November 21, 2019

LATE WEEK THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019

MNDAILY.COM

SERVING THE UMN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900

CAMPUS

Child care centers worry for future

HOUSING

Some seek U action on development Marcy-Holmes residents say involvement from U administration would help student issues. BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com

Two child care centers near campus are struggling after recent funding cuts and policy changes at the University of Minnesota.

I

She said she feels more prepared to deal with high-stress situations and is excited to share what she learned with her chapter. “While Greek life certainly isn’t the only community that can make an impact, this presence means that, when we change our behavior and step up in these situations, people will see us changing our behavior and u See BYSTANDER Page 3

u See HOUSING Page 3

Taymia, 2, left, and Rishi, 2, right, laugh after looking at their photos at the Como Early Learning Center on Tuesday, Nov. 19. (Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)

BY EMILY SIZEN esizen@mndaily.com

n recent years, cuts to funding and changes to child care on campus have left two day care centers near the University of Minnesota struggling. The centers, the Como Early Learning Center and Community Child Care Center, are located in University-owned cooperatives close to campus and primarily serve graduate and professional student parents. While these co-op child care centers are not affiliated with the University, student parents involved with the centers can apply for Student Services Fees as a student group to fund the operational costs of the day cares. “For student parents one of

Off-campus neighbors are asking for more involvement from University of Minnesota officials in the student housing conversation. Members of the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association said input from campus administration would help advance student interests, including affordable housing, in future developments. The issue was sparked by a proposal in August by CA Ventures for a highdensity Dinkytown apartment complex at the McDonald’s site. “The University is missing from the table,” said James Farnsworth, a Minnesota Student Association representative to the MHNA board of directors. “People want more engagement with the University on these issues that really impact students.” The neighborhood association is currently exploring plans to express this sentiment to the Board of Regents and University President Joan Gabel through either a letter or informal meetings, he said. Regent Michael Hsu said he would be receptive to greater involvement. “Student housing is important … there are lots of students [who] live close,” he said. “We should be at the table.” How exactly the University could be involved in housing developments, including the recent CA Ventures proposal, is still unclear. Historically, the University has had a foggy relationship with nearby neighborhoods. In 2014, the Board of Regents signed a resolution to be more involved in the surrounding community. Some neighbors said they hadn’t seen much involvement since, especially on development issues. “The spirit of that resolution … will inform our approach as well,” Farnsworth said. Two years later, a task force comprised of 38 University stakeholders set an agenda on furthering public engagement over five years. In a 2019 report, this task force laid down an action plan for doing so. The University District Alliance, a partnership between University officials and community stakeholders, has been slow to reorganize since it paused operations in December of last year. University officials said while

the biggest helps, especially for international student parents or any parents that don’t have a support network or family around, child care is critical,” said Fernando Severino, the chair of the CCCC student board and a student parent. In 2016, the Student Services Fee (SSF) process changed, implementing a $55,000 cap on the amount of funds each student group can receive within the University, including the centers. Before the cap was put in place, the centers were each receiving around $90,000 a year for their overall budgets. Additional limitations were put in place that limit how groups can spend the money they

“For student parents one of the biggest helps, especially for international student parents or any parents that don’t have a support network or family around, child care is critical.” FERNANDO SEVERINO chair of Community Child Care Center

receive from the SSF. This funding is specifically designated for students who pay the SSF, not their dependents. For the child care centers, some of these limitations prevented them from receiving funding for expenses like art supplies and food. For example, the SSF committee did not allocate funds to the CCCC’s fall 2018 request for food because “the request described the benefits to the children who do not pay the Student Services Fee.” Tracie Myers, director of the CCCC, said the limitations now mean the center can no longer u See CHILD CARE Page 3

GREEK LIFE

U launches bystander intervention training for Greek Life Student volunteers are teaching their chapters how to intervene in harassment situations. BY JIANG LI jli2@mndaily.com

Facing an increasing rate of sexual harassment reported on campus, Boynton Health started bystander intervention training with the University of Minnesota’s Greek life community in late October in an effort to increase students’ skills and confidence in intervening with harassment. The training, created in 2018, aims to educate University students on how to intervene during situations involving sexual harassment. A goal of the training is making sure students are aware of the community support for intervening and that bystanders will not be ostracized for being the one to call out harassment. The program is beginning to train Greek life because it encompasses many communities on campus. “Our ultimate goal is to prevent

sexual violence, but we know one of the strategies for doing so is getting people to intervene when they encounter a situation that concerns them,” said Alicia Leizinger, a Boynton Health health promotion specialist and the co-chair of the student education and engagement committee within the Office of the President. The training is a collaboration between Boynton Health, University Athletics, the Greek life community and the Aurora Center, and is part of the President’s Initiative to Prevent Sexual Misconduct. Unlike other lecturer-led trainings, this one is led by about 200 volunteer Greek life student facilitators. The facilitators attended a two-hour training session and brought what they learned back to their chapters, Leizinger said. The training first informs students about facts and data, then goes through different harassment scenarios. “It just kind of puts you in their shoes, so that way when you are in the actual situation, instead of just a scenario, you are prepared to do it,” said Junior Ellissa Cleveland, vice

Students part of the Athletes Supporting Advocacy and Prevention group meet in the Bierman Athletic Building on Monday, Nov. 18. (Sydni Rose / Minnesota Daily)

president of public relations on the Panhellenic Council. As a way to assess if the bystander training is effective, Boynton gives the student trainees a survey asking them how confident they are intervening in situations involving harassment and compare the results once the training is over. Junior Jess Moore is one of the volunteer facilitators from Chi Omega.

SECURITY

Locked and loaded: the University’s mechanisms for securing data

The U stores

The U

about 42 petabytes stores of data.

about 42 petabytes One petabyte of data. equals 7,813 iPhones

The U stores

The Daily explainsabout 42 everything you wantpetabytes of data. to know about the U’sOne petabyte 7,813 cybersecurity measures.equals iPhones

One petabyte equals 7,813O iPhones

233 reported

phishing scams since 2012

O

FACULTY

233 reported

phishing scams since 2012

233 reported

phishing scams since 2012

In 2012, the University of Nebraska - Lincoln experienced a data breach exposing personal information for more than 100,000 students, faculty and alum.

SOURCES: OFFICE OF INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY AND UNIVERSITY I.T. PAGE BY DYLAN MIETTINEN dmiettinen@mndaily.com O ILLUSTRATIONS BY SARAH MAI, DAILY

By the end of the month, all University of Minnesota students, faculty and stakeholders will be required to use dual authentication when logging onto any University server, including MyU, G Suite and Canvas. An effort nearly a year in the making, the roll-out of Google Duo was prompted by the need for

greater protection from increased identity theft and phishing attempts. Some University staff and students have had financial aid, paychecks and tax returns stolen as a result of password theft. Members of the University recognize the need for increased security measures against cyberattacks, especially in higher

education institutions. Experts weigh in on how exactly the University keeps student and faculty data secure. Should I be worried about a data breach at the University? Well, it depends on who you ask. u See CYBERSECURITY Page 3

Some faculty raise concerns as In 2012, the University of UMN changes retirement plan Nebraska - Lincoln experiIn 2012, the University of Nebraska - Lincoln experienced a data breach exposing personal information for more than 100,000 students, enced a data faculty and alum.

breach expos-

Fidelity Investments withforimplementation next year. ing personal information However, some faculty members more 100,000 students, will provide thethan standard have expressed that they do not faculty and alum. retirement plan, as well feel adequately informed about as other voluntary plans. the change. BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com

After a yearlong process of reevaluating its plans and practices, the University of Minnesota will transfer its faculty retirement plans to a sole service provider this spring. Fidelity Investments will be the provider for voluntary investment plans and the mandatory retirement plan, which applies to faculty, professional, academic and administrative employees. The mandatory plan is currently provided by Securian Financial, with optional plans from multiple other vendors. The transition process will span the next few months,

Ken Horstman, the senior director of total compensation at the University, said having multiple vendors made investing less straightforward. “While this practice provided choice, it did so in a very complex way,” he said. “When things are complicated, they’re usually less accessible.” Shifting to one provider will simplify investing for faculty, Horstman said. There will still be voluntary investment plan options available for all employees under Fidelity, he added, and two Securian funds, the Minnesota Life General Account u See RETIREMENT Page 3

VOLUME 120 ISSUE 24

2

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019

MN DAILY

Daily Review

MNDAILY.COM

CAMPUS EVENTS CALENDAR FRIDAY

Pride of Minnesota

SATURDAY

Turkey Bowl

SUNDAY

10:30 p.m. at the Carlson Family Stage, 5 - 9 p.m. at Goldy’s Gameroom – $4 Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. Get in the fall spirit with ThanksgivingUMN marching band’s indoor concert. themed bowling and apple cider.

Winter Lights at the Arb

NOW PLAYING

“Pet Sematary”

5 - 9 p.m. at the Minnesota Arboretum Fri. and Sat. at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. at The Arboretum is decked out with 13 the Coffman Union Theater; Friday at light displays. Free entry with a UCard. 8 p.m. at the St. Paul Student Center

Thursday, November 21, 2019 Vol. 120 No. 24

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

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Copyright © 2019 The Minnesota Daily. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

1877 Thomas Edison announces the invention of the phonograph, one of the earliest mechanisms to record and play back audio. HISTORYCHANNEL.COM/TDIH

MSA joins nationwide push to raise federal higher ed funding

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

=

ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN LA CASSE / DAILY

The act supporting many student aid programs has not changed in 11 years. BY SAMANTHA HENDRICKSON shendrickson@mndaily.com The University of Minnesota undergraduate student government is joining a nationwide effort to push Congress to update a key piece of higher education legislation, potentially giving more federal funding to college students and strengthening educational resources. Last week, the Association of Big Ten Students, an organization for student leaders in the 14 universities in the Big Ten, gathered support for the renewal of the Higher

Education Act – which has not been changed in 11 years. The act provides financial aid to students and educational resources in colleges and universities. The legislation, which was signed into law in 1965, is supposed to be evaluated every five years as university finances change over time. It includes support and federal funds for programs like Title IX policies, the Pell Grant and Federal Student Aid. In 2019, however, Congress has yet to change the HEA to fit current student needs, student leaders say. “It’s not okay to ... have such comprehensive legislation that is the backbone of what higher ed is, that isn’t really up to date,” said Bri Sislo-Schutta, who serves in both the

Minnesota Student Association and the ABTS. “Obviously, colleges and universities are completely different from what they were in 2008.” ABTS has been lobbying for the renewal since last spring, when the organization went to Washington, D.C. to represent over half a million students across the Big Ten schools. After a bill to renew the HEA failed to pass, ABTS decided to take action by educating their student bodies about its importance and gathering support from students across the nation. Though each school is doing its own individual advocacy, like the University of Illinois’ on-campus rally and the University of Minnesota’s call for students

to share personal stories, the organization is united on what they would like to see changed. The changes include simplification of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), expansion of the Pell Grant, regulations related to Title IX policy and increased mental health awareness on campuses. “It’s really time to take some action and benefit students in a way that they haven’t in over 10 years,” said Kirsten Petersen, the ABTS director of legislative affairs. However, many students are not aware that the HEA has not been renewed, or even exists. Samay Kindra, the director of governmental

affairs for the University of Maryland Student Government Association, said he also “had no idea” about the HEA before it was brought to the ABTS’s attention earlier this year. However, students, when educated, are typically in support of these changes. The association plans to bring these issues before Congress in December, along with a petition signed by students across the country. “[This petition is about] making a point to say, as an association ... this is an issue,” Petersen said. “We are 14 of the biggest universities [in the U.S.] and we have all these individual students who have signed this and say, ‘Hey, pay attention.’”

President’s sexual misconduct initiative puts focus on faculty The initiative is launching a faculty and staff campaign to raise awareness. BY EMILY SIZEN esizen@mndaily.com Having emphasized campaigns focusing on students in the past, this year a president-led initiative is implementing projects geared toward faculty and staff, increasing attention surrounding sexual misconduct prevention. The President’s Initiative to Prevent Sexual Misconduct (PIPSM) is currently in the process of creating a faculty and staff public awareness campaign. Staff members are conducting listening sessions and sending out surveys to faculty to see what sort of messages and mediums would most resonate. Dave Golden, director of public health at Boynton Health, said the campaign will look different from last year’s student awareness campaign, “It Ends Here.” “This really isn’t a poster campaign,” Golden said. “We want to make sure that we’re hitting all the bases there with stuff that makes sense for [staff and faculty’s] role and their responsibility.” The initiative is developing

a new online faculty and staff training module that will likely be implemented in October 2020. Additionally, the Evaluation Committee within PIPSM is actively creating a data inventory looking at training and survey results. PIPSM was launched in 2017 with the goal to stop sexual misconduct on campus and to create a better campus climate. This fall, the Evaluation and Research Committee and the Research Subcommittee are assessing several surveys, including the recent Association of American Universities survey that was published in October. The survey found that around 19 percent of students had experienced some sort of sexual harassment since enrolling at the University. The survey also found that about 25 percent of undergraduate women experienced some sort of non-consensual contact at the University. One of the goals of the Research Subcommittee, co-chair Katherine Lust said, is to analyze the results of the AAU survey and identify patterns of characteristics for the people who are the most susceptible to experiencing sexual harassment. Lust said one of the long-term goals is to publish their findings in a journal.

Morrill Hall as seen on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)

“Our goal is really to, I think, do further analysis on data we are currently sitting on,” Lust said. “As we understand the literature that’s out there and understand different issues on our campus ... we want to try to figure out where the gaps of knowledge are.” University student governments, which also have representatives in PIPSM, have been coming up with new efforts to prevent sexual misconduct. T h e M i n n e s o t a S t udent Association introduced a “safe transfer” bill that would require the

University to place specific notations on a student’s transcript if they have been disciplined for sexual misconduct. Additionally, the Council of Graduate Students recently launched a Graduate Student Helpline form, through which students can report problems to administration, including misconduct. Andrew Durkot, president of the Professional Student Government, said one of the issues that has b e e n b ro u g h t u p f ro m Humphrey School of Public Affairs students was preventing professors with

previous misconduct violations from teaching. Golden said the goal for PIPSM is not only to prevent sexual misconduct, but to create a better climate where community members feel comfortable enough to report or intervene in instances of sexual misconduct. “If somebody feels more comfortable reporting or saying something... that’s going to tell us how successful we’re being in terms of creating a culture that is willing to do something about sexual misconduct,” Golden said.

=

EDITORIAL BOARD Ariana Wilson Editorials & Opinions Editor awilson@mndaily.com Samantha Woodward Editorial Board Member swoodward@mndaily.com BUSINESS Jacob Kenyon Sales Manager jkenyon@mndaily.com Tiffany Welty Assistant Sales Manager twelty@mndaily.com David Keane Controller dkeane@mndaily.com =

=

In the article “University student group enters fight to combat racism in medicine,” a cutline misidentified the student group’s name. They are White Coats for Black Lives. The Minnesota Daily strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately. The Minnesota Daily is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future. The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations. The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 10,000 issues biweekly. All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste. U.S. Postal Service: 351–480.

3

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Child care u from Page 1

use the funds from the SSF to pay teacher salaries. Myers said the CCCC will continue to apply for the SSF because they have found no other funds to cover the discounts it offers to students and other expenses. “The part that’s so difficult for us is because we are in early childhood education … for us it’s difficult to find alternate forms of funding without making the students kind of take the full brunt of that,” Myers said. “Ultimately, we did have to increase the weekly fees that students pay for their kids to be here.” When SSF funding was at its peak, the ECLC was able to provide a 25 percent discount to student parents for childcare costs. As funds allocated to the centers have decreased, so have the discounts. Because of the decrease in funding and the extensive, months-long process applicants must go through to receive funding through the SSF, the ECLC ultimately decided this July to no longer apply for funds through the SSF. As a result, tuition rates for the daycare centers will no longer be discounted

Bystander u from Page 1

hopefully rethink what they would do,” Moore said. “The idea of this chain reaction makes me feel safer.” University athletes were the first student community to receive the bystander training in 2018. Around 700 student athletes participated in the first training. “I feel like it has a tremendous value-added impact on our community because it is empowering student athletes to really be intentional of building a community of respect,” said Peyton Owens III, the senior associate athletics director.

Ignacio, 2, plays with toys at the Como Early Learning Center on Tuesday, Nov. 19. (Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)

to students. Rebecca Stabler is a mother of two and married to a University graduate student. She serves as the chair of the ECLC. As both a board member and a parent, she has seen how challenges have mounted for the center as funds have dwindled. “At some point the University cared, right?” Stabler said. “They’re slowly backing away.” A committee of students decides how much SSF funding each group receives per semester. The process is “viewpoint neutral,” meaning the committee treats all student groups the same and does not prioritize any one issue, including child care.

“The funding wasn’t cut – the process was changed,” said Sara Carvell, associate director of the Office of Student Affairs. “Groups come and apply for this money every year, so it’s never guaranteed.” The University knew the changes would affect the child care centers when the SSF process changed in 2016, so it created a $150,000 grant pool for all student parents and their child care costs, Carvell said. After a 2018 announcement that the on-campus Child Development Center would close, protests prompted the formation of Provost’s Child Care Advisory Committee to look at child care needs on campus. The 20-person child

As a result of the bystander training from Boynton, University Athletics created the student group Athletes Supporting Advocacy and Prevention. The group has approximately 15 student athletes. They are currently working to develop a student strategy related to prevention and support for survivors. The group of athletes is planning to do their second Bystander Intervention Training next year. “We really do want to tailor these for different student communities as the opportunity arises,” Leizinger said. “If we see continuing success and the results are positive with Greek life, I think that’s a model that we’re looking to pursue in other student groups and other departments, as well.”

Retirement

Attempted robbery and assault near UMN The incident is the third SAFE-U alert involving a robbery this month. BY YVES DE JESUS ydejesus@mndaily.com

An attempted robbery and assault took place Wednesday afternoon, according to an all-campus alert. The incident occurred near 15th Avenue

Cybersecurity u from Page 1

“Are people trying to attack us? The answer is absolutely,” said Brian Dahlin, chief information security officer for the University. “We get attacked every second. It is just a constant that is an attribute of the internet.” There have been at least 233 reported phishing scams since 2012, according to a University IT page. Mandatory Duo security implementation was a response to these attacks. However, that does not mean it is time to run the red alarm. Dahlin said in his eight years of experience as chief information security officer, he has not dealt with any massive data breaches. According to IT, nothing substantive has been reported and the University is required by law to undergo ongoing risk assessments. That is not to say that data breaches have not occurred in the past — they are just not all related to the trope of a hacker hunched over a desktop in a dimly-lit basement. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that that information was put into the hands of some malicious actor or hacker or something along those lines. It could be as simple as an individual sent somebody personal information to the wrong email address,” Dahlin said.

Southeast. One male suspect, described to be in his 20s and wearing a black hoodie and grey pants, was last seen headed toward Como Avenue Southeast. The SAFE-U alert is the first this week and fourth in November. Three of the four alerts this month have involved robbery. Last Friday, a robbery was reported in Marcy-Holmes near 14th Avenue Southeast and Eighth Street Southeast. Two suspects fled the scene.

Andrew Odlyzko, a professor at the University’s School of Mathematics, said that people should not let data breaches or concerns for cybersecurity keep them up at night. “Cybersecurity is very important, but it’s not an imminent danger,” he said, adding that people are too quick to think of the worst case scenario. “Most of the time, the worst case doesn’t happen.” So, just how much data does the University store? The short answer: a lot. “The University is a small city,” Dahlin said. A small city stores an awful lot of data: according to the Office of Information Technology data storage team, the University stores about 42 petabytes. Peta-what? A petabyte is a memory unit equivalent to 1 million gigabytes. For some context, say you have an iPhone 7 with 128 gigabytes of storage. To fill one petabyte, you would need approximately 7,813 iPhones. To fill the University’s storage capacity, you would need more than 328,000 iPhones. That’s a lot of data. How exactly do we store it all? It depends on what kind of information is stored. Data is retained by the University for different periods of time depending on what exactly the data is. Undergraduate admissions

care committee had two student representatives and no representatives from either the CCCC or the ECLC. In the 50-page report produced by the committee to highlight the importance of child care to the University, the centers were mentioned once. The University’s Child Development Center, which serves mostly University staff and faculty, was mentioned nearly 30 times. “I’m always hopeful that [the University] will use us as a resource,” Executive Director of ECLC Katie Johnson said. “My hope is that they will include us in discussions going forward about child care on campus in general ... I would love to be part of that community.” Going forward, Stabler is hoping to create more of a sense of community among student parents and increase student representation in making child care decisions. “...If you’re looking at power structures, students don’t have the most power,” Stabler said. “One staff member at the University said, ‘We know that we have the power, we aren’t gonna let you guys fall behind’ — and they let us fall.” Michelle Griffith contributed to this story.

The McDonald’s located on the corner of Fourth Street Southeast and 15th Avenue Southeast is seen on Saturday, Aug. 31. (Jack Rodgers / Minnesota Daily)

Housing u from Page 1

they typically do not play a role in private developments near campus, they are still interested in pursuing more opportunities to do so. “This is an area where I’m catching up and learning about our role as a neighbor ... We’re committed to being a good neighbor, but that doesn’t have a universal signature or definition,” Gabel said in a recent interview with the Minnesota Daily. “We have worked really closely to build bridges with … our surrounding communities.” The Road Map for the Future of Greater

u from Page 1

and General Account Limited, will remain options. This shift is in line with what many Big Ten universities are undergoing or considering, Horstman said, and Fidelity is well known in the higher education community. The Retirement Plan Governance Committee, which has fiduciary responsibility for University faculty, chose Fidelity over several other companies in June 2018. Brian Burnett, the senior vice president for finance and operations, sent an email informing faculty of this change last month, but some have expressed concern with the transition. Nancy Luxon, a professor in the political science department, sent an email to the Faculty Consultative Committee and the Retirement Subcommittee outlining concerns. In a statement emailed to the Minnesota Daily, Luxon said she hopes to see more clear communication about the change in the coming weeks. “This is a serious question that bears on faculty compensation,” the statement read. “I was quite surprised that faculty had not been surveyed about their experiences with our current plan … that there had been no campus forum to either seek input or [vet] proposed changes; and that the most recent communication from Vice President

applications and advising records are stored for up to 5 years; litigated complaint records and billing disbursement information are stored for up to 10 years. The data is also afforded different protections and access based off its security level or relation to FERPA and HIPAA laws. FERPA and HIPAA … what are those? “FERPA is the most comprehensive or major law in the world of student data privacy,” said Stacey Tidball, director of the University’s Continuity and Compliance. Enacted in 1974, FERPA determines what student information is publicly available and what is private. Student data available to the public includes email address, phone numbers and physical address, according to University policy. However, students do have the opportunity to suppress what information is publicly available. Lori Ketola, director of the Health Information and Compliance Office, explained that there are state and federal regulations that deal with protecting health data. Health data, such as Boynton Health records and research, are subject to HIPAA, a federal law protecting individual health information. Minnesota state laws restrict even more information than HIPAA. Like FERPA breaches,

ILLUSTRATION BY HAILEE SCHIEVELBEIN, DAILY

Burnett was so confusingly presented.” “I don’t think most faculty know what is being proposed or why,” she added in the statement. Sheri Breen, a professor on the Morris campus and member of the FCC, said she felt there was not broad knowledge about the transition among faculty. “Sending out notice is not the same as being informed,” she said. Not having all the information could lead to faculty being stressed, she said, because this could change how they think about their longterm plans. Breen said she wanted to make sure faculty on the Morris campus were informed of the change. Luxon also noted the lack of information available about the transition. “The new plan with Fidelity might well be better, but

it’s hard for me to compare the two because in a basic sense the plan hasn’t been presented and explained,” an emailed statement read. Horstman said the educational resources offered to participants was an important factor in choosing a vendor. Fidelity is able to provide robust educational resources, he said, and starting in April, the University will have a full-time Fidelity representative available as a resource on all University system campuses. Horstman said multiple faculty committee chairs provided input during the decision-making process. He emphasized that communication will be important over the coming months to make sure participants feel informed and confident with the decisions they make. “While I don’t see any downside to what we’re doing

HIPAA Security Officer Rick Wagner said “most of the HIPAA breaches that occur are related to human error,” such as accidentally emailing the wrong person and compromising personal data or misplacing a laptop.

standards set by the Higher Education Information Security Council, the University scores equal to or better than the average cybersecurity scores in 14 of 15 categories. One solution Dahlin suggested to help bolster the University’s cybersecurity was increased automation, in which technology responds to cyber attacks or vulnerabilities. However, third-year electrical engineering student Sina Roughani pointed out flaws in the current University system. A novice hacker, Roughani said he found vulnerabilities in the forms student filled out for the parking lottery in the Parking and Transportation Services Department, which have since been resolved. Roughani advocated for increased student information privacy last year. “[The University] certainly isn’t on the leading edge for making sure that they’re protecting against major vulnerabilities, like on the people search site. That one is currently vulnerable to a couple of attacks that can basically take the site down,” he said.

How do we stack up to other Universities? Well, that is hard to say. While there have been data breaches in the past, none have been as severe as other breaches at other Big10 schools. For example, in 2012, the University of Nebraska Lincoln experienced a data breach potentially exposing personal information, including social security numbers, of more than 650,000 current and former students. Rutgers University had to spend $3 million after a series of cyberattacks took down their computer network four separate times during the 20142015 school year. Cybersecurity across higher ed can be difficult to compare as University structures, sizes and budgets differ. “We’re talking to each other. We’re gathering ideas from each other,” Tidball said. “Different institutions are more innovative here and less innovative there. I don’t get the sense that there’s someone across the board doing everything perfectly.” So how is the University doing overall? When compared to

What’s next? “Twenty years ago or so you didn’t see [online] security teams exist at all. You also had very little guidance on what people should be doing in security to try to help secure the organization,” Dahlin said.

Dinkytown, a partnership between MHNA, the University and other stakeholders, outlines goals for greater engagement amid increasing development. Kristen Eide-Tollefson, a coordinator with Preserve Historic Dinkytown who works on the initiative, said she has also been working with the University’s OffCampus Living to foster greater connections. “Because one of our intentions is to create a sustainable civic engagement infrastructure for Greater Dinkytown and the students, we know we’re going to need the help of the University to do that,” she said. Dylan Anderson contributed to this report.

… I am sensitive to the fact that people are digesting it for the first time,” Horstman said. University faculty can expect to receive more information in a packet mailed to their homes before April, he said. Next, a process called “mapping” will take place, said Greg Zandlo, a financial adviser for North East Asset Management who works frequently with University employees. During this process, existing investments will be matched with the most similar Fidelity investment options and transferred over. This will happen automatically, but participants will have the opportunity to actively choose different plans. Faculty can expect a “blackout” period during the actual transition, Zandlo said, during which they will not be able to move their funds for a week or more. However, investments will stay in the market while this occurs, he emphasized. Zandlo noted that often people are not prepared to make decisions when it comes to investing money because of how complicated it can be. Fidelity will be responsible for providing adequate education on the options being provided, he said. In-person informational sessions with Fidelity representatives are being planned for February and March, Horstman said.

According to David Du, director of the University’s Center for Research in Intelligent Storage, one of the greatest challenges in data storage is simply keeping up with technological advances. Cloud storage, for example, has a seemingly limitless lifespan, whereas floppy disks, which reached peak popularity during the mid ‘80s, only had a lifespan of five to seven years. It can be a constant game of catch-up, he said, but the University has no solid plans to move data to another medium. According to Odlyzko, cybersecurity is all a balancing act. Technological infrastructure can always be more secure, but human comfort often imposes a limit. “The dual system is not the strongest form of two factor authentication. There are certain ways to subvert it,” Odlyzko said. “We could go to a more secure route where you carry a special token, which lets you authenticate yourself. But we don’t do it. Why? Because it’s less convenient.” Dahlin said that the University is on par with other institutions of higher education, but the cybersecurity team constantly tries to keep up with innovation in a rapidly evolving world. “It’s not just us – everybody who is on the internet is getting attacked in some way,” Dahlin said. “It’s certainly a threat to us, but with cybersecurity we have a defense mechanism.”

4

Sports

UPCOMING NOV 21

Men’s Basketball vs. Central Michigan 7 p.m.

Men’s Hockey

BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com

vs. Wisconsin 7 p.m.

Volleyball

vs. Nebraska 8 p.m.

NOV 23

Women’s Cross Country NCAA Championships 10:15 a.m.

Men’s Cross Country NCAA Championships 10:15 a.m.

Football

at Northwestern 11 a.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Montana State 2 p.m.

Women’s Hockey at Minnesota Duluth 3:07 p.m.

Volleyball vs. Iowa 7 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. Wisconsin 7 p.m.

NOV 24

Wrestling

at Oklahoma State 2 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. North Dakota 6 p.m.

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

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019

McGraw leading from back row

at Minnesota Duluth 3:07 p.m.

Women’s Hockey

MN DAILY

VOLLEYBALL

McGraw leads U in digs and blocks this season despite missing two games.

NOV 22

MNDAILY.COM

In volleyball, libero isn’t a position that receives a lot of recognition, but C.C. McGraw doesn’t care. McGraw is only concerned with making plays for her teammates, and her contributions don’t go unnoticed. Through 24 matches she’s made no shortage of plays, leading her team with 335 digs and adding a team-high 20 aces. Her 4.41 digs per set ranks third in the Big Ten. Her hard work in the back row is paying dividends, as the Gophers are currently one of the best defensive teams in the conference. The Gophers lead the Big Ten in digs per set, averaging 16.99, and they’re fourth in the conference in opposing hit percentage, limiting their opponents to a .181 hit percentage. Libero may not always see the love it deserves, but McGraw wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. “I just love the position because I love getting to not only start every play and be the first touch, but getting to help out my teammates. My position doesn’t get the glory, which I’m totally okay with,” she said. “I just like to be that supporter. I like hyping everyone up and helping them out.” McGraw has had plenty of opportunities to hype her team up this season. They notched their 20th win Saturday in a sweep over No. 23 Michigan. After the match, head coach

Libero C.C. McGraw celebrates a point at the Maturi Pavilion on Thursday, Nov. 14. The Gophers ended the night with a 3-1 loss against the Badgers. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

Hugh McCutcheon praised the play of the back row defenders, on a night McGraw led the team with 16 digs. The win helped the Gophers keep pace in the arduous Big Ten conference, an increasingly impressive feat considering the adversity the team has endured throughout the season. “Honestly, I’m just really proud of the way our team has been able to handle all this adversity, because I feel like every week we do have a different lineup out there,” McGraw said. “I think we’ve come together as a team really, really well, and we don’t overthink it.” McGraw has been a

key part of helping the team come together, leading the way from the back row and building on her success from last season that earned her a Big Ten All-Freshman selection. She started building on that success this offseason, with two trips to Japan, the first with her Gophers teammates in March and the second with the Team USA Collegiate National Team. The two trips to Japan familiarized her with a new style of play, a style heavily focused on defense. A fast moving game got faster overseas, leading McGraw to embrace their “digging mentality,” where she’s not going to let the

ball hit the floor. “They didn’t have height, so they had to focus on a defensive type of game,” she said. “Coming back for the second trip I tried to really implement that into my game.” Along with implementing a “digging mentality,” McGraw continued to do what she loves, helping out her Team USA teammates and coaches. She helped her teammates adjust to the new game and unfamiliar territory, and having played the same teams just two months before, she was the inside source for her coaches, explaining different players’ tendencies. “I was telling them what their shots are

because I could literally remember, which is weird,” she said. The Team USA season may be over for now, but the Gophers season is well underway with only four matches to go and their last home stand this weekend. As the season approaches a close, there’s no question McGraw will continue to be that supporter for her team, not always getting the praise and the glory, but making crucial plays in crucial moments and doing it for her teammates. “I’ve never felt so loved by a team, and I’ve never loved a team so much in my career,” McGraw said. “It’s just really, really cool to be a part of it.”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Gophers happy with harder non-conference schedule After easy start to last season, Gophers wanted a bigger challenge. BY BRENDAN O’BRIEN bobrien@mndaily.com Ahead of the women’s basketball season, Minnesota head coach Lindsay Whalen knew it was important for the Gophers to be tested against their non-conference opponents. In her first season as the head coach for Minnesota last year, Whalen l e d t h e G o p h e r s t o 11 consecutive wins against nonconference opponents before the start of Big Ten conference play. While impressive, Whalen felt like her team was not as challenged as they needed to be. Of the 11 nonconference games to start last season, only two took place away from the comfort of Williams Arena. More importantly, only one of their nonconference opponents, Syracuse, finished with a winning record and played

The Gophers look to recover a rebound during the game against Arizona State at Williams Arena on Sunday, Nov. 17. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

in last season’s NCAA Tournament. Seven of the nonconference opponents failed to win 10 games last season. “That’s why we wanted to schedule harder in the nonconference this year,” Whalen said before the season. “We wanted to

schedule harder so we knew right away what we had and what we need to work on, and so it’s going to be fun.” The nonconference opponents on Minnesota’s schedule this season look to be more challenging on paper. Six of the

11 nonconference opponents had a winning record last season and four played in the NCAA Tournament. Senior guard Jasmine Brunson and the rest of the Gophers now plan to make the most of this nonconference schedule to prepare for Big Ten

opponents and a possible appearance in this season’s NCAA Tournament. “The nonconference schedule last year is something that hurt us in my opinion,” Brunson said earlier this season. “We have a tougher schedule this year with the nonconference. ... You always want to try to test yourself and see where you guys are at when you play a good team, because they’re going to make you pay.” Two notable opponents Minnesota have played thus far are Missouri State and Arizona State, as both teams made it to the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament a season ago. The Gophers saw mixed results in these two games, starting off slowly by losing 77-69 to Missouri State but beating Arizona State 80-66 in impressive fashion. The Gophers also beat Vermont 90-58 and Milwaukee 77-61 earlier this month, giving the team a 3-1 record. Minnesota still has one of its most challenging games of the season in the

beginning of December when the Gophers travel to South Bend, Indiana to take on Notre Dame as a part of the Big Ten-ACC C h a l l e n g e . T h e F i g h ting Irish won 35 games last season, had a 16-1 record at home and lost to Baylor in the NCAA Championship game in April. With all of these difficult opponents, Whalen said the team will be able to learn more about themselves and how they can improve throughout the season to reach their goal of reaching the NCAA Tournament. “You learn a lot early just playing really great teams, and it helps for everything down the road,” Whalen said after the victory against Arizona State Sunday. “That was all of our returners’ goals was to get back there to the tournament, so we’ve got to come out and play teams that were there and just to have that experience early before you get to the Big Ten but helps you later down the road as well.”

FOOTBALL

Tanner Morgan in concussion protocol ahead of Northwestern game Morgan was injured during the fourth quarter against Iowa last week. BY PAUL HODOWANIC phodowanic@mndaily.com Gophers starting quarterback Tanner Morgan is in concussion protocol, head coach P.J. Fleck said Tuesday. Morgan sustained the injury in the final moments in the team’s loss to Iowa. Morgan was sacked on back-to-back plays to begin the team’s final drive. He was taken out of the game and didn’t come back for

either of Minnesota’s final two offensive plays. Morgan is progressing well, Fleck said, but his status for Saturday’s game at Northwestern remains in question. Morgan was listed as the starter on Minnesota’s official depth chart released on Tuesday. If Morgan is unable to play, it will snap a 15-game starting streak for the quarterback. The team is 12-3 in that stretch. This season, Morgan has thrown for 2,468 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. Last week, Morgan was named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National

Quarterback Award, presented annually to the best college quarterback. If Morgan doesn’t clear concussion protocol, either freshman Cole Kramer, freshman Jacob Clark, or a combination of both will play in his place. Whoever gets the nod to start will depend on how each player performs in practice, Fleck said. “They’re both getting better, they’re both working really hard, they’ve both made a ton of progress, they both had a lot thrown at them,” Fleck said. “You might see both of them play if Tanner can’t go.”

The pair of freshmen have thrown four passes combined in their limited action in games. Kramer came in to replace Morgan against Iowa, throwing a pair of incompletions. However, just because Kramer was called to replace Morgan last week doesn’t give him the edge this week, Fleck said. Fleck indicated he will know more as the week progresses, but it appears a decision about Morgan’s status may not be made until game time. The Gophers play their final road game of the season against Northwestern on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 11 a.m.

Quarterback Tanner Morgan throws the ball at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday, Oct 26. (Sydni Rose / Minnesota Daily)

5

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019

ART

Torchress’ hand blown glass work, participating in a collection with other women artists, sits on display at Legacy Glass Works on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Minnesota Daily / Jasmin Kemp)

Women kick glass in the Twin Cities Twin Cities women glass artists express their creative sides with a unique medium. BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com

Glass is a difficult medium to work with, as it involves knowing how to use a molten-hot furnace. However, glass artists have developed respect and understanding for their craft through years of trial and error. This also rings true for the women glass artists of the Twin Cities. This art form is their platform for expressing themselves through more than just glass pipes. Each glass artist was first exposed to glass in different settings. For Corina Guerra, it was as a high schooler before touring Alfred University in 2008. Guerra and her mom made a stop in Corning, New York before getting to the school.

“They have this big glassblowing museum and I saw a demonstration and it was the coolest thing in the world,” said Guerra. “I was like ‘How do I do that with my life?’” So, she enrolled in Alfred University’s glassblowing program. Since graduating, she uses glass in more than just the artistic sense. Guerra now works full time as a scientific glassblower for 3M. She sees glasswork through two different lenses — as creative expression and a scientific experiment. “When I’m not making tactical things for clients, I’m messing around and working more with design than like art with a capital ‘A.’” In her time working in several glass-related fields, Guerra has noticed that in some cases, there aren’t a lot of women who do this work. “In the hot shop, it’s like there’s that macho man kind of attitude with certain people,” Guerra said. “It put me off from wanting to have a career doing hot glass

Let It Glow: Happy Hour Fundraiser Celebrating Women Glass Artists of Foci MCGA Dec. 6, 5 - 8 p.m. Foci, 2010 E. Hennepin Ave., Building 10, Minneapolis Free All ages

because I didn’t want to deal with that kind of like man’s world.” There are facilities in the Twin Cities, though, where this isn’t necessarily the case. Guerra noted Foci, which is the Minnesota Center for Glass Arts. It’s a nonprofit, publicly accessible glass studio that has been an inclusive space for glass artists. There have also been showcases and events, like Legacy Glassworks’ “Girls Kick Glass,” which highlight the work of women glass artists. Kelly Nezworski, the executive director of Foci, says that their membership is 50 percent women, creating a

A hand blown glass figure produced by Dellene Peralta sits on display at Legacy Glass Works on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Minnesota Daily / Jasmin Kemp)

different atmosphere than other studios. “I really like the community at Foci because there are so many women there,” Guerra said. “I haven’t seen that in many places.” Nezworski started working with glass after finding a piece of art she admittedly couldn’t afford at the time. Now, she makes molds based on her body. She works with a 2,000-degree furnace

to create her sculptural work. “Glass can pick up the pores on your face or the fingerprints on your skin,” Nezworski said. “It replicates in a way that is just really interesting.” Nezworski realizes that glass hasn’t always been the most accessible art form to women, particularly in the past. “Glass really has intentionally throughout

history excluded women,” Nezworski said. “There was definitely a lot of machismo around it, and it stuck for a long time.” Emily McBride, the program coordinator at Foci, says the shift to inclusivity in glass arts has helped her and others identify role models in the community. “I’ve always looked up to the badass women glass artists,” McBride said. “I don’t have any fear with glass anymore. It’s really how you use your body and control the glass, and women aren’t limited at all in that sense.” McBride noted a difference in the creative processes of men and women glass artists, but ultimately everyone is working and learning together. “Men glassblowers like making fancy pieces and are super focused on technique. And you’ll see women exploring the material and being really thoughtful and creative.”

MUSIC

Electronic duo Niles Shepard reaches for the ‘Moon, Man’ Their summer Discovery Project win brought them to Electric Forest and now, a record deal.

They’re just constantly getting better and as a result, they’re more inspired. They take these opportunities and experiences and turn it into so much more.”

BY NORAH KLEVEN nkleven@mndaily.com

A year and a half ago, music-loving pals Jim Brenk and Cameron Dickison realized that together, they could manifest their dreams. The Minnesota natives met in the electronic music scene through friends and at shows. In 2018, they played their first set as Niles Shepard, and since then, they’ve been reaching for the moon. Niles Shepard’s Nov. 8 release, “Moon, Man,” is a testament to their goals. The release comes as part of their recent win with Insomniac Music Group’s Discovery Project — an open casting call to electronic artists. Contestants compete for a chance to perform at an Insomniac festival. These are big-name festivals, including Electric Forest, Electric Daisy Carnival, Nocturnal Wonderland and more. To apply, contestants must submit an hour-long mix and an original song; if chosen, it is released through Insomniac’s

ALYSSA BURGESS Niles Shepard manager

Jim Brenk, left, and Cameron Dickison, right, who make up the electronic music duo Niles Shepard, pose for a portrait in their studio space next to Bauhaus Brew Labs on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Minnesota Daily / Liam Armstrong)

Discovery Project label. Niles Shepard’s original intention, Dickison said, was simply to expose music industry executives to the name Niles Shepard. “We knew we’d be in, but we didn’t think we were going to be winning, necessarily,” he said. Dickison recalled he was working at his day job, setting up audio and visual production elements for Soundset, when

he got a call from someone at Insomniac. “I could feel the smile from ear to ear,” he said. Niles Shepard was one of two winners of the Electric Forest Discovery Project. “Then he called me,” Brenk said. “And we’ve talked a lot, right? Never in my life has Cam said, ‘Are you sitting down?’ Then he said something to the effect of, ‘Well it doesn’t matter because we’re

going to E-Forest baby!’” “Moon, Man,” which helped secure their win, is a disco-influenced house jam, a common trait between much of Niles Shepard’s music up to this point. The track oozes creativity, including a partial vocal sample of Neil Armstrong’s iconic line from the from first moon landing, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

“I would say it’s the music that you dance in the dark to,” Brenk said. Though Niles Shepard’s sound takes influence from disco and the Chicago house music scene, the pair is still evolving and doesn’t plan to constrain themselves to one sound. Niles Shepard credits the Discovery Project win with proving to themselves and others just what they are capable of together. “It’s kind of legitimized our case completely,” Brenk said. After the release of “Moon, Man,” Brenk and Dickison say they saw their Spotify

listeners jump from hundreds to thousands. This week, the track earned recognition from LA-based house music producer Jauz, who played it on his radio stream. Alyssa Burgess, Niles Shepard’s friend-turned-manager, met Dickison and Brenk at Electric Forest when they performed this summer. “The energy that they brought was so infectious,” she said of their Electric Forest set. Burgess said she has noticed that Niles Shepard is stronger with each record release and performance. “They’re just constantly getting better and as a result, they’re more inspired,” Burgess said. “They take these opportunities and experiences and turn it into so much more.” On the horizon for Niles Shepard is a busy schedule, with six upcoming releases before February and a whole lot of studio time. Their next song, “Whips,” comes out Nov. 22. “They already have been amazing, they’ve just been working even more now that they can see their future being panned out in front of them,” Burgess said. “Niles Shepard will be a big name to watch out for.”

6 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

COLUMN

Part 2: Good allies don’t abandon allies Soldiers don’t do it. President Trump just did.

Uma Venkata columnist

W

e must not forget that Trump is the president of the United States, and in that office, he is directly supplied with the most thorough

and up-to-date intelligence that our country can produce. He was fully aware of the CIA and DOD’s plans to orchestrate the offensive against the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. His decision to withdraw from Syria was advised by an autocratic leader of another country, not the officials and experts of our own. Trump compromised the mission against al-Baghdadi and put our own troops and operatives under more pressure and in more danger. The United States succeeded, despite Trump’s decision, in causing the death of alBaghdadi on October 26, 2019. The mission was helped most by intelligence supplied by Kurds from Syria and Iraq. The American army’s Delta Force commando invaded the compound in northwestern Syria. While trying to escape, al-Baghdadi took a suicide vest and three children into a tunnel below. He blew up himself and the children. When Trump announced al-Baghdadi’s death, he said, “...we have won against ISIS. We’ve beaten them and we’ve beaten them badly, we’ve taken back the land, and now

it’s time for our troops to come back home.” This is a lie: we have not beaten the Islamic State, and our current absence in the area now means we can no longer stop them from resurging. The death of al-Baghdadi is a victory against ISIS. But a leader is replaceable, and this is something we can expect a president to know. A new American absence only makes it easier for ISIS to resurge. Because we are not there to deter ISIS, the Kurds have lost the manpower we supplied. The Kurds must now defend themselves against ISIS and offensive Turkish forces. They have aligned themselves with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, who was their former adversary and is still ours. It was from alAssad, as well as Turkey and ISIS, we were protecting the Kurds while we were present in Syria. The implications after the American withdrawal from Syria will probably weigh heavily on the American future in the Middle East. Other countries — both weak and powerful — notice what

we do and how unreliable we are to our own allies. Just electing a new American president can’t solve the problem of our slipping stature in the world since the Trump administration began. Trump is undergoing an impeachment inquiry, including testimonies from White House aides confirming his improper action with a foreign government against domestic political opponents. Trump is demonstrating that there are very few standards left to preserve with respect to foreign relations. But one of the greatest, most heartbreaking developments of all has been the American military move to leave our former allies, the Kurds, at the mercy of the enemies we had been protecting them from for years. That isn’t just selfish, cosmetic and myopic. It’s hellish and cruel. And I don’t think it’s American.

Uma Venkata welcomes comments at uvenkata@mndaily.com.

COLUMN

Increasing access to public transit can help fix the Dinkytown food desert A new proposal from MSA would expand the Campus Zone pass and potentially make U-Passes free, which would help combat the Dinkytown food desert.

Jonathan Ababiy columnist

T

he MSA Infrastructure Committee has been very productive during my time at the U. They moved to expand

the hours of Gopher Chauffeur and pressed Parking and Transportation Services hard about bus problems during the winter season. It’s a relatively rare bright spot in an institution with a lot of infighting and drama. The Minnesota Daily recently reported they have another promising idea in the works. MSA is reportedly working with legislators to extend the Campus Zone pass to the Prospect Park and U.S. Bank stops, meaning students can ride free between these stops. The proposal is somewhat of a stalking horse for the larger goal of making U-Passes free for students, but this is a nice first step. This proposal, and the U-Pass’ overall goal, is to increase access to public transit. There is value in making commuting for students easier, and it lessens the pressure in getting to class quickly while living in Dinkytown or Como. This part is pretty obvious. But the other less obvious, just as important benefit that needs to be talked about is that a Campus Zone or U-Pass expansion would be an excellent way to combat the

Dinkytown food desert. About 5,878 people live in the three Census block groups that roughly comprise Dinkytown, but there is no full service grocery store for the neighborhood. We have a Target Express, but beside being a useful place to pick up toothpaste or another box of pasta, it’s a mega-convenience store. There isn’t access to much fresh produce, which is much healthier to eat than processed food. But, there are plenty of options for fullservice grocery stores around Dinkytown. The neighborhood itself is surrounded by a ton of options. North of Como is Cub, Fresh Thyme is east of campus right off the green line, south of campus via the blue line is an Aldi, and west of campus downtown there is a Trader Joe’s. The trouble is, as many students are broke or don’t have cars, these places can be hard to reach. I would walk a mile and a half to go to a cool coffee shop, but not while carrying two paper bags of groceries whose glue begins to come undone at any weight larger than a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. Throw in the cold and these grocery

stores might as well be in St. Louis Park, if you’re walking. This is where an expanded Campus Zone pass or U-Pass could be of good use. It unlocks access to more stops of the Light Rail and also the real gem of the Twin Cities — its buses. The 2, 3, and 6 bus lines each stop in Dinkytown and within two blocks of a grocery store. A free ride to Trader Joe’s or Fresh Thyme is nice, but the walk back to Dinkytown from the East Bank station would still suck. That isn’t true if you’re taking the 3 or 6. The Dinkytown food desert doesn’t look like it is resolving itself anytime soon. So, it’s good that MSA is being proactive about expanding transportation access. It’s the next best thing. After all, it’s a crime that it’s so hard to get to Fresh Thyme’s Wednesday deals on fruit and avocados.

Jonathan Ababiy welcomes comments at jababiy@mndaily.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

As response to criticism of the Turkish American Student Association’s bridge painting

I

t has come to our attention that the panel we painted on the Washington Bridge has created confusion among some students and faculty at the UMN. As the board of the Turkish American Student Association, we do not intend to make a political statement with the inclusion of the map of Cyprus on our mural. Our intentions were misinterpreted and seen as divisive. Our intention with the mural was to strive for an authentic representation of the students who are part of our organization. We included both the maps of Turkey and Cyprus, for our Turkish and Turkish-Cypriot members expressed a desire to show where they come from on our mural this year. In our painting of Cyprus, our Turkish-Cypriot member included the United

CARTOON BY ROBERT MCGRADY

Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus. The buffer zone was established in 1964 to prevent further inter-communal conflicts that have affected the lives of thousands of Cypriots. Cyprus has had a Turkish-Cypriot population well before 1974. The letter overlooks the violence that precedes the events of 1974 and fails to consider all angles of the incidents. We request the writers to be objective in their judgment. Unfortunately, the letter reaches biased conclusions about our group based on the current political atmosphere. References to the political role of Turkey in the Middle East in the letter are misleading. TASA is a cultural group, and we are not representatives of the Turkish government and their policies. Therefore, we request not to be

affiliated with arguments that arise from politics. The Turkish American Student Association does not support the conflict in Cyprus or elsewhere. Our mission is to celebrate Turkish culture which includes anyone who feels connected to our culture. We believe that different cultures can coexist in an environment that is peaceful and loving. We will continue to celebrate diversity on campus and express our heritage freely in ways we believe best reflect our experience.

This letter was written on behalf of the Turkish American Student Association.

SHARE YOUR VIEWS The Minnesota Daily welcomes letters and guest columns from readers. All letters must include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification. The Daily reserves the right to edit all letters for style, space, libel and grammar. Letters to the editor should be no more than 500 words in length. Guest columns should be approximately 350 words. The Daily reserves the right to print any submission as a letter or guest column. Submission does not guarantee publication.

letters@mndaily.com Fax: (612) 435-5865 Phone: (612) 435-1578 Letters and columns to the editor 2221 University Ave. SE Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414 EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.

THE EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPARTMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEWSROOM

7

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019

MN DAILY

HOROSCOPES

Today’s Birthday (11/21): Rake in the silver this year. Strengthen communications infrastructure for growth. Reap benefits through communication and connection this winter before your journey takes a different tack. Make a financial change this summer before your adventure presents delightful new flavors. Conserve and preserve.

MNDAILY.COM

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Written by Nancy Black

Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is a 9 — Advance to the next level with a partner. A test or challenge is resolved, with satisfying results. Celebrate together with a favorite treat.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 9 — Advance toward a personal goal. Let others know what you’re up to and gain valuable support. Dress for the part you want. Practice with optimism.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 9 — Energize your work with love and passion. Put heart into your performance and it soars. Physical action produces results. Aim for flourishing health and vitality.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 7 — Creativity and imagination thrive with peaceful conditions. Careful planning now saves money and time later. Keep a low profile and research possibilities.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — Imagine a dream realized, especially with love and romance. Give and take without consequence. Play and have fun with someone attractive. Get creative.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 9 — Reconnect with friends. Team efforts can surge ahead. Speculate, collaborate and coordinate. Share resources, ideas and possibilities.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — Energize a home-improvement project. Decisions made now can have long-lasting impact. Consider color, lighting and mood. Try things out before committing.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is an 8 — Career opportunities have your attention. Accept an inviting challenge. You can figure out this puzzle. Keep your objective in mind. Bring your strength.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — Monitor breaking news. A creative tack could be in order. Study your options. Opportunities hide behind more obvious changes. Consider messaging and responses.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 9 — Fair winds and smooth sailing grace your journey. Explore, investigate and discover. Learn from respected mentors. Their guidance illuminates the path ahead.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is a 9 — Things could get lucrative. Harvest a windfall. Keep things simple and save extra nuts for winter. Don’t take risks or gamble. You’re building for the future.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 9 — Tackle detailed tasks to manage financial, legal or insurance matters. Bolster your shared investments through careful monitoring. Add resources where needed.

DR. DATE Dr. Date,

My boyfriend and I are pretty similar, but we have a major difference when it comes to holidays. If this were an episode of Friends, I’m Monica, the one who makes a ton of food and loves hosting people. He’s Chandler, the one who vehemently opposes Thanksgiving and disheartens everyone at the table. But unlike Chandler’s childhood trauma, my boyfriend’s hatred of Turkey Day is a new thing — apparently he had some awful food at last year’s Friendsgiving and threw up for three days, so he now hates everyone who enjoys the holiday. That would be me and my family. See, we’ve been dating for a long enough time that my mom invited him to his first family holiday with us: Thanksgiving. I said yes for him, assuming that he could get over his stupid phobia for an event important to me. NOPE. He threw a fit and is refusing to go, saying “he doesn’t trust my family” and “celebrating food is lame.” Look, I don’t think I’m asking for much. How can I get my boyfriend in the holiday spirit and over to my parents’ place?

–My Boyfriend is an Asshole

Dear My Boyfriend is an Asshole,

Wow, what a name. Don’t get me wrong, this is something you’re allowed to be upset about, but think about it from your boyfriend’s point of view for a second. He has some trauma (at least that’s how he would probably describe it) from a recent Thanksgiving and instead of finding a compromise or discussing it more, you told your parents he would celebrate anyway without asking. Now if he cancels, your parents will probably be a little bitter, and he’ll look bad. You do have a point, but I’m not sure you could change his mind. Some people just don’t celebrate certain holidays and even if the reason seems a little ridiculous, it sounds like he would bring the whole mood down if he attended. If he really doesn’t want to go, try asking your parents if he could come for Christmas or New Years?

–Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

When I made my Tinder profile, I put the typical things in my bio: major, music tastes, height, etc. Well, I kind of put ... another measurement in there. I purposefully exaggerated, so girls would think it was a joke. Seriously, who thinks a college dude has a 9 inch ... thing? Anyway, I met a girl through Tinder and after going out on a couple dates, she and I decided to spend the night at my place. Things were going great, and we were getting down to business when she LAUGHED. As in, hold your hands out and show what nine inches would be laughed. Even worse, she then said “Nine inches? You’d be lucky if that was 4!» Needless to say, nothing else happened and now I’m incredibly self-conscious. I didn’t think she would believe me in the first place, but an insult like that has crippled my manhood. How can I get over this?

–A Little Worried

Dear A Little Worried,

You ... found a girl on Tinder? After a bio like that? Size aside, I’m incredibly shocked you got any matches by putting that measurement in your bio. For the majority of girls, that’s a major turn-off. Anyway, don’t exaggerate anything in your Tinder bio. If you say you’re 6’4” and you’re only 5’9”, girls who find height important are going to be very disappointed. There’s no upside to this.

–Dr. Date

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

SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.

11/21/19

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

Last issue’s solution Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved

© 2019 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

8

Thursday, November 21, 2019

UMN professor combats local pollution Over 6,800 pounds of trash have been collected from local Lake Hiawatha. BY NATALIE RADEMACHER nrademacher@mndaily.com A University of Minnesota professor, who has removed thousands of pounds of trash from Minneapolis’ Lake Hiawatha, has teamed up with people in the Indigenous community to shed light on pollution in the lake and the significance of the water to Native people. Sean Connaughty, a University art professor, has picked up more than 6,800 pounds of trash from around Lake Hiawatha since he began in 2015. With the collected trash, Connaughty created art displays for a gallery in South Minneapolis which opened last week. The gallery space is full of items such as straws, bottles, toys and fast food containers, showing how polluted the waterway has become and encouraging action on the issue.

Some of the trash is organized by brand to highlight how some companies, such as McDonald’s, create more food packaging that ends up in the lake. Connaughty found a majority of the trash flows into the lake from street stormwater drains. “We need to realize this trash is coming from us,” Connaughty said. Part of Connaughty’s initiative involves incorporating Indigenous people and knowledge in the efforts to restore the lake. To do this, Connaughty is working with the Healing Place Collaborative, an initiative using Indigenous knowledge to better the land and community. Incorporating Indigenous knowledge Posters around the gallery describe the history of the Dakota people and how the area has been their home for thousands of years. Connaughty said the involvement of Indigenous knowledge and participation is critical to restoring the lake because the water

pollution was not an issue during the thousands of years they were the sole inhabitants of the land. It is not hard to find trash scattered around the lake currently, but Ethan Neerdaels, a Dakota culture and language specialist, said it has not always been this way. At the gallery’s opening last week, Neerdaels spoke about how the Dakota people’s relationship with the environment allowed them to live there and keep the water clean for a long time. He said this connection to the Earth is often lost in society today. “In 150 years of not being related to anything, we have polluted our waters,” he said, describing how we are exploiting the environment. “If this garbage is what we see around Lake Hiawatha, imagine what we can’t see. Imagine what is in our rivers and streams.” City initiatives Connaughty’s work has not gone unnoticed, and efforts are underway by the city of Minneapolis to find solutions to keep trash outof

Sean Connaughty, a University professor, explains his proposal to add rice fields around Lake Hiawatha and improve water quality on Friday, Nov. 19. (Mrunal Zambre / Minnesota Daily)

the water. Part of a city project to rebuild wetlands around Lake Hiawatha also involves removing a stormwater pipe that previously pumped water and trash into the lake. Planners for the initiative are exploring devices to catch the trash before it flows into

the water. Tyler Pederson, project manager for the initiative, said other places have done this sort of collection system before. A bigger challenge to reducing the lake’s trash intake is figuring out how to catch the waste that is flowing into it via Minnehaha

Creek. Because of the large volume of water coming down the creek, Pederson said it is harder to minimize trash flow. “The bigger issue is that trash is winding up in the gutter,” he said. “The simplest and cheapest way to fix this is to not throw your trash in there.”

Crime report: Record homicide numbers in Marcy-Holmes Since the start of the year, MarcyHolmes has seen four homicides. BY TAYLOR SCHROEDER tschroeder@mndaily.com

Two homicides in Marcy-Holmes in October and November marked record homicide numbers in the neighborhood. Crime Trends On Saturday, a homicide near the Stone Arch Bridge brought MarcyHolmes homicide data to a ten-year high. Total homicide numbers in the neighborhood from Jan. 1

to Nov. 20 of 2019 equal the total of the previous ten years combined. In 2019, as of Nov. 20, Marcy-Holmes saw four homicides. From Jan. 1, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2018, the neighborhood saw four homicides total. Marcy-Holmes has also seen an uptick in violent crime this month compared to the past two years. The Minneapolis Police Department defines violent crimes as instances of homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault and domestic aggravated assault. This month, as of Nov. 20, the neighborhood had seen nine violent crimes

total. This included one homicide, four robberies, three aggravated assaults and one domestic aggravated assault. Marcy-Holmes violent crime in November 2018 comprised of two robberies, while November 2017 saw four robberies. Comparatively, as of N o v . 2 0 , s e v e n v i ole nt crimes occurred in CedarRiverside this month. Over the same time frame, Prospect Park had seen two violent crimes and Southeast Como did not see any. Notable Crimes On Nov. 15 at 3 p.m., a University of Minnesota student was assaulted and

robbed at the intersection of 14th Avenue Southeast and 8th Street Southeast while she was walking home. According to a University of Minnesota Police Department report, no weapons were used and the woman was uninjured. The University later issued a campus-wide SAFEU Emergency alert on the incident. In the alert, one suspect was described as wearing acid-wash jeans and a blue and white sweater. The other was described as wearing a grey hoodie around his face. The two fled in a white vehicle. On Nov. 17 at 1:41 a.m., MPD officers made contact with a vehicle while they

were on call for a shooting. The vehicle, on University Avenue near I-35W Southbound, was allegedly similar to the vehicle of the suspected shooter. Police officers detained

the occupants of the car and found that one of the passengers had a warrant filed against her for trespassing. The woman was arrested and brought to Hennepin County Jail.