March 5, 2020

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SUPER TUESDAY Student supporters of Bernie Sanders gather to watch the Super Tuesday primary results in Bruininks Hall on Tuesday, March 3. (Liam Armstrong / Minnesota Daily)

U students quarantined due to virus The two are not showing symptoms, but were in contact with COVID-19 while studying abroad.

BY J.D. DUGGAN jduggan@mndaily.com

Biden wins MN as Sanders wins U Sanders won all University area precincts despite Biden’s big win.

BY MN DAILY STAFF

Joe Biden clinched the top spot in the Minnesota Democratic primary on Super Tuesday — but he wasn’t the leading candidate among students voting in the primaries near the University of Minnesota.

Bernie Sanders won all University-area precincts by a

wide margin, claiming polling places in Marcy-Holmes, the West Bank, Prospect Park, and on campus at the Weisman Art Museum.

“I can’t say that it’s not something I considered,” said Michael Reinhardt, a student organizer for Students for Bernie. “I kind of expected that to happen that, he would win Super Tuesday states.” He said looking forward, he thinks that the primary schedule will begin to favor Sanders.

Although many students canvassed for political candidates, Biden is one of the only top Democratic contenders

without a student group registered with the University.

Biden won the Minnesota vote at 38.5% as of around midnight. The Associated Press called the race for the former vice president less than an hour after polls closed.

Biden struggled to build support among University students, only winning about 10% to 20% of voters at some polling places around campus. Warren polled at similar percentages to Biden at most polling places.

Sanders gained 61% of the vote at the First Congregational Lutheran Church on 8th Street Southeast in Marcy-

Holmes, and 69% at Van Cleve Park in Southeast Como. Biden came in second at the MarcyHolmes church with 20% of the vote, while Warren was the runner-up at Van Cleve with 16%, followed by Biden at 10%.

Taylor Larick, a senior finance major and member of Students for Warren, a student group that has been canvassing in favor of the candidate for the primaries, said he is still optimistic about Warren’s turnout in other states after Biden’s Minnesota win.

“My second choice would u See PRIMARY Page 8

Two University of Minnesota students returning from studying abroad in Europe have been advised to self-quarantine by the Minnesota Department of Health, according to a system-wide statement from the school on Wednesday.

The students had been in close contact with an individual confirmed to have COVID-19, or coronavirus, but they are not displaying symptoms. They have not been in any University-owned buildings since returning to the United States.

Spring semester educational and study abroad programs have been suspended to China, South Korea and Italy, which have all experienced coronavirus outbreaks. Spring break programs in Italy were canceled on Monday.

The University is arranging accommodations and regular wellness checks during the students’ quarantine period. The statement said the school is working closely to address questions of all students currently studying abroad.

“The University of Minnesota is undertaking system-wide short- and long-term preparations to best protect our community,” University President Joan Gabel said in a statement.

“Please know that we are working around the clock to keep our community safe.”

EDUCATION

U works to improve graduation, retention rates for students of color The efforts include meal and housing scholarships as well as the hiring of new success coaches.

BY ABBEY MACHTIG amachtig@mndaily.com

The Multicultural Student Success Committee at the University of Minnesota is working to create more support programs to improve retention rates for students of color.

Following the committee’s formation in August 2018, the Board of Regents was recently updated on the progress of the initiatives. These efforts include a program to provide meal and housing scholarships to underrepresented students, in addition to the hiring of success coaches for low-income students.

“What this new committee is trying to do is gather leaders who are working on these different programs and initiatives, making sure no students fall through the cracks, which can happen,” said Virajita Singh, associate vice provost in the Office for Equity and Diversity. “I think even though the data shows that the [first-year retention] gap is closing, there’s still a lot of work.”

The retention rates of students measure the percentage of students who stay enrolled after the first year of their undergraduate degree and serve as a key indicator of student success.

Historically at the University, there has been a gap in the rates between students of color and white students. For students of color, the retention rate was reported at 84% in 2006, increasing to 89% in 2010. For white

Illustration by Hailee Schievelbein / Minnesota Daily

students, the retention rate increased from 88.9% to 90.4% in that same time period.

HEALTH CARE

BY NATALIE CIERZAN ncierzan@mndaily.com

Four years ago, Creighton Clemens went to bed like it was any other night, unaware that the next time he’d be conscious would be four days later.

That night, he went into cardiac arrest. When his wife called 911 and paramedics tried CPR, they weren’t able to restart his heart.

Because Clemens was in the Twin Cities area, paramedics realized he was eligible for a University of Minnesota cardiac arrest program.

They immediately shuttled him to the University, where physicians were able to restart his heart.

u See RETENTION Page 3

CAMPUS

High-tech SUVs to provide faster care to cardiac arrest patients The program is funded by an $18.6 million grant donated by a charity organization.

“The [current] first year retention rate for all students of color is 92.7%, and the overall rate for

white students is 93.6%. We basically have eliminated the first year retention gap. [The retention rate] is the first primary metric for student success, and the gap used to be much wider, so we are really pleased,” said Bob McMaster, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education.

For underrepresented and underserved youth, the first year of college is especially difficult, as students often lack the resources needed to be successful, McMaster said. As a result, a number of programs have been put in place or are currently in development to create more direct support programs on campus.

The Commuter Success Program, which was created as part of the initiative, provides meal plans and facilitated student

New campus event policy seeks to balance freedom of speech with safety The Major Events Policy outlines procedures for scheduling large events on the U of M campus.

A specially outfitted vehicle which allows experts to administer on-site cardiac health services is parked outside the Variety Club Research Center on Thursday, Feb. 27. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

“If I would have been a couple of miles in another direction outside of that geographic area … I would not have survived,” Clemens said.

Clemens was one of the 20 cardiac arrest patients treated in the initial phase of the University’s ECMO resuscitation program in 2015. Now called the Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation Consortium, the program reaches patients all over the metro area with SUVs stocked with life-support equipment. The MMRC is funded by an $18.6 million grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley

Charitable Trust and will eventually include larger vehicles with virtual reality technology. Program creators said the goal is to get to cardiac patients faster.

The SUVs and new larger vehicles both have extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machines, which ambulances don’t typically have. An ECMO machine takes the blood out of the heart and oxygenates it, replacing both the heart and lung functions in the patient’s body. u See CARDIAC CARE Page 3

BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com A new draft policy seeks to emphasize the University of Minnesota’s commitment to freedom of speech while balancing safety and resources for large events.

The new Major Events Policy, which outlines procedures for scheduling large events on campus, is currently making its way through faculty, staff and student groups for consultation. Several past events and a lawsuit against the University highlighted the need for the policy.

When conservative speaker Ben Shapiro’s event venue was moved from Willey Hall on West Bank to the North Star Ballroom on the St. Paul campus in 2018, several groups alleged political discrimination.

Shapiro, along with members of Students for a Conservative Voice and Young America’s Foundation, filed a lawsuit against the

University in August 2018.

The Shapiro lawsuit guided the policy, but the need for it has existed for some time, said University spokesperson Chuck Tombarge.

“Ben Shapiro … put an exclamation point on the need, but it is a need that we have felt for some time,” he said.

Many past events on campus have required campuswide coordination, and the process has not always been straightforward, Tombarge said.

“Right now without this policy, event scheduling and planning can be initiated with many different venues on campus in a variety of ways,” he said. “It kind of currently depends on who you happen to call.”

Along with the policy, the University has also outlined procedures for political campaign events held on campus, such as requiring that the campaign pay for security provided by the University.

The policy states the University’s commitment to upholding u See CAMPUS EVENTS Page 3 VOLUME 120 ISSUE 44

Daily Review

2 THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

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CAMPUS EVENTS CALENDAR FRIDAY

March Improv Show

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7 - 9 p.m. at 10 Church St., $3 5 - 9 p.m. at Palace Theatre 3:30 p.m. at the Bell Museum, $15 Fri. and Sat. at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. at the Coffman Union Theater; Friday at Minnesota Long-Form Improv’s Robot This annual event supports womxnThe play stars Henrietta Leavitt, who Family Band performs before nationals. owned businesses through gear sales. pursued astronomy in the early 1900s. 8 p.m. at the St. Paul Student Center.

MSA acts against ‘coercive contracts’ According to MSA, “Coercive contracts” limit the legal rights of employees.

BY SAMANTHA HENDRICKSON shendrickson@mndaily.com

The Minnesota Student Association drafted a resolution to push education about “coercive contracts,” which include clauses such as nondisclosure agreements, forced arbitration, class-action waivers and noncompete clauses.

The undergraduate student government wants to protect students at the University from unknowingly entering into these contracts.

Clauses like these affect more than 60 million workers nationwide from pursuing legal action in court, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

These contracts are known for silencing victims of sexual harassment, discrimination and oppression in the workplace by preventing an employee from pursuing legal action,

according to the EPI. General education around nondisclosure agreements and other k i n d s o f c o e r c i v e c o ntracts is minimal, if any, according to Molly Coleman, a senior at Harvard Law School and co-founder of People’s P a r i t y P ro j e c t , w h i c h works to dismantle coercive legal systems nationwide. The nonprofit was started by Harvard Law School students and has been working with MSA to draft their resolution for over a year.

Nationally, the population is not aware of these clauses because lawyers have designed them to be hidden in the fine print or easily missed, Coleman said.

“Most of the time workers will sign away their rights, and they don’t realize it until it’s far t oo la t e. But [coerci v e contracts] allow workplace misconduct to continue and allow sexual harassment, racial discrimination [and] so many other evils that we know we want to

fight,” Coleman said.

MSA members said they hope to “lift up the voices” of victim-survivors of assault and anyone else who has experienced workplace discrimination said Gurtaran Johal, MSA’s Sexual Assault Task Force chair.

“We’re basically making it so these individuals have the opportunity to speak up for themselves,” Johal said.

T h ro u g h t h i s r e s o lution, MSA plans to w o rk w i t h t h e U n i versity’s Career Services and other departments across campus to educate the student body about the contracts. Examples would include adding information to student career guides, notifying students on GoldPASS if an employer uses these contracts and putting up informational posters at job fairs.

Katy Briggs, an author of the resolution, said that many employers no longer use the contracts once people are made aware of them.

Attendees and company representatives interact at the CLA career fair at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 28. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

“To me, that’s really a signal that these clauses and contracts are oppressive,” Briggs said. “I think that that’s a really big indicator of how these contracts can be used with unhealthy power dynamics.”

The University said in a statement that, as an employer, it does not use mandatory arbitration clauses, but it also does not have a specific policy about their use.

BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com

The Minnesota State Capitol as seen on May 13, 2013.

OLA in response to the audit, the RMM board contested the findings, arguing education spending is acceptable under the law.

“We believe the conclusions reached by OLA carry judgments that reach beyond the governing legislation and thereby do a disservice to the diligence and good faith of those advancing the mission of the RMM partnership,” the letter reads.

The report also found that RMM applied different levels of scrutiny to grant applications and made scoring errors that led to some pro-

While lack of education is still an issue, Coleman said that the most effective way to spread awareness about coercive contracts is to keep talking about them.

“We need to be talking about coercive contracts,” Coleman said. “When we talk about the global economy, when we talk about inequality in American society, you need to look at the coercive contracts.”

posals erroneously awarding funding over others.

The University and Mayo Clinic provided inconsistent contracts for the same grants, according to the report. Findings also included inconsistent documentation and a conflict of interest involving a grant evaluator.

“The key is that we want to make sure that anyone receiving state funding for grants, that they’re spending that money appropriately and for what we deem as allowable activities,” said Lori Leysen, OLA audit director

and one of the auditors who compiled the report.

Sen. Jim Abeler, R- Anoka, a member of the Senate higher education finance and policy committee, called the findings “extremely disappointing.”

“As nice as it is to educate grade schoolers on science, that’s not the point,” Abeler said. “Certainly we don’t want to dictate what they do, but we’re the only voice the taxpayers and the people of Minnesota have to the U to guide them.”

Though the RMM board disagrees with the OLA report’s conclusions, board co-chairs Jakub Tolar and Andre Terzic said in an emailed statement Tuesday that the program is taking steps to address the report’s findings.

The proposed changes include suspending K-12 grant awards indefinitely and adjusting the grant proposal review process.

“This statewide, bipartisan initiative has made great strides in advancing regenerative science, training the workforce of the future, rolling out clinical trials and investing in new biotechnology,” the statement reads. “Regenerative Medicine Minnesota looks forward to working with the Legislature and the people of our state as we pursue next generation regenerative therapies for the benefit of all Minnesotans.”

Crime in Marcy-Holmes climbs Marcy-Holmes sees a second attempted abduction in two weeks on Sunday.

BY J.D. DUGGAN jduggan@mndaily.com

Violent crime in MarcyHolmes climbed late last month amid two high-profile attempted abductions in the area.

Crime trends Year-to-date violent crime has doubled compared to last year in Cedar-Riverside from 10 to 20 and increased from two to six in Southeast Como.

Violent crime decreased from 10 to six incidents in Prospect Park. The number has mostly stagnated in Marcy-Holmes, increasing from 12 to 14.

But violent crime has risen during recent weeks in Marcy-Holmes, which saw

five violent crimes from Feb. 17-29 this year. This marks an uptick from just one — an aggravated assault — during the same time frame last year, which includes March 1 because 2020 is a leap year.

Violent crime remained low at zero or one incidents in all campus neighborhoods besides Marcy-Holmes during the last two weeks of February in both 2019 and 2020.

The last two weeks of February also drew an increase in property crimes in Southeast Como and Prospect Park compared to last year, respectively rising from two to nine and 19 to 23.

Notable crimes Marcy-Holmes saw the second abduction attempt in two weeks on Sunday. The attempt reportedly occurred in the evening at the 700 block of 8th Avenue Southeast.

The suspect tried to grab the

victim from behind. Responding police officers canvassed the area in search of the suspect or witnesses.

While the Minneapolis Police Department did not denote a link to past crimes, the area has seen other similar incidents in the preceding months.

Just blocks away, an attempted kidnapping occurred on Feb. 18 around the intersection of 6th Street Southeast and 10th Avenue Southeast. MPD noted that this crime was connected to similar assaults that have occurred in Minneapolis since 2018.

In a Monday interview with the Minnesota Daily, MPD spokesperson John Elder urged people to reach out with any tips — even if they may seem insignificant.

On Friday, an Uber driver was assaulted while driving near the intersection

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An audit found that a state-funded grant program wrongly awarded money.

million every year after, totaling nearly $22 million in grants as of this month. An appropriations law enacted by the Legislature in 2014 requires the grants to be awarded for research, clinical translation and commercialization.

The audit found that 52 percent of education grants were allocated as K-12 grant, which auditors concluded violated the appropriation law. In some cases, grant money went to expenses including activity books and youth science camps.

In a Jan. 8 letter to the

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Report: U misused funds Following allegations of mismanagement within a University of M i n n e s o t a g r a n t p ro gram, an audit by state officials has raised questions about transparency.

A report by the Office of the Legislative Auditor released earlier this year found several discrepancies in grant allocations and conflict of interest concerns with the University’s Regenerative Medicine Minnesota program. University officials say they will address the finding, but the report has rekindled some lawmakers’ concerns about how the University spends state funding.

The RMM program, a partnership between the University and the Mayo Clinic, awards grants to researchers studying regenerative medicine, or the process of helping the body regenerate damaged cells, tissue and organs. RMM does not agree with all of the findings of the report, according to the letter included in the report.

The state allocated $4.5 million to the program in its first year in 2014 and $4.35

Thursday, March 5, 2020

of University Avenue Southeast and Hennepin Avenue Southeast. Police documents say the injury was minor, and minimal suspect information was noted.

Minneapolis police responded to reports of a person with a handgun at S a lly ’ s Fr i da y a rou nd bar close, which police

documents classified as an assault. The suspect was gone when police arrived.

University of Minnesota Police Department officers responded to reports of a peeping Tom on the 900 block of 7th Street Southeast on Feb. 26.

The suspect was looking into the residence of two female University students.

Illustration by Hailee Schievelbein / Minnesota Daily

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A previous version of the story “New city guidelines base funding on demographic makeup of neighborhoods” misstated how funding will be allocated for neighborhood boards. It will be based on a number of factors including engagement with historically underrepresented communities.

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Thursday, March 5, 2020

Retention u from Page 1

Illustration by Sarah Mai / Minnesota Daily

Campus events u from Page 1

freedom of speech and the exchange of ideas.

“This policy seeks to uphold these priorities and as a result assumes most major events will proceed,” the policy reads. “It also aims to balance these priorities with the need to ensure campus safety and the responsible use of the University’s resources.”

Cardiac Care u from Page 1

“[We secure] the heart and the lungs without actually needing their function to be normal, and we have then an opportunity to have a stable patient and we can actually look for the cause of the arrest and fix it, in many cases being the blocked arteries,” said Demetri Yannopoulos, creator of the initial program and a University professor of medicine.

The SUVs meet cardiac patients at participating emergency departments, where the patient is put on the ECMO machine. With the larger vehicles, the program aims to eventually meet patients at their homes or nearby.

The most important determinant of patient survival is time, he said. The faster patients are connected to the ECMO machine from the time of their cardiac arrest, the higher the chance of survival. “[The program has] a team available 24/7 that knows how to do this,” Yannopoulos said. “… We’re going to intercept the patients at the closest emergency department in a way that will try to cut their time about 15 to 20 minutes to be placed on ECMO earlier than they would have otherwise.”

The larger vehicles will also hold virtual reality equipment.

“Every case can be recorded and viewed at the same time from all of the members of the team,” Yannopoulos said.

Physicians can also store the information and use it to expand these programs so that people can see how this works, he said.

“This is something so

“The need is to get to the fact that students might need very handson coaching and in a very holistic way. So, it’s not just about sort of pointing them to One Stop or something.”

Tiana Meador, president of Students for a Conservative Voice and the editorin-chief of the Minnesota Republic, has been involved with the Shapiro lawsuit.

Meador said the University drafting the policy is a “positive move.” However, she said she believes improving free speech on campus, particularly for conservative students, goes down to political messaging in classes.

“I think that is a large

issue stemming from professors and the teaching staff on campus,” she said.

Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication adjunct faculty member and adviser for the Minnesota Republic Kent Kaiser said he feels the University could improve free speech on campus by bringing in more diverse speakers.

“The University of Minnesota is actually doing a disservice by not really

high tech, so far out there, that nobody’s doing it in the United States to this scale.

If we can do this in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, we can replicate this across the country,” said Walter Panzirer, a trustee of the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, which provides funding for many cardiac initiatives across the Midwest.

When normal CPR is applied to cardiac patients, a 10 percent survival rate is lucky, he said. When using ECMO machines, more than 40 percent of cardiac patients are resuscitated.

“This is going to change how people look at cardiac arrest care, and it’s really going to save a lot of people in the Minneapolis region,” Panzirer said.

Several competing hospitals are working together in this program, he said. Partners include Fairview Health Services, Regions Hospital and North Memorial Health Care System.

“This is one project where you can’t do it alone, you got to have everyone together — all of the hospital systems, the multiple EMS systems and also the University,” Panzirer said.

University council on liberal education expands membership

“This is one project where you can’t do it alone, you got to have everyone together — all of the hospital systems, the multiple EMS systems and also the University.”

WALTER PANZIRER trustee of the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust

engaging in seeking out the truly conservative voices,” he said.

Carl Rosen, a member of the Senate Committee on Finance and Planning, which discussed the policy, said he thinks the policy will likely be useful when it comes to ensuring safety, especially when controversial speakers come to campus.

The policy is slated to be reviewed by the President’s Policy Committee by the end of this month.

support meetings to lowincome commuter students.

“Students receive about 50 meals on campus and attend gatherings in dining locations, which include student leaders. [These meetings] facilitate building community, lead discussions and provide a supportive environment,” McMaster said.

Living on campus is closely linked to student success and higher retention rates, McMaster said. Because of this, the committee has also created housing scholarships that pay for half of all room and board fees. Additionally, two full-time student success coaches who will assist low-income and multicultural students will be hired for fall 2021.

“The need is to get to the fact that students might need very hands-on coaching and in a very holistic way. So, it’s not just about sort of pointing them to One Stop or something,” Singh said. “But rather to support them throughout the way, because ultimately, the retention data is talking about long term success. It’s not just about them at entry, or getting a few resources, but

making sure that they are actually meeting the finish.”

Upon review of the progress made by the committee at the regents meeting last month, University leaders agreed positive progress had been made, but the work of the committee would be ongoing.

“We talk a lot about diversity and I think that’s where we move into equity,” said Regent Mike Kenyanya at the meeting, in reference to the gaps in retention and graduation rates. “Some of the shifts in the gaps were amazing, while some of them had almost no change. I’m definitely glad to see a focus on that has been included.”

VIRAJITA SINGH associate vice provost

Different colleges and departments got representation on the council.

BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com The University of Minnesota’s Council on Liberal Education, which is responsible for approving new courses, is including more representation from different areas of study.

The council’s work was put on pause during the recent liberal education redesign process. The redesign ended in December when the University Senate voted against proposed changes to the curriculum and course approval process.

The council is now meeting again after expanding its membership to include more intellectual variety.

Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Bob McMaster said lack of expertise on particular subjects meant more editing and clarification on course proposals from faculty was needed.

Additionally, some faculty expressed discomfort that their courses had not been reviewed by an expert in their field, McMaster said.

“What we want to do is add or make sure there are enough experts in the various areas on the council,” he said. “So that when a course comes through there’d be at least two, if possible, faculty members who have an expertise in that area.”

The reconstructed council, which has a new chair and a handful more members than in the past, includes more representation

The University Senate convenes in Mondale hall on Thursday, Dec. 5. Those involved in the vote decided to continue discussions around changing the University’s liberal education requirements. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)

from different University departments.

Ensuring a range of representation was important when reconstituting the council, as was maintaining some continuity, said council chair, Kathryn Pearson.

Several of the new council members served on the Liberal Education Redesign Committee, which spent time looking closely at liberal education issues during the redesign process, Pearson said.

“One of the other things that we wanted too, is really ensure that … there are domain experts who are evaluating courses,” she said.

Department of Forest Resources professor Joe Knight said when he got a course approved years ago, the process was straightforward.

There was also a faculty member from his department on the council at the time who could explain and advocate for the course and how it met requirements, he said.

Having one course approval body with representatives from across the University is most ideal, he said, rather than the smaller faculty groups proposed during the redesign.

“You can imagine that a way that, for example, a literature requirement is implemented in one department or college ... might be really different from the ways it’s valued or implemented in a different college,” he said.

Because there was uncertainty about what changes would be made to the curriculum, the council took a step back from

approving courses over the past year, McMaster said.

Pearson said the council plans to be proactive and work hard to review the backlog of courses that built up over that period of time.

Faculty committees have also been discussing the potential for new descriptions for liberal education course requirements to make the approval process clearer, she added.

Pearson said the main goal of the council is to facilitate course certification rather than act as a gatekeeper.

“I want to ensure that we provide positive, constructive feedback to faculty, that we do so in a timely fashion and that our goal is really to facilitate the approval of courses,” she said.

University of Minnesota hires larger security staff to bolster numbers falling numbers The University recently added 11 full-time security positions on campus.

BY J.D. DUGGAN jduggan@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota bolstered its security team by hiring the first fulltime advisers onto staff, filling a need after constant turnover and thin staff numbers.

The University recently added 11 full-time employees to act as campus safety advisers. The University’s Department of Public Safety has previously depended on students for the job, but numbers have hovered at around 70-90 student employees in recent semesters. The department said it would need about 150 students to meet campus needs.

“It goes up and down because, you know, students discover what they can fit into their schedule,” said Matt O’Sullivan, director of security in the Department of Public Safety. “The decision to hire full-time staff was primarily driven by the need to get the people we need — and just not being able to hire enough students to do it.”

Hires for the department’s first full-time employees began in September. The department initially sought 10 employees but is now one above quota. The most recent hires were brought on Monday.

Security advisers are uniformed, non-sworn representatives of the Department of Public Safety, said a University spokesperson. The advisers and student monitors work closely with the University of Minnesota Police Department, often acting as a first line before calling officers.

The security team is trained in first-aid skills and a program called “verbal defense and influence,” O’Sullivan said. The department teaches the security workers how to use their voice as a tool for de-escalating hostile or crisis situations.

Turnover is a perennial issue for any student employment, especially when it comes to overnight security work.

According to O’Sullivan, places like University libraries or the Carlson School of Management can require security patrols from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

“That’s really difficult for students. You know, they’re

Security monitor Will Burnton receives a request for an escort on his two-way radio while walking across the Washington Avenue bridge during his shift on April 17, 2014. (Patricia Grover / Minnesota Daily)

kind of giving up their whole next day, they’re giving up their regular sleep schedule,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s a lot to ask for.”

O’Sullivan said student interest in on-campus positions seem to be continually declining since he started working in late 2018.

The student security monitor position offers $11 an hour.

Off-campus minimum wage in Minneapolis is currently $11 an hour for small businesses and $12.25 for a large businesses. That number will be $15 an hour for all businesses by 2024.

University Services Vice

President Mike Berthelsen said in an email that the new security advisers play a vital role in patrolling campus buildings and helping with the 624-WALK program, a service that can be used by any University community member or visitor to receive an escort on or near campus.

“This complements the work of the University of Minnesota Police Department (UMPD) and Public Safety Emergency Communications Center (PSECC) by allowing police and emergency personnel to focus on other safety needs,” Berthelsen said in the email.

4 MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

FASHION

Four wild vintage items you can find at The Cat and the Cobra The vintage store in Northeast Minneapolis fills the racks with truly unique pieces, setting the shop apart from the competition.

Cat and the Cobra

UMN

BY ALEX STRANGMAN astrangman@mndaily.com WITH PHOTOS BY PARKER JOHNSON pjohnson@mndaily.com

Clockwise from top left, an intricately designed Vintage Hermes Paris jacket, a pair of pants sold in the 1970s as part of the Coca-Cola Company’s “It’s the Real Thing” campaign, a pair of Budweiser sneakers and a pair of WWII Sheepskin flight pants, worn by U.S. Army Airforce pilots to combat extreme temperatures at altitude, at The Cat and The Cobra thrift and consignment store on Friday, Feb 29th. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)

Step into The Cat and The Cobra and you’ll find a plethora of unique threads waiting catch the eyes of prospective customers.

From second-hand denim to various retro band and Harley-Davidson tees, this Northeast Minneapolis store has the trendy thrifter in mind.

Since the store’s conception in October 2018, owners Casey Henricksen and Eric Swenson have gone to great lengths to ensure their racks are filled with only the coolest pieces thrifters can get their hands on.

On days when the store is closed, Henricksen scours the Twin Cities for some of the hottest vintage threads, while Swenson makes the trek to small towns

throughout the Midwest to snatch up the rarest and most unique clothes he can find.

“Most of our store stuff is like, ‘90s, ‘80s and ‘70s … that’s really what we find in the thrift stores. But, when Eric is out, he’s looking for pieces that are like ‘60’s and older — the really special stuff,” Henricksen said.

Part of the unique experience is the feeling of exclusivity the store provides, with hours only Friday through Sunday.

The Cat and the Cobra also boasts unique flea-marketstyle pricing, where nothing is tagged, creating room for some good old fashioned haggling.

A&E took a trip to the store to search the racks for

the most funky, outlandish and one-of-a-kind items.

1970s Coca-Cola beach pants These eye-catching beach pants are shaped at the thigh, flare out from the knee to a bell-bottom hem and feature a drawstring waist. With Coca-Cola’s signature red and white colors in a checkered print, they’re funky.

But more notably, they were part of the famous 1970s “It’s the real thing, Coke” ad campaign.

Originally sold by the Coca-Cola company for $2.98, the cotton pants were advertised to “Go great when you are enjoying the real thing.“ WWII sheepskin flight pants Good luck finding an authentic pair of World War

FILM

II Aero Leather A-5 Bomber Aircrew Sheepskin flight pants in any other store.

These pants were worn

by U.S. Air Force pilots and aircrew flying over Europe to protect themselves against frigid high-altitude temperatures.

The sheepskin-lined interior makes for the perfect pair of pants to catch some eyes while staying warm during a cold Minnesota winter.

Budweiser Tennis Shoes These limited-edition Budweiser tennis shoes are a steal for beer aficionados everywhere, or the perfect shoe to add a little bit of vintage flash to any wardrobe.

Manufactured by Brown Shoe Group in the early 1980s, these bright red kicks

feature a Budweiser bottle cap logo on the side and the Budweiser label on the tongue.

Vintage Hermes Paris Jacket This lightweight vintage Hermes Paris silk bomber jacket is a perfect statement piece for spring. It was made in 1991 and is covered with incredibly intricate detailing.

The front, back and sleeves all feature the same image of a man on a horse above the french phrase “feux d’artifice,” which translates into “fireworks.”

A jacket like this exudes confidence, with the signature “Hermes Paris” logo featured in big bold letters on the front, back and sleeves of the jacket, showing off major designer drip.

MAGIC

Student filmmakers bring Magicians step up to the mic Comedy Corner their apocalyptic vision to life TheUnderground presents “Magic at local film festival Underground Open “Final Moments” will be shown at this weekend’s Z-Fest Film Festival.

BY NORAH KLEVEN nkleven@mndaily.com

Midterms are nearing, but something far more insidious is coming for the characters in “Final Moments,” a short film produced by a group of University of Minnesota students.

The seven minute film follows two graduate students, Calvin and Diane, who discover that the end of the world is fast approaching and grapple with how to handle that information.

The film was written, directed and produced by Emily Peters, a senior studying communications.

“Final Moments” was created for the annual Z-Fest Film Festival, a local shortfilm competition for which participants submit an original film. The three-day festival kicks off on Friday at Woodbury, Minnesota’s Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

“Before graduating, I really wanted to do something that would bring us into the filmmaking community in Minneapolis,” Peters said.

“Just [to] get our name out there and meet people.”

She originally wrote the

film’s script as a work of flash fiction at just 14 years old. Peters collaborated with assistant director and fellow communications student Ted Ektanitphong.They also recruited two other University students to be director of photography and editor.

Filming took place at locations at TCF Bank Stadium and in Loring Park and Roseville, Minnesota.

Though registration for the festival opened in October this year, Peters and Ektanitphong officially entered the film festival in February, just two weeks before the deadline.

One of the the aspects that makes Z-Fest unique is that it requires participants to produce and enter content within a specific time frame, said Z-Fest coordinator Margie Zdechlik.

The festival originally only allowed participants ten days to produce their work but has since allowed participants a window between October and February to produce their entries.

“The idea here is that new and emerging artists can much more likely create a quality product if they have a lot of time to continue to flesh it out,” she said.

To ensure that participants are creating works specifically for the festival,

Z-Fest Film Festival

March 6 - 8 Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 9060 Hudson Rd., Woodbury $10 - $15 All ages

Zdechlik said each year ZFest incorporates a “control element.” Last year, participants had to find a way to include the theme of “fire and ice.” This year, the element was a pair of glasses.

Sixty-four films were entered into the festival this year and will be screened f ro m F r i d a y t h ro u g h Sunday.

Zdechlik noted that “Final Moments” is the only entry from the University of Minnesota this year. Other university-level entries came from Metro State University and St. Cloud State University, she said.

Of the 64 films, the top ten will be recognized at “Best of the Fest,” an Oscarslike award ceremony that offers different awards such as best screenplay, best actor and actress and more.

For Peters and Ektanitphong, simply having entered the film festival was something to be proud of.

And now, with some out-ofclassroom experience in the books, they hope to work together again in the future.

Mic” Thursdays.

BY MEG BISHOP mbishop@mndaily.com

If you saw someone wearing a black cape, pulling a bunny out of a hat while uttering “abracadabra,” you’d know straight away that they were a magician.

Noah Sonie sported a hoodie and jeans, but brought enough tricks and gimmicks to make an audience erupt in applause.

Sonie is just one amateur magician who regularly performs at “The Magic Underground: Magic Open Mic.” As an open mic magic show, it’s part comedy, part magic.

The event is hosted in The Comedy Corner Underground, the basement of The Corner Bar on West Bank, a dimly lit room plastered with comedy show posters.

Sonie is one member of the three-man crew of Minneapolis magicians behind the theater production company The Magic Underground.

He founded the group with friends Eli Sanchez and Chris Leuck in 2018.

Since then, they’ve seen it all. “We’ve had someone be sawed in half,” Sanchez said.

On stage before a crowd of around 20 people Thursday night, Sonie’s combination of charisma and applauseworthy magic skills provided for a unique form

Magician open mic night, held at the Comedy Corner Underground on Thursday, Feb. 27. (Emily Urfer / Minnesota Daily)

of entertainment.

One trick involved having an audience participant say a random letter and scroll through the list of top actors on IMDb to find the first actor with a name starting with the letter the participant had shouted out. The letter was “D” and the search resulted in Dwayne Johnson.

But before the trick began, Sonie had written down an actor’s name on a piece of paper. He uncrumpled the paper in front of the audience and voilà, it read, “Dwayne the Rock Johnson.”

Almost all of the night’s tricks included audience volunteers, some of which were given an item used in a trick — like a playing card — as a souvenir.

Mark Spannbauer, known to audiences as Marky Mark, was another hoot of the night. Spannbauer uses magic as a way to keep not only himself but audiences entertained.

“It gives me something to do with my fiddling hands,” he said.

Spannbauer’s best gag was asking someone their name and responding with, “Ah! That’s my middle name.” He used the joke on every volunteer during his set.

What was clear throughout the night was the magicians’ amateur status, but that’s part of the fun. There were awkward silences, fumbling with playing cards and performers who spoke timidly into the mic.

In short, the night was not unlike what you could find at a comedy open mic.

The production is a work in progress, just like the magicians’ tricks. But it takes a certain amount of confidence to step up to the mic. Performing at “Magic Underground” is an opportunity for any aspiring magician looking for a place to practice and meet other local performers.

5

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

COLUMN

My Super Tuesday first thoughts

This Tuesday was the first time I got to cast my ballot in the presidential ring.

Samantha Woodward columnist

W

aking up Tuesday morning, my body was plagued with the familiar adrenaline of Christmas morning.

My subconscious knew it was Super Tuesday before my mind could even recognize the Google Calendar notification. My inexperience with voting not only gave me the anxiety of forgetting to fill out the back page again, but also an excitement that led to me wearing my “I Voted” sticker proudly for the remainder of the day.

Voting this past Tuesday was the

first time I got to cast my ballot in the presidential ring. My gratitude for my country filled me with pleasure, yet mixed my conscience with the guilt of knowing the many obstacles some Americans face when trying to vote. My emotional dilemma followed me around like a cloud all day.

The day that the Democratic candidate to face off with the Republican incumbent is decided, a fair share of nail-biting, guilt-filled, and awkward moments are bound to happen. Having to explain who I voted for to my grandpa is at the top list of things I dread doing every year. Not because I am ashamed of my voting record, but because I understand his reasoning just as well as mine. It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that you and the people you care for don’t always see eye to eye.

Thankfully, our politically charged conversations end in a “Samantha, your political views have absolutely nothing to do with how much I love you.”

A part of me has always known that our inability to agree on an effective health-care plan wouldn’t change my standing on his “Favorite Granddaughter Ranking.” Rest assured, I’m still #1. This discrepancy is not uncommon between family members and friends alike, whether the people in your life are diehard news consumers or indifferent benchwarmers only showing up for the presidential polls. I’ve found it difficult to separate politics and relationships.

In the eighth grade when I self-identified

COLUMN

Study abroad, leave ethnocentrism at home

Students abroad represent so much more than the university.

Sidney Clarke columnist

A

pproximately 34 percent of undergraduate students take advantage of the University of Minnesota’s study abroad program, which offers over 250 programs in 70 different countries. Study abroad programs aim to push students outside the boundaries of the campus political and social echo chamber and encourage creative applications of global perspectives. They force students to take a step into the unknown under a great ‘what if?’ From major skills like financial management to simple skills like booking airline tickets, studying abroad forces students into a greater level of independence than has likely ever been expected of them.

Travel is an opportunity that many students won’t be offered again for years to come.

Despite sometimes paying University of Minnesota rates at less expensive international universities, traveling through a study abroad program is one of the most economically feasible ways to travel. The University’s communal housing programs, group touring options and host family-matching cut costs that independent travelers simply cannot compete with. To further increase program accessibility, the University annually awards almost $1.5 million in scholarships for students abroad.

However, as important as studying abroad is in the University community, the impact

Samantha Woodward welcomes comments at swoodward@mndaily.com.

CARTOON BY ROBERT MCGRADY

Sidney Clarke welcomes comments at sclarke@mndaily.com.

–Reach Across The Aisle

Dear Reach Across The Aisle, As I’m sure everyone knows, the primary election was yesterday. I’m very active in politics and have been canvassing for my candidate all week, along with asking everyone I know if they planned on voting.

Needless to say, when voter turnout was so high and my candidate was successful across the country, I was thrilled.

My girlfriend, however, was not. She’s aware of how politically active I’ve been in the past, but we haven’t been dating long enough to go through an election together. Every time I slipped a pamphlet under someone’s door or asked a cashier if they had voted yet, she sighed and rolled her eyes. The entire time, I thought it was because she was annoyed I was doing this in public — aka, I was embarrassing her.

Alas, the reason wasn’t that simple. As I rejoiced at my candidate’s victory party on Tuesday, my girlfriend texted me “We need to talk.» She then told me she’s exactly the opposite of me politically, and has been growing angrier the more I talk about how much I support certain policies. She may not show her viewpoints in real life, but is apparently a prolific Reddit user on certain subreddits, some of which have urged her to end our relationship.

She said if I don’t stop being so vocal about my political views (aka sit down and shut up), she would break up with me! I love my girlfriend, but I’m not sure we can

to improve our nation? Absolutely not. Do we have people within and outside our government that still fight for these ideals? It would be defeatist to think otherwise. My grandpa’s devotion to hearing me nag about the newest political dispute reminds me of my devotion to making sure I had at least an hour in between my activities for the day to vote: “Of course, I would stop the tractor for you.” No matter your political views, of course, I would wait in line to vote for you. No matter how hard the decision was.

Elections should be about voting for who you want to see represent your issues and solutions you want to be implemented. My child-like wonder and naive nature towards our voting system sometimes amazes me as I am reminded that it’s never just that easy when it comes to politics. Learning to accept that where we are is not where I want to be, while still remaining hopeful for the future, has been a teeter-totter ride throughout my adolescent path to what it means to grow with a country. Being given the power of “choice,” it can be overwhelming. Don’t let this power swallow you whole. Let it empower you.

students have overseas is equally critical. The Study Abroad Center’s pre-departure orientation gives students a review of their host country’s basic history to counteract Americans’ less than exceptional reputation for historical acknowledgement. To varying extents, however, students abroad can still be found drunkenly stumbling through foreign cities, clearly confusing newfound European fashion trends and surface-level colloquialisms with multicultural aptitude. To even scratch the surface of what it means to be a permanent resident requires so much more than a cursory tour of national monuments, but a variety of perspectives, including those that are less picturesque.

Another shortcoming of the typical American tourist is foreign language inefficiency. Unfortunately, out of 250 programs at the university, only 10 are considered ‘language intensive’ and require multiple courses in prerequisite language experience. Although many other cultures will divert to English to accommodate visitors, it is a matter of respect that students studying abroad make an honest attempt at language proficiency — regardless of the program requirement.

Given that travel itself is inextricably related to wealth, and that the predominant demographic of travelers are upper-class retirees, it is absolutely imperative that college students abroad reinvent that global image. Too often it seems, students explore with selective interests in mind. When macaroons and tourist attractions take precedence over a country’s people, culture, history and language, the result is exploitative. Our peers represent a very small subgroup of Americans that are progressive, educated, overflowing with vitality and who seldom find themselves on the international stage. Our presence overseas and the actions taken there can either nurture diversity or squander it.

overcome this. What do I do?

Dr. Date,

as a “Social Justice Warrior,” I never would have imagined talking to, let alone associating with anyone, who did not share my exact beliefs. Looking back at my middle school ignorance and examining all that I’ve learned from people and beliefs almost opposite of my own, I am so grateful that instead of blocking Twitter accounts and muting keyword phrases of things I didn’t believe in. I welcomed diverse ideas and learned from them.

There is a certain level of privilege that comes with being able to express indifference in politics and apathy towards policy change.

This attitude and lack of interest in how our lives are governed may not affect your day to day life, but other people feel those changes more directly. Being uninterested in politics is one thing – they are corrupt and messy and so incredibly hard to follow if you didn’t do Model UN or Youth in Government in high school. Even doubting whether or not your one vote in the sea of millions will make any difference whatsoever is something I’ve driven myself to. But if there is no hope in our ability to change what we don’t like, there is no hope for anything.

Looking past the romanticism of my civic duty and the empowerment it has left me with, my optimism has been tainted with the, well, politics of it all. I am not a pacifist nor am I one to ignore the plain truth that we, as a nation, will never all agree on everything. Do we all share the same belief systems and values?

No, no we do not. Do we agree on the best ways

Hey, at least you got people to vote, right?

Ignoring the ideological problems between you two, this could potentially be worked out.

Couples have certainly overcome political differences before, but only if both parties agree to respect each other’s ideas, not tell the other to shut up. The fact that she’s giving you an ultimatum on something that might be able to be worked out is not great — plus, she’s listening to internet strangers rather than discussing it with you. If you want to save the relationship, tell her that you’re more than willing to hear her arguments as long as she agrees to hear yours.

However, I’m starting to question how well you two might work together long-term. You can overcome political views, but if you both have major fundamental differences backing those views, you should probably reconsider if the relationship will work out in the future.

Either way, the country is almost 50/50 — there’s always more Democrat or Republican fish in the sea.

–Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

I usually pick up my girlfriend when she gets off work. Since she’s an overworked graduate student, sometimes things run a bit late, and I end up sitting outside her office, waiting for her to finish up.

Usually? No worries.

Yesterday though, I arrived a few minutes

after her shift was over. Her door was still closed, so I texted her saying I was outside.

She texts back, saying “come in real quick ;)”.

We’d never done anything in there before (I’m not nearly as adventurous as she is) but it was something we’d talked about before. So I walk in, and immediately we just start making out. Hardcore. Jackets on the floor, lights off, saying things that probably shouldn’t be put into print… you get the picture. It’s going fine for a bit, and I’m starting to wonder why I even worried… until the door flies open, and some poor freshman walks in on us.

I don’t think he saw anything, but I just have no idea how long he was outside the door for. He said he was looking for a different TA. I don’t think anything’s going to become of this (besides mild embarrassment) but I can’t help but worry that someone is gonna contact somebody and get us in trouble? Help!

–Too Much Education

Dear Too Much Education,

Eh, it’s not ideal, but you weren’t getting too explicit. If you had more than jackets on the floor, it would be a very different story. Chalk it up to very embarrassing PDA, apologize to the freshman if you see him again and lock the door next time.

–Dr. Date

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

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

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

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6

Sports

SCOREBOARD MARCH 3

Baseball

Minnesota: 4 North Dakota State: 7

MARCH 5

Women’s Basketball vs. Ohio State 8 p.m.

MARCH 6

Softball

UCLA/Long Beach Tournament vs. Cal State Fullerton 11 a.m. @ Long Beach State 4 p.m.

Women’s Tennis

vs. Rutgers University 2 p.m.

Baseball vs. Utah 6:30 p.m.

Men’s Tennis

@ University of Washington 7 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. Notre Dame 7 p.m.

MARCH 7

Wrestling

Big Ten Championships March 7 - 8

Women’s Hockey WCHA Final Faceoff 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Women’s Gymnastics @ North Carolina State 3 p.m.

Softball

UCLA/Long Beach Tournament vs. Cal Poly 4 p.m. @ UCLA 9 p.m.

Baseball vs. Utah 6 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. Notre Dame 7 p.m.

MARCH 8

Men’s Basketball vs. Nebraska Noon

Men’s Tennis vs. Wisconsin Noon

Baseball vs. Utah 1 p.m.

Softball

vs. Central Florida 1:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

Close calls define Gopher season

Last week, the Gophers lost two Women’s Basketball games by a total of Minnesota: 85 three points.

UPCOMING

MN DAILY

MEN’S BASKETBALL

MARCH 4

Penn State: 65

MNDAILY.COM

BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com With one game remaining in the regular season, the Gophers have a sub.500 record, meaning anything short of an unlikely run in the Big Ten Tournament Championship will see them miss the NCAA Tournament.

Throughout the year, Minnesota has had plenty of opportunities to improve its resume. According to ESPN’s BPI, it has the second hardest strength of schedule in Division I. However, in the likely scenario that they don’t hear their name called on Selection Sunday, it would not be for a lack of effort, but rather a lack of execution.

“I think we have some really good kids,” head coach Richard Pitino said.

“We are just losing some close games.”

Between Feb. 8 and March 1, the Gophers dropped five of six games, four of those defeats came by six points or less. The only exception was a 68-56 loss to Indiana on Feb. 19, a contest in which Minnesota led by as many as 10 points.

“We compete with everybody in this league,” said sophomore Daniel Oturu. “There’s no doubt in my mind that we can beat any-

one in this league. We are just going through it right now.”

The team’s struggles to close out games came to the forefront last week.

Hosting No. 9 Maryland, the Gophers had a chance to turn their season around and led the Terrapins for over 39 minutes. Late in the second half, Maryland rallied back from a 17-point deficit, pulling ahead of Minnesota with a 3-pointer in the final moments.

That game exemplified how close the Gophers have been at times to pulling off statement victories.

Other notable heartbreaking losses include a 83-78 double overtime loss at Purdue on Jan. 2 and a 5855 defeat to Iowa on Feb. 6.

Against the Boilermakers, Minnesota led with less than 30 seconds left, while versus the Hawkeyes, the Gophers had an 8-point lead with 5:25 remaining but failed to score another point.

“We weren’t poised as a team,” said redshirt sophomore Marcus Carr after falling to Iowa. “We had five turnovers in the last six minutes and made a lot of mistakes on the defensive end.”

Four days after the Maryland game, the Gophers traveled to Wisconsin. Despite scoring 12 unanswered points to tie the game in the second half, Minnesota again came up short in the final minute.

Oturu put the Gophers

Head Coach Richard Pitino observes the game at Williams Arena on Monday, Dec. 2, 2019.

(Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)

ahead 68-67 with 47 seconds remaining, but the Badgers responded with the go-ahead bucket 17 seconds later to go in front for good.

“I feel like we played better down the stretch than we did against Iowa, Maryland or Indiana,” said redshirt junior Payton Willis. “We made some big plays, [Oturu] hit some big shots, [Carr] had some big plays. But we didn’t make enough winning plays to pull it out.”

Following that defeat, Pitino said he found a silver lining in the effort his players showed erasing a 12-point deficit in the second half. He stated that

even though the team did not get the result it wanted, the resiliency demonstrated improvement.

“I think we showed growth in a lot of areas,” Pitino said. “And maybe you don’t get that unless you go through some of the tough losses. So, you turn the page and move on.”

Minnesota closes the regular season at home on Sunday, March 8 against Nebraska. It then heads to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Tournament. What happens after that is unknown, but it is almost certain that the team will miss the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in Pitino’s seven-year tenure.

“We compete with everybody in this league.

There’s no doubt in my mind that we can beat anyone in this league. We are just going through it right now.”

DANIEL OTURU Gophers center

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

Walk-on Ali Sonier receives scholarship Hansen announced the scholarship in an emotional speech on Friday.

BY A.J. CONDON acondon@mndaily.com The end to the women’s gymnastics team’s Feb. 18 practice appeared to be business as usual. The team lined up across the mats as they normally do, with head coach Jenny Hansen giving her usual announcements before they were dismissed. But what followed was everything but ordinary.

As the practice was winding to an end, Hansen

announced that Ali Sonier — a sophomore walk-on from Sussex, Wisconsin — would be brought on as a scholarship athlete.

“She’s just very deserving and she’s so important for our team as a person, but also in gymnastics,” Hansen said. “She competes in three of four events for us and it’s not normal for a walk-on to be contributing at the level she is. It was pretty obvious that if we had some money available, she was the person that we wanted to give to first.”

It came as a complete shock to Sonier.

“That was a really cool experience cause I had my

whole team around me and I had no idea it was gonna happen. It was super surprising and super exciting,” Sonier said.

Along with becoming a key contributor, Sonier has grown a lot as a leader in the two years she’s been with the team.

“I wanna continue to see the growth that we’ve been seeing from her. Also, for her to get her confidence even further and to start developing more as a leader. I think she brings great energy to practice and that really rubs off on her teammates,” Hansen said.

Sophomore Tiarre Sales has been with

Sonier since freshman year. They lived on the same floor in Territorial Hall and are now roommates. She was very happy to see her receive the scholarship.

“It meant a lot just because I know the struggles that she’s gone through, and I know that it’s been a big stressor. From last year, like thinking about her future. I kept telling her ‘It’s okay you’re gonna get through this.’” Then when she got it I just cried because it was such a relief for her and I was so happy for her,” Sales said.

Though Sonier was very enthusiastic for the scholarship, the season is

wrapping up very quickly and she knows there is work to be done.

“I think a goal, just as a team, is reaching our greatest potential as a team. It’s not just winning, but staying together as a team and knowing what we’re capable of going out there and doing that,” Sonier said.

The Gophers have just two meets left before the Big Ten Championships on March 21. They have their final away meet against North Carolina State on Saturday and then return home for their final regular season meet against Oklahoma on March 14.

WRESTLING

Gopher wrestling braces for the Big Ten Championships

Women’s Hockey WCHA Final Faceoff Championship 2 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. Notre Dame 2:30 p.m.

Source: Gophers Athletics.

Times and scores accurate as of time of publication.

Gophers Redshirt Freshman Brayton Lee fights a takedown at Maturi Pavilion on Sunday, Feb. 9. The Gophers lost to Penn State 31-10. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)

UMN is stumbling into the postseason having lost its last three dual matches.

BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com After closing out their season with a 9-8 record in duals, the Gophers wrestling team is looking toward the Big Ten Championships, taking place March 7-8 in New Jersey.

Minnesota lost its last three duals of the season, facing top-ranked competition including Penn State and Iowa. The Gophers’ last

loss came against Nebraska at Maturi Pavilion, but the 29-12 defeat wasn’t without standout individual performances from heavyweight Gable Steveson, 176-pound Devin Skatzka and 149-pound Brayton Lee. Steveson and Lee both picked up bonus point victories, landing eight and nine takedowns respectively, while Skatzka picked up a top-10 signature win over Mikey Labriola. Despite the loss, the flashes from Minnesota provided reason to be optimistic moving into March.

And with the Big Ten Championships on the horizon, it’s a clean slate

for the Gophers. The two-week break between Minnesota’s last dual and the Big Ten’s gives Minnesota time to get healthy and prepare for a strong showing in New Jersey.

“We do a little more recovery time here just because we don’t have to make weight here this next week,” head coach Brandon Eggum said after the Nebraska dual. “We can allow the guys to recover without having to get right into the workout, which is always part of the uniqueness of this sport, having to manage weights.”

On Monday, the Big Ten

released the pre-seeds for the conference tournament, with five Gophers notching top-five seeds. After picking up wins in the last dual of the season, Steveson, Lee and Skatzka come in as the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in their respective weight classes. At 125 pounds, redshirt freshman Patrick McKee, along with 157-pound Ryan Thomas will join them in the topfive with the No. 3 and No. 5 seeds respectively.

Seeding may help in matchup favorability, but in the Big Ten, often touted by Eggum as the toughest conference in the country, anything can happen regardless of the opponent.

“At the end of the day, you throw records out the door when you’re going to the Big Ten Championships or NCAA Championships.

That stuff doesn’t matter, but some guys can put themselves in a little better spot, some guys a little more challenging spot,” he said.

“But at the end of the day it’s the Big Ten. Every opponent is going to be tough and you got to go out and be ready and win.”

The Big Ten Championships is Minnesota’s last stop before the NCAA Championships, taking place right in the Gophers’ backyard, at U.S. Bank Stadium. This marks the first time that the NCAA Championships have been held at a football stadium. For Skatzka, with

the Big Ten’s and NCAA’s right around the corner, this point in March is the best time of the year.

“I’m super excited, can’t wait,” he said. “These are my favorite two times of the year. A lot of excitement surrounding those two tournaments. [I’ll] be more excited to host the NCAA’s, can’t wait.”

“At the end of the day, you throw records out the door when you’re going to the Big Ten Championships or NCAA Championships.

That stuff doesn’t matter, but some guys can put themselves in a little better spot, sine guys a little more challenging spot. But at the end of the day it’s the Big Ten. Every opponent is going to be tough and you got to go out and be ready to win.”

BRANDON EGGUM Gophers head coach

7 THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Trump’s budget could cut support, aid for UMN students and programs

BY JASMINE SNOW jsnow@mndaily.com

E

arly last month, the Trump administration released a budget proposal for the next fiscal year which included steep cuts to programs that could impact programs University of Minnesota students use.

The proposal includes a $5.6 billion, or nearly 8 percent, reduction to U.S. Department of Education funding, including a $630 million cut from its work-study program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant programs would also be eliminated, according to Inside Higher Ed. But experts say the proposal will likely see pushback as it moves through the legislative process.

The Federal Work-Study Program provides stipends for students working for certain organizers or employers while they go to school.

First-year student Olivia Cuoco has accepted $1,350 in work-study funds for this semester, which allows her to work at an after-school mentor program at a local YMCA chapter.

Cuoco said her job, which would be a volunteer position without work-study stipends, has affirmed her future aspirations to work with children.

Without the stipend, Cuoco said she would have a hard time supporting herself and volunteering without pay.

“If they didn’t have workstudy, maybe I would still do it,” she said. “... I would have to get a job that doesn’t require [it] … and that would just add so much more time in my schedule.”

Work-study students like Cuoco wouldn’t be the only ones potentially affected by the proposed budget.

Shannon Doyle, program manager of Partnerships and Financial Education at Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, said that the plan would have a far-reaching impact on lower-income house-

A recent budget proposal from President Donald Trump calls for steep cuts to federal aid and loan forgiveness programs.

Olivia Cuoco, a first year student at the University of Minnesota, poses for a portrait at the University YMCA, where she works as a childrens’ programs site lead, on Wednesday, March 4. Cuoco’s job is part of the work-study program, without which it would be volunteer only. Cuoco says that she would be unable to remain in the position if the program were discontinued. (Andy Kosier / Minnesota Daily)

holds, those taking out student loans and those receiving certain grants.

“Overall, I think the largest impact would be that it would make college even more unaffordable for everyone,” Doyle said.

Before these cuts could take effect, Trump’s budget must be passed in its totality

by Congress, which University political scientist Kathryn Pearson said is highly unlikely.

“Well, I think [the bill]’s a clear statement of the president’s spending priorities,”

Pearson said. “And that, you know, students are on the chopping block.”

Pearson said that while there would be pushback from the House of Representatives and speaker, it’s unlikely that the budget would be fully enacted. She said it is likely that Congress will prioritize its own spending goals and that a final budget will look very different from Trump’s proposal.

“I think as time has gone on, Congress — and it’s not just about President Trump — has paid less attention to the presi-

CROSSWORD

dent’s budget,” Pearson said.

Pearson said House democrats will be more hostile to the proposed budget while Senate republicans may be open to some of the cuts which could cause friction in the process.

“So what we’re looking at overall in the next year, or six months, I guess, is a lot of stalemate in Congress…”

Pearson said. “The Senate is, of course, interested. But ultimately, they still would sort of pursue the parts that they liked and ignore the parts that they don’t.”

“If they didn’t have work-study, maybe I would still do it...

I would have to get a job that doesn’t require [it] ... and that would just add so much more time in my schedule.”

OLIVIA CUOCO first year student at UMN

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3/5/20

8

Thursday, March 5, 2020 Left, Paul Andrews, left, gives out “I Voted” stickers to voters who cast ballots at the Grace University Lutheran Church on Tuesday, March 3. “Thank you for exercising your right to vote,” Andrews says to every voter.

(Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)

Primary u from Page 1

be Bernie, but we’ll see what happens there. And I don’t think Elizabeth is going anywhere anytime soon,” Larick said.

“I appreciate how progressive [Sanders] is and how his campaign isn’t bought out by billionaires,” said Mariam Karkache, a University senior who voted at Brian Coyle Center on the West Bank. “I like his Medicare for All proposal as well as the Green [New] Deal.”

Biden gained momentum in the state, following Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s announcement that she would be dropping from the election on Monday. At Biden’s Dallas campaign rally on the eve of Super Tuesday, Klobuchar threw her support behind the former vice president, shifting many Minnesotan voters into his camp.

University senior Ethan Fogel voted Sanders in hopes of greater change within the political and healthcare systems. “I think that his promises are what will lead to that,” Fogel said.

Candidates who have dropped out could still receive state delegates, both from early and Super Tuesday votes.

“The country’s in a super critical moment,” said Julia Beczkalo, a sophomore who voted for Bernie Sanders. “And I think that these 2020 elections are really going to define how America decides to move forward.”

Left, phone bank organizer Jack Sewpersaud makes a call hoping to discuss the upcoming Super Tuesday primary and garner support for Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg at a phone banking effort in Blegen Hall on Friday, Feb. 28. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily) Right, sophomore Zach Mundt prepares to hang posters in support of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren on the East Bank on Monday, March 2, before Super Tuesday. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

Left, student supporters of Bernie Sanders gather to watch the Super Tuesday primary results in Bruininks Hall on Tuesday March 3.

(Liam Armstrong / Minnesota Daily)

Above, a voter enters the polling place at the Grace University Lutheran Church early in the morning on Tuesday, March 3.

(Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)

Right, student supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren gather on the East Bank to chalk and poster areas of the campus before Super Tuesday on Monday, March 2.

(Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

A voter casts her ballot at the Grace University Lutheran Church on Tuesday, March 3.

(Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)