STUDENTS READY FOR SUPER BOWL PAGE 3 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018
LATE WEEK
STUDENTS PICKED UP TEMPORARY JOBS FOR SB LII.
MNDAILY.COM
Rashad Bowman, 43, leans out of the sixth floor window at 11:40 a.m. Tuesday after police fired gas into the room at the Graduate Hotel.
EASTON GREEN, DAILY
38 HOURS LATER, STANDOFF ENDS Rashad Bowman, 43, was holed up inside an East Bank hotel until Tuesday afternoon.
BY MIKE HENDRICKSON AND NICK WICKER mhendrickson@mndaily.com, nwicker@mndaily.com
Just after 1 p.m. Tuesday, 37 hours into a standoff, a pair of police flash bang grenades detonated inside 43-year-old Rashad Bowman’s hotel room on the University of Minnesota’s East Bank campus. Police shot gas munitions throughout the situation after Bowman threw a microwave out of his sixth-floor Graduate Hotel window earlier Tuesday. The munitions’ smoke poured from windows, and loud pops from flash grenades were audible across much of
the nearby area. At times, Bowman climbed out onto the window’s ledge and sat or stood while talking on the phone. Another flash-bang detonated as he straddled the window. The situation ended with the Woodbury man’s arrest within the hour. Sought after for a white-collar crime, Bowman’s 38-hour standoff with police turned into a spectacle that transfixed much of the University community. Bystanders stopped to observe the events, and a lack of official information raised uncertainty across campus.
JACK RODGERS, DAILY
ABOVE: SWAT personnel gathered outside the Graduate Hotel early Monday morning in response to the standoff. LEFT: Police were negotiating with Bowman inside the Graduate Hotel Monday morning. “We’ve been talking to that individual and asking them to come out for some time now,” said UMPD Chief Matt Clark.
u See STANDOFF Page 2
JACK RODGERS, DAILY
A group of people stand outside the bounds of police tape, looking on at the developing situation at the Graduate Hotel on Tuesday.
CAMPUS
HOTEL STANDOFF
U keeps classes running
Debunking hotel standoff myths
During the standoff, classes weren’t canceled at UMN’s campus on Monday and Tuesday. BY ELIANA SCHREIBER eschreiber@mndaily.com
Undeterred by a 38-hour standoff and a foot of snowfall in the last two weeks at the University of Minnesota, classes remained in session — to many students’ frustration. After a snow emergency last week, the nearly two-day-long standoff at the Graduate Hotel Monday and Tuesday and campus involvement with Super Bowl LII, many students are confused about the University’s
process in canceling classes school-wide. Mike Berthelsen, vice president for University Services, said the University rarely closes entirely, and many factors must be considered before canceling a day of classes. He said the last time he remembers the whole University closing was sometime in the early 1990s. Ultimately, Berthelsen said safety is the priority throughout the decision-making process. “The overriding principle is … how do we manage safety for the University community?” he said. “We try to think about all the variables that go into that.” u See CANCELLATIONS Page 3
Police never called it a hostage situation, no gun has been found and other answers. BY OLIVIA JOHNSON ojohnson@mndaily.com
An almost 38-hour standoff at the Graduate Hotel near the University of Minnesota campus attracted multiple police departments, SWAT teams, closed roads and produced various rumors and questions. The ordeal, which started midnight Sunday and ended around 1 p.m. Tuesday, involved 43-year-old Rashad Bowman of Woodbury, who is now booked at Hennepin County Jail.
Until 8:30 p.m. Monday, a 40-year-old woman was also in the room with Bowman. She was released unharmed and has been cooperating with police officers, according to Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson Scott Seroka. Tuesday morning, Bowman threw a microwave out of the hotel window and started fires in the room. Bowman refused to surrender throughout the standoff while police threw and fired gas and flash-bang grenades into the room. Some outlets reported that Bowman was armed, others labeled it a hostage situation and some students were frustrated that classes were not canceled. u See GRADUATE MY THS Page 3
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Thursday, February 1, 2018 Vol. 118 No. 35
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Security increased around dorms As thousands flock to Minneapolis for the weekend, UMN increases security. BY MARAYA KING mking@mndaily.com
Tensions are rising on the University of Minnesota campus as the Super Bowl brings fans, events and potential security threats to freshman dorms. Residence halls are preparing for an influx o f p e o p l e s u r ro u n d i n g the upcoming game by increasing community advisor and security monitor presence, limiting students’ visitors and discouraging students from renting out their rooms to fans. Associate Director of Housing and Residential Life Susan Stubblefield, said a standard protocol for all dorms has been put in place to run from Feb.1 to Feb. 5. Super Bowl LII is set to take place at U.S. Bank
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
The 17th Avenue Residence Hall has signs posted on its entrance doors on Tuesday, Jan. 30 in Minneapolis.
Stadium Feb. 4. “The Super Bowl is unprecedented,” Stubblefield said. “All of the events happening on campus are unprecedented as well.” According to an email from HRL distributed Jan. 26 to all residents in University housing, a maximum of three guests per resident are allowed to enter residential halls in the days before and after the game. The email specified
that each guest must bring photo identification and can only be escorted in by their resident host. For residents who do not have guests coming in, there will be a “fast track” lane to let students quickly scan their U card without the extended wait. In addition, HRL will add a second set of community advisers to respond to resident concerns during Super Bowl weekend.
University HRL is also partnering with the University Security Monitor Program to increase visibility and safety throughout the residence halls, Stubblefield said. Resident Selena Zingsheim, a freshman in 17th Avenue Residence Hall, said it shouldn’t be so difficult for students to access University buildings. “I understand why they’re doing it, especially in the dorms, but it is an inconvenience,” she said of the security measures. Ben Wiley, another resident of 17th Avenue Residence Hall, said the slight inconvenience is worth the extra security. HRL has been preparing for a myriad of possibilities, some of which are difficult to predict, Stubblefield said. “We had to plan not knowing who the teams were going to be,” she said, adding that without the Minnesota Vikings as a participating team, she feels the level of enthusiasm will
be different. While security is a main concern, the University is also working to keep students from renting out their dorms for the weekend to make extra money. “There has been so much in the media ... about hotels being sold out, people renting their houses ... we thought it would be a good idea to communicate that to our students,” Stubblefield said of the student housing contracts, w h i c h e x p l i c i t l y p ro hibit renting out rooms in residential halls. Director of University Student Legal Services, Mark Karon, said the possibility of students subleasing their dormitories is a legitimate concern and violates the terms of their lease. “If students were contemplating [renting], we would hope they would try and come in and see someone here to make sure that whatever they are trying to do won’t expose them to any harm or illegal consequences,” Karon said.
OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Mike Hendrickson Editor-in-Chief mhendrickson@mndaily.com (612) 435-1575 Kathryn Chlystek Business Operations Officer kchlystek@mndaily.com (612) 435-2761 NEWS STAFF Nick Wicker Managing Editor nwicker@mndaily.com Cedar Thomas Managing Production Editor cthomas@mndaily.com Jack White Sports Editor jwhite@mndaily.com Gunthar Reising A&E Editor greising@mndaily.com Alex Tuthill-Preus Multimedia Editor atuthill-preus@mndaily.com Maddy Fox Assistant Multimedia Editor mfox@mndaily.com Sheridan Swee Copy Desk Chief sswee@mndaily.com Molly Tynjala Assistant Copy Desk Chief mtynjala@mndaily.com Harry Steffenhagen Visuals Editor hsteffenhagen@mndaily.com Jane Borstad Visuals Editor jborstad@mndaily.com Desmond Kamas Chief Page Designer dkamas@mndaily.com Rilyn Eischens Campus Editor reischens@mndaily.com Olivia Johnson Campus Editor ojohnson@mndaily.com Ryan Faircloth City Editor rfaircloth@mndaily.com David Clarey Features Editor dclarey@mndaily.com =
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Peaceful resolution to East Bank standoff Standoff u from Page 1
38 hours of negotiations
The standoff began around midnight Sunday after police arrived at the hotel room to check on Bowman’s well-being and serve an arrest warrant for an Arizona felony. Bowman was in the room with an unidentified 40-year-old woman, and claimed he was armed when police reached his hotel room. Police contacted Bowman’s local relatives and learned he owned a handgun that was missing, said University Police Chief Matt Clark in a Tuesday press conference. From the earliest stages of the confrontation, negotiators from the University of Minnesota Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department and SWAT units from Roseville and Brooklyn Park pleaded with Bowman to give himself up. As the Monday school day drew nearer, Clark said the department chose to notify students and faculty of the situation. The rest of Monday was spent in talks with Bowman that eventually led to the woman’s release from the room around 8:30 p.m. “The goal from the beginning and through the end was to resolve this with nobody being injured,” said Minneapolis Police Department Assistant Chief Mike Kjos in a press conference Tuesday. Police have shared few details about the negotiations that took place. What they revealed on Tuesday was that the man spoke of grievances over his personal life and history, along with the arrest warrant that would lead to his extradition to Arizona. “It was a contained environment on one floor inside the hotel. There wasn’t really a need to rush in and cause an incident to take place,” Kjos said. “Time was on our side at that point, and in the end it was the right decision to wait him out. We were negotiating with him throughout the entire period, and the hope was that he would eventually just walk out and turn himself in.” The Star Tribune
reported Bowman’s reactions came after the alleged theft of his exotic cat caused him to become unstable. He posted on his Facebook page about the cat theft throughout the standoff. Regardless of his motivations, Clark said the situation escalated Tuesday morning. Bowman threatened to kill himself and others while barricaded in his hotel room with mattresses and other items against the door. C l a rk s a i d B o w m a n claimed he was going to “torch or burn the hotel down,” adding new urgency to the joint police force’s decision-making. “[Assistant Chief Kjos] takes a lot of time, and thought and effort into how he handles situations to make sure everyone gets out safe, and I agree with that procedure,” Clark said in the Tuesday press conference. “But when this individual starts setting fires and making claims that he’s going to burn down a building that’s occupied, then we have to act immediately and that’s what you saw today.” Just before 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, Bowman threw a hotel microwave out of his room’s window. Police subsequently fired their first gas canisters into the room through the hole. Later, the police used a stick tool to clear the window and fire more gas canisters periodically into the room. Ten minutes later, around 11:40 a.m., Bowman first leaned his head out of the window. He soon receded to the room for another hour. Burn marks scarred the top of the window where smoke billowed upward from periodic gas cartridges. Then 1:09 p.m. came, and with it flash-bangs. What appeared to be a pillow appeared in the window, followed by a lighter’s flame that grew brighter as it took to the fabric. An officer used the stick tool again, this time to dislodge the pillow. It dropped from the window ledge and burned in the parking lot. Following this, police rammed the door, breaking it into two pieces and tearing it off its hinges. Then Bowman mounted the window.
EDITORIAL BOARD Anant Naik Editorials & Opinions Editor anaik@mndaily.com Aleezeh Hasan Editorial Board Member ahasan@mndaily.com Ray Weishan Editorial Board Member rweishan@mndaily.com Mike Hendrickson Editor-in-Chief mhendrickson@mndaily.com BUSINESS Genevieve Locke Sales Manager glocke@mndaily.com David Keane Controller dkeane@mndaily.com
Police tape blocks off the area around the Graduate Hotel.
At times, he was talking on his cell phone, sitting on the ledge of the window and sometimes standing, Bowman continued to resist as police called out, telling him he was under arrest. “Officers were very concerned when he was outside of the window that he would fall and either become seriously injured or that he would die,” Clark said Tuesday. “They backed off and that’s why it took quite a while once they were in the room to get him to come back inside.” Eventually, a third flash grenade detonated inside the hotel room at 1:38 p.m. and Bowman was arrested at 1:43 p.m. in his room.
Who is Rashad Bowman? Bowman’s motive for the standoff remains unclear, but posts from his Facebook page during the incident reveal frustrations over an alleged pet theft. In a Facebook post by Bowman early Tuesday afternoon, he alleged that two women he knew had stolen his cat, and included the phone number of a woman to “make their lives hell.” He responded to posts in the comment thread throughout the standoff. Bowman had a troubled past prior to his arrest. He was convicted in 2001 in Maricopa County Court for fraudulent schemes, Arizona state prison records show. A Washington Post story published in 2014 said
his incarceration caused a rift in his family. That family trauma escalated for Bowman in 2014. His daughter, Alyssa Funke, killed herself that April. Funke was a Stillwater native and straight-A student at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls, according to the Washington Post.
Campus reacts to the tension at the Graduate
Many students posted on social media questioning why the school hadn’t shut down classes. Throughout the event, a number of media reports and comment threads on social media falsely or prematurely reported that the man in the room was armed or that the ongoing negotiation was a hostage situation. University spokesperson Chuck Tombarge said police never used the term “hostage situation,” and Clark said the police had not found a weapon in the hotel room as of Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. For most students, news of the standoff started vague and early. The University sent both text and voice messages to students to alert them of a “public safety incident” at the hotel just before 6 a.m. Monday. “How soon do we want to notify the public and the campus community that there’s an issue?” Clark said in a Tuesday press conference after the arrest.
EASTON GREEN, DAILY
“We handle a lot of issues, whether it’s in the city of Minneapolis or with this campus. In this situation, we felt it was important to notify people at the time that we did when we knew we couldn’t resolve the situation in the early morning hours.” Clark said police were confident the rest of campus and the hotel could continue operating as normal since the issue was contained to a single hotel room. For those in the hotel, this prospect was at times confusing and frightening. Many guests at the Graduate Hotel continued to come and go freely throughout the situation. Clark said police tried to notify as many guests as possible about the situation, but some were surprised by it when they left their rooms Monday morning without reading news reports. The school’s notices to students alerted them the University Recreation and Wellness Building and Washington Avenue Parking Ramp were closed. They remained shut down until after Bowman’s arrest, along with the north parking lot of the hotel, portions of Scholars Walk and Beacon Street Southeast between Harvard and Walnut Streets. Kelly Busche, Tif fany Bui, Max Chao, Madeline Deninger and Ryan Faircloth contributed reporting to this story.
Corrections The Minnesota Daily strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately. THE MINNESOTA DAILY is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future. The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations. The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 10,000 issues biweekly. All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste. U.S. Postal Service: 351–480.w
Thursday, February 1, 2018
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Students rent to nab Super Bowl profits People in the area are renting out their apartments and houses. BY KASSIDY TARALA ktarala@mndaily.com
Students, recent grads and even some local property managers are hoping to lease their campus spaces on Airbnb during Super Bowl weekend. Those hoping to cash in on Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis this weekend want to use the short-term rental service to make money from the influx of visitors. But not all have found success in their pursuit for profit. “My roommates and I decided to try Airbnb for the Super Bowl to make some extra cash because the rates are usually really high for events like this,” said Marcy-Holmes resident Max Boyle, who graduated from the University of Minnesota last May. Boyle and his two roommates are running a joint Airbnb account where they’ve listed their home for $990 per night. They plan on staying with Boyle’s uncle in Wayzata or his friend in Golden Valley if they successfully rent out their home. So far, Boyle said he has received interest from two groups of visitors. But one group opted to rent somewhere else, while the other wasn’t willing to pay the asking price — leading Boyle to continue his last-minute search. “It seems like we’re getting a lot of action, so I think within
JACK RODGERS, DAILY
Max Boyle and Nick Hotz sit in their home on Tuesday, Jan. 30. They plan to stay with family and friends over the course of the Superbowl weekend as they rent out their house through Airbnb.
the next few days there will be more offers, and hopefully [we can get] higher prices,” he said. When the three initially floated the idea of posting their Marcy Park home on Airbnb, Boyle said their landlord was in favor of it. “He wants half of the profits we make, and his only rule [for Super Bowl weekend] is no parties,” Boyle said. But not all landlords are open to the idea of residents renting out their units for the
Super Bowl. Stadium View Apartments Leasing Manager Mariah Miser said residents who lease their apartments on Airbnb would directly violate their lease. “It says right in everyone’s leases that subleasing through sites like Airbnb is prohibited,” she said. Miser said that a violation would result in a fine, though they haven’t had any people attempt renting yet. “We have our marketing
team looking for images of our building online from anyone posting their apartments for the Super Bowl,” she said. Other property managers have taken it upon themselves to rent vacant apartments to visitors during Super Bowl weekend. According to several residents of The Arrow Apartments — formerly known as Prime Place — property managers have been posting empty apartments on Airbnb for $65 per night during
U students pitch in for Super Bowl activities For the game and related events, jobs were made available to students. BY MAX CHAO mchao@mndaily.com
With increased attention and traffic brought by Super Bowl LII to the University of Minnesota area, many students are taking jobs to help the festivities run smoothly. Hundreds of temporary jobs have been created for the Super Bowl and surrounding events. For example, 64 students were hired for the NFL Honors event on Feb. 3 held at Northrop Auditorium, said an NFL spokesperson in an email statement. NFL Honors is an annual awards show where awards such as the league’s
Graduate myths u from Page 1
Who is Rashad Bowman? Rashad Bowman, 43, is from Woodbury, an east metro suburb. According to an article by the Washington Post, Bowman’s daughter, Alyssa Funke, killed herself in 2014. She was a student at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Why did Bowman hole
Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year are given out. Jobs at the awards event range from media and production assistants and red carpet assistants to trophy presenters. “I think it’s super cool because … it’s right here, not only in Minneapolis, but right on our campus. Literally, I can walk right from my dorm to Northrop in less than five minutes,” said University freshman Graham Schneider, who was hired as a talent escort for the event. Schneider will be assigned to a specific person or small group of on-stage personnel, mostly NFL players, to make sure they know how to navigate the venue, he said. Players such as Tom Brady, Carson Wentz and Case Keenum are up for awards.
“The first Super Bowl I can remember, I was five years old. All this time I’ve been watching it, so being involved will be super fun. I’ll be soaking it all in that week for sure,” Schneider said. Two student athletes, former Gopher football player Steven Richardson and senior volleyball player Dalianliz Rosado, were chosen to be award presenters for the show. Presenters will alternate giving out the ten on-stage awards and making short speeches, Richardson said. Richardson, a defensive lineman for the Gophers from 2014-17, is flying in from California to attend the event, he said. “I’m still kind of nervous but I’m really excited to meet a lot of people. … Be around some cool celebrities [and] rub
a couple elbows,” he said. Richardson said he will be provided with a tailored suit for the event. Students are also working at the Super Bowl game on Sunday. Around 150 people were hired to be Pepsi green ambassadors, who help game attendees take pictures and advise them on how to properly recycle, said University sophomore Brie Bluhm. This position is part of a larger push to make the Super Bowl sustainable, Bluhm said, who will get to the game by shuttles provided for employees. “It’ll be crazy, but I’m excited for it. … I’m happy that we’re actually in the stadium rather than outside or anywhere else because a lot of volunteers are not actually in the stadium,” she said.
himself up in a hotel? Facebook posts from Bowman during the standoff and multiple phone calls made to local news sources referenced Bowman missing his daughter, and complaining that someone had stolen his cat, Scarlett.
was armed. As of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, police have not located a firearm in the hotel room despite earlier news reports that firearms were involved.
Minnesota Daily police were not using the term “hostage situation.”
Was Bowman armed? Though it is still under investigation, the University of Minnesota Police Department and the Minneapolis Police Department have not confirmed whether Bowman
Wa s i t a h o s t a g e situation? Though a 40-year-old woman was in the room with Bowman and left around 8:30 p.m., UMPD and MPD could not confirm that it was a hostage situation. University spokesperson Chuck Tombarge told the
U team to study for research abroad The team will use a $721,000 grant to travel to three countries. BY KATRINA PROSS kpross@mndaily.com
A University of Minnesota research team will travel internationally to study the impact of government programs. With a $721,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, researchers will carry out the new study in three countries. They are currently selecting which three nations will be involved and hope to reach a final decision this spring. The Food for Progress Post-Project Sustainability Assessment is run by the Stakman-Borlaug Center for Sustainable Plant Health, part of the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences.
Researchers are combing through more than 100 USDAFAS projects that have taken place over the past 10 to 15 years to determine where to conduct the studies. They’re considering factors like project cost, the country’s safety and the number of people impacted by the project, said Collaborative Research S p e c i a l is t a n d P ro j e c t Manager Britta Hansen. The team wants to balance the locations across world regions, as well as match the projects to CFANS faculty expertise. The team will analyze whether the project is considered successful once the grant money runs out and researchers leave the country, said Chief Practice Officer Becky Stewart from The Improve Group, a St. Paul research consulting firm that partnered with Food for Progress to help select countries and carry out research once the project launches. Researchers will also
determine what practices current growers use or plan to continue in the future, and whether long-term benefit exists, she said. “The lasting impact of projects is often not looked at,” Stewart said. By analyzing outcomes of completed government projects, the researchers hope to find out whether these programs are still effective and help design other, better programs. “Whatever we learn about how and why these projects were sustainable will help the USDA design projects in the future,” Hansen said. The majority of the USDA projects are related to plant health, food security and global crop production in developing countries, Hansen said. “In developing countries, issues like food security and environmental health are a challenge,” said StakmanBorlaug Center Co-Director Jim Bradeen.
Has Bowman been charged with anything? Seroka, the MPD spokesperson, said the warrant for Bowman’s arrest was for a nonviolent financial felony committed in Maricopa County, Arizona. According to Hennepin County Jail, Bowman has been charged by MPD with probable causes of kidnapping, terroristic threats and
Super Bowl weekend. Property managers of The Arrow declined requests for comment. When some residents of The Arrow discovered their property managers’ use of Airbnb during the Super Bowl, they decided to try posting their own apartments. Aaron Williams, a resident of The Arrow, said he advertised his apartment on Airbnb but had to take it down because it conflicted with his lease.
“In our lease it states that subleasing isn’t allowed, and talking to management is like negotiating with the wind, so I just took it down about two weeks ago,” he said. Other residents of The Arrow are considering alternatives to Airbnb. Robin Jung said that once he learned the property manager was using Airbnb, he didn’t feel inclined to follow his own lease’s rules. “I may put it on Craigslist instead, but I’m still deciding right now,” Jung said.
Cancellations
canceled over the past week and a half, despite multiple threatening incidents. Fonge said she was more worried for her safety during the snow storm last week than during the standoff at the Graduate Hotel, since police set up a safety perimeter blocking off the area. She said she still feels uneasy about the influx of people around campus this weekend with events surrounding the Super Bowl. “They keep telling us to be safe, but you know there’s a lot of people here that we don’t know,” Fonge said. Berthelsen said the University is taking steps to prepare campus for the implications of the Super Bowl, but added that it shouldn’t affect most classes for the remainder of the week. “Our prime goal ... is to maintain safety,” he said. “And to highlight the University of Minnesota within that.”
u from Page 1
Classes were not canceled at the University Monday or Tuesday during the Graduate Hotel incident. Lacey Nygard, a University spokesperson, said the police set up a safe perimeter around the situation and felt it was contained. “They assessed the situation and there was no other ongoing risk to other parts of campus,” Nygard said. “They were consistently monitoring that.” Berthelsen emphasized that the University-wide memo sent out during the snow emergency last week gave faculty discretion to cancel classes on an individual level. “That particular set of decisions was left very local, and [on] a small scale,” he said. Communications junior Zarea Fonge said she was surprised none of her classes were
arson. Bowman’s case will be referred to the Hennepin County Attorney and court dates have not been set. Why didn’t the University cancel classes? Classes were not canceled at the University Monday or Tuesday. Lacey Nygard, a University spokesperson, said the police set up a safe perimeter around the standoff and felt it was contained. “They assessed the situation and there was no other ongoing risk to other parts of
campus,” Nygard said. “They were consistently monitoring that.” What on campus was closed? The University’s Recreation and Wellness Center was closed all day Monday and Tuesday until 4 p.m. and the Washington Avenue Parking Ramp was also closed due to the incident. Union, Beacon, and parts of Harvard and Walnut Streets were also closed.
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Sports
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018
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SUPER BOWL
Former Gophers safety takes on different role for NFL Travis is on the practice squad of the Patriots in his first NFL season. BY DREW COVE dcove@mndaily.com Former Minnesota safety Damarius Travis is the Gophers’ only representative in the Super Bowl this year. But his role on the Patriots is different from when he was on the Gophers. Travis plays for the defending Super Bowl champion, where he is currently on the practice squad, after being on the team through the 2017 preseason. At safety, Travis started every game for Minnesota in his senior season, where he led the Gophers in tackles with 83. Travis has yet to record stats with New England this year, but he is still just one game away from being on a championship team. “It’s been an awesome ride,” Travis said at Super Bowl Media Day Monday night. “I’ve been a part of a good, good football team. [We] go out and work hard every day just to better our craft and just continue to win and do things the right way.” After he graduated in 2017, Travis signed with New England as an undrafted free agent that spring. He played in the preseason for New England, where he led the defense in tackles through the four games. However, he was released from the 53-man roster in September. One day after he
was released from the active roster, Travis made the practice squad. He has been with the Patriots ever since. “It’s all hard work,” Travis said. “It’s just a matter of the work you put in at each level. Nothing is given, every single thing that you get ... you’ve got to earn that.” Travis has had to fight for his spot on the Patriots’ roster and to do so, he’s had help from veteran teammates in the defensive back core. Travis credited New England safety Patrick Chung as one of the guys who has helped him out in practice. Chung has played in nine NFL seasons, eight of which have been with the Patriots. “He’s good, he’s a competitor,” Chung said. “He’s a smart, young player. I tell him all the time, ‘[we’re] looking for someone to take my spot.’” Defensive back Duron Harmon, who has played in the NFL for five seasons, said Travis sits right next to him in team meetings. Travis does not shy away from asking questions to older players on the team. “[He’s] always trying to figure out why I’m thinking, the way I’m thinking,” Harmon said. “He’s just somebody who’s continued to try to get better.” His teammates and coaches at New England said that Travis brings a sense of curiosity to his game. The Patriots’ safeties coach Steve Belichick said his questions and clarifications end up helping the entire team. “I can’t say enough good
ALEX TUTHILL-PREUS, DAILY
Defensive back for the New England Patriots and former Minnesota player Damarius Travis fields questions during Super Bowl Media Day on Monday, Jan. 29. things about Travis,” Belichick said. “You never know what the future brings, but he’s put himself in a tremendous position. He’s worked extremely hard.” Though he is back in Minnesota, Travis does not get to prepare for the Super Bowl on his old campus. The Patriots will practice at the Minnesota Vikings Winter Park facility in Eden Prairie, while the
WRESTLING
Rylee Streifel aims to keep starting position with Gophers wrestling
Eagles practice at the new Athletes’ Village complex at the University. Travis said it would have been nice practice at Athletes Village. He has yet to see Minnesota’s new practice
SUPERBOWL LII PREVIEW
VS
facility. For now, though, the safety is focusing on other things. “I could probably see it once the Super Bowl is over with,” Travis said.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (13-3) WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Sunday
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (13-3) WHERE: US Bank Stadium SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
Streifel will have to compete with Gable Steveson next year, who is the No. 1 wrestling recruit, according to Flo Wrestling.
MADDY FOX, DAILY FILE PHOTO
Freshman defender Patti Marshall handles the puck at Ridder Arena on Oct. 29, 2016.
Patti Marshall’s consistent play leads Minnesota’s defense ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY FILE PHOTO
Sophomore heavyweight wrestler Rylee Streifel matches a Northwestern wrestler during the match on Sunday, Jan. 28, at Maturi Pavilion. BY OWEN MAGEAU omageau@mndaily.com
WRESTLING
Sophomore heavyweight Rylee Streifel is in his first year as a starter for the No. 18 Gophers. Despite a challenging schedule featuring many top ranked opponents, he’s made strides. Streifel has compiled a 5-8 dual record and is 8-9 overall. He’s done so while facing some of the best heavyweights in the country, including No. 2 Ohio State’s Kyle Snyder, No. 4 Michigan’s Adam Coon and No. 1 Penn State’s Nick Nevills. “It has been a good year,” Streifel said. “I started out with quite a few wins and I was doing pretty well, but then the Big Ten season hit and it’s kind of a grueling schedule. There’s a lot of really good Big Ten heavyweights.” Though Streifel has had success, his starting role will be tested next season. Gable Steveson, senior at Apple Valley High School in Minnesota and the 2016-17 All-USA Wrestler of the Year, will be a freshman next season and currently competes as a heavyweight. However, head coach Brandon Eggum has been impressed with Streifel.
PREVIEW
VS NO. 18 MINNESOTA (5-5, 2-3 Big Ten) WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday
NO. 7 IOWA (9-2, 4-2 Big Ten) WHERE: Iowa City, Iowa SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM
“He’s wrestled some of the best heavyweights in the country and I love the way that he doesn’t give respect [to his opponent] or expect that he can’t win these matches,” Eggum said. “He goes out there and wrestles a great match and his effort has been phenomenal.” Steveson defeated Streifel 14-7 in the Daktronics Open on Nov. 5. The victory gave Steveson the heavyweight championship in the tournament. Eggum said it’s possible he may be an Olympian in 2020. However, all options are still on the table, including potentially redshirting Steveson in his first year. Eggum insisted that Streifel has to continue to prepare as if he is the guy because anything could happen. “There’s a lot of things that could happen,” Eggum said. “I think the most
important thing is [Streifel] has to focus on himself and continue to get better, because you don’t know how things will change. Based on the nature of the sport, there’s a lot of things that can happen whether it’s just timing, injuries or if there’s a better situation to redshirt a guy like [Steveson].” With uncertainty in his future, Streifel is doing what his coach wants him to do. He is focusing solely on himself. Streifel has the goal of earning All-American honors this season. To do so, he will have to finish top-eight among heavyweight wrestlers in the NCAA Championships, which start on March 15. If he can accomplish his goal, Streifel will make next season’s decision at heavyweight even more difficult.
This season, Marshall has recorded one goal and 13 assists. BY ERIK NELSON enelson2@mndaily.com Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minn. has a few notable hockey alumni, including Wild forward Zach Parise and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. Minnesota women’s hockey has an alumna from the school who has played in every game this season — defender Patti Marshall. Marshall has scored one goal and recorded 14 points. She has a plus-minus rating of six in her sophomore season with the team. Head coach Brad F ro s t s a i d M a r s h a l l ’ s play has been steady so far. “[Marshall’s] one of the most consistent defenseman in the whole country,” Frost said. “You know what you’re going to get from her. She’s got some offensive ability from the blue line as well as rushing
the puck. She’s an intelligent, team-first type of player.” Last season, Marshall scored three goals and recorded 10 assists. Her plus-minus rating was 27, the fourth best for the Gophers in 2016-17. Before 2016-17, Marshall played for her high school, but was unsure if ShattuckSt. Mary’s would be the right choice. “I had no idea what it was going to be like, but 100 percent would do it again in a second,” Marshall said. “It was incredible.” Minnesota teammate Emily Brown got to know Marshall well when they played for the U.S. National Team at the 2016 Under-18 World Championships in St. Catharines, Canada. The U.S. won the gold medal that year. “We clicked well [at the World Juniors] and here we are today,” Brown said. “On the ice, she’s so steady and sound. You never have to worry about anything crazy happening out there. Off the ice, she keeps your mind at
WOMEN’S HOCKEY PREVIEW
VS MINNESOTA (19-8-2, 12-6-2 WCHA) WHEN: 3:07 p.m. Friday & Saturday
ST. CLOUD STATE (6-17-3, 4-13-2 WCHA) WHERE: St. Cloud, Minnesota SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM
ease. She exemplifies what one of our coaches says, ‘never too high, never too low.’” As the Winter Olympics approach, Marshall said it would be incredible if the U.S. won gold for the first time in 20 years. “Being at some of these national team camps and seeing how hard they work, I feel like they finally deserve it this year,” Marshall said. But at this point in her career, Marshall’s championship aspirations are focused on Minnesota. Minnesota will host the NCAA Frozen Four March 16 and 18. The Gophers last won the NCAA title in 2016. Minnesota (19-8-2, 12-6-2-0 WCHA) plays St. Cloud (617-3, 4-13-2-0 WCHA) in its series this weekend, which is the second-to-last of the regular season. After the team faces the Badgers Feb. 16 and 17, they head into postseason play. “That would be incredible to do it in front of your hometown and all your fans,” Marshall said. Frost said he wants Marshall to become more confident in her play as her sophomore season comes to a close. “The more confidence that she continues to gain, the better she’s going to be,” Frost said. “I see her as a potential Olympian one day. As soon as she starts to believe that, I think her game will continue to get to the next level.”
5
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
CULTURE to CONSUME
STYLE
Street style: In Blegen, hallways turn to runways
By Kate Drakulic
Listen to this: 24K Magic Bruno Mars took the 60th Annual Grammy Awards by storm, winning Album, Song and Record of the Year, as well as Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album, and Best R&B Performance. Yes, that totals to six Grammy Awards. Well done, Bruno.
These people have to spend precious moments of their University career in Blegen Hall. Luckily, they look good doing it.
Watch this: Video of Blue Ivy shushing her parents at the Grammys Blue Ivy has been protected from the curious lenses of the media for the majority of her childhood. So, when the cameras caught her as she raised that little hand to hush Beyoncé and Jay-Z applauding at the Grammys, the internet completely lost it. If you haven’t seen the clip yet, then hurry — the memes are coming.
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
ANANYA MISHRA, DAILY
From left to right: Elizabeth Kristian, Sammy Yahiaoui, James Molitor and Greta Morgan pose for a portrait inside Blegen Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 30. BY SOPHIE VILENSKY svilensky@mndaily.com
Judge this: Super Bowl Commercials No matter how impressive or disappointing this year’s Super Bowl commercials are, they are sure to cause commotion and conversation. Impress all of your friends and professors (professors love talking about Super Bowl commercials) by carefully calculating this year’s best and worst.
CULTURE COMPASS
D
ark stairwells with no traffic policy, high-school-reminiscent bathroom graffiti and the permeating smell of basement Subway. There’s just something about Blegen Hall. Then there’s the array of gorgeous people from a number of majors that wander its halls, only there because they have to be. They roam the windowless hallways on the way to a liberal arts discussion with only the promise of a single-serving Papa John’s pizza to get them through.
From mismatched shoes to vintage gems, here’s a taste of the looks that brought a little brightness to Blegen Hall on Tuesday.
Elizabeth Kristian, 20
Major: Sociology What they wore: Goodwill pants, American Apparel turtleneck, T.J. Maxx shoes. There’s something magical about a good high-waisted pant/turtleneck combo; there always will be. Add the perfect haircut (that wave!) and a sleek pair of something close to a Chelsea boot, and you’re in business. Kristian, inspired by the ’40s and ’80s, owns three turtlenecks, all of them black.
Mia Ice Maze Cute date idea alert! Hosted by the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the ice maze is the perfect place to get lost with your significant other. Images of objects featured in Mia’s newest exhibition “Power and Beauty in China’s Last Dynasty,” concept and design by Robert Wilson, are hidden throughout. Freezing temps are no reason to withhold your visit — warm up inside the Mia, which is always free to visitors. Accessible during regular museum hours, the ice maze is open this weekend only!
Where Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 3rd Ave. S, Minneapolis Hours10 A.M. - 9 P.M. Cost Free
Saturday NFL Honors The annual NFL Honors are taking place in our own backyard — quite literally! NFL stars and celebrities will walk the red carpet as they arrive at Northrop Auditorium. Be sure to bundle up and rep your team’s colors! This event is free for students with prior registration.
Where Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium, 84 Church Street SE, Minneapolis Hours 2 P.M. - 6 P.M. Cost Free with registration
Sunday Super Bowl LII I truly believe the Super Bowl offers a little something for everyone. Whether you’re in it for the game, the biceps, the halftime show or the highly praised and often overrated commercials, the big game is sure to provide noteworthy entertainment. Don’t miss J.T. shaking it on stage! The game will be nationally televised on NBC starting at 5:30 p.m.
Where U.S. Bank Stadium — or more likely, from the comfort of your couch on NBC Hours 5:30 P.M.
Sammy Yahiaoui, 19
Major: Entrepreneurial management What they wore: Clothes f ro m s k a t e - s h o p s a n d Walmart, Vans shoes. As it turns out, Yahiaoui had ripped his other black Vans and was supplementing with a white shoe because of it. “A man of function accidentally turned into a man of fashion,” he said, aptly. But doesn’t it work well? And while normcore is essentially over, the Walmart and various skate-shop shopping circuit is perfectly of the times.
James Molitor, 25
Major: Fine arts W h a t t h e y w o r e : Buffalo Exchange jacket, Zara sweater, American Apparel pants, Sven shoes. Outfit inspiration? “Honestly, I just checked the weather,” Molitor said. But when you look at everyone else wearing an infinity scarf and snow boots, you know there’s a little something more to it. And while it’s easy to do right in all black during the winter, Molitor keeps things upscale with a peek of white and Sven — oh Sven! — leather shoes. Lavish.
Greta Morgan, 20
Major: Religious studies What they wore: American Apparel pants, H&M shirt, Dr. Martens shoes, ColourPop lipstick in “Venus,” family heirloom rings, sushi socks from mom. Bright lipstick, yellow detailing on the shirt… and those green socks. Thank you, Greta Morgan, for bringing Blegen the pop of color it needed. Matching her lipstick with her noisecanceling headphones, she won’t hear you when you compliment her — but it’ll be well deserved. And the glitter on her cheeks? Glossier could never.
ART
By Kate Drakulic
Friday
This is the chicest thing we’ve heard all week.
New ‘Vanishing Ice’ exhibit now at Weisman WAM’s newest exhibition combines art and science to deliver a powerful message. BY KATE DRAKULIC kdrakulic@mndaily.com
N
ever has there been such a duo as science and art. The two compliment each other, delivering strong and effective messages backed up by facts and overflowing with emotion. “Vanishing Ice,” the Weisman Art Museum’s spring exhibition, brings awareness to the rapid decline of Earth’s icy regions. “Vanishing Ice” is a traveling exhibition that focuses on three regions: Alpine, Arctic and Antarctic. The selected photos, paintings, installations, audio and videos at Weisman are a smaller iteration of the full-scale exhibit, but feature artists from almost every continent dating from 1860 to the present. Curator of “Vanishing Ice,” Barbara C. Matilsky, aimed to connect the pieces in an effort to compare old images with new and spark conversation about the importance of our frozen regions. “I started working on the show almost 18 years ago,” Matilsky said. “At that time, people were starting to talk more about climate change and artists were going out to the Arctic and Antarctic, and I thought, how interesting to make a connection between early artists and contemporary art and talk about the cultural importance of these regions.” Participating artist Jyoti Duwadi has been working throughout the past week to sculpt and install his contribution to the exhibition called “Melting Ice.” The 10x10x10 foot sculpture comprises stacked blocks of ice and LED lights, and sits on the front lawn of the Weisman for drivers and passerby to see. “We talk about glaciers melting or icebergs melting, but other than having a picture, general people don’t have a visual
reference. So, I started thinking about what I can do,” Duwadi said. “As the ice melts, it takes its own form because of the geography, the temperature and the wind current. It’s not so much to educate, but to emphasize the beauty and value of ice.” This beauty and value of ice is something that drew artists and naturalists to the subject at first. This grand awe is communicated through the 19th century paintings and the “before” photos exhibited. Matilsky noted the changes in interpretation of the work from past to present. “I know there’s so much political freight about this subject, and I really wanted the artists to be able to cut through that and appeal to people on a very emotional and visceral level,” she said. As always, Weisman curator Diane Mullin added a bit of local flare to the exhibition and invited University assistant professor of graphic design Eugene Park to collaborate. In his piece, Park designed a visual representation of how much land ice has been lost in Greenland and Antarctica based on data from NASA satellites. “I think there are several levels of how visitors can look at the exhibit. One is the activist or science side of things, which is the reality that the climate is changing, and that change comes with consequences, specifically when it comes to the change in the global environment that will be detrimental,” Park said. Park and his associate Kelly Munson will additionally plot readings provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of current carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere as they inevitably increase over the course of the exhibition. As the amount of land ice plummets and carbon dioxide levels
A&E EDITOR
RADIO K TOP 7
Gunthar Reising greising@mndaily.com
1. DE LUX, Cause for Concern 2. GOOD LUCK FINDING IRIS, Christopher Robin 3. BOYO, Binge
CARTER BLOCHWITZ, DAILY
A tent and other supplies used by UMN professor Dr. Aaron Doering and his team to cross the Arctic were on display as part of the “Vanishing Ice” preview party at the Weisman Art Museum on Friday, Jan. 26.
increase, the visuals present an unsettling narrative. “Another way of looking at [‘Vanishing Ice’] is that artists are responding to science. That’s not to say that art replaces what science is, but I think that artists see how nature can be visually articulated in different ways,” Park said. “That endeavor is something that I hope visitors can absorb. There’s no one way to visualize data.” “Vanishing Ice,” and its supporting programming will go through May 13.
“As the ice melts, it takes its own form because of the geography, the temperature and the wind current. It’s not so much to educate, but to emphasize the beauty and value of ice.” JYOTI DUWADI Participating artist
CARTER BLOCHWITZ, DAILY
“Melting Ice” by artist Jyoti Duwadi sits outside of the Weisman Art Museum along East River Road on Friday, Jan. 26. The installation, which will slowly melt over the next few months is part of the “Vanishing Ice” exhibit that opened at the Weisman on Saturday, Jan. 27.
4. BROCKHAMPTON, Swamp 5. CAR SEAT HEADREST, Nervous Young Inhumans 6. FRIENDSHIP, If You See My Beloved 7. PORCHES, By My Side
6 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
Editorials & Opinions
COLUMN
EDITORIAL
Larry Nassar is proof of a predatory culture
Campus shouldn’t want to cancel class so quickly
Universities across the country have not done enough to address sexual misconduct.
L
ast week former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University physician Larry Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for sexually abusELLEN SCHNEIDER ing more than 150 columnist women over several decades. Nassar, a world-renowned doctor, preyed upon the athletes he was supposedly treating. Girls as young as 6 years old were being victimized. Some didn’t even realize they were being abused. However, there were also many who spoke out against Nassar. Allegations were brought against him as early as 1998 at Michigan State. More than 20 years later, Nassar has finally been convicted, after 156 of his victims gave testimonials. This case is absolute proof of a culture that values the reputations and careers of men above the well-being of women. Women have not only been abused by Nassar, but have endured the emotional turmoil of speaking out against him and publicizing their experiences for decades. And yet, somehow this man has been allowed to return to work, time and again, to sexually exploit more women and young girls. Yes, Nassar is a predator. He’s a master manipulator. He was cunning and calculated.
But the notion that he committed these crimes exclusively, or that he acted alone, is specious. Nassar had a village of enablers behind him, that is the only reason the abuse was allowed to go on for so long. We have cultivated a culture which blames, silences and disregards victims. Let Nassar be verification of that, but also the culmination of enabling culture. Let those who permit this behavior be held accountable as well. Last week, Michigan State President Lou Anna K. Simon resigned, following backlash over her handling of allegations brought against Nassar during her tenure. Simon has said she believes the issue is being “politicized,” which has shifted the blame on to her. However, it is important to realize Michigan State was a large part of the systematic suppression of victims, which allowed Nassar’s abuses to go on. 14 different Michigan State representatives were notified of Nassar’s sexual misconduct, and yet, he remained an active member of the faculty, even after being investigated. Simon most definitely deserves some blame for the complete and utter botching of these sexual misconduct investigations and for the general disregard for victim allegations. However, there is more blame to go around. The NCAA President, Mark Emmert, was notified of 37 reports involving sexual assaults within the Michigan State athletics program, according to The Athletic. Kathy Redmond, the founder of the National Coalition Against Violent Athletes, sent a letter to Emmert, urging him to take a serious stance against sexual misconduct.
In that letter, Redmond discusses Michigan State specifically, and expressed concerns about Simon’s handling of the issue. Had Redmond been taken seriously, the NCAA could have the potential to address the issue at Michigan, which goes far beyond Nassar and his abuse. The NCAA Board of Governors has officially opened an investigation into the handling of the Nassar scandal at Michigan State. Which is great, considering Nassar has already been tried and convicted, and the president of the university has stepped down. Can you say too little, too late? University President Eric Kaler is also a chair on the NCAA Board of Governors, and the parallels between the issue at Michigan State and Minnesota are hard to deny. This University has also had numerous sexual misconduct issues throughout our athletics department, including our gymnastics team. The office for civil rights stated that the University “failed to take effective steps to end the harassment and remedy its effects,” after the gymnastics scandal in 2014, as reported by the Star Tribune. Kaler needs to do more than past presidents and the NCAA Board. There are distinct patterns of denial and inaction on the part of universities that should no longer be tolerated. The reputation of neither universities nor their faculty should trump the safety of students. Sexual misconduct needs to be addressed swiftly and completely, or Kaler can face Simon’s fate. Ellen Schneider welcomes comments at eschneider@mndaily.com.
S
tudents, faculty, staff and parents received several emergency notices indicating a developing situation at the Graduate Hotel in Stadium Village Monday morning. The situation continued for the next 38 hours as police conducted negotiations with a man on the sixth story of the hotel. Throughout this process, the University of Minnesota remained open. Students hustled and bundled-up, walking from class to class and even in and out of the Starbucks and Applebee’s on the bottom floor of the hotel, just like any other day. Despite classes functioning routinely and the situation being contained to the hotel, many called for the University to cancel classes, citing other circumstances for their frustrations as well. Some of these cries for action were based off misinformation and campus gossip, and were over-reactions to an admittedly unusual situation. However, cancelling classes is not a simple process and students’ calls for cancellations need to be more calculated and thoughtful. The University policy for the cancellation of class ultimately falls to one powerful University official designated as the “Officer of the Day.” However, the decision is not always easy and the process is far from simple. The OOD is responsible for consulting with other top University officials, such as Executive Vice President and Provost Karen Hanson and other officials familiar with situations that may warrant a University shutdown. For the Graduate Hotel standoff, this means communicating with police leaders from several departments that were convened near the hotel, as well as University officials and many other faculty and staff. The information shared with the OOD from these officials, mainly the law enforcement officers, clearly indicated that the situation was under control and contained, and that minimal threat to the student body existed. This incident comes during a busy month for the University and City of Minneapolis, as Super Bowl festivities rage and several snowstorms have hit campus. Cries for class cancellations rang out with several viral tweets complaining about lack of cancellations for snow and lack of transit options due to the Super Bowl. Regardless, it must remain known that we live in the Midwest and attend a Midwest school. Snow is something that we should expect and encounter every winter. If the University cancelled classes because mass transit is disrupted — it should be noted that the only time mass transit will shut down is the light rail on the Sunday of the Super Bowl — or every time a snowstorm hits campus, when would it stop? The University cannot issue cancellations every time life becomes inconvenient. Closing the University affects more than the students and professors. University Facilities Management, cleaning crews, cooks and other employees are affected by a closure, especially one caused by a police standoff. There is no need to stop work and school unless absolutely necessary. Ultimately, cancellations of any kind have much deeper implications than a button being pressed and students getting a snow day. We are a University of young adults, and when disturbances happen, life must go on. If the current campus climate or conditions create a general feeling of uncertainty and insecurity, one can always choose to not attend class or to speak with the professor at a later date. The professor should understand. We should trust our University officials, law enforcement officers, emergency services workers and faculty to keep us informed and safe to the best of their abilities.
Robert McGrady welcomes comments at rmcgrady@mndaily.com.
COLUMN
There are no banned words in research Last month’s false report on a White House’s ban on certain words still unsettles researchers.
T
here are researchers on the University of Minnesota campus grappling with allowing their research to be compromised — or considering abandoning it altogether — because of several operative UMA VENKATA words being banned by columnist the White House. The Washington Post reported in December 2017 that words such as “fetus,” “diversity” and “transgender” were banned, and if the CDC received submissions for publication that contained them and their lexical relatives, the CDC would have to deny publication in order to keep federal funding. This would silence particular researchers on the main platform of unbiased, scientifically sound authority. This is not true. There is no ban on words. Some dramatic changes have happened, though. Scott Pruitt and Rick Perry, the heads of the Environmental Protection
Agency and of the Department of Energy, respectively, are unconvinced by the accepted scientific conclusion that human activity has caused the planet’s warming. The EPA’s website and other federal sites have been almost flushed of the phrase “climate change,” and public access to climate change information has been pointedly reduced or buried deeper. In some places where “climate change” used to be, the sites now read “sustainability.” The Bureau of Land Management cut out the climate change information from its main website and deleted its climate change-specific website. The December 2017 Washington Post report claimed that some documents at the State Department have changed “sex education” to “sexual risk avoidance.” After the leadership change at the CDC in July, the center began to curtail its usual public addresses about public safety concerns, due to some directive or passive pressure. The addresses would have been about the impending flu season (which is currently approaching proportions greater than the 2009 swineflu epidemic), the water-contamination issues from the past hurricane season and new infections due to drug resistance in bacteria. These are a few of many varied changes. To say that the Trump administration has been a change to the status quo is, on
both sides of the aisle, an understatement. We must, however, keep in mind that not every surprising fact that’s found counter to public health or scientific conclusion is the result of the current administration, bombastic as it has been. Since 1996, the Dickey Amendment has forbidden the CDC from researching the effects of gun violence on public health. In 1982, Reagan’s White House remained silent about the overwhelming AIDS epidemic, in 1983 the Surgeon General suppressed a CDC report that concluded that abortion does not harm women’s health, and the administration tried to fire — but only could demote — a CDC employee who appeared to support abortion. I do not excuse the Trump administration for the drastic, careless new restrictions and scale-backs it imposes on the public that Trump has sworn to protect by upholding the Constitution. But, we must bear in mind that even though something jarring like banned words may sound characteristic of the administration, as a public, we must stay on the lookout and verify conclusions before jumping to them. It’s unclear and tedious homework, but now more than ever, we have to do it. Uma Venkata welcomes comments at uvenkata@mndaily.com.
CONTACT THE EDITOR Anant Naik anaik@mndaily.com EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018
MN DAILY
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HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (2/1): Your career takes off this year. Organized, coordinated action could realize profitable dreams. The eclipse in your sign this month launches a confident, powerful phase. Summer breakthroughs in your work and fitness lead to a personal reckoning before new partnership kindles.
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle CROSSWORD Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Written by Nancy Black
Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is a 6 — Don’t take action yet. Finish preparations first. Guard time for your health and well-being. There’s plenty of work today and tomorrow.
Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 5 — Settle into your warm cocoon. Silence and peaceful pursuits soothe your spirit through tomorrow. Consider the consequences before taking action.
Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 7 — Relax. Take time for fun, family and romance. Don’t make important decisions now; strengthen bonds with people you love.
Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 7 — Friendship makes a difference. Offer and receive support. Lend a helping hand to one who needs it.
Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is a 5 — Stick close to home over the next few days. Organize, sort and clear out clutter. Establish order somewhere chaotic. Clean up a mess.
Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 7 — Work takes priority over the next few days. Put in more time planning before initiating action. Someone important is paying attention.
Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 5 — Consider the history. Silence is better than damaging outbursts. If you don’t know what to say, keep your peace.
Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 7 — Plan your itinerary for an upcoming trip. Today and tomorrow favor travel, studies and education. Rules bend. Don’t break them.
Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is a 7 — There’s profit potential today and tomorrow, although obstacles could seem intimidating. Stick to your budget. Take a creative tack.
Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 7 — Wait to see what develops. Changes require budget revisions. Focus on strategic objectives, and avoid impulsive spending.
Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is a 7 — Slow down to avoid accidents or breakage. Energy surges are predictable for the next two days. Overcommitting can lead to burnout. Listen to your intuition.
Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is an 8 — Work out details with your partner before leaping into motion. Communication can save time, money and hassle.
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DR. DATE Dr. Date, I recently started online dating and connected with a guy who seems nice. He asked to meet me for coffee, and I’m really excited to meet him, but I’m also worried he might be a psycho. My girlfriend offered to go with me, but I don’t know if that would freak him out. What do you think? Should I tagteam it or risk going solo? —Cyber-Struck Janet Leigh, First off, congrats on diving — or dipping your toe, at least — into the murky waters of online dating. It can be rough out there, but it sounds like you’re approaching the whole thing with caution. That being said, a little caution goes a long way. Bringing a friend on a date is, quite simply, overkill. Think about how you would feel if HE brought someone along. Wouldn’t that be the worst? Yes, it would. However, you do want to be smart about this. Just because your love interest’s profile shows a guy who’s safe, sensitive and six-packed doesn’t mean that’s whom you’ll arrive to find. To avoid winding up scattered around the river, plan to meet him during daylight hours in a public place.
And if he star ts talking about his taxidermy hobby, run. —Dr. Date Dr. Date, I met this guy recently. He’s handsome, sexy and has a cool job. He also seems to be really interested in me. Whenever I want to hang out, though, he flakes. Then, when I’ve finally given up, he texts me out of the blue and needs to see me right away. I like the attention, but I’m sick of waiting around for him to call, especially when the calls tend to come after midnight. Should I just let it go, or should I say something? —Tired Of Waiting
ACROSS 1 Rankles 5 Go higher 10 Burgoo or ragout 14 Harvest 15 Speeder spotter 16 Dance for a lei person 17 Cornstarch brand in a yellow-andblue container 18 String in a kids’ song 19 African antelope 20 Really cheap 23 Baltimore’s __ Harbor 24 Enjoy Vail 25 Podded plant 28 Fountain output 32 Sully 34 Rest area freebie 37 Precisely 40 Mother Nature’s balm 42 “The Glass Lake” writer Binchy 43 Trillion: Pref. 44 Worthless item 47 “Mamma Mia!” number 48 Slow movement 49 Move through muck 51 Kennedy twins? 52 Luthor of the comics 55 Infield fly 59 Economic factor that affects three puzzle answers 64 Naan relative 66 Demand and obtain, as vengeance 67 Adopt-a-Pet pet 68 “Dilbert” intern 69 Comparatively friendly 70 Geek Squad client 71 LGBT Pride Month 72 2017 A.L. MVP José Altuve, for one 73 Zip DOWN 1 Kirkuk native 2 “Seinfeld” episode, now 3 See 53-Down 4 Reproductive bodies
2/1/18
By Mark McClain
5 Hudson Bay nation 6 Bear’s home 7 One may be called bright when it isn’t 8 “Downton Abbey” figures 9 Forest babbler 10 Christian Louboutin creation 11 Tolls are taken on them 12 Bridge expert Culbertson 13 Candle stuff 21 Easy gait 22 Tubular pasta 26 Summer month in Uruguay 27 Book with 11-Down 29 St. Paul’s feature 30 Minimally 31 Drops, as pounds 33 Part of ACA 34 Scott Joplin’s “__ Leaf Rag” 35 Literary middle name 36 Goes all out 38 Downright nasty
Last Issue’s Puzzle Wednesday’s PuzzleSolved Solved
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39 “Finding Dory” character 41 __ salad 45 Club sport 46 “Around the Horn” channel 50 Strait of __: Persian Gulf outlet 53 With 3-Down, justice since 2010 54 Graph line
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56 Hesitation 57 Unmitigated 58 Chemical prefix? 60 Maker of LeBron 15 basketball shoes 61 Delicate handling 62 Pastry prettifier 63 Other, in España 64 British rule in India 65 The Cowboys of the Big 12 Conf.
SUDOKU
Call Girl, You’ve heard of booty calls, right? I don’t care if this guy is an investment banker with Ryan Gosling’s face and Jesus’ abs. He’s taking advantage of you, and honestly, he’s not really that into you. If he was, he would want to hang out with you — at a reasonable hour. Here’s what you should do: Delete his number. Do it now. You won’t be tempted to text him, and the next time he contacts you, you can respond honestly: “Who’s this?” —Dr. Date
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. 2/1/2018
Last issue’s solution
© 2018 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
8
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Dayton’s U bonding proposal optimistic BY MICHAEL ACHTERLING machterling@mndaily.com
The University of Minnesota’s 2018 bonding request is among its largest in the past five years. But that hasn’t stopped Gov. Mark Dayton from proposing full funding for the University’s request, plus an additional $60 million the school didn’t ask for. Dayton unveiled his higher education proposal as part of a larger $1.5 billion public works package earlier this month. “[Dayton’s proposal is] really focused on asset preservation,” said Keith Hovis, spokesperson for the Minnesota Management and Budget office. The governor’s public works bill includes nearly $300 million for the University — $250 million for Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement and around $50 million in additional funding for infrastructure projects. The University originally asked the state for $238.5 million. State and University buildings are subject to rising maintenance costs, Hovis said, and this bonding bill is an attempt to address ongoing maintenance and refurbishment. “If [you] look at it for the next 10 years, it would cost about $1 billion just to keep up with the cost of our aging buildings,” he said.
J.D. Burton, the University’s chief government relations officer, said the governor’s proposal is reflective of his continued support for higher education. Burton said the University needs $4.2 billion for infrastructure improvements moving forward, which the governor’s proposal would help chip away at. “We are certainly very grateful and appreciative that [Dayton] put in such a high request for the University,” he said. Burton also chaperoned a tour of House and Senate lawmakers around the University’s St. Paul campus earlier this month as part of the Legislature’s state bonding tour. “The governor’s recommendation is only the beginning of the process, and we’ll continue to make our case to all of the Legislature about the importance of our bonding request … and we will see where the process leads us,” Burton said. David Schultz, a Hamline University political science professor, said Dayton’s final higher education push will be his “last chance to make an imprint upon the state of Minnesota.” But Schultz said the proposal may fail to gain momentum among Republican lawmakers who place less priority on higher education. “I doubt that we will see the University do very well, and at the end of the day, we’ll see something very similar in the past to what we will see this year,” he said. Legislators haven’t filled a full University request in any
UMN CAPITAL INVESTMENT REQUESTS AND OUTCOMES BY YEAR 300
250 CAPITAL INVESTMENT REQUESTS AND OUTCOMES (MILLIONS)
He has proposed $60 million more in funding than the U requested for 2018.
200 UMN REQUEST GOVERNOR’S REQUEST 150
HOUSE REQUEST SENATE REQUEST TOTAL ALLOCATION
100
50
0 2012
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
UMN REQUEST
2012 $169.5 MILLION
2014 $232.7 MILLION
2015 $77 MILLION
2016 $263.3 MILLION
2017 $245.1 MILLION
2018 $238.5 MILLION
GOVERNOR’S REQUEST
$78.1 MILLION
$118.7 MILLION
$92 MILLION
$153.3 MILLION
$154.7 MILLION
$298.5 MILLION
HOUSE REQUEST
$64.1 MILLION
$98 MILLION
$0
$81.6 MILLION
$58.3 MILLION
TBD
SENATE REQUEST
$64.1 MILLION
$125.2 MILLION
$0
$160.7 MILLION
$81.6 MILLION
TBD
TOTAL ALLOCATION
$64.1 MILLION
$119.4 MILLION
$18 MILLION (SPECIAL SESSION)
$0
$119.9 MILLION
TBD
SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BONDING REQUEST
of the past five years. The University requested $169.5 million in 2012 for capital investment, but ended with $64.1 million after negotiations between the Legislature and Dayton. The final funding amounted to 38 percent of the
University’s original request. The school has missed out on roughly $639 million in requested capital funds since 2012. Sen. David Senjem, RRochester, chair of the Senate Capital Investment Com-
mittee, said lawmakers will have to account for budget constraints when weighing Dayton’s proposal. “The projects pretty much stand on their own,” he said. “We have to deal within some dollar limitations, and the
governor’s always been out-ofsight with his [proposals].” Senjem said he expects a bill to pass his Senate committee with bipartisan support due to the 60 percent threshold needed for passage in the full chamber.
UMN parents condemn planned daycare closure The U will convene a child care advisory group after criticism from UMN parents. BY HELEN SABROWSKY hsabrowsky@mndaily.com
After nine months on the wait list, Caitlin Caspi was excited to finally send her daughter to the University of Minnesota Child Development Center in 2016. The location is convenient for both Caspi, an associate professor, and her husband, who works on campus. But the University’s decision to close the center means Caspi’s family will begin the lengthy child care center application process again. “It’s discouraging to think that we have to go back on wait lists and disrupt her care,” Caspi said of her daughter. “She’s the one whose life is going to be disrupted the most by this decision.”
Like Caspi, many parents are scrambling to find child care options after the University sent an email Jan. 22 alerting parents to its decision to close the 45-yearold Child Development Center in summer 2019. In response to widespread criticism, the University administration announced this week it would convene a child care advisory group and consider new child care options for the Twin Cities campus. “I was stunned and deeply dismayed to learn about the Center’s closure in such an abrupt way,” Caspi said. Harming morale The CDC was founded in 1974 as a model demonstration and training site for early childhood development and currently cares for 140 children, ages 3 months to 5-anda-half years old. Its reputation and location make it an
attractive option, said Megan Kocher, a University science librarian whose daughter has attended the center for four years. Kocher’s wife also works at the University, and the oncampus location means the family can commute together, she said. Plus, the flexibility and proximity make them more productive at work, she said. The center will close in 18 months, which many parents say isn’t enough time to find comparable child care options. Many child care centers have two-year waitlists, Kocher said. Infant care is more difficult to find and often involves even longer wait lists, said Tracy Twine, an associate professor whose son attends the CDC. The closure will harm faculty productivity and morale, Caspi said. “Last Thursday, I received a notification from
the National Institutes of Health that I had received a $3.8 million grant… Rather than get to work, I spent my day researching childcare options and worrying,” she said. “Ultimately, this is going to have a negative impact on the University, and it’s not just about my family. It’s about the whole University community.” Twine said parents are also upset with the University’s perceived lack of communication and transparency. “Some administrators have lent a sympathetic ear, but no one has been able to offer … a serious indication that they are considering changing the decision,” Caspi said. “There’s no talk about whether or not this would happen in time for current parents to be part of the new facility.” Administrative response After the announcement,
parents formed the Facebook group UMCDC Parents Organizing in order to facilitate conversation and action, she said. Along with reaching out to University administrative leadership, parents have also contacted state legislators, Twine said. Rep. Ilhan Omar, DFLMinneapolis, responded to the CDC’s closure with a statement expressing her disappointment in the decision. In her statement, Omar also said that she will ask Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls, chair of the higher education committee, to hold hearings on the issue. Karen Hanson, Executive Vice President and Provost, released a letter on Tuesday announcing she will work with the Faculty Consultative Committee and the Senate Consultative Committee to convene an advisory group, including “representation of the range of interested par-
ties — including CDC staff and parents.” Plus, a plan is in place to create a request for proposals to “consider new child care options for the Twin Cities campus,” since CEHD will no longer provide the service, the letter says. Kocher said she wants the University to explore options for keeping the CDC open, employing its teachers and eventually expanding the Center to meet the University’s needs. Before announcing its closure, the Center had a wait list of about 200 children, she said. “I’m skeptical that it can be so easily replaced or that parents can find a replacement,” Caspi said. “It’s much bigger than just single families complaining about their care being disrupted, and this really sends a strong message to faculty that are in critical stages of their family life and career.”
International students share Asian American resource center thoughts on the Super Bowl opens on U Twin Cities campus Many students see both excitement and cruelty in American football games. BY LEW BLANK lblank@mndaily.com
While some international students may not have grown up watching American football in their home countries, Super Bowl LII will still be a part of their weekend. Though American football is most popular in the U.S., many international students at the University of Minnesota enjoy the game and have become bigger fans since joining the student body. Other students have compared football to the violence of ancient gladiator sports, citing its cruelty. “After watching a couple plays, I was interested in the tactics,” explained Pierre Abillama, a student who quickly became a fan of the sport after coming to the University from Lebanon in 2016. “I thought it was a very strategic game.” Abillama followed the Minnesota Vikings throughout the 2017-18 NFL season and watched several games from other teams as well, including the
match between the Patriots and the Steelers in December. Upon arriving in the U.S., some international students were shocked at the violence of American football. “At first, I definitely thought it was super violent,” Abillama said. “Back home we watch mostly soccer, where you use your foot most of the time.” Tahmidul Islam, an apparel studies doctoral student who grew up in Bangladesh, said he plans to watch the game on Sunday. “I didn’t realize that people are so crazy,” Islam said. “I didn’t realize it was a big deal.” To some, their first experience with football reminded them of extreme sports practiced over 2,000 years ago. “To me I would say it’s like gladiators,” said Mahdi Ahmadi, an Iranian postdoctoral student at the University. “It reminds me of Spartans and the Greeks who would fight against each other to the death. When Iranians come here, they find football a cruel and brutal game.” To Ahmadi, football represents more than just a pastime. He said he sees the sport as “the projection
of an empire,” a symbol of this country’s competitive nature. “The buildings are bigger. The flags are bigger,” Ahmadi said. “Maybe that’s a kind of attitude to win. This is a country of competition.” Although many of the University’s international students will be watching the game, some students’ home countries rarely discussed American football, and others had vaguely heard about football through TV shows. “Sometimes they talked about it in cartoons,” said Lingxi Tang, a University student from Singapore. “But I never knew what it was about.” Abillama said his football knowledge before leaving Lebanon was nonexistent. “Zero. Nothing. Not even the names of the teams,” he said. Other international students don’t regularly watch football, but will watch the Super Bowl with friends and family. “I have many good American friends who love the Super Bowl. It depends on them,” Ahmadi said. “If they invite me and I’m with them, then yes, I think I will enjoy it.”
The center was funded through a national grant and opened last week. BY HELEN SABROWSKY hsabrowsky@mndaily.com
The Asian Pacific American Resource Center, which aims to support education and the empowerment of Asian American, Pacific Islander and Native American students, opened its first designated space at the University of Minnesota last week. The center was funded with a national Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions grant. To qualify for this funding, a university’s student body must be at least 10 percent Asian American and Pacific Islander students, and have at least half of its students qualify for certain financial aid. The University of Minnesota is one of three Midwestern institutions to win the grant. “There was a need for a space with paid staff who look like us and can provide support with college life and academics,” said Maikha Xiong, an APARC student mentor and coordinator. “APARC recognizes that we have Asian American students here at the University.”
In addition to providing academic support and a speaker series, APARC runs the Asian American Pacific Islander Students Promoting Inspiration, Resilience and Empowerment (ASPIRE) student mentorship program, which partners upperclassmen with younger students. Xiong said she and other students, motivated by their own college experiences, designed the mentorship program with a focus on helping younger students develop their identities as Asian American and Pacific Islander students. “APARC strives to help AAPI students really think about their identities as AAPI community members and how they can grow personally and academically,” said Kong Her, APARC director. Having a physical space designated for these students is important in combating a common feeling of identity loss among AAPI students, he said. “The Asian model minority myth creates invisibility for those who are really underserved and marginalized within the Asian community,” Her said, adding many young AAPI people feel silenced by these societal pressures. A goal of APARC’s work is to highlight Asian diversity, since there are a number
of Asian ethnicities, Her said. APARC hopes to highlight this diversity through education. More University students are interested in taking Asian American coursework as a result of the support network APARC has built during its two years on campus, Xiong said. The University only offers a minor in Asian American studies, Xiong said, but APARC is working to expand the program into a full department because of increased interest. Along with giving AAPI students support and a physical space, the AANAPISI grant provided funding for two additional Asian American courses every academic year, Her said. This semester, the Asian American studies program is offering courses in Asian American theater, pop culture and images with the grant money, said Josephine Lee, a University professor and APARC’s co-grant investigator. “The need to support AAPI students and educate everyone about AAPI identities and communities is going to continue to grow,” Lee said in an email. “The new resource center is definitely a big step in that direction, but we still have a lot of work to do.”