October 24, 2019

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SERVING THE UMN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900

CRIME

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Intl. students resist federal case The case would disband a work training program for graduates.

Attendees exchanged concerns with officials on violent crime in the Marcy-Homes area.

BY JIANG LI jli@mndaily.com

BY TAYLOR SCHROEDER tschroeder@mndaily.com

A

federal court case is seeking to disband a work training program for graduated international students, prompting many in the University of Minnesota community to fight back.

The Optional Practical Training program is part of a U.S. F-1 visa employment regulation that permits students to do work in a field directly related to their major for 12 months after completing their degree, according to the Immigration Response Team Director Marissa Hill-Dongre.

On July 1, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia allowed a decade-old case to further proceed, challenging the legality of the OPT program. The court is accepting amicus curiae briefs until Oct. 25, meaning parties can submit their perspectives about the OPT program in efforts to influence the court’s decision, according to the Association of International Educators.

In response to the program’s potential termination, the University’s IRT and International Student and Scholar Services gathered perspectives from a number of University members to submit to the federal court, including ISSS

During the last academic year, workers at the University struggled to find last minute child care for their children during school and daycare closures, said AFSCME President Cherrene Horazuk.

Hourly workers, who often aren’t able to work from home, are impacted the most by extreme weather situations and closures, she said.

“It’s more challenging for unionized staff and civil service staff to kind of have that flexibility,” she said. “We’re expected to be here.”

Human resource units in different departments were interpreting employee rules differently, Horazuk said, which lead to misunderstandings.

“We were telling our members you can use sick leave in order to deal with school closures or child care issues and they were being told by HR ‘no you can’t,’” she said.

“A lot of the departmental HR staff just didn’t know.”

Recent violent crimes in Marcy-Holmes promoted local officials and community members to meet Tuesday to again address safety concerns.

The Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association held their fourth safety meeting this year at the First Congressional Church following a homicide occurring a short distance from the University of Minnesota campus. Some residents expressed concerns that short police staffing is contributing to crime in the Minneapolis Police Department’s 2nd Precinct, which includes Marcy-Holmes.

Others called for more transparency on the University’s part.

Around 5 a.m. on Oct. 16, 27-year-old military veteran Abdoulaye Nene Cisse died at Hennepin Healthcare of a stab wound from an incident taking place near the intersection of 7th Street Southeast and 5th Avenue Southeast.

The last MHNA safety meeting took place on Sept. 16 after an early morning attempted abduction of a University student on 6th Street Southeast. Since the last meeting, the University has sent out six SAFE-U notifications for crimes on or near campus, three of which took place in MarcyHolmes.

In one of these alerts, a chain of two robberies was reported in Marcy-Holmes on Oct. 18. One robbery occurred at the intersection of 15th Avenue Southeast and 8th Street Southeast. The other occurred at the intersection of 14th Avenue Southeast and 6th Street Southeast. Both events occurred around 8:50 p.m.

MPD Inspector Todd Loining of the 2nd Precinct assured community members the precinct has provided additional officers who patrol Marcy-Holmes every Friday and Saturday night since the end of August. These additional patrols will last until the end of October.

The influx of traffic to the area in the fall months from outside of Southeast Minneapolis neighborhoods are cause for the heightened patrols, Loining said.

Since the last neighborhood safety meeting, MPD has also begun additional morning patrols to provide more public security.

“For the past four weeks, every morning, at the very end of our overnight shift, we hold officers for overtime to patrol specifically Marcy-Holmes because of the

u See COLD Page 3

u See MARCY-HOLMES Page 3

ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

staff who recruit international students worldwide and career counselors who help students connect with work in their field following graduation.

“I think it is really important that the court hears the perspectives not just of the federal government but about the people whose lives are directly impacted,” HillDongre said.

In addition to the 12-month OPT program, the case’s outcome could affect the STEM OPT extension, which grants graduates 24 months of temporary training.

Hill-Dongre said that there are some people who think students abuse the OPT program by working positions outside of their

field of study.

“There are benefits not just to individual students but also to the U.S. job markets and to the communities where these students live and work,” Hill-Dongre said.

ISSS and IRT reached out to international students currently using the OPT program and sent out emails to graduates asking about the program’s value and impact if it were discontinued.

University graduate Da Song, who is now a full-time software engineer at Minneapolis-based Anser Innovation LLC, said he has his current position thanks to the OPT program. “[The] OPT program is a really good program ... it helps me a lot,”

Song said. “It gives me a chance of getting legal working identity pretty easy. OPT program simplifies the process to recruit international students. If we don’t have that policy, it will be really hard for international students to find their first job.”

Song said he has already applied for the two-year STEM OPT extension.

Hill-Dongre said many students who shared stories about their experiences with the OPT program said it laid the foundation for their careers and provided them with more options going forward. Many also said the OPT program played u See TRAINING Page 3

FACULTY & STAFF

After winter school closures, U child-care rules clarified Groups are looking to clarify language used in U employee contracts.

BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com

After extreme winter weather caused school and daycare closings earlier this year, groups at the University of Minnesota are making efforts to clarify language ensuring that employees can provide unscheduled care for their children.

The Civil Service Consultative Committee has drafted language to add to their employee rules that clarifies how sick leave can be used for employees’ children when unscheduled child care is necessary.

Hearings for the proposed change will take place early next month.

Other groups on campus, such as AFSCME Local 3800, a union of clerical workers on campus, are pushing for similar additions to clarify language in their contracts.

The proposed language addition to the civil service employee

Sarah Vast, human resources assistant for the University of Minnesota, poses for a portrait outside Peik Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

(Sydni Rose / Minnesota Daily)

rules would make it clearer that employees can use sick leave to care for children in any instances when unscheduled care is needed.

“Up to two (2) days per incident of approved sick leave may be used to care for an employee’s child in case of an unscheduled school or

day care closing,” the proposed addition reads.

This new language would only impact civil service workers, but workers under other job classifications at the University say they struggled with confusion over the rules last winter as well.

VOLLEYBALL

Taylor Morgan changes her leadership approach in senior season

BUSINESS Middle Blocker Taylor Morgan celebrates a scored point at the Maturi Pavilion on Saturday, Oct. 19. The Gophers defeated Illinois three sets to one.

(Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

In her fifth year, Morgan has become the selfproclaimed “grandma” of the volleyball team.

BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com

Leadership comes naturally for Taylor Morgan.

Even so, the Gophers’ redshirt senior middle blocker is looking to change her approach. In her final season, Morgan wants to soften her style and take a step back. She wants to be the leader that listens before taking charge, the leader her teammates can come to and know she’ll have their back.

Morgan’s relationship with her sisters is one of the factors that led to this change of philosophy. She said she’s grown closer to her sisters over the course of her collegiate career and wants

Community meets about recent crime

to be there for them, be their “soft place to land on.” She wants to be that for her teammates as well. That being said, when the team needs her to step up, Morgan won’t hesitate. If the team has their backs against the wall, Morgan can often be seen firing them up.

“It is something that when in doubt, I’m going to just do it,” she said. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, it’s just how I am I guess.”

Morgan is learning to pick her spots, knowing when the team needs her tough love and knowing when they need that

soft place to land on. The selfproclaimed “grandma” of the team wants them to know, when she cracks the whip, it’s with the best of intentions.

“They’re my girls. I love them to death,” Morgan said. “I love them all to death, and I know sometimes it doesn’t come across because I am so headstrong, disciplinarian, leader-type of person.

But my intentions are, ‘I just want the best for you, and I know you can do it and I’ve seen you do it. I just want you to believe in yourself as much as I believe in you u See MORGAN Page 4

Former Bonchon workers celebrate wage theft settlement in Dinkytown The workers addressed alleged wage theft at Bonchon’s location in Uptown Minneapolis.

BY BROOKE SHEEHY bsheehy@mndaily.com Former Bonchon franchise employees and advocates gathered Tuesday evening in front of the newly opened Dinkytown location to announce a recent settlement for allegedly stolen wages.

At the press conference, the former employees detailed allegations of wage theft at Bonchon’s Uptown location, including paying workers under the minimum wage and withholding a large portion of tips. Employees came forward with these allegations last December.

The ex-Bonchon workers partnered with Restaurant Opportunities Center of Minnesota to put public pressure on the restaurant to repay alleged stolen wages.

Many workers also filed complaints of withheld tips and minimum wage violations with both the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry and the Minne-

apolis Department of Civil Rights.

A rally on May 7 outside of Bonchon’s Uptown location and the attention it brought helped compel the franchise to compensate workers for a partial amount of what they owed and publicly respond on their Facebook page, according to an ROC press release.

Toward the end of this past summer, the City of Minneapolis Labor Standards Enforcement Division, alongside Bonchon’s legal representative, reached a final settlement.

“We are here today to celebrate a victory in the restaurant industry,” said ROC volunteer Erin Lynch.

Lynch said that while the franchise was withholding wages from their employees, they were using that money to open a new franchise in Dinkytown.

“Thank goodness we had a victory because that means workers at [the Dinkytown] location are now being paid the minimum wage … are being granted paid sick time off … and they have a better workplace,” Lynch said. u See BONCHON Page 3 VOLUME 120 ISSUE 16

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Junior Brittany Horn competes against the University of Florida at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on Friday, Oct. 11. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

City to study rent stabilization Potential policy could cap how much landlords can increase city rents.

BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com Minneapolis city officials are considering capping how much landlords can increase rent.

The Minneapolis City Council approved a request earlier this month by city staff to hire consultants to study rent stabilization in Minneapolis.

The study will detail the potential economic impact of rent stabilization, which typically limits rent increases per year, and possible strategies for its implementation in Minneapolis.

“I’m excited about it, it’s something I’ve thought we should look at for a long time,” said Ward 2 City Council member Cam Gordon. “It gives us the hope in being able to make it easier for people to live in the city and stay in the city.”

The study will establish baselines for yearly

ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

rent increases, analyze the potential impacts on landlords and renters and provide policy models to consider.

“Rent stabilization is an important idea that needs to be initiated in Minneapolis, St. Paul and certainly other cities across the country,” said Edward Goetz, director of the Center for Urban and

Regional Affairs.

In other cities, like N e w Y o rk C i t y , r e n t stabilization and rent control policies have been implemented for decades — stemming back to the 1920s.

Developers and landlords often do not support rent stabilization measures because they might see it as detrimental to

their success in the marketplace, Goetz said.

“People have this idea that rent control would kill the housing market,” he said. “Those are old arguments that aren’t entirely accurate given the many different ways rent stabilization can be designed and implemented.”

The city’s interest in rent stabilization was in part prompted by an earlier report by a local team of city council members, city staff and community leaders as part of the national Anti-Displacement Policy Network initiative. This report looked into a variety of anti-displacement policies including rent stabilization.

“Rent stabilization is worth looking into, because it is the broadest, cheapest, and most effective way to support renter stability, said Tram Hoang, policy advocate for a local ADPN team, The Alliance Inc., in an email to the Minnesota Daily.

“The majority of housing in our city exists in the private market, and in this moment, there is no limit to what a landlord can

increase rent by.”

While community leaders in neighborhoods around the University of Minnesota expressed an interest for rent stabilization, they were cautious of its effects.

Marcy-Holmes resident and neighborhood association member Marcus Mills said rent caps could deter new developers.

“Rent control works relatively well in places that aren’t really building new buildings,” he said.

“While I’m not particularly in favor of the developer, I at least get the math.”

Karl Smith, president of Southeast Como Improvement Association, said rent stabilization is only piece of the housing conversation.

“The cost of housing has been a regular topic of conversation,” he said. “Since our neighborhood, like the rest of the University district, is predominantly renters, it’s a huge concern.”

City staff will update the City Council’s Housing Policy & Development Committee

by Nov. 13.

University officials weigh funding request UMN, state officials question if a large HEAPR amount is the right strategy.

BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com After the Legislature failed to pass a bonding bill last session, University of Minnesota officials are weighing how to maximize funding from the Capitol for infrastructure needs.

The Board of Regents approved the University’s 2020 capital request to the Legislature earlier this month, which includes $200 million for Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement funding to maintain the University’s existing infrastructure.

While some lawmakers favor the approach, some University officials say a large HEAPR ask may not be

the right strategy.

The University’s 2019 capital request went unfulfilled after the capital bonding bill failed in the Senate last legislative session. This year’s $317.2 million ask contains specific infrastructure projects from last year’s request, like the Institute of Child Development and A.B. Anderson Hall on the Duluth campus, while about two-thirds of request would go toward HEAPR. “The Legislature has made it pretty clear that the priority is maintaining the current stock of facilities before we would engage in major investments in new facilities and that’s it,” Regent Darrin Rosha said. “That was the administration’s recommendation, and I thought that was sound.”

Historically, the Legislature grants part of the University’s HEAPR request. The last request,

which was fulfilled in 2018, included just $45 million of the full $200 million request. The downside of a significant HEAPR ask is that it may overshadow the most pressing needs of specific buildings in the University system, said Regent Michael Hsu. Buildings like A.B. Anderson Hall, where classes are canceled when the weather gets too warm because it’s not air conditioned, or the Institute of Child Development, which went unfunded last year, get moved further down the list, he said.

“We need new stuff [and] we also need to take care of our old stuff,” Hsu said. “But when you start saying ‘we need all this HEAPR money but we’re going to take HEAPR money over these new projects that are also necessary,’ then you put the University in a

bad position.”

Lawmakers are often attracted to newer projects over funding that would update the University’s infrastructure, said Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, ranking minority member of the Senate capital investment committee. But the University’s approach to addressing their backlog of repairs via HEAPR should be the focus, she said.

“It’s clear when you’ve been around for as many years as I have that we’re not keeping up with the HEAPR needs of the University,” Pappas said. “It’s not like they’re springing on us some fancy new project — they’re just trying to do the job of taking care of what they have and keeping up with that.”

Sen. David Senjem, R-Rochester, chair of the Senate’s capital investment

committee, said the absence of a bonding bill last session doesn’t necessarily mean more of the University’s request will be fulfilled this year.

While he understands the University’s needs, it is still in competition with the $5 billion in bonding requests from stakeholders statewide.

“We work with the University, we talk these things through and try to find that right balance,” Senjem said. “We’ll just do our best in terms of trying to meet those needs.”

Lawmakers on the House and Senate capital investment committees are currently in southeastern Minnesota as part of a tour of the state to assess various stakeholders’ needs. According to Senjem, tours of the University’s Twin Cities campus will take place sometime next month.

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Thursday, October 24, 2019

Training u from Page 1

a large role in their decision to study in the U.S. rather than other countries.

Maggie Tomas, the director of the graduate business career center at the Carlson School of Management, said she does not know of many companies that want to cancel the

OPT program.

“Companies are usually very pleased with the qualities of our international students,” Tomas said. “They are really smart. They have high test scores. They typically speak multiple languages, and they have experience working not only here in the U.S., but back in their home country, so they come with a more global mindset.”

Tomas said it is not fair that international students often do not have as many job opportunities as domestic students, because many companies are hesitant to sponsor international students for their work visas.

“International students tend to be very loyal to a company that is willing to go out on a limb and hire them and sponsor them,” Tomas said.

Bonchon u from Page 1

Minneapolis Police Officer Todd Loining addresses concerns regarding safety in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood at the First Congregational Church on Tuesday, Oct. 22. (Emily Urfer / Minnesota Daily)

Marcy-Holmes u from Page 1

crime that has occurred,” said Loining at the meeting. “Some of the sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults have occurred in those early morning hours.”

Despite these increases, community members voiced questions over police staffing in relation to Marcy-Holmes’ popula tion increase at Tuesday’s meeting.

Residents also expressed concerns over the University’s safety notification policy after the school did not provide the campus with a SAFE-U notification of the homicide.

The Clery Act, which mandates that public colleges and universities

send safety notifications of crimes that represent a threat to public safety on campus, only requires the school to consider sending an alert out for crimes that occur off-campus said University of Minnesota Police Chief Matt Clark.

“I don’t care if it’s Clery Act or not, find out where your students live and get an email to them, put them on a list for Marcy-Holmes.

This is not all right for people to learn several days later what happened blocks from where they lived,” said Marcy-Holmes resident Cordelia Pierson at the meeting.

Proximity to the University, if a student or faculty member is involved in the incident and a pattern of crime are all considered when sending out a SAFEU notification, Clark said.

“There’s faculty living across the street and staff living next door to me. No, they weren’t the victim of this crime but we are all victims of this trauma,” said Pierson. “So it is not enough to say that students, faculty or staff were not directly involved with the incident — because each of us were.”

“Some of the sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults have occurred in those early morning hours.”

TODD LOINING MPD inspector

R. Henry Pfutzenreuter, attorney for Sam Zheng, the owner of Bonchon Uptown, previously told the Minnesota Daily that the minimum wage issues stemmed from a misunderstanding on Zheng’s part about the city’s two minimum wages: one for small businesses and one for large businesses.

Former Bonchon employees Mya Bradford and Sharon Record said they were unaware of labor movements and their rights as workers at the time. Bradford and Record said they felt something was wrong with their abnormally low hourly wages and the way their tips were distributed. But, as their first jobs in the restaurant industry, they thought that was “just how it is.”

“We were not valued for our hard work, and [Bonchon] didn’t respect our basic rights,” Bradford said.

“Everyone has hardships in life, but you don’t have to

Erin Lynch of the Restaurant Opportunities Center of Minnesota announces a settlement for alleged stolen wages outside of Bonchon in Dinkytown on Tuesday, Oct. 22.

(Liam Armstrong / Minnesota Daily).

deal with them alone. If we come together we can win.”

Bradford, trying to pay her way through school, said that she wasn’t familiar enough with labor laws to know her wages were too low. She alleges a portion of her tips were withheld, but that she didn’t realize it until the settlement.

“When you have a child and when you have a college career that you are trying to pursue, it is hard to do when you are being taken advantage of and not knowing that you are,” Bradford said.

Bradford, Lynch and Record said that it is

Locals consider future plans for St. Anthony Falls lock and dam Cold A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study will guide the site’s future ownership.

u from Page 1

BY EMMA DILL edill@mndaily.com

Local officials and groups are weighing how to move forward with plans to redesign public areas near the lock and dam at Upper St. Anthony Falls.

The area, which is owned by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, closed to commercial shipping in 2015 to curb the spread of invasive carp species in the Mississippi River. Since then, some local officials and organizations have advocated to make the area more accessible to the public and to add more educational resources.

The future of the site depends on which stakeholder will take over the lock and dam.

One solution proposed by the Friends of the Lock and Dam, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit, would add a welcome center to the site and improve recreational access to the Mississippi River, said Mark Andrew, the group’s president.

A competing plan from hydroelectricity company Crown Hydro proposes installing a turbine that would generate electricity using water flowing over the falls.

The plan encountered a major setback when Xcel Energy terminated its contract with the company last year.

The Crown Hydro proposal does not align with the City of Minneapolis’s vision for the riverfront area, said Ward 3 City Council member Steve Fletcher. The Minneapolis City Council approved a resolution in

The view from the Stone Arch Bridge facing St. Anthony Falls as seen on Sunday, Nov. 4.

(Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)

April 2018 supporting the Friends of the Lock and Dam plan.

Determining which plan is implemented will depend on what government entity the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decides will take control of the site, Andrew said. City, state or federal agencies could take control.

A study by the U.S. Army Corps to be released this spring will use public input to determine the site’s future ownership.

In order for either Crown Hydro or Friends of the Lock and Dam to implement their plans for the site, they will have to partner with the government entity that assumes control of the area.

The Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association board informally approved a letter last week supporting the Friends of the Lock and Dam proposal. The letter was drafted and brought forward by the St. Anthony Falls Alliance, a collection

of neighborhood associations including the MHNA, and addressed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

MHNA Executive Director Chris Lautenschlager said the organization supports making the falls area more accessible to the public, which is also a goal laid out in the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation’s Central Mississippi Riverfront master plan.

St. Anthony Falls currently draws thousands of Minneapolis residents and tourists each year, but plans put forward by the Friends of the Lock and Dam would teach visitors about the area’s past, Andrew said.

“It’s got all this history that hasn’t been told properly,” he said. “Our aspiration is to create an internationally significant project that will draw people from around the world.”

The project’s price tag will be in the “tens of millions of dollars” and will be

financed through public and private funds, Andrew said.

Moving forward, Friends of the Lock and Dam will hold engagement sessions in neighborhoods near St. Anthony Falls, which will include the campus community, Andrew said.

“Students will be a substantial stakeholder community because of the proximity between the central riverfront and the University,” he said. “We want to activate as much participation with the student community as we can.”

Fletcher said he hopes that the implemented plans will make the river more of a focus in the neighborhoods surrounding the Falls.

“We really want to make sure that the river is for everyone. We’re really trying to increase access. We want to clean and restore the river and make it something that’s a valuable asset for everybody who lives along the river,” he said.

During contract negotiations with the University, which have been ongoing this semester, AFSCME requested that clarifying language about the use of sick leave and unscheduled child care be added to their contract.

“It’s good to codify it and be more explicit so that people can take the time when needed,” she said.

Some employees had to take their children to work when they were not able to find last minute care.

Sarah Vast, an HR assistant in the College of Education and Human Development and AFSCME member, has a 9-year-old son. Last year, when Vast’s son was in third grade, his school had many closings due to the cold and snow.

Several of Vast’s coworkers had the same struggle, even coordinating and reserving a meeting room where their children could play together during the work day.

It helped that their children were older and able to entertain themselves, Vast said, but it was still challenging.

“It would still be better if the U would close or if they would encourage people to use the time that we’ve earned to have off to take care of our children,” Vast said.

Vast, who worked in the University’s Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility last winter, was familiar with the contract’s language and used a combination of sick leave and vacation time to stay home for several days.

There was still pressure to come to campus though, Vast said, due to their

important for all workers, no matter the industry, to educate themselves on their legal rights, recognize when they are being taken advantage of and seek help to be able to stand up for themselves and all workers.

A state law that went into effect Aug. 1 made wage theft, including minimum wage violations, a felony.

“Today we are standing up to say that our fights and our wins are not about individual restaurants and locations, but the rights of all working people throughout the Twin Cities,” Lynch said.

workload and difficulty getting their supervisor to agree to the time off.

Much of the confusion was the result of varying degrees of institutional knowledge within HR units, Horazuk said.

“Interpretation of rules, contract language, policies, are really left up to the level of diligence that an HR person might be putting into it or that a supervisor might know about it,” she said.

If approved in the upcoming hearings, the proposed changes to the civil service employee rules will be provided to President Joan Gabel to be presented to the Board of Regents, potentially at the December meeting, Committee Chair Jean Otto said in an email.

The changes to AFSCME contracts will go into effect when the entirety of their contract is done being negotiated, Horazuk said.

The union has also put a proposal forward during contract negotiations for the University regarding closures and how they affect workers. One request within the proposal is that if classes are cancelled due to unsafe conditions, employees are able to decide to work from home.

“It would still be better if the U would close or if they would encourage people to use the time that we’ve earned to have off to take care of our children,” SARAH VAST HR assistant in CEHD

University of Minnesota, government officials weigh HEAPR-heavy capital request A shortcoming in funds last year led officals to rethink its asking strategy.

BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com

After the Legislature failed to pass a bonding bill last session, University of Minnesota officials are weighing how to maximize funding from the Capitol for infrastructure needs.

The Board of Regents approved the University’s 2020 capital request to the Legislature earlier this month, which includes $200 million for Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement funding to maintain the University’s existing infra-

structure. While some lawmakers favor the approach, some University officials say a large HEAPR ask may not be the right strategy.

The University’s 2019 capital request went unfulfilled after the capital bonding bill failed in the Senate last legislative session. This year’s $317.2 million ask contains specific infrastructure projects from last year’s request, like the Institute of Child Development and A.B. Anderson Hall on the Duluth campus, while about twothirds of request would go toward HEAPR. “The Legislature has made it pretty clear that the priority is maintaining the current stock of facilities before we would engage in

major investments in new facilities and that’s it,” said Regent Darrin Rosha. “That was the administration’s recommendation, and I thought that was sound.”

Historically, the Legislature grants part of the University’s HEAPR request.

The last request, which was fulfilled in 2018, included just $45 million of the full $200 million request. The downside of a significant HEAPR ask is that it may overshadow the most pressing needs of specific buildings in the University system, said Regent Michael Hsu. Buildings like A.B. Anderson Hall, where classes are canceled when the weather gets too warm because it’s not air conditioned, or the

Institute of Child Development, which went unfunded last year, get moved further down the list, he said.

“We need new stuff [and] we also need to take care of our old stuff,” Hsu said. “But when you start saying ‘we need all this HEAPR money but we’re going to take HEAPR money over these new projects that are also necessary,’ then you put the University in a bad position.”

Lawmakers are often attracted to newer projects over funding that would update the University’s infrastructure, said Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, ranking minority member of the Senate capital investment committee. But the University’s approach

to addressing their backlog of repairs via HEAPR should be the focus, she said.

“It’s clear when you’ve been around for as many years as I have that we’re not keeping up with the HEAPR needs of the University,” Pappas said. “It’s not like they’re springing on us some fancy new project — they’re just trying to do the job of taking care of what they have and keeping up with that.”

Sen. David Senjem, R-Rochester, chair of the Senate’s capital investment committee, said the absence of a bonding bill last session doesn’t necessarily mean more of the University’s request will be fulfilled this year.

While he understands the University’s needs, it is still in competition with the $5 billion in bonding requests from stakeholders statewide.

“We work with the University, we talk these things through and try to find that right balance,” Senjem said.

“We’ll just do our best in terms of trying to meet those needs.”

Lawmakers on the House and Senate capital investment committees are currently in southeastern Minnesota as part of a tour of the state to assess various stakeholders’ needs. According to Senjem, tours of the University’s Twin Cities campus will take place sometime next month.

4

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

FOOTBALL

St-Juste’s path to Minnesota pays off St-Juste provides secondary depth in his first season with the Gophers.

BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com Through the first seven games of 2019, Minnesota’s secondary has quietly put together one of the strongest seasons of any of the team’s position groups. The Gophers currently rank No. 7 in the Footbal Bowl Subdivision pass defense efficiency, thanks to a deep rotation of defensive backs.

P l a y e r s t h ro u g h o u t the unit have taken unique journeys to their current roles. Redshirt senior Chris Williamson transferred to Minnesota after playing two seasons at Florida.

After beginning his collegiate career as a wide receiver, redshirt junior Phillip Howard transitioned to cornerback in 2019 and recorded his first career interception against Rutgers last Saturday. However, no Gophers defensive back has taken a more unconventional path than Benjamin St-Juste.

“He works hard every single day to get better,” head coach P.J. Fleck said of St-Juste. “He doesn’t talk a lot, he’s a pretty quiet guy, but he knows what he wants to do, he knows where he wants to go and he’s a wonderful teammate.”

A native of Quebec, Canada, St-Juste was a four-star recruit who

committed to Michigan in the class of 2017. As a freshman, he played in 12 games for the Wolverines, primarily on special teams, appearing as a cornerback in one game.

The following year, StJuste suffered a hamstring injury in spring practice, forcing him to miss all of the 2018 season. Although Michigan initially believed he had medically retired, St-Juste chose to enter the transfer portal. When defensive coordinator Joe Rossi learned the cornerback was available, he wasted no time recruiting St-Juste to Minnesota.

“It was one of those deals where he announces on Twitter that he’s leaving,” Rossi said. “Danny Collins, our quality control coach, texts me to add a corner.

I literally pull over to the side of the highway to message him.”

In his first season with the Gophers, St-Juste has impressed in his limited playing time as the team’s fourth cornerback. He recorded a career-high five tackles in a 40-17 victory over Illinois on Oct. 5. StJuste is tied for second on the team with four passes broken up.

“You don’t see too many corners who are his size who can move the way he does,” senior Carter Coughlin said. “He’s a really nice addition to what we already have. We’ve got some dynamic corners, some awesome playmakers, and he fits right in.”

With his promising play,

Defensive back Benjamin St-Juste, right, raises his arm with his teammates at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28. (Courtesy of Brad Rempel / Gopher Sports)

St-Juste could be a fixture of Minnesota’s pass defense in the years to come. He has two years of eligibility remaining after 2019, giving him plenty of time to keep improving and contributing to the Minnesota defense.

“Ben has been doing a great job,” redshirt sophomore Antoine Winfield Jr. said. “He’s made a huge impact on the defensive backs and on our side. I hope he continues to do that for us.”

Thus far, St-Juste has

impressed coaches with his intangibles and physical attributes. At 6-foot-3, he has good length for a corner, something Rossi says he prioritizes. Furthermore, his positive attitude and work ethic have made him somebody the coach enjoys working with.

“He’s a kid I’ve really enjoyed getting to know,” Rossi said. “We heard nothing but good things about him at Michigan because there’s a lot of guys there I’ve worked with in the past. He’s incredibly long,

incredibly athletic. His flexibility for his size is uncanny.

And then he’s a smart kid who cares with great character.”

Although St-Juste is the same age as most college juniors, he received his bachelor’s degree before even joining the Gophers.

Last spring, St-Juste graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in sociology and is currently working toward a M.Ed. in sport management at the University of Minnesota.

With two years of

eligibility remaining, StJuste has plenty of time to build upon the relationships he’s already building with coaches and players. Those around him say that although St-Juste is reserved initially, he makes his personality known with time.

“He stays to himself until you get to know him,” Coughlin said. “I’ve been able to get to know him since he’s been here and he breaks out of his shell but for the most part he’s pretty reserved.”

CROSS COUNTRY

Women’s cross country preps for championship season Gophers fluctuated in the national rankings, reaching as high as No. 18.

BY BRENDAN O’BRIEN bobrien@mndaily.com

Earlier in October, Minnesota’s women’s cross country team traveled to Notre Dame, Indiana, for what head coach Sarah Hopkins referred to as the team’s second important meet of the season.

The Gophers came out of the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational with higher expectations for the rest of the season. The team finished ninth at the meet, beating some Big Ten Conference and NCAA Midwest Regional opponents along the way.

“It’s always kind of motivating to know that we’re still kind of an uppertier team in the Big Ten,” Hopkins said in early October. “They’re proving that to themselves, to me and to the rest of the NCAA that we’re not going to be taken lightly.”

The impressive performance at Notre Dame led to the Gophers jumping up to No. 18 in the national rankings the following week. Minnesota was previously ranked 29th in the country.

However, the Gophers

Morgan u from Page 1

because you’re a freaking legend.’ I love my team so much. I really do. I need to show that more and say that more.”

Morgan’s love for her team is evident, and she’s carrying that into her academic interests. Morgan is a youth studies major and hopes to be a coach later in her career. Currently, she is an intern with Maroon and Gold Impacting the Community, or MAGIC, a program which gives student-athletes at the University community service opportunities. The

Redshirt Junior Kayla Baker runs down a straightaway during the 2019 Roy Griak Invitational at the Les Bolstad Golf Course on Saturday, Sept. 28. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

did not have similar results this past weekend at the Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin. The team finished 16th out of 36 teams and fifth among Big Ten teams competing at the meet, dropping Minnesota to 25th in the national rankings. While Minnesota’s top three runners —

Abby Kohut-Jackson, Jaycie Thomsen and Anastasia Korzenowski — all finished with personal records in the eight-kilometer race, Hopkins thought her team could have had a better overall result.

“I don’t think it was a bad day by any means but I certainly think we are capable

of running better than that,” Hopkins said. “We’ve just got to stay a little more consistent and trust ourselves in what we are capable of doing.”

Now heading into championship season, Minnesota has a better idea of how they compare to the competition in the Big Ten

and Midwest Region. The Gophers finished sixth at the Big Ten Championships and third at the NCAA Midwest Regional last season.

Hopkins thought Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin would all be at the top of the conference throughout the season.

However, she said there

internship gives her the opportunity to mentor younger student-athletes, which helps her in her goal to become a coach.

Morgan wants to test the waters playing overseas before pursuing coaching, but she isn’t thinking about all that quite yet.

For now, there’s still the rest of the season to be played, and she’s taking it one day at a time.

It’s bittersweet for Morgan as her final semester nears a close. She said she has loved her time at the University of Minnesota and considers it a “home away from home.” Both of her parents work at the University, and Morgan

has experienced many moments she’ll never forget, including two Big Ten championships. The feeling of returning to campus after every away match is one she never gets tired of.

“When we travel, we’ll go to another campus, and then we’ll come back here.

I still get the same chills,” she said. “Maybe it’s because it’s like 32 degrees outside that I’m getting chills. You never know, but I still love the University of Minnesota. Always been a Gopher and always will be.”

Morgan has had her difficulties in her volleyball career. She’s dealt with four knee surgeries and

missed the 2015 season due to injury. That was a challenge for Morgan early, as she was still trying to develop an identity outside of volleyball. In 2019, she views things differently. She’s learned how to take life’s challenges and come out stronger.

She also came out with “a couple cool scars” on her knees.

“I think those are like my testimonies,” Morgan said. “Without a shadow of a doubt, if I didn’t go through all that I don’t think I’d be the woman I am now or still be here because those injuries taught me how to keep pushing and to never give up.”

Injurieshaven’t plagued Morgan this season. She’s fifth on the team in kills with 119, and her 62 blocks are second on the team. She is also second on the team in blocks per set, averaging 1.17. In Big Ten play, Morgan is averaging a team-best 1.46 blocks per set.

As her final semester comes to a close, Morgan has one more big goal: to bring a national championship back to Minnesota.

“I want to win a national championship,” she said. “That’s what I want.

I want this whole room to be, ‘Gopher volleyball, national champions!’ That’d be dope.”

will be plenty of other competitive teams in the Big Ten like Ohio State and Indiana. “ T h a t c l u s t e r f ro m fourth to seventh is all going to be very close together,” Hopkins said. “I think we are certainly capable of being fourth. We just got to tweak a couple of things and be competitive.”

Hopkins also said the next two meets could be better suited for the team’s makeup and strategy.

Because the next two meets have a smaller competition fields, Hopkins said it is not as important to have a runner at the front of the pack and more important to have multiple runners close together toward the top of the standings.

The Gophers will compete at the 2019 Big Ten Championships on Nov. 3 and the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 15. Despite being confident heading into championship season, Thomsen said the Gophers know they need to continue working diligently these next few weeks to achieve their goals.

“We have to walk with a chip on our shoulders because nothing is a given at this point,” Thomsen said. “So we kind of have to keep getting back to working hard if we want to get back to [the NCAA Championships] this year.”

“Without a shadow of a doubt, if I didn’t go through all that I don’t think I’d be the woman I am now or still be here because those injuries taught me how to keep pushing and never give up.”

TAYLOR MORGAN middle blocker

5

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

MUSIC EVENTS FRIDAY:

26th Annual BareBones Puppets Halloween Extravaganza It’s time to get in the spooky spirit this Friday!

Join BareBones, a local puppetry company, for a magical night of multimedia storytelling at their annual Halloween Extravaganza with its spooktacular theme of “and the fires will burn...”

Stick around after the show for free food from Sister’s Camelot.

Student artists, from left, Jayson Clune, Axel Santo Domingo, Juan Mantilla and Josh Cachon pose for a portrait outside of Coffman Union on Monday, Oct. 21.

Members of the artists collective, theMARAJ, they have been making music together since they attended Wayzata High School together. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily)

theMARAJ raps for identity, culture The student collective released its long-awaited project “Dripstars” this past July.

KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com

About four years ago, Juan Mantilla and Josh Cachon sat in Cachon’s high school bedroom discussing the difficulties of making music. They were self-described “high school rejects” and had no resources to produce their own work. But, they had big plans.

“We just came to the conclusion that in order to create a better set of outcomes, we would have to just do it on our own,” Mantilla said.

Formed in 2015, theMARAJ functions as a

collaborative space for expanding creativity and emphasizing multiculturalism. The group includes eight members, with origins reaching from Columbia and the Philippines to Russia and Liberia. They are all current or former University of Minnesota students.

“The original intent was to create a group that would be able to foster and maintain artistry for people that did not have the resources, network and ladders of upward mobility that exists in the music world,” said Mantilla, theMARAJ’s cofounder, a University junior studying sociology and political science.

Mantilla and fellow cofounders Cachon and Ilya Moskalenko were eventually joined by five other artists specializing in music and

visual arts, all with different backgrounds and identities.

“We liked the idea of having all kinds of different dynamic artists and sounds and that each artist is prepared to release an album,” Cachon said. “We cultivate that culture behind the sound and what the album represents.” theMARAJ’s emphasis on multiculturalism stretches beyond their music. It’s also about authenticity and solidarity with others.

“Multiculturalism is embracing the fact that we all have so much diversity, and that we all have struggles from that, but also that we find strength in that instead of allowing it to diminish our validity in any social context by standing out,” Mantilla said. “We will always be different, but that’s what makes us who we are.”

The dynamic of theMARAJ becomes clear in their music. Each member brings different musical inspirations to the table, with notes of indie rock among rap and R&B, especially in their latest project, “Dripstars,” released July 2019. “‘Dripstars’ really displays each artists’ individual sound within a main theme,” Cachon said. “It was a tough album coming together but we figured it out and we took a long time on it for a reason.”

The musical content refers back to the musicians’ struggles and successes. As members of the collective, they have the opportunity to contribute to the group’s projects or produce their own.

“Some of the main components that really make this group so personal is that it’s the culmination of a lot of struggle,” Mantilla said.

“It’s a celebration because of everything that we had to go through to get to this point.”

Making music together brought this group closer than they anticipated.

“Those are my brothers,” said Moses Karngbaye, who goes by Wavy or Forgivemewavy. “I did not expect to be here doing this music stuff if it weren’t for them.” theMARAJ holds a place for its members to not only grow in their artistic capabilities, but to be more comfortable with their identities and emotions as they continue to create music.

“This is a space where individuals can find self-expression. We have the power to be ourselves and unite across different identities, origins, nationalities and cultures,” Mantilla said. “There’s a lot of power in that.”

ART

“Artability” workshops give free access to arts The program offers those struggling with mental illness an opportunity to express themselves.

BY NORAH KLEVEN nkleven@mndaily.com

Creating art can be a great way to de-stress, whether it’s painting calming blues on a canvas or writing out thoughts in a journal.

The process can also be a great way to cope with mental illness, especially alongside others who may be going through the same thing.

Artability is a free art program offered through the nonprofit People Incorporated, with new workshops every weekend at the Huss Center for Recovery. It offers people age 18 and over struggling with a mental illness the opportunity to try their hand at different art mediums.

“Art allows people to express themselves and try something new, maybe stretch themselves to experience something that they weren’t sure if they could do,” said Corilyn Wagner, Artability’s programming coordinator.

The workshops include printmaking, watercolor and acrylic painting classes and more. Each workshop is led by a teaching artist from the community.

All of the materials are provided for free and participants don’t need to bring documentation of a mental health diagnosis to attend.

“When people come to our workshops, I hope they feel

ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH MAI, DAILY

supported,” Wagner said.

“I hope they feel like it’s an environment where they can play with the materials and take time for themselves in a way that they may not get to always do.”

Participants of the program have said that Artability relieves symptoms of stress for them and makes them feel less lonely, all the while advancing their art skills.

“My motivation is knowing the way I’ve made my own progress artistically,” said Mike Conroy, Artability’s primary watercolor teacher and participant of the program. “I’ve grown a

little bit artistically, and I want to help people do that as well.”

Each workshop is meant to be at a beginner level, with opportunities for more skilled participants to try something new, too. Artability also aims to make it a space to channel emotions, but at the same time, it’s not a requirement to discuss your mental health.

“It’s not so much that we would encourage artists to succeed at doing art and then have them respond to us from a mental health standpoint,” Conroy said. “It’s more about teaching them art and finding out their skills and

then going from there.”

In addition to the weekend workshops, Artability hosts an annual art show, where artists who struggle with mental illness can display and sell their art.

“The art show is really helping them bring their art to a level where they can make it part of living independently,” said Erin Erickson, the nonprofit’s communications and marketing specialist. “This can be part of their identity and what they do as an individual.

It’s not about their mental health diagnosis.”

The Artability art show will celebrate its 25-year

anniversary this fall and display over 400 pieces of work made by 100 artists.

“It’s all about making sure we can let our artists shine,” Erickson said. “This is really an evening that honors them and highlights their successes and helps elevate their art to the next level.”

Being a participant of the Artability workshops is not required to send in art for the show. They see artists put their struggles behind them when they walk through the door and enjoy the fact that others are enjoying their art, too.

“That is a whole other level of recovery independence,” Erickson said. “And being able to see that you can be so much more than your mental health diagnosis.”

For the past 25 years, Artability has been a space where participants can learn new skills to cope with their mental illnesses, and they wish to continue this work for the next 25 years, too.

“I’m always just so impressed that so many people choose to take their Saturday afternoon and set aside intentional art making time,” Wagner said. “That shows so much strength in that person that they’re bringing into the world.”

2019 Artability Art Show and Sale

Oct. 25, 4 - 8 p.m., Oct. 26-27, 11 a.m. 2:30 p.m.

The Show Gallery Lowertown, 346 N. Sibley St., St. Paul Free

7 - 9:30 p.m. (Doors open 6:30 p.m.)

Hidden Falls Regional Park North Gate, 1305 S. Mississippi Blvd., St. Paul Suggested donation of $10-$20

SATURDAY:

Ghostbusters (1984 Digital) at The Parkway Theater Where you gonna go?

To the spooky screening of the 1984 classic, Ghostbusters. Enjoy a Halloween-themed night with your friends.

The newly reimagined Parkway opened in 2018 and hosts a variety of events, from 35mm films and performing arts to comedy shows and speaker series. You can purchase tickets at the door or online.

1 p.m. (Doors open at noon.)

The Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis $6 for age 12 and under; $8 for age 13 and up at the door. Tickets discounted $1 if purchased in advance.

SUNDAY:

Yoga with Cats Fall can be a busy time, so take time to care for yourself. Consider checking out The Cafe Meow’s basic yoga class, where you will be joined by roaming rescue cats (all of whom are available for adoption).

After, treat yourself to a complimentary cup of tea. The Cafe Meow asks you bring your own yoga mat and a donation if you are able. Each class can hold a capacity of eight people, so get tickets now.

6:30 -7:30 p.m.

The Cafe Meow, 2323 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis $20

♫ Artist Spotlight: Miles Campbell, aka MilesPerHour, is an up-and-coming electronic music producer and DJ and a University junior studying music.

His debut single, “Dreamer,” is a classic EDM banger.

6 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

COLUMN

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

UNCENSORED: Evaluating the College Republicans’ aesthetic

If you turn on Dark Side of the Moon right at the moment that the College Republicans begin painting their bridge panel, the album aligns with the mural’s defacement to the exact second. Freaky.

Caroline Skoog columnist t’s that time of year again: pumpkin spice, bonfires, Gopher tailgates, the College Republican bridge panel getting vandalized.

This September marked the fourth consecutive year in which the College Republicans’ bridge panel was defaced — it’s kind of a tradition at this point. Albeit, not a great one.

Before the mural’s redecoration, it portrayed a quasi-Pink Floyd album cover reading “Donald Trump The Wall,” with each brick representing one of the president’s achievements, according to the artist.

Oh, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Beside imagery of a plane flying into two towers was a quote from Ilhan Omar. I’m pretty sure that

I

that part of the mural wasn’t a Pink Floyd album, but I’m not big on psychedelic rock.

In an email to The Minnesota Daily, the College Republicans representative from the Minnesota Student Association noted that the group brainstorms marketing ideas by focusing on issues they see as important and timely.

And in this case, 9/11 felt like one of them.

The Minnesota College Republicans are a state federation, linking 16 campus chapters across the state and affiliating them with their local Republican Party. The 16 chapters operate beneath the College Republican National Committee, an Independent 527 Political Action Committee with over 250,000 members.

Last week, the College Republicans at the UMN-Morris campus faced criticism regarding a promotional poster for the group.

The poster depicted three half-filled glasses: the first read “optimist” and “the glass is half full”; the second, “pessimist” and “the glass is half empty”; the third said “feminist” and “the glass is being raped.”

Putting the offensive material aside for a moment, if you’re going to make a joke — especially regarding assault — it should at the very least be funny. It’s not clever, doesn’t align the group with any real policy matter, and it just implies that the group is ... pro-rape?

In their defense, the Morris College Republicans’ President, Tayler Lehmann, denies that the group had anything to do with the poster. Well, it sidestepped the group’s policy of authorizing materials through a voting process. Maybe that’s why the material, as inflammatory as it is, isn’t surprising at all with “College Republicans” tacked on top of it.

The aesthetic is pretty consistent with their other material.

The Star Tribune reported that in a

similar announcement, Lehmann expressed that free speech is “being attacked” on college campuses. The brave free speech warriors that the College Republicans are, their battle against “gender hysteria and oversensitive triggers that shut down discussion and critical analysis of opposing viewpoints,” continues. But you can’t advocate for free speech if you only have a very specific type of speech in mind.

In a separate account to Campus Reform, Lehman asserted that “The University of Minnesota Morris College Republicans have never and will never be intimidated by anybody.” Do you know how easy it is to say you won’t be intimidated when your views literally reflect that of the current administration?

When you position yourself in alignment with the status quo?

Nathan Harman, chairman of the University of Minnesota College Republicans and soldier in the war on free speech, articulated similar opinions in a piece for The Minnesota Republic: “Censorship is a powerful thing. We hear about it in statist nations like China and Russia … We read about it in our history books when studying nations like Nazi Germany and the U.S.S.R. And now, we’ve seen it yet again on our own campus on Friday with the vandalism of the College Republicans panel on the Washington Avenue bridge.”

Now sounds like a good time to mention that censorship, the right to free speech, is a right granted by the government. The police didn’t pull them off the bridge, kicking and screaming. The College Republicans weren’t arrested for their words, which actually endorsed state powers, and Lenny Bruce didn’t rise from the dead to salute their valor.

Rather, some students painted over it. Not

receiving 100 percent positive feedback doesn’t mean it’s censorship.

I don’t believe 100 percent positive feedback was their objective, either. Despite starving for inclusive political discussion, the College Republicans’ marketing tactics effectively alienate and dismiss entire demographics right off the bat. How, then, can they expect to engage in open political discourse if they themselves reject not just the views but the existence of populations, for example trans individuals, before the conversation starts?

It seems like a bit of a game on their end.

Scribble a vicious slogan into a public space as a means of asserting dominance, then once it inevitably gets vandalized they can play the censored victim card. It’s as if they’re projecting their own anxieties about what they’re doing onto their materials, like a self-fulfilled prophecy. Yet either way it’s a win for them.

I don’t agree or disagree with people’s choices to deface the mural. It bugs me that the group got the rise it was seeking though.

If the group desires critical analysis of ideologies it would be cool to employ art on the mural — stickers, or something not permanent — that starts a dialogue with their ideology, not taking down the entire piece but taking on the message. For instance, speaking hypothetically here, if someone stuck one of the many unruly Trump quotes over the Ilhan Omar quote beside the 9/11 painting. In that sense, the vandals wouldn’t be imposing free speech but entering free speech. If the College Republicans are playing a game with their own rules, then challenging that message requires thinking three steps ahead.

Caroline Skoog welcomes comments at cskoog@mndaily.com.

CARTOON BY ROBERT MCGRADY

COLUMN

My two... cents The bralumn: Bras are rarely discussed, but weigh heavily on many women.

Uma Venkata columnist

R

ecently I went on a shopping date with a girlfriend, and one of our items was a supportive bra. My girl got fitted for a bra for her first time and it had an immediate effect. The smile on her face when I saw her two days later was just like every other post-pubescent female epiphany: the right bra was a game-changer.

A lot about bras is taken for granted, and most people - unfortunately, including women - completely discount the importance of bras outside of their decorative role. The right brassiere is more than cute rack packaging. Bras require maintenance and thought, and no one I’ve spoken to has reported a painless bra-fitting journey. Everyone’s gone through their own brauma.

For example, Dani Quast, a junior in nursing, remembers how much the right bra fixed things. “My back hurt so much to the point where I was crying. Finding a supportive bra not only made my back feel better, but it also made me feel confident exercising as well, because I ran cross-country and track. Which hurt a lot.”

First, I want to make something clear: you have the right to a bra that fits. Your true bra size is your friend, and if your cup size is greater than DD, you’re just as normal as everyone else. If your back or neck hurts, your skin is tender or you have headaches you can’t cure, make sure you’re wearing the right bra. A common tendency is to wear a sister size (like 34D and 32DD) which almost-not-quite fits your body. The chronic pain from those bras detract from life.

Like every rack owner out there, I’ve had my own brablems. I spent all of high school and a quarter of undergrad wearing some incorrect size, too shy and self-conscious to take off my shirt and figure it out. You may have felt that way too, or still do. Remember that whatever marketing wants to tell you, breasts are not all about sex. They’re just a part of your body that, when properly clothed, you can forget about completely.

Maria Turco, a sophomore in physiology and Spanish, told me that “wearing the right bra, especially when you have big boobs, gives you so much more confidence because you don’t have to worry about anything hanging out, or adjusting anything, and everything just feels comfortable.”

I found the right supportive bra with my very supportive mom. For those of us who don’t have that resource right now, you should still consider getting fitted by a professional - someone who’s there to fit you, not to sell to you. This is a free service implicit in good bra departments and boutiques. I love

the store Bras Galore in Chicago. You can also fit yourself, use the customer service lines on sites like Bare Necessities, or use the resources all over the Internet. There are even subreddits called A Bra that Fits and Big Boob Problems.

The straps of your bra should not dig into your shoulders or slip off. The straps are also not wholly responsible for structure: the band should go in a straight line across your back, not arch up. It should be tight enough to fit only one finger-width between the band and your back. The cups should fit around each breast without spillage or extra space, and the end of the underwire should never poke into your body — you should lift your arms, and the underwire does not move. The gore is the connection between the two cups in the front of the bra, and it should sit flat against your sternum, again staying there however you move your body.

Ellyson Roepke, a senior in materials science and engineering, lived with pain for years until she fitted herself for a bra entirely on her own. “Everybody should know that unless they’ve actually gone through the research themselves ... figured out how to measure themselves all on their own, it’s likely that they’re still not wearing the right-size bras.” It’s impressive that Roepke found her right size without outside help; it’s heartbreaking that she, like so many of us, had to endure chronic pain to do that. For our upcoming friends who are currently figuring that out, she has a word of caution. “Most stores that you get fit at will lie to you about your size to sell more bras. Especially at Victoria’s Secret.” “Retweet,” I said.

Like the best of us, to be treated right, bras have to be pretty high-maintenance.

Always allow at least 24 hours for bras to decompress between wears. Wash bras in their own load on delicate, and use a bra-specific detergent (or sports detergent, in a pinch), because normal laundry detergent degrades elastic. I use Forever New, and I have good bras from the second Obama administration.

Hang-dry only, and for padded bras, never pop the cup inside-out, even when packing in suitcases, because this stretches and weakens the padding.

Since bras are for women, they’ll be generally expensive. Classic! This hurts women everywhere, like Jen Edwards, a sophomore in neuroscience. “I’m still wearing bras from ninth grade because it is just too expensive to purchase new ones. Quality bras only found in department stores are upwards $100 making them unaffordable to myself and many others.” It will take a lot of energy, but if you can finagle bras on sale and make them last, having three right-size bras is enough for true peace of mind. One to wear, one to wait, and one to spare.

Please notice the repeating theme: finding the right bra is an immediate and permanent layer of confidence. Your chest is no place to feel self-conscious and scrutinized.

Roepke remembers that “finding the right size made me realize that there’s nothing wrong with me or my body.” That’s true — your body is perfect because it’s yours. Your bra is here to fit you, not you to fit the bra.

Roepke’s size was hiding from her and she found it. I wish her bratharsis on everyone.

Uma Venkata welcomes bramments 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.

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7

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

MN DAILY

HOROSCOPES

Today’s Birthday (10/24): Silver flows into your coffers this year. Consistent communications, marketing and networking pays off. Good news brightens your winter, before educational or travel changes require adaptation. Expect unexpected expenses next summer, before a wondrous adventure unfolds. Reap a fat harvest and save.

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 — Discipline and experience make an important difference with a physical goal. Teach from experience.

Gamble? Not today. Choose stability over illusion.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 6 — Slow down for organization. Imagine rising love, beauty and joy. Envision accomplishing a long-term dream.

Abandon a fantasy and take simple steps.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 9 — Longterm benefits arise when you follow your heart.

Fantasies prove flimsy. Family comes first. Give in to a mutual attraction. Dress to impress.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 7 — Keep the tone respectful and friendly with a group project. Stick to common foundational elements. Keep your bargains and agreements.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — Invest in a practical domestic improvement with longlasting materials. Infuse your home with love and beauty. Discover the elegance of simplicity.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — Let people know what you need. You can find the professional funding. Pursue projects that call to your heart. Leave misconceptions behind.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 9 — Welcome contributions from others. Network and collaborate to get your message out farther. Stick to reliable connections. Solve an intellectual puzzle.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 9 — Widen your perspective. Discover new views and flavors. Resist the temptation to buy stuff you don’t need. Travel light for ease and freedom.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is a 9 — Disciplined efforts contribute to growing income. Maintain routines and provide consistent, reliable value.

Money flows in. Manage expenses and accounts.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is an 8 — Keep up the good work with shared financial endeavors. Contribute and participate. Support your partners. Adjust to changes. You’re making progress.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is a 9 — Visualize immense personal success. What fabulous life can you imagine? Some things previously idealized can lose their shine when realized.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is an 8 — Love provides the common infrastructure for you and your partner. Share your vision for possibility that inspires you. Provide motivation.

DR. DATE Dr. Date,

For me, Halloween is about two things: getting blackout drunk and looking hot while doing it. Sexy costumes have been my thing for years, and for my senior year of college, I wanted to go all out.

My boyfriend was more than happy to oblige in a couple’s costume, thankfully, so we’ve been working out some ideas.

The theme of the main Halloween party we plan to attend is Unsexy Characters Made Sexy: think shirtless Quaker Oats guy or something. Fun idea, right? We could totally do something normal but hot, right?

Well, you’d think. My boyfriend is convinced he has the perfect idea, and oh my god it is awful.

I don’t want to say the name, but think of two odd characters always seen together on a children’s TV show about a “street.” Yeah. WEIRD. It involves crop tops, fishnets, thigh-highs, a choker (?!), the whole deal. You don’t even want to know what he has planned after the party…

I am SO not into it, but my boyfriend is treating this like it’s a deal breaker. I don’t know if it’s a fantasy or what, but no matter what better ideas I come up with, he refuses to listen. How can I convince my boyfriend that sexualizing beloved childhood characters is weird?!

–Mert and Bernie

Dear Mert and Bernie,

Look, unfortunately, I don’t think sexualizing childhood characters for a Halloween costume is too out of the ordinary (how many sexy Scooby-Doo gangs are out there every year?), but this is definitely an offbeat one. I get where you’re both coming from — it could definitely be a funny costume, but it’s okay to be uncomfortable with it. If you both can’t agree on something and he won’t respect your opinion, tell him you’ll find your own costume separate from him, or go to a different Halloween party. No matter what, puking in a bush wearing a sexy costume will always be in style?

–Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

I finally met the woman of my dreams: she’s brilliant, funny, beautiful and a host of other overused adjectives. Who would have thought waiting at the same bus stop with someone would lead to love? When we both got off at the same stop to go to Perkins, I knew it was fate.

We spent the whole day together before falling asleep in each other’s arms at 7 p.m. We’ve been dating for two weeks now and have already said "I love you."

When you know, you know, right?

My parents live in Minneapolis so I wanted to introduce her to them right away. But when they finally met her, they seemed skeptical. They muttered something about “her being super old” and “why is he dating someone in a nursing home?” First of all, age is nothing but a number, and she lives in a dormstyle apartment! What’s wrong with that?

Gray hair is trendy now anyways, and her CAs are super nice. They’re always telling me how happy they are to see she has a visitor.

My parents are now trying to get us to break up and I don’t know what to do. Any advice?

–Age Doesn’t Matter

Dear Age Doesn’t Matter,

I feel like I’m making a quiz called “How do you know if you’re dating an elderly woman?” Does she take out her dentures at the end of the night? Does she occasionally talk about how Kennedy was a much better president? How often does she pinch your cheek and say you remind her of her grandson?

Love is love, but if one of you is closer to planning a funeral than a wedding, you might want to reconsider your future.

Are you sure you don’t love her because she reminds you of the grandmother you never had? You’ve only been dating for two weeks, so try to find someone your own age just in case. If you decide to keep dating her, prepare to be teased mercilessly, be asked if you’re related, and have to help her across the street.

–Dr. Date

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

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.

10/24/19

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, October 24, 2019

Pioneer of digital libraries: Wendy Pradt Lougee retires as University librarian Lougee helped the University library system transition into the digital era.

BY NATALIE RADEMACHER nrademacher@mndaily.com Wendy Pradt Lougee has had quite an impact at the University of Minnesota, leading one of the nation’s top research library systems into the digital era.

For almost two decades, Lougee has been serving the community as the dean of libraries and a University librarian. After she announced her retirement last year, the University is searching for her replacement. The finalists, who are speaking on campus over the next several weeks, have large shoes to fill.

Right place, right time Lougee stepped into her current role during the early 2000s, a pivotal time for libraries with the transition to the internet. She helped carry the University library system into the era of technology and digitization.

During her time at the University, Lougee helped establish the University as a premier research library system. Colleagues describe her as one of the pioneers of

digital libraries.

“She came at the right time to help us understand what the role of libraries in the 21st century could be,” said John Finnegan, dean of the University’s School of Public Health. “She was the right person, right talent, right place, right time.”

She helped build the libraries beyond just a collection of books and into a hub of data curation, information and resources.

Lougee said when she joined the University, she had a “road map” in mind to help the library engage more in the flow of student and faculty work. Part of this involves looking at how library buildings can serve needs better, including offering labs and tools such as virtual reality and data visualization to students and faculty.

Under Lougee’s guidance, the libraries are involved in the flow of what people are doing with information beyond simply reading books.

A visionary Imagining the dean of libraries, it can be easy to envision the stereotypical librarian — a woman surrounded by books who shushes loud students.

This is not Lougee. She is a busy woman. Her job involves overseeing the 12 libraries on

campus and an annual budget of around $45 million. Her library system serves every corner of the University and people across the state.

John Butler, associate University librarian for data and technology, said people are often surprised when they hear about the leadership responsibilities of libraries.

“Maybe it is debunking the stereotype of librarians, but we are dealing with some pretty fore-fronting issues in terms of technology and the law, policy development and development of sustainable models for doing big collaborative work,” he said.

Despite her busy administrative role, Lougee brings a casual charm to the job.

Talking with her is like “meeting your next door neighbor,” Finnegan said.

“She is filled with ideas and information and has fantastic listening skills on top of it.”

Colleagues describe Lougee as a visionary who has an appetite for change and making things happen.

“She has her eye on what is impactful, and what we should be doing that will benefit all the different colleges,” said Kate McCready, interim associate University librarian for content and collections.

Lougee’s role is unique because she serves everyone on campus and has to figure

Wendy Pradt Lougee, University librarian and dean of libraries, poses for a portrait in Wilson Library on Wednesday, Oct. 16. (Sydni Rose / Minnesota Daily)

out how to accommodate their different needs, she said.

Her impact Under Lougee’s leadership, the University’s libraries were awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service in 2017.

This award is the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries, and the University is the third academic library to receive the award.

“It really underscored everything she had been doing to build the strength

of this library in Minnesota,” Finnegan said.

Colleagues say one of Lougee’s largest impacts at the University is bringing institutions together.

Under her leadership, the University built a project with Big Ten universities to provide access to geospatial data resources through an online portal.

The University has lead several other large projects that have brought institutions together to share resources.

“She brings entities together to do big things,” Butler said. “She has led libraries to collaborate in ways we have not done before.

As the search for a new dean of libraries and university librarian is underway, colleagues said Lougee has not slowed down in her role.

Once a new person takes over the position, Lougee plans to do some writing and possibly engage in groups she was not able to be a part of while in her role. She said she may get a dog.

New policy would require sustainability improvements at local farmers’ markets The Green to Go ordinance guides city organics and recycling policies.

BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com A proposed city policy

aims to boost sustainability at local farmers’ markets.

On Friday, Ward 12 City Council member Andrew Johnson will introduce an amendment to the city’s Green to Go ordinance to require farmers markets to provide recycling and organics collection bins. While

some markets have already opted to implement these bins, doing so is not required. “[It] will put the onus on the event food sponsor or the market manager to provide that type of collections because previously we weren’t able to enforce anything like that,” said Adam Kalahar, a

health inspector for the City of Minneapolis.

The Green to Go ordinance dictates acceptable packaging for businesses in the city, requiring most packaging to be recyclable or compostable. Businesses must also provide appropriate bins.

Under the current ordinance, only individual market vendors have to have their own collection bins.

With the proposed amendment, the responsibility would lie on the market managers to install bins for the food market as a whole, Kalahar said.

For some Minneapolis market managers, recycling and organics collection bins were already a norm.

“When I set up the market, I already put out a composting, recycling and trash bin,” said Sarah Holle, market manager for the Dinkytown Farmers Market. “We also don’t produce much waste at all.”

The Dinkytown Farmers Market uses the space at the University Lutheran Church of Hope parking lot. Holle said the market is fortunate to use the space because the church already has some recycling and organics infrastructure in place.

The University of Minnesota Farmers Market also has already implemented recycling and

Community members browse the Minneapolis Farmers Market on Wednesday, Oct. 23. (Emily Urfer / Minnesota Daily)

organics collection bins m a rk e t - w i d e i n a c c o r dance with a University sustainability campaign, said Elizabeth Logas-Lindstrom, the University’s recycling coordinator.

Nearly 39 percent of waste on campus was recycled or composted in 2018, according to the University’s facilities management.

“There is already a lot more familiarity on campus around organics and how to use it,” Logas-Lindstrom said. “One vendor couldn’t sell all their green peppers so they put them in the organics bins.”

Shifting the focus away from solely consumer responsibility to enforceable business infrastructure changes helps the city reduce waste on a larger scale, Kalahar and Holle said.

“I think we are ahead,

but also behind some cities in terms of our composting,” Holle said. “A lot of focus is on the consumer to take care of their waste when in reality, we should be using materials that aren’t going in the trash to begin with and companies should be held accountable for that.”

Natalie Rademacher contributed to this report.

“When I set up the market, I already put out a composting, recycling and trash bin. We don’t produce much waste at all.”

SARAH HOLLE Market manager, Dinkytown Famers Market