CAMPUS & METRO
A&E
Kline, Kaler meet to discuss U cost
Fashionista: the menswear quiz
Kline chairs the House Education and Workforce Committee. u See PAGE 3
FLURRIES HIGH 6° LOW -9°
A male who dresses well at the bar is certain to win some eyes of approval. It’s your move in this chess game — how will you call checkmate? u See PAGE 4
U OF M
EDITORIALS & OPINIONS
SPORTS
Social media is fueling its users’ narcissism.
Wenbo Chen has coached in the Olympics, China and the U.S.
Me, myself and I
Storied diving coach unites Gophers
u See PAGE 5
MINNEAPOLIS
ST PAUL
TUESDAY
u See PAGE 6
FEBRUARY 19, 2013
STUDENT ISSUES
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT MNDAILY.COM
TECHNOLOGY
Task force to address men’s mental health
Evaluating the U’s social media prowess
Men are less likely to seek help for depression than women.
Last month the U of M was rated the 20th most “buzzed about” university.
BY BRANDEN LARGENT blargent@mndaily.com
University of Minnesota student groups recently voiced concer ns about
men seeking mental health guidance. Often ignored because of the taboo associated with it, men’s mental health is the focus of a new Minnesota Student Association task force. “Oftentimes, it is overlooked in our society because we have this idea of manning up,” said Henr y
Rymer, a Minnesota Student Association member. “And I think that inhibits a lot of men from seeking the help they need.” R ymer, a University freshman, will lead an MSA task force to jumpstar t a men’s mental health awareness campaign. “ We h o p e t h a t b y launching a task force
led by Henr y, we can really engage with the issue and figure out what is the best plan of action,” said Marissa Kramer, director of MSA’s University Policies and Student Concerns committee. Rymer’s task force is u See TASK FORCE Page 3 Rymer hopes to start a poster campaign to raise awareness.
HEALTH
BY REBECCA HARRINGTON rharrington@mndaily.com
When the state Legislature heard the University of Minnesota’s funding request, students and faculty were encouraged to use the hashtag #LightUMN on Twitter to show their support. The University has slowly and steadily built a web presence since higher education institutions have flocked to promote their brands on social media sites in the last decade. In a repor t published last month, Global Language Monitor, an analytics company based in Austin, Texas, ranked the University the 20th most “buzzed about” this year, moving up 15 spots from 2012. The top universities on the list paralleled the top-
ranked universities in the countr y, many of them in the Ivy League. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and Columbia University took the top-three spots, respectively. Global Language Monitor uses an algorithm to index the Inter net and compare schools’ presence statistically, according to its website. University Marketing Director Ann Aronson said branding is the main reason why more prestigious schools top the list. MIT has twice as many Twitter followers as the University, but only about a fifth of the students. “Our goal with the overall brand is to talk to people where they are and we know that our students are on social media, that really an increasing number of the general public is on social media,” Aronson said. The University has ofu See SOCIAL MEDIA Page 10 The U has a social media manager to manage its accounts.
RACE FOR MAYOR
AMANDA SNYDER, DAILY
Collection technician Luke Friedrich checks on a volunteer as he gives blood to the Red Cross on Monday in Coffman Union.
HIV-era blood drive policy excludes some Men who have had sex with other men since 1977 have a lifetime deferral. BY MEGHAN HOLDEN mholden@mndaily.com
in or after 1977 from donating blood. The guideline was imple-
Tanner Zimmerman wanted
mented because male-to-male
to donate blood to the Ameri-
sex has an increased risk of HIV,
can Red Cross on Monday but
according to the FDA’s website.
couldn’t because of his sexual orientation.
Because less than 38 percent of the population is eligible to
A policy put in place by the
donate — and only 8 percent do
U.S. Food and Drug Administra-
— many say the FDA’s lifetime
tion in 1983 prohibits men who
deferral of gay men needs to be
have had sex with other men
changed.
u See BLOOD DRIVE Page 3
ACADEMICS
ENVIRONMENT
U will not accept MOOC credit, yet
Research district has green design in mind
A nat’l education group OK’d five MOOCs for credit earlier this month. BY T YLER GIESEKE tgieseke@mndaily.com
Although several massive open online courses were for mally declared creditwor thy for the first time earlier this month, higher education institutions still won’t accept
transfer credits for them. The American Council on Education, an association of more than 1,800 higher education institutions including the University of Minnesota, said five MOOCs in math, bioelectricity and genetics deserve credit. Students seeking credit for MOOCs would need to pay for proctored exams, u See MOOCS Page 10 One concern is MOOCs aren’t comparable to equivalent U courses.
The district features heat recovery systems and a green roof. BY HAILEY COLWELL hcolwell@mndaily.com
One of the largest building projects on campus is not just going to help the University of Minnesota research cancer — it’ll help the school do so sustainably.
Located north of TCF Bank Stadium, the University’s Biomedical Discovery District will house about 700,000 squar e feet of energy-ef ficient research space by its projected April completion. The $292 million project will incorporate a green roof, light-harnessing windows and a storm water r unof f reduction system. u See DISTRICT Page 10 One of the buildings will feature a green roof made of plants.
Lone conservative joins DFL-heavy mayoral race Lawyer Cam Winton is running unendorsed, on purpose. BY BRIAN AROLA barola@mndaily.com
Cam Winton isn’t a career politician. That’s one thing, he said that sets him apart from a growing field of Minneapolis mayoral candidates. With no background on the Minneapolis City Council or any other elected office, Winton’s credentials largely come from his background in the private sector. Winton’s work as the senior counsel for Duke Energy Corporation involves bringing people together on a daily basis, a skill he said could ser ve him well as a mayor. Before Duke, Winton and some colleagues founded a wind turbine maintenance company, which they later sold to his current employer. “Coming from a company that provided services to demanding customers,
I can draw on that background to provide services more effectively to the citizens of Minneapolis,” he said. A lack of political experience isn’t all that sets Winton apart in the Democratcentric mayoral field. He’s a Republican, but neither wants nor will seek any party endorsement because he said he sees that as irrelevant in a municipal election. “If any party tried to endorse me I would respectfully decline,” he said. Tony Hill, assistant political science professor at the University of MinnesotaDuluth and an avid follower of Minneapolis politics, said Winton’s decision to r un as an independent is smart because Minneapolis hasn’t elected a Republican mayor in 40 years. But Hill also noted Winton can’t stray so far from his Republican background that he misses the city’s conservative base. He said ranked-choice voting could open the door for a conservative candidate u See WINTON Page 10 His wants to improve public safety and water and road systems.
AMANDA SNYDER, DAILY
Minneapolis mayoral candidate and senior counsel for Duke Energy Cam Winton poses Friday at McNamara Alumni Center. Winton will be running as an independent for mayor.
VOLUME 114 ISSUE 74
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Daily Review
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1847
The first rescuers reach surviving members of the Donner Party, a group of California-bound emigrants stranded by snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. HISTORYCHANNEL.COM/TDIH
SLIDESHOW Vol. 114 Tuesday, February 19, 2013, No. 74
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University of Minnesota junior Cassandra Sawyer practices shading and values in her drawing class Monday in the Regis Center for Art.
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WORLD BRIEFING
Ailing Chavez returns to Venezuela BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez returned to Venezuela on Monday after more than two months of treatment in Cuba following cancer surgery, his government said, triggering street celebrations by supporters who welcomed him home while he remained out of sight at Caracas’ military hospital. Chavez’s return was announced in a series of three messages on his Twitter account, the first of them reading: “We’ve arrived once again in our Venezuelan homeland. Thank you, my God!! Thank you, beloved nation!! We will continue our treatment here.” They were the first messages to appear on Chavez’s Twitter account since Nov. 1. “I’m clinging to Christ and trusting in my doctors and nurses,” another tweet on Chavez’s account said. “Onward toward victor y always!! We will live and we will triumph!!” Vice President Nicolas Maduro said on television that Chavez arrived at 2:30 a.m. and was taken to the Dr. Carlos Ar velo Militar y Hospital in Caracas, where he will continue his treatment. Chavez’s announced retur n to Caracas came less than three days after the government released the first photos of the president in more than two months, showing him looking bloated and smiling alongside his daughters.
New Zealand plans logo-free cigarette packs BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Strict against smoking already, New Zealand plans to make tobacco companies remove their logos from cigarette packs but will wait until a challenge to Australian legislation is resolved. The packaging law “will remove the last remaining vestige of glamor from these deadly products,” Associate Minister of Health Tariana Turia said in announcing the plan Tuesday. New Zealand already has increased cigarette taxes and makes retailers hide packs below the counter. The new legislation would be similar to an Australian law that took effect in December and replaced logos on packs with graphic warnings including cancer-riddled mouths. The proposed law could be introduced in Parliament later this year to take effect when the trade case over Australia’s law plays out — next year at the earliest. Tobacco companies lost a legal challenge in Australia’s highest court last year, but the World Trade Organization has agreed to hear a complaint about it from several tobacco-growing countries led by the Ukraine. The Ukraine, Zimbabwe, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Indonesia argued that governments should pursue health policies “without unnecessarily restricting international trade and without nullifying intellectual property rights.” New Zealand, Norway and Uruguay have lined up behind Australia in the WTO case. Uruguay told the trade body it couldn’t remain silent about “the most serious pandemic confronting humanity.”
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EU ministers reject arming Syrian rebels BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BRUSSELS — European Union foreign ministers announced Monday that they were keeping current sanctions against Syria in place for three months, rejecting attempts to alter an embargo on the country so that arms could be funneled to rebels fighting President Bashar Assad. However, in an apparent nod to the U.K, which had argued that the rebels should be exempted from the embargo, the ministers adopted a nonspecific amendment “so as to provide greater non-lethal support and technical assistance for the protection of civilians.” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said that the meaning of that would be defined in meetings among the representatives of member countries to the union. She denied to reporters that the wording was a political fudge. Still, British Foreign Secretary William Hague appeared
to claim victory, saying many countries had not even wanted to discuss changing the embargo at a meeting in November. “Most states were opposed to any amendment of the embargo and today we have amended it in a very important way, in a couple of very important ways,” Hague said. He added that further amendments could be made three months from now, an indication that Britain might continue its push to arm the rebels. “We will have to have that debate at the time, and I think that will depend on whether any political progress is now made in Syria and depend on the continued loss of life which continues on an appalling and unacceptable scale,” Hague said. Several EU foreign ministers said, in strong terms, that they opposed sending any more arms into the ravaged country. That view was supported
Monday by a new report by a U.N.-appointed panel that said Syria’s civil war is becoming increasingly sectarian and the behavior of both sides is growing more and more radicalized. The report urged the international community to curb the supply of weapons and anti-government forces to part with foreign fighters. A number of ministers said they were placing their hopes on the mediation efforts of Lakhdar Brahimi, the joint U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria. “There is no shortage of arms in Syria,” Luxembourgish Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said. “With more arms, there are more killed, more atrocities.” The U.N. says nearly 70,000 people have been killed in Syria’s conflict since the revolt against Assad began in March 2011. Despite the appalling violence, diplomatic efforts continue. Mouaz al-Khatib, the president of the opposition
coalition, has said he would negotiate with representatives of Syria’s governing party — though not with Assad or members of his security services. Brahimi, the international envoy, says that offer “challenges the Syrian government to fulfill its often-repeated assertion that it is ready for dialogue and a peaceful settlement.” The r epor t r eleased in Geneva on Monday by the U.N.-appointed Independent Inter national Commission of Inquir y on Syria made for alarming reading. Discussing events since July, it said human rights abuses by anti-gover nment groups did not “reach the intensity and scale of those committed by government forces and af filiated militia.” But it said rebels have continued to endanger civilians by placing militar y targets in civilian areas.
EXTENDED WEATHER FORECAST WEDNESDAY HIGH 15° LOW 3° Mostly sunny
THURSDAY HIGH 20° LOW 18° Snow shower
FRIDAY HIGH 26° LOW 18° Snow shower
SATURDAY HIGH 24° LOW 16°
A.m. clouds/p.m. sun
All submissions are welcome, but there is no guarantee of publication. DAILY POLL Do you think same-sex marriage legislation will get far at the Capitol this year? 4No, I think it will stall. 4It’s too early to say. 4Yes, I think it has a strong chance of becoming law. 4What same-sex marriage legislation? CORRECTIONS
errors@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. 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 through Thursday, during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 22,000 issues daily. All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste. One (1) copy of The Minnesota Daily per person is free at newsstands in and around the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota. Additional copies may be purchased for $.25 each. U. S. Postal Service: 351–480.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Girlfriend’s mom: Why did he do this? BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JOHANNESBURG — The family of Oscar Pistorius’ slain girlfriend wants answers, her mother told a Johannesburg newspaper, as South Africans braced to hear why prosecutors believe a national hero murdered the model who was shot multiple times. June Steenkamp, Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, told The Times in a front page interview published Monday: “Why? Why my little girl? Why did this happen? Why did he do this?” “Just like that she is gone,” the newspaper quoted her as saying in what it described as an emotional telephone interview. “In the blink of an eye and a single breath, the most beautiful person who ever lived is no longer here.” Pistorius, who remains in custody in a red-brick, one-stor y police station in Pretoria, is set to return to court Tuesday for the start of his bail hearing. It will be the first opportunity for the prosecution to describe evidence police gathered
Blood drive u from Page 1
“As unfair as it was even in that time, having the same limits in place in today’s world is outdated and discriminator y,” said Zimmerman, a University of Minnesota psychology freshman. At the “We Challenge U” blood drive on Monday, University of Minnesota students voiced their concerns with the current guidelines. “You’re secluding a whole section of people who want to give back,” said speech-languagehearing sciences freshman Kim Schlesser. Casey Casella, a political science freshman, agreed. “Not ever ybody can donate blood, so why would you limit those people that are good donors?” Casella said. Yosef Amrami, an officer for the University’s American Red Cross Student Organization, which hosted the event, said he
against the 26-year-old double-amputee runner and the reasons why he was charged with murder. Prosecutors allege the killing was premeditated. Pistorius’ family denies he committed murder though they have not addr essed whether he shot her. When word first emerged about the killing there was speculation in the local media that Steenkamp had been mistaken for an intruder in Pistorius’ home. Police have said that was not something they were considering. In an email to The Associated Press on Monday, Pistorius’ longtime track coach — who was yet to comment — said he believes the killing was an accident. “I pray that we can all, in time, come through this challenging situation following the accident and I am looking for ward to the day I can get my boy back on the track,” Ampie Louw wrote in his statement. “I am still in shock following the heart-breaking events that occurred last week and my thoughts and prayers are with both of the families in-
volved.” Pistorius’ top sponsor, Nike, said in a brief statement to the AP on Monday that it “has no plans for Oscar Pistorius in upcoming campaigns.” They declined to give any further information. While Pistorius goes to court, Steenkamp’s funeral will also be held Tuesday in her hometown of Port Elizabeth on South Africa’s southern coast, her family said. It is to be a private ceremony at a local crematorium, closed to the public and media. “We’re just taking things one day at a time,” Reeva Steenkamp’s brother Adam Steenkamp said outside the family home. “But at the moment it’s family coming together and the one person who would be the strongest, who held us all together, is unfortunately not here anymore — and that’s my sister.” A 29-year-old blonde model, law graduate and reality TV contestant, Reeva Steenkamp died last week of multiple gunshot wounds inside Pistorius’ upscale house in a gated community in the eastern suburbs of the capital, Pretoria.
has gay friends who want to donate blood to give to the community. Before donating blood, donors have a “miniphysical” and fill out a health histor y form on the computer, said Sue Gonsior, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross. If a man marks that he has had sex with a man since 1977, then he is automatically deferred. She said all donated blood is tested for HIV before it’s used. Gonsior said the American Red Cross is also opposed to the current deferral period. In 2010, the American Red Cross, among others, proposed that the FDA change the deferral time for male-to-male sex to 12 months, which is the current deferral time for people who have had sexual contact with someone who has HIV or viral hepatitis. The U.S. Depar tment of Health and Human Services Advisor y Committee on Blood Safety and Tissue Availability chose not to change the current guidelines, citing a need
for more research to prevent any risks to the blood supply. Although “the risk of getting HIV from a transfusion or a blood product has been nearly eliminated in the United States” through improved procedures, the FDA said on its website, its “first obligation is to assure the safety of the blood supply and protect the health of blood recipients.” A 2010 study on the potential effects of lifting the current ban of gay male donors by The Williams Institute at the University of California-Los Angeles School of Law predicted that about 90,000 additional pints of blood could be donated annually if the deferral was decreased to 12 months and about 219,000 pints of blood could be donated annually if the ban was lifted. The American Red Cr oss will continue to push the FDA to modify the guidelines, Gonsior said. “Ever yone should have the right to take par t in this great deed,” Amrami said. “It is something that should see reform.”
Task force to address men’s mental health Men’s health u from Page 1
par t of a larger MSA focus on improving mental health resources and access on campus, said Mike Schmit, MSA alternate student representative to the Board of Regents. I n e a r l y F e b r u a r y, Rymer gave a presentation on how mental health affects men dif ferently than women to Boynton Health Ser vice’s Student Health Advisor y Committee. Although women are more likely to attempt suicide, completed suicides are higher among men, said Gar y Christenson, Boynton’s chief medical officer. Men tend to commit suicide in more violent ways, like using guns or jumping from high buildings, while women are more likely to use pills or tr y cutting, Christenson said. According to Boynton’s 2010 College Student Health Sur vey of University students, the number of female students diagnosed with depression in their lifetime was twice that of men. But Christenson said men are less likely to seek help for depression than women, which he said might partially account for the higher rate of diagnosis. “There is an issue of guys tr ying to minimize their need to use physicians, probably to be macho, to be tough,” Chris-
tenson said. R ymer said he hopes to star t with a post er campaign for male mental health awareness and eventually star t a peer-topeer group where men can speak openly about their mental health. Using a hands-on approach is necessary in cases like men’s mental health, Christenson said, because having resources available isn’t enough sometimes. “It isn’t sufficient to have a counseling center and a mental health clinic and just expect people to find their way there,” Christenson said. “You really need to go out into the population and address the bar riers for people coming in.” Peer suppor t groups might be ef fective among men if they are activitybased groups, said Michael O’Sullivan, a University assistant professor of psychiatr y. “Men tend not to sit around and talk about their feelings at any age,” O’Sullivan said. “So if there was some way to incorporate it into an activity, I’d think they’d feel more comfortable with that.” O’Sullivan works with patients with psychosis and said his younger male patients are more willing to talk about their mental health during group activities like bowling or working on an art project. R ymer was initially concerned students would view his work as misogynistic, which he said was not his intent, but so far the response among MSA and SHAC members has
DISTRIBUTION OF SUICIDES BY GENDER NATIONWIDE
21%
79%
NUMBER OF SUICIDES POPULATION 30,277 8,087
151,781,326 156,964,212
RATE* 19.8 5.0
*per 100,000 people
SOURCE: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, 2010
been positive. He will also reach out to the greek community and student groups on campus to star t conversations about men’s mental health, he said. “This is something that I think will be a key issue within MSA next year,” Kramer said. “I predict that the leaders of MSA next year will be looking at this issue more in depth.” R ymer said he hopes his ef for ts can help eliminate the stigma associated with men’s mental health and the idea that men need to hide their feelings. “If we’re losing fathers, brothers and friends at the rate we are, something needs to be done,” Rymer said. “And I think a good first step is just getting the word out.”
3
Kline, Kaler meet to discuss U costs BY BRIAN AROLA barola@mndaily.com
U.S. Rep. John Kline met with University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler on Monday to discuss measures the school is taking to minimize costs for students. The visit was Kline’s first since being named the chairman of the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee, and he said the visit allowed him to become more familiar with the state’s largest university. “It was a chance for me to get to know the University of Minnesota better,” said Kline, whose 2nd Congressional District covers the southern metro and parts of southeastern Minnesota. Along with costs for students, the discussion also focused on the University’s four-year graduation rates. The University’s fouryear graduation rates have increased significantly over the past decade. Fifty-four percent of students who
started in 2007 graduated in four years — twice the amount than a decade earlier, according to the University’s 2012 accountability report. Kaler, in a statement, said he was happy to have the congressman on campus. “We were ver y pleased to have Congressman John Kline visit the U of M, Twin Cities’ campus today,” Kaler said. “It gave us a great opportunity to begin dialogue on the most important issues facing higher education institutions.” Kline said he was interested in seeing what progress the University is making in curbing the costs of education for students, and he came away pleased with what he heard. “I believe that President Kaler and the staff here have a good understanding that they’ve got to take steps to contain costs,” he said. Kline pointed to the University’s consolidation of offices and cutting excess
staff as steps the school has already taken. With increases in federal funding for higher education not likely on the way, Kline said he wanted to see the University making smart decisions. “I feel like they recognized the environment; they understand that there isn’t more federal money coming,” he said. After the meeting, Kline toured the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center at the Mayo Memorial Building. He said the University’s research programs are exciting and essential aspects of the University. “I was ver y impressed with the very high caliber of research,” he said. Along with Kaler, Kline met with Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Karen Hanson, Dean of Undergraduate Education and Vice Provost Bob McMaster and Kris Wright, director of student finance.
US lawmakers visit Cuba BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HAVANA — A delegation of American lawmakers led by Sen. Patrick Leahy arrived in Cuba on Monday to gauge the island’s economic changes and stress the importance of freeing a jailed American whose detention has chilled relations between the two countries. The trip, which included five senators, was the first to the Communist-run island by high-level U.S. politicians since President Barack Obama’s re-election in No-
vember. It comes a year after another group of legislators led by Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, came to Cuba and met with President Raul Castro. Last year’s delegation also visited Alan Gross, an American jailed since 2009 for illegally distributing communications equipment on the island while on a U.S.-funded democracybuilding program. In their meetings, the lawmakers will stress that freeing Gross, who is serving a 15-year sentence, is a crucial prerequisite for improved ties, a State Department of-
ficial told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, lacking authorization to comment publicly. “Nothing would make me happier if, when we leave in a couple of days, for Alan Gross to be on the plane with us,” Leahy said following the group’s arrival, before adding: “I don’t think that is likely to happen.” Leahy said the aim of the trip is to work toward better relations between the two countries, and that both sides would have to give ground.
4
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
A&E EDITOR
Sarah Harper (612) 627-4070, ext. 3237 sharper@mndaily.com
ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR Joe Kleinschmidt (612) 627-4070, ext. 3198 jkleinschmidt@mndaily.com
RADIO K TOP 7 1. James Blake “Retrograde” 2. Unknown Mortal Orchestra “Faded in the Morning” 3. Youth Lagoon “Dropla” 4. Foxygen “San Francisco” 5. Carroll “Lead Balloon” 6. Local Natives “Heavy Feet” 7. Growlers “One Million Lovers”
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FASHION
The Fashionista is in: the menswear quiz A MALE WHO DRESSES WELL AT THE BAR IS CERTAIN TO WIN SOME EYES OF APPROVAL. IT’S YOUR MOVE IN THIS CHESS GAME — HOW WILL YOU CALL CHECKMATE? BY SHANNON RYAN sryan@mndaily.com
C. Scotch (on the rocks) D. Stella Artois
W
Question 2:
here my welldressed fellas at? I know you’re out there, guys; perhaps you’re buried underneath some stodgy high school T-shirts and University of Minnesota sweats, but I see through that. I believe in the power of dress. If I squint my eyes ever so slightly, I see a budding fashionisto behind those abysmal wind pants and shoddy running shoes. You just need some guidance to let your dark and debonair side see some light.
Question 1:
When ordering a drink, which do you prefer? A. Pabst Blue Ribbon B. Rum and Coke
When getting dinner with a date for the first time, where would you take him/her? A. The Loring Pasta Bar B. The Bachelor Farmer C. Bryant-Lake Bowl D. La Belle Vie
Question 3:
When par ticipating in a formal event, which do you prefer to put on? A. Skinny tie B. Clip-on necktie C. Regular necktie D. Bow tie
Question 4:
When getting dressed in the morning, which type of pant are you most likely to slip into?
A. Corduroys B. Jeans C. Trousers D. Sweatpants
Question 5:
Which of these upcoming concerts would you pull the trigger and purchase tickets for first? A. Tame Impala B. Rihanna C. Kenny Chesney D. Jim James
Question 6:
Where do you like to get your beak wet on the weekends? A. Blarney Pub and Grill B. Icehouse C. Palmer’s Bar D. Prohibition
8 points and below: Simple Boi Fashion may ver y well be foreign to you, and you’r e disinter ested in its entirety, but don’t stop reading quite yet — I’m not asking too much from you. A simple and classic way to spruce up your evening apparel is to put on a pair of dark denim and a printed buttondown, then toss on a light, V-neck sweater top in a solid shade. For shoes, remember this cardinal rule: Never wear running shoes when going out. To stay casual, wear a pair of printed sneakers or slip-ons. This is a clean and easy look that leans in the right direction, toward adulthood instead of puberty.
Key:
(1.) A. 2; B. 1; C. 4; D. 2 (2.) A. 2; B. 3; C. 1; D. 3 (3.) A. 1; B. 0; C. 2; D. 2 (4.) A. 2; B. 1; C. 3; D. 0 (5.) A. 2; B. 2; C. 1; D. 2 (6.) A. 1; B. 2; C. 2; D. 3
9-12 points: Hip Kid Though you have a certain style to you already, tr y dipping into a larger
pool of items to add some jam to the peanut butter already on your palate. Tr y a pair of skinny trousers in an unorthodox shade of mustard or deep mahogany, coupled with a thrifted, worn T-shir t or a simple henley under neath a fitted spor ts coat. Go ahead and wear your Chucks to the par ty for a little more hip flavor, and cap the look of f with a beanie of your choice. Don’t quote me, but I think that’s what “fresh to death” looks like.
13-15 points: Fashionisto You’ve got style, boy. Let people see. Wearing a pair of dark denim in a slim fit always leads an outfit on a cool note — now add a button-down and a tie to add some heat. Don’t leave it at that, though — add some more visual stimulation with a vest. Vests are great to dress up jeans, especially if the jean is a
dark wash and not faded. Wearing a plaid or striped button-down will keep the look casual, and rolling up the sleeves a tad will make it appear more ef for tless. Finish the outfit with a pair of leather oxfords on the dogs and a leather jacket over your shoulders.
16-17 points: Dapper Dawg Well, well, well, you Scott Disick homage, you. Suave may ver y well be your middle name, but quit letting people have to guess at it. I urge you to play with patterns. Mix a tweed blazer with a gingham shir t and a polka dot bow tie for an aesthetically pleasing explosion of prints. Offset the eccentric nature of your upper half with a pair of navy trousers and a set of tasseled loafers for some feet flair. I apologize for the obscene amount of phone numbers you’re about to get.
FASHION
Students in Flux: review of the University of Minnesota senior fashion show SATURDAY EVENING PRESENTED FASHION ENTHUSIASTS WITH A PEEK OF EMERGING MINNEAPOLIS DESIGNERS. BY SHANNON RYAN sryan@mndaily.com
A
n evening of fashion, fiction and fantasy, Saturday marked the 45th annual University of Minnesota apparel design’s senior class fashion show: Flux. Seventeen design students have been developing, constructing and executing their designs since spring 2012, having completed their collections before finals this past fall semester. This student-produced fashion showcase fits in accordance with the rest of the industry, which is currently celebrating the wonder of design through each fashion capital’s visionaries. It’s only fitting that the University revel in some of this glory. Entering the atrium of Rapson Hall on the night of the 16th felt like walking into a ver y well-lit edition of a “My Super Sweet 16” episode. There were beats bumpin’, lists curated, pho-
tos snappin’, a bleak table of refreshments and a makeshift runway in the center of it all. The excitement was palpable, and the crowd generous, both in terms of bodies in seats and encouragement for their peers. The excitement and hope for peeping new talent was strong among the attendees. Peplum, snake print, leather embellishment and petite prints walked the floor in designs from both the sophomore and junior design class prior to the seniors’ reveal, and the designs were a mixed bag of treats: some sweet, some delicious and some quite bitter, though none soured my palate. It was a promising beginning to the evening. Just a few minutes past 8 p.m., the senior fashion show was in full orbit, opening with designs from senior Jen Voth, the models strutting an en pointe pace to the rhythm of a slow jam R&B beat lost in a cloud of synth. Voth’s designs can be considered ready to wear in a small sense of the concept, as they resembled yoga wear for the couture darling — fine for those seeking to humble their mind and body
in quite exceptionally executed garments bathed in a soft color palette. The show progressed with some fashion show shake-ups: barefoot models from designer Misty Karges; center stage serenity poses from the models dressed by Grace Lorig; sassy studded belts around spunky and costumed children in Issa Mello’s collection. Sherry Sanden Will’s collection extended an authoritative hand in beautifullyconstructed business-appropriate fashions for women. Geared toward those a decade or so a student’s senior, Will paired wool fabrics and silks saturated in tangerines, navys, nudes and deep reds on longer-hemmed dresses, skirts and blouses with superb lines of execution. Though all 17 of the budding designers crafted designs wor th unveiling, some more costume-based and some more event-appropriate, three designers’ constructions harnessed my attention and whetted my palate of sartorial sweetness more than the others: Claire Ward, Ellie Hottinger and Mai Yang. Ward has a talent in mak-
ing the unconventional look conventional, playing with volume, embellishing vinyl, using rexlace as fabric and wowing the crowd with untraditional texture pairings. Hottinger delighted eyes with her Carrie Bradshaw tutus and nude-colored dresses of chiffon and rayon. The collection mixed elegance with insouciance, pairing loosely fitted sleeveless top halves with cascading ruffles and voluminous lower halves. As for Yang, her designs were the most ready to wear of the evening, insofar that they appeared boutiqueworthy at first — and second — glance. A divine pair of embellished party shorts and a glam color palette sublime for holiday gatherings frosted this darling collection; local boutiques will be battling for this student’s talent. The fashion show concluded with the display of the designers, their talent and the models lining the walls of the building. Though the sweat, blood and tears that pour ed through the thimbles were unseen, the hard work, passion and delight for the craft was evident in all 17 students.
BRIDGET BENNETT, DAILY Model Lindsey Kuehl displays one of Anna Louise Sviben’s designs at Flux, the College of Design’s 45th annual apparel design senior fashion show, Saturday in Rapson Hall.
Editorials & Opinions www.mndaily.com/opinion
Me, myself and I Social media is fueling its users’ narcissism.
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HEMANG SHARMA columnist
a Foursquare check-in tells me and her other 3,000 social media “friends” and “followers” about her luncheon. An image or two during the day of Jenna (#selfies) — often titled “nerd” or “dork, LOL” — occupy my newsfeed, which almost immediately gets a couple hundred likes. If it’s a school night, Jenna will complain how she is buried under the books, a proclamation of her love for her “bff” or something similar via a status that will gather the attention of more social media users. If it’s a weekend, constant updates will appear in all caps about the activities, the song and dance and other hot ongoings at the bar. Oh, and all the images of the drinks are just to keep track of the number of shots
taken. We all have a “Jenna” inside us and around us. Regardless of gender, Jennas are ever ywhere — a bunch of self-promoting, self-absorbed narcissistic people walking around, telling ever yone how cool, how awesome and how gr eat their lives are. Because of the Internet ,we have these platforms that allow us to shamelessly exhibit our lives to many who don’t appreciate or care about how awesome we are. America has always been a cultur e obsessed with glamour. We idolize celebrities and read about their perfect lives in tabloids. But then we review the sheer emptiness and mediocrity of our own lives in comparison to theirs. Appalled at the sad realization, the one that “Fight Club” ’ s T yler Durden warned us about, we screamed for the spotlight and popularity that they had, and we began to believe we equally deserved it. T yler’s prophecy of an angr y, depressed culture failed almost exclusively due
DEATHS IN IRAQ: U.S. & COALITION TROOPS: 4,802 — IRAQI CIVILIANS: 111,216- PLUS DEATHS IN AFGHANISTAN: U.S. & COALITION TROOPS: 3,245 — AFGHAN CIVILIANS: UNKNOWN
to the Internet. Now ever y Jenna in the world is using the Web to promote ever ything about his or her life in a self-broadcasting situation resembling “TMZ Live.” We are the celebrity, and we are the paparazzi. Look at me now, look what I own, look how I dress, look at this great food I ordered, etc. — ever ything about us has become an exhibition, almost to the point that we have stopped living. We have star ted to por tray a more glamorous, fictionalized version of ourselves. Live your life and enjoy it instead of living it for the purposes or standards of others. Social media isn’t all bad. It’s one thing to share your life on social media sites, but it’s another to use these sites to avoid your own problems or shor tcomings. If people needed to hear obnoxious accounts of people describing their perfect lives, they’d subscribe to US Weekly. Hemang Sharma welcomes comments at hsharma@mndaily.com.
MINIMUM WAGE
An honest pay The federal government should increase the minimum wage.
L
Maxwell Smith welcomes comments at msmith@mndaily.com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Students need the ability to charge their phones on campus
The Minnesota Daily recently published an editorial, “Charging on campus” on Feb. 12 on Minnesota Student Association’s completed proposal to implement cellphone charging stations in high-traf fic areas. The editorial stated that “it would be a poor use of money” to install and implement these cellphone charging stations. I disagree with that sentiment, and I believe it is partially due to a lack of due diligence on the part of the editorial board of the Daily. The ar ticle’s argument rests on a couple of assertions, the first of which is that cellphone charging stations address a “nonexistent problem.” The editorial board acknowledges, however, that there are “an inadequate number of outlets in several common areas.” In fact, many students do find themselves with a dying phone and no convenient place to charge it. Implementing cellphone charging stations would free up the already strained outlet space for students. The editorial board also proposed that “finding ways to redesign electrical usage … in Coffman” would be a better solution. Rewiring and redesigning outlet space in the student union would actually be a far more expensive and difficult solution than the simple installation of cellphone charging stations. Further, this has
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The Editorials & Opinions department is independent of the newsroom. The editorial board prepares the editorials labeled “EDITORIALS,” which are the opinion of the Minnesota Daily as an institution but not representative of Daily employees’ opinions. Columnists’ opinions are their own.
EDITORIALS
SOCIAL MEDIA
Live and let live” is a mantra of the past. Now, it is about living and telling others about your awesome life and leaving your defamator y opinions online. I have a friend. Let’s call her Jenna. She is nice, cultured and extremely social, both in person and on the Internet. She likes to chill, party and tell the world how awesome her life is. Jenna is also a narcissist. A typical day has Jenna telling the world almost ever y detail about her life that she thinks people deser ve to know. This includes sharing the stor y about the cute guy who flir ted with her on her quest to procure an expensive beverage from Starbucks. She usually wishes the drink lasted longer than her boring calculus lectures, to which she arrives via overcrowded Campus Connectors. An Instagram image and
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
been addressed by Student Unions and Activities which has been actively increasing the number of outlets in Coffman Union since 2008, along with the fact that they have already installed a charging station in Goldy’s Gameroom. The actual cost of these charging stations is relatively low, at $299 per unit, with installation for the entire system likely to cost less than $200, a cost of less than 2 cents per student. The “constant changing of new phone plugs” would also likely not be a problem, as the agreement made by 14 major cellphone manufacturers to standardize phone chargers in 2009 is well under way. The benefit that students would get from being able to have a place to charge their phones is not just a social one. Students use their phones to coordinate study groups, resolve housing issues with landlords, communicate with professors and with the workplace and to help schedule their busy lives. The editorial states that “it should not be the responsibility of the student government to help peers keep their phones charged.” The mission statement of MSA states that our aim is to “better the rights and privileges” of students at the University of Minnesota. Cellphone charging stations are a quick, easy fix to help make a student’s experience at the University more convenient, more accessible and more enjoy-
able. This is the exact kind of thing that MSA should be spending student ser vices fees on. Jackson Fate University student
Graduate students’ health care
I would like to take a moment to say thank you to the University of Minnesota’s Office of Student Health Benefits. On Feb.18, the Minnesota Daily published the article “Grad students mischarged for health insurance,” which described how some graduate students were charged $950 and informed that their health insurance provider had changed. From the article we learned, “It’s not a mistake.” What a pleasant surprise it was to read those words. The ar ticle led to an apologetic email that included no apology informing all graduate students that their plan had not changed. This came more than a month after the $950 charge, and it was the first indication that our insurer had not in fact changed — after new insurance cards had been issued. Thank you, then, University of Minnesota for continuing to treat your graduate student employees with respect and dignity. It’s times like these that I am thankful that we have no union and can instead deal directly and unbureaucratically with our employers. Wesley Burdine University student
ast week, during President Barack Obama’s first State of the Union address of his second term, he declared a renewed call to raise the federal minimum wage. RONALD DIXON It is currently columnist at $7.25, and he would like the gover nment to raise it to $9. Republicans in Congress, however, have expressed their disdain against this new proposal, including Speaker John Boehner, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican rising-star and professional water ninja Sen. Marco Rubio. Despite the opposition to the wage increase, we find that Democrats should tackle the issue in order to forge a reform. There are a myriad of reasons why we should have an updated law. First, there are economic benefits. According to economist Jared Bernstein, a higher wage motivates workers and makes jobs more attractive. The extra money also will be immediately spent by those living on lower incomes, producing an economic boost. Also, the wage would bring the lowest legal income closer to the federal poverty line, which currently stands at $23,050 for a family of four. Assuming that one works a minimum wage job 40 hours a week for 53 weeks before taxes, they would make $15,370 with a $7.25 per hour job and $19,080 with a $9 per hour position. Conceptually, a worker should make about $11 per hour as a minimum, but any increase is better than nothing. Finally, the current rate is not indexed to inflation, whereas Obama’s proposal calls for this linkage. According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, if workers’ wages would have been tied to inflation, they would be making $10.52 per hour. To remind ourselves of how hard minimum-wage workers labor for little compensation, the study also found that if wages were indexed to productivity, the poorest workers would be making $21.72, showing just how much of a burden they have had to endure. In a civilized society, any full-time job should ensure a minimum quality of life. In the U.S. though, this is far from a reality for many Americans. Obama’s proposal would reduce the economic hardships of those trapped in the lower socio-economic level and, thus, should be passed. Ronald Dixon welcomes comments at rdixon@mndaily.com.
Universal preschool Providing preschool for all could rebuild a crumbling education system.
O
ne of the more ambitious proposals President Barack Obama made during his most recent State of the Union address was the proposal to work with states to make “high-quality preschool available to every single child in America,” arguing that investing in early childhood education can save money down the road by improving graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy and “even reducing violent crime.” While the idea of providing preschool may seem new, it isn’t. The New York Times columnist Gail Collins recently noted that in 1971, then-Sen. Walter Mondale of Minnesota led a congressional effort to make quality preschool available to every family in the country. The plan was ultimately vetoed by President Richard Nixon, but research since then has shown the advantages quality preschool can provide. In 2011, USA Today published an article describing a study that followed participants until they were 26. The study showed that “each dollar spent on Chicago-based, federally funded ChildParent Centers generates $4 to $11 in return” because the participants earned more and were less likely to be held back in school or involved with drugs. One of the hurdles with providing universal preschool is its massive expense, at least initially. A lot of money would have to be invested, and the potential benefits wouldn’t come until decades later. Another hurdle is ensuring quality. Head Start, a federally funded preschool program for low-income families, has had dismal results. Each state would have to have its own approach so that various ways of providing preschool could be tested. The current state of American education is terrible. Millions of children grow up with poor social skills and small vocabularies. Convention remedies, such as simply increasing funding, aren’t working. The benefits universal preschool could provide are worth working toward.
The yearround calendar Kaler’s proposal could prove beneficial for students.
U
niversity of Minnesota President Eric Kaler recently announced that the University would test a year-round calendar for two programs within the College of Design, the Minnesota Daily reported Feb. 11. The calendar, which would add an additional standardized term in the summer, has not been popular in the past, but Kaler is hoping that the opportunity to take classes and graduate earlier will attract students with strict graduation plans. As long as University departments do not begin forcing students to take required core classes in the summer, there is no real disadvantage to having a more structured summer term in place. Brought up on relaxing during the summer months, students may be reluctant to give them up for class, but if it helps them graduate faster or lessens the intensity of fall and spring semester course loads, the addition of a standardized summer term will be beneficial. There are a few logistical issues that may come up with a full transition to a year-round calendar; financial aid supplements and semester-based student loans may have to change in order to recognize the trimester system. And there are many students who use summer for working or completing major-related internships. However, simply giving students the option to continue their education full time through the summer shouldn’t impact those who wish to take a break or work between the fall and spring semesters. With credit inflation and the constant threat of tuition and fees increasing, students deserve every chance available to complete their degrees in a timely fashion. The year-round calendar would help students do that.
LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMNS
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 600 words in length. Readers may also submit guest columns. Guest columns should be approximately 350 words. The Daily reserves the right to print any submission as a letter or guest column. Submission does not guarantee publication. letters@mndaily.com Fax: (612) 435-5865 Phone: (612) 435-1578 Letters and columns to the editor 2221 University Ave. SE Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414
Look for online exclusive columns at www.mndaily.com/opinion.
@mndailyopinions
EDITOR IN CHIEF CALI OWINGS = EDITORIAL EDITOR ERIC BEST = SENIOR EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER WILLIAM BORNHOFT = BOARD MEMBERS CASSANDRA SUNDARAM, JONATHAN MORRIS
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Sports
@MNDAILYSPORTS
SWIMMING & DIVING
Storied diving coach unites Gophers Wenbo Chen has coached in the Olympics, China and the U.S.
Diving from the start
BY MEGAN RYAN mryan@mndaily.com
Gophers head diving coach Wenbo Chen left his family and southern Chinese town at age 12 to train with the national team in Beijing — 1,000 miles from home. But to Chen, leaving his family to pursue a career in diving wasn’t a big deal. “The first couple days [I was] a little homesick, but after that you started a routine and got used to it,” Chen said. “Actually, I really enjoyed my times [in Beijing].” Chen dove for a decade at China’s national training center and only saw his family once a year for two weeks each time. But the sacrifice was well worth it. Chen had various successes as a diver before starting an elite coaching career in China, the U.S. and Canada that led him to the sport’s grandest stage: the Olympics. Now, Chen has settled at the University of Minnesota and taken on a new challenge — uniting the Gophers swimming and diving teams.
Instant Gopher Chen took several turns in the college coaching realm, first by helping a friend coach at Illinois in 1992. Chen also ser ved as the interim head coach at Florida State in 1998 before he was head coach at Purdue from 2001-05. Chen coached at the U.S. national training center for four years after Purdue, also serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. national team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In Beijing, one of his divers, Kelci Bryant, competed in synchronized diving. But Chen returned to the college coaching scene in 2009 when he signed with Minnesota. He said he kept coming back to collegiate competition because the job was more stable and it reminded him of the Chinese diving system with the support and competitive atmosphere. “Diving is not a big event in the U.S.,” Chen said. “But college meets, even when you have a dual meet, sometimes are exciting [with] lots
MARK VANCLEAVE, DAILY FILE PHOTO
Minnesota diving coach Wenbo Chen gives Kelci Bryant feedback after a dive at practice July 3, 2012, at the University Aquatic Center. Chen has coached Bryant since she was in high school.
of people watching, too.” Gophers head men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach Kelly Kremer said persuading Chen to coach the Gophers was more like convincing an athlete to commit to the team. “I felt like we were recruiting more than interviewing,” Kremer said. For Chen, the interview process was more of a fan experience, Kremer said. “When he was interviewing at Minnesota, he got an autograph from [men’s basketball coach] Tubby Smith,” Kremer said. “And he was more excited about that, I think, than anything.” Chen embraced his new school from the start. Kremer said Chen is prouder to be at Minnesota than most Minnesota natives are and thinks all students should wear maroon and gold. Kremer noticed this quality during one of the team’s first away meets with Chen. The two roomed together, and there was a Gophers basketball game on TV. “He was so into it — it was like he had been a Gopher fan his whole life,” Kremer said. “He knows every sport … and he’s a fan of every sport.” Chen’s dedication to Minnesota has brought the swimming and diving teams closer as well, Kremer said. At the Big Ten championships a couple of years ago, Chen was late for judging an exhibition diving event because he was cheering for one of the Gophers’ swimming relays, Kremer said.
“He understands the importance of swimming and diving and how we work together and how we’re one team,” Kremer said. “We have never been a closer swimming and diving team than we have been in his time at Minnesota. And I really credit Wenbo for that.”
Building a team Chen said it has been difficult to recruit the best divers to Minnesota because most divers are from warmweather states and don’t want to come so far north. Chen said few divers in the Midwest are looking seriously for Olympic-caliber coaches. So instead, Chen has focused on building a team from local, talented divers. All but one of his women’s divers are from Minnesota. “Even when they’re not good yet — but if they have a talent — I can have a way to bring them to … the best they can be,” Chen said. Chen had help bringing prestige to the Gophers diving program. His longtime mentee, Br yant, competed at Minnesota for two seasons. “Kelci Br yant didn’t even visit Minnesota,” Kremer said. “She came here for Wenbo Chen.” Br yant wasn’t the only diver to follow the wellknown coach to the Gophers. Sophomore Jordan Lesser transferred to Minnesota from Alabama in 2012 after Br yant won a silver medal at the London Olympics under Chen.
“He was actually one of the top reasons I wanted to come here,” Lesser said. “Wenbo probably had the most credibility coaching [Olympic athletes].” Senior Katie Grunawalt said Chen is a familiar face in the diving world. “All the coaches know who he is. All the divers know who he is,” Grunawalt said. “So it’s kind of exciting to get the oppor tunity to learn from someone who is that talented.” Although Chen is a force on the diving scene, junior Maggie Keefer said he isn’t serious all the time. “He’s actually really funny during practice,” Keefer said. “He’ll make jokes and laugh at you. It keeps the practice really upbeat. “But then when it comes to meets and stuff, he’s serious and then that lets you know that you need to be serious for the meet.” Chen enjoys messing around by yelling at his divers while they are spinning through the air, Grunawalt said. He keeps his divers on their toes during away meets. Chen drives the team van and surprises his athletes whenever he comes up to a stop light or sign. “He’ll just slam on his breaks as hard as he can and he’ll say, ‘Niǐ Hao!’ which means ‘hello’ in Chinese,” Grunawalt said. “I don’t know why he says it. It just scares us … and it’s really funny, so it kind of lightens the mood.”
Chen’s home town had weather similar to Florida, so everyone liked water, Chen said. “I liked water from a really beginning age,” Chen said. “[And] when I was young, I would, like, flip everywhere.” When the U.S. swimming and diving team toured China in 1972, Chen saw a film about the team near his home town and was inspired to combine his love for water and flipping. After a year and a half, China’s national team coaches selected him to train in Beijing. While Chen enjoyed platform diving the most, he won a junior national title on the 3-meter dive in 1976. He was a finalist on the senior national team from 1977-82. By age 22, Chen had injured his neck and struggled with his sinuses. He retired from diving and became a provincial head coach, opening his own program. The Chinese coaching system places a lot of emphasis on finding diving talent when athletes are young. Chen focused on finding the right divers, and within two years, one of his athletes was already top three in the nation. The national team again took notice of Chen — this time as a coach. At 24, Chen was an assistant coach — one of the youngest coaches at the time —on the team where he coached the men’s 3-meter gold medalist at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. China has become a diving powerhouse. The countr y’s first Olympic diving medal came in 1984. Since then, it has accumulated 59 — a tally that ranks second all-time behind the U.S., which has 135. Chen said he can’t take too much credit for raising China’s credibility, though he did contribute in some ways. “The major thing I did when I coached China was move the [degree of difficulty] ahead,” Chen said. In diving, difficulty is an impor tant component of scoring high. China’s national team is known for executing some of the most difficult dives in the world. Chen was ready for a new challenge in 1992. After helping his friend coach at Illinois, he coached club teams in Canada and the U.S. Chen said he wasn’t used
Mbakwe must finish business now BY CHARLIE ARMITZ carmitz@mndaily.com
Trevor Mbakwe stood glued to the Williams Arena floor, eyes focused on the rim, and swished a free throw as teammate Rodney Williams watched. This was the scene for a Gophers athletics YouTube video last April. Mbakwe, an NBA prospect for several years, announced he would return to the Gophers for the 2012-13 season, citing “unfinished business.” Mbakwe’s return gave Gophers fans comfort. If any player could break coach Tubby Smith’s squad out of its funk — five straight seasons without a winning Big Ten record or NCAA tournament victory — it was the sixth-year senior, a 24-year-old man whose determination and energy matched his skill and athleticism. A leader. The Gophers valued Mbakwe’s leadership so much, they kept him on the team after an offseason DWI, his latest in a string of legal incidents. He was also returning from major knee surgery and had missed 66 games in his three years at Minnesota. But half a year later, Mbakwe’s leadership is absent as the Gophers struggle through another underperforming Big Ten season (6-7). Minnesota has lost seven of its last 10 games, including Sun-
Still a competitor Chen’s two daughters didn’t follow in his diving footsteps, but that left him more time for his latest hobby — racquetball. Chen started the sport a few years ago after coaching diving for two months in China. He had gained some weight and needed a form of exercise that wasn’t boring to him. “I like anything that has a challenge, [that] has a win or lose,” Chen said. One of Chen’s assistant coaches introduced him to racquetball, and now Chen plays two nights a week with the University’s racquetball team and two mornings a week with a friend. Chen said he hopes to play in tournaments once he isn’t so busy with diving meets. “I think I’m pretty good for my age,” he said. Kremer said there is a “legend” around the Big Ten conference involving Chen and racquetball. At last year’s women’s Big Ten swimming and diving championships, one of the starters was a former professional racquetball player. “While [the starter] was starting a race, Wenbo’s chatting with him about, ‘Oh, you play racquetball? You play the racquetball?’ And [the starter] was like, ‘Wenbo, I’ve got to start these races now,’ ” Kremer said. “Everything was out of his mind when racquetball comes into the picture. He’s as competitive at that as he is coaching diving.” Besides dreams of racquetball glory, Chen has already accomplished almost ever ything a diving coach could. But he said he isn’t any less motivated today than when he first started. “It looks like I don’t have any challenges, doesn’t it?” Chen said. “[But] I still love the sport.”
GOPHERS IN THE POLLS
COLUMN
The Gophers need Trevor Mbakwe’s leadership to finish the season strong.
to the club coaching atmosphere. “In [the] U.S., you cannot totally control what [divers] will do because especially when you’re club … the parents pay the coaches’ salary,” Chen said. “Some kids are not that talented. But they paid the money — you have to coach them.” Chen also said that in China, coaches trained only three divers at a time, but in the U.S. he juggled five or more at a time.
day’s 72-51 loss at Iowa. The team has been healthy, so naturally, fans have blamed Smith and his obvious coaching CHARLIE ARMITZ deficiencies. They Daily sports editor should be blaming Mbakwe, the more capable leader of the two. Mbakwe is the most talented player on a Gophers team that once ranked No. 8 nationally. He’s the best rebounder in the Big Ten, and at 6-foot-8, 245 pounds, he’s better suited for the conference’s physical style of play than his teammates. He proved that two years ago, when he led Minnesota with 14.1 points and 11.0 rebounds in the Big Ten. But this season, when the Gophers have needed leadership most, Mbakwe has looked more like a freshman than a veteran. Minnesota trailed Iowa by two points with 1.5 seconds left in the first half Sunday when Mbakwe lunged at the Hawkeyes’ Zach McCabe, trying to block a three-point attempt. Mbakwe leveled McCabe and missed the ball, leading to three free throws. A week earlier, Mbakwe was doubleteamed with less than a minute left and the Gophers trailing Illinois by one. He held the ball for four seconds before throwing an off-balance pass three feet over teammate Joe Coleman’s head. Statistically, Mbakwe’s struggles are
equally as puzzling. He averages fewer points and rebounds than he did two years ago, and his field-goal and freethrow percentages are down. But what’s most troubling is his lack of accountability. Mbakwe frequently says on Twitter that he’s motivated by people who doubt him. That list is growing longer each day. He tweeted in November that he’d refund his scholarship if the Gophers missed the NCAA tournament. That offer would be more concerning if not for sophomore point guard Andre Hollins’ stellar play. And like his coach, Mbakwe defers blame. He knows he’s capable of playing better, yet his postgame comments reek of confusion, irritation and excusemaking. Hollins can’t save these Gophers, and neither can Smith. Hollins shows his youth far too often, and Smith’s coaching decisions appear to show his age. The 61-year-old coach will likely be fired if the Gophers don’t win an NCAA tournament game. If he’s fired, he’ll receive a $2.5 million buyout and could choose to retire after a successful 22-year career. Mbakwe’s future won’t be so bright. His NBA draft stock has already fallen, and unless he improves it, he’ll have to overachieve to earn a multi-year contract. As an undersized power forward, he’s not built to succeed in the NBA. But if Mbakwe wants to have any shot, he’d best take care of his “unfinished business” now.
LAST WEEK’S RANKING
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
THIS WEEK’S RANKING
1 1 2 2
MEN’S HOCKEY
4 4
WRESTLING
MEN’S GYMNASTICS
6 6
11 12
CHANGE
NO CHANGE
NO CHANGE
NO CHANGE
NO CHANGE
-1
WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS
SOURCES: USCHO.COM, NCAA.COM, TROESTER.COM
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
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EMPLOYMENT BARTENDING! $300/Day potential No Exp Nec, Training available. Age 18+ OK. 1-800-965-6520 xt114
DUPLEX & HOUSE DINKYTOWN *Now Renting For Fall* The Lodges of Dinkytown Gorgeous 5BR 2BA unit laundry. Off st pkg. Starting at $630/BR. www.dinkytownrentals.com or 612-378-2413
HOUSING 501 15TH AVE SE 3 & 4 bedroom apartments Across from Bierman Hall. Most utilities incl.(612) 309-4808
Lg 3+4 BR duplex avlble 9113. hdwd flrs, dshwshr, ldry, prkg avlble, 2 blks from campus 6512603881
2,3,4 bed for rent, newer off st park Call Jake: 612-600-9101
CLASSIC CITY APTS Dinkytown/Stadium Village AVAIL FALL 2013 Rooms, Studios 1 BR, 2 BR, 5 BR Units OPEN HOUSES Check our website at WWW.classiccityapartments.com for Dec/Jan Dates & Times. 5BR/2BA Lofts incl 46 inch TV starting at $2700/mo. Call 612-623-1888 for appt. Email info@classiccityapartments.com WHY share a room when you can stay in an apt for around same price???
Rent now for fall. The last of the big kahunas!!!! 528 14th Ave. 9BR+ $650/BR all util paid. www.dinkytownrentals.com or 612-378-2413
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UPCOMING EVENTS WHAT: Need Healing? Come get it and learn how to give it! WHO: Betsy Lee of Prayer Ventures WHEN: 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Saturday WHERE: Stadium Village Church, 501 Oak St. SE, Minneapolis PRICE: Free! A donation will be taken for lunch. Are you smiling on the outside but hurting on the inside? We all know people who are hurting: friends, family, coworkers. Sometimes our own problems seem beyond hope. Join us for a workshop to discover how God heals hurts — even deep, deep heart hurts — through prayer. You’ll also be equipped to pray for others’ healing.
WHAT: Free yoga session WHO: The Art of Living Club WHEN: 5:30 p.m., Feb. 28. WHERE: Akerman Hall, Room 319 PRICE: Free Open to Everyone. Relax and rejuvenate with yoga and meditation.
WHAT: City of Lakes Chorus Spring Show WHO: City of Lakes Chorus WHEN: 7 p.m., March 16 WHERE: Bethel University, Benson Great Hall, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul PRICE: $20-$25 Lights, camera, a cappella! Join the award-winning City of Lakes Chorus for an evening of harmony on “Walk the Red Carpet” and enjoy the greatest in a cappella music. The chorus welcomes special guests: Grand Design, Medallion and Keepin’ Outta Mischief. You won’t want to miss this glamorous event! Tickets can be purchased online at www.cityoflakes.org by calling 651-631-3768 or emailing sales@cityoflakes.org.
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The Minnesota Daily Classifieds page is now a service for student groups. Student groups can promote themselves for free in the featured section. Featured student groups run for one week and are published on a rolling submission basis. This page is independent from the Minnesota Daily’s editorial content and is operated by the advertising staff. The subject matter, for wording, illustrations and typography of featured groups are subject to approval by the Publisher. Any content that attacks, criticizes or demeans any individual, race, religion, sex, institution, firm, business, profession, organization or affectional preference shall not be accepted.
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013
BACKTALK sudoku
horoscopes
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. Visit mndaily.com to see the solution to today’s puzzle.
2/19/13
Monday’s solution © 2013 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
Today’s Birthday (2/19): Research your financial investments, which require close attention and management this year. Domestic bliss is the theme. Summer brings heightened social life and family fun.
To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Written By Linda C. Black
Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is an 8 — Find a connection with your family and grow. Take your ideas public. You get a blizzard of calls. Be ready to answer all the questions.
Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is an 8 — The rules stay the same for awhile. Review practical arrangements and get organized. Make a spending plan without spending yet.
Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is an 8 — It’s not a good time for wandering. Keep your feet close to home and your eyes on the prize. Focus on making money.
Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 6 — Don’t argue ... it’s not worth it. Especially since you’re likely to change your mind. Regulations could interfere with plans. Listen to your heart.
Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is a 9 — It’s official: Your power is intense. Focus on career ways and means. Repairs may keep you busy. Just do what you need to do and move on.
Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — Your ideas still have some bugs to work out, but you won’t know if you don’t try. Take detailed notes. A practical plan works better.
Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 6 — Listen to a loved one’s considerations; they may very well have a better perspective on the issue than you. Don’t celebrate just yet.
Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 9 — Tempers are short, so choose your battles well. Sometimes it’s better to let another win. A female finds a treasure. It’s mind over matter.
Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is a 7 — Fine-tune your image. Take one step at a time ... there’s no rush. Read all the new data. However, offer your opinion only if asked.
Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is an 8 — You don’t have to carry the load alone; someone who loves you is willing to help. Or you could take it easy today, and start again tomorrow.
Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Something is missing. Make the necessary changes for ease. Romance could interfere with your deadline.
Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is an 8 — Insecurities and fears could get in the way of your commitments. An apology can go a long way now. Love the people you’re with.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
overheard Guy 1: “Hey look, turkeys!” Guy 2: “They’re like peacocks, only black!” Guy 3: “Or crows!”
—Middlebrook Hall
Girl: “Thank God I have sex for money. Otherwise, [expletive] I don’t know what I’d do.”
—Campus Connector
“What is an example of displacement?” “Getting angry at the Harlem Shake and taking it out on your dog.”
—Clinical psychology class
Guy: “It’s like this: CSE people are good at doing the stuff other people can’t. Carlson people are good at making other people do the stuff that they can’t do themselves ...” Girl: “What about CLA people?” Guy: “CLA people are good at handing out fries.”
Girl: “OK, can I tell you about my corndog story?!” Guy: “Well, you’re going to tell it no matter what, so ...”
—Carlson School of Management
“Dude, if I had an endless bag of fries, I’d just go around flailing my arm so all the fries would fly out. Kinda like that dude from ‘The Incredibles’ who shoots ice, Frozone. I’d be Fryzone!”
—East River Road
Girl: “Here, drink some water so that you can feel better for church tomorrow morning.”
—Dinkytown McDonald’s
Guy: “Sometimes I just wish I never had sex.”
—Middlebrook Hall
What did you overhear?
—Comstock Hall
Professor: “If you go to the finance section of the newspaper, you’ll find what’s called the Prime Rate. Does anyone know what this is?” Student: “Isn’t that a monkey?”
—Hanson Hall
“I got drunk and signed a lease this weekend. So there’s that.”
—Carlson School of Management
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
—Science Teaching and Student Services building
Guy: “She was nice at first, but then again, she was having sex with me.”
crossword
FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 19, 2013
4Post submissions on the “overheard at U of M Facebook group. 4Visit mndaily.com and look for the “Connect with the Daily” box on the homepage. 4Email submissions to overheards@mndaily.com.
ACROSS 1 Edged out 5 Haka dancers of New Zealand 10 NetZero, e.g., briefly 13 South American chain 15 36-year Senator Hatch of Utah 16 Neither partner 17 Reached an agreement 19 Civil War nickname 20 Bordeaux buddy 21 Mothers on a farm 22 “I’d like to say something” 23 Thoroughly evil 28 Laundromat lineup 29 Snug as a bug in a rug 30 Followers: Suf. 31 Doesn’t enunciate 33 Magazine VIPs 34 Very eager 38 Atty.’s group 41 Naval slammers 42 Peril 46 Rainy season 48 Family support group for some rehab patients 50 “My pleasure!” 53 Squeezes (out) 54 “__ Yankees” 55 California ball club, in sports crawl lines 56 Census datum 57 Sibling who stereotypically feels left out, and a hint to the little one hiding in 17-, 23-, 34- and 50Across 61 Having four sharps, in music 62 Bit of broccoli 63 Singer Tennessee __ Ford 64 Do simple math 65 Hal Prince’s record 21 66 Quaint oath DOWN 1 Rum brand with a cocktail named for it
2/19/13
By C.C. Burnikel
2 Bewitches 3 “Fess up!” 4 Golf bag item 5 Choral work 6 Childish comeback 7 Bruin great Bobby 8 Part of most eyeglasses 9 Car owner’s pmt. 10 Having serious debts 11 Got serious 12 Docs-in-training 14 Herd member 18 Holds 22 Make a move 24 New Ager John 25 Letter-shaped fasteners 26 Haus husband 27 Pump name seen in Canada 31 Stretch 32 Fireplace fuel 35 Wind in the orchestra 36 Walked all over 37 Air__: Floridabased carrier 38 Memory malady 39 Shelf support 40 Took over, as territory
Monday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
43 Hint 44 Horn of Africa country 45 Prepared for baking, as bread dough 47 French possessive 48 [Sigh!] 49 With 58-Down, judge in ’90s news
2/19/13
51 Not in a predictable way 52 Spills the beans 57 Rockies hrs. 58 See 49-Down 59 “The __ Patrick Show”: sports talk program 60 Centuries-long realm dissolved in 1806: Abbr.
Visit mndaily.com to see the solution to today’s puzzle.
dr. date Dr. Date,
My boyfriend is a hypochondriac. Whenever I get sick, he stays away from me for as long as he thinks he should (a long time) and gets really worried about being sick. I understand he doesn’t want to catch anything, but at the same time, it would be nice if he were around to bring me soup, etc., when I am sick. Isn’t that what boyfriends are for? I also don’t like the idea that he finds me gross when I’m sick! How can I calm him down and get him to take care of me more when I’m sick, without freaking him out about getting sick, too?
—Germ Girl?
Germini,
I understand your desire to be waited on hand and foot — especially when an episode of illness has you feeling under the weather. Here’s the thing though, Germy — sick people are kind of gross. There’s weird fluids and scratchy breathing; such a turnoff! I recommend you bump some “Independent Woman,” chug some OJ and take a day away from your paranoid boy. Hypochondriacs are supes annoying, but their disease is unfortunately incurable.
—Dr. Date
Dr. Date,
Recently I went on a first date. It went really well — we connected, we had fun; we laughed. But a few days came and went, and I didn’t hear back about a second date. Now usually I wouldn’t be concerned. However, this has happened to me six times in the past year. I think I’m attractive, fun and smart, and someone you would want to take on a second date. Is there some kind of strange unknown second date curse of which I’m unaware? Or can someone just be bad at first dates? I need your help so my next first date (next week) goes well, and so they don’t make “50 First Dates: the Sequel” about me. P.S. I’m no prude, but I don’t kiss on the first date.
—Second Date Slump
Slumpy,
So you’ve been on that dating game grind, huh? I’m so sorry. Dating can be such a hassle. I don’t think you are the problem, Slumpers. I’m sure you have a charming personality. I’m sure you are funny and smart. Not kissing on a first date doesn’t perturb potential suitors either. I would make sure that before your next date, you are sincerely looking for a partner. It sounds like you date a lot, and after a while, it can get to feeling like a chore. Put on the same nice sweater, go out to the same dimly lit St. Anthony Main bar, yada yada. Dates can tell if they’re getting the canned recording. If you decide you really want to find love, put your heart into it, and hopefully your love will recognize the spark in your eye. If you just want to keep dating, that’s OK, too.
—Dr. Date
Dr. Date,
Are open relationships really that bad? What are the pluses and minuses to being in one? I like this guy, but I don’t know if he would want any more than just hooking up. Once you’re in an open relationship, will it ever become a “real” relationship?
—Hopeless Romantic
Dear Hopeless,
If you’ve come to the crossroads of choosing whether to enter an open relationship, you must be really hopeless. This doctor usually shies away from formulas, but in the name of a well-rounded liberal education, allow me: + hooking up - no deeper commitment + lots of hooking up - never any commitment - developing feelings - crying - moping - questioning = (in most cases) a broken heart. Stay away.
—Dr. Date
Need relationship advice? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com.
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Evaluating the U’s social media prowess Social media u from Page 1
@GopherBaseball 3,344 @GopherVBall 2,860 @GopherGridiron 2,835 @foodsafety 2,809 @UMN_Health 2,653 @GopherScores 2,568 @CarlsonMBA 2,362 @Northrop_UofM 2,280 @UofMDesign 2,273 @UMNExt 2,160 @UMNAlumni 2,096 Sampling of social media accounts from Feb. 13, 2013 SOURCE: TWITTER
SEE THE TOP- 20 “BUZZED ABOUT” UNIVERSITIES IN AN INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC ONLINE
2008
APPROVAL YEAR
700,000
GROSS SQUARE FOOTAGE (APPROXIMATE)
$40 million/year
EXPECTED RESEARCH FUNDING AFTER COMPLETION
April 2013
PROJECTED COMPLETION SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CAPITAL PLANNING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER
ET
SO
UT
HE
AS
T
LIONS RESEARCH BUILDING
MCGUIRE TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH FACILITY S
@GopherWrestling 4,975
PROJECT COST
23
CENTER FOR MAGNETIC RESONANCE RESEARCH
RD
E
@Publichealthmn 5,351
RE
RE
@UMinnPress 6,706
ST
ST
@weismanart 7,735
OA K
IXT H
@GopherBBall 7,811
$292 million
AV E
NU
ES
OU
TH
EA
ST
WINSTON AND MAXINE WALLIN MEDICAL BIOSCIENCES BUILDING
T
@GophersFootball 13,759
BY THE NUMBERS
AS
@GophersHockey 19,136
U OF M BIOMEDICAL DISCOVERY DISTRICT
BIOMEDICAL DISCOVERY DISTRICT BUILDINGS
HE
@GopherSports 22,027
Heating and cooling laborator y buildings in an energy-efficient manner can be challenging because the chemicals used in laboratories make the air unsuitable for re-circulating through buildings, said Rick Johnson, director of project delivery for University Capital Planning and Project Management. “It’s difficult on a laboratory type of project because your heating system and ventilation system is much different than a classroom and an office,” Johnson said. The BDD buildings will utilize energy recover y wheels to pre-heat and precool air outside of most of the laboratories, reducing the amount of energy necessary to heat and cool the labs. “Energy recover y extracts the heat from the exhaust area, bringing it back into the incoming fresh air so you don’t have to burn all fresh new fuel to get that heat over again,” said Dan Handeen, research fellow for the College of Design’s Center for Sustainable Building Research. Handeen said since Minnesota has to use a lot of energy for heat, it’s good the University is taking steps toward energy efficiency in new buildings. The buildings are connected by a central chilling system that allows air conditioning to be transferred from building to building. “We can capture additional cooling in one building and move it to another building, and I think that’s a very sustainable feature,” Johnson said. The district also has a storm water retention system that filters and slows rainwater flow to minimize
Another feature that will help the buildings save energy is daylight windows, which project sunlight farther into buildings. Paired with lights that adjust according to sunlight, these windows will minimize electricity use. The windows, which maximize natural light in the buildings, also create a good working environment, said Nicole Wilkinson, a research coordinator at the district’s Center for Magnetic Resonance Research. Wilkinson said she appreciates the University’s sustainable building efforts. “It’s a good focus for the [University] to go into,” Wilkinson said. The BDD’s sustainability efforts are especially relevant because of the type of work done there, Handeen said. “If we’re doing all this research for science in the first place, what’s the point if it’s a nasty polluted world that we inherit?”
UT
@UMNews 23,467
u from Page 1
pollutants before entering the city’s water system. A green roof made of plants on one of the buildings will also assist with storm water control and reduce heating costs. Johnson said sustainability was a part of the buildings’ design throughout the entire process. “At the various stages, you’re going through what sustainable options are available and which ones make the most sense,” he said. “So it’s a part of the thinking from the very beginning.” C h r i s Wr i g h t , w h o works as a building coordinator for the district’s McGuire Translational Research Facility, said it’s important that the University is trying to increase energy ef ficiency in a laborator y setting. “I like the fact that the [University] is really working toward being sustainable and it’s not just a paper-gobbling university,” Wright said.
TS O
NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS OF TOP U OF M TWITTER ACCOUNTS
District
TCF BANK STADIUM
ficial accounts on T witter, Facebook, Pinterest, F o u r s q u a r e , Yo u T u b e , Instagram, LinkedIn and Storify. But most depar tments, administrative units and groups also have their own accounts, resulting in several dozen accounts run by many different people. Aronson said the fragmentation is “just part of being in a really decentralized organization.” Lindsey Heffern, social media manager, runs the University’s main social media accounts, including President Eric Kaler’s. When he tweets from his T witter account, Kaler signs “Dr. K.” Heffern’s goal is to get more students engaged with different social media to show people like legislators how much students care. The University’s Facebook app for prospective students was helpful for sophomore Jordyn Lehmann when she transferred here this semester, but she doesn’t follow or “like” any of the University’s other main accounts. American Indian studies senior Ethan Neerdaels said he only “likes” specific depar tments that he’s in-
volved with on Facebook and also doesn’t follow the University’s T witter account. “I don’t think [social media] should be a priority,” he said, “but it is a way to reach students instead of [using] email or typical newsletters.” Carlson School of Management professor Ravi Bapna founded the Social Media and Business Analytics Collaborative to research social media. He said the University is at the “forefront of research” but has a long way to go in terms of social media engagement because its policy and practices don’t encourage social media use as an educational tool. Bapna envisions “virtual communities of learning” where people across the University can use social media to bring together different disciplines and ideas outside of the classroom. “Right now, I teach my course, do my research and I’m done,” he said. “I don’t really have an incentive to participate in a virtual community of learning. But if that happens, it could actually benefit both myself and the students and my other colleagues.” One of the challenges right now, Bapna said, is the fragmentation of disciplines and departments into dozens of dif ferent social media accounts. Having a “chief community officer,” he said, could bring them all together. Heffern said she acts as an internal consultant to help departments successfully manage their social media accounts. This also ensures the dozens of accounts are transmitting the same brand messages, Aronson said, and making announcements in sync. But she said the number of accounts is a hindrance sometimes, because “you’re almost competing with yourself.” Hef fern said their biggest social media successes have related to “nostalgia.” Pictures of campus and discoveries made by University researchers receive the most “likes” on the main Facebook page. Most students gr ew up on social media, Bapna said, but companies and universities are just beginning to realize the potential for engagement. “You can’t be all things to all people,” Aronson said. “You find, kind of, what the sweet spot is of what your audiences want and who you are.”
Research district has green design in mind
CANCER AND CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH BUILDING
SOURCE: MN DAILY REPORTING
Lone conservative joins DFL-heavy mayoral race Winton u from Page 1
because if none of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidates get a majority of votes, the second and third choices on the ballot will be important. “Ranked-choice voting shows a way for a maverick to get their foot in the door,” he said. As for Winton’s political inexperience, Hill said current Mayor R.T. Rybak, along with many of the city’s past mayors, came in with little public ser vice background. Winton said he hopes voters look at his lack of political background as a positive.
“Since I’m the only candidate who’s not a professional politician, I’m bringing that fresh set of eyes to the table,” he said. Ashwin Madia, a DFLer who ran for U.S. Congress in 2008, said Winton stands out as a candidate because he’s largely nonpartisan. “Cam is exactly the kind of public ser vant that a lot of people say they want,” he said, “which is someone who doesn’t look at things through partisan eyes but rather through problemsolving eyes.” Madia, who’s also Winton’s campaign treasurer, said he respects several of the DFL candidates, but Winton’s open-mindedness would serve the city well.
“He can see both sides of an issue, and I think we need more people like that in government,” he said. W inton’s platfor m is built on improving the police and fire depar tments as well as improving and maintaining water and road systems. “These are the things that all of us take for granted until we need them or they break,” Winton said. “It’s ver y easy to forget about how important they are.” Winton said he likes a lot of what Rybak has done for the city, but he disagrees with some spending decisions he’s made, like creating more bike lanes. Minneapolis is perennially ranked one of the safest
bicycling cities in the country. Because the city is already safe for bikers, Winton said money could be better spent elsewhere, like on more police officers. Along with improving ser vices, Winton said he would prioritize job growth. He said streamlining the process of star ting small businesses is crucial for job creation. As a former star t-up businessman, Winton said he has an inside view on job hiring, something he said many of his opponents don’t. “They haven’t lived that experience of building a company and deciding whether or not to hire each month,” he said.
U will not accept MOOC credit, yet MOOCs u from Page 1
have their identities verified and receive transcripts, according to the Associated Press. The council’s announcement is essentially advice, said Karen Hanson, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. Member institutions don’t necessarily have to follow the recommendation. The University has no immediate plans to accept credit for these MOOCs, Hanson said. “It’s a new wrinkle on the horizon, and it’s one that we’ll want to examine together with the faculty,” she said. She said none of the institutions that created these MOOCs are accepting them for credit, par tly because they’re unsure whether they provide the same experiences that a resident, enrolled student would have. The University continually evaluates whether it will grant transfer credit from various outside sources,
Hanson said, adding that faculty would want to see any MOOC’s syllabus and assess items like the quality of the course and students’ performance. Mathematics professor Scot Adams said the calculus course approved for credit on the site Coursera isn’t analogous to many other institutions’ because the online course requires students to have a high school calculus background. Genetics, bioelectricity and two math MOOCs were all approved for undergraduate credit, while an algebra course was recommended for vocational credit, Hanson said. They’re available for free on Coursera. At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, students won’t automatically receive transfer credit for these five courses either because the institution hasn’t yet evaluated them, said Amy Goodburn, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, in an email. Students also haven’t asked to have these courses evaluated as par t of their transfer, she said.
University psychology sophomore Maddie Hansen said she would be interested in taking a MOOC for credit. She said she liked an online course she took previously because it cleared up a lot of time for her. “Especially if it can be taken at any time,” she said. “Who doesn’t want to take a free class?”
Faculty response Some faculty members are supportive of not rushing into a decision to grant credit for MOOCs. Bryan Mosher, director of undergraduate studies in the University’s School of Mathematics, said he agrees with the decision to “proceed carefully.” He said he thinks the University needs to respond to the growing presence of MOOCs, but it needs to stay true to its strengths, like the enriching experiences that exist beyond coursework. “There’s definitely interest at the University level, but I think it’s so early that a lot of the details haven’t been worked out yet,” said
David Kirkpatrick, associate professor in the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development. Another challenge surrounding MOOCs is the course design. Since MOOCs are selfdirected by students, Kirkpatrick said it takes a certain amount of effort and willpower on the student’s part to get through them. “This is just another option for students to pursue for gaining extra knowledge or shortening the amount of time it takes for them to graduate, that kind of thing,” Kirkpatrick said. Besides looking into transfer credit, Hanson said the University is considering the role MOOCs could play in outreach. For example, Hanson said MOOCs could help the University disseminate the work of faculty to a broader public. “We’re experimenting in this area, being attentive to new possibilities and trying to make sure we move this new technology forward in a way that’s most useful for our students,” she said.