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HUMPHREY SCHOOL

After professors return, students call for change Two professors have returned from suspension by the University.

of public forums around the beginning of the fall semester — how the majority of Humphrey students have come to know about this. Forty students held a followup meeting after the public forums.

Stephanie Hallgren, president of the Public Affairs Student Association, which represents the Humphrey student body, said while she believes the school did more than it had to when it disciplined tenured professors, how it informed students needed to be more transparent.

“At the end of the day, a school is there for students. It’s not there for its faculty, it’s not there to protect the people that are working there. It’s to protect the students and to become a safe place of learning, especially at a policy school,” Hallgren said.

BY DYLAN ANDERSON AND TIFFANY BUI danderson@mndaily.com, tbui@mndaily.com

This is part two of a two part story.

Some students are demanding policy changes at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs following the return this fall of two tenured professors who were suspended.

In fall 2018, Humphrey administration was aware of separate completed University investigations which found Jason Cao and James Ron “more likely than not” violated University sexual harassment policy. The school informed students of the allegations and the discipline around the beginning of the 2019 fall semester.

Currently, the professors are prohibited for two years from advising certain Humphrey students as part of their discipline.

Some students are questioning why administration delayed addressing these incidents with the Humphrey community. Student leaders are also speaking to a larger issue of sexual harassment in academia and calling for concrete policy changes to protect students.

Humphrey Dean Laura Bloomberg acknowledged that timing

ILLUSTRATION BY HAILEE SCHIEVELBEIN, DAILY

the announcement was difficult, but stands by her decision not to share information about the allegations earlier in the year. Bloomberg said she prioritized the interests of students directly involved, and felt the discussion should take place in person.

“This is not a conversation to have via email,” Bloomberg said.

“It’s just too nuanced, there’s too many questions. There’s too many things that we want to have a faceto-face, eyeball-to-eyeball conversation about.”

Bloomberg said she wants to

CAMPUS

create an environment at Humphrey where students feel supported, and where they can feel comfortable coming to administration with concerns.

Humphrey leadership addressed allegations and discipline against the professors in a series

Students advocate for more transparency Before Humphrey administration began holding public forums about the allegations, many students of the tight-knit school said they heard about the professor’s supposed conduct from each other.

Katie Burke was selected by other Master of Human Rights students to lead conversations with administration about complaints of sexual harassment against Ron, who was a co-director in her program at the time. Burke and other human rights students mobilized early spring semester and reached out to administration for a meeting in April. u See HUMPHREY Page 3

HEALTH CARE

Hillel receives Eligibility requirement concerns arise over student health insurance credit types don’t individual must be taking at least $5.5 million for Some six credits. However, there are sevcount toward student eral types that do not count new renovations health plan eligibility, towardcrediteligibility, including indeMembers say the new renovations will help promote community at the campus building.

BY BROOKE SHEEHY bsheehy@mndaily.com

Minnesota Hillel on the University of Minnesota campus will use city money for substantial upgrades to its facility.

The Minneapolis City Council approved $5.5 million in bonds for Minnesota Hillel to upgrade its facility on University Avenue Southeast on Sept. 13. MN Hillel members said the improvements will help the organization foster a greater sense of community in its building.

The building opened in 1955 as a gathering space for commuter students on the site of a former fraternity house. MN Hillel Executive Director Benjie Kaplan said the current layout of the building does not make it an appealing place for students to gather in their free time.

“There is just a lot of things about this building that are not conducive with the way that students gather today. One of the biggest examples I use is that in 1955, it was great that there was only one outlet in each room, but today you need one every five feet,” Kaplan said.

Structural improvements to the building will include adding air conditioning, a fire suppression system and improved disability access, including adding an elevator and wheelchair ramp.

MN Hillel Student President Carli Shapiro said improving the building’s accessibility will make the space more welcoming to all students.

“On the basic level, functionality is our main goal. In our building now, we don’t have any wheelchair access. It’s all stairs, so we are getting an elevator which will be nice and very inclusive and a ramp up to the front door,” Shapiro said.

Right now, MN Hillel operates about 90 different programs for students per year. While these programs bring in more students, daytime hours see significantly less traffic. Kaplan said the building’s lack of air conditioning and outlets can deter students from coming in during this downtime.

“The things that students are looking for during the day, we just u See HILLEL Page 2

such as onlines classes.

BY EMILY SIZEN esizen@mndaily.com

Multiple University of Minnesota community members are advocating for eligibility requirement changes to the University’s student health insurance. A committee is now set to analyze their concerns.

University students who are taking at least six credits and admitted to a degree program must have some type of health insurance. In order to be eligible for the Student Health Benefit Plan, an

pendent study, non-degree credits and online and distance learning.

For some students, the fact that online and distance learning classes do not count toward SHBP eligibility can interfere with registration and access to student health insurance. According to the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, a committee will likely be made in September or October to reanalyze the health care plan’s requirements.

“If you register for the in-person [classes] you’re eligible, say as part of your credit load. [If] you u See INSURANCE Page 3

James Farnsworth, communications director for the Minnesota Student Association, poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept 24. “Having adequate health coverage is a crucial key to success for a student. I am passionate about advocating for changes in the Student Health Benefits Plan to ensure no students are left out.” (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

STUDENT GROUPS

New group to send menstrual products to other countries The new student group will send kits including liners, underwear, bars of soap and a washcloth.

BY JIANG LI jli@mndaily.com

Xuening Gao, a student from China studying Economics, shops for groceries at the Fresh Thyme in Prospect Park on Monday, Sept. 23. Due to currency exchange rates, living expenses and tuition fees have increased for Chinese students. (Mrunal Zambre / Minnesota Daily)

As trade war rages on, cost of living rises for Chinese students Ongoing trade conflicts between China and the U.S have increased the currency exchange rate.

BY JIANG LI jli@mndaily.com As the United States-China trade war continues to escalate, many Chinese international students at the University of Minnesota are feeling its effects through a fluctuating currency exchange rate which is making tuition, among other expenses, soar.

The exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Chinese yuan has been increasing since early 2018, despite a slight improvement at the end of the year. The

exchange rate changes daily, and, as of Tuesday, one U.S. dollar equals approximately 7.1 yuan.

Meanwhile, Twin Cities nonresident undergraduate student tuition increased 10 percent between the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school year, according to the Office of Institutional Research. During the same time, nonresident graduate tuition increased 3 percent.

The ongoing United States-China trade war first started in January 2018 when President Donald Trump announced tariffs on solar panels and washing machines imported from China. Trump’s goal was to reduce the trade deficit between the two countries and u See TRADE WAR Page 3

More than 30 girls gathered at the University of Minnesota’s Bruininks Hall on Sept. 18, sharing ideas about the best ways to donate menstrual products to girls around the world.

The girls are part of a new University chapter of Days for Girls, a nonprofit organization that aims to educate and increase access to menstrual products for girls in rural areas. This fall semester, the group will meet weekly to make sanitary pad kits. Each kit provides a girl with items including eight liners, two pairs of underwear, a bar of soap and a washcloth.

“I am kind of excited about the group because we are doing things to help people,” said Emily Vaillancourt, a University freshman theater major, adding that she looks at this as a chance to get to know people who have the same values as her. “We are not just sitting here to talk about stuff but we are actually doing things.”

For example, many girls in countries like Kenya have to drop out of school and sit on cardboard in their rooms during some days of their period, according to the Days for Girls website. The

organization was then established to make washable, long-lasting pads for girls who may be in these adverse conditions.

As of 2017, the organization has reached one million women and girls in over 123 countries, according to a Days for Girls annual report.

Sophomore Natalie Paulson, founder of the student group, said she first found herself obsessed with this volunteer work when she got involved with the organization’s Plymouth, Minnesota chapter. The new University chapter is affiliated with the Plymouth chapter.

Paulson spent early January 2017 in Haiti, helping distribute pads to the girls there. She said the kids were very sweet.

“We were passing [the pads] out. They love the colors and design. The room was filled with so much excitement,” Paulson said.

“They traded the pads back and forth. It’s adorable.”

Paulson also said she loved working with other women at the Plymouth chapter, and this inspired her to start a chapter at the University.

“I was in the Plymouth chapter, and we met once every three months for a massive, all-day workshop,” Paulson said, adding that she loved talking with the adult women there and enjoyed working with them. “I was thinking that I want to do this more u See DAYS FOR GIRLS Page 3 VOLUME 120 ISSUE 8

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY

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UMN researcher receives grant to study herpes virus vaccine Cytomegalovirus, a common cause for disability in children, has no found vaccine.

BY NATALIE CIERZAN ncierzan@mndaily.com A University of Minnesota researcher was awarded a $3.9 million grant earlier this month to continue his research on a herpes virus and possibly develop a vaccine.

Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is a type of herpes virus that affects both adults and children. It is one of the most common reasons for disabilities in children, with close to 40,000 infants in the U.S. born with CMV each year, researchers said.

Mark Schleiss, a University professor in the Department of Pediatrics and primary recipient of the grant, has worked on CMV research for almost 30 years. Part of his interest came from his personal experiences with family members affected by CMV. “I know how difficult it is for families, how important it is to do new research to try to improve the outcomes of pregnancies and

children,” he said.

CMV commonly affects children while they’re still in the womb, Schleiss said.

“Most children are actually born and appear to be normal and healthy,” he said. “I often talk about CMV being like Zika without the mosquito.”

The most common symptom is deafness, but others include seizures, developmental delay and cerebral palsy, Schleiss said.

“Most children are actually born and appear to be normal and healthy. I often talk about CMV being like Zika without the mosquito.”

MARK SCHLEISS Univeristy professor

“You aren’t going to get it riding the Green Line,” Schleiss said about contracting CMV. Contraction requires close personal contact, like sexual intercourse or saliva exchange.

Schleiss said that young

women who have children can get CMV from their toddlers in daycare. One of the most common ways infants can contract the virus is from breastfeeding, he said.

“In the U.S., it’s almost embarrassingly not known by women who are considering having kids,” said Craig Bierle, a key collaborator to the research and an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics.

Newborn babies are screened for a wide variety of rare diseases that happen on a smaller scale than CMV, but testing for CMV is not routinely done.

“We can potentially screen women for CMV. Women and children are at greatest risk when they contract the virus first time at pregnancy,” Bierle said.

Education and screening is more common and extensive in Europe, he said.

“That’s in part because there’s not a lot you can potentially do to prevent CMV right now, because there isn’t a vaccine,” Bierle said.

CMV is a complicated virus that rejects the immune system’s response,

=

ABBY ADAMSKI / MINNESOTA DAILY

he said. Many potential vaccines have failed to get past additional trials.

With the grant money, they will be able to work on creating a vaccine, Schleiss said. The researchers will use guinea pigs because their reproductive systems are similar to humans.

Joseph Neglia, a professor and head of the pediatrics department, said the vaccine would be like a live virus, but without the

New Carlson policy aims to create a less competitive student grading structure.

BY MICHAEL MCGOUGH mmcgough@mndaily.com

Hillel u from Page 1

don’t have, so we are really hoping to create a space where throughout the day all students needs can be met in our space and students will find new and exciting ways to gather

EDITORIAL STAFF Max Chao Managing Editor mchao@mndaily.com Desmond Kamas Managing Production Editor dkamas@mndaily.com Michelle Griffith Campus Activities Editor mgriffith@mndaily.com Katrina Pross Campus Administration Editor kpross@mndaily.com Madeline Deninger City Editor mdeninger@mndaily.com Audrey Kennedy Features & Freelance Editor akennedy@mndaily.com Paul Hodowanic Sports Editor phodowanic@mndaily.com Nick Jungheim Assistant Sports Editor njungheim@mndaily.com Liv Martin A&E Editor lmartin@mndaily.com Jack Rodgers Multimedia Editor jrodgers@mndaily.com Emily Martens Copy Desk Chief emartens@mndaily.com Cate Tynjala Assistant Copy Desk Chief ctynjala@mndaily.com Creston Halstead Chief Page Designer chalstead@mndaily.com Morgan La Casse Visuals Editor mlacasse@mndaily.com =

capability of creating the virus in the child.

As a doctor who works with child cancer patients who have weak immune systems, this was an important feature of the vaccine, Neglia said.

“CMV is kind of the forgotten viral infection in many people,” he said. “From a pediatric standpoint, this is potentially one of these real steps forward in medicine that you put on the timeline.”

Carlson aims to reduce competitive culture

A new grading policy enacted at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management this fall aims to reduce competitive culture within the school.

Carlson’s faculty members voted in April to remove a policy that had been in place since 2006, which encouraged professors to ensure the average grades in their courses were either a B or and mandating students’ grades were determined in relation to their classmates.

Now, professors are able to adjust their grading system as they see fit.

Raj Singh, Carlson’s associate dean, said the 2006 grading policy was implemented to prevent inconsistent grades across different sections of the same course and to keep the college’s average grades from continuing to rise.

High average scores could signal that the coursework was not difficult enough, he said.

“We felt students could be asked to learn more and put more rigor on their classes,” Singh said.

The old policy accomplished these goals, but it created a competitive

OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Cleo Krejci Editor-in-Chief ckrejci@mndaily.com (612)-227-5914 Kyle Stumpf Business Operations Officer kstumpf@mndaily.com (612)-435-5772 Charlie Weaver General Manager gm@mndaily.com (612)-435-5657

Students gather in a common area inside the Carlson School of Management on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Nur Adam / Minnesota Daily)

culture among students, Singh said.

“Students felt that they were now competing against each other all the time. We felt that there was an ugly pattern of behaviors,” Singh said.

The new grading guidelines give professors the freedom to customize the grading systems for their courses.

“What we’re suggesting to faculty is that they are, in the end, responsible for the grades and the rigor of their class, but we will strongly suggest that they provide the students some clear cut-offs up front,” Singh said.

Previously, course

grades were relative and there was not an established distinction between letter grades.

The syllabus for professor Alex Wilson’s spring 2019 Business Strategy course under the previous policy describes a process of ranking students’ performances at the end of the semester and distributing their grades “in accordance with a distribution that conforms to the Carlson School grading policies.”

Under the new grading guidelines this fall, professor Joe Redden’s Marketing in Action course has a clearly defined grading structure that is based on the percent of

points earned.

The syllabus for Redden’s class says, “A student scoring higher than a 90% is guaranteed at least an A, higher than an 80% is guaranteed at least a B, and so on.”

Singh said the new guidelines will encourage professors to evaluate students as individuals rather than in relation to their classmates.

“I’d rather have instructors and professors think about what they want the students to learn. I would like them to judge the students based on their knowledge gained, and not how they’re doing compared to others,” Singh said.

that aren’t just about programming,” Kaplan said.

The project’s general contractor, president of Prime General Contractors, LLC Derek Clarkin, said new features will include a commercial kitchen, sports court, rooftop patio and an abundance of outlets in the basement study rooms.

MN Hillel is part of the University of Minnesota Greek Letter Chapter House Historic District, and designated houses are not allowed to change the exterior appearance without going through major hurdles at the city level. Because the original Star of David brickwork is significant to both

students and alumni, MN Hillel has agreed to keep the exterior as is.

Clarkin and his team plan to start renovations as early as Nov. 1, with an end date slated around August 2020.

In the meantime, MN Hillel will be renting space from the University’s YMCA facility.

Some students feel ambivalent about the new grading guidelines. “ T h i s g i v e s p ro f e s sors a lot of power, and I don’t know if I trust all my professors,” said junior Rithika Muralidharan.

Muralidharan said some professors are lenient and some are strict, so she said she is concerned that there will be variation in the ways professors set up their grading systems.

Others said the new grading guidelines will be more transparent than the previous policy.

Senior Noah Peterson, a finance major, said it will be nice to have clearly defined cut-offs so that students will receive whatever grade they earn.

“I think education is more about learning the material, mastering the material — not doing better than the person sitting next to you,” Singh said.

“Students felt that they were now competing against each other all the time. We felt that there was an ugly pattern of behaviors.”

RAJ SINGH Carlson Associate Dean

“We are really going to be relying on the campus community in finding different spaces for doing new and interesting programs and working with all of our students to make sure that they feel engaged and welcomed and most of all excited for the changes that are coming,” Shapiro said.

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Thursday, September 26, 2019

Humphrey u from Page 1 Burke said she did not know about allegations against Cao until a few weeks before the beginning of fall semester, despite having conversations with faculty about similar accusations against Ron. Students were told about the disciplinary actions at different times, depending on their year and program within Humphrey. “It really upsets me that it’s taken so long for both sets of students to be able to have all the full and accurate information,” Burke said.

For incoming students, a forum took place during orientation. For others, it was late in the first week of the semester when they were informed, after they may have attended Ron or Cao’s classes.

Bloomberg said that by the end of the first week of school, all Humphrey students had been notified.

Insurance u from Page 1 register for the online, you are not,” said Kristin Anderson, a retired School of Public Health learning systems and student affairs associate dean.“I am not arguing with the issue of being on campus, nor that students should pay fees, but there ought to be a way to check into that category of students.”

Anderson said this issue was first brought to her attention in 2018. A student with a registered disability came to her and expressed that she was unable to take the online classes best suited for her because it would impact her eligibility for the student health insurance. The issue, Anderson said, is one that affects all students in both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. “[The issue] is, for me, particularly acute for the professional students because so many are working professionals or part-time, but it’s all students.”

Students like James Farnsworth, a fourth-year undergraduate student and communications director for the Minnesota Student Association, said it made the most sense with his schedule and academically to enroll in online credits.

However, when he was

“There are people who are grateful that they had a year and they had a spring semester where this wasn’t a topic that just sort of hung over them the entire time. And then we have incoming students where we really have no way of having this conversation until they get here,” Bloomberg said. “So is it great timing? No. Would I do it differently? In hindsight, I think that there are things that I will learn in this process.”

Alex Johnson, a secondyear student leader in the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program, said he took a class with Cao last fall.

“I don’t feel like that’s a super controversial thing for admin at a University to say that student safety and students are important, and we want them to feel safe in environments where they’re learning things,” Johnson said.

Bloomberg said steps have been taken so students can reasonably feel safe in

the learning environment.

“We can talk about what we want to do to create the best possible learning environment where people reasonable can feel as if their safety is a priority, and their well-being is a priority. But you can look at the news and not realize that we can’t control for everything,” Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg has required Ron and Cao to regularly meet with faculty mentors to discuss progress on their professional development plans.

Hallgren, president of the Public Affairs Student Association, said schools must inform students earlier in these situations so they can participate in addressing alleged sexual harassment.

“This is our future. These are our mentors … who we’re learning from and who we’re inspired by,” Hallgren said. “I think that in order to move forward, the University of Minnesota as a whole needs to change the way that they

look at sexual misconduct with tenured professors.”

registering for classes last year, he realized that taking online classes could impact his ability to be eligible for health insurance.

“I didn’t realize the requirement for the Student Health Benefit [Plan],” Farnsworth said. “It isn’t really said anywhere, you kind of have to have a deep knowledge of the University and how registration works and how credits work.”

“I had to significantly restructure my registration plan to be able to meet the six in-person credits” Farnsworth said.

In a letter to the editor sent by Anderson to the Minnesota Daily, Anderson said that she has been in touch with representatives from Boynton Health, the Office of Student Health Benefits and the Disability Resource Center.

She has also brought this issue to the Professional Education Council. At the council’s May meeting, Anderson said it was indicated that the Provost’s office had agreed to form a committee to further look at the issue.

“I hope that the provost will go forward, form a committee with the view this will be done,” Anderson said.

“Let’s fix it. It’s not fair, it’s not right. They could form a committee to see how we do it, how do we go about it, and establish something as fair.”

Joseph Shultz, the deputy chief of staff to the executive vice president and provost, said a committee will be formed and tasked with evaluating the issue and deciding what steps to take next.

“It will be a pretty informal group ... from the Professional Education Council to just kind of look into it and see if they can understand what, if anything, can be done,” Shultz said in a voicemail. “I imagine we will get the group together very soon, probably in September or October.”

“I just see this as an important issue to promote student’s success, and it’s an issue of fairness,” Anderson said. “I’m confident that it will be fixed.”

Farnsworth said he hopes to work with the new Provost and both the Professional Student Government and the Council of Graduate Students to address this issue.

“It’s on my radar now as member of MSA, looking into this next year, in terms of the advocacy that we do,” Farnsworth said.

“It’s always been on my radar personally, but now that I’ve realized it seems to be more of a widespread issue that’s touching other students, it’s something that I am definitely gonna hopefully carry on conversations about.”

Trade war

Time for a culture shift Some students are pushing Humphrey administration to enact long-term policy changes.

“I think that students are upset and they’re angry.

They don’t think the dean’s response to what has happened is enough,” Burke said.

“They feel that she’s kind of pushing this issue in the long grass and committing to having conversations but not taking any real action on policy change to stop this happening again.”

Burke said one of the students’ main concerns is changing tenure code.

Bloomberg said while there are special protections that come with tenure, she does not know if tenure affected how Ron and Cao were disciplined.

Bloomberg never considered termination in these cases, and guidance documents

u from Page 1 Improve the condition of American companies in China, according to multiple national news outlets.

Chinese government regulators contribute to the yuan’s decrease in value in order to make the exchange rate more market oriented, according to Time magazine.

“The most instant consequence [of the trade war] is the cost of studying in the U.S increases,” said Jingnan Liu, a University senior from China studying economics.

“The cost of buying [the] same amount of dollars with Chinese yuan increases. This change has already reflected on my billing statement of credit card.”

When talking about the impact of the trade war, Noki Cheng, a 22-year-old Chinese transfer student, also said the fluctuating exchange rate has an effect.

“The depreciation of [the Chinese yuan] increases my living expense here,” Cheng said.

Cheng also said he is worried the trade war would undermine his relationship with Americans since their home countries are now “fighting” economically. Many students echoed his concerns.

“I am also a little worried about [the] U.S. society’s hostility towards Chinese,” Cheng said. “But up to now, it

Days for girls u from Page 1

often, and I want to bring this to girls of my age,” Paulson said. “...So, why not, if no one has done it yet?”

Sharada Srivatsa, a freshman in the Carlson School of Management, who is also the vice president of the group, said they plan to do the work stepby-step. Each meeting, the group will complete a part of the sanitary pad kit and hold a few sewing workshops to make the pads.

from the University did not either, she said. Instead, she said the conversation should be about creating a culture shift at the school.

“We need to have a culture where people can say this happened, and this is not right,” Bloomberg said. “We have to have a culture where somebody reasonably will hear that and say, ‘a) I believe you and b) I will be an ally to you in doing something about this.’”

About one third of female graduate students surveyed experienced harassment at the hands of faculty or staff — an update to previous research with similar findings — according to a 2016 article in Psychology of Women Quarterly, a peer-reviewed journal.

Jennifer Freyd, an author of the study and psychology professor at the University of Oregon, said she believes there are two reasons why sexual harassment by faculty is more prevalent for female

graduate students: opportunity and an unbalanced power dynamic.

“For undergraduates, if they have a professor that is bugging them, they don’t have to keep taking classes with that professor,” Freyd said. “Graduate students can be really in a bind where the person who’s treating them in this problematic way is somebody they’re pretty dependent upon.”

Liv Reyes, a student leader on the Humphrey’s Gender, Sex and Policy Event Committee, said she is curious to see what administration will do once the professors’ disciplines are lifted.

“Moving forward, will students be constantly notified that these two faculty members exist? Once I graduate, my cohort graduates and then the year below us now, in theory, this information could die with us,” Reyes said.

seems okay.”

Xuening Gao, a fourthyear economics transfer student from China, said she is worried about the effect the exchange rate will have on her tuition.

“The exchange rate has increased [a lot] in the last year, which means I need more for tuition,” Gao said.

As of 2018, there were more than 2,500 Chinese students at the University, which makes up the largest percentage of international students on campus according to data from International Student and Scholar Services.

Robert Kudrle, an international trade and investment policy professor at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, said he thinks the trade war will not end soon.

“The exchange rate is depending on the Chinese government,” Kudrle said, adding that the countries’ economies often depend on one another.

While some students worried about an increase in living expenses, many parents in China are paying more for their children to go to school as well.

Ling Lu, Cheng’s mother, said their family has suffered from the high cost caused by the rising foreign exchange rate. She said the trade war was inevitable.

“For my family, the cost of exchange for dollars indeed

increased. But compared to our country’s development, the loss is negligible,” Lu said.

“I think many families that send their children abroad would hope that China will win the trade war or at least not be afraid of it.”

Shijun Gu, a University graduate instructor who teaches classes about China’s economy, said he thinks both China and the United States are now growing tired of the trade war.

“There is a trade-off in between. [The] Trump administration will weigh the fact that undermining China’s economy with tariffs and forcing China to change its trade and domestic economic policies will make American consumers suffer at the same time,” Gu said. “It is difficult to order the U.S. companies move out of China, since it is impossible to find a replacement in [the] short run.”

Gu also expressed his concerns over academic communication between the U.S. and China.

“For many Chinese families, the most direct influence is their financial burden because of the Chinese yuan devaluation. They will also consider whether it is worthwhile sending their children to study in the United States,” Gu said. “This is a long-term problem. The tuition is pretty expensive, yet how much they could get back?”

Daryl Yap, a University sophomore studying computer science, joined the group with her friend and said she was looking forward to doing volunteer work. “[My friend and I] thought it was cool because it is kind of like a volunteering opportunity almost,” Yap said “I thought it was really interesting. I will see where it goes, I guess.”

The pads the University group makes will go to girls in need through the Plymouth chapter’s arrangement.

“Because we are also a part of the Plymouth chapter, we do have to coordinate with them so [the kits] will probably go wherever they go,” Srivatsa said.

Paulson said she enjoyed her experience in Haiti, and encourages students to help those in need.

“I really want people to think of it as a social club with a really meaningful work behind it,” Paulson said. “I think this is a great way to broaden your horizons and really get a perspective on how much need there is out there.”

Left: Natalie Paulson speaks with members of a new chapter of Days for Girls about her volunteer work in Haiti in Bruininks Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019. Days for Girls is a nonprofit that provides communities in need with supplies for sustainable menstrual care.

(Jiang Li / Minnesota Daily)

University researchers investigate loophole in some online firearm sales Nine percent of gun listings on one website included a background check.

BY GWIWON JASON NAM gnam@mndaily.com

Recent incidents of gun violence have prompted researchers from the University of Minnesota and other schools to look into a common loophole in some firearms sales.

A new study found that only nine percent of the 4.9 million firearms listings showed evidence of a background check on one online marketplace for private sales. Researchers said these findings show current background check policies may be ineffective for online sales.

“There [have] been a lot of discussions recently about background checks and enacting laws and legislation at state and local and national levels that require background checks,” said Ashley Hernandez, one of the lead authors of the study and a Ph.D. student at the University’s

School of Public Health.

To study firearms sales in an unregulated market, the researchers analyzed firearm listings on Armslist.com, a major online market, based on whether sellers requested a background check.

Federal law requires sellers who hold federal firearms licenses to run background checks on buyers. But this requirement does not apply to private sellers, including those online.

“This research demonstrates that online firearm marketplaces may create a significant loophole for policymakers looking to ensure that firearms are only sold to qualifying individuals,” said Coleman Drake, the other lead author and assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of Pittsburgh.

Even if a listing requires a background check, the researchers cannot verify if one actually took place.

“That being said, we don’t know what happens whenever they do meet up. It’s possible that they run a background check. It’s also possible that, even though they list the

background check, they don’t run it whenever they go for the sale,” Hernandez said.

Adam Schwartz, one of the researchers and graduate of the school’s Ph.D. program, emphasized that the motivation behind the research was not to advocate for specific policies or legislation.

“What we wanted to do though is we wanted to see what’s the current state of how you can get guns legally in America,” Schwartz said.

The researchers said the study highlights an area further regulation will not address if not implemented carefully.

“As lawmakers begin to consider a policy on background checks and more stringent gun laws and regulations, they should really not leave out the online marketplace,” Hernandez said.

Very few studies have been able to examine online firearms markets due to the difficulty of obtaining data and limited funding, according to the researchers. The team’s ability to scrape and study millions of firearms listings makes the research unique, Drake said.

ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH MAI, DAILY

In the future, they want to look at how geography plays a role in firearm sales.

“We’d like to look at how that compares to state laws that are in place for private sells,” Hernandez said.

Aside from geography, Schwartz said another area of potential interest is looking

at how the sales of different kinds of guns vary.

The study found that background checks were included in 13 percent of handgun listings, eight percent of rifle listings and six percent of shotgun listings.

Researchers also found only 11 percent of firearms

regulated by the National Firearms Act, like machine guns, showed evidence of a background check.

“It’s extremely important to research guns and their impact, and that America should not shy away from doing such research,” Schwartz said.

4

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

FOOTBALL

U cornerbacks ready for tougher test Boilermakers AllAmerican Rondale Moore presents new test for Gophers.

BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily Entering 2019, the Gophers defense featured plenty of experienced talent.

Linebacker Carter Coughlin earned second team All-Big Ten h o n o r s in 2018 f or his pass rushing abilities.

Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. returned after a promising but injuryshortened season, and seniors Kamal Martin and Thomas Barber provided valuable leadership at the linebacker position.

Arguably, the one position without a clear standout player was cornerback. Despite not receiving much recognition at the season’s onset, redshirt juniors Coney Durr, Kiondre Thomas and redshirt senior Chris Williamson have gotten off to strong starts through the first three games of 2019.

“We’ve came a long way, we’re still getting better,” Williamson said.

“And that’s the thing: we haven’t played our best game yet. We’re heading in the right direction and that’s something that we’re proud of.”

Freshman Esezi Otomewo tackles Purdue during the game on Nov. 10 at TCF Bank Stadium.

(Minnesota Daily File Photo)

Durr bounced back from a torn ACL in the last game of the 2016 season to play in all 13 games last season.

Thomas appeared in 19 games with the team before 2019, including six starts his freshman year.

Williamson, a transfer from Florida, made just one start in his time with the Gators but played in 11 games in his first season with the Gophers last year. Despite seeing limited action in 2018, he has become an important part of the defense this season, having recorded 13 total tackles and returning an interception 43 yards for a touchdown against South Dakota State.

“He’s grown up a lot,” head coach P.J. Fleck said of Williamson. “Being able to play nickel, play corner, I think he’s become more physical. He’s become more confident. He’s invested in his body like I’ve never seen him do it before within the last year. When he truly decided to commit to it, he’s become a really good football player.”

So far, the trio of corners have turned in a trio of solid performances.

Currently, Minnesota’s pass defense ranks 26th in the nation, limiting opponents to 185.3 yards

per game. The secondary has yet to allow a receiver to go over 100 yards in any one game this year.

In this week’s Big Ten opener, the Gophers corners will face their biggest test of the year when they take on one of the best receivers in the country in Purdue’s Rondale Moore. Last year, as a true freshman, Moore caught 114 passes for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns en route to setting the program record for allpurpose yards in a season with 2,215 and becoming the first true freshman consensus All-American in conference history.

“Somehow, some way,

he’s going to get his touches,” Fleck said of Moore. “You can’t just take him out of the game. He’s going to touch the football.

You have to rally around him, you have to tackle really well. He’s strong.”

Through the first two games of 2019, it appeared Moore had picked up right where he left off, catching 24 passes for 344 yards and two scores. However, last week Purdue’s fifthyear quarterback Elijah Sindelar was sidelined against TCU with a concussion. In his absence, Moore was limited to just 25 receiving yards.

Sindelar’s status for Saturday is unknown, but defensive coordinator Joe Rossi said the Boilermakers’ offense won’t change much whether their starter is Sindelar or redshirt freshman Jack Plummer.

“They are who they are,” Rossi said. “Regardless of who the quarterback is, we’re

expecting it to be a consistent attack, and we have to limit their explosive playmakers.”

No matter who is t h ro wing passes, it is undeniable that Moore is one of the most talented receivers in college football, and he should prove a tough cover for this group of emerging Minnesota cornerbacks. However, the unit is accustomed to a challenge, as it faces talented receivers such as Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman in practice.

“It definitely helps with the guys that we have, going against them each and every day,” Williamson said of Minnesota’s receivers. “Having the guys that we have is definitely beneficial.”

On Saturday, Williamson, Durr and Thomas will attempt to contain Moore and the rest of Purdue’s receiving corps when the Gophers travel to West Lafayette, IN to battle the Boilermakers.

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

VS MINNESOTA

PURDUE WHEN: 2:30 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: West Lafayette, IN SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

CROSS COUNTRY

For Minnesota, Roy Griak Invitational means more The meet honors coach Roy Griak who coached the Gophers 34 years.

BY BRENDAN O’BRIEN bobrien@mndaily.com

For the 34th time in history, Minnesota’s cross country program will host the Roy Griak Invitational this Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in St. Paul.

The meet is named after Roy Griak, the head coach of the Minnesota men’s cross country and track and field teams from 1963 to 1996.

Griak is a prominent figure in running at the University, leading Minnesota to

two Big Ten Cross Country Championships in 1964 and 1969 as well as a Big Ten Track and Field Championship in 1968. He also coached three national champion runners and 47 All-Americans.

But this meet in particular has special meaning for several people involved with Minnesota’s cross country and track and field program.

For current men’s cross country head coach Steve Plasencia, he is reminded of how supportive his former college coach in Griak was.

“When he started to recruit me out of high school, I knew I had a friend at the University from day one,” Plasencia said. “The thing about Roy is when something did happen that wasn’t favorable, he’d give you a kick in the butt, but somehow it always felt like a hug.”

F o r w o m e n ’ s c ro s s country head coach Sarah Hopkins, conquering the challenging distance, hills and unpredictable weather of the Griak Invitational in high school helped her become a familiar face to the coaching staff at Minnesota.

“I think that’s one of the reasons I’m here [is] because I did run well at that race and I got sort of noticed by the coaches here,” Hopkins said. “That obviously holds a special place in my heart.”

Roy Griak (Courtesy of Gopher Sports)

The people involved in the operation of the meet pride themselves on making the Griak Invitational special for the high school and collegiate runners who compete and for the family and friends who attend it. Director of Operations Lyndsey Thorpe is in her fourth year of recruiting college cross country teams to compete in the meet as well as assisting with course setup. What excites Thorpe the most on race day is not only seeing how well the teams do but also having the opportunity to turn cross country into a spectacle.

“I think that’s something we’ve always done at this meet, is make it feel like a big deal,” Hopkins said. “It celebrates cross country in a way that I don’t think a lot of meets do.”

The Roy Griak Invitational is one of the largest meets in the country and many come to cheer on the runners and celebrate the sport.

Plasencia even remembers Griak and former Minnesota runner Garry Bjorklund driving a golf cart around the course, throwing t-shirts into the crowd.

But what is most important to Plasencia, Hopkins and Thorpe is being able to honor the legendary head coach who the meet is named after. Griak passed away on July 9, 2015.

“I think it’s a fitting honor for him and somebody who put in 50 years of service trying to make the University of Minnesota a better place, and on the micro-level, a better cross country and track and field program,” Plasencia said. “We miss him a lot.”

5

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

FILM

Film maker Samiera Abou-Nasr poses for a portrait at Cafetto Cafe on Sunday, Sept. 22. (Norah Kleven / Minnesota Daily)

Q&A: Minneapolis filmmaker Samiera Abou-Nasr on her short film 'Of Our Youth' Abou-Nasr talks about her work as a filmmaker and the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival.

BY NORAH KLEVEN nkleven@mndaily.com

Samiera Abou-Nasr is a Minneapolis filmmaker who has been active since 2015. Her most well-known film to date, the 15-minute short film “Of Our Youth,” is featured in this year’s Twin Cities Arab Film Festival.

What got you interested in filmmaking and production?

I started watching movies around when streaming first started. But I was 16, and I remember watching

this movie called 'Less Than Zero.' Robert Downey Jr. is in it, and he is really young and very magnetic.

And I just got so pulled into this one scene, and I felt so many emotions ... I literally was just so lost in the scene.

I just kept watching it over and over again. I wouldn't finish the movie. And, I was just like, ‘I gotta do it.’ It became no question in my mind that I was going to be a filmmaker. Yeah.

The film was shot in Cedar-Riverside. Why did you choose that neighborhood specifically?

I did go to school there.

Augsburg is in there … but I lived over there as well.

So I did spend a lot of time not even on campus, but on that strip where I shot the film. Some people, well pretty much everybody,

was from a different background than I was, but they were all from different backgrounds from each other as well. So it's just really interesting. And it was very eye opening — speaking … and connecting to people beyond the surface level, about their lives and my life and just accepting each other from ... completely different standpoints on certain things. There were a lot of people where we had disagreements about, you know, certain political things. And it was just a really special place.

What was your background before becoming a filmmaker?

I guess it's kind of interesting. I was a figure skater [and] actually skated for the U.S. team one year.

I moved to Minnesota for

that — to train in figure skating. And before I even moved here, I was pretty involved with [film] still just time wise, but my interests lied more in music, and I wanted to be a composer.

I played piano, and I would say an oboe was my main instrument. And then I also I self-taught myself drums and bass and was learning guitar. And just for fun, I did French horn and viola.

What is your experience of being a female director and filmmaker in a predominantly male field?

It's so weird, because I was in film school [and] I had a film professor once.

It was such a small department — one was a woman, one was a man. I wear dresses. I don't like pants – especially when I'm on a set. So

I was wearing a dress. It wasn't fancy or anything.

It was just a frock. This [professor] said, 'Good luck with the film' to my partner, and then he told me I look nice. And I was like, ‘That was so weird.’

What’s it like being part of an entire festival dedicated to celebrating Arab artists?

It's really cool. What's cool is I did get to see some of the films that were going to be in the festival already and just watching all of the different ways that people are representing themselves. Some people are representing themselves as Arabs, some people are just representing themselves with Arab actors. And it was just interesting to see like, the whole diaspora ... it's weird

because the [Arab] identity is so convoluted because there's a lot of displacement. It was also very cool for me because ...

I want film to be transformative for me. I'm Arab, and I'm constantly reminded because of my name and things like that … So becoming part of a like-minded group – especially filmmakers – was really scary for me because I do have some identity issues. But it's also very cathartic.

Twin Cities Arab Film Festival $

Sept. 26 - Sept. 29 St. Anthony Main Theatre Tickets $10 single-day; $60 festival pass

This interview has been lightly edited for style and clarity.

FOOD

Midwest's first avocado bar coming to Dinkytown A UMN grad is bringing Avocadish to Dinkytown in November.

BY ALEX STRANGMAN astrangman@mndaily.com

You’re on campus with an hour to kill before your next class. You traded breakfast for an extra 15 minutes of sleep, a decision you’re now regretting as your stomach rumbles louder and louder. You need food, but you’ve eaten at every restaurant near campus so many times that even the thought of a Chick-fil-A sandwich makes you shudder. It’s time for something new.

Coming to Dinkytown in late November is Avocadish, an all new avocadothemed restaurant focused on health and wellness.

One of ten new restaurants moving into the soon-to-open University Food Court at 330 15th Ave. SE, Avocadish will offer healthy and affordable options featuring – you guessed it – avocados.

With the exception of a few sides, every dish at Avocadish will incorporate

the fruit in one way or another.

Ac c o r d i n g t o A v o cadish’s business plan, the menu will feature a wide array of selections, from avocado toast and cheese melts to avocado smoothies and desserts, all of which are described as both “aesthetic and Instagrammable.”

Lydé Heckroodt, executive chef at Avocadish, says the menu is all about experimenting with the fruit.

“It’s a creative take on the avocado with everything. Making sauces, desserts and smoothies [and] improvising in ways that we can really make full use of the avocado at every stage of ripeness,” she said.

Some students have raised concerns citing increasing avocado prices, wondering how they might affect menu prices at the restaurant.

University of Minnesota student Itzel Fimbres said while she loves the green fruit, she fears high prices will keep her from visiting the restaurant.

“I love avocados, and I love the fact that [they’re] mainstream, but I don’t know if I would actually

SARAH MAI / MINNESOTA DAILY

go to this place to get avocados,” she said. “I think I make a mean guacamole.”

Others have voiced

concerns regarding the location of the new restaurant, arguing other Minneapolis neighborhoods may

be better suited for a restaurant like Avocadish.

Fo r A lex Varo uh as, a former University of

Minnesota student and fo und e r o f A vo c ad ish , choosing a location right next to the University was a no-brainer.

“The chance to open a restaurant across the street from the main gates of the University is an absolute dream for me,” he said.

While Varouhas may be a few years removed from the University, he has a plan to cater to his collegiate clientele.

In addition to the storefront being open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Avocadish will also operate a pop-up window in the mornings for students looking to grab a quick bite on their way to class.

The pop-up window will also be in operation for latenight ordering on weekends, serving healthier options after a long night of going out.

“It’s about having food where you can feel like you’re indulging but not eating shitty,” said Varouhas in regards to the latenight menu, which will vary slightly from the regular daytime menu.

“I’m building something that I would’ve wanted when I was in Dinkytown,” he said.

6 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

COLUMN

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

Duty, honor and company

Trump’s emoluments are like the Campus Connector. We’re used to it, but it’s still a problem.

Uma Venkata columnist

T

he U.S. Constitution forbids emoluments clause in Article 1, section 9.

These are personal profits or gains a public official may receive, from foreign countries and officials, due to their office.

Before Ronald Reagan entered the Oval Office, and due to his governorship of California, he was eligible to collect a pension from the state.

Upon becoming president of the United States, he deferred to the Office of Legal Counsel as to whether he could still collect. When Jimmy Carter became president, he put his family’s peanut farm and warehouse outside of his own control into an independent trust, as not to risk a conflict of interest. During his presidency,

business profits and losses could not affect anyone in the Carter family. This was the kind of responsibility we have been able to trust the president of the United States with.

Donald Trump ran for president in 1999 under the Reform Party, and dropped out of the race early on. Then, of course, he ran in 2016, lost the popular vote, and won the electoral vote. The day after taking the oath of office in January of 2017, a private nonprofit advocacy group, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, filed a lawsuit against President Trump over emoluments. The president has refused to honor the emoluments clause in the Constitution.

We’ve known this for a while. The 2016 election and my awareness of the word “emolument” directly correlate. The Constitution forbids the president from accepting payments from any foreign or domestic government personnel. Nevertheless, 12 foreign governments so far, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and China, have paid an entity owned by Trump, according to CREW. President Trump transferred management of the Trump Organization to his adult sons, which is great, but as with most things, not nearly enough. Trump remains a direct beneficiary of the Trump Organization, Trump hotels, Trump resorts, and more. He remains the only beneficiary of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust. He advertises his own brand while on government business, which, let’s face it, is not very classy.

The latest emoluments roller coaster

has to do with Vice President Mike Pence and the United States Air Force. Earlier this month, Pence stayed at a Trump golf resort in Doonbeg, County Clare, Ireland, and his official meetings were 180 miles away in Dublin. Explanations were on the grounds of family ties to the area. USAF has been a frequent visitor at the Turnberry resort in Scotland, where military stops have skyrocketed since the Trump inauguration. The Turnberry resort depends on the nearby, low-traffic Glasgow Prestwick Airport, with which the Trump Organization entered an official partnership in 2014 for all of Trump’s personal aviation needs, including a private jumbo jet and helicopter, and a particular service for Trump’s Turnberry resort. That same year, he purchased the Turnberry resort, but has not turned a profit since. USAF has been making a lot more stops there than prior to the Trump administration, which may make sense due to convenient plane parking and compliant fuel pricing. But a deal between the Trump Organization and Scotland’s Glasgow Prestwick Airport seems too sweetheart.

Ultimately, housing USAF personnel on layover in the Trump Turnberry resort is only responsible action as long as nowhere else in the area can deliver overnight housing for less than $189 per night, which DOD told the House Oversight Committee is Turnberry’s rates, as part of the ongoing investigation. USAF has incurred over $184,000 on government travel cards, including around $60,000 in unspecified charges. As a reminder, doing that with $10 would get your student group

EDITORIAL

Impeachment can be confusing, and it might be happening in the near future

S

peaker Nancy Pelosi announced this week that the House of Representatives would begin their impeachment inquiry against President Trump, with over 200 Democratic lawmakers supporting this motion. He found himself under fire again, this time over his phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. An anonymous whistleblower filed a complaint against Trump to the intelligence community inspector general.

The public, as well as members of Congress, have continued to pressure Pelosi to move forward with what some saw as an inevitable outcome.

Impeachment.

The process of impeachment can get a little confusing. The New York Times equates it to being indicted. Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton have been the only two presidents to be impeached, and acquitted, in our presidential history.

Despite the common misconception, Richard Nixon was not impeached and

resigned in 1974 to avoid any further conflict.

Potentially, in Trump’s case, six different House committees will continue to investigate his impeachable offenses with their findings being sent off to the Judiciary Committee. If the offenses hold true, the case moves to the House where they vote on whether or not the evidence is sufficient enough for impeachment. If the majority votes yes, he is impeached.

But that does not mean he is removed from office. The senate has to vote and if twothirds or more find the president guilty, he will be thrown out of office and the vice president will serve in his place. As of Wednesday, Pelosi has not made any action to bring anything to the House floor.

But this situation leads us to a broader question -- how do we ensure that our government leaders, the rich and anyone else that separates themselves from the general public, are being held accountable if they violate legal and ethical codes?

Pelosi has been clear in saying that no one is above the law, which should include people who have power and influence in our society. While the media is used to beating that sentiment into our brains, there is still a lack of consequences and questioning for people with a higher socioeconomic standing.

This is not a novel 21st century idea.

In 1964, Justice Arthur Goldberg argued that despite our legal system being considered fair through the use of due process

and equal protection clauses, the poorer you are the less likely you are to be truly served justice. Having to choose between a $100 fine versus spending 30 days in jail is a no brainer to someone who makes over $100,000 a year after taxes. It’s hard to fathom that a lesson was truly learned with the swipe of a pen and a checkbook.

The debate around whether or not Trump will be found guilty of violating federal campaign finance law is still up in the air. The whistleblower is not scheduled to appear before Congress but has agreed to potentially appear in the future, CNN reports. At this point it is more of a waiting game. Trump is not the first president to be investigated for impeachment and is surely not the first billionaire to run into legal trouble. Our main goal should be to encourage members of Congress to uphold a high standard of justice, regardless of political party, social or economic influence.

dropped from the student services fees’ good graces.

USAF and all servicemen serve with the mantra of duty, honor, country. If any do not, it is probably the result of a cascading lax attitude throughout ranks, that would permit something like blatant personal profit with American military funds. No one should be afraid of holding military spending accountable, including the military itself — maybe there were USAF officers who wanted to, but couldn’t overcome the inertia of irresponsible spending. And no one should be afraid of accountability within the office of the president, either. But as USAF is well equipped to counter, these are turbulent times.

Uma Venkata welcomes comments at uvenkata@mndaily.com.

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

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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

An (otherwise unstated) institutional inequity

S

ince 2015, the University of Minnesota has invested significantly on behalf of students with mental health issues and related stigma. It has held multiple convocations on the issue and significantly increased funding and staff of Boynton Mental Health Services. Student government leaders have made student mental health tentpole issues in their advocacy. However, no such advocacy has occurred on behalf of the numerous students with disabilities and chronic illnesses. The dearth of this common dialogue is apparent throughout our University to anyone with a disability. Many students in professional programs choose to never disclose their disability status, because they have a real fear of reprisals for requesting accommodation to which they have legal right. This is not an idle concern, as at a recent meeting, several faculty representatives insinuated that they were concerned students would “fake” disabilities in order

to gain accommodations and thus, an unfair advantage in their classes. This displays a lack of understanding of the process students need to go through to have their disabilities and chronic illness officially confirmed by the University, which then entitles them to the legal right for accommodations.

It is minimally estimated that 25 to 33 percent of the entire student body are students with disabilities, chronic illness and/or mental health concerns. Many receive services from the Disability Resource Center (DRC). Forty-four percent of the caseload of the DRC are students with mental health diagnoses. This means that 56 percent of their caseload are students with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Yet this campus is mostly silent about their needs. Since 2015, there have been no convocations about students with disabilities. There have been no Provost- 2 level committees formed on behalf of students with disabilities. Neither President Kaler nor President Gabel have made public comment regarding issues faced by students with disabilities. In most University meetings on equity and diversity, issues faced by students with disabilities are rarely, if ever, mentioned. An example of this disparity in meeting needs is that since 2015 much has been done to make restrooms accessible to gender nonbinary people. Yet, a disabled student must formally request an accommodation to have a button door opener installed on the exterior door of a bathroom not already

so equipped AND the student must justify why they are in that building and having to use a bathroom doesn’t count.

It is painfully obvious to many students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses that many within our University view the needs of students with disabilities negatively or are completely oblivious to them, in stark contrast to their views on the needs of students with mental health issues. We can truly support all our students by changing only slightly how we discuss and consider issues of disability, chronic illness and mental health concerns.

Faculty, staff and the DRC can support students with disabilities and provide necessary support for students facing mental health concerns. Doing less is institutional failure to address latent discrimination.

It is also a violation of students’ federally mandated civil rights.

Written by Ryan J. Machtmes, president of the Organization for Graduate and Professional Students with Disabilities.

This letter to the editor has been lightly edited for style and clarity.

THE EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPARTMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEWSROOM

7

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

MN DAILY

HOROSCOPES

Today’s Birthday (9/26): Ask for what you want this year.

Provide stable, reliable attention for domestic harmony and beauty. Fix up your place for family gatherings this winter, before adapting to a career shift. Summer diplomacy corrects a misunderstanding, before a professional spotlight shines your way. Express your passion.

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 an 8 — Trust a crazy hunch about your physical work or health.

Watch for surprises or potential collisions. Take it easy, and handle priorities close to home.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 5 — Slow down, and reconsider your actions. Recent changes require adaptation. Invest in efficiency.

Check your suppositions. Rest and shift plans.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 7 — Make no assumptions, especially regarding love and romance. If you want to know something, ask it directly. Symbols don’t get through.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is an 8 — A team project requires a temporary fix. Solutions arise in conversation. Take immediate action to grab an opportunity. A window is closing.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is a 6 — Take advantage of a bargain for your home. Find domestic solutions secondhand. Handle immediate objectives, and resolve long-term solutions later.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — A career opportunity takes quick action. Expect a test. Practice makes perfect. Words can be deceptive. Run reality checks and balances.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 7 — A conversation could get uncomfortable. Focus talk and action toward urgent matters. Revisit this issue later; for now, listen and offer resources.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 7 — You can learn without direct experience. Discover tricks, cultures and views through another’s perspective. Avoid risk and expense.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — Divert a trickle from positive cash flow toward savings.

A steady stream of pennies adds up over time.

Handle short-term priorities.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is an 8 — Strategize with a partner for financial gain. Collaborate to get necessary funding or support. Grab a temporary opportunity without expensive risk.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Expect energy surges, balance activity with rest. A surprise requires personal attention. Grab a short-term opportunity, find longer-lasting solutions later.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 7 — A partner’s view is important. Don’t make an important decision until you’ve worked it out together. Consider logistics, practical details and emotional impact.

DR. DATE Dr. Date,

I met this guy through mutual friends a few weeks ago. He’s obviously super into me, and I’m pretty into him, enough to let him ask me on a few dates. Problem?

He’s kind of an asshole. It’s like he’s straight out of a bad teen movie — he’s smoking cigarettes and talking shit about people one moment, then doing something super sweet like bringing me soup when I’m sick like 10 minutes later.

High school, much?

I like him and want to go out more, but the longer we spend together the more I realize his asshole-ness can be taken out on me sometimes. Just minor things, like him making a smart remark when I say something a little obvious, but it still hurts my feelings. I don’t know if I’m overreacting or if this is a red flag, and he wants to go out next week, so I should decide soon.

What should I do?

–Okay, Maybe?

Dear Okay, Maybe?,

Look, being kind of an asshole can definitely be a turn-on for some, but it sounds like it’s not for you. Don’t date a guy who will make you feel bad for innocuous remarks — next, you’ll say you like flowers, and he’ll talk about how they die in a week. If you really want to date this dude, bring up how you feel and see what happens, but also know that you can’t get people to change their entire personality. Sometimes there’s just not much you can do, and you’re way too good to sit there and take some stupid remarks from guys who still smoke cigarettes (it’s 2019, people!!!!).

–Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

Like many college students, I have a mild drinking problem. Last weekend I was at a party with some friends, and when we showed up, I saw this guy I was into was also there. Rather than deal with it like an adult and ask him out, I decided to get wasted. While I don’t remember the night, my friends told me he was also very drunk, and we were together the whole time until we ran off somewhere.

Meanwhile, I woke up the next day with him in my bed and an open email on my phone saying ‘Congrats on signing your lease!’

Apparently at three in the morning we thought it would be a good idea to sign on a one-bedroom apartment together.

Not only did I drop $500 on the security deposit and background check, but I drunkenly called my mom and said I was moving in with my new boyfriend.

My crush hasn’t talked to me since that morning, my mother won’t STOP talking to me, and it’s $1000 to break the lease.

What do I do?

–Housing Crisis

Dear Housing Crisis,

Nothing like legal documents to bring two people together, I guess? I’ve heard of moving fast but that doesn’t normally mean moving IN fast…

Bad jokes aside, there’s no way you can live with him in a one-bedroom apartment. Either one of you is sleeping on the couch for a year or you’re breaking the lease. If you’re really desperate, start a GoFundMe with the dramatic story and harass your friends and family to donate until they offer to let you stay at their place. Alternatively, join the ranks of people begging for subleasers on Facebook. UMN Off-Campus Housing and Subleases is waiting for you!

–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.

9/26/19

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

Last issue’s solution

© 2019 Michael Mepham.

Distributed by Tribune Media Services.

All rights reserved.

8

Thursday, September 26, 2019

New Humphrey professor focuses on intersection of disasters, oppression Fayola Jacobs has a background in disaster and urban planning.

BY NIAMH COOMEY NCOOMEY@MNDAILY.COM The University of Minnesota introduced a new assistant professor to the Humphrey School of Public Affairs this fall with a unique perspective on urban and disaster planning.

Assistant professor Fayola Jacobs brings a black feminist lens to topics of disaster planning, environmental justice and urban planning. After participating in a University initiative this past year as a postdoctoral associate, Jacobs began a faculty role in the urban and regional planning program for the fall.

Jacobs grew up on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, where she experienced frequent hurricanes and other disasters growing up. While she did not realize it at the time, she said, disasters would end up framing the way she views oppression, historical racism, the environment and urban communities today.

Wh i l e d i s a s t e r s a re a horrible, traumatic occurrence, they create a tight sense of community that can shed a light on ways to reimagine a different future, Jacobs said.

“It was obviously a sad time, but ... you see all these people that you haven’t seen in years and people are talking to each other and connecting and checking on each other,” she said.

Jacobs said disasters can make inequities more visible, such as when poorer communities are hit harder by disasters due to infrastructure that is

less maintained, or when certain groups live in more vulnerable areas due to historical oppression.

Jacobs mentioned the flat coastal areas of St. Kitts, where enslaved people used to work on sugar cane plantations, and how these areas are more susceptible to hurricanes. These historically oppressed communities still live in the areas today, she said, and suffer from more disasters than other groups.

After completing her undergraduate degree at Y ork Un iversity in T o ro n t o , J a c o b s s p e n t around three years running anti-oppression workshops. Her goal was to make safe places for people of color and immigrants to access mental health support, something that is typically viewed as very white, she said.

It was during this experience, she said, that she realized teaching would always be a part of her.

Humphrey School Dean Laura Bloomberg noted Jacobs’ special ability to understand students and teach in ways effective to them.

“Like all good educators, she has an empathic view of the learners,” Bloomberg said. ”She can get inside the head of the learners and think, ‘What is going to resonate with them?’”

Jacobs continued her education at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where she said she discovered her passion for disasters.

After earning her Ph.D. at Texas A&M University, where she was able to learn from many big names in urban planning and disaster research, Jacobs moved to Minneapolis. Here, she joined the Co-Developing Research and Engaged A p p ro a c h e s t o T r a n s form Environments initiative at the University.

Fayola Jacobs, an assistant professor at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 24.

“I’m excited to be at the U teaching and learning with students who are passionate about working with communities to understand and solve complex social justice issues.” (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

CREATE is a community-based program that examines how environmentally friendly resources and clean water can be more accessible and equitable.

Jacobs emphasized that she hopes to contribute to the communities in the area and wants to be aware of the ways she is impacting those around her.

She said she wants to be cognizant of her possible contribution to gentrification and the history of the land she is inhabiting.

Mira Klein, a research associate with the CREATE initiative, said she worked closely with Jacobs. She said the work was made easier by the fact that Jacobs was funny, sarcastic and joyous.

”I think that there’s a different type of work that people are able to accomplish when we like each other,” Klein said. “The conversations that we’ve been able to have and the relationship that we’ve been able to build, especially on a community-based project, have been more sincere and authentic and successful because she’s fun.”

Jacobs said because oppressed groups have often been denied resources and access to higher education in the past, their knowledge isn’t always represented in mainstream scholarly material.

“If we are acknowledging that people have been denied resources, the reality is, their knowledge

might not show up in an academic paper,” she said.

“But where might it show up?”

J a c o b s w o rk s t o i n clude a more diverse range of materials and tools to teach her students in nontraditional ways, such as engaging with podcasts, blogs and social media pages created by activists.

University Ph.D. s t u d e n t J u l i a B ro k a w said she is already learning a lot in Jacobs’ environmental justice class, and emphasized her ability to make students feel comfortable in the classroom.

“When you have a really great teacher they just have like an aura about them, that when they walk into the room you can

already just feel that it’s a space where your voices are heard,” Brokaw said.

“If we are acknowledging that people have been denied resources, the reality is, their knowledge might not show up in an academic paper,” she said. “But where might it show up?”

FAYOLA JACOBS assistant professor at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs