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STUDENT LIFE

Seeking Solutions

Tracking suicide data isn’t standard practice at most colleges, but it can bolster support for suicide prevention. BY HELEN SABROWSKY AND J.D. DUGGAN hsabrowsky@mndaily.com, jduggan@mndaily.com

In August, Gila Grad marked one year since surviving a suicide attempt when she jumped from a bridge in Minneapolis. On the anniversary, she gathered friends for a party to celebrate her survival. During the party, she discussed how mental illness can affect anyone — advocating for open discussion and destigmatization. Grad currently studies gender and women’s studies, religious studies and Jewish studies as a part-time student at the University of Minnesota. She’s an advocate for accessibility to resources because she said mental illness can impact anyone. “I think that if we want to get to a place where people are open to talking about difficult subjects, [we need] to just start talking about difficult subjects,” said Grad. “Depression, anxiety — any mental illness is not bound by anything.” u See PREVENTION Page 3

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Gila Grad, a student studying gender and women’s studies, religious studies and Jewish studies, poses for a portrait on a bridge on the East Bank campus on Sunday, Dec. 9. Grad survived a suicide attempt over a year ago.

PRESIDENT

FOOTBALL

Pres. finalist Gabel wins over UMN

Several football players suspended for bowl game

University members are pleased with her experience, style and approach to the job.

The Gophers are expected be without at least six players for the Quick Lane Bowl due to disciplinary action taken by the team

BY HELEN SABROWSKY AND AUSTEN MACALUS hsabrowsky@mndaily.com, amacalus@mndaily.com

There’s building excitement about University of Minnesota presidential finalist Joan Gabel as she heads into her interview before the Board of Regents this Friday. Among faculty, staff and students who have met Gabel this week on campus, a consensus emerged painting her as a “good listener,” and a “well-prepared” and “authentic” leader — qualities echoed by those who’ve worked with her. Although there were initial questions about her nontraditional background in business and law, University members say Gabel alleviated any concerns during her visit to University campuses this week. “Even though it hasn’t been the traditional path of a university president historically, I don’t think that’s against her,” said Mckenzie Dice, student representative to the Board of Regents. Sheri Breen, professor of political science on the Morris campus, said she was impressed when she met Gabel this week. “She brings a lot of different background experiences that I think are relevant to what we’re looking for in a university president,” Breen said. Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls, former chair of the higher education committee, said that multiple college presidents with nontraditional backgrounds have succeeded in their roles. “I think it’s all about the person themselves and how they have prepared for the job and sometimes we have to go out of the norm or comfort zone to find the right person,” Nornes said. Gabel, provost at the University of South Carolina and former business school dean at the University of Missouri, has a J.D. rather than a Ph.D., which is typical of college presidents. u See GABEL Page 3

Players have been disciplined for violating team rules, the Star Tribune reported Tuesday. BY PAUL HODOWANIC phodowanic@mndaily.com

for a violation of team rules, according to reports from Star Tribune and Pioneer Press. The players are not allowed to practice with the team and face wsuspension. A representative for the team said he could not comment on the situation as of Wednesday. The representative said that head coach P.J. Fleck will be available to the media on Dec. 19. The suspension is not expected to be related to any act of violence or assault, rather

for undisclosed disciplinary action. This suspension marks the second time in the last three years that Gopher players will be kept out of a bowl game. In 2016, 10 players were suspended prior to the Holiday Bowl in connection with an alleged sexual assault. The Gophers (6-6) are set to take on Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl Dec. 26. The team qualified for the bowl after defeating Wisconsin 37-15 on Nov. 24.

CITY

Minneapolis’ latest zoning policy excludes student housing Under the City’s new policy, new student housing wouldn’t have to include affordable units. BY TIFFANY BUI tbui@mndaily.com

A new City of Minneapolis housing policy meant to bolster affordable housing is opening up discussion about where students fit into the issue. The Minneapolis City Council excluded student housing from the interim inclusionary zoning policy when it passed Friday, which mandates developers to set aside some affordable units in every large-scale project. The policy, set to go into effect Jan. 1, will set the foundation for a more comprehensive future ordinance. Ward 3 Council member Steve Fletcher said even if student housing were included in the City policy, federal regulations often exclude students from qualifying for affordable housing. This leaves student housing in a gray area for policies like inclusionary zoning. “We’ve run into a lot of problems with how these affordable units are funded. If we just applied the same program to student housing that we applied to everything else, the affordable units wouldn’t go to students,” said Fletcher. Minneapolis defines affordable housing as being occupied by households with an income at or below 60 percent area median income.Student housing is defined by the City as a project near or owned by a college where 60 percent of units are expected to be leased to students. Fletcher said he and other Council members have committed to creating a studenttailored affordable housing program, which many other cities have neglected to do.

JANE BORSTAD AND MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

“As far as I know, students are getting screwed all over the country, and this is something we need to step up and show leadership on, but this is not something that’s easy,” Fletcher said. A tentative outline for the program could account for student debt as part of income qualifications for affordable housing. However, Fletcher said Minneapolis would not be able to use federal funds to finance

affordable units for students. Andrea Brennan, Minneapolis Housing Policy and Development director, said attaching affordable requirements to student housing is complicated because student income is hard to determine. Some students who are dependents of wealthy parents wouldn’t actually need rent at below market rate. u See HOUSING Page 2

ADMINISTRATION

Concerns persist for some about another lone presidential finalist at University of Minnesota By naming one finalist, some say UMN violated the spirit of Minnesota’s public data laws. BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com

University of Minnesota presidential finalist Joan Gabel was the only front-runner willing to be publicly named, even if other finalists remained in the running. That decision ended up placing Gabel on track to become the University’s 17th president.

However, there are lingering concerns about how the Board of Regents selected Gabel as the lone finalist for the position. Some transparency advocates and critics say regents “violated the spirit” of public data and open meeting laws by publicly naming only one person. Under the Minnesota Data Practices Act, candidates’ identities are not public until they are named finalists for the position. In the University’s presidential search, a candidate is considered a finalist after the board decides to interview them. If selected as a finalist, the candidate’s name becomes public.

Regents voted on naming finalists at a special meeting last Wednesday. Throughout the meeting, regents did not identify the three semi-finalists, referring to them as “Candidate A,” “Candidate B” and “Candidate C.” Unlike Gabel — revealed after the meeting as “Candidate A” — the other two candidates asked not to be publicly named unless they were selected as the sole finalist. This created difficulties for regents. Many University members wanted multiple finalists, but regents couldn’t select Gabel and other finalists without exposing their identities.

In the end, a near-unanimous board voted to name Gabel as the sole finalist, with several regents praising her willingness to go public. The identities of the other two candidates were not made public because they were not named finalists. Marshall Tanick, a Twin Cities constitutional attorney who advocated for the University to name multiple finalists, criticized the process for lacking transparency. He said regents “tip-toed” the boundaries of public data laws. u See FINALIST Page 3

VOLUME 119 ISSUE 30

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Thursday, December 13, 2018 Vol. 119 No. 30

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2000 Al Gore reluctantly concedes defeat to George W. Bush in his bid for the presidency, following weeks of legal battles over the recounting of votes in Florida. HISTORYCHANNEL.COM/TDIH

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A hawk perches on the railing of the Stone Arch Bridge on Wednesday, Dec. 12.

Multiple students apply for U Board of Regents

Student at-large and at-large seats are available next year. BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com

An at-large and student atlarge seat on the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents will open up next legislative session, making room for several students to apply. Students with past University government experience applied for both at-large seats, including Minnesota Student Association Chief of Staff James Farnsworth and former student representative to the board Joshua Preston. Both said they hope to bring a new student voice to the board at an important transition period for University leadership. “[I will] always have a student-centric angle and lens in my work on the board and the questions I’m asking and always make sure I’m being really in tune and really responsive to what’s in front of the board that’s important to students,” Farnsworth said. Per Board of Regents policy, one spot on the board is required to be filled by a current University of Minnesota student. This student-at-large position serves to increase active student representation and involvement, and provides a current student with a vote in University matters. The Minnesota Legislature elects this and all other Board of Regents seats. University graduate Regent Abdul Omari currently fills the

Housing u from Page 1

“There are a lot of challenges in being able to qualify student income for purposes of determining who needs affordable housing and who doesn’t need affordable housing,” Brennan said. The majority of cities that have adopted inclusionary zoning do not exclude student housing, said Stephanie Reyes, policy manager at Grounded Solutions Network. Reyes company was contracted by the City to make recommendations about inclusionary zoning implementation in Minneapolis.

position and has reapplied for it ahead of the session. Farnsworth said some of the most pressing upcoming issues facing the Board of Regents include nonresident tuition hikes, renaming buildings on campus and working with the new president and provost. “The role of a regent is to be a partner in those conversations as well as ask challenging questions and make sure that, the president and provost, that the board is working in conjunction with them on a mission, on a vision in a strategic way.” Currently a University law student, Preston previously served as a student representative to the Board of Regents and ran to represent Minnesota House District 60B in the August primary election. He said working with the new University president will be one of the biggest focuses for the board. “The board is going to have to develop a working relationship with the next president of the University and have the important conversation of, ‘Where do we want the University to be in ten years?’” Preston said. Regent Richard Beeson said student regents bring an important perspective to the board. “They bring the direct experience of being ... a primary stakeholder,” he said. “I

think that’s really important because for the rest of us, we’ve been out of college for 20, 30, 40 or 50 years, so it is a good reality check.” Regent Steve Sviggum said the board should not necessarily reserve a seat for students, but rather the most qualified candidate. He said he doesn’t expect the Legislature to elect a student to the at-large position. “I would very much doubt that they’re going to elect two students,” he said. All student at-large applicants have demonstrated familiarity with the University and a desire to be a part of the student community, said Regent Darrin Rosha. “Having that intent, that desire and recognition that public service of this variety can have an impact on people’s lives, I think that’s important.” According to a tweet by MPR reporter Brian Bakst, 10 University students submitted applications for both the student at-large and at-large positions. They are Andrew Brichacek, Mary Franz, Susan Grafstrom, Tommy Keller, Christina Larson, Sam Rosemark, Jorden Johnson, Mike Kenyanya, James Farnsworth and Joshua Preston. The Regent Advisory Council will review applications and interview candidates in January before sending their recommendations to the Legislature.

Reyes said most cities with inclusionary zoning policies allow developers to pay a fee in lieu of providing affordable units in any project, including student housing. This is not an option for the Minneapolis interim version. The City could decide to drop the student housing exemption as it considers how to add onto the ordinance in the next two years, Reyes said. “I think it would be a phenomenal outcome if ... units were available to students at an affordable price. Legally, that’s a difficult question,” she said. Meanwhile, areas near the University of Minnesota campus have seen a flurry of new housing as developers eye

the remaining available real estate in the City. A majority of recent developments in Prospect Park would have been affected by inclusionary zoning, said Stephen Klimek, project manager at the Towerside Innovation District. He estimated that the average unit count for a new development in the neighborhood is more than 100. Generally, developers stick to building one kind of housing, like market rate or affordable, rather than a mix, Klimek said. “Inclusionary zoning would force investors … to contend with that and invest in different kinds of projects,” he said.

Jazba gets major funding, focuses on philanthropy The student group received $28,000 in University Student Service Fee funds. BY JORDAN WILLAUER jwillauer@mndaily.com

Jazba Entertainment, an organized rooted in philanthropy, received the largest allocation of Student Service Fee funds from the University of Minnesota for the upcoming spring semester. For 2019 spring semester programming, the philanthropic group, which combines art and dance, received around $28,000 from SSF funds, which provides University funds to various student groups. This is Jazba’s first time applying for these funds and is only $2,000 shy of the maximum allocation for programming per academic year. The group’s philanthropic work and fundraising experiences influenced the high amount of funding. The student group is using the money to help host their annual Bollywoodfusion dance competition, which raises money that the group donates to Women In Need, a charity in India. SSF funds cannot be donated, but the group is using the funds to help with fundraising efforts. In its efforts to regularly raise donation funds, Jazba has dabbled in a little bit of everything. The group works at booths during Vikings games, at ValleySCARE and at local fairs. Saurav Suryawanshi, the sponsorship director for Jazba, said these were good events to promote Jazba’s mission while also fundraising money. The fundraising is in tandem with corporate sponsorships for Jazba from Minnesota companies such as 3M and Boston Scientific. This year, however, the group applied for University fees for the first time out of necessity. “A lot of the sponsors were changing up their donation packages, so we ran into a problem where

we didn’t have as much funding coming from corporate sponsors,” Suryawanshi said. The SSF funds were to make up for that gap they had in funding. “It is important to note here that this group has successfully managed this amount of money in the past,” said Jude Goossens, Student Service Fees committee chair, regarding why the group received so much money. With all funding requests, the committee considers the various student group’s past management of funds to determine how much money to allocate. Aside from the dance competition, Jazba has another, larger, more philanthropic goal. “Our mission is to spread South Asian culture in the Twin Cities,” said Atul Sehgal, the philanthropy director. “But [Jazba] was all inspired through [the 20120] incident in New Delhi.” In 2012, there was a brutal and highly-publicized sexual assault case in India. Jazba came to be a couple years later, because students wanted a way to help after the event. The group is working to help and empower impoverished women in South Asia by fundraising and donating funds to Women In Need. “It’s like a dual mission,” Sehgal said. “We spread awareness through dance and art, and at the same time we love to help out Women in Need. That’s a big aspect of who we are.” Jazba’s work has shown in their growth. Each year, the total amount donated to Women In Need by the group has increased. In 2015, Jazba donated $3,000, in 2018 that amount rose to $18,000. In the past 4 years, Jazba has donated a total of $46,000 towards the charity. “This year we hope to donate $20,000 or more,” Suryawanshi said. Jazba’s annual dance showcase will take place in February, due in part to the SSF funds. The ticket sale revenue will then be donated to the charity.

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. A previous version of the article “The cost of diabetes: young students battle an invisible disease” misstated Anna Ribbens’ job title. Ribbens is the president of College Diabetes Network at Minnesota. A previous version of the article “New plant protein research center opens on campus” misstated how the Plant Protein Innovation Center was established. B. Pam Ismail, director of the center, worked with the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition to form the center. 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.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Prevention u from Page 1

Young adult mental health, a budding field in psychology, is a growing focus throughout the country. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college-age students. On campus, suicide accounted for over one-fourth of student deaths, according to the most recently available University report. The report, which was released in 2016, included suicide data from the half-decade leading up to the report’s release in 2016. To address the complex and nuanced issue, some researchers have turned to tracking data on suicides — something they say is necessary on college campuses. A 2016 report from the University of Minnesota’s Provost Committee on Student Mental Health found that there were 18 student deaths by suicide in the preceding half-decade. Although suicide numbers on campus have not seen a sharp increase, mental health crisis interventions — urgent situations that could pose a threat to individuals — are increasing, University of Minnesota Police Department Chief Matt Clark said. UMPD documented 93 mental health interventions between 2015 and 2016, which is around a 43 percent increase from the same period two years prior. The department uses data on the number of crisis interventions to justify funding for training and community outreach programs. But Clark said tracking the number of intervention calls can be difficult. “When we respond, it might not be that it’s a crisis intervention situation initially, but we find out that’s actually the case,” Clark said. The role of data in suicide prevention By tracking student suicides, experts say universities can direct outreach to more vulnerable students and communities. But suicide tracking is not a standard procedure for many college campuses.

Gabel u from Page 1

But faculty say that Gabel, who studied philosophy as an undergraduate, believes in the academic and educational mission of the University. “I feel very comfortable with her compatibility with the broad academic mission we have here,” said Peggy Nelson, a professor in the College of Liberal Arts. Ian Ringgenberg, chair of the Professional and Administrative Senate, said some were concerned that Gabel would be a “real dollars and cents kind of person ” — more focused on the bottom line than higher education. However, he said Gabel “did a pretty good job talking about the value of higher education in not only return on investment, but our creation of knowledge.” Rep. Jennifer Schultz, DFL-Duluth, a University of Minnesota-Duluth economics professor, said she is excited to meet Gabel. “She’s going to be bringing a new perspective to the position because she’s had so much experience with other universities,” Schultz said. “I’m eager to work with her both as a legislator and faculty member.” Many University members have also praised Gabel’s leadership style, which she described as “collaborative.” Sean Chen, president of the University’s Council of Graduate Students, praised Gabel for her support of student initiatives and students. “I think she is very vibrant, very passionate, and very personable, so I do like her qualities, and she’s very knowledgeable,” he said.

3

Earlier this year, the Associated Press reported that more than half of the largest public universities in the country don’t track student suicide rates or have inconsistent tracking methods. The University of Minnesota tracks the number of student suicides by academic year. University clinic Boynton Health is notified of all student deaths and tracks them on a regular basis, said Matt Hanson, assistant director of Boynton Health’s mental health clinic. Suicide tracking, though challenging, could allow colleges to find trends about certain populations that may require additional outreach and servicing, said Nance Roy, chief clinical officer of The Jed Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to emotional health and suicide prevention among young adults. In response to public data requests from the Minnesota Daily, a host of other Big Ten universities provided unclear numbers on student suicides and tracking methods. In the 2017 Healthy Minds Study, nearly 8 percent of University of Minnesota respondents said they experienced suicidal ideation in the past year. This is slightly lower than the 2017 national rate: 11 percent of about 54,000 respondents across 54 campuses. Roy said few colleges have a uniform tracking method, but many schools are realizing the need for a centralized reporting system to learn about trends of deaths by suicide. Tracking gives experts and resource providers a statistical analysis of the need for services beyond anecdotal or qualitative evidence. In research, data tracking and statistical analysis work alongside self-reported symptoms and diagnoses. Diane Houle, mother of Jennifer Houle, a University student who died by suicide in 2015, said her daughter was a perfectionist, but that she was a generally happy and outgoing person — not someone that others expected to take their life. But mental illness is indiscriminate, she said. “We all have that ill-conceived idea about people who suffer from depression or who

Gabel will travel to all five University campuses this week. University members, especially those not on the Twin Cities campus, said they were reassured that Gabel had experience at a university with multiple campuses and a system structure. Dice, a student on the Morris campus, said Gabel was supportive of the work the campus is doing on sustainability and the role of liberal arts in higher education. “She definitely reflected what I think the Morris mission is, [which] is that students are leaving with an education that is going to make them a worldly person and more understanding of other cultures and languages and backgrounds,” Dice said. Those who’ve worked with Gabel attest to her inclusive leadership style. Hubert Mobley, vice chair of the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees, described Gabel as a “consensus builder,” who’s willing to take on initiatives, garner support and get things done. Mobley said Gabel was widely considered to be a strong candidate to take over the presidency at the University of South Carolina, after the school’s president announced his retirement last month. John Dozier, chief diversity officer at the University of South Carolina, says Gabel has been willing to “make bold decisions.” After protests by black students demanding increased attention to diversity, Dozier said Gabel pushed to add diversity officers in all academic units, backing up her “commitment to diversity,” with action. “I can’t say enough positive

might die by suicide that ... you can maybe pick them out of a group … but that is so not the way it is,” Houle said. Jennifer’s parents created a scholarship in partnership with the Carlson School of Management in Houle’s name for students who “demonstrate academic merit and leadership aptitude,” qualities shared by Jennifer. The Minnesota Department of Health uses data on suicides and mental health to identify factors and groups prone to suicide, said Melissa Heinen, a MNDOH epidemiologist. Heinen said MNDOH uses data to inform and drive prevention initiatives, focusing on communities or areas with higher suicide rates than others. The MNDOH may partner with local health care providers and community partners to increase outreach and change the discussion in these areas. Gregg Henriques, a professor of graduate psychology at James Madison University, attributes an increase in demands for psychological services to the combination of three things: a shift in the cultural attitude toward mental health that has resulted in more people seeking treatment and discussing it; an actual increase in the number of individuals who have a mental health issue, disease, behaviors and diagnoses; and changing definitions of mental health diseases. Heinen said that ultimately, prevention happens on a much smaller scale. “Prevention is local,” she said. “It’s in families and communities and relations.” Overcoming longtime barriers Many experts and individuals affected by suicide feel that awareness and open discussion can shift the paradigm — after decades of stigma and less-accessible resources. “This is a thing that anybody could have, and it could happen to anyone,” said Grad, remembering her own experience following a suicide attempt. “What matters is the access to resources that you have.”

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Diane Houle holds a picture of her husband and daughter, Jennifer Houle, at her home in Woodbury on Tuesday, Dec. 11. Houle’s daughter Jennifer was a student at the University and died of suicide in 2015.

Hanson, of Boynton Health, said the mental health fields regarding children and college students are rapidly changing, and diagnoses are happening at a younger age. He said the stigma of open conversation is also changing. “We’ve made strong strides in terms of reducing the stigma around mental health issues, but there is still a stigma,” Hanson said. Nancy Christensen, mother of University student Drew Christensen, who died by suicide in 2016, said her son’s mental illness wasn’t publicly discussed. “When Drew was diagnosed in 2014 with bipolar … we didn’t talk much about it. Because, you know, it’s a really it’s a private thing and, certainly, he didn’t want to talk about it with his friends or his family,” she said. “I didn’t want people to judge him.” The University’s 2017 Healthy Minds study notes that approximately 36 percent of respondents believe others would “think less” of someone who received mental health treatment. Alternatively, only 4 percent of respondents said they would “think less” of somebody who received mental health treatment. Nancy Christensen said Drew Christensen loved the

Regent Abdul Omari is selected to lead the presidential search committee

Board of Regents discontinues partnership with Storbeck/Pimentel and Associates, replacing the search firm with AGB Search

SEPT 14

OCT 3

JULY 27 JULY 13 President Eric Kaler announces he will step down as president in July 2019, one year before his term is scheduled to end

AUG 13 Regent Abdul Omari is selected to lead the presidential search committee

SEPT 17 -OCT 1 Presidential search committee hosts a series of listening sessions

“It’s not just a campus issue — it’s a structural issue, beyond just the University of Minnesota campus,” Sadineni said. “If we weren’t in college ... we wouldn’t have the access to resources we do now.” Houle said it can take individuals a long time to reach out for help, and that there are other challenges besides stigma. “I think a lot also has to do with … how do you know that what you’re experiencing, what you’re feeling, is not the same thing everybody else is,” Houle said. While the University is successful in providing mental health resources and support, Sadineni said the issue of mental health is complex. “But I think people are starting to see that it doesn’t have to be crisis mode … to start seeking out help,” Sadineni said. In order to recover, Grad was hospitalized for a number of weeks. She now speaks freely about mental illness. Grad said mental illness education is crucial for suicide prevention, adding that she hopes to see a support group established for suicide survivors at the University.

Finalist

three regents on the presidential search committee met candidates before selecting Gabel. Several regents raised concerns that a majority of the regents did not interview front-runners before selecting a finalist. “Being able to just talk to one really gives me concerns,” said Regent Randy Simonson. Regent Darrin Rosha, the only vote against selecting Gabel, said that choosing a sole finalist put the University “at great peril.” “I have very strong concerns about a process where the board should be conducting public interviews of finalists,” he said. Several regents took issue with public data laws, including Regent Richard Beeson, who said parts of the opening meeting law do not work for the presidential search process. “We can’t expect people who are at the most critical stages of their career to necessarily be willing to be [publicly interviewed] in a multiple candidate format,” he said. The University has a shaky history of naming presidential finalists, including a 2004 Minnesota Supreme Court ruling that found the University violated state law by interviewing finalists in private. Kirtley said the University is skirting its responsibility to conduct a transparent search for its next leader. “I think they are quite adept at basically finding loopholes or cleaving to the letter of law without the spirit of the law,” she said. “They do not seem to have embraced the idea that this should be an open and transparent process.” Kirtley did, however, commend Gabel for being willing to be publicly named. Gabel was asked about that decision Monday after being named as the lone finalist. “I do believe in the transparency of the process,” she said at a press conference. “I wanted to make myself available to the various constituencies across the state.”

u from Page 1

MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

things about her,” he said. “It’s an extraordinary gain for the University of Minnesota, if you are fortunate to land her as your president.” These qualities also stuck out to University members, who expressed excitement in Gabel’s candidacy. Laura Bloomberg, vice chair of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, said committee members liked Gabel’s strong trackrecord and expressed confidence in her ability to lead. “What we wanted to look at was the way she handled complex multi-partner situations,” Bloomberg said. “The things that really stood out to us were things that she accomplished. Things she actually had done.” Amy Pittenger, a member of the presidental search committee, said Gabel “articulated a very inspiring vision of where we could go next.” If Gabel becomes president she will face several

“The things that really stood out to us were things that she accomplished. Things she actually had done.” LAURA BLOOMBERG vice chair of Presidential Search Advisory Committee

challenges affecting the University and schools nationwide. However, Gabel’s interactions with University members inspired confidence in the University’s future where Gabel’s in charge. “It’s amazing. Because really everybody seems to have very similar opinions to what I have,” said University chemistry professor Phil Buhlmann. “I haven’t really heard anybody express any major concerns.”

TIMELINE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH University Board of Regents selects search firm Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates recruit and vet candidates

University. He was on the University handball team and he was a passionate advocate for mental health on campus. He died shortly after graduating with a degree in chemistry. “Just try to let people talk about it, and I think that, quite frankly, for students at the U and staff at the U, it’s just all about talking about it,” Christensen said. “To just let students know that it’s okay and there’s help out there.” Christensen said she and her husband are now involved in various programs, including the Make It OK campaign, which aims to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illnesses. Sravani Sadineni, director of the Minnesota Student Association’s health and wellness committee, said the new MSA campaign “Listen” aims to destigmatize mental illness through sharing personal stories about mental health, while increasing the accessibility of University mental health resources through the creation of a resource guide. Sadineni added the guide may prove especially helpful to those already struggling with mental health, but stressed that preventative care is also crucial to an individual’s wellbeing.

Presidential search committee recommends three candidates to Board of Regents

Joan Gabel, provost of University of South Carolina, starts her weeklong visit to all five University campuses

NOV 30

Board of Regents expected to vote on Gabel for the 17th University president

DEC 10

NOV 16

DEC 5

Presidential search committee announces a shortlist of nine candidates for the position, which included five women and four men, with onethird people of color

A near-unanimous Board of Regents selects Joan Gabel as the lone presidential finalist

DEC 17-21 DEC 14

Board of Regents will interview Gabel

SOURCE: MN DAILY REPORTING

“I don’t know if it’s a per se violation, but it comes very close,” Tanick said of the meeting. “I think they’re trying to do everything they can to circumvent the law.” Regent Chair David McMillan highlighted the “delicate balance” between transparency and maintaining the candidates’ confidentiality several times at the meeting, emphasizing that the board complied with the law. In an emailed statement to the Minnesota Daily, the board office said, “The Board of Regents has conducted its search for the University’s next President with a focus on being transparent and inclusive and, at all times, in compliance with the law.” “It is the Data Practices Act, not the board, that dictates what information is private, including the names of candidates not selected by the board as finalists,” the statement said. Jane Kirtley, a University professor of media ethics and law, said the board’s actions do not match the spirit of the law, even though they likely complied with the law. She took issue with the way a small group of regents met with semi-finalists, seemingly in an effort to avoid open meeting laws. The Minnesota Open Meeting Law requires that governmental meetings, like the regent meetings, are generally open to the public. The law says a meeting is public when at least a quorum of a governmental body is gathered “whether or not action is taken or contemplated.” Five regents met the semi-finalists in-person before the board’s meeting, a low enough number that it did not meet quorum nor require the meetings to be public. “They did this decision … so they could avoid open meeting requirements by having only a small subset of the regents doing these interviews,” Kirtley said. Regent Vice Chair Ken Powell, McMillan and

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255.

4

Thursday, December 13, 2018

UMN, City of St. Paul collaborate to improve stormwater infrastructure

JERUSA NYAKUNDI, DAILY

Psychologist Jerry Shih speaks at the open forum on campus.

SCS holds a forum to find new director Candidates shared their ideas to amend the campus’ mental health services. BY LEW BLANK lblank@mndaily.com

Applicants for the director of Student Counseling Services presented to the public their visions for the mental health organization at the University of Minnesota. In a series of presentations this week, candidates outlined their ideas for expanding care and treating mental health conditions. The SCS director position — which is responsible for determining the staff, policies and approach of the service — has been open since August, when the former director, Glenn Hirsch, retired. The candidates’ presentations were critiqued by students and faculty in the audience, who rated them on a scale from poor to excellent. Vice Provost Maggie Towle will use the feedback when naming the new director which she aims to select within the next month. The candidates for the position will also receive the evaluations to better understand what students want from SCS, said Alisa Eland, who directs counseling at International Student and Scholar Services. “Students are exactly who is being served … so it’s really important to hear from students what they’re looking for,” she said. Reports of mental health conditions at the University have risen from 33 percent to 42 percent over the last three years, according to the College Student Health Survey. How the new director responds to increased demand for mental health services is important, Eland said. “Students are under so much stress in so many ways,” she said. “All of these ways that the director impacts the organization will … directly impact students.” The three candidates for the position presented their aspirations for SCS at Coffman Memorial Union before an audience of about 30 faculty and students. Jerry Shih, who has served as the interim director of SCS since August, said he wants to find new ways to connect with

students who would otherwise not reach out to SCS. Methods to expand the organization’s reach include embedding counselors in every college at the University and expanding services to West Bank, he said. Currently the only colleges with embedded counselors are the College of Liberal Arts and Carlson School of Management, he said. “The Washington Avenue bridge may not seem like a huge barrier, but for students who have all their classes over on West Bank, getting over to [the SCS office at] Appleby Hall may be challenging,” Shih said. Claire Haiman, the director of mental health services at Columbia University’s Student Health Service, was the outside only applicant. Haiman said she hopes to establish behavioral intervention teams to track mental health issues and create a central call line that would immediately connect students to the services they need. She also proposed training community advisors and financial counselors to discuss depression and suicidal thoughts with students. Vesna Hampel-Kozar, a staff psychologist at SCS, said she would focus on forming partnerships with student groups and other University services as director. She also wants SCS to expand its group counseling services to build a support system between students and their peers. “[In some cases] the most appropriate level of support for a student is from a really well-trained peer,” HampelKozar said. “[Peers can] really understand from their own mental health journeys … what might be useful for students.”

“All of these ways that the director impacts the organization will ... directly impact the students.” ALISA ELAND international student and scholar services, director

St. Paul is financing a shared rainwater harvesting system at the Allianz Field site.

The city is working to make stormwater infrastructure more eco-friendly overall. BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com

University of Minnesota researchers are working with the City of St. Paul to help improve environmental impact of stormwater infrastructure. The Institute for Urban and Regional Infrastructure Finance in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs conducted research last year on community-based green infrastructure for stormwater management. The City of St. Paul is implementing the research’s results in certain areas around the city. City officials are also using the research to guide a development project. They plan to adopt an ordinance in 2019 that would put the project into the city’s code, allowing them to set up district financing for further stormwater developments. “We are looking really

deep into communities in St. Paul,” said Jerry Zhao, director of IURIF. “[We’re] thinking about some new ways to get money and make financial arrangements to make something happen.” The traditional way to deal with stormwater is through grey infrastructure, which involves using underground pipes. These pipes may not get sufficient attention or funding because they are less visible and hidden underground, and are less efficient as a result and as a result, Zhao said. The new system would create the potential implement just one stormwater system per city instead of individual ones on each lot, making it more sustainable and efficient, Zhao said. For this project to be implemented, the city needs money. The University is researching how the project could be financed, and is exploring the effectiveness of funding from private and public contributors. One method being considered by the City is called the

COURTESY OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL

“fee-in-lieu” method, which offers fees that property developers can pay to the city to create the greener facilities instead of building individual ones, Zhao said. The City’s main goal is to use rain as a resource. “We wanted to bring that stormwater to the surface ... so that we can realize multiple benefits out of it and reconnect people to their urban ecosystem,” said Wes Saunders-Pearce, St. Paul’s water resource coordinator. Saunders-Pearce said the City hopes to have “cleaner air, as well as cleaner water and more visibility and open space in places that are currently lacking those features.” This method appeals to developers because plentiful green spaces often increase nearby property values, said City of St. Paul Treasurer Michael Solomon. A major redevelopment area that is being worked on now is called the SnellingMidway development, which encompasses a new soccer stadium in St. Paul. The city is implementing the greener

stormwater infrastructure research into the development. Past projects that include this infrastructure are the downtown ballpark CHS Field and tree trenches along the sidewalks next to the Green Line light-rail. “Governments are not always doing traditional things, there are new things the government can try out,” Zhao said. “Many times, it needs the collaboration between the University and government. And I would love to see those things happen [more].” The partnership is part of a government-issued program called MetroLab Network, which looks to promote collaboration between universities and cities. The University and City expect to collaborate on projects in the future, such as a possible citywide implementation of snow plowing alleys. “We could utilize resources and expertise from the University to help move us forward and maybe think outside the box and bring a little horsepower to the table,” Saunders-Pearce said.

Drones crucial in Stone Arch Bridge maintenance Intel announced a collaboration with MDT and Collins earlier this month. BY IMANI CRUZEN icruzen@mndaily.com

Old is meeting new in Minneapolis as modern technology is being implemented to maintain a historic site. Intel publicly announced its plan to use drones to inspect the Stone Arch Bridge earlier this month in a partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Collins Engineers. The bridge is one of many structures across the state that are now being inspected with the technology. Though drones have been used for bridge inspections before, this is the first time that they will be used for the Stone Arch Bridge, said

Jennifer Wells, state bridge inspection engineer with MnDOT. “The Stone Arch Bridge is obviously a monumental, historic bridge that is in everybody’s eye right now,” Wells said. “It’s an old bridge so it needs a lot of work, but it’s an icon of the city.” Bridge inspectors will collect images of the structure using drones to create a 3D model. This allows the department to improve their inspections and track changes to the bridge, said Cindy Ng, Intel Drone Group’s head of marketing, in an email to the Minnesota Daily. Although the plan was only just announced this month, work on it has already begun. Images were taken of the bridge by drone during the week of Oct. 15, said Barritt Lovelace, regional manager with Collins Engineers, but bridge inspection season

won’t start until the spring. Lovelace said that Collins Engineers and MnDOT are able to provide the expertise in bridge inspection, but Intel develops the drones and software needed to collaborate. The Stone Arch Bridge is an ideal candidate for using drones because of its location and size, Lovelace said. “It’s a long bridge, so it’s a lot of area to cover during an inspection. And it’s a masonry bridge so there’s a lot of mortar and so that’s pretty time-consuming to document all that during a normal inspection,” Lovelace said. “Just using pencil and paper to try to detail all that out takes a long time.” Drones help increase access to parts of the bridge that might be normally blocked by retaining walls or other structural details, Wells said. Bridge inspections might normally require

specialized machines which can end up blocking pedestrian and traffic access to a bridge. Ng said using drones also saves taxpayer money by conserving time and improving inspection safety and accuracy. MnDOT is beginning to implement a drone program for structure inspections across Minnesota after receiving a federal grant several weeks ago, Wells said. The Intel drone is already being incorporated into other projects, Lovelace said. “We’re not trying to replace inspectors or replace all of the inspections with drones because it doesn’t work on every bridge by any means,” Lovelace said. “But even if we can do a small percentage of bridges with drones, we can save money and improve the quality of the inspection.”

5

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

BEST OF 2018 was the year of Ariana Grande’s charttoppers “Sweetener” and “thank u, next,” blockbuster hits like “Black Panther” and “Incredibles 2,” buzzy TV shows like “Killing Eve” and so much more. In other words, it’s hard to summarize the year in just ten cultural moments, but we’ve done our best. Here are A&E’s favorite things we saw, listened to, wore and even ate this year — in no particular order:

A&E’S TOP TEN OF 2018

SAMIR FERDOWSI’S PICKS: A BATHING APE’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

Crazy to think that the Japanese brand has been around for so long — and they’re only going to rise more. Their “BAPE XXV” collection pays homage to their home in Harajuku, Tokyo and other stores around the world. That is why the collection is fire. Integrating the classic camo pattern with cities like “Seoul” and “Los Angeles” makes for a unique and historic piece of streetwear. “HEAD IN THE CLOUDS” BY 88RISING

The most underrated album of the year — and my personal summer goto. With popular acts like Joji and Rich Brian, the tape has clout. But with underground (at least in the U.S.) acts like NIKI, Higher Brothers and Keith Ape, the record label features predominantly Asian artists and shines for it. “Beam” is my go-to single on the album, but just hit shuffle and your ears will definitely be on cloud nine.

MOVIES, ALBUMS, BRUSSELS SPROUTS — AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

SOPHIE VILENSKY’S PICKS: STORMI WEBSTER

BY MADDIE FOLSTEIN

MFOLSTEIN@MNDAILY.COM ABBY ADAMSKI, DAILY

MADDY FOLSTEIN’S PICKS: “ANNIHILATION”

Of all the movies I saw this year, the underrated “Annihilation” has stuck with me the most. Based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer, the trippy film follows a group of female scientists who are sent to explore the Shimmer, an iridescent, cosmic form that has taken over a section of a coastline. What unfolds inside is terrifying — and hauntingly unexplained by the end. “BE THE COWBOY” BY MITSKI

Mitski’s latest album, released in the waning summer weeks, is full of heartache and longing. Still, “Nobody” is so easy to dance to

that it’s almost easy to forget that Mitski is singing about being alone. “Be the Cowboy” is a glittering, complex collection of songs, one so personal that you’ll want to hold it close to your heart.

lyricism and the band’s full orchestral sound, making you feel like an actual forest fairy.

KSENIA GORINSHTEYN’S PICKS:

The “Hysteria” podcast is a candid and humorous take on political news each week. The show is hosted by Erin Ryan and a rotating group of women who aren’t afraid to tell it like it is. Each episode is about an hour long, and it’s a great way to catch up with the week’s news. They always make sure to end on a positive note with a segment they call “Hills I’ll Die On.”

“HIGH AS HOPE” BY FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

This album was the soundtrack of my summer. I was never an avid Florence + the Machine fan, but I took a chance on the album and it transformed me. I would listen to it during my commutes, when I read or did anything around the house. The songs “June,” “Sky Full of Song” and “No Choir” beautifully combine Florence Welch’s poetic

“HYSTERIA” BY CROOKED MEDIA

LIV MARTIN’S PICKS: “BEAUTIFUL BOY”

In 2017, Timothée Chal-

is a fearless queer feminist and above all, an incredibly talented musician. I will always love two music videos accompanying her “Dirty Computer” album: the videos for “Pynk” and “Make Me Feel.” As a woman, seeing “Pynk” for the first time felt revolutionary. Monáe was not afraid to show imagery about vaginas and sing about self-love, sexuality and power. Her video for “Make Me Feel,” which shows her dancing with both male and female suitors, truly pushed the envelope and was a strong message for women to embrace their sexuality.

amet wooed us with his mad acting skills and charisma in “Call Me by Your Name” and “Ladybird.” I didn’t think it was possible to be more impressed by the 22-year-old actor. Then, I saw “Beautiful Boy.” I went to the theater with the knowledge that the film would be heartbreaking, but I did not anticipate bawling through a good 75 percent of it. The acting felt so real, and the love and pain portrayed felt so pure. I can’t think of another film that left me so emotionally drained yet so fulfilled. Go. See. It. “DIRTY COMPUTER” BY JANELLE MONÁE

Janelle Monáe is the musician our generation needed and deserved. She

After a rough December/January refreshing the Instagram pages of many a Kardashian, reprieve came in a YouTube video: “To Our Daughter.” Stormi Webster was born February 1, 2018 to parents Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner. Did you see the photo of her at the Target Center last week? A national — and now local — treasure. RESTAURANT BRUSSEL SPROUTS

We have no data for this, but 2018 was the year of Minneapolis restaurants hopping on the Brussels sprouts train (or the year of us discovering them). The Blue Plate restaurants’ brussels with goat cheese and local honey, World Street Kitchen’s caramelized sprouts with fish sauce, the charred brussels sprout salad at Martina and Tilia’s ham and walnut variety were among the best.

STYLE

You better stay up off the street if you can’t take Paaq’s heat Paaq mixes South Asian tradition with modern youth culture from the North. BY SAMIR FERDOWSI sferdowsi@mndaily.com

How many streetwear brands have come out of Minnesota? The answer: probably less than you can count on one hand. For Paaq, a clothing brand started by University of Minnesota students and grads, this brings a fire to their pieces that they hope will ignite a guiding torch for years to come. “We wanted to tell a story that wasn’t here before,” said Aamir Peeran, Paaq’s creative director and a University graduate. “That just turned into us realizing we can tell the right story, the right way.” Sparked by a conversation

over a late-night hookah sesh, Peeran and his cofounders took inspiration from a group that is not currently present on campus, the Desi Student Union, whose main goal was to bring to light the vibrant and eclectic cultures of South Asia. All DSU members in years past, the Paaq founders see fashion as the new wave in cultural storytelling. “Streetwear is the perfect platform to bring our culture out on because it’s comfortable for everyone,” Peeran said. “We want to show everyone that we aren’t different — our culture’s clothing and designs can be translated into any wave.” Luckily, the founders say, the University is an inviting place for people from different cultures. The hope, in turn, is to use this eclectic

WILL TOOKE, DAILY

The logo for a streetwear brand made by Carlson School of Management students Aamir Peeran and Haris Hussain is adorned on one of their items during a sale on Friday, Dec. 7 in Coffman Union.

wave to create a fuller image of what it means to be a South Asian university student — and looking good doing it. “All of us really do like and cherish the culture that we have, and don’t feel like it’s properly represented

around — whether it be streetwear, art or just day to day passing,” said Zeeshawn Abid, Paaq’s operations lead and a senior studying entrepreneurial management and management information systems in Carlson. Abid hopes Paaq will

fulfill a void where South Asian representation is missing in the sphere of influencers. Starting with the University and hopefully spreading their message outward, the hype brand is laying new ground. “We want the brand to be the first thing you think of when you think ‘South Asian’,” Abid said. “We want it to be cool for everyone to wear.” All founders concur that from the increase in Round Two-esque consignment shops like Piff MPLS to an explosion in hip-hop tour stops, Minneapolis is on the rise when it comes to street culture. We may not be LA or NYC, but we’re trending towards more trendy. “My friends who aren’t South Asian still relate to our brand because it’s modern — for young people,” said financial lead and Carlson finance and MIS senior Haris

Hussain. “It’s also cool how much we’re learning along the way. We just run with everything and see where our designs take us.” In their now-live first collection, Paaq takes a classic “6 God” prayer hands image and adds some South Asian clout, giving the hand imagery traditional mehndi paintings. “Even though we see the hands everywhere, they actually have historical value to them with familial sacrifices and it was so surprising to see no one had done anything about this before,” Hussain said. “We just really working on giving significance to the art we’re doing.” Having sold out during their pop-up featuring long sleeve t-shirts with the “mehndi hands” at the Pakistani Students Association’s Pakistan Night last Friday, Paaq’s collection one is now available online.

MUSIC

Local band Dirt Train adds southern-style rock n’ soul to the great North Dirt Train released their EP “Dead Beat Shake” on November 27. BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com

In a singer-songwriter dominated environment, Dirt Train infiltrates the Twin Cities music scene with a Motown feel and a rock n’ soul vibe, harkening back to the days of Muscle Shoals music. Before the formation of the band, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Tucker Sterling Jensen and drummer Ben Peterson found themselves at Gluek’s Restaurant and Bar in Minneapolis improvising “Man of Constant Sorrow.” “It was probably the first time I played with [Peterson] on the drums ever,” Jensen said. “I just met him and I started playing the guitar and [he] just put it right where it needed to be, fell right into it. ... That was probably the first, ‘OK, this

is maybe a thing that we’re going to do.’” When booking their first gig, the band realized they didn’t have a name. “Dirt Train” stuck after Jensen told the booker the name in a panic. The full band, with Andrew Wozniak on lead guitar, Lightnin’ Joe Peterson on the keys and harmonica, and Patrick Nelson on bass, came together in 2016. They played weekly gigs at The Terminal Bar in Minneapolis for almost a year. “I was like, ‘I have these songs, let’s play exactly what we want to play,’” Jensen said. “It’s great because everyone is just very seasoned right out of the gate, and we can really get stuff off the ground real fast.” The songwriting process began as the band members discovered their musical styles’ compatibility. Jensen brings the band lyrics and a rhythm. From there, all members collaborate for a true Dirt Train feel.

“[Jensen] is very open to our input,” said Nelson. “He says … ‘Here’s a song, just do what you do with the song,’ and that’s what kind of gave it the flavor. … We all come from different influences and you can hear all of those different influences.” The trust between all band members to produce an authentic-to-them sound is a testament to Dirt Train’s musical ability. Jensen, in particular, puts a lot of faith into the Twin Cities music community, advocating for local music in almost every way he can. He organizes shows at the 331 Club and Five Watt Coffee and works on a podcast aimed at helping local musicians make it big. “It would be so exhausting to [write everything] on your own, and if you have a band that’s the ideal,” Jensen said. “You can be young Prince playing everything on everything, but not everyone is Prince. Only Prince is Prince.” Dirt Train recorded their EP, “Dead Beat Shake,” over

the course of two days at Creation Audio in Minneapolis. The project was recorded by one of their good friends, Miles Hanson, and was released Nov. 27 with a show at The Terminal Bar. “It was packed,” Nelson said. “Everyone was very receptive and it was a thrill for us. ... I felt like that was a big coming out party for us. We felt like people were on our side.” The band provides something unique to the Twin Cities music scene. Their live performances have a grittiness and rawness that is incomparable to other musicians in the area. “[They have] almost a nonchalant-ness to them that’s very effortless. They’re all just totally in it and … engaging,” said Lena Elizabeth, a local singer-songwriter. “There’s something about it.” The release of “Dead Beat Shake” is a mark of progress and, in a way, history for the band. Starting in January, Dirt Train will perform

JERUSA NYAKUNDI, DAILY

Sterling Jensen, lead singer of the five-piece soul and rock band Dirt Train, poses for a portrait in Five Watt Coffee in Minneapolis.

every second Wednesday of the month at Aster Cafe in Minneapolis. “I ended up sleeping on [Hanson’s] floor on an air mattress 10 years ago,” Nelson

said. “Now here we are 10 years later, still working together regularly and making music that we’re all proud of. So yeah, that’s a nice little bonus.”

6

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

MEN’S BASKETBALL

JASMIN KEMP, DAILY

Senior forward Jordan Murphy jumps for the basket during the game against Arkansas State on Saturday, Dec. 8 at Williams Area.

Jordan Murphy cements legacy among some Minnesota greats Murphy is a school record holder in both rebounds and double-doubles. BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com

Senior Jordan Murphy is still playing with the team, but has been honored before two games at Williams Arena this season. Prior to the game against Nebraska, a video was shown congratulating him on breaking Mychal Thompson’s record for most rebounds in school history, which had stood since 1978. In that game, he recorded his 52nd career double-double, breaking Jim Brewer’s school record. Before the next game against Arkansas State, Murphy received

recognition for that accomplishment as well. Most likely, Murphy will continue to climb the record books before he stands at centercourt prior to his senior-day game in March. “It’s unbelievable,” said head coach Richard Pitino, who brought Murphy to Minnesota as part of his 2015 recruiting class. “What he’s been able to accomplish on the court is phenomenal. He’s shattering some records by some really, really good players, and he’s [6 feet, 6 inches]. That’s all sheer will, heart and determination.” Last season, Murphy’s numbers proved some of the best in the country. He averaged 11.3 rebounds per game, the seventh highest total in the country and first in the Big Ten. His 24 double-doubles were tied

for the nation’s lead with Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, who was the first-overall selection in last spring’s NBA draft. As a junior, in addition to rebounds Murphy also led the Gophers in points and steals. For his outstanding play, he was named Big Ten player of the week three times and was a second-team all conference selection as voted on by the media. However, Murphy doesn’t pay much attention to his awards or records, instead focusing on what the team can accomplish. “It’s a good testament to what I’ve done in my four years here,” Murphy said. “But at the same time we just want to win, make it back back to the [NCAA] Tournament, and get back to the top of the Big Ten. At the end of the day, I want this

to go down as one of the best teams in Minnesota history.” In order for the current team to make it to the NCAA tournament, it will need the front court to provide more depth than it did last year when Minnesota finished at 15-17. Integral to that depth are freshmen Daniel Oturu and Jarvis Omersa. Due to the youth of Oturu and Omersa, Murphy has taken it upon himself to mentor his new teammates. He knows that for freshmen, it’s important to take things slow and not try to force anything on the court. “Take it one play at a time, that’s one thing I just keep telling them,” Murphy said. “It’s one of those things where you’re just not going to be great over night, you have to be patient.” Murphy knows the

importance of improving every day. Although he came off the bench to begin his career, he became a starter before the conference slate began his freshman season and has started every game the Gophers have played since. Senior Dupree McBrayer has been with Murphy every step of his college career — witnessing first-hand how he’s worked to improve. “He’s always had the athletic ability,” McBrayer said. “Ever since [freshman] year, he’s been working on his skill a lot. As you can see, he’s got a lot better. He’s one of the best players in college basketball. He just wanted to get better every year.” Off the court, those around him say Murphy has a strong work ethic in everything he does. His coach has praised him for being

MEN’S BASKETBALL RESULTS

TUESDAY North Florida Minnesota

1 2 FINAL 34 37 71 35 45 80

SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

a strong student and model member of the University community. “He’s been an exemplary student-athlete here,” Pitino said. “He’s represented this whole university the right way. He cares about his academics. He cares about being a good person, he cares about winning. He’s been a special player for us.” Minnesota is currently on a short break so players can focus on their final exams. They don’t have another game until Dec. 21 when they host North Carolina A&T.

FOOTBALL

Gophers linebacker Blake Cashman to sit out bowl game Cashman decided to forego his final collegiate game to prepare for future. BY JACK WARRICK jwarrick@mndaily.com

The Gophers’ leading tackler during the regular season, Blake Cashman, got ejected from his final regular season game of the season due to a targeting on the punt team when Minnesota beat Wisconsin on Nov. 24. His fellow defenders were relieved to know that they would be able to play one more game with the senior from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, who started off as a walk on and worked his way to one of the more impressive players on the defensive side of the ball. But on Tuesday, Cashman announced on his Instagram account that he would not be playing in the Gophers’ Quick Lane bowl game on Dec. 26 to prepare for professional football after college. “I’ve been putting this off for sometime now, but after a lot of thought and discussions with people close to me I have decided to forego the remainder of my eligibility,” Cashman wrote on Instagram. “I’m so grateful for everything the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Football program, and Coach Fleck and his staff have done

DAILY FILE PHOTO

for me to help put me in the position I’m in today. This was a very hard decision for me, but I feel in my heart that getting a jump start on training will give me the best opportunity at the next level. Cashman started as a walk on defensive back, and worked his way to a scholarship at the

weak side linebacker position when he was a junior in head coach P.J. Fleck’s first year of the program. He started getting playing time as a standout performer on special teams. “It was very tough, there’s a lot of people that agree with it, but on the flip side there’s

a lot of people that disagree with and get hurt and upset by those decisions made by college football players,” Cashman said about his decision to sit the bowl game out. He said his injury history has been an issue with NFL representatives that agents have spoken with.

“Something that every person that has talked with NFL teams has brought up is the concern with my shoulders, and the health issues I’ve had with those injuries,” Cashman said. Cashman is not the only one on the team forgoing the game. Lineman Donnell

Greene announced earlier this month that he would sit out the Quick Lane Bowl to get ready for the NFL as well. Greene underwent a meniscus surgery and signed with an agent after the Wisconsin victory. Former Gophers linebacker Jack Lynn was a senior when Cashman was a sophomore and got picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Falcons. He played in the Holiday Bowl in his senior season. “I understand both sides of the situation,” Lynn said. “For his sake, he wants to fulfill his dream and he doesn’t want to get injured. But for the team’s sake, he’s showing that — I don’t know, that he’s putting himself first. The business side of football, so to speak.” Cashman said Fleck and his teammates have been supportive of his decision. He said he’s been holding off making his decision public after making the decision “a week, week and a half” after the Wisconsin win. “I’m going to miss being around my teammates and coaches. And that’s something I tell everyone, is that when I’m not being a player here, not being a student anymore, it kills me not to be around those guys because I’ve built so many friendships and relationships that are going to last a lifetime,” Cashman said.

7

Thursday, December 13, 2018

MSA returns to past legislative priorities Renters’ rights and medical amnesty bills brought back in upcoming session. BY ISABELLA MURRAY imurray@mndaily.com

The Minnesota Student Association will push last year’s priorities at the Capitol during the upcoming session, but this time under new legislative and student leadership. Student government leaders will work to reintroduce a bill that establishes medical amnesty for victims of sexual assault along with a renters’ rights bill. This spring, MSA will look to new legislative leadership to pass these bills, which failed to pass last session. During last session, the University of Minnesota implemented a sexual harassment policy with a medical amnesty clause, similar to the bill MSA is pushing for. “I think the primary factor in those not working out last year was just timing,”

said Jude Goossens, MSA government and legislative affairs state coordinator. “Because of the nature of this advocacy work, it takes years often to get legislation passed, especially when it comes from students and organizations like ours.” The renters’ rights bill passed unanimously in the Senate last session. However, it never made it to the House floor. The bill would have prevented landlords from making tenants move out early and would require prospective tenants be shown the exact unit they are looking to move into. MSA learned from the past session, said MSA President Simran Mishra. She said the language in the bill’s new version will be more effective. “We learned a lot from trying to pass a lot of legislation last year, and this year we’re hoping that with a lot of bipartisan support from both sides ... we’re in a good place,” Mishra said. The medical amnesty bill would allow sexual

assault survivors to call for medical help when underage drinking or substance use is involved without fear of legal repercussions. The University implemented a medical amnesty for sexual assault victims and substance users clause in its sexual harassment policy in January 2018, said Emma Bauer, a University spokesperson. “Individuals who participate in an investigation under this policy will not be disciplined by the University for violations of its drug and alcohol policies that occurred in connection with the reporter prohibited conduct and were discovered as a result of a prohibited conduct report or investigation,” the policy states. Although medical amnesty for sexual assault victims is University policy, MSA is still pushing for a bill on the issue. “To my knowledge, there hasn’t been a specific communication to students regarding medical amnesty in this policy. ... Medical amnesty is an important is-

U announces new startup to replace heart valves Vascudyne Inc. has has gotten positive trial results for an unique technology.

COURTESY OF TRANQUILLO LAB

Vascudyne’s implantable heart valve is made of living tissue, allowing it to heal itself inside a patient’s body.

open-heart surgeries,” Tranquillo said. Vascudyne’s new organic material would last for a lifetime. The organic material would only require the single initial surgery, because it grows with the patient. “There’s no [tissue replacement] material that’s ever been demonstrated to be able to grow,” Tranquillo said. “I’m terribly excited.” Current devices also require the consumption of drugs in order to prevent the body from attacking the material, said Karen Kaehler, an administrator at the Office of the Vice President for Research. Because the new material is organic, the body will accept it without needing drugs. This is the first time that this type of tissue has been developed, Tranquillo said. Once the organic tissue enters the body, it will merge with the recipient’s cells. The tissue also has the potential to be applied in other parts of the body.

“This is very exciting, cutting-edge, brand new … technology,” Kaehler said. “I see this as ... a breakthrough in the ability to form tissues from basic starting material.” Although the material is far from being available for human use, Vascudyne is in the process of testing it on animal subjects. About two months ago, Vascudyne implanted a piece of the tissue to connect two arteries inside an animal, said Rick Murphy, a researcher at Vascudyne. The results that arrived last week were a success, he said. Vascudyne hopes to use these positive results and additional animal trials in the coming months to get permission from the Food and Drug Administration to begin human trials. Murphy said the trials could begin in about a year. “This material … performed so much better than anything we’d seen before,” he said. “It was kind of a slam dunk.”

ELLE MOULIN, DAILY

MSA President Simran Mishra gives the president’s update at Coffman Union on Tuesday, Dec. 4.

makers, has been present on campus since his election in November. Both Noor and MSA members said they look forward to a continued partnership between the school and State government. “There are tens of thousands of us students in his district and his constituency, and he’s already been valuing that and that’s really great to see,” Goossens said. MSA members have

orchestrated events to get legislators to interact with students this semester, which Mishra said will help MSA make a case for their priorities this spring. “These are seeds that we’re planting early on, before the legislative session begins, and we had a lot of conversations last year as well,” Mishra said. “We’re hoping that these will snowball into really unifying support, and that eases into passing legislation.”

UMN presidential finalist comes to visit the Twin Cities campus Joan Gabel, the sole presidential finalist, made her very first public appearance. BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com

BY LEW BLANK lblank@mndaily.com

In an effort to make cardiovascular surgery safer, the University of Minnesota launched Vascudyne Inc., a startup company manufacturing organic arteries and heart valves that can live and grow within the body. The new company — formally announced last Monday — looks to use living tissue to replace arteries, heart valves and other body tissues. If successful, the material can be fully integrated with the rest of the heart, allowing it to grow and heal with the body. Currently, the primary option for people who need a blood vessel or heart valve replacement is a synthetic device that is rigid, cannot heal and cannot change shape. Modern-day vessel and valve replacements can pose serious problems for children, said Robert Tranquillo, a University chemical engineering professor who developed the material used by Vascudyne. With current technologies, children who require replacements would need frequent openheart surgeries to keep up with their growing bodies, he said. “Even a single openheart surgery is nothing that anybody would ever want to have happen, and it’s no surprise there’s an increased risk with additional

sue, and we’ll continue to be mindful of the topic as we communicate to the University community,” Bauer said in an email. MSA Government and Legislative Affairs advocate development coordinator Christina Laridaen said increased awareness and political rhetoric about sexual assault will help the bill go further this session. “A stronger case at the Legislature is the hope,” Laridaen said. “As far as MSA goes, we’ve made conversations around sexual assault [stronger] this year.” These conversations stem from MSA’s sexual assault task force and increased advertising of their initiatives. Laridaen hopes these efforts result in more students advocating for these bills at the Capitol. New legislative leadership will also play a role in MSA’s success at the Capitol, members said. Newly elected House 60B Rep. Mohamud Noor, along with other state law-

University of Minnesota presidential finalist Joan Gabel made her first public appearance on Monday at Coffman Memorial Union — the start of a weeklong visit to all five University system campuses. Gabel, who currently serves as provost at the University of South Carolina, fielded questions from University members on topics including mental health, sexual assault and diversity on campus, challenges to the University and changes in higher education. Although there is a lot of uncertainty, Gabel said the University is well-prepared to take on the future. “The universities that will emerge better from this time of transition … have a deep investment in discovery, that understand what students need in the classroom and beyond the classroom, [and] that understand what it means to serve their state while they impact the world,” Gabel said. “And this University knows how to do that.” When asked about increased public skepticism of higher education, Gabel said the University can do a better job sharing expertise and connecting with the public. “I think this is the new approach that University presidents need to have: in addition to facilitating and stewarding a well-run institution … they are prepared to talk to various stakeholders and

constituencies,” she said. Gabel said she would be “visible,” show up to events and “evoke a sense of approachability” with students on campus. “It’s really important to be boots-on-the-ground with students,” she said. She also acknowledged that she would become the University’s first woman president, which was met with applause from the audience. Gabel said she was the first woman to serve as the business school dean at the University of Missouri and provost at the University of South Carolina. However, she said gender is not the only thing that’s important as president. “I think what’s also important is what you do once you’re in the job,” she said. “Five minutes after you start it’s about the work.” Several questions focused on long-standing issues affecting the University and other schools across the country, including mental health concerns, sexual assault prevention and diversity on campus. Gabel said she supports the University’s public health approach to sexual misconduct and would continue working with experts. “With the expertise and know-how we have on campus, we should be leading the charge,” she said. The University should also take a leading role when it comes to fostering a more inclusive and diverse community, Gabel said, highlighting that the University of South Carolina worked to ensure students, faculty and staff reflected the diversity of the state’s population.

Other questions focused on fiscal concerns for the University. Gabel said there are opportunities for “alternative revenue sources,” like funding ways to monetize services from students and faculty. “But I don’t want alternative revenues to start to creep into the core mission,” she said. Gabel said that budget constraints and limited funding will be one of the biggest challenges for the University. Commending President Eric Kaler’s work, Gabel said higher education is about being a steward and “leaving something better than when you found it.” “He has made really strategic moves to reinvest administrative overhead back into the core function enterprise, which I think is difficult and something that should continue,” he said. While the University maintains a strong research enterprise, student interest in coming to campus, a collaborative relationship with the state legislature and partnerships with corporations, Gabel said there is still more work to be done. That’s part of what inspired her to apply for the job, she said. “This University is excellent and yet there are still things we can do, and that is one of the most exciting combinations,” she said. The Board of Regents will interview Gabel at its meeting on Friday and is expected to vote on her confirmation the following week. Before that, Gabel will meet with a variety of University members — including groups of faculty, staff and student leaders — across the University system.

Researchers study brown-rot-producing fungi for sustainable energy Researchers in CBS are analyzing brown rot to find different sources of energy. BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota recently received a $1.5-million grant to study a potential alternative energy source: fungi. The approximately $1.5 million grant was awarded in September by the U.S. Department of Energy to researchers in the College of Biological Sciences in collaboration with entities across the United States. The researchers are currently studying brown rot, the process of wood-eating by a group of fungi, which could be the key to understanding crucial carbon cycles in the ecosystem. This has the potential to lead to alternative sources of energy. “We are working with a system, in a nutshell, that is a natural example of an organism that can make energy

sustainability from plant biomass,” said Jonathan Schilling, principal researcher who runs the Schilling Lab at the University, which studies fungi. “We don’t completely understand how it works and this is the reason that we do basic science like this.” Fungi that produce brown rot have enzymes that can extract sugars from wood without removing certain plant cell barriers. This allows the fungi to efficiently extract them and produce energy. Researchers observe this process to learn how to apply this practice in creating more efficient forms of energy. This type of rot is common in northern forests, like those in Minnesota, Schilling said. The Department of Energy is particularly interested in this research because understanding the process of brown rot creates the potential to better understand the fungi’s energy mechanisms. This could allow for the creation of alternative methods of energy, such as biofuel. Clark University in Mas-

sachusetts, the Joint Genome Institute in California and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington are working in conjunction with the University, Schilling said. “We’re all really concerned about what we humans are doing to the carbon cycle. People don’t always think about the role of fungi,” said David Hibbett, a professor at Clark University who is also working on the research. “We are trying to understand the history of life and the history of the evolution of the ecosystem.” In order to better understand the process of brown rot and its unique ability to surpass cell barriers, wet lab experiments are being carried out on 39 different types of fungi. In addition, researchers are looking at intricacies of the fungi’s DNA. The project is focused on comparing different fungi to better understand their potential as energy sources. By comparing more lineages, there can be clearer infor-

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Yanmei Zhang, a postdoctoral student, calculates wood density and volume measurement.

mation gathered in order to understand the brown rot process, said Jiwei Zhang, a research associate of Schilling who works on the project. Other objectives for the project include looking at

fungi gene expression to see how they are controlled and characterized. Most of the wet lab work, such as the harvesting and growth of the fungi, is being done at the University,

Schilling said. “[With] a bigger and bigger population, we are having to worry about an energy crisis. … [We] need to start looking for sustainable energy on our planet,” Zhang said.

8 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions EDITORIAL

COLUMN

Analyzing the lack of diversity in Dinkytown Having a plethora of restaurant options is good, but it should not replace having service options.

D

inkytown has been brimming with new businesses in the last year or so. College staples like Annie’s Parlor for burgers and malts, a UMA VENKATA chain cookie store, columnist pizza joints and a couple of bars have been doing and will continue to do great business. I have spent a fair amount of money on iterations of the same meatball sub order at Potbelly Sandwich Shop over the last couple years. Qdoba treats me right with their laissez-faire guacamole policy. Other people may have more complicated tastes than I do, but they are certainly being taken care of with new and incoming Dinkytown businesses. Within the last year, plenty of places have been slated to open up. We will soon be, or already are, home to things such as: two one poke places, Korean fried chicken, a salad restaurant, an ice cream place, a “food court,” much like

the early-aughts malls of our childhoods and, interestingly, a coffee and CBD oil joint. I didn’t really know there was a market for that — neither did the Minneapolis Health Department, which was apparently not consulted until after the fact — but the sentiment makes sense. Businesses try to find new ideas that others didn’t think of, partly to make it easy to dominate a market and be hailed for creativity. This is all fine and well, but there’s one obvious common denominator for the new Dinkytown business fixtures; none of them are full grocery stores. To be quite honest, there are a few businesses absent in Dinkytown that I would support far more frequently than any lone restaurant. I’m thinking specifically of what are usually neighborhood staples: a dry cleaner, a tailor and a grocery store. And frankly, we need a threading — not waxing! — place for mocha ladies like myself, but I understand that I can’t have everything. There are existing non-food Dinkytown businesses that I love. The Book House is a mini library of Babel, and the service and punch cards are precious. Gina + Will has supplied most of my current long-sleeve rotation, and Dinkytown Optical quickly fixed a big problem when a certain person in my life stepped on my glasses. It’s also lovely that we have the Hennepin County’s Southeast Library, even if we use the University of Minnesota’s libraries for all or most of our borrowing. However, a dry cleaner, tailor and grocery

store are conspicuous absences. My friend told me he never has and never will use a dry cleaner — but I think one day he’ll turn 30 and have nice shirts. In the meantime, there are multiple career fairs per year, plus other various meetings that the 48,000 students of this school may have the good fortune to need to look presentable for. Without a dry cleaner, hand-knit items are one spill away from screwed. A tailor is necessary because we need both to treat and fit our suits well — for me, that fit changes over time, in both directions, Marilyn Monroe-style. A grocery store is probably even more necessary, though. The Quarry is far away without a car, and Target Express isn’t a full grocery store. A small Cub or other grocery-focused vendor could have been a great occupant of the future “food court” on 4th Street Southeast and 15th Avenue Southeast, serving Dinkytown and Marcy-Holmes students by offering diverse food and prices closer to MSRP than Target Express. Maybe Dinkytown businesses don’t have to reinvent the wheel to get steady traffic. If a dry cleaner opens up — the Bookhouse tells me there used to be one — I’m prepared to pay market price, or a little higher, for some solvent action for my sweaters. Uma Venkata welcomes comments at uvenkata@mndaily.com.

EDITORIAL

The nation got another dose of Trump’s “art of the deal” with Congress, and it wasn’t pretty. President Donald Trump’s so-called “meeting” with congressional leaders on live television Tuesday highlights the kind of circus our republic has become, and the chicanery its ringmaster has perfected. In what started as a seemingly cordial meeting of the leaders in front of the press, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer discussed the outlook with the newly empowered Democratic House. Things got heated as the president bullied Democratic leaders. At one point Trump declared he would be “proud” to shut down the government if the Democrats didn’t give him the funding he wanted for the border wall.

“If we don’t get what we want, one way or the other, ... through anything you want to call, I will shut down the government. I will take the mantle.” DONALD TRUMP United States President

Gabel is a great finalist for next U President Following an engagement at the Coffman Theater, the sole finalist seems to be the right fit for the U. It’s time for a fresh perspective on campus. Now, as University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler prepares to step down in July, we have an opportunity for just that — a new voice leading the University. The Board of Regents announced Joan Gabel, provost at the University of South Carolina, as the sole finalist in the University’s search for a new president last week. In the days following the announcement, she’s emphasized the importance of service, research and teaching. Just as important, if chosen Gabel will be the first woman president at the University. Gabel addressed an audience during an open house and Q&A forum, with student representation noticeably lacking, possibly due to the forum’s mid-weekday proximity to finals. Recognizing time constraints, there should be more accessible options provided for students to engage with prospective finalists, outside of one of the busiest weeks in the semester. Although students were nearly absent to hear Gabel’s student-centered remarks, her opening statements still leave us hopeful. Gabel indicated her desire for a president to be collaborative and inclusive to all perspectives. She seems to understand that our communities on campus are important to students, and should have a large stake in decisions that affects them. She also encouraged diversity with the investment in a chief diversity officer for each college and major University branch. The implementation of CDOs would create strong pipelines from colleges to a diversity board, as well as create an atmosphere that allows students and faculty to have ongoing conversations about diversity and inclusion. We wholeheartedly agree with the implementation of this body, and are looking forward to seeing this develop if she is selected. We also would like to draw focus to her initiatives surrounding mental health. Gabel expressed the need to hire more counselors, change the methodology for setting up mental health appointments, encourage peersupport and provide awareness training for faculty. We cannot agree more. Furthermore, Gabel indicated that she wanted to take a boots-on-the-ground approach with students and be more involved with student government leaders, as well as those who do not want to extend themselves in such an official manner. It is our understanding that she seems to grasp the importance of being engaged with students and listening to their voices. Her eagerness to put that as a priority is commendable, and if selected, is something we hope will be seen through. We believe the ability and effort to truly understand students and how to engage with them is one of the most important aspects of the position. We hope this is the case if Gabel is selected — from her limited time speaking on campus, the prospect of this seems promising. We have had our qualms with the search process and the inclusion of only two students tasked with representing an incredibly diverse and large student body. We feel the student body was subsequently stripped of further investigative ability and renders the time in between finalist selection and the final appointment as rather arbitrary – the implication of a lone finalist almost guarantees their selection. Regardless of this, from the limited evidence gathered from her visit on the Twin Cities campus, we believe Gabel is a great fit as our University’s next president. Overall, we feel a great candidate has been selected and hope that, if selected, she will prove to be the correct choice as well.

The bombast over shutdown is embarrassing

Robert McGrady welcomes comments at rmcgrady@mndaily.com.

This editorial was originally published in the Mankato Free Press.

COLUMN

MPD community outlook The city looks to the future with an emphasis on more community policing that appears promising.

I

n l a w enforcement, community and communityoriented policing have become somewhat buzzwords. Their sudden spike in use makes you wonder — was the community not involved in JONATHAN ABABIY policing before? columnist But the word is here to stay, and the last few years have given us a perfect opportunity to watch as the men and women of police departments, mayor’s offices and city councils have wrestled with the idea in the chambers of the stately city halls and the pothole-stricken streets of Minneapolis. In 2016, former Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges’ budget proposed adding 15 police officers to the department. Activists clamored for a stronger focus on public health, and thenPolice Chief Janeé Hearteau shared the more resources for the department will lead to reduce violence and build better relationships with the communities that officers police, according to MinnPost reporting. City Council took Heartau for her word, and approved Hodges’ budget that added the 15 officers to the City’s payroll. Things turned a little more tense in 2017. After mishandling the police’s response to the Jamar Clark shooting that resulted in protests for years, Harteau fumbled again by appointing a new top cop for Clark’s Fourth Precinct with only 90 minutes notice to the mayor. The cop, Lt. John Delmonico, was distrusted in the community, too. Delmonico had earlier accused a local community activist of being in a gang, and said the mayor was flashing gang signs in a picture with him, which simply showed that Hodges was pointing at the activist. Harteau’s pick was quickly overturned by the mayor, and things got worse for the both of them. A couple of months later, Justine Damond

Pelosi correctly pointed out that even now, with the House in Republican control to the end of the year, Trump does not have the votes to get his $5 billion in border wall funding. Schumer offered a compromise, saying the Senate bipartisan bill would provide $1.6 billion in funding as part of a plan to approve the budget to keep the government open. Trump wasn’t having any of it, threatening numerous times to shut the government down, and then build the wall with the military. At one point during the fray, Pelosi said “This has spiraled downwards.” Trump declared ultimately: “If we don’t get what we want, one way or the other, whether it’s through you, through military, through anything you want to call, I will shut down the government. I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down.” After television cameras were done filming, the three and Vice President Mike Pence had another meeting for a half hour, after which Schumer said: ““This Trump shutdown, this temper tantrum that he seems to throw, will not get him his wall and will hurt a lot of people.” Trump seems to think the public wants him to shut down the government, as he time and again said he would take ownership of the action. The public already has repudiated the president and his style in the midterm elections. The implications of Trump’s actions are obvious to almost all Americans, but, sadly, not to him.

was shot and killed while walking in an alley by Mohamed Noor, a Minneapolis police officer. While public anger mounted after the shooting became public, Harteau took four days for vacation, hiking in Colorado. Upon returning to Minneapolis, now in an international crisis, Harteau’s vacation was extended by Hodges, who demanded her resignation. Hodges lost her election and later that year, and the City Council hired 10 more police officers for 2018. Earlier this fall, newly elected mayor Jacob Frey’s proposed budget to the city council moved eight police officers from desk jobs to beat roles. In a speech announcing the budget, Frey praised community-oriented policing and said, “We can add capacity to our department in an innovative way,” according to MinnPost reporting. Additionally, he renominated Harteau’s replacement, Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, who has been relatively successful and uncontroversial so far. This was in August, however, and Christmas has come closer since then. Taking it upon themselves to honor the community and celebrate the holidays, a couple police officers of the Fourth Precinct decorated a Christmas tree for their police station. Somebody saw the tree, took a picture, and soon everybody in the community knew that there were Flamin’ Hot Funyuns, Newport cigarettes, and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen ornaments on the Fourth Precinct’s tree. In Minneapolis tradition, the head of the Precinct was sacked, and the officers fired. So, the City Council, a loud, but largely inactive spectator of the police chaos, had a lot of material to work with coming into city’s budget season over the past couple of weeks. They made a move and finally brought the City administration somewhat in parallel with the definition of community. Frey’s budget was amended to remove his $1.1 million initiative to hire eight new officers and redirect the funding toward community prevention and intervention. The $1.6 billion budget passed with the amendment intact, and Police Chief Arradondo reappointed. It’s taken a while, but maybe an acknowledgement of the community is coming to Minneapolis City Hall after all. Let’s hope it stays. Jonathan Ababiy welcomes comments at jababiy@mndaily.com.

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

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9

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

MN DAILY

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HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (12/13): 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 a 6 — Peace and quiet suit your mood. Do your homework. Forgive miscommunications. Another obstacle could arise, so just roll with it. Tune out the noise.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is an 8 — Balance physical work and health. Good food, exercise and rest keep your motor running smoothly. Prioritize practices that strengthen your heart.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 7 — Support friends and be supported. Listen, learn and let go of an old trepidation. Extend a team project’s reach through connections with shared goals.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is an 8 — Relax and play with people you admire and respect. Money flows through your fingers; don’t spend frivolously. Little things can express your love.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — Prioritize a professional goal. Money and self-discipline go further than words. Have patience with delays or miscommunications.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 7 — Tackle a household project without spending a ton. Research options for best quality and value. Find simple domestic solutions.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 7 — Travels and explorations reveal interesting discoveries. Delays could disrupt transportation and communications. Keep a flexible schedule and outlook.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is an 8 — Brilliant ideas buzz and sparkle. Consider dreams and philosophical conundrums. Choose your words carefully.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — Chaos could roil your shared finances. Catch up on filing and payments. New developments could change things. Talk is cheap; follow up words with action.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 9 — Profitable opportunities arise through your networks. Social engagement benefits your business. Avoid risky propositions.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Collaborate for mutual gain. Let go of a preconception. Defer gratification until the timing is right. Check your internal gauges. Keep your attitude positive.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 9 — Professional benefits arise in conversation. Take charge of your destiny and let people know what you want. Go for a personal dream.

DR. DATE Dr. Date,

When my new girlfriend confessed her side job was freelancing for people who had a sexy taste in books, I was thrilled. After some urging, she told me her pen name, and I looked her up online. Not only is she fairly successful on Amazon charts, her writing is ridiculously hot. I couldn’t pull myself away. After reading her most recent book (something about a muscular firefighter who does a little more than rescue the damsel in distress), I was ready to put words into action. When I went to her apartment the next day, I was prepared to get naughty — until she opened the door and gasped at my homemade sexy firefighter costume. I thought it was out of surprise, but she slammed the door in my face! After pounding on the door for a while, she let me in. She said just because she writes those things doesn’t mean she actually wants to do them. Dr. Date, I’m devastated. How can I convince her that real-life action will make her books even better?

—Heartbroken in Minneapolis

Dear Heartbroken in Minneapolis,

Any idea how much she makes per book? A certain advice columnist has tuition to pay. You said she’s a freelancer, which means she is most likely paid by someone who has a specific thing they’re into. Just because she’s great at writing BDSM doesn’t mean she’s secretly wanting someone to tie her up with a fire hose. If she trusted you enough to give you her pen name, she trusted you to not surprise her with something drastic — at least wait to put on the costume until after you’re in her apartment! Ask her if any of her novels actually stemmed from personal fantasies, then you both can consider buying outfits. Until then, lay off her erotica — it’ll

make your sexual FOMO even worse.

— Doctor Date

Dr. Date,

I met this guy in class and we hit it off while ranting about our terrible group projects. After a week of flirting, he finally asked me out on a date! We had a great time together, and he even walked me to my door. The whole time, I was wondering how to ask him upstairs or at least get him to kiss me. That is, until he said, “Let’s do this again sometime” and walked back to his car. Surprisingly, that wasn’t him blowing me off. We’ve been going out for almost two months now, and I referred to him as my boyfriend yesterday. Problem is, he still hasn’t kissed me! I’m a big believer in guys making the first move, so I don’t know what to do. How many hints can a girl drop? I really like him, but I’m wondering if he’s right for me. I’ve given him great opportunities, and he hasn’t taken any of them! Is he that oblivious or is there more to it?

—Clueless and Kissless

Dear Clueless and Kissless,

Hey, look on the bright side: maybe he’s got a chronic case of mono and he’s looking out for you! But in reality, maybe he thinks the girl should make the first move, or he’s totally clueless and doesn’t realize you’re waiting. Some guys won’t get the message until it’s literally on their face. Next time he drops you off, go in for it and see what happens. Hopefully he doesn’t have the flu or something.

— Doctor 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

12/13/18

© 2018 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

10

Thursday, December 13, 2018