March 28, 2019

KOLLEGE KLUB BAR TO OPEN DINKYTOWN LOCATION P 2 THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

LATE WEEK

THE POPULAR MADISON BAR WILL OPEN THIS SUMMER

MNDAILY.COM

HIGHER ED

Most oppose race-based admissions A survey found 73 percent of Americans believe race should not be considered in admissions.

BY DYLAN MIETTINEN dmiettinen@mndaily.com

A Pew Research Center study released late last month found the majority of Americans do not think race or ethnicity should be a determining factor in college or university admissions.

The report revealed 73 percent of Americans would rather college admissions be more color blind. The University of Minnesota uses a holistic approach when considering applications, said Executive Director of Admissions Heidi Meyer. It looks at factors that determine a u See ADMISSIONS Page 3

BREAKING DOWN THE ADMISSIONS STUDY

73%

OF AMERICANS WOULD RATHER COLLEGE ADMISSIONS BE MORE COLOR BLIND

BY RACIAL AND ETHNIC IDENTITIES

78% WHITE

62%

BLACK

65%

HISPANIC

59% ASIAN

BY POLITICAL LEANING

63%

LEAN DEM.

85%

LEAN REP.

MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER

STATE GOVT.

INTERNATIONAL

Leg. proposes raise in higher ed budget

Support, fear rise after N.Z. mass shooting

DFL lawmakers proposed higher education targets of around $300 million Monday.

BY ISABELLA MURRAY imurray@mndaily.com

Initial higher education budget numbers released by the Legislature almost double those of DFL Gov. Tim Walz.

Budget framework and targets were released Monday by House DFL lawmakers, which includes around $305 million for in higher education funding for the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota State system and the state grant program,

among other stakeholders.

“Our budget will strengthen communities across the state through honest investments to improve education opportunities, support our families and increase economic prosperity no matter where in the state you live, or what you look like,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman in a statement.

At a House higher education committee meeting Wednesday, University Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations Brian Burnett, along with regents and other administrators, made the case for the school’s $87 million budget ask.

Burnett also fielded questions from committee members about graduation rates, tuition increases and enrollment rates.

The budget targets come after Walz announced a revised budget last week.

The new proposal suggests the University receive $51 million over the next biennium, which remains $36 million below the school’s request.

To fill this gap, Burnett said at the meeting that administration would have to ask that the Board of Regents to raise tuition above the projected two percent originally laid out in the budget proposal.

“This funding level is not sufficient to allow for flattening or freezing of tuition and it makes it difficult to support services that students rely on like academic counseling, mental health services and other needs to be successful,” Burnett said.

ADMINISTRATION

Faculty critical of regents’ opposition to renaming report Two faculty committees say the some regents’ tone could chill future renaming discussions.

BY JAKE STEINBERG jsteinberg@mndaily.com

Two University Senate committees say some University of Minnesota regents violated their guiding principles when criticizing the task force that wrote a report recommending renaming four University buildings.

The Social Concerns Committee and Equity, Access, and Diversity Committee are co-authoring a statement reprimanding the Board of Regents for their perceived disrespect toward faculty who authored the report. The committees say the regents framed task force members as politically motivated, creating an atmosphere that could chill discussion required to resolve the building name dispute.

“It’s going to be hard to get people to volunteer on task forces … if the integrity of the people on task forces who are arguing difficult positions is fair game,” said EAD member Deena Wassenberg.

At their March 8 meeting, several regents criticized the 125-page report’s rigor and insinuated its authors excluded evidence to satisfy a preconceived intention to rename Coffman Union, Nicholson Hall, Middlebrook Hall and Coffey Hall. Regent

Muslims on and near campus fear Islamophobia following the Christchurch shooting.

BY EMMA DILL AND IMANI CRUZEN edill@mndaily.com, icruzen@mndaily.com

A recent shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand sparked fear among Muslims in Cedar-Riverside and on campus, but community members said they have seen community support in the aftermath.

The day after 50 people were killed in the shooting on March 15, members of the Muslim Students Association at the University of Minnesota gathered for their weekly prayers at Grace University Lutheran Church. MSA student affairs coordinator Samia Abdi said she saw an outpouring of support and solidarity from Muslims and non-Muslims at the service.

“We know the church community out there, they came out to support and they’re just standing by the doors and making sure we were OK,” Abdi said. “There were more students who came because I feel like after this incident, in a sense, it made us stronger as a community because we all came out to pray together.”

Local fears of Islamophobia

that demonstrated former University president Lotus Coffman was only doing what the regents at the time insisted.

“The search for truth is one of the underpinnings of academic freedom. Without the honest presentation of the facts, the

While safety has been a prevalent issue in the Cedar-Riverside community, the recent shootings spurred further concerns about the security of local mosques.

Ward 6 Minneapolis City Council member Abdi Warsame said mosques are especially vulnerable during Friday prayers, the mosques’ main weekly service, because of the high volume of worshippers.

“It’s our worst fear. Unarmed civilians, women, children just praying, congregating. [They are] an easy target,” Warsame said. “We’ve been waiting for an incident to happen. There’s a great deal of fear.”

Warsame said he contacted Minneapolis Police Department Chief Medaria Arradondo shortly after the New Zealand shooting, asking him to provide additional security around mosques in his ward. MPD declined to provide specifics

u See RENAMING Page 3

u See ISLAMOPHOBIA Page 3

DAILY FILE PHOTO

The University’s Board of Regents convene at the McNamara Alumni Center on Friday, Feb. 8.

Michael Hsu has since called for an investigation into whether task force members omitted evidence.

At the meeting, Hsu said the report was unfair and excluded important material.

Regent Darrin Rosha compared the report to a trial.

Hsu said the task force omitted letters

POLICE

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis police departments brace for Final Four frenzy Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies teamed up for the event’s security.

BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com

As teams continue to make their way through the NCAA Tournament, Minneapolis is preparing for the madness that comes with hosting the Final Four.

The Minneapolis Police Department has teamed up with the University of

Minnesota Police Department and other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to oversee security for the Final Four games from April 5 to April 8 and the accompanying events. Although the event is smaller and more concentrated than Super Bowl LII and its festivities, MPD is taking similar steps to ensure the safety of teams, fans and participants as the effort’s lead agency.

Security measures will include additional surveillance cameras and patrols downtown. Law enforcement agencies will convene in the Multi Agency Command

Center, a security command center hosted by MPD. MPD also used the MACC for Super Bowl security.

“Anyone who has operational assets that are in the vicinity of the Final Four and the events, they’re going to be sitting in the MACC so that we’re all in touch with each other,” said UMPD Lt. Erik Swanson.

“Everyone who’s got a dog in the fight, as it were, we’re stationed [there].”

UMPD officers will also assist with security for teams using University of Minnesota practice facilities, Swanson said. Although U.S. Bank Stadium will host

most practices, Williams Arena, Maturi Pavilion and the Cunningham Basketball Performance Center are also available for teams to practice away from the media.

Minneapolis was chosen to host the final games of the college basketball tournament in November 2014 after a City presentation to the NCAA by the Minnesota Final Four Bid Committee. More than a year before the event, the NCAA coordinates with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to rehearse security measures. u See NCAA Page 7

VOLUME 119 ISSUE 48

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Thursday, March 28, 2019 Vol. 119 No. 48

An Independent Student Newspaper, Founded in 1900.

2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 450, Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: (612) 627-4080 Fax: (612) 435-5865

THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1979 The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant approaches meltdown, releasing a small amount of radiation into the air near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Copyright © 2019 The Minnesota Daily. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

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U class analyzes Panama’s water Chemistry seminar conducted tests on indigenous water sources in Panama.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF JOEL SEGAL

to verify the degree of contamination. Full data analyses from the samples will look at the water’s contamination, pH level, cloudiness and conductivity.

Larger ecological factors impacted the data collected on the trip. A drought that started in the region in late November ended around two weeks before the group arrived. The team took samples from a reservoir that had previously dried up and a desalinated water tank that supported the community during the drought.

“They are very reliant on rainwater … that’s sort of how communities have had their system set up for a while,” said Joel Segal, a chemistry student who was on the trip. “Climate change ... has impacted [the communities] because they’re not used to droughts for extended periods of

time like they had just experienced in the late winter months.”

Arriaga said he was surprised by varying cultural customs that impact the communities preferences for their water sources. He said people in the U.S. will generally get their water from a single source, but the Panamanian communities rely on rainwater, wells or “ojo de agua” — springs fed by rainwater.

“There were people that … prefer the taste of rainwater over the well or they prefer the spring,” Bantz said. “Some of them thought the well water was dirty because it came from the ground, ... it’s really interesting the different perspectives the people have about their water sources.”

The class will create proposals based off their

findings that will be used to set priorities and partner with organizations already working in these regions, Arriaga said. These may include comparing bacterial contamination results to reports of gastrointestinal and parasite issues in the region.

“For the proposals ... a lot of them are basically

going to deal with how to respectfully identify a measure that could be taken within these communities,” said Segal. “Because they’re very independent, it’s a very complicated relationship between the Panamanian government and these indigenous tribal communities.”

“Climate change ... has impacted [the communities] because they’re not used to droughts for extended periods of time like they had just experienced in the late winter months.”

JOEL SEGAL chemistry student

Madison, Wis. bar comes to Dinkytown

Health training with escape rooms

The well-known Madison bar will expand to the U later this year.

BY DYLAN MIETTINEN dmiettinen@mndaily.com

BY ERIN WILSON ewilson@mndaily.com

A popular University of Wisconsin-Madison sports bar will soon open a new location in Dinkytown.

The Kollege Klub, a historic bar notorious on the Madison campus that has existed since 1953, will expand to the University of Minnesota campus this summer. The exact date is not yet known.

The bar announced the expansion in a post on its Instagram account Wednesday. According to the biography on the Instagram page for its new Dinkytown location, the bar will be located on the corner of 4th Street Southeast and 13th Avenue Southeast. The site previously housed The Library Bar & Grill and The Pourhouse, and has been vacant since September.

The Kollege Klub joins Blarney Pub & Grill, the Kitty Cat Klub, Loring Bar & Restaurant and Burrito Loco in Dinkytown’s bar scene.

EDITORIAL STAFF Max Chao Managing Editor mchao@mndaily.com Christine Ha Managing Production Editor cha@mndaily.com Michelle Griffith Campus Activities Editor mgriffith@mndaily.com Madeline Deninger City Editor mdeninger@mndaily.com J.D. Duggan Campus Administration Editor jduggan@mndaily.com Cleo Krejci Features Editor ckrejci@mndaily.com Drew Cove Sports Editor dcove@mndaily.com Sophie Vilensky A&E Editor svilensky@mndaily.com Ellen Schmidt Multimedia Editor eschmidt@mndaily.com Courtney Deutz Assistant Multimedia Editor cdeutz@mndaily.com Molly Tynjala Copy Desk Chief mtynjala@mndaily.com Bailey Davis Assistant Copy Desk Chief bdavis@mndaily.com Desmond Kamas Chief Page Designer dkamas@mndaily.com Abby Adamski Visuals Editor aadamski@mndaily.com Morgan La Casse Visuals Editor mlacasse@mndaily.com =

BY KATIE SALAI ksalai@mndaily.com

A group of University of Minnesota students recently traveled to Panama to address the global issue of water security — by focusing on it at the local level.

Members of the University global seminar, “Chemistry in the Field: Water Analysis and Environmental Impact,” traveled to Panama during spring break to run chemical analyses on local water sources. The students will use tests from the communities they visited to create theoretical solutions throughout the rest of the semester.

In the first ever trip to Panama by the University’s Department of Chemistry, 12 chemistry students and two professors spent the week in the province of Bocas del Toro.

“It became really clear that water is one of the main issues ... that part of country is experiencing, … there is a lot of issues related to health with water and water management,” said chemistry professor and trip leader Edgar Arriaga. “Chemists could contribute to understanding the water situation or water security.”

Preliminary results from on-site water samples show potential in efforts already underway by a local organization. Chemistry professor and trip leader Kyle Bantz said actions such as adding a covering to a reservoir can help prevent bacteriological contamination.

“Overall, one of the biggest surprises was the bacteriological contamination that we anticipated on finding was not as high as we anticipated,” said Arriaga.

Further testing will be conducted at the University

OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Kelly Busche Editor-in-Chief kbusche@mndaily.com (612) 435-1575 Genevieve Locke Business Operations Officer glocke@mndaily.com (612) 435-2761

Escape rooms help health care students learn collaborative communication.

University of Minnesota’s health care programs have utilized undergraduate research, classroom experiences, field work and have now added another educational tool — escape rooms.

In spring 2016, Cheri Friedrich, a clinical associate professor in the University’s School of Nursing, worked with members of the 1Health Interprofessional Collaboration Program to see how escape rooms — a growing trend among young adults — may be adapted to encourage student engagement.

Several years later, Friedrich said the popularity of this educational tool has boomed. The online lesson plans that included learning objectives, directions and supplies for the escape room have reached more than 500 downloads across 48 states and 10 countries as of this month, according to Friedrich.

Friedrich helped host approximately one escape room per month at the University, each with two components: the escape room itself and a debrief

session afterward.

“We give students a scenario, and they have to figure it out from there. Basically, you find clues around the room,” Friedrich said.

“The debrief after is really what tied it altogether: how did the communication go?

What did you learn?”

For example, an escape room scenario focuses on a diabetic patient who is hospitalized with diabetic ketoacidosis, but is unable to follow his medication regimen because of his bipolar disorder. Students must collaborate to create a discharge plan.

The escape room has become required curricula across multiple fields, including nursing, social work and dental hygiene, as well as occupational, dental and physical therapy. Each year, the University’s escape rooms can see upwards of 600 students, Fredrich said. Any space can be used as an escape room because the supplies fit into a travelsized case, she added.

Colleen West, a first-year student in the University’s master’s of nursing program, said the escape room proved to be an educational experience unlike any she had encountered.

“There was nothing we could do to prepare for this experience, but the learning actually came in participating,” West said. “This was totally different.”

Brian Hirt, an employee at Escape the Room in Minneapolis, said teamwork and communication skills are developed in escape rooms, making them the perfect format for learning lessons in a more creative way.

“The more puzzles you encounter, the more things you can solve,” Hirt said. “[Escape rooms are] a really helpful tool for gathering information, processing it and double-checking it.

Working with your peers and teammates is really important, especially in a health care setting.”

Teamwork is not something that necessarily comes naturally in the medical field, West said.

“It really taught me that we need to rely on others and have the humility to admit when we can’t figure something out,” said West.

A 2015 Harvard study found that lack of communication is a huge problem in the medical field. In all general medical cases, 38 percent involved at least one communication failure.

In a fun, game-like setting, Hirt said students have the chance to work on communication skills under less pressure.

“The stakes aren’t super high — it’s not a life or death sort of thing,” Hirt said. “You can be compelled to make decisions. [In escape rooms,] there’s no dire consequence

“We give students a scenario, and they have to figure it out from there.

Basically, you find clues around the room. The debrief after is really what tied it altogether: how did the communication go? What did you learn?”

CHERI FRIEDRICH UMN Nursing School

for just trying and learning.”

Both Friedrich and West said they hoped the escape room experience would expand to additional areas of study in the health care field to help students learn how to effectively collaborate.

“As health care becomes more and more specialized and so many people are involved, communication is so important throughout the transfer of care,” West said. “This provided that opportunity to learn to communicate, and it really taught me that the strength is in t h e t eam , no t j u st t h e individual.”

EDITORIAL BOARD Ellen Schneider Editorials & Opinions Editor eschneider@mndaily.com Ariana Wilson Editorial Board Member awilson@mndaily.com Hailey Almsted Editorial Board Member halmsted@mndaily.com Kelly Busche Editor-in-Chief kbusche@mndaily.com BUSINESS Kyle Stumpf Sales Manager kstumpf@mndaily.com David Keane Controller dkeane@mndaily.com =

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Thursday, March 28, 2019

Admissions u from Page 1

student’s academic success first and then addresses secondary factors, like identity, background and past experiences, she added.

Fourth-year University of Minnesota student Tressa said she agreed race should not be considered in college admissions.

Tressa asked not to use her last name for fear of social media backlash. She does not want to be scrutinized or her words to be interpreted as racial or ethnic discrimination, she told the Minnesota Daily over email.

“I was raised on the notion that the ‘most qualified person gets the job.’ I realize that this doesn’t always happen in the real world, but I believe it is something we as

Renaming u from Page 1

process cannot continue,” Hsu said in a text message to the Minnesota Daily. “[Task Force members] have lost all credibility as far as I’m concerned.”

Board of Regents policy states the University must create an environment of respect and integrity that fosters the open exchange of ideas. SCC Chair Ingrid Nuttall said the regents did the opposite.

“It’d be difficult to watch that regents meeting and feel there was a dialogue,” Nuttall said. “The spirit of those conversations needs to be in good faith.”

At their meetings Monday, committee members voiced concern about the climate created by the regents’ comments.

Regent Rosha’s comment about “expecting white-hooded, brown-shirtwearing racists spewing all of this kind of vitriol” was condemned for its perceived “smoking-gun” standard for proof.

“Racism isn’t wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood. Racism involves things like systematic discrimination and removal of African American students from dormitories,” said SCC member Melissa Sellew. “I’m so disappointed in the disrespect for scholarship. This is an institution for learning.”

EAD member Jeremy Jenkins said it was “unnerving” to hear the regents accuse faculty of being unethical and irresponsible.

The committees’ statement is the latest in a series of rebukes from top University administrators and faculty governance.

President Eric Kaler said

a society should strive for,” Tressa said.

However, Olufemi Akindumila, a first-year student studying sociology of law, criminology and deviance, said he felt that race should be a determinant in college admissions because of the barriers that come with holding a minority identity.

“There are a lot of obstacles that people of racial minorities have to go through that our white counterparts don’t. In America, we have this idea that success is all about our hard work, but the reality is that success is a lot more complicated than that,” he said.

Meyer said a the holistic approach to reviewing applications enrolls a well-rounded student body.

However, if race weren’t a factor in college admissions,

Akindumila said students of color would be disadvantaged.

“A lot of times, minorities, regardless of whether they’re poor or if they’re rich, face certain barriers that make it that much harder for them to succeed,” he said.

Of those polled, more white respondents said that race should not be an admissions factor than did respondents from minority groups.

However, the majority of respondents from minority groups agreed that race should not be considered.

Tressa said she was not surprised by this fact.

“Applicants have no say in their race,” Tressa said.

“However, by doing this, the admissions process is doing the very thing they are trying to avoid: giving one race preference over another.”

in a March 14 campus-wide email that he was troubled by the regents’ “lack of respect for the efforts and the sincerity and integrity of our distinguished faculty.”

John Coleman, Task Force on Building Names and Institutional History cochair, said he “was troubled by the poor treatment of our faculty” in an email to the Minnesota Daily.

The Faculty Consultative Committee said in a March 15 letter to the Board of Regents that comparing the report to trial proceedings “set a tone and burden of proof inconsistent with the task at hand.”

The March 8 meeting ended before task force members could respond to the regents’ criticisms. Board Chair David McMillan said the board would continue the discussion at their May meeting, but the letter said the time constraints made the discussion appear “one-sided.”

Hsu said his he’s disappointed that the report is being defended by deans, faculty and administrators in a text message to the Minnesota Daily.

The FCC called for the regents to convene a special meeting devoted to discussing the renaming question in a venue other than the Board of Regents boardroom. FCC chair Amy Pittenger said a different setting might help set a different tone and foster a more open discussion.

She said going forward, the discussion needs to be grounded in the University’s shared values.

“We can disagree, but that doesn’t mean we’re enemies,” she said. “Let’s remember: we all love the University of Minnesota and we all want what’s best for it.”

Islamophobia

Also, while both groups were mostly against race as a factor in college admissions, the study showed that democrats supported it more than republicans.

Akindumila said this isn’t surprising.

“From my understanding, conservatives often hold a ‘haul yourself up by your bootstraps’ mantra, [and] that if you work hard enough you’ll succeed,” he said. “But, if you look at the history of this country, it’s pretty hard to tell people that.”

Akindumila said he wished the University’s campus more accurately reflected Minneapolis’ racial diversity. Whereas black and Latino people make up approximately 18 and 10 percent of the Minneapolis’ population, they only make up approximately 6 and 4 percent of the student body,

respectively. However, Tressa said she was happy with the diversity of the Twin Cities campus.

“I do believe the U of M campus is diverse, and perfectly so. Why? Because I interact everyday with those who are different than me,” Tressa said. “Race is a part of that diversity, but diversity on this campus is so much more than just that,” Tressa said.

While Meyer acknowledged that race has been a factor in admissions since fall 2003 and that it will continue to be, she said student applicants need to be academically successful first and foremost and that no factors outweigh the other.

“In order to best live in a global society, students need to learn from and engage with others from a variety of backgrounds,” she said.

u from Page 1

about police response, although a press release stated they have allocated resources to ensure the safety of mosques.

Suggestions to add security guards to mosques and encourage self-defense training for Muslims in the area were circulated on social media and within the community shortly after the shooting, but Warsame said these methods are not effective solutions.

“People are talking about, ‘Let’s have security guards at the mosques, let’s arm ourselves.’ I don’t think that’s the solution either, so it is tough,” Warsame said.

Security measures are one way to improve safety, said Luther College Associate Professor of Religion Todd Green, who will speak at a panel on Islamophobia at Metropolitan State University Thursday.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), one of the organizations hosting the conference, has encouraged increasing security in Muslim communities by holding safety trainings for local mosque staff. CAIR also advises mosques to install security cameras and monitor discriminatory social media interactions, said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR’s Minnesota chapter.

Beyond security, Green said work to help Muslims feel welcome in the community can help alleviate fears of Islamophobia. People are also less likely to feel prejudice toward a group if they have a personal relationship with someone from that community, he said.

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Cedar-Riverside neighborhood as seen Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018.

A rise in Islamophobia The shootings occurred as incidents of intimidation and Islamophobia are on the rise worldwide, Green said.

The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 were a national turning point in the rise of Islamophobia. Concerns about mosque safety have been especially prevalent in Minneapolis since the 2017 bombing of the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, Warsame said.

In recent years, Muslims attending services at CedarRiverside’s three mosques have experienced instances of intimidation and religious challenges, Warsame said.

“By almost every metric, Islamophobia in the United States has been getting worse, not better, since 9/11,” Green said. “We are at a crisis point, in my opinion, when it comes to Islamophobia in America.”

As a freshman, Samia Abdi said she was driving near campus when a group of men saw her and yelled “Allahu Akbar.”

Although the recent uptick in violent Islamophobic acts may make Muslim discrimination seem like a new

phenomenon, that is not the case, said Aisha Ghani, assistant anthropology and religious studies professor at the University.

“There have been waves of immigration that brought different kinds of Muslims from different places here, but the history of Muslims in America is a long one and so the history of Islamophobia is a long one,” Ghani said.

Muslim immigration in Minneapolis includes many East Africans living in Cedar-Riverside. Because of the Somali community’s visibility on and around campus, Ghani said she often sees students making assumptions about their Somali or Muslim peers before getting to know them.

“I was raised on the notion that the ‘most qualified person gets the job.’ I realize that this doesn’t always happen in the real world, but I believe it is something we as a society should strive for.”

TRESSA fourth-year University student

“It’s really important that students leave here with a well-rounded education, and interact with different types of diversity, such as economic background, gender, religion, ethnicity or race.”

Ghani, who also practices Islam, said she encounters stereotyping on a daily basis.

“The everyday-ness of [Islamophobia] doesn’t get noticed until you have something that is at the scale of the attack that took place there in which people were killed,” she said.

Hussein said increasing incidents of Islamophobia make the New Zealand shooting less shocking.

“While we are shocked in the sense that it’s a horrific attack, we’re not surprised that it actually happened because these types of attacks have been at a high level,” Hussein said.

A community comes together

In response to the shooting, the University’s Muslim Students Association also sponsored a community prayer on March 17.

Speakers read from the Quran and recited the names of the 50 victims of the shooting.

“We felt like our community needed a space to heal,” said Abdi.

In the face of recent divisive rhetoric, Abdi said Muslims should not be afraid to express their faith.

“Just don’t be afraid to be Muslim, don’t be afraid to be yourself,” Abdi said.

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Thursday, March 28, 2019

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MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

FOOD

CULTURE TO CONSUME

Eat Street’s Pimento Jamaican Kitchen cooks up Kingston culture

BY BECCA MOST

Watch this: “The Little Hours” Who doesn’t like a movie with some rude and sassy medieval nuns? Especially if it has such a killer cast (we see you Aubrey Plaza, Dave Franco, Fred Armisen and Nick Offerman). The story takes place in the Middle Ages where a peasant fleeing persecution from his king takes refuge among a flock of unstable nuns in their convent. How did I not know this existed before?

Write this: Details of your day It’s easy to get overwhelmed and overworked, so take a moment to stop and breathe.

Make time to find beauty in the little details of your afternoon, even if it’s just a conversation you overheard on the green line or a dog you saw on your way to class. Sometimes documenting the little things reminds us that the Earth is still moving and life will keep moving forward.

Sip this: Trader Joe’s Organic Pomegranate White Tea Whether it’s quickly steeped in a to-go mug on the way to class or enjoyed chilled with a good book (let’s be honest — a textbook) this fruity tea hits the spot. With hints of hibiscus flowers and lemongrass, it’s the perfect way to start off spring.

CULTURE COMPASS

BY BECCA MOST

Friday: Trench Tournament Big fan of dodgeball? Wait until you hear what trenchball is. While in the traditional game you’re beaned by a foam ball and have to make the dejected trek to the sidelines, in trenchball things are a little different. Players on each team guard three bowling pins without getting hit themselves by stray balls. If you do get hit, you’re sent to the “trench” behind the opposing team where you can only get out if you catch a throw from one of your teammates. So essentially, dodgeball with more rules (and bowling apparently?).

Where: University Recreation and Wellness Center, 123 Harvard St. SE., Minneapolis When: 4 p.m.

Cost: Free

Saturday: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is coming to Uptown Theatre this weekend, performed by the impressive Minneapolis shadowcast Transvestite Soup. “Rocky Horror” has long been a cult favorite and one of the longest running midnight movies of all times. Featuring the sensual and charming Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his unsuspecting guests Brad and Janet, audience members are in for a treat.

Where: Landmark’s Uptown Theatre, 2906 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis When: 11:59 p.m.

Cost: $9

Sunday: “The Weird SH*T Art Show” This probably won’t be like any other art show you’ve been to. Organized by Misha Estrin (colloquially known as the Free Hugs guy), the third annual Weird SH*T Art Show will celebrate the bizarre. Featuring a plastic bag fashion show, “insecurity officers” and much more, the event highlights artists who aren’t represented in the mainstream art world.

Where: A-Mill Artist Lofts, 315 Main St. SE., Minneapolis When: 5:30-9 p.m.

Cost: $3.50 online, $5 at the door

The restaurant celebrated its third year anniversary on Saturday night.

BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com

Pimento Jamaican Kitchen’s bright yellow walls radiate warmth as soon you step through the restaurant’s doors. When it’s “Minnesota outside, it’s Jamaica inside,” owner Tomme Beevas likes to say.

The Eat Street restaurant has been an epicenter for Jamaican culture in the Twin Cities for the past three years.

With authentic Jamaican cuisine based on Beevas’ grandmother’s recipes, music and an emphasis on community and family, Pimento aims to keep their Kingston roots prominent in the not-sotropical Midwest.

“We started with the culture and the vibe and the values, and the rest sort of followed,” Beevas said.

Pimento opened its doors in March of 2016 after Beevas and Yoni Reinharz, also part of the leadership team at Pimento, competed on Food Network’s “Food Court Wars” in 2013. They won a year-long, rent-free location in the Burnsville Center. From there, Beevas and Reinharz moved Pimento to

its Eat Street location.

Beevas said he envisioned a place where he could serve his grandmother’s recipes and celebrate his Jamaican roots. Pimento represents this not only with the food, but with events and community outreach.

“We want to make sure that even in this difficult climate, people have a safe space to come,” Beevas said.

“We want Pimento to be that safe space.”

Events like the “World Wide Discotheque,” “Azucar Salsa Dance Party” and live music shows every Monday night help cultivate Beevas’ vision of a home away from home.

“We want to make sure we’re championing our community [for] the people that support us and where we come from,” said Pimento’s booking manager Scott McDonald. “We want to be able to provide a platform that some artists may not get at other places.”

On Saturday, Pimento hosted hip-hop/reggae/ska band Dred I Dread, which truly made the restaurant feel like you’d found yourself transported to Kingston.

And the night didn’t stop there. Pimento hosted a hiphop showcase immediately after Dred I Dread’s set. The showcase, featuring performances by Kanser and Mike The Martyr among others,

ELLE MOULIN, DAILY

ABOVE: Pimento owner Tomme Beevas poses for a portrait with a dish on Saturday, March 23 at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen in Minneapolis.

BELOW: Customers enjoy their meals on Saturday, March 23 at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen in Minneapolis.

helped raise money for In the Heart of the Beast Theater’s May Day parade.

“It’s just us celebrating and trying to keep something that is a staple and core to the history of Minneapolis,” said McDonald.

The restaurant has raised money for different groups and people in the past; they see it as part of their purpose.

“It’s kind of just our nature,” McDonald said. “Our brothers need help, so we’re

going to help. That’s how we operate.”

Pimento’s familial atmosphere is apparent in the space, people and food. Regulars are welcomed warmly, with a plate of authentic jerk chicken waiting.

“This is a part of us in terms of the way we were raised and what we’re used to,” said Nick Napo, a copromoter at Pimento. “Us being in Minnesota lets us bring a piece of the Jamaican

element so that everybody else can experience that feel.”

As a family spot both in its mission and founding, Beevas and his team hope to continue his grandmother’s legacy and his heritage.

“Our mantra is ‘Don’t worry, eat happy,’” Beevas said. “People can come here, feel the vibe, smell the food, watch our team members having fun presenting them my grandmother’s food.”

BOOKS

Review: Happy and sad at the same time Nora McInerny’s latest memoir, “No Happy Endings,” was released Wednesday.

BY SOPHIE VILENSKY svilensky@mndaily.com

As she implies in her newest memoir, Nora McInerny doesn’t pay loads of attention to positive reviews of her work.

Nora, if you’re reading this, the appraisal is sunny.

You’re free to move on to the next review. I adore you!

Released on Wednesday, “No Happy Endings: A Memoir” is in many ways a follow up to McInerny’s first book, “It’s Okay to Laugh: (Crying is Cool Too),” which was released in 2016.

As it goes with memoirs, the new book picks up where we left off in McInerny’s timeline. As it goes with life, the past finds its way back in, too.

McInerny knows loss. In her first book, she chronicles the death of her husband,

her father and unborn child.

The second collection touches on these aches (too small a word!), too; grief doesn’t end when you send the first memoir to print.

But there’s also new stuff: another marriage, a baby, tattoos and stepkids — Sophie, if you’re reading this, I adore you too.

It’s the details here that are so sweet. Nora’s nowhusband Matthew flipping chicken nuggets on both sides so they’re perfectly crisp, a hot tub in a middle of a hotel room and the importance of being 4 3/4.

There’s no definitive closure to the essays in “No Happy Endings.” You can read the book in a night or meditate on each chapter for a while. As the title suggests, it’s not a “look! everything turned out fine!” book.

But the “endings” aren’t particularly sad, either.

McInerny invites the reader into her stories in a seemingly healthy way.

She’s processing still and lets you know this.

There are lessons to be gleaned, but everyone’s story of pain unfolds differently. McInerny shares her own to let you know that this is OK. Maybe you can’t write the way she can, but you can have the thoughts you’re scared to have.

It’s about empathy, the fact that grief is a byproduct of love and being OK in your own head.

And you will cry! Who’s to say how much, but you will cry. Hot burning tears and giggly tears and the kind of tears where when you think about them afterwards and feel a little jab in your heart.

It’s hard to really “review” this book; it feels so true to its author’s heart. Maybe it’s because I don’t write enough book reviews, or because I live in the same community as McInerny and think she’s really cool (if you didn’t stop reading — hi again!).

But how are we to judge someone’s pain and growth and sadness, happiness and everything that comes along

COURTESY OF HTTP://WWW.NORABOREALIS.COM/

“No Happy Endings,” released on Wednesday, March 26, is Nora McInery’s latest memoir.

with these heavy emotions?

We just have to thank McInerny for sharing. It’s weird to peek deep into someone’s life and then close the book

and move on with your own.

But maybe you need it right now.

We probably all will at some point.

6

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

MEN’S TENNIS

Gophers senior steps into important role Josip Krstanvoic has seen success after stepping into the top singles spot.

BY DAVID MULLEN dmullen@mndaily.com

After the Gophers’ men’s tennis team lost both their No. 1 and No. 2 singles players to graduation a year ago, Josip Krstanovic knew his role during his senior season was going to increase drastically.

“We lost two really good guys last year. ... I knew the coaches wanted me to play high in the lineup, so I approached the season that way,” Krstanovic said.

Krstanovic is the team’s No. 1 singles player and he has come along way since first arriving to campus from Croatia in 2015. Like anyone moving to a new country, there were some culture differences to adjust to early on. But even though he came from halfway across the world to play tennis, he said it did not last long.

“It really was a bit of a culture shock, but I think it took me maybe a month to get used to it all,” he said.

Krstanovic said his teammates were a major part to his getting accustomed to the United States, specifically fellow senior Marino Alpeza. Alpeza and Krstanovic have known each other since they were teenagers and even took

Senior Josip Krstanovic competes in his singles match on Friday, March 22 at the Baseline Tennis Center.

their official visits to the University together.

“I had my teammates to help me so much my freshman year,” Krstanovic said.

“I’m forever going to be grateful for that.”

The Zagreb, Croatia, native is one of many

international players on the team. He said one good thing for him is that he is surrounded by other student athletes from Eastern Europe. He said they all understand each other and have the bonus of speaking their native tongue to

each other.

“I’m pretty much speaking my home language every day, because [Vlad Lobak and Alpeza] are my roommates,” Krstanovic said.

Alpeza said that having Krstanovic along for the

COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY

last four years has been mutually beneficial.

“We help each other a lot both on and off the court,” Alpeza said. “We both bring something to the table that the other needs.”

Aside from his transition to the United States,

Krstanovic has taken advantage of his time as the Gophers’ top single player this season. He has earned a 13-6 record and was ranked as high as No. 47 nationally in singles as of March 17.

“Its been going really well so far, and this is the best start I’ve had in all of my years,” Krstanovic said.

Krstanovic credited the training that happened during the winter in Florida for his growth and for creating some stability and consistency at the No. 1 singles spot. “[Being in Florida] for our winter preseason training was really good and I think everyone improved a lot,” Krstanovic said. “Just being stable and consistent has really helped me this year.”

The other thing that stands out to many is Krstanovic’s serve.

“Good serves, he’s tough to deal with and he’s steady on the ground,” said head coach Geoff Young. He said when Krstanovic is serving with power and force, that’s often enough to win matches.

As the Gophers’ prepare to face off against Penn State on Friday, Krstanovic will be preparing but also enjoying his final season. “[I] enjoy it as much as I can, and not worry too much about the result,” Krstanovic said. “Obviously fighting on the court for every point and staying bold and strong is what gets the best results.”

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Minnesota’s offseason to experience inevitable changes Minnesota will see lineup changes for next season after a successful season.

BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com

When the final buzzer sounded at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, on March 23, Minnesota’s season concluded with a 7050 defeat at the hands of Michigan State.

Leading up to that, head coach Richard Pitino guided the team to a 22-14 record, going 9-11 in Big Ten play. After dropping six out of seven games during a stretch in February, the team regrouped to win five of their final eight contests.

The Gophers reached the Big Ten Tournament semifinals and then advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. “[I’m] really, really proud of what our guys did this year,” Pitino said after the Michigan State loss. “[It’s] the second time we’ve won a tournament game in 29 years. A lot of these guys in this locker room went to two NCAA tournaments in

three years and were able to bounce back from a lot of adversity. We’ll be excited about things moving forward.”

This off-season, the team will replace four seniors. Brock Stull and Matz Stockman played one season for the Gophers as transfers, providing key depth on the bench. Dupree McBrayer completed his four-year career with Minnesota, playing through hardship in his senior season after his mother died in December. He finished his career with more than 1,000 career points.

The most significant departure for Minnesota is Jordan Murphy, one of the most productive players in program history.

Murphy holds school records for double-doubles (67) and rebounds (1,307). Furthermore his 1,802 points are second in Minnesota history, behind only Mychal Thompson (1,992). He stands as the second leading rebounder in Big Ten history.

After starting 122 consecutive games, Murphy was visibly emotional when fans chanted his name as

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Senior Jordan Murphy goes to dunk the ball on Thursday, Feb. 21 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

Pitino subbed him out of the game for the final time.

“I didn’t think it was going to be as emotional as it was,” Murphy said. “I think what got me was the crowd when they started chanting my name. Obviously, the last game’s always going to be tough.”

Next season, the team will return freshmen Daniel

Oturu and Gabe Kalscheur, and junior Amir Coffey, three starters who led the team in scoring with just over 16 points per game.

“I just tried to keep working throughout the year,” Coffey said. “Just trying to get better every day. Really just developing everything — shooting, dribbling and the ... mindset, how I carry

myself in the games.”

The Gophers’ back court will receive key additions.

Junior Payton Willis and sophomore Marcus Carr will get to suit up after sitting out the past season due to NCAA transfer rules.

Carr figures to take over the starting point guard role in 2018-19.

One question regarding

the team next year is the ro l e s o p h o m o r e I s a i a h Washington will play.

Washington was ESPN’s 68th ranked recruit when he came to Minnesota two years ago but played sparingly down the stretch this season. With Carr likely assuming starting point guard duties and another guard, Tre’ Williams, signing with the team, it’s probable that Washington will come off the bench once again.

Another uncertainty is the front court depth heading into next year. Aside from Oturu and Curry, the only forwards currently on the roster are junior Michael Hurt and freshman Jarvis Omersa.

“We’re going to continue to recruit,” Pitino said.

“Figure out what the needs are and continue to build of them. We’re going to continue to build that depth.”

What is certain is Pitino will be on the sidelines when the next season tips off in November. The coach is under contract through 2022. Coming off his first NCAA Tournament victory, hopes are high he will sustain the team’s winning ways.

FOOTBALL

Former U players show off their stuff to NFL scouts on pro day Two former players have a high chance of being selected in the NFL Draft.

BY JACK WARRICK AND PAUL HODOWANIC jwarrick@mndaily.com, phodowanic@mndaily.com

Months of training for former Gophers’ football players and others from colleges in Minnesota led up to Wednesday’s pro day at the David and Janis Larson Football Performance Center.

Dozens of NFL scouts and members of the media gathered to watch the athletes bounce a barbell off their chests, jump as high and/or far as they could and sprint 40 yards as fast as possible.

“It’s one long interview.

Everyone’s evaluating constantly, and you’ve got a lot

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Defensive back Jacob Huff attempts to tackle a Miami University player Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

of eyes on you, so you definitely just got to carry yourself with a lot of professionalism,” said former Gophers linebacker and NFL draft hopeful Blake Cashman. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to get a team to like you, and hopefully you’ll land

on a roster.”

In the bench press section of the pro day, three former Gophers players took part. Defensive lineman Gary Moore had the most reps with 25, while linebacker Julian Huff had 19 and his defensive back identical

twin brother Jacob Huff pushed out 16.

Jacob Huff ran an unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.70, leading the Gophers in that section of the event on Wednesday. Jacob Huff said he trained in Texas while Julian Huff stayed in Minnesota, working a new job and training in his free time. The two combined for 249 tackles in their careers with the Gophers.

“First time being away from him, that was kind of rough,” said Jacob Huff. “But it was good for the long [run] because I learned a lot about myself and being away from him; I’m sure he got time to process what he wants to do and what he wants to be in life.”

Cashman and offensive lineman Donnell Greene, two senior players from the 2018 season who decided to sit out the Quick Lane Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft, were

in attendance. They sat out the measurable portion of the event but participated in the drills that involved game scenarios like catching, blocking and moving around the field.

Cashman is predicted to go in the third round of the NFL Draft by a CBS Mock Draft and in the second round by USA Today’s Draft Wire. He attracted attention at the NFL Combine after posting an official 4.50 second 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine.

Kicker Emmit Carpenter was the only Gophers special teams player at the combine. Four-year starting long snapper Payton Jordahl was not at the pro day, deciding to move on from football after his career with the Gophers ended.

“He’s by far the best long snapper that I’ve ever encountered,” Carpenter said.

“He’s chasing his passion

outside of football, and I know he’s really happy doing that.”

Defensive backs Adekunle Ayinde and Duke McGhee, two alumni who finished their Gophers careers in 2017, were also in attendance. McGhee said he had been substitute teaching at his old high school, Cedar Grove, and landscaping in his home state of Georgia while preparing for the pro day. He didn’t participate in the events last year because of an injury.

“I looked at it like a job interview, and that I didn’t receive the answer ‘no,’ I just didn’t get the chance to interview,” said McGhee, who tallied 145 career tackles for the Gophers. “I was just keeping myself in shape, keeping my mind sharp, just being ready for the opportunity.”

The NFL Draft will take place April 25-27 in Nashville, Tennessee.

7

Thursday, March 28, 2019

New UMN student government leadership lay out future goals Mina Kian and Jael Kerandi discuss the U’s dining contract, advocacy and goals.

exactly those duties look like and what we need to do.

How do you hope to continue to engage student opinions in your new position?

Kerandi: The nice thing I think [that] we got from the election process was hearing back about what’s working and what’s not working. A lot of the feedback that I’ve received I’m really excited to implement and see how that works.

BY NIAHM COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com

The Minnesota Daily recently sat down with the newly-elected Minnesota Student Association President-designate Mina Kian and Vice Presidentdesignate Jael Kerandi to discuss their goals and future initiatives for the 2019-20 school year.

How are you feeling after winning the election?

Kian: I’m really proud of the way that we handled everything. I’m happy with the way that we managed to engage with the campus community, and I think it’s going to continue from here.

Kerandi: I think it’s super exciting. It’s definitely energizing to see the support from the student body.

What main issues do you hope to focus on first?

Kian: We ran on a campaign of continued advocacy.

A lot of the initiatives that we will be working on in the upcoming year are really founded in steps that we’re taking or have taken this past year.

I think the advocacy that we do on our dining contract

ELLE MOULIN, DAILY

Incoming Minnesota Student Association President Mina Kian, left, and Vice President Jael Kerandi pose for a portrait on Monday, March 25 outside Lind Hall.

is coming up, we’re working on a few steps of that project right now. ... Should we be able to move away from our contract with Aramark, we’re hopefully going to be able to look at a different dining model in the upcoming year.

MSA is currently in the

process of setting up our internal policies for how to handle situations of sexual misconduct. We really want this to be a model that other student [organizations] can choose to opt into in the upcoming year.

A lot of the work that we’re doing on campus

climate is ongoing. We really want to make sure to kick off the year with a strong start and make sure that people who enter into our campus really understand that we value community.

What do you expect out of the transition period into

your new position?

Kerandi: I think, naturally, it’s really nice that Mina has gone through it. And she’s done the exact same thing, so she has an understanding of what it takes.

But because the elections are so early, we have from now until June to figure out what

What are your ultimate goals from this position and how do you hope to leave the University at the end of your term?

Kian: Advocacy is really about celebrating small successes. I think that’s a mentality that people need to keep to have a healthy relationship with the work that they’re doing. ... Making sure that MSA becomes even more accessible to the full campus community would probably be the theme that I want to keep in mind throughout the entire process. … I would really want to make sure that people feel that this is an organization that they can go to when they want to see change on campus.

This interview has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.

$6 million in state funding proposed for solar energy The new bill would allocate funds for a campus renewable energy transition.

BY ERIN WILSON ewilson@mndaily.com

A bill passing through the state Legislature could appropriate funds to the University of Minnesota to help transition to renewable energy.

The legislation would provide $6 million for renewable solar energy efforts at the University. The University would also be required to

present a report of its progress toward its energy goals to the Legislature biennially.

Author Sen. Erik Simonson, DFL-Duluth, said working with the University on renewable energy goes back to the state’s broader goals to move away from fossil fuels.

“It makes a lot of sense that we use our higher education facilities to try to [first] send a message that the state is serious about this, … [second] provide an opportunity for learning within the University system itself and [third] really try to do our part to try to meet some of those goals

as we benchmark this thing through the course of the next several years,” Simonson said.

Vice President of University Services Mike Berthelsen and University Director of Sustainability Shane Stennes testified in favor of the House bill during an energy and climate finance committee meeting March 5.

The Board of Regents adopted a plan in 2011 to cut emissions by 50 percent by 2020, Berthelsen said. The University wants to reach zero emissions in all campus buildings and transportation by 2050.

NCAA u from Page 1

“Over the years, we have implemented tighter security measures, such as the clear bag requirement for our games and fan events and increased law enforcement presence to help increase fan safety at the Final Four,” said NCAA Managing Director for External Affairs Erik Christianson in an email to the Minnesota Daily.

Soon after preparations for the tournament and its accompanying festivities began, MPD, fire department and emergency services officials traveled to 2018 Final Four host city San Antonio.

The officials met with the San Antonio Police Department to get an idea of what to expect and what measures were effective, said MPD Lt. Jon Kingsbury, deputy incident commander for the Final Four.

“They’re a much larger department and the way their downtown is set up is a little different as far as traffic

DAILY FILE PHOTO

A Minneapolis Police officer patrols Dinkytown on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018.

problems or traffic issues, venue locations [and] things like that, but we were able to take what worked for them and apply it to our situation here in the city,” Kingsbury said.

To further assist in security efforts, MPD and the Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab will help train more than 2,000 event volunteers.

The Final Four’s festivities will be concentrated downtown and last less than a week,

compared to the 10 days of Super Bowl events spread out across the Twin Cities last year. The shorter time span and smaller geographical area will be the biggest changes for MPD, Kingsbury said.

“We’re not able to have the luxury of giving a lot of days off to the cops or anything like that,” Kingsbury said.

“It’s all hands on deck, so it’s really impactful on the police department for those five or six days.”

“The University has had a long-term commitment to sustainability and specifically [renewable energy],” Berthelsen said at the meeting.

Current renewable energy efforts at the University take multiple forms, Stennes said. On-site solar includes major projects on the West Bank and St. Paul campuses and Athlete’s Village. The University also uses off-site solar power and participates in the Renewable Connect pilot program through Excel Energy. This allows the school to voluntarily purchase additional renewable energy.

“The Legislature has proposed this $6 million in funding for renewables, we haven’t identified a specific project for that money yet. If we were to get it, … we have some ideas about how it could be spent,” Stennes said. “We could expand our participation in Renewable Connect. … It could mean more on-site solar, or it could mean a project that we haven’t yet conceived of.”

Co-author Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, said the bill looked at the University because of its influence within the field.

“The University is doing

great research … just the thought is, they’re already doing a lot of this, they care a lot about this, and maybe with a little bit of money from the renewable development fund that this could ... help make sure that the University itself serves as a model in this,” Marty said.

The Senate version of the legislation had its introduction and first reading on March 13 before it was referred to the Senate energy and utilities committee.

Natalie Rademacher contributed to this report.

8 THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

COLUMN

Betsy DeVos’ terrible, no good, very bad budget The secretary of education has proposed a budget that will cut funding for the Special Olympics.

T

hese last couple years, I’ve had a recurring thought: why can’t anybody with a lot of money just do nothing with it? It seems like everyone, deserving or unJONATHAN ABABIY deserving, who’s columnist had the kiss of fortune on their life wants to be a leader. They want to tell the rest of us how to live. Nobody asked, but they feel like they have some wisdom to impart on us.

This week, Betsy DeVos, the billionaire secretary of education, presented her proposal for the Department of Education’s fiscal year 2020 budget. This proposal really made me wish she

was just a billionaire and not also our secretary of education.

First, before you learn about this budget proposal, dwell on a couple of statistics. A recent report by the nonprofit EdBuild found that majority-white schools receive $23 billion more than schools that serve predominantly students of color. In the last college graduating class, 69 percent of students took out loans worth an average of $29,800. Betsy DeVos’ yacht is worth a staggering $40 million.

Fully aware of each of these statistics, DeVos gave her budget philosophy to a House committee on education. “We are not doing our children any favors when we borrow from their future in order to invest in systems and policies that are not yielding better results,” she said to a House subcommittee.

This trade-off between the present and our children’s future doesn’t exist, but DeVos wants us to think it does. The result is an absurd budget where the Department of Education cuts $7.1 billion, a decrease of 10 percent from the previous year.

These cuts affect many programs, often with no rhyme or reason. DeVos proposes eliminating

the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which allows public servants to write off their loans if they’ve made 120 qualifying payments.

The federal work-study program gets its funding slashed by half.

The proposal even seems to contradict DeVos’ stated aims. DeVos has been vocal about her support for career and technical education (CTE) programs, saying that a four-year degree shouldn’t be the only option for students looking for more education. So, DeVos keeps her funding level flat from the previous year. As the Association for Career and Technical Education wrote, her cuts to literacy programs, teacher development and student aid all hurt CTE students and teachers.

The funding cut that makes the least sense, though, is DeVos’ approach to the Special Olympics. Last year, DeVos took the honorable step of donating her salary as secretary of education to the Special Olympics, along with to three other nonprofits. That same year, she proposed cutting Special Olympics’ funding by $12.5 million.

This year, Special Olympics would be glad to even receive from $12.5 million from DeVos. The proposed budget eliminates all federal

funding for the organization — $17.6 million.

DeVos’ proposal doesn’t move the money around to other special education programs, either. She simply slashes Special Olympics’ federal funding — nearly 10 percent of its total funding.

Congress doesn’t have to accept this budget.

Usually, it ignores or often funds at levels higher than the Trump administration’s proposals.

That’s highly likely this year with a Democratic House, but it doesn’t take away from the awfulness of DeVos’ proposal.

In her prepared remarks, DeVos said her approach to the budget this year was “freedom.”

She elaborated, saying, “This budget focuses on freedom for teachers. Freedom for parents.

And freedom for all students.” However, I think we would be a lot more free if DeVos sounded out her ideas about education in the comfort of her $40 million yacht, rather than our nation’s capital.

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL

A new report shows county roads need $1 billion more per year to cover repair and maintenance.

Finding the right housing is hard enough, take the time to make sure you make the right choice.

A $600-million-a-year deficit in state highways seemed like a daunting number to address last year, but a new report by the Association of Minnesota Counties shows the needs for county, city and township road funding is even more: $1 billion a year.

This comes at a time when Gov. Tim Walz has proposed a 20 cent increase in the gas tax to fix only the state deficit in road funding. Republicans are resisting this increase so far, but it’s become more and more clear that 20 cents may not be enough.

It’s unfortunate a mostly Republican-controlled Legislature and governor going back to Tim Pawlenty let road funding get so far behind. Adequate roads were a victim of the “No New Taxes” pledge that became popular when people seemed more interested in rhetorical phrases than the real facts on road funding.

Walz is doing his best to lay out those facts with stops around the state at road and safety projects that have languished for years.

He recently made a stop in Anoka, where improvements to a dangerous railroad crossing has been a MnDOT priority for years but has gone unfunded. Walz argued the gas tax he is proposing is needed to improve the crossing that MnDOT called one of the most dangerous in the state.

Walz purposely chose the site, he said, because it’s in the district of GOP Sen. Jim Abeler, who acknowledged it was the most dangerous crossing in the state. Abeler was one of the few Republicans to vote to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of the gas tax in 2008.

Some 18,000 cars meet 80 trains a day at the crossing. As far back as 2003, four people were killed in an accident.

Abeler said the gas tax doesn’t need to be raised to fund this project. That’s at best half true. MnDOT has said it can fund 500 projects if the Legislature approves more funding.

The crossing at Highway 47 and Ferry Street has been studied by MnDOT, but it is not currently on the MnDOT list for funding.

So, yes, it won’t get done unless there is more funding or if Abeler is somehow able to get MnDOT to change its priorities and put it on the list — something that is not done by legislators.

There’s no reason to wait to fund transportation projects that are needed or roads and bridges that are crumbling. Inflation and rising interest rates will only cause the cost to grow and leave us further behind.

The Walz funding plan is sound policy and sound economics. Dozens of states are raising their gas tax, many run by Republican legislators and governors. We urge the Republicancontrolled Senate to support fiscal responsibility by passing it and cutting the road funding deficit.

It’s common knowledge that apartments near University of Minnesota campuses aren’t necessarily the most reliable, but it’s still shocking to hear alarming stories. Last week, the Minnesota Daily reported on newly discovered potential health risks to workers who installed carpets at The Arrow Apartments. This is just one of many factors that may steer students away from leasing. Though many situations aren’t this extreme, predatory landlords still try to swindle students into a bad lease. To avoid these situations, consider the following tips provided by the University’s Student Legal Services and Off Campus Living.

Do your research Off Campus Living suggests thoroughly researching each property before signing a lease.

Go to the city’s website to look for a valid rental license and more. Check the OCL’s list of noncompliant landlords, Google the building owner and call the city to see if any complaints have been filed.

Ask around for reviews You always read the reviews before seeing a movie, right? You should be doing the same before leasing. When it doubt, ask your friends, peers and classmates if they know anything.

While word of mouth isn’t the most viable option, it can be truthful. Hearing from past and current residents can shed light on issues that you may not otherwise hear.

Get everything in writing Some landlords near the University’s campus are known for leaving renters off the lease, which is substandard and unreliable. Make sure everything you discuss with a potential — and current! — landlord is in writing, especially the number and names of tenants. While asking for everything in writing may seem mindless, you will (hopefully) avoid exploitative landlords.

Carefully review the lease Make sure you’re not just signing the first thing your potential landlord hands you. Ask for a day or two and read over the lease, carefully, with Student Legal Services or a parent. It’s important to know your rights as a renter, as well as knowing everything that you’re legally obliged to once you sign the lease.

Always obtain renters insurance Purchasing renters insurance should be at the top of your to-do list when leasing an apartment. According to Off Campus Living, renters insurance covers “damage or loss” and can replace items valued above your deductible.

OCL strongly recommends obtaining this type of insurance if your belongings aren’t covered on your parents’ insurance policy. And if your landlord says you won’t need renters insurance — it’s best to find a new complex.

Finding off campus housing can be tricky, especially in an oversaturated market. But following these few tips can lead to a safe lease. For more tips, look to the Off-Campus Living website and this Minnesota Student Association initiative. If you need off-campus housing legal aid or advice, contact the University Student Legal Services at usls@umn.edu or Off Campus Living at ocl@umn.edu.

Jonathan Ababiy welcomes comments at jababiy@mndaily.com.

Road funding: Consider these Needs exceed tips before you expected funds sign your lease

Robert McGrady welcomes comments at rmcgrady@mndaily.com.

COLUMN

Minnesota’s blazing trail to marijuana legalization Recreational marijuana has been decriminalized in Minneapolis, but more steps need to be taken.

M

arijuana as a recreational drug is slowly becoming more acceptable. Within Minneapolis, there are moves toward legalization. Some are even pushing for full legalization ALEEZEH HASAN by 2022 in Minnecolumnist sota. While these numbers are hopeful for users, there is also more action that needs to be taken — action for both current users and for past users convicted of crimes due to possession or sales.

The racial disparity between marijuanarelated arrests is prevalent. A 2018 Hennepin County sting resulted in the arrest of 47 people, 46 of whom were black. These inequalities caused Minneapolis police to stop small-scale arrests for minor amounts of weed possession, according to MPR reporting. This realization also led some lawmakers to push for the expungement of records of those that have already been arrested, according to reporting from MPR. Sen. Melisa Franzen, DFL-Edina, stands in support of forgiving past violators of a law that is now considered outdated. The legalization of weed does not have a meaningful impact unless there is remorse for those who have spent decades in jail because of small sales and possessions. Since 2010, 70,000 Minnesotans have spent time in jail for weed-based crimes. Allowing these people the justice they deserve is vital for legalization to actually matter. Communities, families and individual lives have been ruined because of petty arrests. While release may not even be enough, it is necessary for past violators of an outdated law to restart their lives.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman supports decriminalizing the drug, but he still believes those with prior convictions, including misdemeanors, should do community service or meet other specific conditions before dismissing their cases, according to Star Tribune reporting. This seems unjustified when many of these people have already spent years, if not decades, in prison for something that will likely

A poll from the last year cited that 56 percent of Minnesotans are for legalization of recreational marijuana.

become socially acceptable in the same way alcohol is.

Hennepin County is making proper strides, but our surrounding suburbs deserve the same standards. While laws surrounding the drug are pushing for the whole state to legalize, the decriminalization of the substance should occur in all Minnesota cities. Otherwise, there is a clear inequality that will continue to impact mostly people of color. Legalization and the efforts toward it need to be statewide, rather than city by city.

An KSTP poll from the last year found 56 percent of Minnesotans support legalizing recreational marijuana. These numbers are mostly based around the metro and densely populated areas. A change in mentality is imperative in order for the movement to fully reach its goals.

This change can happen by improving drug education in schools and outer cities. Working toward an actual understanding of how common drugs work needs to occur for more people to feel comfortable with the substance becoming a regular part of life. More awareness of the fact that marijuana is a mostly safe drug, especially when compared to alcohol or other hard drugs, could be what leads to legalization and a paradigm shift within within society.

While we, as a state, are heading in the right direction, there are still major strides that can be made toward equality in marijuana laws.

Aleezeh Hasan welcomes comments at ahasan@mndaily.com.

This editorial was originally published in the Mankato Free Press.

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

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9

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

DR. DATE

HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (3/28): Communication profits this year.

Share your affection and kindness steadily. Study to unveil a mystery. Summer glory for your crew comes before physical obstacles alert you to stop and smell the roses. Follow your heart this winter. Express your creativity and passion.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Written by Nancy Black

Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is an 8 — Discipline with words and actions can help you realize a professional dream. It’s easier to clear up misunderstandings with Mercury in Pisces.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 7 — Domestic misunderstandings resolve easily. Lines of communication clear up with Mercury direct.

It’s easier to persuade and compromise.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 7 — Longdistance travels or studies come together with diligent preparation. Make plans and strategies.

Make notes, observations and reports.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is an 8 — An obstacle or barrier evaporates. It’s easier to concentrate and communicate with Mercury direct for the next three months.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — A collaborative effort generates income with steady efforts. Build a dream with your partner.

Contribute your time and talents.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 9 — Creative muses sing to you with Mercury direct now. Articulate your feelings. Put love into your work and your cash flow velocity increases.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — Share a dream with your partner. Realize it through teamwork. With Mercury direct now, it’s easier to brainstorm, negotiate, collaborate and network.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 9 — You can advance a personal dream. Express the future you want to create for your family. Share your visions. Speak up with Mercury in Pisces.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — Learn from the competition. Practice your moves. Stay light on your feet. Traffic flows better with Mercury direct. It’s easier to travel and launch projects.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 6 — Enjoy soothing routines and rituals. Peace and quiet behind closed doors invites productivity and restoration. It’s easier to learn with Mercury direct.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Make promises with someone you love. Build a romantic vision together one step at a time.

Money, invoices and payments flow freely.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is an 8 — Contribute to a team project. Confusion diminishes noticeably with Mercury direct. Discuss finances, budgets and logistics. Write, publish and post.

Dr. Date,

I can’t be the only one who forgets to turn on incognito mode while browsing something weird, right? We all have things we don’t want popping up as ads. Except in my case, it’s not some weird fetish — it’s murder.

See, I’m trying to write a book slightly based off a real-life case that happened a few years ago about a Minnesota girl who killed her boyfriend.

The circumstances are already pretty wild, but I’m exercising my creativity by leaving no stone unturned when it comes to the actual death. I plan on writing in detail about what the detectives learn, so I need to know exactly how to kill someone.

Apparently my searches went a little too far. I let my boyfriend borrow my computer two days ago, and he left after returning it! He won’t answer my calls or texts and is apparently staying with a friend for the foreseeable future.

All I could get out of the friend was that he was worried about something.

Dr. Date, I think my boyfriend believes I’m trying to murder him and get away with it. I don’t want our relationship to end like this! How do I convince him it’s for literary reasons only?

—Totally Not a Serial Killer

Dear Totally Not a Serial Killer,

I mean, if someone I knew had search history on how to kill an anonymous dating advice columnist, I’d be freaked too. You need to preface every search with “THIS IS FOR A BOOK,” I guess?

If you haven’t already told him about your book, do it. If you have a draft with a date stamp on it or previous searches related to the topic, print them out and send them to his friend.

Basically, do whatever you can to prove this is all for a reason that doesn’t involve premeditated murder. Just be warned that he may be spooked for a while if you do get back together. But hopefully you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank when you get published.

six times. They’ve bounced from department to department while I’ve stayed with what I came into college to pursue: a political major. However, they told me a few months ago that they’ve decided on something for sure — a political science major.

I was excited at first (who doesn’t want their partner to actually understand what they’re going through?), but now I’m annoyed. I have to take some entry-level classes next semester, so they’re determined to take every single one with me! We would have the exact same schedule, same teachers, same everything.

They’re thrilled they get to transfer into the school, but I’m worried we’ll be spending a little too much time together.

I appreciate that they’re eager to be with me, but I don’t know how to tell them to find their own way. What do I do?

—Too Much

Dear Too Much,

While it’s sweet your partner wants to be with you, I agree that it would be a little overwhelming for you. Mention how if they’re going to do something new, they should try some of it on their own. You can still be there to catch them if they fall, but you don’t need to hold their hand through all the classes.

Take one class together so you can still help each other out. If possible, take courses next semester they may not be able to get into yet. A couple doesn’t have to do literally everything together, but you can still take a class or two without being stifled.

— Dr. Date

— Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

My partner and I have been together for three years. Throughout this time, I’ve seen them switch majors around

Want advice from the love doctor? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com

SUDOKU CROSSWORD

Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk.

Last issue’s solution

3/28/19

© 2019 Michael Mepham. Distributed

by Tribune Media Services.

All rights reserved.

10

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Minnesota’s buzzin’ to save the bees A look at some of the conservation efforts going on around the state.

BY NATALIE RADEMACHER nrademacher@mndaily.com

Initiatives to conserve Minnesota’s pollinator population are being rolled out locally and statewide.

Pollinators, including types of bees and other insects, have been declining in recent years, officials say. But efforts are underway at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Legislature to find ways to protect the communities and create awareness.

Bill tr ying to make a sting in the Legislature As public awareness around the decline of bees increases statewide, initiatives are emerging out of the Legislature to protect pollinators.

A bill going through the Minnesota House this session would give some larger cities in Minnesota, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, more control over the regulation of pesticides, delegating some of the control that is usually held by the state. Similar bills introduced in the House haven’t made it this far before.

The bill was presented at an agricultural and food finance committee meeting earlier this month and will be discussed on the House floor within the next few weeks, said Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-St. Paul.

“I felt that we needed to spur some changes. If statewide law can’t protect pollinators, lets see what cities can do,” Hansen said.

The bill would allow certain cities to tighten regulations on pesticides that are harmful to pollinators.

“These cities could become a refuge to pollinators,” said Rep. Jean Wagenius,

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

A frozen colony of bumblebees sits on a table in Dr. Vera Krischik’s lab in Hodson Hall on Tuesday, March 26. The queen bee is seen on top, marked with a green dot.

DFL-Minneapolis.

The population of some kinds of bees have declined because of the use of neonicotinoid insecticides, a type of pesticide used to protect plants and trees from insects and is known to be harmful to certain pollinators.

When some bees come in contact with neonicotinoids, their nervous systems shut down, making them unable to do their jobs, said Vera Krischik, a University entomology professor who researches the effects of the pesticide on bee populations. This contact eventually kills off a bee colony, she said.

Krischik said the pro-

posed policies are a balanced approach to protecting pollinators because they don’t deny people the ability to use pesticides. There are other kinds of chemicals that are friendly to pollinators, but are more costly and take more education to know how to use them, she added.

“All the researchers say we can’t get rid of [neonicotinoids], but we should regulate it,” Krischik said.

Raising awareness and research at the University The University’s Institute on the Environment hosted a panel earlier this month to talk about

the decline in pollinator populations.

Researchers, students and community members gathered on the St. Paul campus to hear from experts and discuss how land around the state can help conservation efforts.

Eric Lonsdorf, a researcher in IonE who moderated the panel, said he hopes having more conversations around pollinators will create awareness of these topics.

“To have a future with pollinators, it is going to take knowledge, engagement and education,” Lonsdorf said.

Along with public discussions, many University

faculty members conduct research in this area. Part of the effort to restore declining bee populations includes considering the creation of supportive habitats.

Daniel Cariveau, head of the University’s Cariveau Native Bee Lab, is working on a project to analyze how surrounding landscapes and different pollinatorfriendly plants affect bee populations.

Project researchers will be working on plots of land in southwest Minnesota over the summer to study how the health and function of bees are affected by these conservation landscapes.

Cariveau said they’re

“To have a future with pollinators it is going to take knowledge, engagement and education.”

ERIC LONSDORF researcher

curious how habitats affect bee communities and how they could save wild bees.

The results will be used to make recommendations for planting pollinatorfriendly habitats.

A CONVERSATION WITH

MISTY COPELAND SUN, MAR 31, 7:30 PM

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