April 4, 2019

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Trump’s free speech order raises doubts Local census Some at the U say the order doesn’t seem to help and could hurt free speech on campus.

BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com

President Donald Trump’s recent executive order linking federal funds to college protections for free speech has stirred uncertainty at the University of Minnesota, with some on campus questioning how the policy will be enforced.

The order requires that colleges’ federal money promote “free inquiry” and directs federal agencies to take away research grants for institutions that fail to comply. That means the University and other public schools must uphold the First Amendment, which they are already legally obligated to do.

For some in higher education, Trump’s order seems redundant; others say it raises concerns about federal officials deciding the boundaries of free speech on campus.

The University declined to comment, but a spokesperson said the school supports

a statement from Association of American Universities calling the executive order, “a solution in search of a problem.” Others in higher education expressed similar reservations: the American Council on Education said the order is “unnecessary and unwelcome.”

University chemistry professor Phil Buhlmann said many faculty members are anxious to see how federal officials determine if schools are in violation.

“In principle, we all agree with it that there should be free speech. There’s no question u See SPEECH Page 3

A&E

A local’s guide to the Final Four To keep your mind off your broken bracket, A&E has the six best events to attend over the weekend.

BY SAMIR FERDOWSI sferdowski@mndaily.com

Minneapolis has sports clout.

No, maybe not team-wise — but we host some of the best game day events in the nation. From the Super Bowl to the X Games, the North served up some eye-catching parties in the past. The NCAA Championship is no different. A&E has compiled a triple double list of the events that will be on fire this weekend.

Slam Dunk Contest

On Thursday night, the Slam Cam heads to Target Center for the College Slam Dunk and 3-Point Contest. If you’re not out of your seat with every leap, you’re doing this wrong. At this event, 24 of the best collegiate ballers in the state will go head-tohead trying to make some of the hardest throw-downs and wettest shots of the weekend. Judged by Derrick Rose and more local talent from across all Minnesota sports, this will be one hell of a way to start off the show.

When: 8 p.m. Thursday Where: Target Center, 600 N. 1st Ave., Minneapolis Cost: $15+

City efforts promoting census participation aimed at hardto-reach groups like students.

BY EMMA DILL edill@mndaily.com

A year before the 2020 census begins, the City of Minneapolis and neighborhood groups near the University of Minnesota campus are promoting census participation among students, a traditionally hard-toreach population.

Census data helps determine congressional redistricting and government grants to fund neighborhood improvements in Minnesota communities. Efforts leading up to Census 2020 aim to educate students and minority communities in Minneapolis about completing the census so government data will represent local communities more accurately. Minneapolis kicked off its efforts Monday at a gathering of residents and neighborhood groups.

City and state officials have developed Complete Count committees, groups of representatives from various cultural backgrounds who will direct outreach efforts. In addition, the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association hopes to develop a new census committee to educate students, said Vic Thorstenson, MHNA president.

“It’s a common misconception that u See CENSUS Page 3

STATE GOVT.

Students push UMN agenda for funding request at Capitol ABBY ADAMSKI AND MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

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efforts target UMN students

2 3x3 Tournament at Mall of America

3 March Madness Music Series

Friday marks the start of the 3-on-3 tournament in the Mall of America rotunda — what used to be an after-school staple has been rising over the past decade and will now make an appearance at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Yeah, for real. At MOA, you can catch each of the conference’s top four seniors battle for a prize pool of $150,000 and a continuing career. The tournament goes throughout the weekend, so feel free to take a break and cop some Jordans while you’re out there.

Yes, the Jonas Brothers are coming to town. If you haven’t heard, there will be some music here over the weekend.

Whether you’re looking to rave with the Chainsmokers, indulge in nostalgia’s best with the Jonas Brothers or we-don’t-know-what with Katy Perry and Zedd, the music series brings a cross-genre palette to The Armory for the weekend. Tickets were technically free, but fans had to register to be picked at random to attend. Tickets are (naturally) being resold online. Whether basketball is your thing or not, this is our generation’s teenage dream of a lineup.

When: 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday Where: Mall of America Rotunda, 60 E. Broadway, Bloomington Cost: Free

When: 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday Where: The Armory, 500 S. 6th St., Minneapolis Cost: Varies

4 “Celebrity Crunch Classic” coached by Shaq and Charles Barkley Featuring “Team Cheeze-It” and “Team Pringles,” this event, which is plastered with sponsors, will take place at the University of St. Thomas on Sunday.

Celebrities like Minnesota Viking Kyle Rudolph and even Caleb McLaughlin of Stranger Things will go head-to-head for a game of hoops.

Courtside will be Minnesota natives who competed in America’s Top Chef serving up some bleacher food during the event. While not on caliber with the main event of the weekend, this game gets fans (both of basketball and popular culture) up close and personal with their favorite personalities, making it a pretty awesome experience. u See NCAA GUIDE Page 5

After Walz’s revised budget, U students pushed for even more funding to curb rising tuition.

BY ISABELLA MURRAY imurray@mndaily.com

Clusters of University of Minnesota students lined the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol Wednesday before setting out to advocate for student issues with state lawmakers.

Gathered for Support the U Day, a University initiative to increase visibility at the Legislature, the students met with lawmakers to push the school’s $87 million biennial budget request and attended committee hearings. Following a recent increase in recommended funding by DFL Gov. Tim Walz, participants looked to further push the school’s legislative agenda.

“I honestly don’t think that other universities could offer resources at the level the University does,” Riley Fletcher, a freshman at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, said in front of the House higher education committee. “It offers so many opportunities.”

Minnesota Student Association leaders said they pushed hard for students to attend Support the U Day this year. The MSA’s Government and Legislative Affairs team u See CAPITOL Page 3

ACADEMICS

English department committee formed to address diversity in curriculum Some students and faculty at the U accuse the department of being too Eurocentric.

BY DYLAN MIETTINEN dmiettinen@mndaily.com

Jennie Harris contemplated being an English major when she started at the University of Minnesota.

However, after speaking with fellow students of color and taking a few English department courses, she decided on an English minor instead of a major. She felt there wasn’t a strong enough focus on marginalized voices in the English department.

The English department formed a committee this spring to work on issues of equity, diversity and inclusion. This is part of a three-year plan that is required of all College of Liberal Arts departments. According to department head Andrew Elfenbein, the committee includes tenured and tenuretrack faculty, staff and graduate students.

“The English department takes issues of diversity, equity and inclusion extremely seriously,” Elfenbein said. “Our mission statement is that we ‘enlarge our understanding of the human condition and the power of the creative imagination.’ It is impossible to achieve this mission without acknowledging the enormous diversity of the writers and speakers of English.”

The committee has until next year to help design portions of the department’s three-year plan to focus on diversity.

However, Harris said she wanted to see a more fundamental change.

“I’m not the only one who has ever been deterred from a major because they felt the curriculum didn’t include them,” she said.

“You can look at this as both what those of the majority lose, but also what people of color miss out on in terms of understanding their own histories.”

The University is not the only school to reexamine its English department. Last year, following an online petition, Yale University diversified its curriculum. It no longer required English majors to take a course on traditional poets from England.

Elfenbein said he hoped the newly created committee will better serve students who care about matters of diversity.

English professor and head of the committee Qadri Ismail was critical of the department’s inability to progress.

“This discipline [of studying English literature] emerged 200 years ago, wholly white and largely male. However, as a consequence of feminism and antiracism, this discipline has fundamentally changed in the last 20 years,” Ismail said. “The department has been reluctant to change.”

There has been debate among faculty as to how Eurocentric English department courses are. Elfenbein said that of the 10 required courses for the English major, only two specifically involve Europe: Shakespeare and the British Literature survey. However, Ismail said Eurocentric

ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY

Sophomore Jennie Harris, a sociology and gender, women and sexuality studies double major, poses for a portrait at the University’s English department in Lind Hall on Tuesday, April 2. Harris said her English courses were too Eurocentric, so she changed her English major to a minor.

u See ENGLISH Page 3

VOLUME 119 ISSUE 50

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Thursday, April 4, 2019 Vol. 119 No. 50

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

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

1968 Martin Luther King Jr. is fatally shot while standing on the balcony outside his second-story room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

HISTORYCHANNEL.COM/TDIH

Startup incubator sparks research Inventors coached through wilderness of entrepreneurism at startup at the U.

BY JAKE STEINBERG jsteinberg@mndaily.com

Starting a business is a daunting task: The time commitment and risk of failure can keep researchers from bringing their inventions to market.

But a new University of Minnesota program offers help.

The University Venture Center’s new startup incubator, Discovery Launchpad, promises to guide inventors through the entrepreneurial wilderness. Launched in February, the incubator is already working with a dozen startups to commercialize publicly funded research.

Faculty and researchers working with Discovery Launchpad are paired with advisers and coached through different aspects of starting a business.

Many inventors are fulltime faculty. Discovery Launchpad connects them with business partners who have the experience and time to run the business.

“When you think about your typical researchers here at the U, they could be on top of their field, world class, but that doesn’t mean they know business,” said Venture Center Program

Manager Mary MacCarthy.

MacCarthy said inventors often underestimate the time commitment of starting a company. She said it “suck[s] up every waking hour that you have for a long time.” Inventors are good at discussing their science, but need help with explaining why customers need their product.

“They could be great at presenting in front of a conference full of other researchers, but to present asking for money is a completely different prospect,” she said.

Inventions that come out of a top-10 research institution receive years of public investment, and are often applied to big problems like cancer and pollution. That gives them a leg up over other startups.

“Big problems tend to be of interest in the market to investors and entrepreneurs,” said Venture Center Associate Director Russ Straate. However, it can be hard for startups in the Midwest.

Minnesota ranks highly among states when it comes to having an educated workforce — especially in tech and science fields, according to the Milken Institute.

However, it’s missing the infrastructure that makes for a good entrepreneurship environment, like venture capital.

The University owns

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JASMIN KEMP, DAILY

The University of Minnesota’s Technology Commercialization hosts an open hour for Discovery Launchpad which is the U’s new incubator to help researchers launch companies based off innovation on Tuesday, March 12 at McNamara Alumni Center.

the intellectual property developed in its labs, which means it has a financial incentive in the survival of its startups. It launched the Venture Center in 2006 to take a more active role in ensuring technology reaches the market. The Venture Center was spinning out 3-4 startups a year for the first few years after its launch. Now, they’re working with four times that number. They looked to other institutions that promote entrepreneurship in their inventors to create

Officials say the bills may be insignificant to discussion about college affordability.

the Launchpad.

“To see that not turn into something that could go out and provide benefit to the public, when the vast majority of that money is provided by public dollars … that just wouldn’t be right,” Straate said.

Cognitive development professor Phil Zelazo is in the business of measuring and improving executive function skills. “These are skills that allow you to sustain your attention and stay focused on a single thing,” he said.

BY ISABELLA MURRAY imurray@mndaily.com

BY FARRAH MINA fmina@mndaily.com

DAILY FILE PHOTO

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

Bernardy said directing more resources to alleviate tuition costs would better address rising student debt.

“We are looking to fully fund a tuition freeze at all of our public colleges and universities,” Bernardy said.

“We’re not interested in doing tricks and gimmicks.”

Draheim said the University should instead take responsibility for lowering costs by further cutting administrative spending.

“If we want college to be affordable, we have to look at the labor end of it, and I’m not talking the classroom, I’m talking all the different layers,” Draheim said. “And with technology today, I don’t think we need all those [administrative] layers that we have.”

“You have to tackle [debt] before it gets out of hand, and I think part of it is making sure the students know what they’re getting into.”

RICH DRAHEIM Minnesota senator

In order to ensure his tools would be used wisely and maintain their scientific integrity, he worked with the Venture Center to launch his business, Reflection Sciences. They helped him incorporate his company and acquire a patent.

He said he’s glad to see the University helping bring science to the public.

“It’s a paradigm shift at the U in terms of understanding the value of the intellectual property that many faculty generate,” he said.

Researchers at the U create tool to measure child care accessibility Recently launched, the tool includes the variables of quality, accessibility and cost.

[loans agencies],” said House higher education committee chair Rep. Connie Bernardy, DFL-New Brighton. “It’s a big web of stuff, and it’s hard to navigate your way through it.”

Another bill would expand eligibility for the Office of Higher Education’s student loan refinancing program by allowing students with lower credit scores to apply. The House version of the bill was last heard in the Ways and Means committee. “[The bills] help some students who have been victimized by uncarefully spent funds at the institutions,” Abeler said.

But some lawmakers are skeptical the legislation can provide long-term benefits.

Sen. Greg Clausen, DFLApple Valley, said he sponsored a bill that passed in 2015 to help students refinance loans. While it helped some students, debt is still too high, he said.

“Those are work-around issues, you might say, around the higher education dilemma about student debt,” Clausen said.

“I think all of those things are helpful, but the bigger issue is that at one time, we paid three-fourths of the student’s tuition with state dollars.”

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 =

Despite uncertainty, bills at Capitol push debt relief

University of Minnesota students could benefit from loan financing and seek better loan advising if legislative efforts pass this session.

Bills supporting these initiatives, aimed at increasing statewide college affordability, are moving through the Legislature. But lawmakers say the legislation will not be consequential enough to create significant change for students in the future.

“I think [the bills are] a Band-Aid,” said Sen. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka. “All of that is an effort to solve a larger question: why tuition always goes up higher than inflation.”

One bill would provide a grant for student debt counseling to help borrowers understand their repayment options and develop a budget. House and Senate versions of the bill were laid over for inclusion in their respective higher education omnibus bills.

“You have to tackle [debt] before it gets out of hand, and I think part of it is making sure the students know what they’re getting into,” said Sen. Rich Draheim, R-Madison Lake.

A separate bill would establish a “student loan advocate” through the Department of Commerce who would advocate for students dealing with loan agencies.

The House version of this bill was last heard in the jobs and economic development committee.

“That is a really important bill that gets through this session because it would really help people navigate

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

University of Minnesota economists recently launched an online tool that reveals how families’ access to child care varies statewide.

The tool maps child care access in different neighborhoods and regions in Minnesota by incorporating a range of different variables including quality, quantity and cost of child care. It provides a comprehensive perspective on where child care in certain locations is thriving and where it can be improved.

“We really had in mind local community leaders ... who may have some resources to devote toward increasing child care access in their community,” said Aaron Sojourner, a University of Minnesota economics professor and researcher on the project.

The tool, which launched last month, can help policy makers and community leaders make informed decisions about where to allocate child care resources. By engaging with it, they can determine not only what school districts need the most resources, but also whether they should direct their efforts toward improving quality, affordability or accessibility.

“This tool is built to help them diagnose the problem,” Sojourner said.

The researchers sought to map these different factors by exploring how they could use the lens of economic theory combined with data analytic techniques to build better measures of families’ access to child care services.

Susan Warfield, the program director at the University’s Student Parent Help

Center, said she thinks the tool could help policy makers access grants and other funding opportunities. Having available data from the research can bolster requests for funding by demonstrating gaps, Warfield said. In order to show that a community is under-served, one needs to have the information to prove it, she added.

For advocacy groups like Think Small, a nonprofit that advocates for advancing child care and education, the new website can help find solutions to child care issues, said Cisa Keller, the Think Small senior vice president for early childhood quality development.

“We’re always using the most current research to be able to articulate a particular issue,” Keller said. “It’s a really helpful tool in our arsenal to describe what the child care desert looks like in Minnesota.”

There have been similar tools that attempt to measure child care access in Minnesota, but they often do not show the whole picture, Sojourner said.

Studying locations in isolation tends to erase distinctions between families and communities.

Sojourner said this can be especially misleading when making rural-urban comparisons. Although rural areas tend to offer cheaper child care than in cities, many in rural areas have to travel to get child care, meaning it is often less accessible.

By integrating travel costs into the child care tool, Sojourner and his team seek to create a more accurate representation of child care accessibility.

“It’s a more realistic view, and let’s you incorporate a more realistic perspective.

The whole premise of the measure is it to look at the market from the families’ perspective,” Sojourner said.

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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 =

The Minnesota Daily strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately.

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The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future.

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Thursday, April 4, 2019

Speech u from Page 1

about that. I think the questions lies in ‘How is this going to be interpreted?’” said Buhlmann, the vice chair of the Faculty Consultative Committee.

Trump’s direction gives pause to some of the staunchest supporters of free speech on campus, including the nonpartisan nonprofit Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

“We are grateful for the recognition that there is a problem with censorship on campus. [But] we are in full wait-and-see mode with whether the purported cure will be any better than the malady,” said Will Creeley, FIRE’s senior vice president of legal and public advocacy.

“The devil will truly be in the details here.”

Creely said FIRE believes issues of free speech should stay in the courts’ hands, rather than those of government officials who “do not necessarily understand the careful balance that courts have stuck in fashioning First Amendment doctrine.”

Trump’s decision was applauded by conservatives who have claimed that campuses across the country are hostile environments to their viewpoints, according to The New York Times.

During the order’s signing, Trump said he wanted to to

MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

stop campuses that try to prevent conservatives “from challenging rigid, far-left ideology.”

The treatment of conservative-leaning speakers at large public universities has become a hot-button issue in recent years. At the University, several incidents

involving conservative students have sparked controversy about free speech on campus.

Conservative student groups are currently suing the University for its handling of an on-campus lecture

by Ben Shapiro last year, claiming the school violated

the First Amendment by hosting the conservative speaker on the St. Paul campus. The University claims it chose the venue because of security concerns.

Though the University does a pretty good job of promoting conservative viewpoints, freshman geography

major Addison Scufsa said, “You can’t really share your conservative opinions very loudly. … Generally I just tried to keep my opinions to myself when it comes to inclass discussions.”

But Scufsa, a member of College Republicans, doesn’t see Trump’s order having

much of an impact. “I just don’t see the University needing to make these changes, because I think they already do a lot of what Trump put in it,” he said.

History junior Isaiah Ogren, who describes his views as left-of-center, called the executive order “totally superfluous.”

“I feel perfectly comfortable expressing my viewpoint at the University of Minnesota. I do not think freedom of expression is under assault at our campus or broadly speaking at campuses across the nation,” said Ogren, who’s speaking at an upcoming event on free speech at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

To some faculty members, the executive order seems like it could have the opposite effect on free speech.

Carlson School of Management professor Rachna Shah, a member of the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee, said she worries faculty may “toe the line” when it comes to sharing political views for fear of losing out on grant money. She said the order could be “a way to have free speech curbed.”

Buhlmann agreed, saying he worries some on campus will avoid teaching certain topics because of Trump’s decision: “There is certainly a concern here that any action around this executive order by itself could hurt free speech and academic freedom.”

Capitol u from Page 1

ABBY ADAMSKI, DAILY

Census u from Page 1

students [hold], that they count at their parents’ home. And international students, for example, may think that the census doesn’t apply to them because they’re international. The fact is the census doesn’t apply to citizens.

It applies to people,” said Thorstenson.

Residents should fill out the census for the address they live in on April 1, 2020, he said. Census 2020 is the first count that will allow people to fill out census forms online.

However, many students and their parents are often confused about the process.

“Actually, one of the most over-counted populations are college students, and that is because they tend to be recorded both at their dorm or wherever they’re residing during college, as well as at their parent’s address. They’re double-counted,” said Janna Johnson, an assistant professor at the Humphrey School

of Public Affairs.

College students are traditionally difficult for census workers to reach because they are highly mobile, often live in apartments and are a diverse population, said Andrew Virden, director of census operations and engagement at the Minnesota State Demographic Center.

During the 2010 census, Virden worked in neighb o rh o o d s a r o u n d t h e University as a field operations supervisor.

“Some of the most challenging areas that we had in the entire city of Minneapolis was the campus of the University of Minnesota, trying to get to the students,” Virden said.

Thorstenson said he hopes the MHNA census committee will be led by students and will promote census participation through neighborhood canvassing, posters and social media. Thorstenson said he plans to start developing the committee at the beginning of next school year.

“We really need to have people at the block level [and] at the building level who are able to engage

people person-to-person, neighbor-to-neighbor to pass the word about the importance of the census and what it means to our communities,” Thorstenson said.

Minneapolis allocated $350,000 toward census engagement efforts in their 2019 budget, one of the highest amounts in the state, said Virden.

Representatives from the University are active at the city and state level in census outreach efforts. Off-campus Living Program Director Kendre Turonie is part of the City’s Complete Count committee. Turonie said the census is one way for students to connect with their community.

“Students don’t always identify themselves as a resident of the neighborhood because they may move around a lot during their time as a student,” Turonie said. “This is a way for students to have their voice count by being counted in the census.”

Editor’s note: Kendre Turonie sits on the Minnesota Daily’s Board of Directors.

English u from Page 1

teachings exist in every class and can limit what students are exposed to.

“We don’t have to be teaching Shakespeare, a dead white author, as the only required one,” Ismail said.

Elfenbein added that diverse perspectives are brought in through guest speakers and lecturers.

Lizeth Rios, a fourth-year English major, said while she appreciated these events, specific courses centered on marginalized voices had to be sought out.

“Through my electives, I decided to take Introduction to Chicana/o Literature, which led me to doing the Chicana/o minor,” she said.

ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY

Sophomore Jennie Harris poses for a portrait at the University’s English department in Lind Hall on Tuesday, April 2.

“It is still up to the student to decide what courses they want to take. [However], ... there is no push for students to take these classes.”

Harris said that because diverse perspectives are not

integrated into core curriculum, students often have to seek it out themselves.

“My experience is as much of the human experience as everybody else’s is. It should be taught too,” Harris said.

held a workshop for the first time last month to prepare students who are planning to attend.

T h e w o rk s h o p o u t lined what the day would look like, how students should dress, how to navigate the Capitol and the best way to advocate for University issues.

“We’ve been doing Support the U Day for many years now, but we’ve seen lower turnout at those kinds of events in the past, and this year we’re really making a stronger push,” said Christina Laridaen, MSA Government and Legislative Affairs coordinator.

In addition to the budget request, students were encouraged to push for University infrastructure projects and certain policy bills.

MSA President-designate Mina Kian said she is pushing college affordability bills beyond tuition, like textbook, housing and food affordability.

Support the U Day comes after Walz adjusted his budget proposal last month.

Under his initial proposal, the University would have received $39 million of their biennial budget ask.

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

President Eric Kaler watches Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan speak to students at the Minnesota State Capitol on Wednesday, April 3 as a part of Support the U Day.

Walz’s new proposal allocates around $51 million for the University.

Student government leaders across system campuses said their lobbying efforts, including a coordinated letter to the governor’s office, contributed to this adjustment.

“We put a lot of work into [the letter] and I think student advocacy works. I think in that situation I’m really happy to see his budget changed,” said Rochester Student Association President Emily Hayes.

While the increase was welcomed, Kian said Support the U Day should demonstrate the University’s need for further resources in order to curb tuition increases.

“We put a lot of work into [the letter] and I think student advocacy works. ... I’m really happy to see his budget changed.”

EMILY HAYES Rochester Student Association president

“We’re never done asking for funding, Kian said. “I think having these conversations one-to-one with legislators is one of the best ways to remind them of the significance of the students and the institutions as a whole.”

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Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MEN’S GOLF

Minnesota now up to par with new golf facilities

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

SOFTBALL

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Junior Amber Fiser pitches on Friday, March 29 at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium in Minneapolis. The Gophers beat the Purdue Boilermakers 5-1.

Gophers’ schedule has yielded results so far Minnesota played the toughest nonconference slate so far in 2019.

BY PAUL HODOWANIC phodowanic@mndaily.com

JACK RODGERS, DAILY

Junior Thomas Longbella lines up a shot on the putting green in the new indoor golf training facility on Monday, April 1. The facility borders the Les Bolstad Golf Course and allows for practice throughout winter months.

The golf complex opened in January in the middle of the elongated winter.

BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com

Until recently, the men’s and women’s golf teams had no place to call their own during the long Minnesota winters. When temperatures dipped and snow piled up outside, the teams would have to utilize a number of different facilities around the Twin Cities metro area to practice.

That all changed at the beginning of this semester when the John W. Mooty Golf Facility opened on St. Paul campus, immediately adjacent to Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium, the home of the Gophers soccer team.

For the programs, having a year-round facility to themselves not only benefits the current players, but also gives them a boost in recruiting as well.

“For a northern program, you really can’t compete, especially in recruiting without one,” said men’s associate head coach Justin Smith. “A lot of the best

programs in the north have it. Our facility gives us exactly what we need to compete across all ends.”

The completion of the facility could not have come at a better time because neither team has yet practiced outside due to weather. The results have pleased coaches and players, as both teams have shown improvement during the spring season.

According to women’s head coach Michele Redman, the facility has inspired her team to work harder on its game. With its convenient location, players now have extra opportunities to practice, a luxury they didn’t have before.

“The biggest thing is time management for our student-athletes,” Redman said. “We’re 2 miles from the facility now, and ... I think they’re finding they want to go out when we don’t have practice, as well.”

Redman, along with director of men’s gold John Carlson, took an active role in raising funds for the complex. Though the process of constructing the building happened quickly, with approval in December 2017 and groundbreaking

last June, the teams spent a long time planning for the facility.

“Coach Redman and myself started about four-anda-half years ago,” Carlson said. “Talking with architects and really looking at how we could make this a facility that could be our home.”

Carlson expressed complete satisfaction with how the facility turned out. He said every aspect, including the practice areas, lounge, locker room and offices, exceeded his expectations.

“We’re just thrilled with how it turned out,” Carlson said. “I would be lying if [said] I didn’t think it turned out better than I even imagined. It’s all elevated from even our first talks with architects.”

The indoor facility puts the Gophers on par with other programs in the Big Ten. The teams raised $3.18 million dollars to fund the project, with $2.69 million coming from private donations, according to Star Tribune reporting. The John W. Mooty Foundation, for whom the building is named, contributed $1 million.

“I did it for [my players],”

Redman said of her role in fundraising. “We have really good student athletes.

They come for both school and golf. And I think the fact that they’re not having to drive 35 to 40 minutes one way to hit golf balls for an hour and 45 minutes to two hours is big for them.”

Inside, the facility contains state-of-the-art technology the team uses to track performance. The putting green area has projectors that help players visualize the paths their putts need to take. There are also driving bays with TrackMan launch monitors, which display a ball’s flight path.

Smith said the facility’s convenience and technology make his job easier as a coach. For him, seeing the contributions of donors and the University affirmed their commitment to fielding competitive golf programs.

“There are so many people that had to sign of on this, get behind it and support it,” Smith said. “The list is endless, but we’re certainly so appreciative that our sport with golf can get put in the spotlight a little bit.”

The No. 19-ranked Gophers’ softball team wants to be seen as a powerhouse.

But not just one in the Big Ten, where the team has finished 84-11 over the past five seasons, but in all of college softball. So far in 2019, their record and schedule have accomplished that.

After the conclusion of the Gophers’ non-conference schedule two weeks ago, Minnesota was tabbed with having the toughest nonconference schedule in the country, finishing with a 199 record in the non-conference schedule. The difficult schedule was something the players on both sides of the ball have noticed throughout the beginning of the season.

“The competition has been fun, [as we] play against these top teams,” said junior pitcher Amber Fiser. “I know they’re ranked higher than us and we’re expected to lose, but we go in and play like we have nothing to lose. And I think that’s what gives us our energy and motivation.”

Head coach Jamie Trachsel said that getting through the difficult schedule wasn’t without its learning moments. She said she was proud how the team handled non-conference play, especially for some of the younger and more inexperienced members on the team.

“You can just tell by the caliber of the pitching ... [of] every single game that these are the best pitchers we are going to see, so moving forward we have to use that,” said senior outfielder Maddie Houlihan.

Though their strength of schedule rating has declined to No. 3 after two series against Big Ten teams,

it is still an improvement on schedules from recent years. In 2018, the Gophers’ strength of schedule ranked No. 36. In 2017, they were ranked No. 72. The new approach has the team hoping it will prepare them better for the rest of the season. An increase in ranking shows the Gophers have been playing against better opponents over the past few years.

“I think we took advantage of playing some of the best competition in the nation,” Houlihan said. “It felt like every other game, or every game some weekends, ... we competed with them.

There weren’t any games where I felt we were ever out of it. I think a lot of them we played as good if not better than the top teams in the nation, and I think that shows in the RPI rankings.”

The RPI, or rating percentage index, ranks teams based on their record, the record of their opponents and the record of their opponents’ opponents.

The latest NCAA softball RPI rankings slotted the Gophers at a program-record No. 8. The team finished the 2018 season as No. 23 in RPI. In 2017, they finished No. 13.

The ranking puts the Gophers in a good spot to hold a regional, and potentially a super regional, if they make it that far through the postseason.

“Any program that gets a chance to host a regional would use that as an opportunity of a lifetime,” Houlihan said. “We just have to do our job every single game and focus on winning and the hope that we set ourselves up with a chance to do something like that at the end of the year.”

The Gophers have been continuing their high-level play since the end of non-conference season with backto-back sweeps of Maryland and Purdue. Minnesota outscored its two Big Ten foes 48-17 in those six games.

BASEBALL

Multi-sport athlete adjusts to solely playing baseball Hmielewski was a dual-sport football and baseball player at Minnesota.

BY JACK WARRICK jwarrick@mndaily.com

Drew Hmielewski came to the University of Minnesota two years ago as one of a select category of athlete: a twosport Division I athlete.

Today’s sports environment has an increasing focus on specialization, but Hmielewski shined in all three of his sports, football, baseball, and basketball, at Marshall High School in Southwest Minnesota. In fact, he was good enough for the University of Minnesota’s then-head football coach Jerry Kill and baseball coach John Anderson to both offer him a spot on their rosters.

“We thought right away Drew had the chance to go play and be an excellent athlete in college,” said his high school football coach Terry Bahlmann. “He was a very explosive athlete, and it showed in all sports he did.”

Hmielewski redshirted his first year at Minnesota in both sports due to a shoulder surgery, but saw action on the

football field during the 2017 season as a wide receiver and punt returner. Though he never caught a pass, he caught five punt returns for a total of 25 yards. Those numbers turned out to be his career stats with the Gophers football team.

After one season playing football and multiple surgeries and injuries while enrolled at Minnesota, Hmielewski decided to give up football to focus completely on baseball in January 2018.

“Injuries, there [were] considerations there. But at the end of the day, I have a dream and a goal to play baseball for as long as I can, and after talking to my family and praying about it, it was a no brainer,” Hmielewski said.

Though he decided to focus on baseball, he wasn’t guaranteed playing time during the 2018 season. He started one game and played in 11 while a team of experienced players went on a historic run to the NCAA Super Regional.

He tallied six at-bats and had one appearance pitching last season.

Hmielewski said he didn’t play much baseball for almost two years while he was on a football scholarship. Still, the baseball team selected him as the Phil Isaksson Teammate

JACK RODGERS, DAILY

Outfielder Drew Hmielewski runs for first base at Siebert Field on Friday, March 29. Eli Wilson’s home run in the bottom of the tenth inning lead the Gophers to a 5-2 win over Nebraska.

of the Year last season.

“I came into last year [like], ‘I’m going to be the best player and person I can be,’” Hmielewski said. “I didn’t see that much time on the field, but so what? ... I mean, shoot, we made it to a Super Regional. So my role was to be an energy guy last year, and I

accepted that roll.”

This season, Hmielewski has become a consistent contributor to the Gophers on the field. He’s started 10 games in the outfield and played in 20 while posting a .314 batting average.

“We recruited him, and then Jerry Kill got him

and turned him into a football player,” Anderson said.

“We’re just finally getting some player development time after all the surgeries and being in football. You’re seeing the product of a great athlete who’s starting to figure out how to play the game at this level.”

In a time when multi-sport athletes are becoming a rarity, Hmielewski came into a competitive Division I school to continue those aspirations with two sports.

“Ten, 15 years ago, threesport athletes are a little easier to come by [in] high school, and he did it a couple years ago, and it was tough at times,” said Hmielewski’s high school baseball coach Chace Pollock.

Chris and Mary Jo Hmielewski, Drew’s parents, were both Division I athletes at Kansas State. Mary Jo Hmielewski went to TracyMilroy High School outside of Marshall and won Miss Basketball as the best high school basketball player for Class A in Minnesota before committing to Kansas State.

Chris Hmielewski played baseball for the Wildcats for three years before playing professional baseball in the now-defunct Montreal Expos organization.

“We’re very proud of the manner in which he’s handled himself in the things he’s had to persevere,” Chris Hmielewski said. “He’s going to continue to grow and get better the more he has an opportunity to get out there and help the Gopher baseball team.”

5

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

EVENTS

NCAA guide u from Page 1

Who knows, Shaq AKA DJ Diesel may spin a few tracks to get his team hyped up.

When: Noon on Sunday Where: Schoenecker Arena at University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul Cost: Free

5

Ferris Wheel

No joke. A massive ferris wheel appeared overnight smack-dab in the middle of Minneapolis. This carnival behemoth lets riders experience an open air view of downtown 612. The best part?

It’s free. Starting Friday, whether you’re on a lunch break or making a special pilgrimage to the

festivities, anyone can hop on and enjoy this unique experience — though we recommend checking it out at night. Its dazzling lights illuminate the nearby skyscrapers and make for an urban one-of-a-kind experience. No need to drive to the boonies for Valley Fair this weekend.

Of course, we have to recommend the big game.

The tip off that all of this

hype has been leading to is Monday at 8 p.m.

When: Friday through Sunday Where: Nicolett Mall, downtown Minneapolis Cost: Free

6

The Final

The venue is set for the Timberwolves’ den, Target

Center. All year, college athletes have been working for this moment — although it feels like bracket-bearing fans are the most stressed. The lights shine on Auburn, Virginia, Michigan State and Texas Tech; the four will battle it out Saturday during the Final Four. Seat prices range and can get a little pricey, but try and make it out to the den if

Left, Josie LaChapelle, who has been pole dancing on and off for three years, warms up with the class at Knockout Bodies in Minneapolis on Thursday, March 28.

Below, poledancing shoes stored behind the reception desk.

self-love and pole dancing

BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com

Mesmerizing aerial lifts and spins make their bodies appear like well-oiled machines, highlighting their strength and beauty while they dance.

The pole is the frame and the dancer is the painting — twirls become colors and leg extensions are the outlines.

In the past 10 years, pole dancing in the Twin Cities has grown into an art and an opportunity to get to know your body.

Studios are encouraging people to find their fit in pole dancing, whether a person prefers lyrical style, tricksoriented or exotic dancing. They want you to love your body.

“As women, we just don’t feel like we are capable of doing some of those things, but we really are,” said Charisma Blue, the owner of Knockout Bodies, a studio in Northeast Minneapolis.

“That’s one of the amazing things about pole dancing, you get to discover some of those things that you never really thought [were] possible.”

Blue began pole dancing to fulfill a need to dance.

With previous experience in various sports, she turned to dance as a way to express herself.

After her first few classes at Knockout Bodies (under its original owner), Blue said she was hooked.

“I never thought of myself as someone who was really strong,” Blue said.

“But when I was able to hold my own body weight up with my own arms, that was just an incredible feeling, like ‘I’m strong, look at me, look what I can do.’”

For Blue, pole dancing has become a way of becoming more intimately familiar with her body. This is also the case for many other dancers in the community.

They find the way their bodies move best.

“Three pole classes and you are [a] diva and you are loving your curves,” said Myss Angie, an instructor at Knockout Bodies and the creator of Pole and Performing Art, a promotional company that organizes events with pole and aerial dancing.

“You’re looking in the mirror and giving yourself the cat eye.”

Today, the pole community strives to be more inclusive. Gender is not a deterrent from taking classes, and the community is embracing where dance style came from.

When: 8 p.m. Monday Where: Target Center, 600 N. 1st Ave., Minneapolis Cost: Varies

ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY

DANCE

Pole dancing instructors share their art with others to inspire self-love and confidence.

you get a chance — if not for the basketball, at least to witness Minneapolis in its finest light.

“There wasn’t a really big crossover into exotic, even though that’s where it came from,” said Dakota Wolfe, an instructor at Knockout Bodies and the studio’s resident heels expert. “I was like the only stripper around. I really got shamed even though I was hired to bring that style into it.”

With the opening of additional studios and a push to erase those prejudices, the pole community has become more welcoming. Anyone who tries pole dancing is supported, regardless of their background.

“It’s more about celebrating the individual person and what their style is,” Blue said.

Dancers and instructors have noticed having a powerful shift in self-esteem as a result of pursuing the art. However, it doesn’t only affect the individual. It’s a push against a larger issue.

“As women, we are told that we’re not strong or being sexy is bad,” Myss Angie said. “Pole is a way to reclaim [that].”

Which is exactly what these instructors set out to do.

“When I see my students on stage doing something that I’ve taught them or helped them with, I get to share in that celebration,” Blue said. “Our focus is giving you an opportunity to fall in love with who you are.”

ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY

Instructor Dakota Wolfe helps Marijo Greeman during a pole tricks class at Knockout Bodies Pole & Aerial Studio in Minneapolis on Thursday, March 28.

6 THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

COLUMN

ACEC: All-Campus Error Commission, part I What happened after last year’s controversial campus elections?

Reform. Then, more problems.

L

ike most freshmen, Blake Paulson didn’t know how to plan his classes his first semester and ended up with night classes.

He also wanted to join the MinJONATHAN ABABIY nesota Student columnist Association that semester.

“Student government is really something I wanted to be involved with when I was here,” he said.

But he found out that the MSA met Tuesday nights, when he had a night class, so he put the idea on pause for a semester.

This semester, Paulson made sure there was space in his schedule for the MSA. When the MSA sent out an all-campus email in February encouraging students to run for student government, Paulson began his work on his

application for candidacy.

However, the email had gone out on February 8, two days before the deadline. Paulson didn’t think he could write up a good candidate statement in time. But he noticed the application form from the All-Campus Elections Commission (ACEC), the student group part of Student Unions and Activities charged to handle elections, said he could submit the application and add campaign statements later.

He submitted his application for candidacy without his statements. Later, he completed a candidate orientation session, as was required of every candidate from ACEC, though he decided to do his online and not in person.

He thought he did everything right, and he did. Since the election, it has become clear, through talking to numerous candidates, MSA staff members and an ACEC commissioner, the ACEC made missteps almost every step of the way: documents were lost, transparency was ignored and rules were broken.

This wasn’t the first year this happened, but this year’s election glaringly brought out problems with the ACEC and our campus elections.

Besides a holdover graduate adviser, SUA hired all new commissioners this year. Yet, issues still persisted and voter engagement still fell, as it did in years past.

Now, about that pesky campaign statement.

On March 3, Paulson emailed his statement

to the ACEC email. After criticism last year, the ACEC committed itself to responding to all candidate emails within 24 hours. Yet, no one responded, and his candidate statement never appeared on the Google Sheet where all other candidates’ statements appeared.

Four days later, and four days before elections would begin, he emailed the ACEC again, asking where his statement was. A commissioner in the ACEC responded, apologizing for losing his email.

“Then, all of a sudden they found my statement and published it after I had to follow up again,” Paulson said.

On March 11, the first day of campus elections, his campaign statement was on the ACEC Google Sheet, but it wasn’t on the actual voting ballot. Paulson was worried. He fired off another email to the ACEC that morning.

“I see this as a serious and unfair disadvantage to me as a candidate,” his email said.

An ACEC commissioner quickly responded and told him that his candidate statement — the main way that MSA candidates can communicate their values — was now up.

Now, Paulson was on the ballot. But, eight hours later, the ACEC emailed him again, saying there was another clerical error.

The ACEC had forgotten to contact Paulson about adding him to the ACEC voter guide, which displayed pictures, names and candidates’

answers to questions. Other candidates were in the guide, but not Paulson.

In his reply to the ACEC’s voter guide email the next day, he said “I hope no other candidate was a part of a clerical error like this and that everyone is experiencing a fair and effective election week.”

As he later learned, he wasn’t alone.

Out of 31 candidates for the at-large representative seats, eight others weren’t on that voter guide ACEC released.

Jonathan Ababiy welcomes comments at jababiy@mndaily.com.

“I see this as a serious and unfair disadvantage to me as a candidate.”

BLAKE PAULSON MSA hopeful

EDITORIAL

University deserves full support from legislature It’s up to MN legislature to fully fund the University; we believe it is more than necessary.

Robert McGrady welcomes comments at rmcgrady@mndaily.com.

University of Minnesota officials have been feeling the heat lately when it comes to raises in tuition. In January, the Minnesota Daily reported President Kaler anticipates a 2 percent resident tuition hike for next year if the University’s biennial budget is met. This announcement has not come without backlash. Lawmakers have questioned the continued tuition hikes and many students have shared their hesitation or opposition.

During Kaler’s testimony given to the Legislature on Jan. 15, he discussed the University’s importance within the state and urged lawmakers to completely fund their budget and capital funding requests.

Kaler requested $87 million in additional funding for the next two years on top of $232.3 million for infrastructure funding.

With the sharp tuition difference between Minnesota residents and out-of-state students, many have shared concerns regarding funding for the University and potential tuition hikes.

Support the U Day, an event that took place at the Minnesota State Capitol April 3, rallied hope for the University. This event gave students the chance to advocate for the value of their education and allowed students to meet with senators and representatives. The goals of this event include improving infrastructure, updating research facilities and retaining great faculty.

The University deserves full funding.

Tuition and other college costs have grown

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Whether to rename buildings should be decided by democratic UMN vote Idyllic American universities are undermined by an “Old World” approach to U governance.

American professors, even famous ones, pick up their office phone themselves.

That was one fascinating lesson I learned when I called the U.S. as a graduate student in Germany, long before the advent of email. Apparently, they didn’t use secretaries to fend off students like their colleagues in the Old World. Even more surprising, the Americans talked to you like a fellow human being, no matter how low you ranked on the academic food chain.

Not just for me but for many of my European friends, encounters like this, over the phone or face-to-face, had a big impact on how we imagined American universities – as true academic republics, classless and self-governed, free of attitude and arrogance.

In reality, of course, campus grass wasn’t that much greener on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, specifically not on the Twin Cities campus where I interviewed for a job more than 10 years ago. It was a faculty position with part-time responsibilities as an associate dean. One of the first questions I was asked by a search committee member was, “Whose side will you be on, faculty or administration?” Back then, I had no idea what that meant. Where I came from, faculty and administration were one and the same. Positions for deans, rectors, vice rectors or presidents were assignments that professors would take over for a limited time. The professors were

voted in by fellow faculty or the broader university community, without giving up research and teaching — and, most importantly, without getting paid a whole lot extra.

I now know that there is a strange dichotomy on many American campuses.

There is the real university with professors, students, lectures and laboratories where the actual teaching and research happens. And then there is the parallel universe of academic administration that is run by an army of professional administrators whose offices have Orwelliansounding names, like “institutional improvement,” “student life” and “student success.” The University of Minnesota is no different and has managed to take those bureaucratic euphemisms a notch higher. I really wonder who came up with the idea to publish the University’s monthly newsletter under the ridiculously self-celebratory title “M Pride.” Probably somebody with a corporate background in leadership and personal branding. This brings me to the Board of Regents, another peculiarity in governance at the University.

The term “regent” can be translated from Latin in various ways. King-maker or elector would probably come closest since their main task is to select the president and spare the University community the trouble of a democratic vote. All of this has a very medieval or even feudal ring and reminds me more of the Holy Roman Empire than a modern university. Yes, I am aware that there is a morbid fascination in the U.S. with Old World nobility and aristocrats, but even American universities were founded to

worship reason, not royalty — and certainly not regents.

Lately, it seems that, for some regents, bringing entrepreneurial glitz and glamour to academic governance doesn’t cut it anymore. They want to take over as scholars too, preferably in history, and particularly in the history of racism and segregation at the University. They have recently threatened a “regal veto” to research outcomes and recommendations made by a faculty and student task force to remove names of disgraced bureaucrats from University buildings. This is none of the regents’ business. Naming buildings should be another matter for the University community to democratically vote on, just like the presidency should be.

exponentially, and without funding from our state government, students are facing more costs that they don’t deserve and can’t afford. The number of out-of-state students is already on the decline, and another hike will make matters worse.

We urge the legislatures to consider the value our University offers to the state. As a top research institution, the University’s innovative efforts bring unmatched value to the state. A 2018 report found that “the University of Minnesota contributes more than $8.6 billion a year in economic activity to the state” through these efforts, including solar energy research, efforts to create a mono vaccine and opioid research. These don’t only provide students with opportunities; they also bring value to the entire state and communities beyond.

We also believe the University is a draw, as an elite institution, in bringing new people to the state. Having a university with the research capabilities, opportunities and networking connections the University offers only elevates the state.

We hope that, with full funding, the University can continue bringing value to all of Minnesota.

We urge the legislatures to consider the value our University offers to the state.

EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.

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

Henning Schroeder is a professor in the College of Pharmacy and former vice provost and dean of graduate education at the University of Minnesota.

This letter has been lightly edited for clarity and style.

We should not restrict our reporting and coverage to communities that look like our own gender, racial or cultural background.

THE EDIT ORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPAR TMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEW SROOM

7

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

MN DAILY

HOROSCOPES

Today’s Birthday (4/4): Take off for uncharted frontiers this year. Grow professionally through patient, steady action.

Unexpected largesse flows your way. Family joys delight this summer, motivating career changes. By next winter, professional tides are in your favor, as domesticity draws you back in. Learn and grow.

MNDAILY.COM

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

Written by Nancy Black

Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is a 9 — Personal insights and epiphanies can inspire you over the next two weeks. Take your talents, capacities and skills to new levels by practicing basics.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is an 8 — A collaborative effort flowers. Strengthen your connection by enjoying time together. Romance kindles easily. Express gratitude to someone.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 6 — You’re more productive in peaceful privacy. Make long-term plans. Enjoy rituals, spiritual ceremonies and practices. Let go of old habits that no longer serve.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 9 — The excellent work you’ve been doing reflects you well. Quicken the pace to get your heart beating faster. Physical efforts reap satisfying results.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — Share what you’re learning with friends. A community project flowers over the next few weeks.

Strengthen connections with people you admire.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — Share your romantic dreams and visions with someone special. Listen for where your interests connect, and make plans to grow.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — Professional opportunities look ripe for the plucking. Listen to your angels. Get advice from a trusted elder. This week is good for decisions.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 7 — New beginnings at your house take shape. You may need to tear things down to rebuild them better.

Fill your home with delicious flavors and beauty.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — Enjoy a business trip or conference. Classes and seminars offer useful skills and connections.

Begin an intense expansion phase.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is an 8— Share the good news! Reach out and connect with your wider network. Provide valuable information to your tribe.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Discuss financial goals, objectives and dreams with your partner. Review your plans and budgets.

Negotiate bargains and plot your course.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 9 — Follow the money. Grab a lucrative opportunity, and run with it. Monitor expenses and don’t overindulge.

Focus on moneymaking for a nice break.

DR. DATE Dr. Date,

I’ve been dating my boyfriend since high school, and he went to an out-of-state college for most of our relationship. After years of begging him to transfer, he finally moved to Minneapolis last month. Everything is going great and he’s trying to transfer to the University of Minnesota!

There’s one problem. His parents paid for his in-state tuition at his old school, but they told him they’re not pitching in if he can’t get in-state tuition for the University. Residency requirements are a pain. However, there’s an easy way to get residency without waiting months or years: get married to a Minnesota resident.

That resident would be me. What’s more romantic than a proposal over mac and cheese while discussing lower tuition and financial aid? I thought it was a joke at first, but he appears totally serious. He told me we don’t have to have a wedding or make it public, we can just get legally married and not tell anyone until we get engaged for real.

We may have been together for three years, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to be married at 21, especially for money! How do I tell him I’m reluctant?

—I...Might?

Dear I...Might?,

This sounds like an episode of “90 Day Fiance,” minus the risk of getting kicked out of the country after three months. Are you sure your boyfriend isn’t actually from Canada?

Even if it’s just on paper for tuition requirements, marriage is a HUGE step.

If you break up, you have to get divorced — not just say goodbye to their pet and take your stuff back. Is your boyfriend prepared for the amount of paperwork and legalities involved? The fact that he doesn’t want to tell anyone is also a little weird. Are you going to get married again in a few years?

Yes, saying “I do” may be the fastest way to Minnesota residency, but there are other options out there, like taking a semester off. If you’re not 100 percent certain you want to get married, DON’T DO IT. Reject his proposal, suggest new ideas and gently remind him that your parents would probably freak. But hey, you could be the poster couple for a new TLC show!

— Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

My ex and I didn’t end things in the best way. He accused me of cheating, then dated my best friend to get back at me. We live in different states now, and after some harassing texts, I blocked him (and my former BFF) on everything.

I have two Twitter accounts, one with a fake name for friends and one with my real name for professionals. Apparently, my ex decided to share my personal username with his friends. And despite us breaking up over two years ago, I’m currently being attacked on Twitter.

Girls with the word “princess” in their usernames and guys who look like they fly Confederate flags from their 4-wheelers have been posting my real name and phone number, as well as tagging my business account in tweets and sharing some intimate pictures. I’ve tried blocking the accounts, but they just make new ones. Reporting to Twitter doesn’t help.

At this point, the only thing I can think to do is unblock my ex and ask him to stop, which I’m not exactly thrilled about.

Is it weird for me to contact an ex or should I just suck it up until the tweets are done?

—@Me IRL

Dear @Me IRL,

Whoa, hold up. Posting your real name and phone number is one thing. But if they’re sharing what you call “intimate pictures,” this is turning into revenge porn territory, which is against the law in Minnesota. I’m not sure what state your ex is from, but it’s worth looking into.

Student Legal Services is there for a reason!

As for the harassing tweets, make your Twitter accounts private for now.

It may hurt your professional look, but their comments probably look worse. If what they’re posting has become public enough for your followers or friends to acknowledge, send out a tweet saying you’re exploring your legal options after being harassed and doxxed by trolls.

And finally, if your ex sent these people after you, I doubt he’d ask them to stop. Don’t unblock him unless you’re serving him with a lawsuit — it’s not petty revenge if you’ve got a lawyer backing you up, right?

— Dr. Date

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.

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Last issue’s solution

4/4/19

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8

Thursday, April 4, 2019

University’s Acara program is funding, supporting student research projects The projects are working to address environmental and social challenges.

BY NATALIE RADEMACHER nrademacher@mndaily.com

Last month, University of Minnesota graduate student Michele Girard won a grant to continue funding a project she has been working on for years: building a sustainable water system that provides clean drinking water for a community in Haiti.

The University’s Acara program in the Institute on the Environment helps students like Girard address societal and environmental challenges. Students at the University can compete in the annual Acara Challenge

and receive funding and mentorship on projects they are pursuing.

The 2019 winners were announced last month, and students are now working with experts and faculty to implement their ideas. New scholarships became available this month for some students to help make conducting this kind of work more affordable.

“This is a competitive way to get students to go out and work on these problems,” said Fred Rose, co-founder of Acara.

Winners of the annual Acara Challenge receive up to $5,000 in funding for their project in addition to coaching from Acara faculty and experts.

Acara mentors work closely with students on

each project to make sure ideas are plausible and that things like sustainability and ethics are being considered. “[Acara mentors] are good at getting you to think about how long-term this will affect the community you are working in,” Girard said.

Through the mentorship, students are also taught business and design skills, along with how to collaborate with people across disciplines and cultures.

“There are a set of skills you should know if you want to have an impact in the world. With Acara, we are helping students get to a place to do that,” Rose said.

Even after graduating and no longer working on his project, Graham Ambrose continues to meet with and

receive guidance from Acara faculty. Ambrose competed in the Acara Challenge in 2017 while he was a master’s student at the University.

His project proposed building a tool to help local smallscale farmers.

He said the skills and principles he learned through Acara are valuable and he continues to use them in his other work.

“Our ultimate goal is to teach people the skills and questions you need to ask to lead change,” said Megan Voorhees, co-director of Acara. “It is important to have a context where we can tell students they can do it. We believe in you.”

While the Acara Challenge can provide funding for a project, being able to afford to spend time

on these initiatives prevents some students from being able to pursue them, Voorhees said.

New scholarships, funded by a $5 million donation from Ecolab, were announced this week which can make the Acara Challenge more accessible and affordable for students, she added.

“Not all students can compete in the Acara fellowship because the money is only for their project.

Not every student can afford to spend a summer not being paid while they work on a cool project,” Voorhees said.

One of the scholarships provides funding to undergraduate students working on sustainability leadership projects, which Voorhees said could allow more

students to participate in Acara.

“We want to make sure all students can do this,” Rose said.

“Our ultimate goal is to teach people the skills amd questions you need to ask to lead change. It is important to have a context where we can tell students they can do it. We believe in you.”

MEGAN VOORHEES Acara co-director