TOP HEADLINES INSIDE:
MINNESOTA SPLITS SERIES WITH OHIO STATE BUCKEYES PAGE 6
■■ Report: Immigrants vital to state’s economy
THE GOPHERS SCORED SIX POWER PLAY GOALS.
■■ Regents discuss athletic department culture
The study says MN needs to devote funds to training. PAGE 2
The board also approved a health building project. PAGE 10
U OF M
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MINNEAPOLIS
ST PAUL
EARLY WEEK
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT MNDAILY.COM
FEB. 13-15, 2017
PUBLIC HOUSING
For townhomes, a question of perspective Despite disagreement over the best use of Glendale Townhomes, groups on all sides of the conflict are fighting for a solution. BY NICK WICKER AND RAJU CHADUVULA nwicker1@mndaily.com rchaduvula@mndaily.com
Policy change would get rid of doctor note requirement The drafted policy would allow students sick days without verification. BY RILYN EISCHENS reischens@mndaily.com
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lendale Community Townhomes residents were mingling with their Prospect Park neighbors in 2014 when they heard second-hand that their homes could disappear. Three years later, some residents of the public housing development — which houses nearly 200 lowincome families — still fear displacement. But with the possibility of a city historic designation, funding for heating improvements from a local nonprofit and the reinstallment of a resident council on the horizon, those invested in Glendale’s future say they could reach a decision on the townhomes soon. The Prospect Park Association drafted redevelopment plans in 2014 that mentioned the University of Minnesota-area townhomes. In 2015 and 2016, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, which oversees more than 6,000 public rental units in Minneapolis, followed suit with proposals to replace the townhomes with mixed-income housing. A small group of Glendale residents who call themselves Defend Glendale promptly raised concerns, catching the attention of local news media and legislators. Coverage of residents’ fear of gentrification has stalled MPHA’s plans since. Meanwhile some veteran residents are worried the future of
STUDENT ISSUES
tors and the Prospect Park Association have endorsed Defend Glendale’s efforts to stifle potential redevelopment plans. With a surge in attention, redevelopment plans have been tabled, Horwich said, adding that MPHA won’t pursue changes to the townhomes until it has reestablished
Sick note requirements could be relaxed for some medical absences under a proposed revision to the University of Minnesota’s makeup work policy. Under the proposal, which University of ficials hope to implement this fall, instructors can’t require verification for single medical absences that don’t require treatment. It also includes recommendations for procedures when students miss work from enrolling in courses after the first day. The University Senate Committee on Educational Policy (SCEP) spent several months drafting the document and approved it at a meeting last month. “This policy is one that could have the biggest effect on students and instructors,” said committee chair Sue Wick. “This one gets called upon more than anything else.” Under the current policy, instructors have the right to request verification for all absences. Boynton Health Director Carl Anderson proposed the changes last fall because student requests for sick notes at Boynton had become enough work for one fulltime employee. The clinic receives about 100 requests for notes each
u See GLENDALE Page 4
u See MAKEUP Page 7
CARTER JONES, DAILY
Ashley Crook holds her nearly two-year-old daughter Charlotte in the Glendale Community Townhomes on Feb. 3.
their homes is up for public debate. Vincent Grear — who moved into the townhomes in December with his fiancee Ashley and two-year-old daughter Charlotte — is less wary.
Points of contention The rift between Defend Glendale and MPHA arose over disparate agendas for the
Glendale community. Defend Glendale advocates say MPHA is trying to privatize and gentrify the townhomes for financial gain, but the agency doesn’t have distinct plans for Glendale’s future, said MPHA spokesman Jeff Horwich. Since the debate over the future of Glendale gained media attention in 2015, council members, legisla-
STUDENT GOVERNMENT BOARD OF REGENTS
MSA passes Regents divided over approval of coaching contracts A proposal would give the University of Minnesota president the final say on Gopher coaching contracts. resolution to add one-day fall break BY KEVIN BECKMAN kbeckman@mndaily.com
Advocates say the break has academic and mental health benefits. BY DAVID CLAREY dclarey@mndaily.com
The Minnesota Student Association passed a resolution supporting the implementation of a fall break last Tuesday. The resolution asks for a oneday break in October to be implemented “effective immediately.” If approved next by the University Senate Educational Policy Committee, other University Senate committees will then have to approve it for a vote in the Faculty Senate. “The rationale for fall break is that students don’t really have a break in the midst of midterms,” said Makda Biniam, the resolution’s primar y author and MSA vice presidential candidate. “Implementing some sort of break in the month of October allows students the ability to regroup and basically get ahead.” For over two years, student government at the University of Minnesota has pushed to add a fall break, but turnover and concerns over implementation have stalled efforts. Because the academic calendar requires 70 instructional days, the resolution is open to breaks on a year-by-year basis. If Labor u See BREAK Page 7
Despite approving the largest coaching contract in school history last week, the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents is divided over whether they should approve large coaching contracts. Regents have debated for months over whether they should approve high-dollar coaching contracts — like P.J. Fleck’s five-
year, $18 million contract approved in an 8-1 vote Friday. A proposal to strip regents of the ability to vote on large coaching contracts and give the University’s president final say in contract offers was proposed at a Thursday board meeting. The proposed amendment divided the committee. Some regents said it represented good governance while others claimed it was irresponsible. “It doesn’t allow the board to exercise their
fiduciar y responsibilities,” said Regent Michael Hsu. “It’s bad policy.” The proposal is an attempt to clear up confusion over the board’s role in coaching contracts. The amendment would negate current policy, which states regents can choose to vote on any commercial transaction, including employment contracts, of great public interest or u See CONTRACT Page 5
CEDAR-RIVERSIDE
Travel ban poses uncertainty for Somalis Despite the Ninth Circuit Court ruling, leaders are still scrambling to address resident fears. BY RAJU CHADUVULA AND RYAN FAIRCLOTH
F
artun Ahmed hasn’t seen her mother in 12 years. Ahmed — a 28-year-old Minneapolis resident from Somalia — applied for an immigrant visa for her mother in 2015. Ahmed’s mother, also from Somalia, was set to depart from Kenya to the U.S. Jan. 28, two days before her visa would expire. The day before her flight, President Donald Trump signed his executive order prohibiting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries — including Somalia. “She already had her ticket and ever ything, but the … airline called her and told her that she can’t go because of the ban,” Ahmed said through a translator. Now, Ahmed said, she doesn’t know what to do. Ahmed’s story is one of many in Minneapolis’ Somali community. Fear and uncertainty loom as people wait to see whether Trump’s executive order will resume despite the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court’s Thursday ruling to lift the ban.
COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY
Somali refugee Hodan Mursal, right, works with members of the Refugee Resettlement Program to complete paperwork to formally settle her into her new home in South Minneapolis on Friday.
The ban was met with immediate criticism from both political leaders and the broader public. The past two weeks saw multiple protests in Minnesota and across the country. Within days, several federal judges called
the order unconstitutional and temporarily lifted the ban, allowing those stuck in airports and abroad to return to their families. On u See RESIDENTS Page 3 VOLUME 117 ISSUE 38
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Monday, February 13, 2017
Daily Review
THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1633 Italian philosopher, astronomer and mathematician Galileo Galilei arrives in Rometo face charges of heresy for advocating Copernican theory. HISTORYCHANNEL.COM/TDIH
VICTORY Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 Vol. 117 No. 38
An Independent Student Newspaper, Founded in 1900. 2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: (612) 627-4080 Fax: (612) 435-5865 Copyright © 2016 The Minnesota Daily This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted. OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Dylan Scott Editor-in-Chief dscott@mndaily.com (612) 435-1575 Elizabeth Luke Business Operations Officer eluke@mndaily.com (612) 435-2761 NEWS STAFF Chris Aadland Managing Editor caadland@mndaily.com Allison Dohnalek Managing Production Editor adohnalek@mndaily.com Emily Polglaze Sports Editor epolglaze@mndaily.com Jack White Assistant Sports Editor jwhite@mndaily.com Sophia Vilensky A&E Editor svilensky@mndaily.com Alex Tuthill-Preus Multimedia Editor atuthill-preus@mndaily.com Maddy Fox Assistant Multimedia Editor mfox@mndaily.com Haley Hansen Copy Desk Chief hhansen@mndaily.com Sheridan Swee Assistant Copy Desk Chief sswee@mndaily.com Harry Steffenhagen Visuals Editor hsteffenhagen@mndaily.com Cedar Thomas Visuals Editor cthomas@mndaily.com Brenna Bast Chief Page Designer bbast@mndaily.com Jackie Renzetti Campus Editor jrenzetti@mndaily.com Ethan Nelson City Editor enelson@mndaily.com Nick Wicker Policy Editor nwicker1@mndaily.com Jessie Bekker In-Depth Editor jbekker@mndaily.com Lucy Carey Social Media Manager lcarey@mndaily.com =
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COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY
Junior forward Caitlin Reilly celebrates with teammates after scoring her second goal of the game on Saturday at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.
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STATE REPORT SENATOR FRANKEN SAYS GOP COLLEAGUES QUESTION TRUMP’S MENTAL HEALTH WASHINGTON — A Democratic senator claims that “a few” of his Republican colleagues have expressed concern to him about President Donald Trump’s mental health — and that stems from questions about Trump’s truthfulness. Minnesota’s Al Franken tells CNN’s “State of the Union” that the concern arises “in the way that we all have this suspicion” that “he lies a lot. He says things that aren’t true. That’s the same as lying, I guess.” Franken cites Trump’s groundless claim that he would have won the popular vote in the presidential race if not for 3 million to 5 million immigrants in the country illegally voting for his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. And Trump is said to have told some senators in a private meeting at the White House that he and former Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte would have won in New Hampshire if not for voters bused in from out of state.
NEW MEMORIAL PLANNED NEAR SITE OF CASTILE SHOOTING MINNEAPOLIS — The mother of Philando Castile says a permanent memorial is being planned near the spot where her son was shot and killed by a police officer. WCCO-TV repor ts Valerie Castile unveiled a temporar y memorial Saturday that will ser ve as a placeholder until funds are raised to put a permanent marker at the site on Larpenteur Avenue. Philando Castile, who was black, was killed July 6 during a traf fic stop in Falcon Heights. The shooting’s gr uesome aftermath was streamed live on Facebook by his girlfriend, who was in the car. Prosecutors said the 32-year-old elementar y school cafeteria worker was shot after he told St. Anthony police Officer Jeronimo Yanez he was ar med. Authorities later discovered that Castile had a permit to carr y a weapon. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Immigrants will be vital to state’s labor force, report says Immigrants are an important part of a sustainable economy and population. BY RAJU CHADUVULA rchaduvula@mndaily.com
Amid a decline in population growth, Minnesota needs to attract more immigrants to keep pace with its economic development, according to a University of Minnesota report released last month. The report — citing a projected decline in population growth — concludes that Minnesota needs to use its existing resources and capital to increase skills for immigrant work to keep pace with its economic growth. The study was conducted by University’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. “A focus on attracting more immigrants is an imperative for Minnesota in order to address the challenges linked to the slowing growth of the state’s population and labor force,” the report said. Local community leader Mohamud Noor and
nearly a year ago in an effort to see what kind of role immigrant and refugee populations played in Minnesota’s growth, said Eric Schwartz, dean of the Humphrey School. Minnesota needs to attract larger numbers of immigrants otherwise it will not be able to keep pace with its economic growth, he said. Warsame said immigrant communities have a unique way of developing and it’s necessary to provide them with the right tools and infrastructure. The goal of the report is to provide reason and analysis for policy makers when issues of immigrants and labor needs are being discussed, Schwartz said. He said the committee plans on holding meetings with civic leaders, elected officials and chambers of commerce to discuss the findings of the report. “[There’s] no question that the economic success the United States had is inconceivable without the immigrant workfor ce,” Schwartz said.
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IMMIGRANTS IN MINNESOTA BY THE NUMBERS
19% OF MINNESOTA POPULATION IN 2015 WAS ETHNIC OR RACIAL MINORITY
25% PROJECTED RISE OF MINNE-
SOTA MINORITY POPULATION BY 2035
38% OF U.S. POPULATION IN 2015 WAS ETHNIC OR RACIAL MINORITY
47% PROJECTED RISE OF U.S. MI-
NORITY POPULATION BY 2035
10,000 ANNUAL CHANGE IN POPULATION DUE TO MIGRATION TO MINNESOTA UNTIL 2030
25,000 ANNUAL CHANGE IN POPULATION DUE TO MIGRATION TO MINNESOTA BY 2050
SOURCE: THE IMMIGRANTS AND MINNESOTA WORKFORCE REPORT
NATIONAL BRIEFING
White House aide Florida sheriff’s office declines to publicly on trial for fatal shooting defend advisor BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PALM BEACH, Fla. — A top White House aide sidestepped repeated chances Sunday to publicly defend embattled national security adviser Michael Flynn following reports that he engaged in conversations with a Russian diplomat about U.S. sanctions before Trump’s inauguration. The uncertainty comes as Trump is dealing with North Korea’s apparent first missile launch of the year and his presidency, along with visits this week from the leaders of Israel and Canada. Trump has yet to comment on the allegations against Flynn, and a top aide dispatched to represent the administration on the Sunday news shows skirted questions on the topic, saying it was not his place to weigh in on the “sensitive matter.” Pressed repeatedly, top policy adviser Stephen Miller said it wasn’t up to him to say whether the president retains confidence in Flynn. “It’s not for me to tell you what’s in the president’s mind,” he said on NBC. “That’s a question for the president.”
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Minneapolis Ward 6 City Council Member Abdi Warsame said there needs to be more infrastructure and opportunities made available to immigrant populations. Noor said many jobs that are available to new immigrants are ones that require limited skills, often jobs in warehouses or airports. Noor is the executive director of the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota, which focuses on education, youth programs, employment and career help. He said there needs to be job training for immigrant and refugee workers in Minnesota. The Opportunity Center in Cedar-Riverside, which is set to open this spring, is mentioned in the report as a way to increase skills and career pathways for immigrants. Warsame said the center is a way to provide training and career support for the Somali community in Minneapolis. The University’s Committee on Minnesota Workfor ce and Immigrants commissioned the repor t
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LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. — The parents of Seth Adams are sure Sgt. Michael Custer is lying about why he fatally shot their unarmed son in the parking lot of the family’s nurser y business nearly five years ago, even though the sheriff’s deputy was cleared by investigators. The family will get a chance to prove its allegations when a federal civil rights trial against Custer and the sheriff’s office begins Monday with jury selection. The Adams family and their attorneys say ballistics tests, contradictions in Custer’s statements and observations by his Palm Beach County colleagues undermine his account of Adams as an immediate and persistent aggressor in the confrontation. The family said the May 2012 shooting was unjustified and that the investigation was flawed. They are seeking unspecified damages. Custer, then a 15-year sherif f’s of fice veteran, and the sherif f ’s of fice have denied wrongdoing. Custer, who had no previous complaints of brutality or violence in his personnel file, said he shot Adams because Adams attacked him for no reason and he feared for his life. A Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation cleared him of criminal wrongdoing.
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EDITORIAL STAFF Grace Thomas Editorials & Opinions Editor jthomas@mndaily.com Anant Naik Senior Editorial Board Member anaik@mndaily.com BUSINESS Catherine Vaught Retail Sales Manager cvaught@mndaily.com Emily Vermeulen Creative Director evermeulen@mndaily.com 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 13,000 issues daily. 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.
Monday, February 13, 2017
3
Travel ban worries Somali community Residents u from Page 1
Thursday, Trump responded to the Ninth Circuit’s ruling with a tweet that read, “SEE YOU IN COUR T, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!” The suspension of the ban has let some refugees secure homes in Minnesota. Hodan Mursal, a 36-yearold from Somalia, arrived in Minneapolis from Egypt on Wednesday. She was originally set to arrive near the end of January but was delayed by the ban. “It was really shocking because 11 years ... I was waiting in the [refugee] process, and when I finished the process, and after that they canceled it, I thought I had lost everything,” Mursal said. City officials in Minneapolis have already acted against the ban in the weeks since its implementation. At a city Intergovernmental Relations Committee meeting Tuesday, Rep. Ilhan Omar, DFL-Minneapolis, gave an emotional testimony about her personal experience with the ban and its impact on her constituents. “This ban endangers the lives of refugees tr ying to reach America,” Omar said. “Fear is real for me and for many of our community members.” And on Friday, the City Council passed a resolution condemning Trump’s ban and directing city staff to form a Sanctuary City Task Force to plan how to protect undocumented residents from deportation. Efforts are also underway to allocate more money to the city’s Civil Rights Department, said Ward 5 Council Member Blong Yang. Closer to the University of Minnesota, the executive order has directly impacted local leaders in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood who’ve scrambled to address resident fears and confusion over the ban and its subsequent lift. Neighborhood organiza-
City council members Abdi Warsame and Blong Yang field questions for the Minnesota Daily at City Hall on Feb. 3.
tions such as the Brian Coyle Center and the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota are dealing with a community afraid and confused. A rally held Jan. 29 at the Brian Coyle Center — attended by over 1,000 people — made it clear that Trump’s order will face stern opposition from community members and leaders alike. “For the first time, you start questioning your place,” said Ward 6 Council Member Abdi Warsame, discussing how the ban has affected his views on America. “I’m afraid for my wife and children.” Warsame, who was a Somali refugee as a child, still maintains ties in Somalia. He said his mother planned to visit him this summer but now
doubts it will happen given her dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and Somalia. Many in Cedar-Riverside have family in the countries listed on the order and travel frequently to those countries, said Brian Coyle Center Director Amano Dube. The Brian Coyle Center is holding informational sessions ever y week, he said, educating people on the ban and connecting them with lawyers. Many attor neys have been busy providing help and travel advice — often pro bono — for concerned community members since the ban was enacted and lifted. Regina Jef feries, clinical teaching fellow at the
U n i v ers i t y’s Ja mes H . Binger Center for New Americans, which gives immigrants free legal services, said the center helped reunite a mother with her fouryear-old daughter who was stuck abroad. The center has also advised current residents from the seven countries not to travel, she said. “It’s just so problematic for so many people, and it’s particularly being felt here in … Minnesota.” Mohamud Noor, director of the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota, said citizens are coming to him scared of the ban. “[Community members are] asking themselves, ‘What’s next? Is it the registry?’” Even individuals who are
not from the seven countries listed in the order have voiced concerns, said Jana Kooren, communications director for American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota. People who wear hijabs worry they’ll face discrimination while traveling, she said. Christopher Lee, an attorney with AMA Law Group, said they are urging clients to act now. “Since the executive order was lifted basically and reversed, we’ve been informing our clients now to do what they can to try to get their family members here as soon as possible,” he said. On Wednesday night, Amino Farah and her husband Abdi Mahad were all smiles, reuniting after nearly
CARTER JONES, DAILY
four years. Farah, 27, was stopped two days after the ban was enacted at a Uganda airport. Mahad, 31, said learning that he might not see his wife caused him to lose sleep and miss work. “I felt like… [there was] no hope,” he said. Mahad — who spent over 10 years in the refugee program and moved to Minnesota in 2013 — said being separated from his wife was hard to bear. “I wished I had my wife with me; I was feeling lonely here, and she was feeling lonely there.” Mahad and Farah will now live together at their Faribault home. “It’s really amazing to see him again,” Farah said.
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Monday, February 13, 2017
CARTER JONES, DAILY
Vincent Grear reads his daughter, Charlotte, a book in the Glendale Community Townhomes on Thursday. Grear’s employee discount at Amazon allows him to frequently bring new toys home for Charlotte.
CARTER JONES, DAILY
CARTER JONES, DAILY
Nearly two-year-old Charlotte Grear stands in the kitchen of her family’s apartment in the Glendale Community Townhomes on Feb. 3.
Vincent Grear and Ashley Crook talk while their daughter, Charlotte, lays on the floor on Thursday. The family moved into the townhomes in December but could be displaced by redevelopment.
Glendale
renovation done to the houses since they opened in 1952, Gordon said. Regardless, Gordon said he hopes a designation would still allow for updates to the buildings, which lack proper insulation and handicap access. In his nearly 12 years on the City Council, only one historical property — which posed a threat to resident safety — was torn down, Gordon said.
u from Page 1
regular communication with residents. Nonetheless, Hor wich said he hopes plans to redevelop will be revisted in the next three to five years. For MPHA officials, Glendale’s low-density layout deters the agency from housing the 13,423 low-income and homeless people on its public housing waiting list. Defend Glendale’s concerns over displacement aren’t unfounded, said Malik Holt-Shabazz, the neighborhood leadership and organizing program coordinator for the University’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs and a Defend Glendale member. Public housing redevelopments often end in displacement, said Holt-Shabazz, who is worried the townhomes’ redevelopment could lead to the area’s gentrification. On the other hand, Horwich said an entire rehabilitation project isn’t a viable financial option. Updating Glendale’s 184 units would cost at least $15 million, according to official MPHA estimates. And that value could rise to $27 million in the next 20 years. With a yearly capital budget of $10 million, spread out over MPHA’s more than 6,000 unit portfolio, a rehabilitation would be too cost prohibative, said Horwich. “The nightmare situation is that the issues get too high that we lose units ... the goal for MPHA is preserving all 184 units in Glendale and dealing with the right partners to make that happen,” he said. Even the partial rehabilitation Defend Glendale calls for temporary displacement of residents, Horwich said — an outcome that is against the stated wishes of Defend
Glendale. But efforts to secure historic designation for the site could further complicate, and limit, MPHA’s redevelopment options.
Vying for historic designation
Ward 2 Minneapolis Council Member Cam Gordon has entertained the idea of historic designation for Glendale Townhomes since the summer of 2016. But because of dif fering designation criteria, it’s unclear whether the label would minimize the number of displaced residents, and the state’s historical society decided the site was not eligible for national historic designation based on a 2015 repor t commissioned by MPHA. Gordon — who has attempted to find a middle ground between MPHA and Defend Glendale — has gathered resident input since August and said he will continue to do so before choosing whether to nominate Glendale for city historic designation, a status that is easier to obtain. At the August meeting between residents and Defend Glendale, Gordon explained how a historic designation could protect the townhomes from redevelopment. He will consider framing Glendale Townhomes as a melting-pot of low-income, racially diverse residents in his pitch to the city’s Heritage Preservation Commission. Aside from Glendale, the Prospect Park neighborhood lacks diversity, he said, making the attribute a strongpoint in his pitch for Glendale. It isn’t entirely clear what kind of designation, if any, Glendale could qualify for, since there has been extensive reconstruction and
“The ‘Glendale Option’ ”
MPHA and Defend Glendale agree the reestablishment of a resident council could help the two groups reach a resolution. Under federal regulations, residence areas run by a housing authority are required to have a resident council. But Glendale has lacked one since 2015, when former council president and current Defend Glendale Founder, Ladan Yusuf, resigned from the council because of communication issues with MPHA. In its wake, Yusuf created Defend Glendale. The group’s primar y purpose has been to thwart redevelopment and prevent MPHA from forging partnerships with private investors. “That is the Glendale option,” she said. Malik Holt-Shabazz of Defend Glendale thinks MPHA should be doing more to regain the lost trust of Glendale residents, but he does not think MPHA will agree to the group’s demands of completing basic rehabilitation of the housing development, like fixing heating and insulation. In a letter sent to Cora McCorvey, the former executive director of MPHA, Sen. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, said heating and insulation
issues at the townhomes raised “serious questions of unlawful discrimination towards this largely immigrant community.” Work orders from the past two years show the MPHA addressed nearly 97 percent of all residents’ maintenance complaints. The Sustainability Resource Center (SRC), a home repair nonprofit, offered to contract with MPHA to do the repairs for free, but because the center usually works with single-family homes, it’s taking the two entitites longer to reach an agreement, Horwich said. “Contrary to assertions that we’re blocking [SRC’s offer], we’re trying to get it done,” he said, adding MPHA and SRC have met regularly for the past few months.
Living with uncertainty
As indecision and miscommunication persist between activists and the housing authority, the neighborhood seems stuck in limbo. Vincent Grear and his family are happy to live at Glendale, and don’t put much credence into stories that the homes might be demolished. “There was points I heard they were going to bulldoze,” he said. “I’d hear stories from everywhere.” Grear is a forklift operator for Amazon and hopes, in the next five years, to move out of public housing, where he has lived for the past three years. So far, Grear hasn’t faced issues with heating and insulation in his Glendale home, and property managers have expressed straightfor ward expectations for paying rent and maintaining the townhome, unlike his last MPHArun apartment building. “I go to work; I come home. It’s peace,” Grear said.
CARTER JONES, DAILY
Ashley Crook peers into the fridge while her daughter, Charlotte, stands behind her in the Glendale Community Townhomes on Feb. 3.
A TIMELINE OF GLENDALE EVENTS 1952
September 2014 Prospect North Innovation District publishes a blueprint for developing the area north of University Avenue in Prospect Park. Their map for the development includes the Glendale homes.
May 29, 2015
The Glendale Community Townhomes are built to house veterans in need.
February 25, 2015 Members of the Glendale Residents Council write and publish a letter of resignation, ending the council’s activities over disagreements with MPHA. Council President Ladan Yusuf would go on to found the Defend Glendale campaign.
The City of Minneapolis publishes a draft of its Glendale Housing Development Plan, which marks Glendale for mixed-use development. July 10, 2015
August 2015
Minneapolis Public Housing Authority announces it and the city would withdraw from the Housing Development Plan.
A Hesse, Roise and Co. study of the area concludes that “All in all, the Glendale Townhomes district retains sufficient integrity to merit listing in the National Register of Historic Places.” December 11, 2015
June 2016
The Minnesota Historical Society’s State Historic Preservation Office sends a letter to Minneapolis Public Housing Authority arguing that renovations since 1952 have made Glendale homes ineligible for the National Register.
Commissioned by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, Developer Sherman Associates releases its report with four possible options for the redevelopment of Glendale. August 2016 The Prospect Park Association publishes its letter to Ward 2 Council Member Cam Gordon asking him to nominate the townhomes for city-level historic designation and protection. January 19, 2017 Rep. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, sends a letter to MPHA criticizing their hesitation to accept Sustainable Resources Center funds to winterize and insulate the Glendale homes. 2017 onward No development of Glendale would likely happen by 2020, but MPHA wants to start within the next five years. If Minneapolis’ Historic Preservation Committee decides it is historic, this would be canceled outright. SOURCE: MPHA, MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL AND PROSPECT PART ASSOCIATION DOCUMENTS
CARTER JONES, DAILY Left: Vincent Grear and his fiancee Ashley read to their daughter, Charlotte, in the Glendale Community Townhomes on Thursday. The family recently moved to Glendale after living on Hennepin Avenue downtown. Grear said the first few times he heard gunshots he would bolt awake but then learned to sleep through it. “It’s a lot quieter here,” Grear said. Right: Nearly two-year-old Charlotte Grear reaches for the family cat in the Glendale Community Townhomes on Feb. 3.
Monday, February 13, 2017
5
Regents debate coaching contract approvals Contract u from Page 1
valued over $2 million. Prior to 1995, regents had the authority to OK coaching contracts, but that language was replaced with the current policy in July 1995. The new proposal would prohibit board votes on coaching contracts unless the University president deems it to be in the public’s interest. If the president, according to the proposal, thinks an appointment will have “substantial financial impact or generate significant public interest,” he or she will discuss the appointment with the board chair and vice-chair and decide if regents should vote on it. “To be perfectly honest, any president who isn’t going to bring the board in to spend that kind of money is crazy,” said Regent Laura Brod. The proposal comes amid pressure from state legislators for regents to approve such contracts. As it lobbies the state for a more than $147 million increase in taxpayer funds, University leaders have faced questions about athletics funding and coaching contracts this session. At the same time, lawmakers have made the questions of board approval of coaching contracts a focus in the upcoming selection of four new regents. Rep. Gene Pelowski, DF L- W in on a, a House Higher Education Committee member, said taking away board authority to authorize expensive employment contracts could negatively impact the school’s funding from the Legislature and weakens the regents’ power. “It soils the University on ever y level, makes ever yone look bad, and I really don’t think the regents understood the totality of these contracts,” he said. “You’re adding a new
ZACH BIELINSKI, DAILY FILE PHOTO
The University’s Board of Regents talk at a meeting on June 10, 2016. Regents voted 8-1 Thursday to approve the contract of head football coach P.J. Fleck.
payment of a new coach, paying the coach that’s no longer coaching … add to it the recent scandals and you’ve got a trifecta from hell.” Kaler said the amendment would bring muchneeded clarity to board policy, but added he is open to changes. Regent Richard Beeson said he approved of the amendment’s language, saying it showed a good balance of the board’s responsibilities. He said if regents approve coaching contracts, the relationship between the board and coaches is altered, raising ethical concerns. “I think there’s some unintended consequences we should be thinking about at the same time,” he said. Brod said coaching contracts shouldn’t be singled out for approval by the board because athletics isn’t part of the University’s core mission, but a financial threshold for board approval is a good idea. “I think calling out
specifically coaches in the policy would be an unfortunate direction to go,” she said. “But I do think that the fiduciar y responsibility of those salaries … is critical for us as well.” But Hsu said athletics are a crucial component to the school’s outreach mission. “It is a very critical part of our overall brand, which draws in applications and donations,” he said. “A lot of students make a determination on where they want to go to school based on the athletics programs.” Hsu proposed a memorandum, which was tabled, last spring to give regents authority over large employment contracts, including those like Fleck’s. It mentioned setting a dollar-amount over which the board would have the authority to approve a contract. After feedback from committee members, regents decided to rework the language of the amendment and vote on a finalized
version at their meeting in May. “I understand the board has an important fiduciar y responsibility and should be looking at high-value, high-dollar contracts,” Kaler said.
Board approves Fleck appointment
The full board voted Friday to approve the appointment of P.J. Fleck with an 8 to 1 vote. Regent Abdul Omari voted against the appointment. Regents Patricia Simmons, Linda Cohen and Tom Devine were absent from the vote. Fleck’s contract is the largest in Gopher spor ts history and makes him the highest-paid state employeew. Omari declined to comment on his vote. Included in Fleck’s contract is a $100,000 bonus for winning the Big Ten West, $150,000 for a Big Ten championship, $200,000 for a college football playoff
“It is a very critical part of our overall brand, which draws in applications and donations.” MICHAEL HSU Regent
appearance and an extra $100,000 for winning the national title. If Fleck is fired without cause, buyouts range from $9 million before the 2018 season to $1.5 million prior to the 2021 season. To finance Fleck’s 5-year, $18 million contract and buy out former coaches’ contracts, Kaler said approximately $5.6 million will have to be borrowed from the University’s central reserves. “We don’t have a final number because all the dust hasn’t settled,” Kaler said. Kaler said the loan will be paid back with Athletics Department revenue over the next two years. He said he expects Fleck’s appointment to increase ticket sales and advertising revenue.
“We feel in the context of a $105 million overall budget that these are challenges the athletics finance people can process moving for ward,” Kaler said. Regent Michael Hsu voted against Fleck’s appointment in committee on Thursday, saying he hadn’t seen a detailed financial plan explaining how the University would pay for the buyouts of former coaches and the hiring of Fleck. Since administrators provided such a plan between Thursday and the Friday vote, Hsu voted in favor of Fleck’s appointment. “I believe that … that loan will be quickly repaid with the additional revenues that we hope to get,” Hsu said.
6
Monday, February 13, 2017
Sports
@MNDAILYSPORTS
MEN’S HOCKEY
MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Gophers netted all six of Saturday’s goals with an extra attacker on the ice.
Rutgers shot 21.4 percent from behind the arc in the 72-63 Minnesota victory.
shines, Minnesota sets power play Murphy Gophers force goal record in split at OSU shooting woes BY DREW COVE dcove@mndaily.com
Six power play goals in the game is a new record for the Gophers. No. 5 Minnesota (18-82, 9-3-0 Big Ten) split the series with No. 12 Ohio State (14-8-6, 5-6-1 Big Ten) with a 5-4 loss Friday and a 6-5 win Saturday. “It was a big win for us,” head coach Don Lucia told the media. “It was a great, great comeback for our guys, and they sold out right to the end.” Minnesota’s victor y Saturday was highlighted by six power play goals in one game — a modern-era program record. One of the top leaders of the team — defenseman Jake Bischof f — scored the final power play goal, the game-winner for Minnesota, to put the Gophers up 6-5. In a game that didn’t feature defenseman Ryan Lindgren and lost for ward Rem Pitlick, the Gophers still kept pace with one of the top of fenses in the nation even after falling into a 3-0 deficit in the second period. Minnesota’s big scorers pulled through with a win with goals from forwards Vinni Lettieri, Brent Gates Jr., Justin Kloos and Tyler Sheehy. Lettieri, who has 15 goals this season, scored the first goal of the game Saturday following a power play that resulted from a hit that injured Pitlick. “I think that first goal to
BY JACK WHITE jwhite@mndaily.com
CARTER JONES, DAILY FILE PHOTO
Gophers forward Vinni Lettieri chases the puck into the corner against Michigan on Friday, Jan. 13 at Mariucci Arena.
make it 3-1, 3-2, that kind of got us going,” Lucia said. “It was one of those games you felt like you were never out of it.” Despite scoring six goals and winning the game, none of Minnesota’s players finished with a positive plus/minus rating. The Gophers’ defense and goaltending allowed five goals on 22 shots, bringing goaltender Eric Schierhorn’s personal statistics to a goals-against average of 2.75 and a save percentage of .897. The stor y of Minnesota falling behind Saturday was the same stor y Friday after they faced a 2-0 deficit after the first period. The Gophers, despite a three-goal second period, weren’t able to hold their shor t-lived lead and did not mount a full comeback to win Friday. Minnesota came out
with new life in the second period and scored three consecutive goals to take the 3-2 lead but gave up a goal 49 seconds after Lettieri scored the go-ahead. Defensive breakdowns and bad passing plagued Minnesota time and time again, which gave plenty of chances to the highflying offense of the Buckeyes. T wo of Ohio State’s for war ds, Tanner Laczynski and Nick Schilk e y, w e r e a b l e t o g e t around the Minnesota defenders and scor e a couple of highlight-reel goals. After finding themselves down 5-3 in the third period, it was crunch time for the Gophers. Lucia pulled Schierhor n with less than two minutes left, and Minnesota was pressing. Kloos scored a goal to bring the Gophers within one
MEN’S HOCKEY RESULTS
FRIDAY No. 5 Minnesota No. 12 Ohio State
SATURDAY No. 12 Ohio State No. 5 Minnesota
1 0 2
2 3 1
3 1 2
FINAL 4 5
1 1 0
2 3 4
3 1 2
FINAL 5 6
SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM
with 1:53 remaining in the game, but it wasn’t enough. Minnesota took a penalty shor tly thereafter, marking an end to the comeback bid. It was too-little, too-late for the Gophers Friday, but they were able to redeem themselves and split in Columbus. “It was great that we had ever y single guy on the team selling out to fight back and get a big road win,” Lettieri told the media Saturday. “We did the little things right.”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Gophers dominate Scarlet Knights 80-46 Gadiva Hubbard and Kenisha Bell combined for 38 points in the win. BY DOMINIC DAVIS ddavis@mndaily.com
Defense made the difference for the Gophers in their win on Saturday. Gadiva Hubbard and Kenisha Bell led Minnesota on both ends of the floor in their 80-46 victor y against Rutgers on Alumni Day. Hubbard and Bell combined for seven of Minnesota’s 11 steals, causing trouble for the Rutgers offense. The Scarlet Knights couldn’t handle the pressure the Gophers put on their defense. Those steals contributed to 19 Rutgers turnovers. “They were yelling
‘keep your hands up,’” Hubbard said. “So, I kept my hands up and [Rutgers] would literally throw the ball to my hands.” Minnesota (13-12, 4-8 Big Ten) created of fense out of their defensive stops — this led to easy baskets for the Gophers. Head coach Marlene Stollings values the defensive intensity Bell, Hubbard and freshman Jasmine Brunson bring to the team. “They’re so quick and they anticipate ver y well,” Stollings said. “When they’re really locked in, active, and we can keep them fresh like we could today by rotating people in and out, it really causes problems for the other team.” Hubbard and Bell recorded 19 points each. Hubbard led the Gophers
bench in scoring, which produced 37 points. She has become one of Minnesota’s top scorers in her freshman season when she has been fit to play. “I’ve been out with being sick and then the nose and injuries,” Hubbard said. “It just felt good to be able to score and get back to my nor mal self.” Bell, who is also new to the Big Ten this season, said she is now used to the physical play of the conference compared to the Big East. She attacked the basket relentlessly, which led to 12 attempts at the freethrow line. “They’re pretty active on defense,” Bell said. “Basically, attacking them would probably draw a foul . . . because they are always moving.”
CHRIS DANG, DAILY
Freshman guard Gadiva Hubbard looks to pass on Saturday at Williams Arena. The Gophers won 80-46 against Rutger’s University.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL RESULTS
SATURDAY Rutgers Minnesota
1 2 3 4 FINAL 5 15 13 13 46 19 12 25 24 80
SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM
Stollings was happy with her of fense. She said she likes her side’s 3-point shooting and that they had three players score in double figures. Minnesota shot better in this game than in the previous result against Penn State. “I was really pleased with our free throw shooting,” Stollings said. “A big goal for us was to get 20-plus free throws up, and we got 34 up and shot it exceptionally well.” The Gophers never trailed in the game. Taiye Bello scored the first four points of the game to put Minnesota in front. Rutgers (6-19, 3-9 Big Ten) were held to five points in the first quarter, but responded at the end of the second. The Scarlet Knights finished with a 7-0 r un before halftime. Minnesota controlled the play for the remainder of the game. They outscored Rutgers 49-26 in the second half. Hubbard provided 10 points in the final quar ter while she hit 3-3 from distance. The freshman felt good to put together a str ong per for mance in front of the Gophers alumni. “We practice against Rachel [Banham] sometimes,” Hubbard said. “It feels good to show them what I can do.”
The Gophers utilized their opponent’s weakness — 3-point shooting — Saturday in a 72-63 victor y over Rutgers (13-13, 2-12 Big Ten). Minnesota (18-7, 6-6) defeated the Scarlet Knights, who shot 45.5 percent from the line and 21.4 per cent fr om behind the arc, on the road. ‘’I think we’re a good team,” head coach Richard Pitino told repor ters after the game. “Hopefully, we’ll continue to get better. After 25 games, I love where we sit. I really do.’’ A layup and 3-point field goal cut the Gophers’ lead to five with 4:02 left in the game. After the r un, the Scarlet Knights made one shot in four minutes as Minnesota finished out the game with a nine-point victor y. Rutgers missed its last four shots of the game, while Minnesota made four consecutive free throws. The Gophers finished shooting 86. 7 p er cen t fr o m the line. Power for ward Jordan Murphy had his second consecutive double-double. Murphy, who scored 25 points last game, had 17 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday. “Murphy set the tone in the first half,” Pitino told repor ters. “A lot to be extremely proud of and excited about.” Murphy got the ball outside the three-point line and drove to the rim in the first half. Rutgers’s C.J. Gettys went for the charge attempt, and Murphy slammed the ball, knocking Gettys over. The dunk drew a foul and Murphy went to the line for a three-point play. Guard Nate Mason scored 16 points on 5-16 shooting. Mason also contributed to the team’s perimeter defense. Rutgers had no players make more than two three-pointers. Gophers Center Reggie L ynch scored just two points in the game. For war d Eric Cur r y scored 11 points on 5-5 shooting. He also grabbed six rebounds along with
MEN’S BASKETBALL RESULTS
SATURDAY Rutgers Minnesota
1 34 43
2 29 29
FINAL 63 72
SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM
two rejections. The Gophers outr ebounded the Scarlet Knights 40-34. “We came in knowing they were a really good offensive rebounding team,” Murphy told repor ters. “Coach emphasized that [Deshawn Freeman] and Gettys really like to crash the boards, so we made a conscious ef for t to rebound.” Guard Mike Williams was the only player to hit two 3-pointers for the Scarlet Knights. He shot 2-7 from behind the arc in the game. Guard Amir Cof fey tied Mason for first in assists on the Gophers. Both Cof fey and Mason each had five. Cof fey amassed 12 points on 5-9 shooting. The Scarlet Knights mounted a comeback with a 9-0 run in the first half. Rutgers’ Freeman had two dunks during that stretch. Mason made backto-back 3-point attempts for the Gophers’ first six points of the second half. Minnesota’s lost half of its 12-point lead when Rutgers went on a 6-0 run in the second half. Williams started out 2-3 from the field in the second, and he had four of the six points on the run. Minnesota came out the gate fast, going on a 9-2 run to star t the game. Murphy picked up where he left of f last game and scored seven points during that stint. Minnesota’s next game comes at home against Indiana on Feb. 15. The Gophers are currently riding a three-game winning streak. ‘’We’re playing our best basketball,’’ Pitino said. ‘’It’s most impor tant to do that in Februar y.’’
“I think we’re a good team. ... Hopefully we’ll continue to get better. After 25 games, I love where we sit. I really do.” RICHARD PITINO Head coach
CHRIS DANG, DAILY FILE PHOTO
Freshman forward Eric Curry jumps to defend against sophomore forward Ivan Bender on Jan. 28 at the Sports Pavilion.
Monday, February 13, 2017
MSA passes resolution to include one-day fall break Break u from Page 1
Day falls later in the calendar, some years it will not be possible to include a one-day break, said Bob McMaster, dean of undergraduate education. While the resolution language calls for it to be “ef fective immediately,” McMaster said that might be challenging. “It would be ver y unlikely for this to happen in fall [2018], that’s just too close,” he said. The break has academic benefits and mental health benefits for students, Biniam said. She said a comparison of grades shows spring GPAs range from .05 to .09 points higher than in the fall. Although he likes the idea of an added break, McMaster said several challenges exist to implementing the break. He said the University has to wait until after Labor Day to star t classes because of a parking contract with the Minnesota State Fair that allows visitor parking on the St. Paul campus throughout the fair. Other issues include dif ficulties for professors to schedule classes, he said, and ensuring the University does not have final exams past Dec. 23.
Mental health Mental health exper ts say an extra day off during the fall can lead to significantly reduced stress. Additional sleep is one of the biggest benefits, said Ernesto Escoto, director of counseling and wellness at the University of Florida. He said there is little academic research on the ef fectiveness of fall breaks, but he said other studies on sleep show that students would have benefits. He said oppor tunities to rest help students retain
“There’s always going to be challenges when you’re trying to make some changes to the structure of the University. ... Showing that language that we are willing to compromise, I think that goes above all else.” NAME HEREMAKDA BINIAM MSA vice presidential candidate
information and improve concentration, among other benefits. “Students these days are pushing themselves … [in ways] that I don’t remember doing,” he said. “They’re under a lot of stress — a little break here and there wouldn’t hurt.” But, Escoto said he’s skeptical that a br eak would make a significant difference in fall semester GPAs. At Brock University in Canada, the student government pushed successfully for a fall break, and the university conducted a study for the first three years of the break. Madelyn Law, associate professor of applied health sciences at Brock University, helped conduct the research. She said they interviewed students and found almost all students reported back positive mental health benefits. “The big one was that it was perceived to reduce their stress,” she said. Senior students, who had no br eak in their freshman years, overwhelmingly agreed it was helpful, she said.
Histor y In 2015, an MSA petition suppor ting a fall break received over 2,700 signatures. Previous pushes had suggested a week of online school or changing to a trimester calendar, said Claire Breitenstein, who pushed for a fall break in 2015.
McMaster said switching to a trimester would be highly expensive. In an ef for t to finally get the resolution of f the ground, Biniam said she focused the language on showing student suppor t for the break. Other than specifying that the day fall in October and that it gets added as soon as possible, she said she left the logistics vague so that committees could then decide how they want to implement it. “There’s always going to be challenges when you’r e tr ying to make some changes to the structure of the University,” she said. “Showing that language that we are willing to compromise, I think that goes above all else.” She and the academic affairs committee followed up on work MSA started a year ago, she said. Max Hall, president of the Professional Student Government, signed on as a cosponsor to the MSA resolution. He said he’s heard of students pushing for this since he was an undergraduate student. It is relatively lowimpact on administration, he said, and has a high value for students’ mental health. Although PSG has not addressed this in their meetings, he said they will likely approach a similar measure later this semester. “It makes it a lot easier on the administration when all of the student governments work together and can provide that consistent voice.”
7
Change would nix doctor sick notes Makeup u from Page 1
day during its busiest periods, often for conditions that wouldn’t otherwise require medical attention, like the cold or flu, he said. Anderson said the new policy would help reduce both administrative and student stress. “It’s a workable issue for us, but I think it’s not the best use of medical resources,” he said. “But we really are doing this on behalf of students. This is really helping students to not have to jump through hoops.” During discussions about the revisions last semester, some said they were worried students would abuse the change. SCEP member and supply chain and operations associate professor Rachna Shah said she personally isn’t concerned. Faculty members should trust students enough to believe them when they say they are sick, she said. Under the draft policy, instructors would still be able to request verification for recurring medical absences and have the discretion to judge when a student has missed too much work to realistically make up, Wick said. “We’re trying to balance policy between rights and needs of students, and rights and responsibilities and
needs of instructors so that nobody is taking advantage of the other party,” Wick said. Last fall, Student Conflict Resolution Center Assistant Director Michael Huyen asked SCEP to consider updating the makeup work policy to protect students who enroll in courses after the first day. In response, the committee included a recommendation in the draft stating that when students join a course after the first day of class, instructors should — but are not required to — inform them if they “plan to hold students accountable to make up work they missed before they were registered.” Students are allowed to join courses during the first two weeks of the semester without penalty, but the current legitimate absence policy doesn’t include classes missed if a student isn’t registered during this period, so instructors aren’t required to let students make up work missed before they register for a course. The SCRC typically receives one or two
complaints about this each semester, Huyen told the Minnesota Daily last fall, adding that students probably under repor t these situations. Huyen said he’d prefer the draft say instructors “must” inform students if they can’t make up work because the current language leaves the decision up to the instructor. The committee thought this would be better left as a best practice rather than official policy, Wick said. There were concerns from committee members that this protection would encourage students to sit in on courses they aren’t enrolled in during the first couple weeks, which could lead to a liability issue. If an unregistered student were to get hurt during class — like during a lab exercise — they wouldn’t be covered by the University’s insurance, she said. The draft will move through the University’s governing committees this semester and hopefully be implemented fall 2017, Wick said.
“We’re trying to balance policy between rights and needs of students, and rights and responsibilities and needs of instructors so that nobody is taking advantage of the other party.” SUE WICK Committe chair
8
Editorials & Opinions COLUMN
White shame is the name of the game White people want to quickly apologize and move on from the scalding truth about race. The Minnesota Daily repor ted on Thursday that a Jewish student at the University found an anti-Semitic message in his dorm room. To anyone who says it doesn’t happen here — it did. And to anyone maintaining that racism or bigotry is done and over — you’re wrong. Sorry, I forgot this is an opinion column: I very much believe you are wrong. Last weekend, I ventured out to see “I Am Not Your Negro”, the shattering new documentary guided by writing from James Baldwin’s opus and, more broadly, the lasting discussion of “race relations” in the United States.
Perhaps that sense of shame and remorse is something necessary to feel still and shouldn’t be forgiven so easily.
KATE MCCARTHY columnist
A particular thread that stood out to me was the idea of white shame. In a world of rules and machinations created by their historically-dominant race, white people want to quickly apologize and move on from the scalding truth. As a New York Times film review puts it, “… the lengths that white people will go to wash themselves clean of their complicity in oppression.” It’s not so easy, though. We might have to sit with some discomfort for a while and be okay with that. It peeks through in other films, too. Several months ago, I saw “Selma” with my family — an incredibly impactful, truthful film with a black female director. A portion of the movie — during one of its most heated stretches — follows the narrative of a young white minister who joins the march and is ultimately murdered for it. While watching, I thought, “How nice to have this guy’s stor y, too.” And it is a
moving one; I don’t want to be flippant about that. But now I wonder if perhaps that choice was made to assuage white viewers, make them feel appreciated and included. As if to say, “Don’t worr y, not ever ything you did was bad!” Was it meant to make the film more palatable for white people? In a documentar y about the post-Civil War South that I watched recently in my sociology class, time was taken out of the narrative to tell the stor y of a white woman’s family and their terrible treatment of African Americans which she later weeps about. She laments how difficult it is for her. And I’m sure it is. Perhaps that sense of shame and remorse is something necessar y to feel still and shouldn’t be forgiven so easily. We can apologize and express sadness, but the wound isn’t healed yet. It will take time and conscious efforts on the part of white people to work against the systems they’ve benefitted from. The idea of having to sit with this shame is a tough one to take, but our countr y deser ves a full recover y, not a slap-dash, avoidance-based one. Kate McCarthy welcomes comments at kmccarthy@mndaily.com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Moving on As the times in which we live become more confused and dispiriting — seemingly favoring the rich and power ful at the expense of our democracy, constitution and our planet — one realizes how much we need our students. When there are wrongs to be called out and justice demanded, students have always ser ved as the voice of conscience for the rights of the many and compassion over indif ference. The Obama and Sanders campaigns showed us that students could be a powerful and organizing force. I’ve seen their care and passions at local demonstrations, and with the rise of a current administration which seems bent on dismantling our most basic protections at home and responsibilities as global citizens, there is more need than ever for a broad-based, unified on-campus student movement and voice of nonviolent, ar ticulate action. As faculty and staff, many of us are there to support you. Issues that need strong student voices are reducing climate change and supporting strong measures to limit its destructive ef fects; resisting anti-Muslim and anti-Latino draconian immigration restrictions; providing quality healthcare for all, not those only who can af ford to pay for expensive insurance and drugs; and insuring that the right to vote is available to all and is not prohibited to those who might speak for the disadvantaged. If life imitates art, in the Harr y Potter world of J.K. Rowling, students played a key role in the Order of the Phoenix. It may seem like times are dark and hopeless, but with a strong voice and presence of a unified on-campus student movement, like the phoenix, we can rise from the ashes into a better world. Alan Lifson Professor, Epidemiology & Community Health
Editor’s Note: This letter has been edited slightly for grammar and spelling. CONTACT THE EDITOR Grace Thomas jthomas@mndaily.com
L.C. Graber welcomes comments at lgraber@mndaily.com.
COLUMN
Everybody is an outsider What if being an underdog doesn’t give a person anything particularly unique to offer? Society has a love af fair with outsiders. With “Divergent”, we’ve built an entire movie franchise around a teen literally diverging from societal norms, and this summer, we’ll watch Peter Parker go from zero to hero in the third Spider-Man origin stor y in less than two decades. Hell, we’ve even elected a political outsider as our president. But what if being an outsider doesn’t intrinsically give a person anything particularly unique or worthwhile to offer? This isn’t to say that a fresh set of eyes can’t be a good thing. For example, it makes sense that a business might invest in a relatively inexperienced, younger job candidate over an experienced, older candidate if the former shows potential, brings new knowledge to the table and will likely stay with the company longer. They’re probably willing to work for less money, too. H o w e v e r, i f t h a t y o u n g e r j o b
Good teachers develop good students, who develop good civic knowledge and become good citizens who get good jobs and support a good society. So, another report showing 25 percent of Minnesota teachers leave after three years, and 15 percent leave after the first year, should give us all a little pause about what messages we are sending teachers. The annual Minnesota Teacher Supply and Demand report shows the teacher shortage across the state has reached a crisis. The Minnesota Association of School Administrators calls it an “epidemic around the state.”
Nor is the problem limited to Minnesota. Many states are experiencing the same problem. The demand for teachers is growing, according to the report, while the supply is shrinking. Not only are teachers leaving after a few years, but there’s a 30 percent decrease in the number of teachers entering the profession. Legislators have been working on a number of proposals since last year to make it easier to hire teachers and be more flexible on licensing. Indeed, many area schools have only been able to hire teachers because they got waivers on licensing requirements. But the problem doesn’t seem to be going away. We urge legislators to do all they can to make licensing flexible. Somehave called for allowing out-of-state teachers to be
THE EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPARTMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEWSROOM
EDITORIALS Environmental efforts at U deserve praise Last week, the Minnesota Daily reported that the University of Minnesota is halfway to meeting its goal of reducing campus carbon emissions 50 percent by 2020 — a goal that was initially outlined in 2008 by former University President Robert Bruininks. The University has accomplished this through a holistic approach to energy-use reduction, including replacing light bulbs with more efficient versions, recycling furniture and offsetting campus carbon emissions by planting green spaces on roofs across campus. Replacing light fixtures and planting roof gardens alone has helped reduce the school’s nearly 640,000 metric tons of emissions from 2008 to 492,121 metric tons in 2016. And the installation of LED lights in the East River Road parking ramp has resulted in an energy savings of 71 percent.
This victory should be recognized, savored and used as fuel to push forward on environmentally-friendly initiatives even in the face of a federal government hostile to climate science. The initiatives are part of the American Universities and Colleges Presidents Climate Commitment to reach carbon neutral status on the University’s campus by 2050. In the era of President Trump’s administration, this victory should be recognized, savored and used as fuel to push for ward on environmentally-friendly initiatives even in the face of a federal government hostile to climate science. Mere days after Trump assumed office, his administration ordered a media blackout for the Environmental Protection Agency and also scrubbed federal websites of any references to climate change. To make matters worse, Trump’s administration has flagrantly condemned the general consensus from the scientific community about climate change and has planned to eliminate environmental regulations — which 61 percent of Americans oppose, according to a Quinnipiac University poll. While we may not have the support of previous presidential administrations to leverage the University’s response to climate change, we mustn’t be deterred from continuing our progress. It is important to recognize the work that has been done at the University, partly because it was out of our own volition that this was accomplished. The Trump administration may think that climate change is a hoax, but the University can continue to make impactful changes to stem the tide of destructive man-made climate change.
CHANCE WELLNITZ columnist
candidate is an art histor y major applying for a position as a nuclear physicist, then it doesn’t really matter how “fresh” their perspective is because it’s completely uninformed. Perhaps we value outsiders because we tend to see ourselves as these same underdogs, even when we’re relatively well-off and connected with those around us. Maybe we’re all members of a mostlyfunctioning society, just waiting for others to recognize us for the Peter Parker or Beatrice Prior or Donald Tr ump we feel we truly are. And until then, we live vicariously through the outsider characters in books, movies and — occasionally — real life. Chance Wellnitz welcomes comments at cwellnitz@mndaily.com.
GUEST EDITORIAL Weaknesses of wind energy stress competition amongst energy sources
Monday, February 13, 2017
hired while they are working toward licensure. But the market is telling us teachers also need better pay. Gov. Mark Dayton’s recent plans to boost education spending would likely help increase teacher pay as schools would get per pupil funding increases, but that may not be enough. Teaching will have to exist in a marketplace swelling with many well-paying, nonteaching jobs. There are employers who need skills trained teachers have. If we want to invest in our education system, we’ll have to invest in teachers and show respect for what they do. Editor’s Note: An expanded version of this editorial was originally published by the Mankato Free Press.
2017 U.S. GUN VIOLENCE Total gun-related incidents: 24,656 Total number of deaths: 6,337 Total number of mass shootings: 145 Data compiled by gunviolencearchive.org
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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Monday, February 13, 2017
CROSSWORD Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle FOR RELEASE RELEASE NOVEMBER FEBRUARY 13, FOR 12, 2017 2016 Edited by by Rich Rich Norris Norris and and Joyce Joyce Lewis Lewis Edited
HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (2/13): This year favors adventure, education and exploration. Coordinated teamwork gets you where you want to go. Try a new route with your partner this month, before a boost in financial prosperity.
To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Written by Nancy Black
Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is an 8 — The next two days are good for negotiations and compromise. Work with a partner to get farther. Provide physical and emotional support.
Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is an 8 — Old assumptions get challenged. Stick to trusted sources. Avoid a potential clash with authority; use your own good sense.
Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is an 8 — Focus on your moves today and tomorrow. Something you try now doesn’t work. Don’t make assumptions. Be patient with a resister.
Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 6 — Relax and rest over the next few days. Hide out, if necessary. Let your imagination go wild. Organize and plan steps to realize your vision.
Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — Romance can be summoned with simple ingredients over the next two days. Invent possibilities and reaffirm commitments.
Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — You have more friends than you realized. Get into a two-day party phase. Hold meetings and reunions. Learn and share tricks.
Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — Fix up your place today and tomorrow. Re-supply locally. Weigh pros and cons before committing to a purchase. Choose long-lasting quality.
Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is an 8 — Career matters occupy you over the next few days. Follow the money trail. Listen for what’s wanted and needed, and provide that.
Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is a 7 — Read, write and express yourself. Dig deeper into a favorite subject today and tomorrow, and share what you’re finding out. Learn from the past.
Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 9 — Explore and experiment today and tomorrow. Blaze a trail if necessary. Crank your research up a notch. Patiently navigate a roadblock.
Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is a 9 — Tap another source of revenue. You’re entering a potentially profitable two-day phase. Don’t spend it all. Work now and play later. Neatness counts.
Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 9 — Slow down to avoid accidents. Take extra care of your body today and tomorrow. There’s plenty of work; balance it with good food, rest and exercise.
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Late Week’s Puzzle Solved Saturday’s Puzzle Solved Friday’s Puzzle Solved
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DR. DATE Dear Dr. Date,
I went on Facebook yesterday expecting the usual fake news, ugly baby pics and Harambe memes. To my surprise, I discovered that Staci, my best friend from high school, had gotten engaged to her boyfriend Stan without telling me. I didn’t even think they were ready to fart in front of each other, let alone get married. The worst part is that Staci’s now-fiance only started dating her to get closer to our friend Esmeralda, whom he’d had a crush on all throughout high school. How do I save Staci from certain Stan-delivered heartbreak? Sincerely,
Concerned Friend
Dear Concerned Friend,
First of all, it’s royally uncool that Staci didn’t tell you about her engagement in person, so you were forced to find out on Facebook like a common pleb. Channel the anger you must feel at this betrayal into a determination to destroy Stan and everything he stands for. To do this, you must first make a mold of Esmeralda’s face out of plaster. With help from your makeup-artist friends, transform into the second com-
ing of Esmeralda. Think “Mrs. Doubtfire” but even sexier. Dressed in Esmeralda’s secondhand clothes, show up at Stan’s door and offer to babysit his children. If he doesn’t have children, offer to sweep his kitchen. Each day, show up at Stan’s door dressed as Esmeralda and complete some household task for him. Worm your way into his tiny little Stan heart. On the morning of Staci and Stan’s wedding, dress up as Esmeralda and enter Stan’s dressing room. Confess your love to him and offer to run away to Bangor, Maine together. If he agrees — which he will, because Stan is a snake — you must spend the rest of your life in Bangor, Maine with Stan dressed as Esmeralda. In that way, you will save Staci from a Stan-filled life and fall on that sword instead. Stan himself will be punished every day when he has to make out with a plaster mask instead of a human mouth. Hope this helps,
Dr. Date
Dear Dr. Date,
I’m about to go on my fourth date with a guy I met in my pottery class, and I have sort of an uncomfortable question for you.
At what point in the dating sequence is it acceptable to flatulate in front of your partner? I’ve had the misfortune of falling for a guy who loves spicy food, and the first three dates we went on were a series of gastric calamities for me. First we had curry at this Indian place in Uptown, then we went to Taco Bell, and on our third date, we went to a chili cook-off sponsored by his dad’s taxidermy office. I can’t even begin to describe to you the agony of trying to hold in my bodily functions following those dates. When we were in the car going home after the chili cook-off, I was straining so hard to hold in my flatulence that I ripped several holes in the upholstery of his car seat with my fingernails. When I finally got home, I let it all go in a bowel-shaking explosion that was truly awful. It smelled like a skunk crawled up another skunk’s rear end, took a poo, and then both skunks died. My roommates left that night and I haven’t seen them since. But anyway, back to my question. When does it become okay to fart in front of your date? Sincerely,
Fearful Flatulence
Dear Flatulence,
This is definitely a tricky one. While I can’t tell you exactly what to do, I can tell you what worked for me when I was dating my husband. First of all, go on dates to smelly places. Tour your local garbage dump or landfill. Go fishing in the Hudson River. Have dinner in a boy’s hockey locker room. That ought to negate the stinkiness of your putrescence problem. As for the noise you may make, carry around a pocket harmonica. Every time you feel a little problem coming along, take it out of your pocket and play a little tune. Problem 1: Solved. Problem 2: Solved musically. In direct answer to your question, it is never acceptable to openly fart in front of your date. I still don’t fart in front of my husband, and we’ve been together for forty years. But if you do those two things, you should be able to get along just fine, and fear not the flatus. Best of luck. Sincerely,
Dr. Date
9
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Monday, February 13, 2017
Regents discuss assault, restructuring After scandal, U leaders examined sex education for student athletes. BY KEVIN BECKMAN kbeckman@mndaily.com
During its meeting Friday, the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents voted to approve renovations to its academic health center and discussed changes to the Athletics Department, among other topics. Regents also heard an update on sexual assault education for student athletes, voted to approve two longstanding infrastructure projects and voted to restructure the University’s Government and Community Relations department. Coyle updates regents on sex assault prevention in athletics Athletics Director Mark Coyle updated regents Friday on changes the department will make to decrease the
likelihood of student athletes committing sexual assault. Following the alleged sexual assault involving several football players earlier this year, Coyle said the University will now require all freshman student athletes to live in residence halls. The school will also consider changes to its recruiting program. Most first year athletes already live in dorms, but Coyle said the mandate could help the school provide additional sexual assault education. He added the department will consider training host athletes with strict and clear expectations for high school recruits when they come to campus and update its training for current athletes. While some regents praised Coyle for his commitment to sexual assault education in athletics, others said there is much more work to be done. “I want to make sure it doesn’t come off as all sunshine and roses with this topic,” said Regent Darrin
Rosha. “We’ve had these kinds of programs in the past. What are we going to be doing differently?” Regent Laura Brod said the training in athletics needs to go beyond simply meeting set standards. “There’s a difference between hearing and listening,” she said. “If you’re just checking the box, you won’t be changing the culture.” Coyle said student-athletes get about four hours of training annually on elements of the student conduct code, like sexual harassment and assault, hazing and academic dishonesty. Restructuring of Government and Community Relations The board voted to appoint former president and CEO of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce Matt Kramer as vice president for University and government relations — a newly formed position. Along with Kramer’s appointment, the board voted
to restructure University relations, combining lobbying, public relations, marketing and community relations under Kramer’s leadership. “I want a more uniform, consistent message about what the University is doing and I want one person to be responsible for the interaction with the Legislatures, the interaction with the media and the interaction with marketing,” Kaler said. “Mr. Kramer has got a perfect skillset to do that.” Academic Health Center The board voted unanimously to fund a $13.5 million project to renovate space in the Phillips Wangensteen Building, Moos Tower and 717 Delaware to make room for programming formerly housed in the VFW Cancer Research Center and Masonic Memorial Buildings on the East Bank campus. Those buildings — designated as “do not invest” by University administration — will be mothballed and de-
molished once programming is moved to the renovated spaces. They currently house clinical and research operations like the Schulze Diabetes Research program as well as cancer diagnosis and prevention programs. “These are signature programs … they need a good home,” said Regent David McMillan, chair of the Facilities, Planning and Operations Committee. Electric Steel Elevators and the Recreational Sports Bubble After over three months of debate, regents voted Friday to relocate the displaced recreational sports bubble to the site of the Electric Steel Elevators near TCF Bank Stadium. The bubble will be displaced with the construction of new track and field facilities as part of the Athletes Village project. Regents debated alternative locations for the bubble after a group of preservationists sued the University in an
attempt to halt demolition by claiming they are historic. While the restraining order to halt demolition was not granted, attorney for the Friends of the Electric Steel Elevators Erik Hansen said the group pressed the matter in Hennepin County District Court. “The University has made it clear that they’re not interested in cutting any kind of deal on this,” Hansen said. University attorney Dan Herber said both the group and the University filed for summar y motion at the end of January, asking the court to make a decision on whether demolition should be halted. He said the court has until April to decide, but the University can demolish in the interim. The cost of demolishing the elevators stands at just over $3 million. It will cost the University $6 million to relocate the recreational sports bubble and roughly $13 million for the track and field facility.
Swiss ease citizenship for ‘third-generation’ foreigners BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BASEL, Switzerland — Voters in Switzerland decided Sunday to make it easier for young “third-generation foreigners” to get Swiss citizenship, agreeing to extend to about 25,000 people under age 25 access to the fast-track process now available to foreign spouses of Swiss nationals. The national statistics office said the “naturalization of third-generation immigrants” initiative passed with 60.4 percent of the vote, paving the way to a simplified path to citizenship for young people whose parents and
grandparents have lived in Switzerland for decades. As in some other European countries, being born in Switzerland doesn’t automatically confer citizenship. While about 25,000 people are estimated to be eligible for the new process, the referendum’s passage ultimately could be far-reaching in a countr y where non-citizens make up one-fourth of the population. The citizenship measure was one of three on the national ballot on Sunday. Another car ried inter national implications: Voters handily rejected a corporate tax reform designed
to harmonize taxes at a competitive, relatively low rate, a victor y of sorts for the political left that had shunned alleged handouts to foreign businesses. The statistics office said 59.1 percent of voters rejected the measure, which would have scrapped the two-track tax system that offers lower rates to foreign firms to lure investment — potentially at the expense of higher tax-countries of the neighboring European Union. Exper ts say the tax initiative’s failure means that overall rates are likely to be set higher — which would be a disincentive to
companies that bring in jobs and ultimately tax revenues. Many domestic companies, meanwhile, could see their tax rates go down. Critics including regional government leaders and much of the political left had said the initiative would deplete tax cof fers for an uncertain payoff. Proponents had countered that the reforms were needed to keep competitive a countr y that has few exportable natural resources and relies heavily on globalized industries such as finance and pharmaceuticals. U.S.-based machiner y
giant Caterpillar, which employs 600 people in Switzerland and has its Europe, Africa and Middle East headquar ters in Geneva, had vocally expressed support for the tax reform referendum, and expressed “respect” for the public’s will after it was rejected. “Though this vote creates additional uncertainty in a challenging business environment, we remain confident that Switzerland and the Cantons (regions) will find a consensus allowing to pass a new federal tax law that will support innovation and employment for all economic actors in Switzerland,” the company
said in a statement Sunday. Despite the rejection, Switzerland must still abolish its two-track system: Sunday’s measure would have kept future rates relatively low, and now policymakers will have to come up with a new plan — which could raise rates on foreign firms. The “third-generation foreigners” initiative will m ean l es s p ap er wo rk , fewer delays and lower fees for anyone under 25 whose parents and grandparents have lived in Switzerland for years, but who did not go through the time-consuming, onerous naturalization process.