November 4, 2019 by The Minnesota Daily

EARLY WEEK MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

CAMPUS

UMN hosts national SJP conference

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SERVING THE UMN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900

POLITICS

SANDERS, OMAR RALLY UMN

Pro-Palestine student organizers gathered at the University for the ninth annual conference. BY FARRAH MINA fmina@mndaily.com

Hundreds of pro-Palestine student organizers from across the country gathered at the University of Minnesota over the weekend for the National Students for Justice in Palestine annual conference. Leadership from the University’s SJP chapter welcomed attendees — many donning keffiyeh scarves — into a buzzing lecture hall Friday evening to kick off the threeday conference. University SJP members introduced attendees to the chapter by providing background about the group’s recent activity. The members noted the success of past divestment campaigns at the University, which ultimately resulted in the passing of a campus-wide referendum in 2018. The University SJP members also drew attention to the congressional district that much of the University is in, which is represented by U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who has expressed support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. The conference is NSJP’s ninth since the organization’s establishment in 2010. It was themed “Beyond Struggle: From Roots to Branches Towards Liberation” and addressed the growing visibility of Palestine in mainstream politics with several workshops, panels and sessions. “This is a new turf for Palestinian organizing,” said conference attendee Alex Salah, noting the election of Omar and U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., both of whom have publicly spoken about the Palestinian conflict. “We’ve always existed in the grassroots political context,” Salah said. “With the emergence of Palestinian voices and those in solidarity with the Palestinian people in this more electoral space, as organizers, it’s important to understand to be tactical and strategic in how we engage with these spaces.” In addition to several guest speakers, the conference also featured a panel of experts who discussed the importance of approaching the Palestinian struggle in relation with other forms of oppression, such as anti-blackness, homophobia and transphobia as well as the oppression of Kashmiris and Kurds, among other people. u See SJP Page 3

Thousands gathered in Williams Arena to show support for Sanders. BY HANA IKRAMUDDIN AND JASMINE SNOW hikramuddin@mndaily.com, jsnow@mndaily.com

Bernie Sanders left attendees at Sunday’s rally at the University of Minnesota with a central message: “we will not be divided.” Along with Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Sanders covered topics including impeachment, immigration, healthcare and education in front of a crowd of thousands. “Ilhan and I share a common link as descendants of families who fled violence and came to this country as immigrants. That’s not just my story or Ilhan’s story, that is the story of America,” Sanders said at the rally. In the 2020 presidential race, Sanders is currently polling in third, trailing Elizabeth

Warren and front-runner Joe Biden. “Bernie knows what Minnesotans know, that at the root of every injustice is the imbalance of power,” Omar said. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has also publicly endorsed Sanders. The event was moved to Williams Arena, a bigger venue than the original Northrop Auditorium, which holds 2,700 people, due to a high expected turnout. This is not the first time Sanders has spoken at the University; he visited the campus in 2016 to support Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

The committee suggested more faculty training, a diverse staff and strong student support services. BY DYLAN ANDERSON danderson@mndaily.com

Students of color report having a lower sense of belonging at the University of Minnesota when compared to their white peers. President Joan Gabel’s response: “We have work to do.” But efforts to address this disparity started before Gabel took over as president in July. A 2018 Board of Regents resolution directed the University to reduce graduation rate gaps for students of color and improve campus climate. As a result, the Multicultural Student Success Committee was created and charged with figuring out what steps the University needs to take.

u See BERNIE Page 3

STUDENT GOVT.

Lone student analyzes data to identify advocacy areas Emilia Janik is the onewoman show for MSA’s data-driven advocacy for thousands of U students.

Emilia Janik fields questions in the O. Meredith Wilson Library on Thursday, Oct. 31. (Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)

BY SAMANTHA HENDRICKSON shendrickson@mndaily.com After completing coursework for her hectic senior year, statistics major Emilia Janik has an additional responsibility: sorting through multiple data sets to determine what more than 30,000 students at the University of

STUDENT LIFE

Report calls for better climate for students of color at UMN

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Ilhan Omar face the crowd together during a rally held at Williams Arena on Sunday, Nov. 3. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

BY THE NUMBERS

7,464 of students of color indicated that their classroom experience is impacted by their identity

u See DATA Page 3

CITY GOVT.

STUDENTS OF COLOR AT UMN

91%

Minnesota Twin Cities care most about on campus. As the solo research and data coordinator for the Minnesota Student Association, it is Janik’s job to work with student government to create surveys for the student body every semester. Usually, the work is completed by more than one person, but Janik is a one-woman show. The survey results help discover the issues students want to see changed or advocated for at the University.

UNDERGRADUATES OF COLOR ENROLLED AT UMN IN 2018

8% INCREASE OF STUDENTS OF COLOR IN THE UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION

66% STUDENTS OF COLOR WHO REPORTED STUDENTS ARE TREATED EQUITABLY AND FAIRLY BY FACULTY

SOURCE: MULTICULTURAL STUDENT SUCCESS COMMITTEE LISTENING SESSIONS

In August, the committee de- provost for student success and livered a report with recommen- co-chair of the committee. “But so dations about what to do, many of often we hear that where students which are in the process of being are is in the classroom … that’s implemented. where they’re spending their time One recommendation is to im- and that is where they are expeprove classroom climate. About 91 riencing what these comments percent of students of color who re- reflect.” sponded to committee-conducted The report suggests forming a listening sessions indicated their faculty committee to recommend classroom experience is impacted how to sustain the use of inclusive by their identity. The report di- teaching practices and ensure rectly ties the retention and satis- they are being utilized. faction of these students to classThe report points to “21st cenroom experiences. tury skills” which faculty need “Often times we’ll say we need to be able to apply to their teachto improve advising or we need to ing. These skills include artfully do programmatic support,” said LeeAnn Melin, associate vice u See CAMPUS CLIMATE Page 2

New Minneapolis Park Board budget emphasizes investment in youth The proposed budget looks to address a lack in programming with more than $1.2 million. BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com

Youth soccer coach Adam Ugas has been holding practices for kids two days a week every summer for 13 years. He volunteers his time to the team with the help of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, which provides the space. Ugas said his soccer team, which practices at Currie Park in CedarRiverside, allows kids in the neighborhood with the highest density of youth in Minneapolis to have their own space. “They feel like they have a space that has been provided for them, and that they can call theirs,” Ugas said. The proposed 2020 Park Board budget introduced Oct. 16 includes more than $1.2 million in youth programming funding after an August internal report highlighted a gap in youth investment and

population growth. Park Board officials and community members hope the funding will help address the lack of resources, especially in densely-populated Cedar-Riverside. The Park Board’s total $126.1 million budget includes almost $200,000 for youth programming, with an additional $100,000 specifically for free after-school programming at four locations citywide. Another $600,000 would go toward updating Park Board facilities to create two “ideation spaces.” The spaces would provide staff and updated computer labs to promote digital learning. While the report found that $2 million would fully close the gap, the $1.2 million in funding is a strong start, according to the report. The Park Board has a vision for youth investment over the next decade, but it cannot be realized without funding, said Park Board Superintendent Al Bangoura. “We have ten years of community input and plans, but without additional funding these plans aren’t u See PARKS Page 2

VOLUME 120 ISSUE 19

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

MN DAILY

Daily Review

MNDAILY.COM

CAMPUS EVENTS CALENDAR MONDAY

DSCC Bake Sale

TUESDAY

Pathology Interest Group

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Disabled 12:15 p.m. in Moos 2-690 Student Cultural Center Learn forensics in this interactive All baked goods are vegan, gluten-free. session with Dr. Sarah Meyers.

WEDNESDAY

“The Sound of Silence”

THURSDAY

Performing Objects

5 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Best Buy theater 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. at Larson Art Gallery Tickets $15, students $5 Twelve objects interact in this new Film screening with a Q&A after. performance and reception.

Monday, November 4, 2019 Vol. 120 No. 19

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The Gophers make their entrance at Maturi Pavilion on Friday, Nov. 1. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

Campus climate u from Page 1

facilitating difficult discussions around race and equity, demonstrating cultural awareness of themselves and others in the classroom, understanding their own racial and ethnic identity and the impact it can have on the student experience, among other things. When junior Taofeek Bayo feels he is treated differently by a professor because of his race, he said he wishes the professor could recognize that differential treatment and have

a conversation with him about it. When this doesn’t happen, Bayo said, the experience sticks with him. The University needs more faculty of color, Bayo said. When he can build a relationship with a professor, it is easier to get excited about class. “I can relate to him,” Bayo said of a Nigerian teacher his twin brother had. “He knows what being a minority is, he’s been in a place where a minority came from.” Melin said having more faculty of color is part of the committee’s recommendation.

“Students say they benefit a lot when they can see, especially at a predominantly white institution, people who share a similar identity,” Melin said. Amy Pittenger, co-chair of the provost search committee, said the ability to recruit and retain faculty of color was something they wanted in the next provost. “We wanted somebody who came in with a track record around attracting and retaining talent,” Pittenger said. “Not just say the right words but could show that they had some success.” Another of the committee’s recommendations is

to “increase direct support and programs for multicultural and underrepresented students.” Melin said the University does a lot for students in their first year on campus, and they see good retention rates from year one to year two. But, as the number of programs dissipates as students advance through college, so do retention rates. “As the years go on, the gap starts to increase. I can’t say it’s a causation, but I would say there could be a correlation there,” Melin said. University officials are evaluating which current

programs are working and should be enhanced, and whether resources to others could be more efficiently used elsewhere. The report also suggests increasing financial aid for low-income students, as 43 percent of undergraduate students of color met the low-income qualification in 2018. They also suggest more deliberate efforts for financial success coaching of low-income students of color. “Of course we need to do this,” Melin said. “It would really help to improve our retention and graduation rates.”

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ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH MAI

Parks u from Page 1

implemented and annually more than 80,000 Minneapolis youth go without the needed services that have been identified,” Bangoura said in a statement. The budget would also provide $300,000 to add 60 youth

employment opportunities throughout the park system. District 3 Park Board Commissioner A.K. Hassan, who represents Cedar-Riverside, said he advocated for the increase in youth jobs personally. Hassan said the number of kids in the neighborhood is growing, and the lack of space and programming in their area puts them at a disadvantage.

“Those are the kids that [are] the next generation and the seeds that we’re planting in order to be the next leaders,” Hassan said. “If we’re not investing in them, if we’re not giving them the necessary skills for them to compete … I feel like we are not doing a great job.” Minneapolis community members will have the op-

portunity to provide input on the budget at four public comment sessions held by Park Board officials through Dec. 11. The first session is scheduled for Wednesday at the Park Board headquarters in North Minneapolis. The final budget will be adopted alongside Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s proposed budget in December.

“Those are the kids that are the next generation.” A.K. HASSAN park board commissioner

Monday, November 4, 2019

Left, Rally attendees cheer as Sen. Bernie Sanders takes to the stage at Williams Arena on Sunday, Nov. 3. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily) Right, Supporters of President Donald Trump wave flags outside of Williams Arena during a rally held by Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday, Nov. 3. (Emily Urfer / Minnesota Daily)

Bernie u from Page 1

Other 2020 hopefuls have already visited the Twin Cities to promote their candidacies, but Sanders is the first to make a stop on campus. President Donald Trump held a campaign rally at the Target Center in October, looking to flip the consistently Democratic state in the upcoming election. Rep. Warren visited in August, speaking at Macalester College. Like Sanders,

Police use of force in decline near UMN Citywide numbers of use of force have also hit a ten-year low. BY TAYLOR SCHROEDER tschroeder@mndaily.com

Police use of force is down citywide and in campus neighborhoods, Minneapolis Police Department data show. MPD includes chemical irritant, taser, gun point display, police K9 bite, baton, improvised weapon, firearm and maximal restraint techniques in its definition of use of force. The reported use of force citywide is at a ten-year low. Reports decreased by 47 percent from 2008 to 2018, from 1,488 instances to 778 instances. As of Oct. 28, the police department has reported 254 instances of use of force this year. Despite the dropping numbers of reports, some community leaders are skeptical about the accuracy of these trends. “The problem is, how would we know if [the data] is accurate or not? It’s probably the raw data that’s inaccurate as opposed to the manipulation of [public data]. The use of force occurs and never gets reported on,” said Dave Becking, a board member of Communities United Against Police Brutality. Marcy-Holmes and Cedar-Riverside have also seen drops in reported police use of force. In 2008, Cedar-Riverside had a high of 23 reports of use of force, while in 2018 six incidents were reported by MPD. This year has seen four reports of use of force as of Oct. 28.

SJP u from Page 1

The Palestinian movement is an intersectional justice movement, meaning it is advocating for the liberation of all oppressed people, experts on the panel said. “[Intersectionality] has always been part and parcel of our work…” said Raphael Eissa, a member of the NSJP steering committee which organizes the conference. “We also know that the struggle against oppression extends beyond a single people. It’s always been central to our work, and that’s how we grow as a movement.” M a n y p ro - P a l e s t i n e student organizers face difficulties from their university administrations when it comes to hosting

Warren also had to change venues due to a large interest in the event. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison was one of several speakers who introduced Omar and Sanders to the stage. For many in attendance on Sunday, Sanders’ policies and goals put him ahead of other democratic candidates. “I support him because he’s the farthest left candidate in the primary right now and the big thing that’s important to me ... is his stance on foreign policy,”

said Alex Provan, a secondyear Ph.D. political science student. “He’s one of the only candidates who seems to be in favor of reducing or removing sanctions from places like Venezuela, Iran, Nicaragua and returning to the use of diplomacy instead of brute force in our international relations.” Blythe Pennock, a 2017 University graduate in attendance, said she thinks Sanders has a high chance of winning Minnesota. “Bernie represents, to me, I think a vital change within the Democratic Party that’s

REPORTS OF POLICE USE OF FORCE 20

equality, the Green New Deal, Medicare for All and kind of rooting out corruption in Washington,” said Carol Bolin-Abrahamson, an attendee from Minneapolis. A group of about 25 people protested the rally near the arena. Marthamae Kottschade, from Rochester, comes from a family of veterans and came to the rally to voice her support for Trump and the military. “I am here on behalf of what President Trump has done for our military and our veterans. It’s very near

and dear to my heart ... in the past we’ve had presidents who haven’t supported our military or our law enforcement,” she said. Sanders outlined several of his other presidential goals, including overhauling the country’s immigration laws, implementing gun control policies, reforming the criminal justice system and providing access to abortions. “I want you to think back on American history, real change has never taken place from the top on down,” said Sanders.

Faculty committee looks to gather data about grad students with disabilities The SERU survey provides insight into how students experience the U.

BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com

MARCY-HOLMES CEDAR-RIVERSIDE

needed, as in like actual class consciousness being raised,” Pennock said. “He’s not bought by corporations, which is what a lot of our politicians are, even within the Democratic Party. So I support both Bernie and the movement he’s inspiring throughout the country.” Supporters repeatedly brought up Sanders’ proposed policies such as the Green New Deal, canceling student debt and Medicare for All. “We’re here to support his platform of being concerned about income and

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

NOTE: THE NUMBERS FOR 2019 ARE YEAR-TO-DATE SOURCE: MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME STATISTICS

Russom Soloman, chair of the West Bank Business Association’s safety committee, said the presence of new beat officers and Somali officers who can relate to the community has helped keep crime down, which could help limit the need for use of force. “There hasn’t been any significant change in crime to warrant [increased police] visibility,” Soloman said. Although the number of reports of use of force have remained consistent over the last ten years, MarcyHolmes has seen a relatively low number of reports in comparison to previous years as of Oct. 28. In each year from 2008 to 2018, use of force numbers in Marcy-Holmes did not deviate by more than five instances. From 2018 to 2019, reports have dropped from 17 instances to four instances between Jan.1 and Oct. 28. Ward 3 City Council member Steve Fletcher said the citywide decrease in police use of force can likely be attributed to MPD’s installment of body cameras and improved training procedures. CUAPB requests data on complaints against MPD every three months from the Office of Police Conduct Review, Becking said. “What we’re seeing is that sometimes people will

complain about excessive force, then they’ll notice that the officer never wrote up the use of force and so they’ll file a new complaint against the officer,” said Becking, a former member of the Civilian Police Review Authority, which is now the OPCR. In the third quarter of 2019, the city saw 181 in complaints filed against the police department, the most since 2015, according to OPCR’s annual report. “One year wasn’t enough to say that it is going to stay at this level. After two years, this appears that this is a steady trend in complaint filing,” said Imani Jaafar, director of the OPCR in a city Public Safety and Emergency Management committee meeting on Oct. 16. Citywide, the matter of any complaint is only public in 14 of the 477 complaints as of the third quarter of 2019. The public data center only makes this data available once allegations are processed, said Casper Hill, a public information officer for Minneapolis. Fletcher said these complaints help identify areas of needed improvement within the department. “When a high number of complaints are filed and pending, it tells us where to turn our attention and where to direct coaching.”

pro-Palestine events. Though pro-Israel groups called on the University of Minnesota to condemn or cancel the conference, the University did not respond to such requests. However, a small group of people formed Saturday outside of Tate Hall — where workshops were taking place — in protest of the conference, leaving Israeli flags and posters in front of the building. “We’re still standing resilient trying to persevere despite the attempted intimidation,” Salah said. The love for Palestine and its liberation supersedes the fear of being oppressed, he said. “I hope what people get out of [the conference] is the affirmation and validation they need to continue this work despite the struggle,” Salah said.

Data u from Page 1

“I don’t ever really think about it as work,” Janik said as she flipped back and forth between applications on her laptop. “It’s something that I really enjoy doing ... ‘What are we doing to make the campus a better environment?’ ‘How do we welcome more students onto our campus?’” Janik starts the process by meeting various committees, nailing down what MSA wants to find out from students about advocacy and helping them find the right questions to ask students in order to extract the best data. “[Data-driven advocacy] really allows us to ground our projects in the actual student experience ... accu-

A faculty committee is looking to obtain more data on how students with disabilities experience the University of Minnesota. The Disabilities Issues Committee has begun to look at the questions around disability included in the Student Experience in the Research University survey, or SERU, which is administered at many large universities globally. GradSERU, the version of the survey for graduate students, does not contain all of the same questions about disability included in the undergraduate survey. The committee is beginning discussions about changing that. Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Bob McMaster noted how large and comprehensive SERU is, making it useful in gathering information about how students experience the University. “We in the colleges use the SERU data, use it a lot, in many different ways to make decisions about how the undergraduates are doing,” he said. As discussions around mandatory faculty disability training are happening across University governance, this data could be a helpful tool in determining down the line whether the training is impacting students, DIC Chair Benjamin Munson said. “I can see it being very useful for trying to figure out whether, you know, the hard work that we’re doing here is making a difference

in students’ lives,” Munson said. The DIC meeting this week hosted Krista Soria, a SERU project administrator, and Daniel White-Jones, the gradSERU research and development director. The presentation showed data from the surveys and highlighted the differences between them. SERU includes an option for students to answer about disability and how they experience it in an open-ended way, which is not currently included in the graduate survey. Munson said he is “heartened by the fact that it’s already getting done” in the undergraduate survey, but would like to see more qualitative questions in the graduate version. At the meeting, the committee discussed writing a letter suggesting that the graduate survey include the same questions used in the undergraduate form. Ryan Machtmes, president for the Organization for Graduate and Professional Students with Disabilities, said there is less research around graduate students with disabilities, making it difficult to measure quantitatively. McMaster said the graduate survey is much newer than the undergraduate survey, but that there are a

growing number of institutions beginning to participate in it. “When you don’t know what to measure, it’s hard to make quantitative variables out of them, it’s hard to make, you know, close-ended survey items out of them,” Machtmes said. Qualitative data, like what is collected in the undergraduate SERU, provides the best data when the sample size is small and there are not concrete variables to measure, Machtmes said. “The actual qualitative data that came out of that paints a very clear picture that is very useful for policy advocacy,” he said. “It paints a very clear picture of the problem that we’ve been working on as a committee for a few years now.” Munson also noted that in the future he would like to see more questions about disability incorporated into the Employee Engagement Survey as well. The process of understanding and collecting data on how graduate students with disabilities experience the University is just getting started, Machtmes said “...I just think that we’re just getting to understand the problem and getting to see the size and scope of it and getting our hands around it, and it’s going to be a process,” Machtmes said.

rately representing student needs on campus,” MSA Campus Life Committee Chair Levi O’Tool said. “We can show admin… here is the need, and be factual in our claims.” Janik’s role as research and data coordinator, which she began this school year, means that alongside her busy senior year, she is also parsing through thousands of survey responses. The latest survey, which MSA says is their best survey yet, received over 3,000 responses on questions about grocery stores, off-campus living, environmental justice issues and freedom of speech, among others. Janik then drafts reports and sends them to MSA’s different advocacy committees. With Janik’s reports, the committees involved can see

what students think about campus climate and concerns and put together initiatives on how best to serve them. Though new to the role, Janik’s predecessor had nothing but praise for her. “Because of her statistics and analytical background, she came in with a lot of ideas on how to improve [response] numbers,” said former Research and Data Coordinator Governess Simpson. One of Janik’s ideas was to have an eye-catching question at the beginning of the survey to intrigue students. Statistics, Janik said, can be applied to many fields like politics, business and psychology, which is challenging as she tries to explore career options after college. “I do like that I have that flexibility,” Janik said. “I do like to feel like I’m making

an impact.” Statistics, however, is just one part of the data advocacy equation. It also involves communication skills, Simpson said. Austin Kraft, MSA representative to the Board of Regents, said Janik is so good at her work because of her ability to tell a story through data. “The skills that are most important are to frame questions that are unbiased … to phrase questions that are the most relevant and get responses that are factual and honest in terms of the advocacy work that we do,” Janik said. While Janik said that work like survey creation and data sorting can be done from anywhere, it definitely is not a quick process. But to her, it is worth it.

ILLUSTRATION BY HAILEE SCHIEVELBEIN, DAILY

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Gophers dethrone Badgers, take No.1

The Gophers swept their top-ranked rival at home this weekend. BY MATTHEW KENNEDY mkennedy@mndaily.com

The No. 2 ranked Gophers women’s hockey team exacted revenge on the No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers over the weekend, claiming a sound victory on Saturday and winning in a shootout on Sunday. It was a stark contrast from their six meetings last season, in which the Gophers claimed only two victories. Gophers take opener 4-2 The Gophers started slow as the first period was dominated by the Badgers, giving flashbacks of their 2-0 defeat last March in the NCAA Championship. Daryl Watts, a senior transfer from Boston College, scored her 10th goal of the season to give the Badgers a 1-0 lead. The second period was the best hockey the Gophers have played all season, as they scored two goals midway through the period. The first goal was a sister-to-sister connection as redshirt sophomore Amy Potomak set up redshirt senior Sarah Potomak. The next goal came from junior

Amy Potomak celebrates after scoring the winning goal against Wisconsin at Ridder Area on Sunday, Nov. 3. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

forward Grace Zumwinkle to make the score 2-1. Zumwinkle continued that success with an early goal in the third, her second of the game and 11th of the season, stretching the lead to 3-1. The goal marked Zumwinkle’s fifth multi-goal game of the season and provided the Gophers with all the scoring they would need, as they eventually topped the Badgers 4-2. “She’s been awesome,” head coach Brad Frost said of Zumwinkle. “That’s one of the things we challenged

her with is to be one of the best players on the rink every game, not just in certain games, and I believe she’s really elevated her game that way.” Sarah Potomak leads the Gophers’ of fense in game two Much like Saturday, the game began slow, with both teams dueling it out defensively. It wasn’t until five minutes left in the first period that the Gophers broke through, as Taylor Heise scored to give Minnesota a 1-0

lead. The teams’ defenses continued to hold strong after that, as the score stayed at 1-0 until the third period, when both teams traded a flurry of goals. First, Wisconsin’s Britta Curl tied it. Sarah Potomak scored her second goal of the series to take the lead back just two minutes later, but Wisconsin soon answered again to level the score, where it would stay for the rest of the period. The scoring didn’t carry

into overtime, however, as neither team was able to find the back of the net, taking the game into a shootout. The strong goaltending continued into the shootout, with only one goal scored from either side. Luckily for the Gophers, the last shot came from the stick of Amy Potomak, who fooled Badgers goalie Kristen Cambell to secure the win. “I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty nervous skating the way down,” Amy Potomak said. “I do it in practice quite a bit but never actually during a game against a goalie as good as Campbell, but I took my time and tried to remain calm and it went in.” “I was so into the game at this point,” goaltender Sydney Scobee said of her thoughts during the shootout. “I remember last year when we went into a shootout I was so nervous, but I wasn’t today. I was ready.” Scobee saved 63 shots in the series. “Winning the shootout and gaining the extra point was big,” Frost said. “There were several chances for them to score, but Sydney Scobee was up to the task here tonight.” The Gophers move into first place in the WCHA standings by dethroning the former No. 1 Badgers.

SCOREBOARD NOV 1

Wrestling

Minnesota: 28 CSU Bakersfield: 9

Women’s Hockey Minnesota: 4 Wisconsin: 2

Men’s Hockey Minnesota: 3 Notre Dame: 2

NOV 2

Women’s Hockey Minnesota: 4 Wisconsin: 2

Men’s Hockey Minnesota: 3 Notre Dame: 5

NOV 3

Volleyball

Minnesota: 3 Wisconsin: 1

Men’s Tennis

FGCU Invitational Singles record: 11-10 Doubles record: 7-4

Women’s Tennis

FGCU Invitational Singles record: TKTK Doubles record: TKTK

Women’s Hockey Minnesota: 3 Wisconsin: 2

Women’s Cross Country 6000m: 7th place

Men’s Cross Country 8000m: 8th place

FOOTBALL

The season’s toughest challenges lie ahead Three of UMN’s remaining four foes are ranked in the AP top-25. BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com

It has been a historic first two months of the season for Gophers football. Minnesota sits at 8-0 (5-0 Big Ten) for the first time since 1941 and has a two game lead in the Big Ten West with four weeks remaining. Minnesota will open November with a highly anticipated matchup against also-unbeaten Penn State. Like the Gophers, the Nittany Lions have opened the year with eight consecutive victories, placing them in a first-place tie atop the Big Ten East with Ohio State. Penn State’s early season success is thanks in large part to a rush defense that is allowing 1.99 yards per

carry. That total is nearly half-a-yard less per carry than Utah, ranked second in the category conceding 2.45 yards per rush. When the Gophers have the ball on Saturday, it will be strength versus strength, as the Gophers feature a talented backfield trio in redshirt seniors Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith and redshirt sophomore Mohamed Ibrahim. Minnesota has rushed for over 320 yards in three of its last four contests. “All three of us out there is tough for defenses,” Smith said. “All three of us have different running styles and we have fresh bodies rolling in, that’s always good to have. The running back position is difficult when you have to tackle three different guys.” Of course, the passing game must be mentioned as one of the Gophers’ strengths as well. Quarterback Tanner Morgan ranks seventh in the

nation in passing efficiency while his top two targets, senior Tyler Johnson and sophomore Rashod Bateman, both rank top six in the Big Ten in receiving yards. This group will also face their toughest task of the season to date, as the Nittany Lions rank seventh in the FBS in pass defense efficiency. Gophers offense coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca feels that his offense has come a long way this year and now is up to the challenge. “When I thought about this unit in January, I knew at some point good,” Ciarrocca said. “I just didn’t know when. It wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when ... I wouldn’t say it’s an unstoppable offense but honestly, I’m just proud of the kids and happy for them and how hard they’ve worked.” On Saturday, Minnesota will look to accomplish something they have not done since 1999: defeat a

team ranked in the AP top five. That season, the Gophers took down Penn State, ranked No. 2 at the time, by a score of 24-23. If Minnesota can replicate that feat, head coach P.J. Fleck will have fulfilled a promise he made upon becoming head coach, taking the program to new heights. “[Director of Athletics] Mark Coyle’s demand of me was, ‘make this program better,’” Fleck said. Down the road After Penn State, Minnesota’s path to the Big Ten Championship remains difficult. On Nov. 16, the Gophers will attempt to take down Iowa. To do so, they will have to win at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, another feat the program has not achieved since 1999. In the season’s penultimate week, the Gophers travel to Evantson, IL to play a struggling Northwestern

team that has scored just 78 points thus far this season. The Wildcats have been hindered by a passing attack that ranks 125th in FBS. In the season finale, Minnesota welcomes its rivals from the East for the latest battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. The Gophers ended a 15-game losing streak to Wisconsin last year, earning a 37-15 victory in Madison, WI, their first since 1994. After looking dominant with four shutouts in their first six games, the Badgers dropped two contests in a row against Illinois and Ohio State. For fans, it may be tempting to look ahead to what may be, but Fleck has instilled in his team a mindset that each week it a one-game championship season. “It is exciting. Every week is a championship week and that is how we treat it,” Ibrahim said. “Every week is a big week for us.”

MEN’S HOCKEY

Gophers make improvements in Notre Dame series Goalie Jared Moe had a combined 63 saves in the weekend series. BY JULIANNA LANDIS jlandis@mndaily.com

While the Gophers hockey team didn’t technically walk away with a win this weekend, the team surely has to feel better about it’s performance against Notre Dame after getting swept by Minnesota Duluth a week ago. Walker wins extra point for Gophers in Double OT on Friday Friday’s matchup was scoreless until the second period, when Notre Dame scored right as a penalty on Minnesota’s Sampo Ranta expired, putting Minnesota behind 0-1. With Notre Dame playing their trademark shut-down style of play, the game would continue without another goal until five minutes into the third period, when the goals came raining down for both teams. In under a minute of ice time, three shots found the back of the net midway through the third period. First came a goal from Gophers’ Nathan Burke. Twenty-five seconds later, Notre Dame’s Trevor Janicke answered right back, regaining the Notre Dame lead. However, the Gophers responded just 18

seconds later as Scott Reedy scored, sending Minnesota into overtime. Through one overtime, the game remained tied, which according to NCAA rules, ended the game. However, rules for overtime play are different within the Big Ten Conference than the NCAA. So, while the NCAA stops after one overtime period, the Big Ten goes on to a 3-on-3 second overtime period and a shootout if necessary. So the game went on, and while it wouldn’t go towards his season total, Sammy Walker scored the “game-winning” goal. Goaltender Jared Moe was strong in net all night for the Gophers, making flashy glove saves that had the crowd roaring in approval. “It’s awesome,” Moe said of the crowd’s energy. “We love the student section, all the fans. The more energy the better. It makes the game that much more fun to play.” Gophers drop second game, 5-3 After starting in Friday’s game and making a careerhigh 29 saves through the first overtime period, Moe was back in net for the Gophers on Saturday, beating his previous high in saves with 34. However, it wasn’t enough to stop Notre Dame’s offensive barrage, as the Gophers fell 5-3. For just the second time this season, Minnesota scored the first goal of the game, with

Blake McLaughlin and Sammy Walker smile after the winning goal Friday, Nov. 1. (Sydni Rose / Minnesota Daily) Brannon McManus scoring 12 nesota power play, but, just minutes of the final frame, minutes into the first period. like Friday’s game, Minnesota and they controlled the game The Gophers scored another responded quickly as Garrett completely from there on out, to get ahead of Notre Dame Wait netted his first of the holding Minnesota to only two 2-0, as Jack Perbix scored his season. shots in the third period. first collegiate goal with four “We needed someone to get “We played six periods and minutes to spare in the first us going again, and he made a we generated a lot of offense, period. big play at the right time for we wish we generated more In the second period, Notre us,” head coach Bob Motzko in that last period, but we just Dame was able to respond said. couldn’t get it done,” Perbix quickly, taking advantage Despite the boost from said. of a power-play opportunity. Wait’s goal, Minnesota’s 3-2 Even with the challenges, Eden Prarie native Nick lead wouldn’t last to the end Motzko said that there were Leivermann scored to cut of the period. Leivermann moments in the game where Minnesota’s lead to 2-1. The scored another for the Fight- the identity of the young team second period was the busiest ing Irish in the final minutes was coming into focus. of the night, with three more of the second, and the momen“We grew up in some areas. goals scored following Leiv- tum would continue in Notre We saw what our “good hockermann’s. Notre Dame tallied Dame’s favor into the third. ey” can look like, and it looks another to tie the game fol- The Fighting Irish gained pretty good,” he said. “We lowing an unsuccessful Min- the 4-3 lead in the opening didn’t sustain it tonight.”

UPCOMING NOV 5

Women’s Basketball vs. Missouri State 3:00pm

Men’s Basketball vs. Cleveland State 7:00pm

Women’s Hockey @ Cleveland State 7:00pm

NOV 6

Women’s Tennis

Oracle ITA National Fall Championships Nov. 6 - 10

Men’s Tennis

ITA Fall Nationals Nov. 6 - 10

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

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MN DAILY

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

MUSIC Local band ahem plays a release show for their newest album “Try Again,” at the Fraternal Order of Eagles on Nov. 2. (Liam Armstrong / Minnesota Daily)

ahem keeps it simple and sweet The Minneapolis band released their debut album “Try Again” on Nov. 1. BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com

Short, simple and to the point, ahem’s music believes in the idea that less is more. It’s DIY to the core — from the songwriting process to its screen printed t-shirts. “The two-minute song is the sweet spot,” said Erik Anderson, who plays guitar and sings in the band. “With a song, you can work it to death if you want, but short and sweet is just kind of nice.”

From their first EP “Just Wanna Be,” released in 2016, ahem has consistently produced music that is gritty yet bright and authentic all the way through. In a way, it’s kind of what you would expect from a band named after a “quiet throat clear, not an aggressive one,” according to Anderson. ahem’s “less is more” attitude gives them a unique perspective on music making. They don’t have a preconceived idea of the direction they want to head. They just love creating music for the sake of it. “When we first became a band, it was just kind of

like, ‘Oh my god, these cool songs are showing up, that’s a gift so let’s see where they go,’” Anderson said. T h e y b oo ke d s h ow s anywhere they could at the beginning. Drummer Alyse Emanuel had even asked her cousin, a Macalester College radio DJ at the time, to help them book a basement show. Now, though, they sometimes have to turn people down. “It’s hard to say no because it’s weird to not have to chase after the gigs,” Emanuel said. “But it’s also kind of nice.” Since working on their debut album, “Try Again,” released on Nov. 1, ahem

has seen their radio play go up, too. “One of my students is like, ‘I keep hearing your band on the radio,’ and I was like, ‘Whoa, that is definitely going in the diary,’” said bassist Courtney Berndt, who’s also a high school teacher. The band sees “Try Again” as an expansion of their sound. “We gave every idea a chance because we had this deadline,” Berndt said. “I think sometimes when you have a lot of time it’s like ‘Oh, let’s cut this idea and wait for something else’ or, ‘Let’s combine these two songs.’”

In the weeks leading up to the release, they were all more excited than nervous to put the project out into the world. “I’m proud of it and it felt selfish to say that but I’m proud of it more than any other thing I’ve recorded,” Emanuel said. “It’s so magical.” The album has also helped redefine the meaning of being a songwriter for the members. “For a long time, I didn’t see myself as a musician,” Berndt said. “I just kind of thought of myself as more of a punk bassist, but since playing with ahem, I’ve thought more about how I

can make my music have more feeling.” That intention is certainly felt in their new music. It’s obvious that “Try Again” is a personal triumph for them. “It’s kind of cool to think that maybe [the record will be] in some bin at a record shop like 80 years from now, and some kid is starting their own band and they’re like ‘Oh shit, what’s this?’” Anderson said. “It’s nice to put something out in the world that’s harder for people to erase. Like you’ve at least got to throw it away.” But, like Berndt said, “Someone still might find it.”

DANCE

ILLUSTRATION BY HAILEE SCHIEVELBEIN, DAILY

First-ever international dance festival steps into Twin Cities The “Bailame Dance Festival” will run from Nov. 8-11 at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West. BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com

The opportunity to dance through the night is finally here, Twin Cities, and it’s not at a club. The Bailame Dance Festival celebrates the histories and cultures surrounding the bachata, salsa, kizomba and zouk dances for four days with more than 30 locally and nationally known dancers. Bailame is the first of its kind in the Twin Cities area. Such dance festivals have been popular in cities

like Chicago and Miami, and is now coming to the Twin Cities. “We think that [the Twin Cities] has the potential to be one of the other large dance events and bring the Midwest onto the map,” said co-founder C harles Kron schn able. “It’s really cool to see the community start embracing the idea of how big this event is and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I need to be a part of that.’” The planning began this past March, after Kronschnable and business partner Shun Harris gained some experience hosting a dance event the year before. It was much smaller in scale but it got them thinking, “what would this look like if we expanded this?”

Bailame Dance Festival Nov. 8-11 Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West Hotel, 3131 Campus Dr., Plymouth Ticket prices vary bailamedancefestival. com

Kronschnable and Harris booked a hotel and contacted dozens of dancers to share their skills and enthusiasm for the art form. After seven months of planning, the Bailame Dance Festival has come to fruition. “It was kind of like a domino effect,” Kronschnable said. “Once we got the hotel, we agreed to have music playing until 6 a.m. and everything just started to fall into place.

Now we have this and it’s actually gotten bigger than we anticipated.” In addition to each night of dancing, there will be w o rk s h o p s a n d p a n e l s teaching about the cultural significance of each style of dance. “Dancing is about overall development,” said Sajana Nair, who helps run the festival’s social media accounts. “It’s not just something that we do for fun, but also because of how much it’s helped us evolve as [people]. It’s important to know the effects and the influences of your style of dance.” “Bailame” is more than just three nights of music and dance. The whole festival is also a charity event. They’ll be partnering with

Finnegans Brew Co. and the Autism Society of Minnesota to collect monetary and food donations throughout the weekend. “When I talked to my partner, one of my goals was to ensure that it’s not just about how much money we can put into our pocket, but how much does it mean to give back to the community?” Kronschnable said. Kronschnable and Harris aren’t focused on making personal profits through an event as big as “Bailame.” They’re funding it out of their own pockets because it’s an event they believe is missing in the Twin Cities, and they want to change that. “We want to put this event together for the community and for the dancers,”

Kronschnable said. “This is not us trying to make some money off of this. If anything, we just want to break even.” The festival is open to everyone and anyone who wants to come — no dance experience is necessary. The panels, workshops and open dance floor are welcoming spaces intended to provide a learning experience for all attendees, no matter their dance background. “Dancing is for everyone,” Nair said. “We naturally respond to music when we’re born, but as we grow, we just end up building these inhibitions, which creates a block. I feel like being around so much music and so many people is the best way to let go.”

6 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

MN DAILY

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Editorials & Opinions

EDITORIAL

Having a minority opinion is not the same thing as belonging to a minority group

To actually have a conversation about bias against political groups, we have to dismiss any comparisons to marginalized communities.

here have long been complaints in the sphere of liberal college education in the United States that there is a bias against conservative students from their vastly liberal peers and professors.

Though without expansive enough data to back it up, the idea that that bias exists and somehow leads to lower grades and social alienation for conservative students is salient, particularly on this campus. Two years ago, the College Republicans’ mural on the Washington Bridge read “Least Popular Minority On Campus.” Liberals aren’t free from this train of thought either, even though it applies less on a large public university campus. Comedian Hasan Minhaj joked in his 2017 White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech about how journalists need to start thinking like a minority group, “By the way, you guys aren’t really minorities; you guys are super white. But, but — I could see MSNBC being like, ‘We got our minority card.’” For some reason, liberals, conservatives and plenty of people with opinions in between want to gain a minority-like group status, depending on their environment and where they live. They feel deserving of the same treatment as an

actual marginalized community. Political belief is an opinion. It’s a choice. Race, sexuality, disability — these aren’t choices. You can decide to change your political beliefs, but you can’t decide to stop being a certain race. There is a marked difference, and it’s insulting to pretend like it doesn’t exist. There should be a conversation about the ways members of each political party are generalized by the opposition. There are valuable things to be said about how political conversations operate on college campuses, in rural high school classrooms and even on the news. However, if you want to have those conversations, you’re doing a disservice by pretending that it’s on equal footing with other forms of discrimination. Feeling uncomfortable or alien in a room full of people who disagree with you politically is a valid feeling, maybe one that deserves exploration, but that feeling is not a permanent one. Feeling hurt or defensive of your politics isn’t marginalization, no matter

where you stand on party lines. You don’t know what it’s like to be a minority unless you are one. There’s a difference between individual prejudice and systematic oppression. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, there are going to be times where you’re the odd one out in a situation, or maybe a lot of situations. We shouldn’t shy away from a discussion the isolation of political parties and unwillingness to try to understand the other side fully and the bubbles of belief that follow. However, if you want that conversation to be taken seriously and given credence, don’t pretend it’s comparable to racism, homophobia, or any other community that’s been brutalized and silenced over the course of human history. Trying to parallel your experience won’t help your cause, only hurt it.

COLUMN

Don’t cast your ballot on electability assumptions

Caroline Skoog

or most of my columnist life, I understood American Democracy to be a Gordian knot of compromises and settlements, taking and giving (primarily taking), like diplomatic gymnastics. Politicians and citizens alike eventually have to sacrifice their own moral code or abandon their endorsed values — that’s part of the deal. In turn, everyone gets a fraction of what they want and true progress is reduced to a happy, healthy middle. Cue the credits and roll “Created by Aaron Sorkin.” I think it’s safe to say that the civility-touting, idolized West Wing vision of the United States government croaked in 2016. For the left, it’s all hands on deck to beat Trump in the 2020 election.

Even at the price of their own ideological instincts. Fifty-eight percent of registered Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents report prioritizing a candidate’s likelihood of beating Trump rather than the candidate’s stances on issues, according to Gallup. In an effort to not divide the Democratic vote, citizens suspend their true political ideals by assuming the tendencies of a communities they’ve never met and towns they’ve never been. “Electability” is a premature defense mechanism, and it does sound pragmatic at first. To reiterate, civility in politics is six feet under. Not to mention, Hillary didn’t win in 2016 and Donald Trump appeared to be the least electable candidate ever. Most of us were shocked. Electability is an abstract thing that we made up, and it’s bolting Democrats to the center of a political spectrum that keeps drifting right. It’s also rooted in archaic preconceived notions of what a president is: white, straight, Christian and male. Through this lens the safest bet is to revert to what the general public, or the moderate voters, were comfortable with a decade ago. Consequently, women and candidates of color are scrutinized secondhand. Avalanche Strategy conducted a study in which 62 percent of respondents expressed that America will not elect a woman, clarifying, “Their concerns are not about the capability of female

candidates, so much as they are about the willingness of Americans to elect a woman.” Oh, of course I’m not sexist! But America is. Even if you identify as a feminist, a vote that’s tailored to an assumed public prejudice eclipses your principles entirely. It’s too early in the campaign season to yield your vote to the faults of the twoparty system. It’s a bad system, don’t get me wrong, but reflecting your true beliefs on the ballot, and not what you perceive someone else’s beliefs to be, is one of the only ways for a democracy to function. The primary election exists for a reason. Doesn’t it? Prioritizing electability, which seems to benefit Joe Biden the most, doesn’t account for the change in political conditions. The 2018 midterm election, for instance, had the highest voter turnout ever at 53 percent, compared to the usual 40 percent. If this increase in turnout continues throughout the 2020 election season, it’s crucial for the left to trust one another. This election poses a chance for structural change and social progress that can’t be replicated at the center of the spectrum. Should the left collectively play it safe and elect Joe Biden or one of the many moderate Democrats in the primary elections, it’s a missed opportunity to nominate a leader that can stand for something. One of the main grounds for political apathy is the outright hollowness of

COLUMN

The participatory parents

he University Sidney Clarke hosts an event columnist on campus called “Parent & Family Weekend” annually. The program aims to acquaint parents and family with everyday student experiences by inviting them to tailgate at sporting events and attend seminars about student health. This year’s exhibition, held from October 25 to 27, also included activities such as a planetarium show at the Bell Museum, movies at Coffman and yoga classes at the Rec. In actuality, Parent & Family Weekend is a romanticized tour of our lives, a reassurance of sorts, that we are still functional human beings since being removed from their immediate care. We try not to get caught lying about the inordinate quantity of grilled cheese, Ramen and alcohol we consume on a weekly basis. We clean up our rooms, pretend we vacuum every weekend and deftly skip over the story about the cockroach in the student lounge. Then, for the grand finale, we force them to take us grocery shopping and try not to get too visibly excited about the purchases, such

as the name brand shampoo. But to some, Parent & Family Weekend holds a very different meaning. For those whose homes may be far from campus — either out of state or internationally — Parent & Family Weekend may be a cruel reminder of how distance impacts their relationships. To nearly 7,000 international students on campus this year, “home” is no less than a flight away and could hardly be reached over the course of a weekend. While I applaud all the parents with the ambition and genuine concern to attend “Coaching for Student Success” and “Your Student’s Transition” lectures, I know that many others lack a fundamental interest or have limited access postsecondary knowledge, in either the program or the students themselves. To our peers whose childhood bedrooms became office spaces within the week they moved out, whose parents continually decline opportunities to listen or those with parents whose breadth of educational knowledge does not extend past their high school diploma, Parent & Family Weekend is equally painful. Of course, others have chosen a different destiny and actively campaign to keep their parents separate from their college lives. Many students fight to preserve this campus as a safe haven and an opportunity to become their own person. But family relationships are complicated and weekends that flood our campus with parents and family members can be especially difficult for some. Although events like Parent & Family Weekend only function for a very specific demographic of students, the overcrowded bookstores and slow-circling mob of adults floating between libraries may seem to indicate these unstated constituents as a standard of normalcy. The program itself has no intrinsically

malicious intent, in fact, participants every year report satisfaction. However, it embodies an essential division between students. Especially with the impending holidays, the phenomenon of the habitual “Parent & Family Weekend” will only intensify. I am beginning to realize that every weekend is in some sense a parent’s weekend. I can hardly remember a time that it hasn’t been. From grade school art shows, to low budget middle school drama productions of to freshman orientation and eventually to college graduation, parents — whether they showed up or not — have been participants. It is our responsibility as a student body to reject the uniformity mindset which ostracizes students from differing backgrounds, and instead, respond with compassion.

campaign promises, marginal or ineffective proposed policies, and the reputation of politicians devoid of any accountability towards the American public. Embracing another centrist-Democrat candidate can only fuel political indifference and reinforce the notion that civic engagement is a moot point, or that the Democratic party is inept at sparking progress. American Democracy is at an intersection of urgency and upheaval and now sounds like a good time to vote sincerely. Placing a vote based on polls this early in the election season, or on preconceived notions of another city’s tendencies, is planned obsolescence for the left.

Caroline Skoog welcomes comments at cskoog@mndaily.com.

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 Sidney Clarke welcomes comments at sclarke@mndaily.com.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

MN DAILY

HOROSCOPES

Today’s Birthday (11/4): Rake in the cash this year. Communicate and network with discipline and reliability. Make a great creative leap this winter before your travels take a turn. Adapt the budget to cover financial changes next summer before an adventure sweeps you away. Savor goodness, love and beauty.

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 a 7 — Advance a collective goal. Actions taken now get farther. Watch for pitfalls. Listen to intuition and patiently navigate obstacles. Collaborate and ease the load.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 7 — Have fun with your sweetie without spending a fortune. Don't try to force things. Relax and take it easy. Enjoy a picnic somewhere beautiful.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 7 — Travels and investigations could face delays or obstacles. Wait for best timing and go. Draw upon hidden resources. Check conditions in real time.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 6 — Home renovation takes focus. Decrease clutter. Handle repairs and upgrades. Proceed with caution or risk breakage. Emotions could arise ... keep calm.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is a 7 — Travels and investigations could face delays or obstacles. Wait for best timing and go. Draw upon hidden resources. Check conditions in real time.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 7 — Don't believe everything you hear. Ignore rumors and gossip. Expect transportation or communication barriers. Stick to the facts and keep things simple.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — A financial obstacle or blockage could mess with your plans. Monitor conditions in real time. Adjust the budget as needed. Draw upon hidden resources.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is an 8 — You won't have to defer gratification forever. You're gaining, but slowly. Replace something volatile with something secure. Chop wood, carry water.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — Collaborate to advance shared commitments. Avoid a conflict between love and money. Silly mistakes come easily ... watch where you're going. Grow together.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 9 — Your agenda may not go as planned. Don't take things personally. Work all the angles. Release tension with meditation and exercise. Love inspires you.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Work could interfere with play. Delays require adaptation. You may not get the desired results the first time. Practice makes perfect. Prioritize your health.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 6 — Contemplate your next move carefully. Unfinished business could cause trouble, so tie up loose ends. Clean up and make plans for what's ahead.

DR. DATE Dr. Date,

I met my boyfriend online when we were both in high school, and we've been dating ever since. He went to college in his home state, and, after begging him to transfer for two years, he finally moved to Minneapolis last month. Everything is going great, and he’s currently trying to transfer to the U! Well, there’s one problem. His parents paid for his in-state tuition at his old school, but they told him if he can’t get in-state tuition for the U, they’re not pitching in. He has his heart set on the U, but residency requirements are a pain. However, there’s an easy way to get residency and that lower tuition without waiting months or years — get married to a Minnesota resident. That resident would be me. What’s more romantic than a proposal over mac and cheese while discussing lower tuition and financial aid? I thought it was a joke at first, but he appears totally serious. He told me we don’t have to have a wedding or make it public, we can just get legally married and not tell anyone until we get engaged for real. We may have been together for three years, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to be married at 21, especially for money! How do I tell him I’m reluctant?

–I...Might?

Dear I...Might,

Today I learned marrying for financial aid was a real thing. This sounds like an episode of 90 Day Fiance, minus the getting kicked out of the country after three months. You’re sure your boyfriend isn’t actually from Canada? Even if it’s just on paper for tuition requirements, marriage is a HUGE step. If you break up, you have to actually get divorced, not just say goodbye and take your stuff back. Is your boyfriend prepared for the amount of paperwork and legalities involved? The fact that he doesn’t want to tell anyone is also a little weird — what, are you going to get double married in a few years? Yes, saying “I do” may be the fastest way to Minnesota residency, but there are other options out there, like the 183-Day rule and taking a semester off. If you’re not 100% certain you want to get married, DON’T DO IT. Reject his proposal, suggest new ideas and gently remind him that your parents would probably freak. But hey, you could be the poster couple for a new TLC show!

–Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

My boyfriend and I had a total meetcute: he was the server at my favorite restaurant, I was the regular customer, I finally left my number after a few weeks, and the rest is history. We’ve only been going out for a month or two, but it’s been super great. Plus, free meals at my favorite place! Well, I was taking advantage of one of those free meals a few days ago and sat in my boyfriend’s section of the restaurant. While waiting, I noticed him spending a lot of time at another table … a little too much time. I started to eavesdrop, and I was horrified! He’s flirting with tons of other girls around my age (and a few older women) just like he did with me! I left immediately with no tip, and when he asked why, I told him what I saw. He tried to tell me that he just does it for the extra tips and isn’t actually attracted to them. Meanwhile, I’m just waiting for him to dump me for the next girl who leaves her number on the receipt. Am I crazy for being concerned, or should I just tell him to spend the extra cash on me?

–They’re Not On The Menu

Dear They’re Not On The Menu,

Yeah, not cool. Tips aside, for the love of Goldy don’t hit on your customers! For every person who gives an extra dollar there’s another person feeling very uncomfortable and wanting to leave. Living off of tips can bring people to their last resorts, but you’re right in feeling concerned. Sadly, you probably can’t get him to stop, but you can tell him he can keep moving from girl to girl if he doesn’t listen to you. Alternatively, you can be an ass and not tip every time you see him flirting with someone else.

–Dr. Date

Dr. Date is a satirical advice column dissecting real-world situations. Want advice from the love doctor? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com

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.

11/4/19

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

Last issue’s solution

Sports

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

CROSS COUNTRY

country kicks off Gophers start strong with dual win Cross Big Ten championships The women’s team finished seventh while the men finished eighth. BY BRENDAN O’BRIEN bobrien@mndaily.com

Redshirt Senior Carson Brolsma competes at Maturi Pavilion on Friday, Nov. 1. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

Minnesota rattled off six consecutive wins that made the difference Friday. BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com

The Gophers wrestling team opened their season Friday, earning a 28-9 dual victory over Cal State Bakersfield at home. The dual started with the 125-pound wrestlers, and No. 24 Patrick McKee made quick work of his opponent, Alex Hernandez-Figueroa. McKee landed a takedown, picked up near fall points and got the pin, all within the first minute of the first period. With the fall win, McKee got the Gophers off to a quick 6-0 start in his first career dual. The redshirt freshman soaked in the experience. “It felt kind of surreal,”

he said. “I’ve been coming to Gopher duals since I was 8 yearsold and watching all the greats grow up before me. It was kind of cool that now it’s my turn to run out there.” With McKee getting the Gophers off to a quick start, it was 133-pound Brent Jones’ turn, as he took on Bakersfield’s Chance Rich. Rich led 4-3 after the first period, but Jones tied it at four in the second with an escape. Rich took over again in the third, scoring on an escape and landing a takedown to get the 7-4 decision. The Gophers still led, 6-3. At 141 pounds, it was time for the older McKee, No. 4 Mitch McKee. Mitch didn’t finish as quickly as his little brother, but he took the major decision 15-5 over his opponent Angelo Martinoni, landing three takedowns in the first period and a reversal in the second. McKee’s win

started a string of six straight victories, that moved their lead from 6-3 to 28-3. Brayton Lee, at 149 pounds, scored an 8-7 decision in his first collegiate match, followed by wins from Carson Brolsma in overtime, Bailee O’Reilly, Devin Skatzka, who earned a technical fall, and Owen Webster in a major decision. The Gophers hit some road blocks in the heavier weight classes. Garret Joles, at 197 pounds, fell to No. 24 Dominic Ducharme. Ducharme landed takedowns in the first and second, and his escapes in the second and third were enough to take the 6-4 decision over Joles. At heavyweight, senior Chase O’Connor got the start for the Gophers and took on redshirt junior Jarrod Snyder. After a scoreless first, Snyder put up the first point on an escape in the second. O’Connor

matched in the third and appeared to have a takedown with five seconds left in the period to secure the win, but a Bakersfield challenge reversed the call and sent it to overtime. It was still 1-1 after the first, but Synder scored on an escape and a takedown in the second to secure the 4-1 decision. In the end, the late matchup losses didn’t prevent the Gophers from opening their season with a win. “We know we got a lot of things to work on. That’s kind of what was expected coming into this dual,” head coach Brandon Eggum said. “You see a lot of guys doing different things we got to improve, being more basic. But overall, like the guys effort first night. Some of the young guys came out and really fought hard and showed they were excited to be on the mat.”

Minnesota’s cross country program competed in the Big Ten Championships on Sunday in Columbus, Ohio as the women’s team finished seventh and the men’s team finished eighth. The women’s team finished with 145 points in a packed field. While the Gophers finished seventh overall, they were one point away from tying Ohio State and Illinois for fifth and seven points behind Penn State at fourth. Redshirt sophomore Anastasia Korzenowski finished seventh overall with a personal best six-kilometer time of 20:27.6. Abby Kohut-Jackson and Jaycie Thomsen finished 24th and 30th respectively, and Sarah Werking and Lindsey Greenlund also recorded personal best times to round out the top five runners for the Gophers. Michigan State won the women’s team title with 56 points and all of their top five runners finished in the top 20. Wisconsin’s Alicia Monson won her second consecutive individual title at the meet with a time of 20:05.4. Women’s head coach Sarah Hopkins said it was good to see her runners compete in a close fight between other cross country teams. However, Hopkins still wants more from the team moving forward. “I think we’re leaving somewhat satisfied but obviously still really hungry knowing we’re getting closer and closer to Illinois and Ohio State and Penn State,” Hopkins said. “We know that

those are good programs and we know that on any given day we can run with any of those guys and that’s definitely a silver lining on maybe a little bit of a frustrating end just because we were so close, but that’s definitely a positive way to look at it as we move forward from here.” On the men’s side, redshirt junior Alec Basten led the way for the Gophers for the third time this season as the team finished with 193 points. Basten finished with an eight-kilometer time of 24:27.3 which was good for 18th overall at the meet. Basten finished eighth at the Big Ten Championships last season. Jack Manderscheid finished 37th overall with a time of 24:51.0. Connor Olson, Khalid Hussein and Owen Hoeft rounded out the top five for the Gophers, placing 47th, 48th and 55th respectively. Wisconsin won the men’s championship for the second consecutive season with a total of 56 points. Wisconsin’s Oliver Hoare won the individual championship with a time of 23:50.9. Hoare finished second at the Big Ten Championship last season and won the meet in 2017. The next meet for Minnesota’s cross country program will be the NCAA Midwest Regional on Friday, Nov. 15. The Gophers will travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma with the hopes of extending the season and qualifying for the NCAA Championship meet. “We have a really big fight ahead of us in two weeks and that’s the fight that if you have a great day there it ends really well,” Hopkins said. “If you don’t, you’re sitting at home in three weeks and that’s not where we want to be. We’re too good of a team to be sitting at home in three weeks.”