are getting better and smarter.” Smith set a new careerbest on the afternoon with 211 yards rushing to go along with a touchdown. It was the most rushing yards for any Minnesota player in a Big Ten game since Laurence

Maroney ran for 258 yards against Wisconsin in 2005. Brooks rushed 16 times for 258 yards. In just his second game back after missing all but one game in 2018 due to injuries, Brooks proved he is still a valuable asset to the Minnesota offense when healthy. “Shannon’s lost his mother and then you have another knee injury,” Fleck said. “Most people in the world would fall. The one percent find a way to change their

Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.The team was powered by redshirt junior Alec Basten’s record-breaking performance and third place finish at the meet. Basten broke the previous school record in an eight kilometer race with a time of 23:26.7. The Gopher men finished fifth overall at the meet with 223 points. Redshirt juniors Jack Manderscheid and Owen Hoeft also had strong outings at the meet, finishing 10th and 35th respectively. After two consecutive weekends of competing, Minnesota’s cross country program will have two weeks of training until the next meets. The women’s team will travel to Madison, Wisconsin for the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational on Friday, Oct.18 and the men will run in the Pre-National Invitational hosted by Indiana State on Saturday, Oct. 19.

“They definitely take pride in getting better each and every week. I think you can see the growth.” RODNEY SMITH Redshirt senior

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2019

MUSIC

No Megan? No problem. ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

Give these three local female artists some love instead. BY ALEX STRANGMAN astrangman@mndaily.com

When Student Unions and Activities announced this year’s homecoming headliner, Megan Thee Stallion’s name spread around campus like wildfire. Coming off the high of a Hot Girl Summer, students around the University were ready for a Hot Girl Homecoming. But then, SUA dropped a bomb into everyone’s inbox just days before the concert: Megan had cancelled. Luckily, the Twin Cities has its own talented MCs ready to fill the void. Get to know these three Minnesotan artists, who have tracks that are sure to keep your homecoming hot.

If you like Azealia Banks, you’ll love... Sophia Eris Not long after moving to Minneapolis in 2008 to attend the Institute of Production and Recording, Eris met up with four other Minnesota artists: Lizzo, Manchita, Quinn Wilson and DJ Shannon Blowtorch to create the now-disbanded group GRRRL PRTY. Following the breakup of GRRRL PRTY in 2016, Eris took no time off, dropping her self-titled debut album, “Sophia Eris,” later that year. Since then, Eris has become a renaissance artist. In addition to making music, she went on to host a morning show on Go 95.3 and is touring the nation as Lizzo’s DJ. She refuses to let all that slow down her own music career, dropping three singles

already this year with more on the way. According to Eris, she’s really starting to come into her own as an artist. “What I’m making now ... I know who I am. I’m very much in my own skin, as much as I’ve ever been as an artist. … It feels right to make the music I’m making,” she said. Must-hear track: “Arrogant” If you like Princess Nokia, you’ll love… Maria Isa Born in Minnesota to NuyoRican parents (Puerto Ricans from New York), Isa said she’s been around music from day one, picking up her first drum at the age of five. Since those early days, Isa has gone on to make quite a name for herself in hip hop, dropping over 13 projects and

founding an independent label, SotaRico. Isa is also an actress and activist and recently became a mother, but she hasn’t let any of that get in the way of her musical career, performing and recording until the eighth month of her pregnancy. Isa is not one to let her voice be silenced, and she brings her activist attitude to her music. On her most recent album, “Sasa,” Isa gives us songs like “No Se Vende” (Not for Sale) and “#1-800-Reparations.” For Isa, it’s about making great music that also carries a message. “I’m working on making sure that our young women realize they don’t have to twerk in order to be in the limelight,” she said. “Ain’t

no shame in that, but I also want to have a legacy. I have a daughter now … what do I want my daughter to be?” Must-hear track: “Locked Into Your Eyes” If you like SZA, you’ll love… Manchita Hailing from the Twin Cities, Manchita got her start working on group projects like Tha Clerb and GRRRL PRTY. Like her former group mate Sophia Eris, Manchita didn’t take much time after GRRRL PRTY disbanded to start putting out solo music. She released her debut album, “One,” in 2017 with fellow Twin Cities musician Bionik. On the album, Manchita brings a softer energy, crooning over electric beats

— a stark contrast from the hype energy she brings to her shows. On her upcoming project, Manchita says the energy is going to be ramped up significantly, bringing a playful and less singsong-y vibe to her music. “It’s very bravado egodriven rap that’s tongue-incheek. It’s funny just kind of classic rap lyrics, like a rapper’s rapper,” she said of the project. Must-hear track: “Shame On Me” No matter if you’re rocking with Sophia Eris’ high energy style, Maria Isa’s thought-provoking bars or Manchita’s wavy, dreamlike flow, it’s safe to say, the ladies are taking over.

REVIEW

Phoebe Ryan, Saba saved homecoming Despite missing its headliner and cold weather, hundreds showed up for the free concert. BY NORAH KLEVEN nkleven@mndaily.com

The homecoming concert could be heard far and wide across the University of Minnesota campus as Phoebe Ryan and Saba turned out a huge crowd last Friday. Despite the inclement conditions and last-minute cancellation by headliner Megan Thee Stallion, by 8 p.m. the Coffman Union Front Plaza was nearly full with students. The UMN Electronic Dance Music (EDM) Club opened, preparing the crowd for Phoebe Ryan, a Los Angeles-based pop singer and songwriter. Her extensive resume of work includes songwriting for Britney Spears, Melanie Martinez, Bea Miller and The Chainsmokers. Braving the cold and rainy Minnesota weather in a skirt, she joked with the audience as she took the stage. “Tonight was a good night to wear a miniskirt, right?” Ryan opened with her familiar 2015 pop ballad, “Mine.” The crowd responded eagerly to her chart-crushing

Phoebe Ryan performs at the Homecoming Concert in front of Coffman Union on Friday, Oct. 4. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

single featuring The Chainsmokers, “All We Know,” singing along and pulling out phones to capture the moment. She even altered the second chorus to include an ode to Minnesota. With Megan Thee Stallion absent from the lineup, Phoebe Ryan delivered the female energy that the

night needed. Before ending her set early, Ryan left the crowd with “Dark Side,” her catchy 2017 electro-pop single. The crowd responded well to her set, at one point crowd-surfing a student near the front of the stage. The size of the crowd fluctuated before Saba took the

stage, but those who stayed for the full performance made the right choice. Saba was the clear winner of the night, with energy and stage presence that could not be matched. Ahead of Chicago rapper Saba’s appearance onstage, his DJ, SqueakPIVOT, took to the stage for a few minutes to get the crowd ready. He

established a rapport quickly, joking with the crowd and appropriately opened with Lil Yachty’s “Minnesota.” After a few tracks and a shout out to the Gophers football team, Saba joined him on stage. The synergy between the two was electric from beginning to end and it translated to success for their performance.

During his track “Broken Girls,” the rapper urged the ladies in the crowd to sing along every time he said “girls.” They happily obliged. Later during his set, the crowd was immersed in magenta lights and fog as he rapped to “How You Live,” his 2017 track with MfnMelo. In a rare downtempo moment in Saba’s performance, he spoke from the heart when he told the audience to be unafraid to let the world hear their voices. Within seconds, he was back to dropping bars. In the midst of performing “Stay Right Here,” Saba jumped around the stage as the audience mimicked him. Before the show, he even found time to be photographed with Goldy’s statue — a surefire way to show Gopher spirit. While it was clear that both performers were excited to be part of the homecoming festivities, Saba brought the energy that the crowd needed to stay out for hours in the chilly weather. The turnout was even better than Spring Jam. Whether it was the lineup or the fact that the show was free, Phoebe Ryan and Saba put on a show that made homecoming worthwhile. Grade: A

6 MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2019

COLUMN

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

Encryption protects everyone – except exploited children

Just as ordering groceries and online shopping has escalated, so has the capacity to share predatory images.

Caroline Skoog

he National Cencolumnist ter for Missing and Exploited Children received 18.4 million reports of child sexual abuse material in 2018. As many of the reports contained more than one image or video, the grand total of exploitative content consisted of more than 45 million instances of child sexual abuse. Content from the dark web surprisingly only accounted for a fraction of these reports, according to the New York Times. The majority of reports were presented by

tech companies based in the United States, with 12 million of them– roughly 90 percent– taking place over the un-encrypted Facebook Messenger. While reports of Child Sexual Abuse Imagery occur on a global scale, the dispersal and detection of this material is largely grounded in Silicon Valley. With a whopping amount of reports coming from Facebook Messenger, the company’s recent decision to move to encryption is unnerving. Encryption protects digital communication, ensuring a private platform free from surveillance. Which, at face value, is positive. We can look at Hong Kong as an example of why digital government surveillance poses a threat to freedom and democracy. Especially when taking Facebook’s history of sketchy privacy policies into account, encryption is an improvement to the platform’s security. However, considering that the company bans 250,000 WhatsApp accounts per month due to CSAI, increasing its privacy settings could yield inadvertent, heinous consequences. Encryption would serve as a sort of a cybersanctuary, making policing the platform, and consequently flagging CSAI material, much more difficult. With the rise of technology came the rise of CSAI circulation. In turn, Congress introduced and passed the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, which instituted reporting requirements for tech companies, established strategic planning for prevention and interdiction of CSAI, and allocated a $60 million budget to the Cyber Division. The law set forth

that tech companies legally have to report accounts of CSAI when detected; they are not required to search for CSAI or held liable for abusive material that goes undiscovered. Companies can’t regulate what they don’t see, which might give them incentive to not see it. A lot of content moderation relies on tech companies’ cooperation with law enforcement. The exponential growth of CSAI, even after the child protection law passed in 2008, can be blamed on the incompetence of both of these factions. 1 in 10 Homeland Security agents are assigned to the child exploitation cases, yet only about half of the designated $60 million annual budget for the cyber crimes unit has been allocated to the task force’s efforts; this year, the Department of Homeland Security diverted $6 million of the already underfunded cybercrimes budget to immigration enforcement. According to the New York Times, the Justice Department has completed just two of the six required reports devised to compile data about CSAIs and lay out strategies to eradicate them. The Department of Justice has demonstrated that the growing issue of child abuse and exploitation is not a priority, extending a large portion of prevention and interdiction responsibilities on tech companies and the NCMEC. As Silicon Valley develops more impenetrable electronic service providers, detection of CSAI and online perpetrators will likely diminish. This is a breaking point. Relying on electronic service providers to report CSAIs did contribute to cybercrime

efforts, but we exist in a reality where that strategy alone is wildly inadequate. Right now, encryption looks like a Gordian Knot. With the nuances of the Protect Our Children’s reporting requirements, it’s very plausible that tech companies will close their eyes to CSAIs rather than determine methods to eliminate them. It protects everyone except exploited children. I don’t believe the decision to enhance privacy online is a matter of weighing pros and cons, but Silicon Valley’s scope over online interaction indicates that they should be thinking three steps ahead of digital predators.

Caroline Skoog welcomes comments at cskoog@mndaily.com.

EDITORIAL

Don’t burn out during your freshman year Your first year is transition time; don’t stress yourself out by overloading on classes.

f you’re just starting college, you might think it will be much easier than high school. You have fewer classes, no more extracurriculars and more unstructured time. On the other hand your classes will be harder, and you will have to put more work into them to succeed.

For all the high school overachievers out there, trying to pack in as many classes and activities as you did for your four years of high school will prove to be impossible. You only take a handful of classes each semester in college because you’ll have to spend much more time on homework than you used to. There’s no study hall built into your day anymore — you have to choose to study on your own. If you’re used to skating by in high school without doing any extra work, you’re going to have a tough transition during your first semester. Don’t try to take more credit hours than your adviser suggests, especially in your first year. If you try to pile as many classes as you took in high school, you’re inevitably going to burn out. There’s a reason you’re capped at 20 credits each semester — doing more just isn’t feasible, especially if you have a job or other responsibilities. If you need to take more credit hours for whatever reason, take them as a

junior or senior, not your first year. By then you’ll know how much you can handle. By capping your credit hours, your advisers are watching out for your mental health. There’s no way to perform well in that many classes and still get enough of a life outside of them. You might want to graduate early, and that’s great, but look into other options like summer classes. Increasing your semester credit load can stress you out to the point of exhaustion. As a freshman, you shouldn’t feel pressured to fulfill major requirements. You’re meant to find out what interests you in your first year. Don’t feel like you need to have your entire future career mapped out. Focus on figuring out what classes you’re passionate about and what you want to explore more. You have another three years to pick classes that are more geared toward your major, and now is a good time to fulfill your general education requirements. Schedule Builder is a great tool to help you categorizing all of the classes the

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Vote yes for organized trash The vote on whether or not to uphold the organized trash collection ordinance will affect renters.

ear Renters in Saint Paul,

If you live in Saint Paul, your rent might go up if a no vote prevails on Nov. 5, 2019. The vote concerns trash. In October 2018, the city started handling the contracts for trash collection in Saint Paul. The city negotiates with a conglomerate of trash haulers and organizes the trash collection system. They then pass on the negotiated rate through a service fee to homeowners. Before October 2018, homeowners had to hire their own trash hauler. If you’ve noticed fewer garbage trucks going by your apartment since October 2018, this ordinance is why, as the City organizes collection such that single companies service parts of the city. A group of residents was unhappy with the City selecting their trash hauler and got the issue on the ballot. If residents vote no, the ordinance will be overturned.

There is a lot of uncertainty about exactly what will result from a no vote due to legal proceedings, but one possible result is the City having to pay $27.1 million in contract obligations and the City no longer organizing trash collection. The county auditor recently proposed a property tax increase should the no vote win, so that Saint Paul can pay these contract obligations. Such a property tax would be passed on to you through an increase in rent. Thus, your rent would increase not for a new city service or for our schools, but instead for the City to break a contract just so homeowners could hire their own trash hauler. Furthermore, a no vote wouldn’t just affect your rent. If the City no longer organizes trash collection, that means more garbage trucks. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency estimated unorganized trash collection uses 437% more fuel than organized trash collection, so this would increase pollution. Overturning the ordinance also means more noise and more damage to roads from these trucks. An end to organized collection could result in an increase in illegal trash dumping and illegal trash burning, both of which have negative public health and environmental ramifications. The proper disposal of waste is an important service, especially for a city with over 300,000 residents. Organized trash collection gives us, as a city, the ability to address other environmental, health, and justice issues related to our waste disposal, such as where and how our waste is disposed after collection. Organized trash collection helps us reduce the environmental impact of collecting trash and better ensuring the trash is properly handled. The vote on whether or not to uphold the organized trash collection ordinance will affect renters. A no vote may

increase our rent. A no vote may mean more garbage trucks and the pollution, noise, and infrastructure damage from those trucks. A no vote may mean more improper disposal of trash. Please, vote yes on the “Resident Coordinate Collection” ordinance question on your ballot on November 5, 2019.

University offers. You can use it to explore options for your major, too. College isn’t just a place structured for you to do more work on your own, there is also time to decide what you actually want to study. Don’t feel pressured into making hasty decisions or overworking yourself to get through the next four years. Take a deep breath. You’ve got time.

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

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

THE EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPARTMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEWSROOM

Nicholas Goldsmith is a Ph.D. student at the University of Minnesota. This letter to the editor has been lightly edited for style and clarity.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2019

MN DAILY

HOROSCOPES

Today’s Birthday (10/7): Share, network and connect to grow this year. Regular domestic routines maintain your loving family nest. Love fills your home this winter before work changes require attention. Talk your way through a miscommunication next summer before your career takes off. Express your gratitude and passion.

MNDAILY.COM

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 — Teamwork makes a difference. A theory is challenged by application. Slow down to avoid pitfalls, traffic or miscommunications. Ignore rumors or gossip.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is an 8 — Someone you love is adapting to changes. Suspend criticism and have extra patience. Do what you can to help. Stay practical and pragmatic.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is an 8 — Advance a professional goal slowly and with eyes wide open. Watch for hidden obstacles or pitfalls. Sidestep an awkward situation. Focus on basics.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 7 — Family matters take focus. Keep your promises and bargains. Stay in touch and clean up messes. Nurture yourself and others ... in that order.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is a 7 — Delays could interrupt your travels. Theories require revision when put into practice. Review data and strengthen infrastructures. Allow extra time.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — A challenging intellectual or creative puzzle requires pondering. Don’t force an issue. Wait for better conditions. Replace volatility with security.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — Pad the budget for unexpected expenses. Don’t rely on an unstable source. Draw upon hidden resources. Balance all accounts to keep afloat.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 9 — Focus on bringing home the bacon despite roadblocks. Keep your cool even when others don’t. Keep track of income and outflow.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is a 7 — Avoid expensive disagreements. Compromise is required. Keep your money in your pocket. Don’t believe everything you hear. Slow down or risk a pileup.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 9 — Take personal time for yourself. Things could seem chaotic or challenging. Handle priorities and postpone what you can. Find peaceful moments.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is a 7 — You don’t have to do it all. Listen to your body and take care. When faced with an obstacle, slow down and reconvene. Ask for a hand when needed.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is an 8 — Peace and quiet soothe when things get overstimulating. Hide out in your sanctuary. Avoid risky propositions. Consider what’s next and then rest.

DR. DATE Dr. Date,

My girlfriend and I started dating last fall and have become pretty serious this year. We discussed potentially moving in together, but after seeing many of our friends break up while still having to live together, we decided we wanted to be dating for at least two years. I signed a lease for a one bedroom and she signed with a (female) friend or a two bedroom in a nearby complex. However, her friend just found out her study abroad application was accepted so she can no longer live with my girlfriend. I was worried she would have to pay twice the rent until she told me the very next day she found a new roommate — a guy she went to high school with who she’s known for years. I’m not one to get jealous super easily, but I’ve met him before. He’s way more attractive than me, came here on a full scholarship and definitely seemed to have eyes for my girlfriend. I’m worried that by living with her, he’s trying to steal her away from me! They may not be moving into their new place until the spring, but I’m already panicking. My girlfriend seems thrilled about her new roommate, but all I can see is him trying to seduce her when I’m not around. What do I do?

–Totally Not Jealous

Dear Totally Not Jealous,

Woah, slow down there. Keep in mind, your girlfriend is not an object who can be stolen away by a handsome man — she’s a person who loves you. You said yourself that you two are serious, so why do you have so little faith in her commitment? That being said, I can see why you might worry that the guy has feelings for her. But in reality, this situation isn’t as bad as you may think. Do you know how many roommates grow to hate each other after they live together? Seriously, if he had feelings for her, they’ll be gone after she leaves the dishes overflowing in the sink. Trust your girlfriend, don’t let your jealousy cloud your judgement and realize she can have male friends. If it gets ugly, she can always move in with you, right?

Dr. Date,

I only become a Greek Life person once a year — homecoming. So yeah, Saturday I spend fifteen straight hours bouncing between houses, what about it? I was with some friends the whole time and we had a great experience without watching a single minute of football. My friend’s mom was in town, so even she came along to some of the parties! (Weird, I know, but she’s a total MILF.) Jungle juice and hot moms, what could be better? Well, when those two things are combined ... you end up sleeping with your friend’s mom. We were discussing 80s music (I love it, she lived through it), drinking vodka and Kool-Aid, etc. Not going to lie, it was pretty great, and it’s not like she’s still married! I don’t think there’s a huge problem — but one of my friends walked in on us going at it in a frat basement closet, and he’s threatening to tell my friend. I want to see his mom again, but I’m scared my friend will murder me. What can I do?

–Stacy’s Mom

Dear Stacy’s Mom,

Establish dominance. Marry her and become his stepdad. If it’s really a big deal, just admit you had sex with her to your friend. It’s gross and weird and yes you may lose him as a friend, but you’ve gained a new appreciation for having sex in frat basements. Seriously though, doesn’t friend code include not having sex with your friend’s family members? Stop now before you find yourself hitting up your friend’s siblings.

–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.

10/7/19

For strategies on how to solve sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk.

Last issue’s solution

Monday, October 7, 2019

UMN doctor’s vaping warning goes viral A medical resident has a large following on the social media platform TikTok. BY BROOKE SHEEHY bsheehy@mndaily.com

A resident at the University of Minnesota Medical School went viral after taking her message against the dangers of vaping to young adults on TikTok, a social media platform. Rose Marie Leslie, a family physician resident at the University, has more than 200,000 followers and has accumulated 2.4 million likes on the platform for her short, occasionally stern and often lighthearted educational videos bringing awareness to important health topics. She

recently became internet famous for her explanation of the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes. Leslie said she found TikTok to be a unique social media platform that seemed “silly and creative” — something she hadn’t seen on social media lately. With her history in health education, she thought it would be a unique and refreshing way to share health tips, facts and recommendations about general medical information. This led her to address the current outbreak in acute lung illness caused by vaping. “There is this illness that is really scary that is affecting a lot of people t h ro u g h o u t t h e n a t i o n right now, and there are some cases here in Min-

nesota. It is not something to be taken lightly,” Leslie said. David Ingbar, a University professor of medicine and former president of the American Thoracic Society, has seen several patients in their 20s and 30s who complained about having shortness of breath due to vaping-related illnesses. In the short run, he said the dangers of acute lung injury can be triggered by several factors, including yetto-be-identified ingredients in vape cartridges. These dangers range in severity and can include death from respiratory failure. “There is clearly a risk. I mean, we have seen it. We have seen people die from this, so it is clearly not safe,” Ingbar said. “Because we don’t know the specific

components that trigger the lung injury, you sort of have to be an idiot to think it’s safe to vape at this point.” Both Leslie and Ingbar said the most difficult thing about treating e-cigarette use and vaping is that, because they haven’t been around for very long, it’s difficult to study their longterm effect on the lungs. “Smoking typical cigarettes has been around for years and we know how high the association is between cigarette use and lung cancer, and we just don’t know all of that quite yet [about vaping],” Leslie said. “We do know that there has been an increased rate in tobacco use overall, which has caused an increase in tobacco use in younger generations.”

Ingbar said because there is nicotine in e-cigarettes, they continue to create and maintain nicotine addiction just like cigarettes do. The idea that it is safer to get a nicotine fix by vaping rather than smoking cigarettes has led many young adults to make the switch. First-year student Hazel Kraus started vaping almost two years ago after developing a nicotine addiction from smoking cigarettes at a young age. “I found out that I had a gum disease and had to stop smoking cigarettes or my teeth would fall out,” Kraus said. “So I stopped using cigarettes, bought my own vape and have been since reducing my nicotine percentage.” Kraus is one of the many

college students across the nation who have been impacted by Leslie’s TikTok videos. While Leslie has received positive feedback from young adults who are actively trying to stop vaping, she said many people who work in the vape industry have reached out to her concerned about her videos’ messages on vaping-related illness. “Whenever you are talking about or shining a negative light on something that is thought to be a cool thing among teens and young adults, people are going to criticize you,” Leslie said. “It is something that I have experience with, and as long as there are risks still out there and people are still seeing benefits from my videos, I am going to keep making them.”

Medical School switches to a new “house” system The houses aim to give students academic resources and a community. BY NATALIE CIERZAN ncierzan@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota Medical School created an experimental house system for third-year students this fall. The system is divided into three houses, or learning communities, temporarily named after University-created apples. When students enter the houses in their third year, they can access advisers and ask questions, interact with other medical students and feel a sense of community. “For the medical school and for the students in particular, we’re really looking to promote a greater sense of community and connection,” said Scott Slattery, director of the Office of Learner Development in the Medical School. The short-term names of the houses are Zestar!, Beacon and Centennial. Students are divided into each of these houses by their academic or faculty adviser, and they stay in the house for their final two years in the medical school, Slattery said. Before the houses existed, students often didn’t know where to go with their questions, Slattery said. Students will now know where to go, and advisers will be able to communicate with them more efficiently.

“If there’s an issue that a student might encounter, it is feeling at times that they’re isolated on their own,” he said of the last two years of medical school. This is the pilot year of the house system. It will be launched formally in fall 2020, Slattery said. Eventually, he said they hope to extend this to a student’s full four years of medical school. The primary driver of this house system is improving student experience, Slattery said. “When you do feel more connected,” he said, “it does help to mitigate or lessen that sense of stress or burden.” Maggie Plattes, a secondyear medical student, has been involved in the creation of this system for almost a year because of her interest in mental health. “People will tell you about physical burnout, but medical student burnout isn’t so much a thing,” she said. “It’d be nice to have students not be burned out before they even become physician.” While the house system is in development this year, they hope to alleviate some of the medical student stressors, Plattes said. One main stressor is feeling isolated from one’s peers. “Looking at this idea of if we can focus our attention and energy on this idea of creating these communities so we’re preventing these symptoms from happening, as opposed to reacting,” she said. “That is obviously ideal because we don’t want students to ever feel that

HAILEE SCHIEVELBEIN, DAILY

way.” Plattes said she hopes the program can figure out different roles for each house. Ideally, each house will be staffed with peer mentors, a well-being committee, tutoring opportunities and a confidential peer assistance program. “We are very confident that this is going to work, we just haven’t figured out all the logistics,” Slattery said. “We

want to cover different elements of the student’s life.” These houses aren’t just for Twin Cities campus students, but are transitioning Duluth students, too. Duluth students spend their first two pre-clinical years of medical school on the Duluth campus, where they learn clinical skills. Students then have to finish their last two years of medical school at

the Twin Cities campus, using those skills in clinical settings, said Robin Michaels, associate dean of student life and academic affairs on the University of Minnesota-Duluth campus. Michaels said it’s difficult for students to transition from the Duluth campus to the Twin Cities. “It’s harder for them to transition to a bigger city,” she

said. Medical students already have small learning communities on the Duluth campus, Michaels said. When they transition to the Twin Cities campus houses, they’re able to stay with those same learning communities. “This is a way to, I think, really help in the transition process for students coming to a different campus,” she said.

From left, Eric Dorland, Olivia Crull, Étienne Magdalen and Sondos Ibrahin congregate for a sit-in protest outside President Joan Gabel’s office on Friday, Oct. 4. (Liam Armstrong / Minnesota Daily)

‘Study-in’ outside of Gabel’s office The students call for increased diversity and disarmed police. BY NATALIE RADEMACHER nrademacher@mndaily.com

Textbooks in hand, members of the student group Students for a Democratic Society held a sit-in outside University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel’s office Friday morning. The students are calling for the University to disarm the University Police Department and increase the diversity of the student population.

The sit-in is part of a broader campaign by the student group this year to demand action by the University. “This is essentially a reminder that we expect these demands to be met,” said Jackson Bianchi, an organizer for the event. Instead of a traditional sit-in, students brought homework and call the event a “study-in.” Around eight students sat in the lobby outside Gabel’s office with signs printed with words like “Disarm UMPD.” Members of SDS are demanding the University administration take action to increase enroll-

ment from underrepresented communities and disarm UMPD. “The goal is to occupy space … to keep it chill and study,” said Jack Nimz, another SDS member who organized the event. Attendees snacked on Halloween-themed donuts and coffee as they studied. First-year student Étienne Magdalen took the studying aspect of the study-in seriously. “I have a midterm in half an hour,” Magdalen said, looking over his textbook. “I agree with the resolutions [from SDS], I just have to balance social justice with school.”