DIVERSITY AT FOREFRONT OF PRES. SEARCH PG 10 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2018
EARLY WEEK
SOME FACULTY, STUDENTS HOPE FOR DIVERSE CANDIDATES
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ADMINISTRATION
U narrows presidential candidates The search committee has interviewed nine candidates selected from 67 applicants. BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com
Shedding light on addiction
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
A sophomore, who asked to remain anonymous, poses for a portrait in her apartment near campus on Tuesday, Nov. 13 in Dinkytown. The student dropped out this semester largely because of her alcohol use.
After a group for students struggling with addiction started back up this fall, many are still looking for ways to make recovery part of their campus experience. BY AUDREY KENNEDY akennedy@mndaily.com u See RECOVERY Page 3
NEIGHBORHOODS
Students work to reduce Cedar-Riverside stigma Students say they feel unsafe in the nearby neighborhood, prompting MSA’s campaign. BY MICHELLE GRIFFITH mgriffith@mndaily.com
Due to the high number of crime alert notifications she receives from the University of Minnesota concerning crime in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, freshman Claire Connolly doesn’t feel safe in the area.
Before she treks from Middlebrook Hall to a bus stop in the Cedar-Riverside area, Connolly often checks if she has her pepper spray. The bus will drop her off in front of Middlebrook on nights and weekends, and Connolly said she is relieved when it does. With the goal of reducing stigma about the neighborhood, the Minnesota Student Association is working on an initiative to educate students about the CedarRiverside neighborhood. MSA aims to roll out the initial program messages in the spring of 2019. Right now, it’s looking at the best ways to disseminate information
about the neighborhood. “What we’re planning on doing is just really trying to bridge the gap between students and the Cedar-Riverside, West Bank area,” said Tala Alfoqaha, director of MSA’s Diversity and Inclusion committee, who is spearheading the project. “Right now, there are a lot of negative misconceptions and it’s very much rooted in misperception about how safe the area is.” MSA is planning on doing an extensive messaging campaign, highlighting the u See WEST BANK Page 3
The search committee selected to help find the next University of Minnesota president announced Friday the g ro u p h a d n a r ro w e d its list of candidates — the next step in the ongoing process to find ABDUL OMARI, President Eric Kaler’s replacement. REGENT The Presidential Search Advisory Committee, led by Regent Abdul Omari, interviewed nine front-runners selected from a pool of 67 applicants. Those interviewed include five women and four men, and three are people of color, according to a statement posted on the presidential search website Friday. Out of the nine interviewees, the search committee picked a smaller number of candidates for further vetting, which will include verifying credentials, reference calls, a credit history review and civil, criminal and DMV background checks. The total applicant pool, according to the statement, was made up of 78 percent men, 22 percent women and 25 percent of applicants were people of color. Many faculty, staff and students have voiced support for choosing a president that is female or a person of color. The update said the pool “included candidates from a variety of backgrounds” — some University members have raised concerns about non-academic candidates, such as business experts or politicians. The names of applicants were not disclosed. Under the Minnesota Data Practices Act, the names of applicants are not public until candidates are named as finalists. But the University has been criticized for lacking transparency in the search process, which some worry could impair vetting candidates, among other concerns. For the past two months, the search committee — made up of 23 University members — has worked to find and screen candidates for the position. The group was charged with recommending three to four top candidates to the Board of Regents, who will ultimately decide on the next president. According to the update, the search committee will review candidates’ information and finalize recommendations to the regents at a later date.
STATE LEG.
Recently split legislature may impact University’s tuition, funding during budget year Lawmakers said the new DFL control of the state House may affect UMN’s budget allocation. BY ISABELLA MURRAY imurray@mndaily.com
Democrats took over 18 seats on Election Day to win control of the Minnesota state House, a shift lawmakers say could impact future funding for the University of Minnesota. The subsequent split between the newly DFL-controlled House and a Republican majority in the Senate, combined with new
gubernatorial leadership, may have implications for higher education, legislators say. These changes might affect how the University will fare during the upcoming biennial budget process. “The U will probably do better. But how much better? I don’t know,” said Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona. “As much change you’ve seen in this election I think you’re going to see it reflective in what’s going to happen legislatively.” During the 2017 legislative session — the last time the University’s budget was allocated — the Legislature provided $54.62 million of the University’s $147.2 million request. Republicans controlled both the
House and Senate at the time. “I think the main difference that will come of the DFL-controlled House will be in the budget dollar amount,” said Richard Draheim, R-Madison Lake, who vice chaired the Senate higher education committee last session. Jennifer Schultz, DFL-Duluth, a University of Minnesota-Duluth economics professor, said the University received less than they asked for last session, in part due to Republican House leadership during the session. “I think it was the House that was reluctant to invest in higher education at the University of Minnesota in particular,”
Schultz said. “I am more optimistic, given the breakdown on who’s in control, that the University of Minnesota will come out ahead better than they would if the Republicans were in control of the House.” The last time the House and Senate were split between parties during a budget year was in 2015. The University received around $52 million of its $148 million ask for the respective fiscal year. This year, the University has requested $87 million. “I think our budget this year is a reasonable request,” said Regent Steve Sviggum, u See BUDGET Page 4
RESEARCH
Conference seeks to make research more accessible to marginalized groups Friday’s conference was held to address the gap between researchers and communities. BY LEW BLANK lblank@mndaily.com
A conference at the University of Minnesota Friday looked at ways to include marginalized communities in the research process — an issue that’s increasingly important in researcher’s work. The Diversity Data Deep Dive brought together over 160 staff and students from each of the University’s campuses. The fullday series of lectures and workshops focused on collaborating with diverse communities in the research process and making studies more accessible to people from marginalized backgrounds. This is the third time the conference has been held, but this year the event brought together all University system campuses — Twin Cities, Morris, Crookston, Duluth and Rochester — for the first time. The issues researchers study are often
determined by people in the academic community, not by low-income and diverse demographics, said Teddie Potter, the director of inclusivity and diversity at the School of Nursing, who led part of the conference. This makes underrepresented communities feel disconnected from the research process, she said, and leaves many important issues facing disadvantaged Americans unexplored. “People with lived experience have an expertise that may be different than … someone [who] has gone through levels of [academia],” Potter said. “In a faculty role, I can only ask the questions that have popped up in my viewpoint.” When researchers collaborate with diverse communities, they should be careful to respect their unique needs, said Virajita Singh, assistant vice provost at the Office for Equity and Diversity, who moderated part of the conference. University research in North Minneapolis — which is predominantly black and African American — has not always been received positively by members of the u See DIVERSIT Y Page 4
TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY
Virajita Singh, assistant vice provost of the University of Minnesota Office of Equity and Diversity, speaks at the Diversity Data Deep Dive held at Coffman Union on Friday, Nov. 16.
VOLUME 119 ISSUE 23
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Monday, November 19, 2018 Vol. 119 No. 23
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A.J. Daniels hugs Goldy the Gopher at the the women’s basketball game against San Diego on Saturday, Nov. 17, at Williams Arena.
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Graduate students at the U of M create mental health committee COGS aspires to de-stigmatize mental health for U of M graduate students. BY MICHELLE GRIFFITH mgriffith@mndaily.com
The University of Minnesota’s Council of Graduate Students created a mental health committee this semester in an effort to de-stigmatize graduate student mental health. The five-member committee aims to ease access to mental health resources by streamlining services into one comprehensive platform for graduate students. Graduate students are more than six times as likely to experience depression and anxiety compared to the general population, according to a study published in Nature
Biotechnology magazine. Many graduate students at the University access Boynton Mental Health Services and Student Counseling Services, but some students seek out resources the University is unable to meet, committee members said. “I very much appreciate that Boynton is here on campus and SCS and everything that they are doing, but for graduate students coming in, they may be looking for something else,” said Brett Heischmidt, chair of COGS’s mental health committee. Boynton and SCS often have long wait times and only see students a certain number of times a semester, he said. The University offers a health plan to graduate assistants who work 195 hours per semester and are registered for the number of credits
required for the job. “What we have under our health plan is more — you can go out into the community and find a health care provider,” Heischmidt said. COGS’s mental health committee hopes to record videos of students, staff and administrators talking about their mental health history, Heischmidt said. By creating videos of administrators and staff members discussing their own mental health journey, the committee aims to de-stigmatize mental health on campus. “It’s people here on the University of Minnesota and administration — these people still had successful careers,” Heischmidt said. Graduate students can experience different levels of stress than undergraduate and professional students, said Kelly Wallin, COGS’s
representative to the Student Senate Consultative Committee. Because many graduate school programs are isolated and loosely-structured, students need to be more self-reliant, which can cause stress, Wallin said. Also, many graduate students know the kind of mental health resources they need, which may differ than some undergraduate students, Wallin said. “I think [it’s] more common for graduate students than undergrads to come in and know, like ‘I want this type of doctor, this is the service I want and this is, or is not, going to meet my needs,” Wallin said. The graduate assistant health plan is covered under HealthPartners insurance provider. Graduate assistants pay a $10 co-pay for a mental health service in Health-
Partner’s network for each use, said Matt M., a member service representative at HealthPartners, who could not disclose his last name due to HealthPartners’ policy. The COGS mental health committee wants to create a map showing the location of mental health clinics and providers around the University campus, Heischmidt said. There are 324 separate clinics within about a fivemile radius of the East Bank campus, according to Matt M. By using the mental health committee to make graduate students more aware of services, the committee hopes to destigmatized mental illness, Heischmidt said. “What we are doing in this committee is bringing [mental health] awareness to a higher level, if you will,” Heischmidt said.
U students test deer for wasting disease The deadly disease threatens to reduce the population size of deer over time. BY LEW BLANK lblank@mndaily.com
With deer hunting season at its peak, dozens of University of Minnesota students ventured out to parking lots, gas stations and forestry offices across the state to test deer for a lethal disease. The project, held the first and third weekend of November in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, allowed about 80 University students to combat a deadly disease that poses a threat to the state’s deer populations. The students helped measure the prevalence of the disease across the state. Chronic wasting disease — an infectious disease comparable to mad cow disease that is caused by an abnormal protein — has been spreading in wild deer across Minnesota since 2010, said Larissa Minicucci, a University veterinary professor who coordinated student recruitment for the project.
Although the disease has a relatively low prevalence in Minnesota, it has been steadily increasing over the years and always results in death. The disease has no known vaccine or treatment and it can significantly reduce the size of deer populations in the long term. This could harm Minnesota’s hunting and tourism industry and potentially pose a health threat to those who eat deer meat, said Jeffrey Tillery, a University senior who participated in CWD testing. Over the weekend, University students were stationed across southeastern Minnesota in locations with a high prevalence of CWD to help stop the spread of the disease. As hunters brought in the deer to the testing stations — a state requirement in parts of Minnesota — students collected tissue samples and asked hunters about the locations where they shot the deer. The testing locations included a Menards in Rochester, a DNR forestry office in Preston and a BP gas station in Houston. Direct interaction with h u n t e r s p ro v i d e s t h e
students with important training for their careers in wildlife management, Tillery said. “[This project] allows college students, who are the next generation of people working in the DNR or government agencies … to be interacting with the public,” he said. “That face-to-face [interaction] is going to be really important in knowing how to communicate with your constituents.” Using the results of the students’ CWD testing, the DNR will track which Minnesota locations have the highest prevalence of CWD and if the age and gender of the deer had any correlation with the occurrence of the disease, Minicucci said. Using this information, the DNR will determine specific quarantine areas where they will isolate the populations and potentially kill some of the deer in order to contain the disease, said Lou Cornicelli, the wildlife research and policy manager at the Minnesota DNR’s division of fish and wildlife. Through this project, students have learned strategies to appeal to stakeholders like hunters, biologists and
JANE BORSTAD, DAILY
environmental agencies, Minicucci said. “They’re talking to hunters from various backgrounds, people from different ethnic groups [and] people with different philosophies on hunting,” she said. “They’re learning the communications skills that are really essential to being a professional in wildlife or veterinary medicine.” The experience will also help University students
build a wider network with professionals and potential clients in the field of veterinary medicine, Cornicelli said. “I know so many students that have gone on to professional careers, and … getting to work at the test station was a big part of … setting that foundation,” he said. “These folks that come up to a test station are eventually going to be [their] clients somewhere.”
EDITORIAL BOARD Ray Weishan Editorials & Opinions Editor rweishan@mndaily.com Ariana Wilson Editorial Board Member awilson@mndaily.com Hailey Almstead Editorial Board Member halmstead@mndaily.com Kelly Busche Editor-in-Chief kbusche@mndaily.com BUSINESS Darya Karas Sales Manager dkaras@mndaily.com David Keane Controller dkeane@mndaily.com The Minnesota Daily strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately. Correction: A previous version of the article “New research shows students learn better when interacting with classmates” said Gillian Roehrig was the associate director of the STEM Education Center. The Center disbanded in 2017. THE MINNESOTA DAILY is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future. The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations. The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 10,000 issues biweekly. All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste. U.S. Postal Service: 351–480.
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ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
Former University of Minnesota student Jason Showers poses for a portrait in a park near Lake Nokomis on Saturday, Nov. 17 in Minneapolis. Showers dropped out of the University due to drug and alcohol addictions, and is now studying to become an addiction counselor at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul.
Shedding light on addiction Recovery u from Page 1
For one University of Minnesota student, trouble with alcohol started when she got a fake ID on the first day of her freshman year. Having a fake ID gave her easy access to alcohol, and she said it was difficult to stay away. She began going out and drinking with friends every weekend. By spring semester of 2018, she was put on academic probation because of low grades. She recently withdrew from school due to her alcohol use because the addiction felt so overpowering. “It became a weekday thing as well. Not even partying — drinking alone is something I did and still do a lot. It’s really difficult to go a day without it. I can’t fall asleep without alcohol in my system,” said the student, who requested to remain anonymous because her family doesn’t know the full extend of her addiction. She plans to continue living on campus while working and re-enroll next fall. For some, staying in school has more to do with fighting addiction than academic success. For many students facing substance abuse at the University, there are few places to turn on campus for resources. Until late October, the only advertised support group for students struggling with addiction on campus was Students Off Booze Enjoying Recovery (SOBER). The group rebranded to Recovery On Campus last month in order to assume a new identity and strengthen University resources. Sydney Hobart, one of two student coordinators for ROC and a graduate student
studying public health, said the group is now more sustainable and inclusive to all forms of recovery. Before rebranding, the group was described as a social gathering of students to meet and go on alcohol-free outings, but was defunct for almost a year due to the lack of student coordinator, she said. “ROC is meant to be a space where students can connect with one another and share in their experiences in recovery and what that means for them, but also [allows them] to recognize that being in recovery doesn’t cut you off from all social engagement on campus,” Hobart said. According to Sydney, ROC is not meant to replace formalized therapy for addiction, such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Excessive use of substances isn’t uncommon on campus. According to the University’s 2015 College Student Health Survey Report, more than a quarter of University students reported high-risk drinking, or consuming five or more drinks in one sitting, within a 12-month timespan. Six percent reported having used at least one illicit drug such as amphetamines, hallucinogens or cocaine. However, the University of Minnesota was ranked second lowest for recovery resources among Big Ten schools, according to a 2018 survey by AccessU: Addiction, a University journalism course that reported on addiction at the University. The survey based its findings on housing options, support and peer groups, university resources and membership in the Association of Recovery in Higher Education. The anonymous student, who has not sought help,
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
Alcohol bottles sit on top of an anonymous student’s refrigerator. She said she’d like to quit drinking, but doesn’t know when that will happen.
said she was unaware of any resources on campus for students like her. Like many others, she does not have a car on campus and relies on nearby options. “I’ve considered AA, but I’m bad at admitting when I need help. I’m not really sure what’s available on campus. … I just want to graduate,” she said. The University’s lack of resources has been a problem for students in the past. Jason Showers, a former University student, never touched drugs or alcohol before he began drinking socially at college. He transferred to the University in fall of 2013 because of the social scene, and he began experimenting with harder drugs like Xanax and Oxycodone. He said after hallucinating due to lack of alcohol in the summer of 2014, he recognized his substance use wasn’t normal. “I realized this was messed up, but I didn’t want to or know how to stop,” he said. “When I first got drunk, it felt like something I had been missing out on my whole life.” After his roommates kicked him out of his apartment in fall of 2014, Jason went to Boynton Health to find treatment. He was told there was a six week wait for a chemical dependency assessment appointment, and began drinking again before his parents forced him to enroll in an inpatient program. He took a medical withdrawal from school that fall. D a v e G o l d e n , d i r e ctor of Public Health and Communications at Boynton, said while it has faced long wait times in the past, Boynton no longer has a wait list for any mental health services. Boynton currently has two
Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors on staff who assess student’s alcohol or drug use, and a third is going through the training process. Shower’s mother Julie Showers, who is also Associate Vice President of Equity and Diversity, said when she first tried to find programs for her son in 2014, the University had almost no on-campus options or recommendations for other resources. She searched extensively throughout the Twin Cities for treatment and eventually found a program in Plymouth, about 15 miles away from campus, she said. Jason Showers was able to attend because his parents lived nearby and could afford the program, but he said many students don’t have those luxuries. Jason withdrew from classes that fall and enrolled in the University again in spring of 2015. He moved to a sober house in St. Paul after he was unable to find housing for students in recovery on campus. While the University offers substance-free housing in Middlebrook Hall, the dorm is currently only open to freshmen, and no other substance-free, sober or recovery student housing exists on campus. Julie Showers said the off-campus housing options were also limited and many were not student-friendly. Golden said the University had previously attempted to implement a Living Learning Community in a residence hall for students in recovery, but were unable to find enough students interested. There are currently no plans for other recovery housing. “If we have some inter-
ested folks, it could be a really good thing to do. We’ll see what happens this year [with ROC],” Golden said. “It’s tough because many of them are older, non-freshmen.” After his personal experience with addiction, Jason Showers intended to pursue an Addiction Studies Undergraduate Certificate at the University to become a drug and alcohol counselor before the program was shut down in 2016. The bachelor’s certification, which had been available for decades, was shut down due to financial aid problems and lack of undergraduate interest, said Debra Wamsley, director of the University’s
West Bank u from Page 1
events and local businesses in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. It’s also planning to work with the University and use its resources to create strong relationships with neighborhood businesses. The area’s community members say they are aware of the stigma around the neighborhood. “It is one of the safest, I can say, one of the most welcoming communities,” said Amano Dube, director of the neighborhood’s Brian Coyle Center. The center is a non-profit organization that provides residents with education classes, a free food distribution program and other health and wellness resources. Some people may not feel safe in the area because of the messages they’ve heard from media outlets, which often portray the community as a “no-go zone,” Dube said. When that type of information circulates among those not in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, it will inevitably make some feel unsafe, he said. Approximately 8,500 people lived in the CedarRiverside area in 2016, according to data from
JACK RODGERS, DAILY
Brian Coyle Center Director Amano Dube poses at his desk on Friday, Nov. 16. Dube has been the center’s director for five years and says that it is like his second home.
Minnesota Compass. According to the website, approximately 48 percent of its population is African American. Part of the reason MSA is conducting the project is because the neighborhood is so close to campus. There
are many events going on that many students would be interested in attending, Alfoqaha said. The University and the Cedar-Riverside area are very connected, Dube said. He said the area has been a part of some University
research and aid programs. However, Dube said he thinks the University is not doing enough to engage with the neighborhood. For there to be a real, positive relationship between the two areas, the University needs to take much
stronger action to address the issues, he said. “I think the University has to create opportunities to cross over or [host events that] bring in opportunities to the community as much as possible,” he added. A large part of the
master programs in alcohol and drug counseling. The University currently offers two Master’s programs for students wanting to obtain a license for alcohol and drug counseling. Jason Showers, who has been in recovery for four years, is now studying at Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis to complete his certification. “I wish I felt like I mattered [at the University]. I don’t think it’s a problem of there not being people struggling, it’s that people don’t know if there’s [resources] or aren’t comfortable stepping forward. There’s too much stigma,” Jason said. “We need to look out for each other and check in.”
Cedar-Riverside population consists of families with underage children, Dube stated. Because the neighborhood is so close to the University’s West Bank, he said many parents hope their kids will attend the University and become scholars. Some students are aware of the common perceptions of the CedarRiverside neighborhood but still think positively about the area. “I think kind of the general view on it is that it’s kind of dangerous and not that great a neighborhood,” said psychology freshman Katie DeWitt. But DeWitt said she likes the diversity of the neighborhood, and people will be safe if they simply take the safety precautions they would walking through any neighborhood. “There’s just a lack of student migration and student engagement with that area,” Alfoqaha said, adding that this often adds to fear. If someone is scared or curious about the CedarRiverside neighborhood, Dube said, those individuals should go to the community and actually engage with community members. “Our advice to feel safe? Come here. Come and engage with people,” he said.
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Monday, November 19, 2018
Diversity
Budget
u from Page 1
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community, who may question the University’s motives, she said. In order to reduce the gap between academics and marginalized communities, it’s important for researchers to build relationships with community members over a long period of time instead of quickly leaving, Singh said. “When you actually come and build a relationship with the community, then you [won’t] do something that you wouldn’t do to your own community,” she said. In addition to collaborating with marginalized communities, it is also vital for researchers to present the data they gather in a way that is accessible to everyone, Singh said. This can include pie charts, bar graphs, images, narratives describing the data with words and
who served in the House as a Republican from 1979 to 2007. “It falls within the realm of what the state should be doing to meet this obligation to the University and higher education.” Democrats will also gain control of the House higher education committee, which hears legislation affecting University funding and policy. Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls, was chair of the committee in 2017 and 2018. While new House leadership will be significant for state, so will the new gubernatorial leadership. Governor-elect Tim Walz ran this election cycle speaking often about college affordability — including potential legislation for tuition-free college for some students.
TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY
Packets sit on a table at the Diversity Data Deep Dive held in Coffman Union on Friday, Nov. 16.
hosting events to discuss the research. Another way to make research more accessible to diverse communities is through qualitative studies, said Ariana Yang, a doctoral student who represented the
University’s Asian Pacific American Resource Center at the conference. Yang said that more indepth data studies can uncover issues affecting different demographics within larger ethnic groups that might not
be visible otherwise. “[Data] can sometimes disguise … the wide disparities that exist between ethnic communities,” she said. “Data in that regard has a very real impact on how our communities are seen.”
Sviggum said the emphasis on affordability is a good step, but is looking for subsequent tangible action. “Those are good talking points, but you have to put your money there,” Sviggum said. “Affordability for students will be the cost of getting more money from the legislature, lowering developments or becoming more efficient as we spend money at the University.”
“I think the main difference that will come of the DFL-controlled House will be in the budget dollar amount.” RICHARD DRAHEIM R-Madison Lake
Marcy-Holmes sees most growth of U neighborhoods At its maximum, the Marcy-Holmes area saw 358 new units of housing during 2016. BY TIFFANY BUI tbui@mndaily.com
While many areas around the University of Minnesota have been a hotbed for new development, Marcy-Holmes has shouldered the majority of new construction compared to other neighborhoods around campus. Other University-adjacent neighborhoods have seen a slower growth, but generally fall along a trend of increased density. Available space and developer interest have shaped the landscape of multifamily housing over the last ten years. F ro m 2 0 1 2 t o 2 0 1 7 , five or more permits for multifamily housing developments were filed in Marcy-Holmes each year. Construction spiked in 2016 as the neighborhood saw 358 new housing units built, almost all of which came from developer Reuter Walton. Notable 2016 projects included Spectrum Apartments. The spike in housing and the resulting population increase has left Minneapolis’ oldest neighborhood scrambling to keep up.
“It’s a rollercoaster ride,” said Bob Stableski, president of the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association. “The neighborhood has not been against density. It’s a question of where it is, and how it’s built.” Greater Dinkytown and areas near the Mississippi riverfront have been impacted the most, a growth driven largely by the market, said Stableski. With climbing undergraduate enrollment numbers at the University, “There are plenty of people who want to live in Greater Dinkytown, and there’s obviously enough people who are willing to do that at a high price,” said Stableski. “That’s market forces that are at work.” Dealing with growth in Marcy-Holmes is a balancing act between high demand and retaining historic single-family homes. “What the neighborhood is doing is trying to get a balance between what the market push is and what we want to see to preserve the nature and livability of the neighborhood,” said Stableski. “There’s a tension in [it] that needs to be accepted.” But developmental g ro w t h h a s i t s l i m i t s . While the deterioration of older homes provides opportunity for new apartments, Marcy-Holmes is running out of space,
said Stableski. Not every neighborhood has attracted this level of interest from developers. Cedar-Riverside saw only three new multifamily construction projects emerge in the past decade. In a neighborhood full of affordable and governmentsubsidized housing, there is little vacant developable land left, said Tim Mungavan, executive director of the West Bank Community Development Corporation. In Southeast Como, some property owners have responded to the heightened housing demand by converting single-family homes into duplexes and triplexes, an increase in density not necessarily reflected in the permit numbers. The neighborhood has seen 13 total new permits since 2008. Karl Smith, president of Southeast Como Improvement Association, said these higher-density homes are ideally oriented for working professionals and families, but many students end up taking them. “It’s a stability thing,” said Smith. “The turnover rate for students is pretty high. It’s kind of a pass through neighborhood, and with more and more of those kind of conversions, [it] makes the building quite expensive … a firsttime homeowner wouldn’t be able to afford them.”
TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY
The Hub Minneapolis, which opened for tenants this summer, is seen near East Bank on Tuesday, Sept. 4. The building is 284 ft. tall.
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SOURCE: MINNEAPOLIS DPA REQUESTS DATA
Neighborhood leaders call for diversity Leaders present at the event discussed the need for diverse representation. BY TIFFANY BUI tbui@mndaily.com
While local neighborhood organizations and University of Minnesota programs have put equitable representation into focus, local leaders say there’s still work to be done. Diverse members of neighborhood associations near the University say they face unique struggles and responsibilities in their roles. They say that in order to better represent their communities, boards should deliberately engage in diverse recruitment. This call for community engagement was echoed at a training workshop hosted by the University’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs Thursday. The event was aimed at encouraging indigenous people and people of color to serve on neighborhood boards. “We need your innovation now, because we’re 20 years behind,” said program coordinator Malik Holt-Shabazz to attendees at the event. “We believe neighborhood associations are the most powerful force in their community.” Three University-adjacent neighborhood organizations held board elections in recent months, giving some first-time candidates
JERUSA NYAKUNDI, DAILY
A training workshop hosted by the University’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs plays out on Thursday, Nov. 15.
an opportunity to organize in a new way. University graduate Noël Gordon Jr., who was elected to Prospect Park Association’s board of directors in late September, is a long-time community organizer. Gordon Jr. said PPA represents the general interests of neighborhood well, but the board must do more to address underlying issues
like inequality between black and white community members. “ Wh ile t h er e’ s been progress overall, I think now what we want is equal and equitable progress, and that’s where I [and] others are entering the fray and bringing equity to the conversation,” said Gordon Jr., who identifies as Black Afro-American. Gordon Jr., who heard
about PPA from a friend after a year of living in Prospect Park, said intentional outreach to include communities like students and renters shouldn’t be an afterthought. “It shouldn’t take a happy accident for someone to feel welcome and included,” said Gordon Jr. Marcus Mills, chair of the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association’s land use committee, has lived in
the neighborhood for 17 years. The neighborhood has dealt with a slew of consequential new developments in recent years, and Mills’ committee is often a developer’s first stop in the community. M i l l s s a i d i t s d i f f icult to represent the perspectives of renters and people of color when his n e i g h b o r s c o m e f ro m different backgrounds.
“I have been able to make reasonably good friends and relationships, but it is difficult, it is hard,” said Mills, who is a renter and identifies as black. “Because of who I am, what I represent and also the positions I have ... are not the standard in the neighborhood which is older, white homeowners.” For some, leadership in a neighborhood group can be a pathway to public office. Angela Conley, who became Hennepin County’s first black commissioner this year, said her role in leading the Bryant Neighborhood Association for two and a half years led her to run in District Four. “My ru n fo r c o u nt y commissioner and ultimately my win in in this race was rooted in grassroots movement in people power … and that came from having the experience of rallying neighbors around issues,” Conley said. The midterm election cycle was the first time Conley ever ran for public office. She was among several DFL candidates to visit campus and promote early voting in October, and garnered a strong base of support among students. “For me, personally, understanding that neighb o rh o o d s a n d c o m m u nity, this is where power really lies. We’re the ones who public officials are elected to serve in the first place,” Conley said.
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MNDAILY.COM
MN DAILY
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2018
ART
The power of the poster The Weisman Art Museum hosted a poster-making workshop with Leon Wang Friday.
BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com
An 11-by-7 poster holds the potential to lead movements and change headlines. Artist and activist Leon Wang shared the power of the poster to University of Minnesota students during a workshop at the Weisman Art Museum Friday. The workshop was presented in conjunction to one of the museum’s current exhibitions “I Want To Make This Perfectly Clear.” The exhibition is a collection of political posters created by students at the University in the 1970s. The WAM Collective helps organize a number of events at the Weisman throughout the year, including the workshop. “Museums are bureaucratic institutions and so they tend to be slow-
moving internally,” said Isabella Gold, a freshman studying art history and a member of the WAM Collective. “[The collective has] been talking about how can museums react to very fast moving political events that are happening and how can they be spaces for political dialogue.” Wang’s poster-making workshop, along with the exhibition, created a visual, hands-on experience that opened up the door to free political dialogue. He began by asking those in the room to yell out 30 themes or issues that resonated with them and wrote them on large posters on the wall. Each table had a box of coloring supplies, and one side of the room was lined with the sheets of poster paper. “Posters are just a vehicle,” Wang said. “It’s about taking your voice and whatever skills and …
JASMIN KEMP, DAILY
Posters are displayed to inspire students in their poster-making during an art activist poster-making event on Friday, Nov. 16 at the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis.
things you have at hand … and how do you take that voice … and amplify it in a way that’s impactful and meaningful.” The University alum began the workshop with a short presentation about his background as an artist and an activist — beginning with his poster making after the shooting of Philando Castile. Wang followed with various fast-paced artistic activities that pushed the attendees to think outside of the box and create with purpose. “This is not just, ‘Oh we’re going to make some art.’ … No this is art with
purpose,” Wang said. “It’s highly intentional.” Each activity’s quick pace, one giving students only three minutes to create a brand new poster from an existing poster, built on from the last one. “… It models the kind of events that happen in the real world,” said Ronnie Peterson, a senior studying linguistics. “So, [being able] to produce art that is both effective and meaningful for yourself … and … for somebody else at such a fast pace is definitely a skill.” Audra Weigand, a senior studying political sci-
ence and sociology, has used Wang’s work on social media, like his “#Justice 4 Philando” poster, and has seen firsthand the impact these 11-by-7 posters can have. “I think it’s really cool to be able to actually connect with somebody whose work I’ve … interacted with,” Weigand said. “… His pieces are very easy to understand and connect with so it’s been a really good experience to walk around and see all of the different posters.” Wang’s workshop emphasized the intersections between being an artist and
being an activist. “We look at the status quo and we see that ... the current system might not serve us — it might even hurt us,” Wang said. “How do we transform the current system? It’s that same sort of seeking transformation and progress, [artists and activists have] a similar kind of outlook.” Even decades after the original posters from the exhibition were found, it remains an accessible form of art and activism in which Wang hopes others will find a voice. He hopes workshops are just the first step.
OPERA
Review: Supporting singers outshine leads in the U’s “Albert Herring”
JERUSA NYAKUNDI, DAILY
The cast of Benjamin Britten’s, “Albert Herring” performs on Friday, Nov. 16 at Ted Mann Concert Hall.
The University Opera Theater’s rendition left room for improvement. BY LIV MARTIN omartin@mndaily.com
On Friday night, the University of Minnesota Opera Theatre gave a color-infused, modern performance of Benjamin Britten’s “Albert Herring.” A 13-member cast tackled the celebrated comic opera, set in a prudish English village. When the organizers of the village’s annual May Day festival cannot find a virginal young woman to crown as the May Queen, they turn to a gentle local boy, Albert Herring.
Herring, played by Adam Smith, is painfully embarrassed to be chosen and forced to wear an all-white suit, accompanied by a Lana del Rey-style flower crown. Smith’s indifferent expression showed his irritation toward the situation perfectly. He also received a healthy number of laughs later in the show for his characterization of an inebriated Herring, wearing his flower crown backward. While Smith’s acting garnered chuckles from the crowd, his singing voice was not always powerful enough for the leading role. When the orchestra reached above a mezzo-piano, his high tenor could not cut through. Smith’s on-stage colleagues, like soprano Madison Holtze (playing Miss Wordsworth) and bass Ji
Lu (Budd), projected their voices on a higher level. Beyond his spot-on voice, Lu stole nearly every scene with his entertaining portrayal of Budd, the village’s too-relaxed and dim-witted superintendent of police, dressed in a flashy cobalt blue sweat suit. Lu’s knack for physical comedy and timing did great favors to the show overall, which needed moments like these to mitigate long arias. Covert lovers Nancy (Sophia Prasinos) and Sid (Sullivan Ojala Helmbolt) also lit up the stage with t h e i r ch a r i s m a , w h i ch made it easier to forgive subtle singing missteps (for Helmbolt, an adolescentlike voice crack; for Pasinos, a lack of consistency in volume and vibrato). The best moment oc-
curred when — after three scenes filled with sexual tension — Nancy and Sid kissed, obscured by Nancy’s parasol. When Nancy removed the parasol, Sid’s once slickedback hair was completely disheveled. The performance could have used more moments like this to cut through Britten’s sometimes dissonant, unpleasant harmonies and chaotic sections when the ensemble played in unison. The chamber orchestra, led by Maestro Mark Russell Smith, gave a solid performance of the difficult score. Utilizing many harmonics, principal violinist Mary Alice Hutton’s solo sections and harpist Hannah Spivey’s solo in act one were excellent. Some of the choices
made by co-directors Christina Baldwin and Jennifer Baldwin Peden — yes, they are sisters — were wellintentioned but ultimately gimmicky. The decision to dress the orchestra members in pale pink vests and ties felt excessive. Additionally, the directing duo opted for period costumes that were colorcoordinated to each character. Florence Pike (Mikalia Bradberry) was dressed head-to-toe in light blue; Lady Billows (Emily Herman) in bright pink; the Mayor (Chul Young Kim) in emerald and the Vicar (Tanner VanderKrabben) in purple. When the full cast was on-stage in a line, there was a neat rainbow effect. During other scenes, however, the costumes were visually overwhelming.
“When the full cast was onstage in a line, there was a neat rainbow effect. During other scenes, however, the costumes were visually overwhelming.” Throughout the show, the best moments were those sprinkled with humor — when the student singers truly delved into their characters and made them their own. Grade: B-
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Sports
MNDAILY.COM
FOOTBALL
MN DAILY
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2018
VOLLEYBALL
Morgan threw two interceptions in the first quarter and fumbled in the fourth.
Gophers clinch third Big Ten championship
JACK RODGERS, DAILY
Redshirt Sophomore Regan Pittman jumps to spike the ball at Maturi Pavilion on Friday, Nov. 9. The Gophers swept Indiana in all three sets.
No. 3 Minnesota won outright the 2018 Big Ten title over Ohio State. BY DAVID MULLEN dmullen@mndaily.com JACK RODGERS, DAILY
Quarterback Tanner Morgan looks to throw the ball on Saturday, Nov. 17 at TCF Bank Stadium. The Gophers were defeated by Northwestern with a final score of 24-14.
Turnovers contribute to Gophers’ loss Saturday
BY JACK WARRICK jwarrick@mndaily.com
Quarterback Tanner Morgan dug the Gophers into a hole when he threw two interceptions in the first quarter of the senior day game against No. 22 Northwestern on Saturday. He left the turnover woes behind him for much of the game, but a fourth quarter relapse in the form of a fumble given up by Morgan was enough to seal the Gophers loss. “Those two plays are unacceptable, both of them are, and they killed our drives,” Morgan said. “It happened in the first quarter, but after that you just got to keep going one play at a time. Can’t focus on it, can’t dwell on it, because then you’re just going to keep making more mistakes.” Minnesota lost to the Big Ten West division-champion Northwestern 24-14 on Saturday afternoon at TCF Bank Stadium. The Gophers lost the turnover battle, something head coach P.J. Fleck harps on, and it led to a loss in the seniors’ final game playing at home. “If you don’t turn over the ball over, you have a 78
percent chance of winning,” Fleck said. “We turned the ball over three times, and they turned it over zero. That would give us basically a zero percent chance of winning that football game.” Wildcats defensive lineman Joe Gaziano strip sacked Morgan in the fourth quarter and carried it to the 17-yard line, where Morgan jumped on the 280-pound defensive end’s back and managed to tackle him. They kicked a field goal and took a 24-7 lead with 7:49 left in the game. Morgan hit receiver Tyler Johnson with a pass in the end zone at 4:32 left in the fourth to make the score 24-14. However, that was all the offense would score, and Morgan lost his second game as a starter. It was the least amount of points Minnesota scored since Ohio State on Oct. 13, when the team lost 30-14. The Gophers finished with 306 total yards of offense, and 197 passing yards. Morgan threw four picks before Saturday, but he never threw more than one in any of the seven games he played. Morgan averaged about 37 points per game in his first three starts.
The defense often bailed Morgan out. After the first turnover, the Minnesota defense made Northwestern punt. After the fumble at the Minnesota 17-yard line, they held the Wildcats to a 29-yard field goal for a 24-7 score. “You never want to see that. It can be frustrating, but we’re always going to have our offense’s back, and we expect the offense to have the defense’s back,” said Gophers linebacker Blake Cashman. Cashman set a TCF Bank Stadium record with 20 total tackles on his final day playing in the stadium. He set up the first Gophers’ score when he sacked Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson on fourth down for a 14-yard loss, giving the offense the ball at the Minnesota 38-yard line midway through the second quarter. Morgan threw back-toback interceptions to the same player, linebacker Nate Hall, in the first quarter of the game. The second resulted in a touchdown as Hall picked Morgan off at the Minnesota 45-yard line. “I’d be lying to you if I said it didn’t come into your
FOOTBALL RESULTS
FRIDAY Northwestern Minnesota
1 7 0
2 6 7
3 4 FINAL 0 11 24 0 7 14
SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM
mind, because you only have two quarterbacks,” Fleck said about if he thought about putting other quarterback Zack Annexstad in. “Again, if (Morgan) didn’t respond well, probably. But, I thought he responded really well.” The Gophers will play their final game of the regular season against Wisconsin in Madison on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Minnesota needs to win to ensure a bowl game berth. “As I walked off the field, [I] kind of grabbed some of the seniors and I just looked back at the stadium knowing that it was my last time ever putting on the maroon and gold [there],” Cashman said of his last moments at TCF Bank Stadium as a player. “ [I] was kind of overwhelmed with emotions, and also part of that was just from frustration, from not getting the win today and bowl eligibility.”
The Gophers volleyball team seems to be impervious to losing. With one weekend to go in conference play No. 3 Minnesota (24-2, 18-0 Big Ten) clinched the program’s third Big Ten championship Saturday as it defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes in five sets: 23-25, 25-20, 25-13, 2325 and 15-11. “I was incredibly proud in the way we played,” said head coach Hugh McCutcheon. This is the program’s first conference championship since 2015. “It’s unreal ... really unreal,” said middle blocker Regan Pittman. Along with winning the title, the Gophers extended their historic winning streak to 19 matches at the last volleyball match ever hosted at St. John’s Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Although the Gophers eventually took the game, Ohio State went all the way with Minnesota as the teams played five sets. The final set was neckand-neck the whole match, as the Gophers trailed 5-4 early. Pittman converted two straight kills and gave the Gophers a lead they would not give up. Minnesota eventually took the set 15-11 and were led by Pittman who had four kills in the set. “For our athletes to be able to respond ... and find ways to win was impressive to say the least,” McCutcheon said. Pittman was dominant in the Gophers’ victory as she had 20 kills while hitting .625 percent along with three aces. From the first serve of
the match, both sides were battling for every point. The Gophers took a quick 6-1 lead but Ohio State answered scoring six straight. The set continued to be a battle but Ohio State took the set 25-23, putting the Gophers down 1-0 in the match. The second set was just as competitive as neither team held more than a three-point lead mid-way through the set. With the score 20-18 in the set, the Gophers took control and scored five of the final seven points, tying the match at 1-1. Outside hitter Stephanie Samedy made her presence felt with seven kills and three service aces in the set. “I just really shifted my mindset from waiting and being a little passive to doing all that I can,” Samedy said. Everything in the third set went Minnesota’s way as they took a lead and never looked back. Behind a fivekill set, Pittman and the Gophers took the set 25-13. Ohio State’s resilience showed in the fourth set as it bounced back from a blowout in the previous set. The set was back-andforth from the first serve. With the score even at 14, the Buckeyes went on a four-point run and kept the lead. Although the Gophers fo u gh t u nt il t h e final point, Ohio State won the set 25-23. The well-balanced offensive machine coordinated had 10 total service aces and had four players with double-digit kills. “Just the fact that people can contribute at different ways on different nights. I think that’s what makes this particular group special,” McCutcheon said. The Gophers will look to finish the regular season undefeated starting Friday when they travel to Penn State.
MEN’S HOCKEY
Gophers redeemed with 3-0 win over St. Lawrence Gophers freshman forward Nathan Burke got his first two career goals. BY JACK WARRICK jwarrick@mndaily.com
A freshman came out of the locker room wearing the hard hat on Saturday. Gophers’ forward Nathan Burke got to wear the player of the game helmet after he scored his first two collegiate goals Saturday night to help the Gophers get redemption for a Friday night overtime loss to St. Lawrence. “Obviously it’s exciting. We’ve been working hard in practice, and after last night, it was definitely cool to kind of bounce back and help my team out,” Burke said. “They did all the work, I just happened to go to the right places.” Minnesota split the St. Lawrence series after winning 3-0 on Saturday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Gophers lost the first matchup on Friday in overtime 4-3. Burke scored once in the first period, and again in the second period to give his
MEN’S HOCKEY RESULTS
FRIDAY St. Lawrence Minnesota
SATURDAY St. Lawrence Minnesota
1 1 1
2 2 0 1 0 1
3 0 2
OT FINAL 1 4 0 3
2 0 1
3 0 1
FINAL 0 3
SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM
team a 2-0 lead in the second frame. His linemate, Sammy Walker, caught a break away and scored with under four minutes left in the game to give the Gophers a 3-0 win. Burke scored the second with 12:17 to play in the second period. Burke sniped the top right corner with a shot so fast the refs had to check to make sure it didn’t hit the post. It was assisted by linemates Walker and Blake McLaughlin. “We can see Burkey’s skill in practice and everything. He got a shot and did his thing,” said goaltender Eric Schierhorn. “It was a pretty sweet goal. His second one should probably be on ‘SportsCenter.’” Burke, an Arizona native, scored his first collegiate goal at 11:59 left to play in the first period. Tyler Nanne
TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY
Freshman Nathan Burke skates back to the bench after scoring his first goal of the season at Mariucci Arena on Saturday, Nov. 17. The Gophers beat the St. Lawrence Saints 3-0. Burke finished the night with two goals.
threw him a crisp pass from the other side near the boards and he one-timed the puck top shelf on goaltender Emil Zetterquist, who played his first game and got his first win on Friday when St. Lawrence beat the Gophers. The Burke goal was the first of the game. Walker scored on a break
away thanks to a centering pass from defenseman Jack Sadek for a 3-0 lead with minutes left to play. He skated straight down the ice at the goaltender, stick handled once to slide him over, and deposited the final goal at 3:29 left on the clock in the third period. The defense held St.
Lawrence to 12 total shots. It was a stark comparison to Friday’s game when other goaltender Mat Robson faced 38 shots in three periods of regulation play. “Today was much better, and that’s the way you got to play the game,” said head coach Bob Motzko. “We gave up 11 grade A chances
on the penalty kill last night. We gave up 12 shots all game today.” Schierhorn got the shutout win facing 12 shots, while Robson faced over three times as many the night before. “I don’t love it, but I’ll take a shutout whenever I can get it,” Schierhorn said. “Not knocking St. Lawrence, that was probably the easiest shutout that I’ve had in college hockey, but that’s a credit to my team more than it is a knock on them.” The Gophers committed no penalties in the first period. It was the first period of penalty-less hockey the Gophers have played since the first period of the 7-4 win over Duluth on Oct. 7, the second game of the year. The Gophers will play Michigan State on Friday and Saturday in a two-game series back at 3M Arena at Mariucci. “I hope that this is another staple, another stamp of a direction turn in our compete level, and we had to make some changes. We made some changes in our lineup. We made some changes in our lines, but they made the change in how they were going to play,” Motzko said.
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Monday, November 19, 2018
Lab reviews policy on youth concussions The Shen Neurolaw Lab is reviewing research and laws on youth concussions. BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com
A University of Minnesota professor is combining neuroscience and law to examine the impact of legislation regarding concussions in youth sports. For the past two years, Francis Shen and the Shen Neurolaw Lab, in collaboration with other University researchers, have gathered a comprehensive review on concussions around the state. The team will be organizing the concussion data over the next couple of months and plans to present the research to the Minnesota House of Representatives next year. The review assesses the implementation and effectiveness of Minnesota laws on concussions in youth sports and whether youth athletes are receiving adequate care after injury. The study found
that youth sports organizations often have limited resources to carry out policies. It also found a lack of standardization on the diagnosis and management of concussions and lack of oversight from governing bodies on concussion treatment. “It will be the first comprehensive study on concussion law and policy [in youth sports] here in the state,” Shen said. “I think it will draw some significant attention.” Because of the potential community impact on youth sports around the state due to this research, Shen testified three times in front of the House during the 2016-17 legislative session to get funding for further concussion research. While his funding was cut during budgetary negotiations, Shen plans to testify again next year after the report is complete. Conducting a statewide survey and running various focus groups for youth sports stakeholders has helped researchers identify the challenges in implementing these laws and
find what problems still need to be addressed, said Sydney Diekmann, a manager for the lab. “We’ve gone above and beyond,” Diekmann said. The research was conducted through a $48,000 grant from the University as a part of the Provost’s Grand Challenges Research Initiative to further the research goals of the University’s Driving Tomorrow strategic plan. The concussion research was one of 29 recipients of the grant. Shen’s lab focuses on neurolaw, which is a field combining law with neuroscience. In addition to concussions, the lab also examines the impact of old age on the decision-making of judges in court and the effectiveness of brain-based lie detection in criminal cases. “In order to do that work, we have to have an understanding of both the science and the law and try to bring them together,” Shen said. “We do a lot of bridging work.” Carly Rasmussen, another research assistant for
JACK RODGERS, DAILY
Running back Mohamed Ibrahim speaks with Head coach P.J. Fleck following an injury at TCF Bank Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 30.
Shen, said that although neurolaw is a relatively new field, it can have a major impact on communities. “Neuroscience is really opening up a lot of really big ethical questions about what we need to be aware of and keeping in mind,”
Rasmussen said. Shen’s collaborative team partnered with the Minnesota State High School League to spread awareness on their research through a survey launched this fall. “It’s hard to know
whether someone has a concussion or not, because you can’t see the brain and it’s not easy to get into,” Shen said. “It’s the most complicated organ, and law cares about [it] and we typically care about [it] the most.”
Two campus-area apartments sell for tens of millions Radius apartments and 44 North sold to Chicago-based real estate companies. BY IMANI CRUZEN icruzen@mndaily.com
Two University of Minnesota area apartments have changed ownership in the past month, selling for tens of millions of dollars. The 44 North apartments in Prospect Park sold to Harrison Street real estate, a Chicago-based
company, for more than $58 million in early November. The Radius apartments sold for more than $76 million to Chicagobased Heitman, LLC and Timberline Real Estate Ventures, LLC last month. A change in ownership for the two campus apartments is not expected to bring any changes for current residents and management. The 772-bed Radius apartments, which opened in 2013, will continue to be managed by the University of Minnesota, said University
spokesperson Lacey Nygard. A master lease between the University and Radius was agreed on in 2017 and will last 5 years. The 595-bed 44 North apartment building is currently managed by Peak Campus, a student-housing management company, said Samantha Teller, the senior property manager. Peak Campus has worked with Harrison Street on other projects and has managed 44 North since 2016. Harrison Street owns
several properties around the campus area, including The Station on Washington and The Pavilion on Berry apartments. Because the management has not changed, Teller said, there will be no changes in current leases, rent or the daily operations of the building. “So, truly it’s just that the owner has changed, but as the management company, our day-to-day operations remain the same and our office staff stays the same,” Teller
said, adding that any changes will be seen on the back end of the apartment operations. “So, from a resident perspective, there’s nothing that will change for them.” John Kari, chair of the Prospect Park 2020 board, said the recent sale of 44 North shows that there is a strong market for housing in Prospect Park. “And it probably means that the market is strong and [there] will continue to be additional housing,” Kari said. “I think it reflects the
strength of the housing market and the value that housing has in this area.”
“I think it reflects the strength of the housing market and the value that housing has in this area.” JOHN KARI chair of the Prospect Park 2020 board
Women’s cross country team places 29th at NCAA Championships
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
Senior Emily Heslin handles the ball during the game against DePaul on Thursday, Aug. 30 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.
TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY
Patty O’Brien, who had a top-20 finish runs the course. Teammates and sisters Bethany and Megan Hasz finished first and second overall for Gopher women’s cross country at the 33rd annual Roy Griak Invitational at Les Bolstad Golf Course on Saturday, Sept. 29.
Minnesota fought through elements with snowfall in the final race of the fall. BY BABATUNDE JINADU bjinadu@mndaily.com
Weather forecasts on the night before race day predicted three to five inches of snow in Madison, Wisconsin for this year’s NCAA Cross Country Championships. The Minnesota women’s cross country team had raced on Wisconsin’s course earlier in the season, however not in the snowy conditions that they’d face on Saturday. “It’s honestly the first meet I’ve ever coached in that kind of snow,” said women’s team head coach Sarah Hopkins afterwards. “We’ve had snow … and I think it obviously has an effect, but I don’t think it’s much different than maybe a muddy course. I don’t think it really threw anybody a huge loop in terms of performance, but it definitely had a different feel to it than most national championships.” Braving these elements, 31 of the best cross country teams in the nation faced off at Wisconsin’s Zimmer
Championship Course for the last race of their seasons. “Everybody that makes this meet is good, so wherever you finish at this meet you’re doing something,” said coach Hopkins. “I thought on a great day we could probably be between 20 and 25, we were a little short to that, but I’m really proud of the efforts and proud of the battle and I hope we learned a lot from it.” Led by Bethany Hasz’s 49th place finish, the Gophers placed 29th as a team. “We were in 31st at the 2K and battled up, and kept fighting all the way through the race,” Hopkins said. “We had four kids at this meet who have never been to this meet before, two of those being freshman, so it’s a lot to learn.” The Gophers have made it to the national championship meet in 13 of its last 14 seasons. In 2017, Bethany Hasz finished in 70th place while her twin sister Megan Hasz took 74th. This year, conditions on the course were different and Bethany finished in a time of 20:43.49, while Megan was behind her in 21:07.49 for a 105th place finish. “Overall I was pretty happy with it. It wasn’t quite
what I wanted but I can’t complain,” Bethany Hasz said afterwards. Hopkins said she was pleased with the performances of her athletes and is excited about the team’s future. “Bethany was right in there with an All-American, and any time you’re a top-50 kid in this meet you’re doing something. There’s a lot of people that have great pedigrees that were behind her,” Hopkins said. Behind the Hasz sisters for the Gophers were senior Patty O’Brien in 212th place, followed by Abby KohutJackson in 215th place. Among the fastest runners in the country, Anastasia Korzenowski, Jaycie Thomsen and Molly Eastman rounded out Minnesota’s runners in 230th, 234th and 238th place respectively. “What makes me really excited for the future down the road is that this is a core of kids who are going to be together for the next couple of years, and there is a lot of really great pieces here,” Hopkins said. “You’ve got to be at this meet for the first time and see it and feel it, to understand what it’s all about, in order to get them into that next level.”
Gophers run ends at hands of UCLA UCLA defeated the Gophers 5-0 in the second round of the NCAA tournament. BY ERIK NELSON enelson@mndaily.com
The Gophers’ dream of advancing to the NCAA round of 16 ended in Los Angeles. No. 4 UCLA (16-3-1) defeated Minnesota (12-9-2) 5-0 on Friday at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Los Angeles. Head coach Stefanie Golan said the Bruins are more advanced than the Gophers. “UCLA is a special team,” Golan said. “They’re a nextlevel team. They’re ranked in the top five in the country for a reason. They’re a team that can win a national championship and they have some special players.” After four consecutive shutouts, goalkeeper Maddie Nielsen and the Gophers defense couldn’t contain UCLA’s speed and skill. UCLA forward Ashley Sanchez assisted on four of UCLA’s five goals. Bruins midfielder Chloe Castaneda opened the scoring in the fourth minute. It was Castaneda’s fifth goal of the season. UCLA scored two more times in the first half to take a commanding 3-0 lead
into halftime. Forward Maddie Castro said UCLA played a different system than Minnesota in the first half. “They were accountable for where their players were all the time,” Castro said. “They knew where we were going and how to block out passing lanes.” Minnesota had two shots on-goal. One came from defender Nikki Albrecht in the 59th minute and forward Makenzie Langdok had one in the 80th minute. Both were stopped by Bruins goalkeeper Teagan Micah. Midfielder Emily Heslin said the Bruins played a step ahead of the Gophers in the first half. “They’re super smart soccer players,” Heslin said. “They were constantly looking for pockets of space to get on the ball and were all over the place.” Even though the season is over, Minnesota’s senior class of Castro, Heslin, forward April Bockin, midfielder Molly Fiedler and defender Emily Peterson had historic careers. The quintet won a pair of Big Ten titles, something no other Gophers senior class in history has been able to accomplish. With Thanksgiving coming up on Thursday, Castro said she is thankful for her
fellow seniors. “I would not have wanted to graduate with any other [people] in my senior class,” Castro said. “There’s a lot of belief and a lot of passion for the sport and this program that we embodied this year. I’m thankful that we were able to come together and do what we could do.” Golan said she thanked the seniors after the match. For the first time since the 1990s, a Minnesota senior class advanced to three NCAA tournaments, she said. “We got to a place where nobody thought we could get to this year,” she said. “[The seniors] won over 50 [matches] over the course of their career. They set a high standard and a great foundation on which we can continue to build.”
“I would not have wanted to graduate with any other [people] in my senior class. There’s a lot of belief and a lot of passion for the sport and this program.” MADDIE CASTRO forward on women’s soccer team
8 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2018
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
Editorials & Opinions
COLUMN
LA to the left, NYC to the right, finding peace in the middle
Stuck in the middle, at the U, I manage attachment to multiple cities by focusing on the present.
I
have lived in a lot of places. In the past year and a half, I’ve spent no more than four consecutive months in one location, and as a PALMER HAASCH result, there’s a columnist small set of cities to which I feel personally connected. I lived in Los Angeles for three months and then spent a semester in Minneapolis. I studied abroad in southern France for a semester and then moved to New York City for the summer. Visits to my hometown have been sprinkled in the transitional periods. At this point, I feel disconnected from all of them. Even my two anchor cities — Omaha (my hometown) and Minneapolis — feel somewhat unfamiliar after being gone for so long. Jumping from city to city made moving routine, even if I’m no better at shoving my life into a suitcase than I was when I started temporarily moving around.
However, it’s lead to bursts of bizarre feelings and detachment: I visited New York City recently to watch my dad run the New York City Marathon. Returning to the city felt painfully correct, and for a moment I was able to slip back into the freedom of my life from this summer. Coming back to Minneapolis and student life felt just as jarring as it was when I first moved back to the Twin Cities. For college students — especially for those of us who are seniors — it can feel like we’re being pulled in a million different directions. Everyone’s experiences are different, but the unease of transition and relocation either for school or afterward is arguably universal. After a year of moving, I’m not quite sure where I belong. Nowhere feels quite right; everywhere I go, I’m thinking of somewhere else. I miss events and developing friendships no matter where I am, and I’m fearful of what will happen to my friendships when I graduate and likely move to New York City. I don’t know if I’ll ever live in Minneapolis again. These anxieties and my current sense of displacement won’t go away anytime soon. I’ve accepted there’s not much I can do to assuage them. What I’m trying to do, and what I suggest to anyone else experiencing similar feelings, is to focus on the now. That phrase is cringe-worthy enough to feature on an inspirational mug, but it has also been my mantra as of late. Longing for New York City won’t get me
It’s important to anchor ourselves in the moment and appreciate where we are now. Wherever we’re coming from and wherever we’re going, everything will work out in the end. there. Lamenting future long-distance friendships won’t prevent eventual challenges. However, what I can do is appreciate where I am and try to anchor myself as much as possible. I only have a little bit of time left in Minneapolis with my friends. Every weekend back in my hometown is a rare chance to spend time with my family. Glimpses into a New York City future will eventually be realized. Despite displacement, it’s important to anchor ourselves in the moment and appreciate where we are now. Wherever we’re coming from and wherever we’re going, everything will work out in the end. Palmer Haasch welcomes comments at phaasch@mndaily.com.
EDITORIAL
US voters speak again to civility and compromise The recent election represented a repudiation of threats to core democratic, American principles. Americans deserve to take a little solace in the results of the recent election. Voters spoke loud and clear. They wanted candidates to put country before party and they sent that message at the voting booth. The voters seemed motivated by the things that always motivate: overreach by elected leaders and their inability to compromise to solve problems like crumbling roads. Republicans in the House of Representatives offered plenty of examples. The GOP made dozens of attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, wrongly believing people favored this repeal while they saw millions more of their friends and family finally get health care coverage that didn’t send them into bankruptcy. Led by President Donald Trump, many Republicans jumped on the anti-immigrant bandwagon with even Republicans coming from moderate traditions like those in Minnesota saying the borders were “porous” and we needed to “pause” refugee resettlement.
The election was a repudiation of a tribalism led by Trump. We hope his followers, now see the indignity of those messages, including a late campaign charge to send troops to the falsely porous border. Porous is decidedly an inaccurate term for the U.S./Mexican border. It suggests an increase in illegal immigration. But border apprehensions of people trying to enter the U.S. at the Mexico border have been dropping for some time. The number apprehended went from 650,000 in 2008 at the beginning of Obama’s term to 191,000 at the end of his term in 2016, a drop of 71 percent, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. In 2017, it dropped again to 128,000 or by about 33 percent. Somehow, Americans seemed to remember their own immigrant roots, including in Minnesota, where after German, Swedish and Irish immigration the state was up to 40 percent foreign born, compared to 8 percent today. And the tax breaks didn’t seem to hold much weight with voters. A CNN survey on Election Day showed 56 percent of those polled said the country was headed in the wrong direction even as the economy was in solid shape. That one poll was probably the most telling message of this year’s election. The economy, of course, is always important to people in an election. But there was a sense that civility and welcoming also mattered. The election was a repudiation of a tribalism led by Trump. We hope his followers, now see the indignity of those messages, including a late campaign charge to send troops to the falsely porous border. It’s a heart-rending thought in a way — that our friendship and our civility mean more than our pocketbook growing in the context of feigned generosity. It’s also good to see that when our leaders don’t lead with the core principles of our country as their guide, the people will. This editorial was originally published in the Mankato Free Press.
Robert McGrady welcomes comments at rmcgrady@mndaily.com.
COLUMN
National Rifle Association tweet disrespects doctors The NRA tries to stifle discussion of gun policy by medical experts, but we all deserve to be heard.
L
ast week, the National Rifle Association released a distasteful – to say the least – tweet aimed at doctors. The tweet stated, “Someone should tell ELLEN SCHNEIDER self-important columnist anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane. Half of the articles in Annals of Internal Medicine are pushing for gun control. Most upsetting, however, the medical community seems to have consulted NO ONE but themselves.” Since being tweeted on Nov. 7, doctors from all across the nation have started a hashtag in response: #ThisIsOurLane. The hashtag has brought many doctor’s tragic experiences with gun violence to the forefront of public consciousness. As emergency responders and medical personnel are the only ones who are repeatedly exposed to the trauma, carnage and endless string of mourning families, they unequivocally have the right to speak their minds on the issue that steals their patients’ lives. In fact, I really can’t think of a better set of professionals to be advocates, or at the very least share their experiences, especially when we take the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s lack of funding for gun research into consideration. The ban came to realization after the CDC released a study in the early 1990s that contradicted the NRA’s premise of gun advocacy: that having a gun in the home protects the family. It does not. The NRA criticized the use of taxpayer dollars on research that advocated for gun control and the Dickey Amendment was passed in 1996, which cut funding and ended the CDC’s study of gun violence. This resulted
in no effort to assess gun violence as a public health issue in the last 22 years, despite the death toll toppling 600,000. Disliking research results is not a reason to stop conducting that research. Furthermore, it is blasphemous that the NRA is not only working to disallow the country to learn about a problem that takes lives on a daily basis, but it is also trying to stifle discussion. By criticizing doctors for speaking their minds, they are actively trying to suppress productive deliberations that are relevant to bettering communities. Perhaps the only amendment they’re concerned with is the Second. Sure, doctors may not be experts in firearms, but they surely have pertinent experiences with the effects of them. The argument that somehow, only experts in any given field have a right to be active members in discussion is not only ridiculous, but also wholly undemocratic. Civil debates are a central part of your democracy and exiling entire peoples from public discourse due to their profession or lack of expertise is outrageous. I don’t know why our modern society has a tendency to disparage those who speak out on issues that are important to them simply because they are not specialists in said issue. Society continues to berate athletes who kneel for the national anthem, celebrities who discuss politics and comedians who discuss legislation. Sticking to what you know best isn’t what’s best for any of us. This tweet not only disrespects an entire profession with individuals who vigorously try to save the lives that are stolen by gun violence, it perpetuates social norms that suffocate discussion and stifle debate. Commenting “stay in your lane” is absurd. Your opinions are not invalidated because of your profession, gender or ethnicity. Let’s discuss, let’s deliberate and let’s make a change.
Ellen Schneider welcomes comments at ellenschneider@mndaily.com.
EDITORIAL
Pronoun policy needs to be fair and enforceable If implemented correctly, policy changes could create a more welcoming campus environment. An act of inclusiveness by the University of Minnesota has become one of the most controversial topics on campus. The University’s proposed gender expression policy would allow students to select their personal pronouns for use on campus. Though the University is correct in allowing students to identify their gender, it’s only one of many steps that need to be taken to create a safe and welcoming campus. The proposed gender expression policy, which has been a work in progress for over a year, would require University members to use the name, gender identity and pronouns that a student identifies with. The policy hopes to reduce misgendering. Furthermore, the policy gives University members access to facilities that match their gender identities, such as housing and restrooms. While accidental misgendering will occur, it may be challenging to decipher what is accidental versus what is a genuine act of policy violation — a potential infringement on free speech rights. Although the policy is still being drafted, it has already caused controversy on campus. For the third year in a row, the University of Minnesota’s College Republicans had its panel on the Washington Avenue Bridge vandalized. This year, “Queer Power” was spray painted on it, after the original panel specifically ridiculed the policy with phrases such as “Make the U Great again” and “The proposed pronoun policy mocks real social issues.” Following the controversy, demonstrators marched across campus in support of transgender students and a student organizer of the march released a petition calling out the University for protecting hate speech. Although this is a clear first step in promoting the welfare of transgender students, more can be done by the University. For example, while the University provides nearly 300 gender-neutral restrooms and a map that shows them all, there should be at least two gender-neutral restrooms in each building. Moreover, the University needs to address speech that is directly aimed at harming transgender community members. Though there is clear contention surrounding the proposed gender expression policy, the University needs to evaluate a concrete way of punishing those who engage in volatile, hateful rhetoric. The protest on the Washington Avenue Bridge is only evidence that transgender students do not feel welcome on campus, following rhetoric displayed by federal authorities and other student groups on campus. The University should condemn those who engage in harmful speech. We hope that by the time the pronoun policy becomes enforceable next fall, the University will have a concrete standard of evaluation. Hopefully by then, both critics and supporters of the policy change will see a standard and fair process in which we can make our campus a friendlier and more inclusive environment for every single student. EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board. SHARE YOUR VIEWS The Minnesota Daily welcomes letters and guest columns from readers. All letters must include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification. The Daily reserves the right to edit all letters for style, space, libel and grammar. Letters to the editor should be no more than 500 words in length. Guest columns should be approximately 350 words. The Daily reserves the right to print any submission as a letter or guest column. Submission does not guarantee publication.
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2018
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HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (11/19): Communication profits this year. Share your affection and kindness steadily. Study to unveil a mystery. Summer glory for your crew comes before physical obstacles alert you to stop and smell the roses. Follow your heart this winter. Express your creativity and passion.
To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Written by Nancy Black
Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is an 8 — Personal matters may not go as planned. Your concentration could get interrupted. Don’t take risks or act hastily.
Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 7 — Misunderstandings could thwart communications with your partner. Slow down, and clarify things immediately. Disruption or interruption could frustrate.
Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 5 — Lay low, and take it easy. Actions may not go as planned; it may be better to postpone and organize. Focus on immediate priorities and rest.
Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is an 8 — Discipline is required with your work, health and fitness goals. Distractions and demands flurry. Inhibit your natural generosity.
Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is a 7 — Controversy arises with a group project. Don’t try new tricks now; chaos or confusion distracts. Stick to tested routines and practical objectives.
Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 7 — A challenge interrupts your romance. Postpone an outing for better conditions. Save money and trouble by choosing the simplest option.
Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — A professional puzzle requires careful negotiation. Don’t try to force things. Persuade gently, or wait for better conditions. Put in sweat equity.
Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 7 — Work, transportation or shipping delays could disrupt a home improvement project. Pad the schedule and the budget for the unforeseen.
Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is a 7 — Proceed with caution. Things don’t go as planned. Mistakes could get expensive; make time to review plans and options. It’s OK to say no.
Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 9 — Postpone important actions or communications for better conditions. Edit, revise and consider the longterm impacts of your words before issuing them.
Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is a 7 — An unexpected expense could hit your shared accounts. Don’t waste money. Evaluate and research your options. Talk to your partner about it.
Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 7 — You’re in the eye of a financial storm. Handle priorities and keep a low profile. Avoid controversy or stepping on anyone’s sensitivities. Pay your share.
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Breaking Down the U’s News
DR. DATE Dear Dr. Date,
Look, I can appreciate a majority of music. Even if I don’t like the genre, I can stand just about anything—as long as it’s not playing for more than an hour. My girlfriend, however, is different. While she tolerates my Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West, I know she’s secretly judging me. She’s a fan of experimental music. Her favorite track is just a high pitched note with some bass under the sound of someone breathing and muttering phrases. I don’t get it, but I don’t have to listen to it, right? When we try and get it on, though, she insists on playing music in the background to set the mood—the louder and weirder, the better. And for the songs that do have some semblance of a rhythm, she … tries to do it to the beat, if you know what I mean. Frankly, it’s killing our sex life. I can’t take it seriously anymore, and she’s just getting angrier. What do I do?
—Just Play LoFi Beats
Dear Just Play LoFi Beats,
I didn’t really understand your situation until I searched Spotify for experimental artists. Yeah, both of you would have to be really into this to make it arousing. You’re sure she’s not cheating on you with a guy who has ProTools? While music can help set a mood, explain to her that in order for you both to enjoy your time together, you both have to be happy with the environment. I’m sure you have a genre in common you can test out in the bedroom. Find the common denominator between what she enjoys and what you find acceptable and work from there.
—Dr. Date
Dear Dr. Date,
I recently started dating a guy I met on Tinder. In his profile, he said “let’s go
to the movies and chill,” so I thought he might actually want to go see a movie instead of “watch Netflix and chill.” I’m a huge film nerd. I love seeing anything and everything, especially with someone by my side. He took me to a movie I had already seen for our first date, so I didn’t mind when we got a little busy in the back of the theater. But now he thinks I don’t actually want to see the film! Since the first date, we’ve gone out a few more times before ending up at his place to watch movies. I crane my head to see what I’m missing while we make out on the couch, and he still hasn’t noticed. I’ve had to rewatch “Ex Machina” three times just to find out what actually happened! He seems great, and I don’t want to seem like I don’t want to move to the bedroom after the movie. How do I let him know I actually want Netflix then chill?
—Hulu and Relax
Dear Hulu and Relax,
Ahh, the downside of inviting a date over to watch TV. If you really don’t want to confront him, you can always suggest movies you’ve already seen. This has the added bonus of making you sound really smart when you discuss what you think happened, even if your ideas really came from articles and film forums. However, if you think it might turn into a relationship, talk to him before you head over to his place. Tell him that you’d rather the couch stay a makeout-free zone. It’s not anything against him, it’s because you love movies, so he should understand. Who knows, you might convert him to your side and have a theater partner for life.
—Dr. Date
Want advice from the love doctor? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily. com
SUDOKU
CROSSWORD
Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk.
Last issue’s solution
11/19/18
© 2018 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
10
Monday, November 19. 2018
U calls for diversity in presidential search University is asked to consider people of color and women in presidential search. BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com
Last month, biomedical engineering professor Jonathan Sachs pointed out an issue that has become increasingly prevalent in the search for the next University of Minnesota president: diversity. “I’m wondering if you could tell us how many of the previous presidents were women?” Sachs asked members of the University’s search firm at a Senate meeting in October. “And how many were underrepresented minorities?” Rod McDavis, managing principal of AGB Search, provided the same answer to both questions: “Zero.” Since its founding in 1851, the University has never selected a person of color or a woman to serve as its president. All 16 presidents — from William Folwell to Eric Kaler — have been white and male. Many University members hope that will change. Faculty, students and staff have called on the University to strongly consider candidates that are female and from communities of color — some support selecting a candidate based on these considerations. And as the field of candidates narrows, those hopes could become a reality. Last week, the presidential search committee narrowed its list of candidates for the position, interviewing nine candidates out of a pool that included over 60 appli-
cants. Women made up five of the nine interviewed, and onethird were people of color — a positive sign for those who support increased diversity. “Of course we think the next president should be the best person for the job and that person just might be someone from a community of color or a female,” said Keisha Varma, chair of the University Senate’s Equity, Access and Diversity committee. Varma said she is encouraged by the search process thus far. “It seems to me that there’s going to be a likelihood that we consider having someone who might be a female or might be from a underrepresented group for the next president because I feel like so many have voiced their desire to have that,” Varma said. Across the country, fewer than 20 percent of college presidents are minorities; women make up fewer than one-third of presidents, according to the American Council on Higher Education’s 2017 survey of schools. Those numbers are only a slight increase from the past decade. Undergraduate student body president Simran Mishra said the University has made progress when it comes to issues of diversity on campus, including recruiting and retaining people of color. “But we have long, long ways still to go,” Mishra said. “If our next president is from a diverse background and truly understands the value of diversity and is committed to making an impact in a sense, our University can continue that same momentum forward.” Mishra said she sup-
HAILEE SCHIEVELBEIN, DAILY
ports selecting a president who comes from a diverse background. “Not just in the sense of visible diversity,” Mishra said. “But genuinely someone who has had experiences that were different from the norm and through those experiences has developed a sense of empathy to understand the needs of students who are marginalized on campus.” Ian Ringgenberg, head of the University’s Professional and Administrative Senate, said many people want a president who can improve the campus climate for traditionally marginalized communities.
“There’s a culture in higher education that we’ve been working on changing for decades. Not only our institution, but higher education in general is a centuries-old, arcane organization, and one that traditionally has a very firm power structure,” he said. “As we consider what we want our University to be and who it represents, I think there’s a real desire to see not a white man in the position.” The University’s current group of front-runners for president featured more diversity than the applicant pool at large. Women made up over half of those interviewed, but only 22 percent of total applicants.
One-third of those interviewed were people of color, compared to one-fourth of applicants. A diverse pool of candidates is important, but University members are looking for the best candidate, regardless of race or gender, said Joseph Konstan, chair of the Faculty Consultative Committee. “In the end, if we made a good faith effort and we interviewed candidates of color [and] women and had a diverse pool, and the best person we find that’s interested in coming here happened to white and male, I think we can accept that,” he said. Konstan had called on the
University to release demographic data on candidates throughout the search to aid this process. After interviewing candidates, the committee will vet a smaller list of candidates before the search committee recommends a list of finalists to the Board of Regents. Diversity remains an important consideration for many on campus. But the final decision will be up to the regents. “It would be wonderful if we added a different looking picture along the set of photographs and portraits that we have,” Konstan said.
Immigration can change gut bacteria, recent UMN study finds UMN researchers studied Hmong and Karen communities within Minnesota. BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com
A recent study by University of Minnesota researchers discovered immigration to the U.S. can rapidly change the bacteria found in a person’s gut — findings that may shed light on the causes of high obesity rates in immigrant communities. The study, published on Nov. 1, looked at Southeast Asian immigrant communities in Minnesota, including Hmong and
Karen communities from Thailand. The researchers were aided by the Somali, Latino and Hmong Partnership for Health and Wellness and advisors from in the community. “The Hmong community and Karen community don’t get enough attention to study what is impacting our health and what’s causing obesity, which leads to diabetes,” said Houa Vue-Her, a diabetes initiative program director at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, who served as a community advisor to researchers. The results of the study show a rapid Westernization of immigrants’ gut microbiomes — the environment of microbes like bacteria and
fungi in an individual’s stomach — when they migrated to the U.S. “The strains of bacteria that used to dominate their gut were going missing and they were acquiring American strains,” said Dan Knights, an author of the study and a computational microbiologist at the University. “When they lost those native strains, they were losing genes that seemed to be involved in digesting certain foods that are more commonly eaten in Southeast Asia.” Stool samples were taken and analyzed from over 500 Hmong and Karen individuals, including those who immigrated to the U.S., as well as children born in the U.S.,
people still living in Thailand and Caucasians, which served as the control group. Six individuals were also sampled before and after immigrating to the U.S, said Pajau Vangay, a research specialist in the University’s Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology program and a co-author of the study. Vangay worked with community members to recruit individuals who would take part in the study and traveled to Thailand to collect samples from native Hmong and Karen people. The research could help to explain health issues affecting immigrant communities, including obesity and diabetes.
“We realized that obesity was a really big concern,” Vangay said. “From a scientific perspective, there are a lot of associations with, and some causal inferences between, the gut microbiome and obesity.” But researchers cautioned the correlation between a Westernized microbiome in the gut and rates of obesity in the immigrant community does not necessarily reflect a cause-and-effect relationship. “This is really the first chapter in the story,” Knights said. “The next step is finding out which of these changes are actually bad for you and, if they are, how we can use the microbiome to treat or prevent obesity.”
“The strains of bacteria that used to dominate their gut were going missing and they were acquiring American strains ... they were losing genes that seemed to be involved in digesting certain foods that are more commonly eaten in Southeast Asia.” DAN KNIGHTS University computational microbiologist
Kaler weighs in with thoughts on midterm elections, fraternity hard-alcohol ban U President Eric Kaler was recently interviewed by The Minnesota Daily. BY HELEN SABROWSKY hsabrowsky@mndaily.com
The Minnesota Daily sat down with University of Minnesota President Eric
Kaler on Friday to talk about the recent midterm elections, the enforcement of a hardalcohol ban for fraternities and changes in University leadership. The midter m elections took place earlier this month, and there was high voter tur nout thr oughout Min-
neapolis, including student-dense areas. What are your thoughts on this? I’m excited by that. I think that’s exactly what everybody hopes — is that this is a democracy governed by its citizens, and that the way that democracy is expressed is through voting. It’s not more complicated than
that. So ideally, everyone should vote and I’m always encouraged by high turnout. The North American Interfraternity Conference banned hard alcohol and University fraternities are implementing it almost a year early. Since the ban, some fraternities are still unsure how to implement it. What is the University doing to ensure that the ban is enforced? Well, there are limited things we can do to actually ensure that it’s enforced. But we certainly can help the IFC identify vendors and best
practices so that they are able to hold true to their goal of having no hard alcohol. And when they do, to have it served by a vendor who is charged with checking IDs and also ensuring that nobody is served too much. Following the vandalism of the College Republicans bridge panel, students held a march across the Washington Avenue bridge for transgen der rights and visibility. What is your response to these events? We do not tolerate vandalism … It’s remarkable that
anybody would think that vandalizing somebody’s expression of free speech can possibly advance whatever it is you believe in. I’ve said any number of times that the best way fight speech you disagree with is through more speech. It’s not with vandalizing a sign, it’s not with heckling a speaker, it’s with articulating your own points of view with a clear and compelling way so that people understand why your way of seeing the world is better than somebody else’s — and spray painting over somebody’s sign is the opposite of smart.
Betsy DeVos proposes new sexual assault and misconduct rules The changes protect the accussed and limits the definition of harrassment. BY NIKKI PEDERSON npederson@mndaily.com The U.S. Education Department released a proposal Friday that would narrow the definition of sexual harassment and misconduct on college campuses and give the accused more protection. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos proposed a plan that would only require schools to investigate sexual assault and misconduct if it was reported to certain campus of-
ficials and if it occurred on property owned or overseen by the school. This proposal would replace guidelines created under the Obama administration, which DeVos scrapped last year. It also aims to give protections to students accused of sexual misconduct by allowing them to indirectly cross-examine the accusers. While the previous guidelines did not forbid cross-examination, it was discouraged. The changes to Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and public schools, also narrow the definitions of sexual harassment, meaning that Title IX is only
infringed when unwelcome conduct is “so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access,” according to the plan. The University of Minnesota’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action said that they are reviewing the proposal although it will likely go through changes during the public comment period before implementation, according to a statement sent to the Minnesota Daily. DeVos released a draft of the proposal in September, which left some students feeling uncertain of how new regulations would affect University sexual assault policies.