November 29, 2018

INTL. STUDENTS STRUGGLE WITH JOB VISAS PAGE 10 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2018

LATE WEEK

EMPLOYER CONCERNS, POLITICAL CLIMATE CAUSE STRAIN

MNDAILY.COM

FACULTY

STUDENT GOV.

U pays out sexual assault settlement

Grad. assistants question student fee disclosure

The University paid $137,500 to a student who alleged they were raped abroad in 2014.

BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota paid $137,500 last year to settle a lawsuit brought by an undergraduate student who said she was raped while studying abroad in Cuba in 2014, according to the Pioneer Press.

A complaint filed in July 2017 in Hennepin County District Court accuses the University of mishandling the incident.

In the complaint, the student said a local interpreter raped her multiple times after offering to help her on a research project.

The group’s chaperone, a University lecturer, failed to supervise students on the trip and did not adequately report the assault, according to the complaint.

“What happened to her was absolutely horrible,” said Natalie Feidt, the student’s attorney. “Our facts are quite extensive … I

think our complaint shows what happened and what took place.”

The student, a political science major and Spanish minor, was enrolled in a study abroad research project run by the University’s Student Project for Amity among Nations program. She and other members of the group traveled through Puerto Rico and Cuba in summer 2014, according to the complaint.

The Minnesota Daily does not identify victims of sexual assault. u See SETTLEMENT Page 2

ADMINISTRATION

Evaluating the U’s admissions process

Dear

,

excited to welcome you freshmen class

UMN has yet to address all the recommendations from a 2017 audit that found discrepancies in freshman admittance.

Freshman wrestler dominates start of his Gophers career

teen areas of improvement last year, the University of Minnesota’s Office of

Gable Steveson is 8-0 so far and already ranked second in the nation in heavyweight division.

Admissions is still working to resolve four “essential” recommendations, including improvement of accuracy and consistency of data used when making

JANE BORSTAD, DAILY

admission decisions.

The office has addressed 11 of the ini-

number of applications so they could better

primary review factors like test scores

tial 15 recommendations so far, through

determine the scope of the issue. He said the

and grade point average, as well as sec-

implementing documentation of final ad-

Office of Admissions moved forward in ad-

ondary characteristics such as leader-

mission decisions and improving the re-

dressing the recommendations without ad-

ship experience and military service, she

view process to minimize the subjectivi-

ditional investigation.

said.

ty of decisions along with other changes.

Because the University was inconsistent

“We may make some admission deci-

The audit team reviewed 58 student

in documenting why students were admit-

sions that look out of variance, but in the context of that student’s application file,

applications to the University from fall

cants with low test scores, GPAs and/or class rank. The decision to admit these students were below standards of typical admitted students. The audit found that two of these 10 students seeming-

“You can’t really tell how they’re admitting students and whether they’re being fair.”

MICHAEL HSU University Regent

we’re looking for factors of academic success,” Meyer said.

The audit identified four secondary factor codes as being open to interpretation, and the Office of Admissions expects reviewers to use their best judgment for these codes. The audit found “several instances” where the codes were

ly should not have been admitted, and the reasoning for admission was not

ted or rejected, Hsu said it is impossible to

interpreted differently among review-

documented.

determine whether the University is being

ers, which the audit said could lead to in-

unbiased in admissions.

consistency in the review of applications.

“You can’t really tell how they’re admitting students and whether they’re being fair,” said Regent Michael Hsu. Hsu criticized the audit’s small sample size and encouraged the team to follow up on the initial study using a larger

University of Minnesota graduate students are raising concerns that some graduate departments aren’t disclosing certain fees to students.

The Council of Graduate Students has received multiple complaints from students saying that appointment letters sent to graduate assistants and potential assistants from certain departments didn’t mention mandatory student fees. The letters are required to include this information, according to an Office of Human Resources policy.

Graduate assistants are students employed by the University to teach and conduct research while pursuing their advanced degrees.

COGS has brought complaints to administrators and faculty, highlighting the importance of informing graduate students prior to accepting a University position.

“We think it’s important to disclose financial responsibilities to students before they come here so they are aware of what they need to pay,” said COGS President Sean Chen. “Just in principle, it’s important that people know.”

WRESTLING

Following an audit that outlined fif-

category included 10 admitted appli-

BY MICHELLE GRIFFITH mgriffith@mndaily.com

u See FEES Page 4

BY HELEN SABROWSKY hsabrowsky@mndaily.com

2016 that fell into six categories. One

COGS received multiple complaints from students, resulting in admin. response.

This stems from the subjective nature of

The University has refused to say

the University’s holistic application process,

how much of an impact secondary fac-

said Heidi Meyer, executive director of the

tors have during the admissions process

Office of Admissions.

The process admits students based on

u See ACCEPTANCE Page 4

BY PAUL HODOWANIC phodowanic@mndaily.com

Gable Steveson isn’t your average freshman wrestler — unless winning four high school state titles and three world titles is considered average.

The Apple Valley, Minnesota native has transitioned seamlessly into collegiate wrestling, with an overall record of 8-0 to start the season. He is 2-0 against ranked opponents, including a win against No. 3 overall Derek White. He also won the Daktronics Open earlier this season.

Head coach Brandon Eggum isn’t surprised by Steveson’s hot start and said his competitive nature is what stands out among the rest.

“He competes at an extremely high level. He understands wrestling; his wrestling IQ, his mat sense out there when he is competing is off the charts,” Eggum said. “He’s wrestling against some of the biggest guys in the country, in any sport, these guys are monsters. He’s just an 18-year-old young man, and he’s really dominating at the Division-I level.”

Steveson comes from a family of fellow wrestlers. His father, Robert, wrestled and his brother Bobby wrestles at the 197-pound weight class for the Gophers and was part of the reason Gable Steveson decided to stay home and wrestle at Minnesota.

“I thought it was the right fit for me because being at home, my family is here and my brother is here also,” Gable Steveson u See WRESTLING Page 6

STUDENT HEALTH

Sexual assault, mental health issues spike at University, new report shows University students report increased levels of anxiety, sexual assault and depression.

BY LEW BLANK lblank@mndaily.com

University of Minnesota students are reporting a surge in sexual assault and depression on campus, with a nearly 30 percent increase in reports of sexual assault and mental health conditions since 2015, a study found.

The College Student Health Survey, released last week, found a substantial increase at the University in nearly all forms of mental health issues and sexual assault since the last survey was released three years earlier.

However, some administrators see this as a positive sign that students are feeling more comfortable reporting the mental health and sexual assault issues that are affecting them.

Mental health reports on the rise

Between 2015 and 2018, the percentage of University students with a mental health diagnosis rose from 33 percent to 42 percent,

according to the survey. The issue especially affected female students at the University, with about half saying they’ve been diagnosed with a mental health condition during their lifetimes.

The majority of students reporting mental health issues cited anxiety, depression and panic attacks — each of which are on the rise from previous years — as the causes of their diagnoses.

These findings, however, are not as worrisome as they may initially seem, said John Finnegan, the dean of the School of Public Health. A major reason for the increase is that more students are seeing past the stigma that mental health issues are a “moral failure,” and as a result are feeling more comfortable with reporting mental health conditions and seeking help than ever before, he said. “[With] Generation Z and millennials … there’s a whole lot less stigma to dealing with mental health issues,” he said. “I look at that as a real plus.”

However, there are also indicators that u See HEALTH REPORT Page 4

COLLEGE STUDENT HEALTH SURVEY FINDINGS 42% of students, about 4 in 10, reported mental health diagnosis in their lifetime.

39% of female students, about 4 in 10, reported sexual assault in their lifetime.

82% of female students, about 8 in 10, reported sexual harassment.

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA COLLEGE STUDENT HEALTH SURVEY

VOLUME 119 ISSUE 26

2

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2018

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Thursday, November 29, 2018 Vol. 119 No. 26

An Independent Student Newspaper, Founded in 1900.

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

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

1929 American explorer Richard Byrd and three companions make the first flight over the South Pole, flying from their base on the Ross Ice Shelf to the pole and back in 18 hours and 41 minutes.

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University of Minnesota students make their way through a snowy campus on Wednesday, Nov. 28.

JERUSA NYAKUNDI, DAILY

Regent application date extended Regent applications will now be accepted by the advisory council until Dec. 7.

BY ISABELLA MURRAY imurray@mndaily.com

In a final push for applications, the Regent Candidate Advisory Council is extending the application deadline

for the four open positions on the Board of Regents.

Spots on the 12-person board can now be applied for until Dec. 7 instead of the original Nov. 30 deadline, according to a RCAC press release on Wednesday. Open positions in 2019 include one student at-large position, two at-large positions and one 5th Congressional District position. The state Legislature

will vote on these positions during the upcoming session.

“I will say, when we extend the deadline we get a little more interested attention to the process,” RCAC chair Dan Wolter said. “Obviously, if we had a huge stack of applications immediately before the original deadline we might not have extended it.”

The extension of regent

applications isn’t atypical, Wolter said.

November’s election may have caused applications to come in later than expected, he said.

“Even though we’ve had applications open since September, there is literally no one who pays attention to it until after the election,” Wolter said. “If you’re someone who is considering

running for regent, it’s important to know who’s running the Legislature, so after the election is when people start to focus.”

In a statement, Wolter said the ideal candidates will have a deep interest in higher education and an understanding of the role of the University of Minnesota as a major land grant and research institution.

Researchers to find robust power resources The Department of Energy awarded almost $100 million in funding nationwide.

BY NIKKI PEDERSON npederson@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota is set to receive almost $4 million from the Department of Energy to develop sustainable energy grids that can withstand aging infrastructure and catastrophic events.

Earlier this month, the Department of Energy announced $98 million in funding for 40 new projects as part of OPEN 2018, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s latest funding opportunity.

The University’s project will reanalyze power recovery from near blackout

Settlement u from Page 1

Working on her senior thesis, the student wanted to conduct research comparing living situations between Puerto Rico’s homeless and government housing in Cuba, a project that involved interviewing local residents.

A local interpreter hired to work with the group offered to help her find residents willing to talk about their living situations. After walking around neighborhoods for several hours, the man invited the student to see his home as part of the

conditions, according to their project description.

Other universities that received funding include Harvard University, Stanford University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Power outages can have deadly effects on critical infrastructure such as hospitals and medical centers.

Generators can have lapses in power, according to Sourav Patel, a doctoral student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and lead student researcher on the project.

“If these generators take too long to kick in, that could be very critical to patients in urgent care,” Patel said.

While the funding has been approved, the threeyear project is currently in a negotiation stage where the budget and project specifics can still be changed.

“The basic idea was motivated by some of the things we’re seeing because of climate change,” said Murti Salapaka, an electrical and computer engineering professor at the University and the project’s lead researcher.

As climate change continues, extreme weather will become more frequent, according to a U.S. climate report released last week.

Natural disasters such as hurricanes, droughts and fires can have detrimental impacts on a community’s energy grid. Eleven months passed before Puerto Rico regained full power after Hurricane Maria hit the island in 2017. And Hurricane Harvey, which struck the Gulf Coast area of Texas around the same time, resulted in substantial power outages.

“It’s very exciting and probably very timely,” Salapaka said of the project.

There seem to be bigger catastrophic events with regards to climate change, he said.

When the negotiations are finalized, the researchers will likely be working alongside a hospital in Alaska, a power company in Vermont and the University’s Medical Center.

“What [Salapaka] is doing with sustainable energy grids is … really critical for avoiding potential calamities associated with our energy grid,” Cramer said.

Such disasters could be natural, or they could be hostile, such as cyber attacks, he added.

Commonly known as ARPA-E, the government agency is tasked with promoting, funding and developing

advanced energy technologies. “[ARPA-E] is really supposed to fund somewhat more risky, speculative research that they might not otherwise do,” said Chris Cramer, the University’s vice president of research.

This isn’t the first time the Department of Energy has supported University research. The Inorganometallic Catalyst Design Center had $12 million in funding renewed earlier this summer. It also funds the Nanoporous Materials Genome Center within the University’s chemistry department. “[The Department] is a great source of funding for the University, and lots of scientists and engineers have attracted that kind of support because of the expertise we’ve got here,” Cramer said.

project, according to the complaint.

But after showing off his home, the interpreter trapped the student in his bedroom and sexually assaulted and raped her several times, according to the complaint.

The next day, the student and her roommate reported the attack to the group’s adviser, researcher Melisa Riviere, who failed to immediately report the incident to her superiors and “proceeded with her day as usual,” according to the complaint.

Riviere was a lecturer in the College of Liberal Arts, but she left the University

in April 2016, according to a University spokesperson.

There was one complaint filed against her at the University that was closed.

The complaint states that Riviere “scolded” the student, telling her that she should have known better than to put herself in that situation. The complaint said Riviere told the student that if she were more aware of cultural differences the incident would not have happened, making a comment that “at least [he] was a gentleman” and walked the student home after.

The following day, the student was forced to ride with the interpreter on the

way to report the incident to the police, the complaint said. The student ended up not pressing charges because she would have to stay in Cuba during the proceedings.

The lawsuit said Riviere did not supervise students sufficiently throughout the trip. Riviere consumed alcohol and drugs during the program, failed to monitor students’ safety and did not check if students were in their rooms at night, according to the complaint.

Following the incident, Riviere told the student that “no one needed to know about what happened,” according to the complaint.

Upon arriving back at campus, the student reported the incident to the University, but an investigation did not result in punishment for Riviere, according to the complaint. Riviere remained the adviser on the student’s thesis paper.

The student’s lawsuit alleges the University, SPAN program and Riviere were neglectful in handling the incident.

R i v i e r e n o w w o rk s at The Council on International Educational Exchange, a nonprofit study abroad agency. Riviere was not immediately available for comment at the time of publication.

EDITORIAL BOARD Ray Weishan Editorials & Opinions Editor rweishan@mndaily.com Ariana Wilson Editorial Board Member awilson@mndaily.com Hailey Almstead Editorial Board Member halmstead@mndaily.com Kelly Busche Editor-in-Chief kbusche@mndaily.com BUSINESS Darya Karas Sales Manager dkaras@mndaily.com David Keane Controller dkeane@mndaily.com The Minnesota Daily strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately.

Correction: A previous version of the article, “Loans aren’t being forgiven; UMN professional students want to know why” misspelled the PSG president’s name. Alanna Pawlowski is the PSG president.

Correction: A previous version of the article, “Will UMN name multiple finalists? The question re-emerges as the presidential search enters its final stages” misstated when Mark Yudof became president of the University of Minnesota. Yudof became president in 1997.

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Thursday, November 29, 2018

Sweeping Minneapolis plan recognizes U area

U senate urges for disability training UMN members call for more staff and faculty training to meet growing need.

BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com

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

Amendment passed

by City Council will solidify the unique role of the U region.

BY TIFFANY BUI tbui@mndaily.com

As the Minneapolis City Council prepares to complete a draft of its comprehensive 2040 plan, an amendment will uniquely recognize the University of Minnesota and surrounding neighborhoods for the first time.

Ward 2 Council member Cam Gordon proposed an amendment to the draft that identifies the “University District” as a district area due to the University’s far-reaching influence.

The Committee of the Whole approved it and a slew of amendments presented by other council members Wednesday. “[The University District is] special and it deserves some kind of recognition in our plan,” Gordon said.

The amendment lists action steps like supporting infrastructure improvements for the area’s growing population and attracting a mix of diverse renters and homeowners. Gordon is a member of the University District Alliance, whose feedback to the City

Council in July helped inform the amendment language.

The move lays the groundwork for implementing future policy plans affecting the University District, although Gordon said he has no specific initiatives in mind yet.

“I think when the [University District] is in the plan, there’s an expectation there is something that will get implemented,” said Gordon.

One of the key points in the the amendment recognizes that rental housing in the area is almost exclusively occupied by groups of “unrelated young people,” an acknowledgement Gordon said is meant to ensure neither renters or homeowners are treated unfairly in policy decisions moving forward.

Ted Tucker, a member of the UDA executive committee, was one of many community members to testify in front of the City Council on the comprehensive plan Nov. 14.

“The University is unique, with its own police department and transit service and open space,” said Tucker, “There’s no other district in the city that has that as the major institution at the center.”

UDA member Katie Fournier said the neighborhoods’ close proximity to the University makes it a

WILL TOOKE, DAILY

significant player in the city landscape. “[The University District] need[s] to be regarded as an asset to both the University and city,” said Fournier. “[Neighborhoods] are recruitment tools for the University to recruit and keep the best faculty who want good neighborhoods and also to recruit top flight students.”

The UDA was established in 2007, shortly before planning for the last City comprehensive plan was completed.

But members didn’t see a need for a University District-specific amendment at the time, said Fournier.

“There wasn’t a sense of change,” Fournier said. “This is the first opportunity that we’ve had to think about how this part of the city stands out or is different from the city in general.”

The comprehensive plan proposes building dense housing in neighborhoods traditionally composed of singlefamily homes, an issue which has attracted citywide controversy. Tucker said the UDA is more concerned with ensuring infrastructure in the area can keep up with the growth.

“The infrastructure that is streets and parks are not adequate for the number of people living and working in the University District,” Tucker said.

3

Amid increasing demand for disability resources at the University of Minnesota, members of the University Senate are pushing for mandatory training for employees on disabilities issues.

The Disabilities Issues C o m m i t t e e p ro p o s e d a draft resolution to implement training for faculty and staff on accommodating and supporting students with disabilities — measures that would be required for all University employees who work directly with students.

Benjamin Munson, chair of the committee, said the proposal is still in its beginning stages. But he said training could be helpful for many faculty and staff on campus.

“It would be pretty far-reaching,” Munson said. “There’s a sense that there’s a pervasive lack of understanding amongst the faculty on how to best accommodate students.”

The committee, which approved the resolution last spring semester, is currently consulting with others in the University Senate. Munson said he hopes to bring the resolution to a vote in the senate by the end of the academic year.

The University does not currently mandate training on disabilities.

The University previously offered an online faculty training in 2015, the Minnesota Daily reported.

The committee’s efforts come at a time when resources on campus are stretched thin. The University’s Disabilities Resource Center provides accessibility measures, like testing accommodations and technology resources, for people with disabilities.

The DRC has seen a significant increase in demand from students, faculty and staff.

The number of students and employees the DRC served on the Twin Cities campus spiked

around 20 percent between fiscal years 2017 and 2018.

University officials expect those numbers to continue to rise.

Supporters of the proposed resolution say training could relieve some of the burden.

“The DRC is currently well over capacity in terms of what they can handle and manage,” said David Johnson, a professor in the Institute on Community Integration, who formerly sat on the committee. “One of the solutions to that certainly is to try to equip faculty and staff with a broader understanding of how to support these students in their coursework.”

The training would help faculty and staff better understand accommodations for students with disabilities, methods of teaching and testing in a more accessible way, and how University resources, like the DRC, can help students.

Although training may be challenging to provide to all employees, Johnson said it could allow instructors to make changes on their own to increase accessibility in the classrooms.

“Faculty automatically just send students to the Disabilities Resource Center sometimes without considering the accommodations needed by these students,” he said. “I think most of the accommodations that are required and needed by students are pretty easy to facilitate.”

The training would also educate employees on federal laws — namely the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act — that prevent discrimination against people with disabilities in higher education.

Peggy Martin, a member of the Disabilities Issues Committee and the former chair, said that many faculty are unaware of the protections for equal access.

“There’s just a big disparity about what people know and don’t know about disability across campus,” Martin said. “I hope the training will accomplish a greater knowledge about

“There’s a big disparity about what people know and don’t know about disability on campus. ... I hope the training will accomplish a greater knowledge.”

PEGGY MARTIN Disabilities Issues Committee member

the federal law and what accommodation means in higher education.”

Graduate student Ryan Machtmes, the co-founder of the Organization for Graduate and Professional Students with Disabilities, said there is a need for better training on campus.

Machtmes, a former member of the Disability Issues Committee, pushed for the training resolution in its early stages last year.

Machtmes said some professors question if students who ask for accommodation really need it, especially with disabilities that aren’t necessarily apparent. He has low vision, or an “invisible” disability, himself.

“Almost any student on campus with a disability who you might talk to would have to say that there have been at least one or a handful of cases where either a need was not met or there was resistance to accommodation where there should not have been,” he said. “It can not only be frustrating, it can also be very hurtful.”

Machtmes said the resolution will bolster advocacy and support for people with disabilities. He said he also hopes training will eliminate the stigma that students who request accommodations are trying to get a leg up in the classroom.

“They don’t provide an unfair advantage,” he said. “The presumption of some, which is borne of ignorance, is not only false, it’s something we hope the training will alleviate.”

4

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Evaluating the U’s admissions process Acceptance u from Page 1

or whether they can override a deficiency in primary factors, Hsu said.

Regent Linda Cohen, c h a i r o f t h e B o a r d of Regents audit committee that Hsu also sits on, acknowledged that the holistic admission process can be subjective.

Fees u from Page 1

Student fees, which are billed to students each semester, vary between colleges and programs; students can pay anywhere between $25 and over $2,000 per semester for the 2018-2019 school year. International students pay an additional fee.

Earlier this month, several University administrators, including Provost Karen Hanson, urged faculty to be more transparent in appointment letters in a letter.

“It is critical that we be as transparent as possible with graduate students about the terms of their employment — particularly about what graduate program costs will be covered by the University and what costs will not,” the letter stated.

The email also said that administrators had “received complaints about what students regard as misleading offers.”

Departments must say that students are responsible for paying all student fees in graduate assistant appointment letters, according to OHR policy.

OHR does not monitor whether or not letters comply with the policy, said Scott

“When one does this holistic review, it’s not as straightforward or simple as ‘somebody met a [certain] ACT score’ … it’s in the context of other things, and I believe in that process,” she said. “Is it perfect? No, because there are some judgment calls being made there.“ She stressed the importance of implementing more consistent documentation.

Lanyon, vice provost and dean of graduate education, who co-signed the letter. He said the policy is often overlooked because many of the letters are written by individual departments.

Graduate assistant appointment letters are not treated like other employment offer letters because they are intended for students, Lanyon said.

“We … worked with academic leaders to communicate expectations that departments must include in all offer letters a reference to the matter of student fees,” said Vice President for Human Resources Kathy Brown in an email to the Minnesota Daily. “We want graduate assistants, like all employees, to have access to all the information they need to consider an employment offer.”

In many departments, a director of graduate studies or graduate program coordinator writes appointment letters. These positions often have high turnover, which can cause important information, like appointment letter policy requirements, to be overlooked, said Rachel Jorgenson, graduate program coordinator for the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

“To me it wasn’t the process as much as how you document those decisions,” she said.

The Office of Admissions, which was aware of the issue at the time of the audit, has now resolved the audit’s recommendation to improve documentation.

Hsu said the University prides itself on meeting numbers and filling colleges, but they don’t keep

track of how they meet enrollment goals. He said the University was inconsistent in converting applicants’ GPAs to a standard fourpoint scale, which he said he found concerning.

The audit states that 76 manually-entered data points, such as GPAs, secondary factors and high school rank were entered incorrectly by first level readers.

“It is imperative to have accurate and consistent data in all locations when critical data is stored in multiple systems. If inaccurate information is stored in one or all sources, this could lead to issues with data integrity and could contribute to future inaccurate admission decisions,” read a statement from the Office of Internal Audit in a December 2017

Regents docket.

This recommendation has not been resolved by the Office of Admissions, though it is in the process of implementing an automated interface between all systems used in the admission process.

“I think all applicants should be treated fairly, and it’s not clear to me that they’re being treated fairly,” Hsu said.

Scott Petty speaks during the Council of Graduate Students meeting on Monday, Nov. 26 in St. Paul.

Some graduate students said they believe that departments are purposely omitting student fees from letters; Jorgenson said she understands why some may

feel that way.

Graduate assistant appointment letters have a lot of information concerning policy, Jorgenson said, so some departments may omit

fees in order to make the letter livelier.

University administrators said they hope to correct the issue in the future.

“I think it’s great that the

JACK RODGERS, DAILY

students made us aware of this and we’re dealing with it,” Lanyon said.

“Hopefully, this will be better with the next round of appointment letters.”

University works to improve safety on rural roads A proposed solution is the construction of snow fences along rural highways.

BY DYLAN MIETTINEN dmiettinen@mndaily.com Driving on rural roads in the wintertime is dangerous.

Just ask Minnesotans, many of whom will be hitting the roads for the holidays.

In 2017, 13,650 car accidents resulted from snowy or icy conditions across the state, according to the 2017 Crash Facts Report released by the state’s Department of Public Safety. Rural roads are particularly hazardous, accounting for 70 percent of total traffic fatalities each year.

In an attempt to combat winter road conditions, the Minnesota Department of Transportation teamed up with the University of Minnesota’s Center for Integrated Natural Resource and Agricultural Management and Extension to expand the living snow fences program.

The state-sponsored efforts place natural barriers, created by wildflowers, woody vegetation and plants some

HAILEE SCHIEVELBEIN, DAILY

100-200 feet from the side of highways to reduce snow blowing across highways.

MnDOT and the University have been working together since the ‘90s, but the organizations met midNovember to discuss future projects and areas of interest, such as along Highway 14 between Kasson and Byron, parts of I-35 and I-90 near Albert Lea. The teams pinpointed 3,700 sites statewide in need

of added snow protection measures, said Dan Gullickson, MnDOT’s project coordinator for the Expanding Landowner Adoption of Snow Control Measures research project.

Strategies include planting natural shrubs and grasses, as well as working with farmers to leave corn rows standing, to act as a snow and wind barrier between fields and the road, Gullickson said.

Th e s e o pt i o ns h a v e

proven extremely effective — strips of highway flanked by standing cornrows saw 40 percent reduction in accident injury severity.

However, farmers are often reluctant to give up portions of their farmable land for live snow fences.

“Forming a barrier takes some land out of agricultural productions and can cause inconveniences for their operations,” said Dean Current, program director of the

Health report u from Page 1

students are actually experiencing worse symptoms of depression, anxiety and other negative mental health outcomes, Finnegan said.

This uptick might be caused by financial factors like student debt and family matters such as divorce.

It could also be due to social media, which can make students feel isolated and jealous of their peers, said Gary Christenson, chief medical officer of Boynton Health.

“For some people who may have a tendency towards anxiety and depression, [social media may] depict a world in which all of their friends are doing a whole hell of a lot better than they are,” Finnegan said. “You’re constantly comparing.”

Another potential cause of the jump in mental health conditions is that students have experienced a significant

University’s CINRAM. To combat this issue, MnDOT has a payment program for farmers to receive compensation for the land they’d relinquish with a oneseason or a 10 to 15-year payment agreement.

One of the main obstacles for efforts to minimize snow blow is simply communication, Gullickson said.

“I think another barrier … is describing the problem,” Gullickson said. “How can we better articulate the problem that our snowplow operators are experiencing? How can we better articulate that when we have an adjacent landowner who’s not responsible for plowing snow?”

Poncho White, a senior transportation generalist specialist for MnDOT in District 7, said that communication between landowners and MnDOT employees should be a priority going forward.

“The best luck we’ve had is the guy that plow those roads talking to landowners. Down there, everybody knows everybody, so getting out and talking to them oneon-one helps,” White said.

Face-to-face contact helped Brad Kiecker, who owns several acres of land

that hug a highway near Fairfax, agree to plant dogwood trees and bushes along the road in the early 2000s.

“It keeps snow off the road, really it’s a safety thing” Kiecker said. “It used to be that snow would drift over hill and land on the highway. It’s a benefit to drivers. Notice that wherever it’s been done, it definitely keeps snow off of highways.”

Between 2015 and 2016, farmer compensation for those participating in the program averaged $4,800.

“Research has shown that [living snow fences] can save thousands of dollars,” Current said. “Snow control barricades can significantly impact and lower costs of maintenance and snow removal.”

There is a human impact as well — in a place where resources are stretched, live snow fences can save the lives of drivers, making rural communities that much more accessible.

“There’s definitely a great need for these rural areas with low traffic to help those folks get to their destinations safely, as well as just improving the mobility of the area,” Gullickson said.

decrease in sleeping hours.

The number of students who reported sleeping for an inadequate number of hours most nights of the week increased by nearly 50 percent.

assault. This heightened level of reporting may be caused by an increase in sexual assault, but it is also likely that sexual assault was underreported in previous years, Golden said.

“The data that we’re seeing now and in the past two years are more accurate numbers of what has been going on for quite a long time,” said Katie Eichele, the director of the Aurora Center.

A stronger understanding of how to identify sexual assault is a main reason for this increase, Eichele said.

Advocacy campaigns and the #MeToo movement may also have a positive effect on increasing reports of sexual assault, as they can make victims feel more empowered to report the non-consensual acts, Finnegan said.

“There is a cultural shift that says, ‘no, I don’t have to be a victim of this stuff.

I can report this stuff and something will happen,’” he said.

An increase in reports of sexual assault

The survey also found a substantial increase in reports of sexual assault, with about 39 percent of women and around 16 percent of men at the University saying they have been sexually assaulted in their lifetimes.

Eighty-two percent of female students reported being sexually harassed. The most common perpetrators of sexual harassment that University students cited were fellow students.

Dave Golden, the director of public health at Boynton, said he was anticipating these results, as data from The Aurora Center and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action were showing an increase in student reports of sexual

5

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2018

MUSIC

CULTURE TO CONSUME

Sustunes brings music charged with meaning to St. Paul campus

This Friday, the U’s Institute on the Environment presents its annual night of music, art and sustainability.

BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN

Listen this: “Should I” by Arum Rae This is one of those songs that you’ll never get tired of. Arum Rae’s deep-toned voice is accompanied by chirping birds and swelling piano notes. Throughout the song, Rae asks a series of questions about how to act when her lover comes to visit. The vulnerability here is endearing and genuine, and the song is reminiscent of early Norah Jones in that it offers the kind of calm that makes you want to sway.

Watch this: “boygenius: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert” This Tiny Desk Concert has to be the most delicate yet powerful session to exist on NPR Music. Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers harmonize beautifully; their gentle ballads are like a little hug for your soul. If you missed them at First Ave, this video will almost cure your FOMO — they perform half the tracks from their self-titled EP.

COURTESY OF DUSTIN CARLSON

City Love performs at the second-annual SusTunes concert in the Learning and Environmental Science building on St. Paul campus on Dec. 2, 2016.

CULTURE COMPASS

BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN

Friday: “Union Depot Holiday Tree Lighting” With Thanksgiving behind us, Christmas is now in full swing — and the Union Depot has you covered in the earlyholiday-spirit department.

Their annual tree lighting will be complete with music, fireworks and a screening of “Elf.” There will be snacks for purchase, but make sure to bring your own blankets and folding chairs for an extra level of cozy. While you’re there, you might as well check out the “European Christmas Market” on the East Plaza and get started on those holiday season gifts, too!

Where: Union Depot, 214 4th St. E., St. Paul Hours: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Cost: Free

BY LIV MARTIN omartin@mndaily.com

In lieu of the familiar three R’s, “reduce, reuse, recycle,” this year’s Sustunes has a different take on sustainability: “resilience, rise, revive.”

On Friday, The University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment will present its fourth annual “Sustunes”: a celebration of sustainability, student groups, student art, food and a free concert.

Three local acts — Tufawon, Henry James Patterson and Basses Wild — will take the stage on Friday night.

Each ensemble has been tasked with interpreting a given word.

The word “resilience” was a perfect fit for Minneapolis hip hop artist and activist Tufawon, who recently returned from headlining his very own European tour, coincidentally named “Resilience.”

Tufawon, who identifies as both Dakota and Boricua, has fought the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock and spoken at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. He still finds time to produce music that delves into his personal struggles, spirituality and connectedness to the land and the realities of the world.

“With a socially aware approach, [Tufawon] touches on topics such as Indigenous resiliency, politics, health, defending Mother Earth and fighting against oppressive systems,” says the artist’s Facebook page.

The second act, Henry James Patterson, is a Sustunes veteran — he also performed at last year’s concert.

Patterson, an emerging solo musician and former University student, is tasked with interpreting the word “rise.”

“I’m probably going to

“We want to deliver a high-energy performance. If we ... make them have a good time... they’ll have a better experience at the event and be more receptive to the message.”

JACOB NELSON music director of Basses Wild

do some songs about rising up in the name of justice. I might even throw in an anti-war song or protest song,” he said.

For Patterson, playing Sustunes is a different, unique experience.

“There’s not really many shows where I’m directed to play to a specific theme. But I think the theme is good

because sustainability in our world is important and it’s important to me.”

A self-proclaimed treehugger and “mother nature nerd,” the singer-songwriter says growing up in Red Wing, Minnesota made him more conscious of the environment.

“It’s a lot more scenic and there’s a lot more nature spaces than the city. It’s just out in the country. I’ve been around a lot of that and I’ve done a lot of reading about climate change, so I want to do what I can to support the good cause of keeping our planet intact,” said Patterson.

The University’s allmale a capella group, Basses Wild, will also be singing for the cause Friday night.

Their word is “revive.”

“We want to deliver a high-energy performance.

If we entertain people and make them have a good time — which is what we always try to do at our

performances — they’ll have a better experience at the event and be more receptive to the message,” said Jacob Nelson, Basses Wild’s music director and junior chemical engineering major.

Basses Wild is planning to revive the Backstreet Boys by singing a medley of the band’s songs.

The a cappella group will also sing an arrangement of the energetic tune “Start a Fire” by Unspoken.

“I’m hoping it’s not too ironic of a name, with [the recent] wildfires or anything like that, because the song is more about starting a fire energy-wise, and becoming motivated to do something,” said Nelson.

What: Fourth annual “Sustunes” When: Friday, 6 to 9 p.m.

Where: Learning and Environmental Sciences Building Atrium, 1954 Buford Ave., St. Paul Cost: Free

Saturday: Karaoke at Moon Palace If you’ve ever wanted to do karaoke inside of a bookstore, now is your chance. Moon Palace Books doubles as a music venue and they’re hosting a free, all ages karaoke night. Bring your friends and sing your hearts out to the “Mamma Mia” soundtrack ... or whatever gets you dancing.

Where: Moon Palace Books, 3032 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis Hours: 8 to 11 p.m.

Cost: Free

Sunday: Grand Opening of the M The Minnesota Museum of American Art, or “the M” if you’re trendy, is finally opening its doors in a permanent location! The ribbon cutting will be followed by live music and food trucks, as well as art installations from local artists. The M’s first artist takeover resident, Rebekah Crisanta de Ybarra, will have an exhibition for attendees to learn about and interact with Latinx culture.

This museum has been highly anticipated for years; the grand opening is something you won’t want to miss.

Where: Minnesota Museum of American Art, 350 Robert St. N., St. Paul Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: Free

COMEDY

Q&A: Ladybrain talks new show ‘Hysteria’ The comedy troupe, comprised of female-identifying local comedians, is back for their second-ever show, “Hysteria.”

BY LIV MARTIN

Ladybrain made waves this past summer with its first show, “Ladybrain: A Sketch Comedy Revue,” which explored the male gaze and the “Free the Nipple” movement, among other things.

Their new show, “Hysteria,” opens this Friday. It promises to be weirder and funnier than ever.

A&E caught up with Ladybrain founders and University of Minnesota alumnae Gabby VandenAvond and Amie Durenberger, as well as fellow cast-member Meredith Jacobs, to chat creative processes, women in comedy and eccentric props.

Why was it so important that Ladybrain have an allfemale-identifying cast?

Gabby VandenAvond:

COURTESY OF KYLEE LEONETTI/LEONETTI CONFETTI

omartin@mndaily.com

The members of Ladybrain Sketch Comedy.

Well, with every writing room that you have, I feel like you inevitably come across — especially if it’s mixed genders — the situation where there are certain topics and certain ideas that just land better with women than men.

It’s not a fault of either group.

It can just sometimes be easier to work with a group of people that have had similar experiences to you. Then you don’t have to explain yourself.

It’s not like we only talk about tampons. It’s just easier.

I’m also just sick of other people writing my stuff for me … like men writing women’s roles is getting really boring.

I don’t want to watch that, I don’t want to act in that and I don’t want to be that.

Amie Durenberger: I also think it’s rare right now to

have a group this large that is all women. It feels like a really unique experience, because there’s nine of us total, with our tech. It’s a really cool, collaborative connection between funny women.

What is Ladybrain’s process for creating sketches?

GV: It’s really what the [University’s] theater program hammered into me … [to be] very collaborative. I don’t believe in one-person art at all, and I don’t think it’s really worth much to create something alone. I think it’s cool to see the moments where it’s somebody else’s sketch, but you can see yourself in that sketch or see your friends in your sketch.

Meredith Jacobs: When we get further along in the

process, and we start thinking about who specifically will play certain roles — I know I’m thinking about one of the cast members that I know will be really good … like delivering this line or capturing this character. There’s a level of trust that you put in the people that you cast. I have trust that all these women are incredibly funny and they’ll think of things that are funnier than what I intended to write. That’s a lovely thing to discover.

Give us a hint … what props are featured in “Hysteria?”

MJ: We tend to be propheavy; we’re trying not to be as prop-heavy this time around.

AD: Oh, we failed! We

failed. We made even heavier crafts!

MJ: Well, we love to craft.

We want to take advantage of the medium we have, which is the dialogue but also the visual comedy.

GV: I have to make a bunch of sunshines. What else do we have?

AD: A giant crib.

GV: Oh, and space helmets!

What: Ladybrain Presents: “Hysteria” When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday Where: Strike Theater, 824 18th Ave. N.E., Minneapolis Cost: $10 ($11.34 with service fee) Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

6

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2018

WRESTLING

ELLE MOULIN, DAILY

Freshman Gable Steveson competes in a match against South Dakota State on Sunday, Nov. 25 at Maturi Pavilion

Wrestling u from Page 1

said. “You can go to a lot of places in the country that have real good teams and just be another person on the team, but here you stand out to everyone.”

Gable Steveson is not afraid of lofty expectations, something he has dealt with

since he was born. His mother named him Gable, after Dan Gable, a two-time NCAA national wrestling champion and Olympic gold medalist.

Eggum has already declared Steveson the starter in the heavyweight division and has high praise of Gable Steveson’s advanced ability.

“The way he is competing out there, how relaxed and confident he is, I don’t think

I’ve seen anybody, that I’ve ever coached, that has the swag that he does when he’s out there,” Eggum said. “He’s one of a kind.”

The freshman began the year ranked fifth in his weight class, but has moved up to second following the undefeated start.

However, Gable Steveson will see no shortage of tough competition in the

Big Ten, the conference Eggum called, “the toughest conference in the country.”

Along with Steveson, three other Big Ten wrestlers are ranked in the top five of the heavyweight division, including No. 1 Sam Stoll of Iowa.

“I set [my expectations] high, so I want to be an undefeated national champion,” Gable Steveson said.

Notes

Minnesota defeated South Dakota State in its last match Nov. 25, defeating the Jackrabbits 35-6. The win brought the team record to 2-1 on the year.

The Gophers will travel to Las Vegas for the two-day Cliff Keen Invitational Nov. 30-Dec. 1. The team will take on top teams in the Big Ten including Ohio State and

Michigan. The team will not be at full strength with two wrestlers out due to injury.

Mitch McKee is out. He is receiving a small knee scope procedure that will sideline him until after Christmas.

Steve Bleise, who wrestled against Oklahoma State with a broken hand, had surgery on Nov. 19 and a time table for his return has not been set.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Two hockey players hope to continue their families’ legacies Abigail Boreen and Taylor Williamson are daughters of former U players.

BY ERIK NELSON enelson2@mndaily.com

For center Abigail Boreen and left winger Taylor Williamson, Gophers hockey runs in the family.

Boreen’s father, Chad, played for Minnesota in 1987-88. Williamson’s father, Dean, played for the Gophers. Her grandfather, Murray, was an All-American for the Gophers in 1959 and coached the U.S. men’s team at the 1968 and 1972 Winter Olympics. Now, Boreen and Williamson are continuing their families’ legacies.

“Ever since she was in her car seat, we would go to the Gophers games, both men’s and women’s,” Dean Williamson said. “It’s meant a ton to our family. The program’s

bigger than everything. For us, it was a true treat when she decided to go to the University of Minnesota which was not a no-brainer decision for her. It’s been a blessing for all of us.”

Boreen said she has a journal from when she was in fourth grade saying that she wanted to play for the Gophers.

“I’ve been coming to games ever since I was a little kid,” Boreen said. “It’s cool to look back at that and have it be my reality now.”

Williamson missed part of last season after being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a rare neuromuscular disease that causes fatigue and muscle weakness. She played her first game since she was diagnosed with the disorder on Jan. 13 against Vermont and was a key contributor in Minnesota’s 2018 WCHA Final Faceoff victory.

Dean Williamson said the process of hockey has been

the best part of watching his daughter play for Minnesota.

“Every year has been an unforgettable memory,” he said. “We’ve all been fortunate to play in big games. We love playing in the league and contending for national championships. For me, it’s been able to watch the journey in itself and no isolated moment. That’s been the biggest memory for me.”

Boreen said her father motivated her to play hockey.

“He wanted me to get involved in hockey and have it be a fun game of mine,” Boreen said. “It soon became a passion of mine and I loved every day going to practices with him and having those late night drives.”

This season, 19 of the 27 players on the Gophers were raised in Minnesota. 21 of the 27 players played high school hockey in Minnesota. Boreen grew up in Somerset, Wisconsin but played for

Hill-Murray High School.

Head coach Brad Frost said having second and third generation players like Boreen and Williamson improves Minnesota’s culture.

“They understand the tradition that we’ve had here,” Frost said. “Many of them were youngsters that came to games watching former Gophers play and dreaming of being on the team one day. That’s our main fanbase.

We want these young girls dreaming of playing for the Gophers just like our players did. Hopefully, we can continue to make that happen.”

Taylor Williamson said it’s an honor to wear the ‘M’ sweater.

“There’s such a culture thats been evolving as the program started,” she said.

“To know that I’m a part of that is special. This is where my dad played and my grandpa played. It’s a cool connection that us three can all make together.”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Bello twins succeeding at UMN Taiye Bello has had a hot start to the season for the newlook Gophers team.

BY BABATUNDE JINADU bjinadu@mndaily.com

At Gophers women’s basketball games this year, fans might have noticed two similar players.

Taiye and Kehinde Bello, twin sisters, play on Minnesota’s women’s basketball team. Their situation of being twins on the same college sports team sets them apart from others.

“I think it’s pretty weird because not a lot of people get to go to the same college as their siblings, let alone play on the same team. So it’s just kind of cool having somebody there, especially being far away from home,” said Kehinde Bello.

Following successful prep basketball careers in Southfield, Michigan, the sisters hope to win a Big Ten Championship for Minnesota, as well as make a big run in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Currently in their junior years, Taiye Bello is majoring in information technology while Kehinde Bello is studying applied economics.

Their bond has helped them develop as student-athletes and people — but it does not define them.

“I think as a twin, a lot of people, especially when you’re younger, they don’t really see you as individuals. Also, at the same time, they compare you a lot,” said Taiye Bello. “That’s kind of been an issue, [but] as you grow older and you get to

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Junior Taiye Bello dribbles around the defender at Williams Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 20. The Gophers beat the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions 84-42.

W0MEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW

VS SYRACUSE WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Thursday

MINNESOTA WHERE: Williams Arena SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

know yourself more, you become more of an individual.

And that kind of doesn’t become as much of a problem anymore.”

This season, Taiye Bello has been especially dominant for the Gophers. She started off the year with three consecutive double-doubles, and she’s already grabbed 68 rebounds through five games.

In spite of this, Taiye Bello speaks humbly about her

quick start.

“I felt like this year — because my role is bigger — there is a need to fill that role. With more responsibility, your impact is going to be greater,” said Taiye Bello.

“You put in the work in the offseason, and then it’s going to show once you start playing.”

Still, Taiye Bello does not take all the credit for her success. She is thankful for the environment the coaches

have created for her, as well as for her relationship with her sister.

“We’ve always played on the same team, so I guess we’re used to it. But it’s definitely nice having my sister.

Not only going to the same college, but also playing on the same team as me is fun,” said Taiye Bello. “We pushed each other a lot, especially because we were always doing the same thing in terms of sports. So it’s definitely competitive, which is good, because you have someone always pushing you.”

Kehinde Bello only echoed her sister’s remarks when thinking about the relationship they share.

“In practice we’re always competing, and we just try and make each other better, no matter what,” said Kehinde Bello.

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Senior Matz Stockman shoots the ball on Monday, Nov. 12 at Williams Arena. The Gophers beat the Utes 78-69.

Matz Stockman earning minutes with Gophers The 7-foot center had a long journey to get a chance for playing time with U.

BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com

Redshirt senior Matz Stockman’s journey to Minnesota has spanned multiple continents, countries and universities. Now in his final season of eligibility, Stockman is getting more playing time than ever before in his college career.

Before the season, few outside the program expected much from the 7-foot-tall center. He figured to play limited minutes behind redshirt sophomore Eric Curry and freshman Daniel Oturu. However, Curry suffered a knee injury before the season and is yet to return to the court. In his absence, Stockman has gotten the opportunity to contribute significant minutes off the bench in relief of Oturu.

“He’s been good,” head coach Richard Pitino said.

“I thought was really good.

When you have [Curry] down, it’s a blessing in disguise for guys like [freshman] Jarvis [Omersa], [Oturu] and [Stockman], who can play more minutes. I thought [Stockman] came in and brought value.”

Stockman’s path to where he is now has perhaps more twists and turns than anybody else on the team.

His home town of Oslo, Norway, is further away from the Twin Cities than any other player’s home on the roster.

Before coming to the United States for college, Stockman went to play in Spain. He attended Canarias Basketball Academy in the Canary Islands, where he was teammates with former Minnesota player Gaston Diedhiou.

To begin his college career, Stockman committed to the University of Louisville. There, he played under Pitino’s father, Rick Pitino. Having played under both father and son gives Stockman the unique ability to compare and contrast each coach’s style.

“Rick Pitino, he put a great deal of emphasis on defense and having deflections,” Stockman said. “His son has a little bit of a different philosophy, he doesn’t put as much of an emphasis on trying to be active with the hands.”

Stockman transferred to Minnesota following his junior season. He sat out the 2017-18 season due to NCAA transfer rules. He then left the team to focus on academics. Stockman planned on completing his degree and then transferring to the University of California as a grad-transfer. However, he wasn’t able to graduate.

Luckily, Minnesota had an extra scholarship available for the 2018-19 season which Pitino offered to Stockman.

“It was one of those situations where we had a scholarship [and] fortunately didn’t give it away,” Pitino said. “He would have been out of luck if we didn’t have that. It worked out really well that he was able to stay.”

Staying in maroon and gold has proved to be a positive for Stockman. So far, he’s averaging a careerhigh 12.6 minutes per game for Minnesota in Curry’s absence.

“I’m glad that I got to stay here now because I trust Pitino,” Stockman said. “He’s a great guy and he’s giving me good opportunities that I’m able to take advantage of. I’m happy to be here.”

Stockman has also added plenty of value off the bench for Minnesota. He’s provided quality minutes at the center position, an area where the team has lacked depth over the past few seasons. “[Stockman] has been playing really well in that role,” said senior Jordan Murphy. “Being able to come off the bench and give valuable minutes just by rebounding, by blocking shots, affecting shots, guarding centers is something very valuable to us.”

Following their first loss of the season to Boston College on Monday, Stockman and the Gophers return to Minneapolis for their next game. They will take on Oklahoma State on Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium.

7

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Metro Transit scopes Dinkytown for E Line Some major MarcyHolmes streets see highest ridership counts in the Cities.

BY TIFFANY BUI tbui@mndaily.com

Metro Transit is exploring the possibility of replacing a popular Dinkytown bus route with a high-frequency transit line.

The bus rapid transit project through MarcyHolmes would be part of the proposed E Line, which would run along Hennepin Avenue downtown. The E line would replace the Route 6 bus line, which currently runs through Dinkytown. The City is asking community members to weigh in on a study about two potential routes.

Bus rapid transit routes have fewer stops and allow riders to pay before getting on the bus, similar to boarding the light rail. Two route have been proposed: one along University Avenue Southeast and 4th Street Southeast and another through South Minneapolis.

Chris Lautenschlager, executive director of Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association, said the organization is actively advocating for more high-frequency buses due the area’s high ridership. “We have a significant population boom

“The year ahead of us is really about identifying what might be possible.”

KYLE O’DONNELL BURROWS BRT senior planner

in Marcy-Holmes,” said Lautenschlager.

Buses that stop in Dinkytown average 1,200 rides a day while school is in session, drawing in one of the highest ridership numbers in the Metro Transit system.

The neighborhood has seen a development spike in recent years. Lautenschlager said some developers point to local public transportation when asking the Minneapolis Planning Commission to approve of fewer parking spaces, but the Route 6 buses don’t arrive frequently enough to make up for lost parking.

“Although we told the Planning Commission repeatedly, the message hasn’t gotten through,” he said.

Lautenschlager said he is concerned Metro Transit won’t have enough money to bring the E Line to Dinkytown, but representatives say routes to both Marcy-Holmes and South Minneapolis is financially possible.

“It’s not a question of if it goes … farther south — it

JACK RODGERS, DAILY

The Metro Transit 6 Bus is seen along 4th St. SE. on Monday, Nov. 26. The newly proposed E-Line, which would replace the 6, would be faster and more convenient.

won’t go farther north,” said Kyle O’Donnell Burrows, BRT senior planner. “It’s not an either or.”

The next step of the E Line Corridor study is to gather feedback from community members about their neighborhoods and what improvements they’d like to see.

U doctoral students can pursue indigenous studies The program is in the recruitment stage and is set to start in fall 2019.

BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com

The Department of American Studies will offer a new program next year that will allow doctoral students to pursue indigenous studies.

The program was created through an award given to the department in November in an effort to test out an indigenous studies program at the doctoral level. Six doctoral students will be able to work in a group and explore the field of indigenous studies.

The program is part of Creating Inclusive Cohorts, a larger initiative by the Graduate School Diversity Office to promote diversity.

The American Studies department is working with the Race, Indigeneity, Gender and Sexuality Studies Initiative and the American Indian Studies department to develop, recruit and carry out the program.

“We want to train a diverse group of scholars in a cohort-based model. That is absolutely crucial for retention and recruitment and success,” said Karen Ho, director of the RIGS Initiative. “We want to solidify long-standing work that the

University has done in this field.”

The American Indian Studies department currently does not have its own graduate program but the new training program in the American Studies department will give doctoral students the opportunity to study the field, Ho said. The cohort, starting fall 2019, will analyze aspects of indigenous studies like land removal, culture, political resistance and structural oppression.The department is currently recruiting doctoral students to participate, with applications closing on Dec. 1.

“It’s our hope that this pilot program will increase and enhance the training experience of these students when they are together as a group,” said Yoji Shimizu, associate dean of graduate education and director of the Graduate School Diversity Office.

Previously called the Graduate School Pilot Recruitment Initiative, the training program was created last year to assist graduate schools in recruiting fellowships and promoting diversity, Shimizu said.

“Having a group of students … that come from diverse backgrounds really helps them feel more included in the graduate program and the community,” Shimizu said.

The Graduate School Diversity Office awarded

four additional collaborations with new training programs.

The others are in Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry and Child Psychology.

“It made sense to unite people around an important lens of inquiry [into indigenous studies],” Ho said.

The program is important because it will bring diversity to the American Studies department, said Amber Annis, a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation, and a Minnesota Historical Society specialist.

“Going through my undergraduate … one thing that lacked was seeing indigenous people in the field, at universities,” she said.

The University itself occupies indigenous land and is home to one of the largest and most diverse urban indigenous communities in the country, Ho said.

The American Indian Studies Department created a graduate minor this fall to help provide additional learning for graduate students interested in indigenous studies. The department hopes to create its own graduate program in the future, Ho said. “[This program] developed so that the partnership between American Indian Studies, the RIGS Initiative and American Studies became a recipe that worked,” Ho said.

BRT Director Charles Carlson said the results of the study will help Metro Transit make its case for funding to the Metropolitan Council and the State Legislature.

“This study is really figuring out what that need is, and then we figure out the funding,” said Carlson.

“It’s not really you find the funding and then you develop the project.”

The planning process will determine where the northern and southern E Line routes would end and station placement.

“The year ahead of us is really about identifying

what might be possible,” said O’Donnell Burrows.

An open house to kickoff citizen engagement in the study is scheduled Thursday, Dec. 13 at Marcy Open School.

The study will wrap up in 2019, and construction is projected to begin by 2023.

Local leaders are uncertain about increasing police policy oversight Proposed measure would give the City greater control over local police policies.

BY EMMA DILL edill@mndaily.com

An amendment to give the Minneapolis City Council increased oversight over the Minneapolis Police Department has seen mixed reactions from local community leaders.

A City task force will meet on Dec. 3 to evaluate an effort to increase city council control over MPD policy. While the change may address recent safety concerns in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, community leaders are waiting for the task force’s results before supporting the proposal.

In Cedar-Riverside, public safety has become a top concern following fatal shootings in September and July. City officials said the proposed measure would give the City Council more say in policy decisions, potentially allowing members to advocate for constituent needs.

Ward 6 Council member Abdi Warsame said he believes the current policing system works. Recent violent crime incidents in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood have brought out concerns about public safety, prompting a group of Somali

mothers to organize this fall.

“Our community has had some public safety issues this summer and they have been vocal to our office that they would like to see more patrols and more of a police presence,” Warsame’s policy aide Ryan SanCartier said.

While Warsame said he feels that policing changes are necessary, he said the charter amendment is not the only solution.

“There are so many pressures on us to make the changes, but I think we can make those changes with the ordinances and the power that we have,” Warsame said.

Warsame cited crime prevention, youth violence prevention and job training at the Cedar-Riverside Opportunity Center as ways he has used his current power to promote public safety. In the future, Warsame said he would like to see increased training that would teach MPD officers how to de-escalate tense situations and bridge cultural divides when responding to incidents.

Ward 2 Council member Cam Gordon, who introduced the measure in August, said his 12 years on the City Council have demonstrated the need for more council control.

“A lot of times in the course of my time on the council, people have

come and said, ‘We need to change this about the police and that about the police.’ It’s just hard as a council member to do that,” Gordon said.

MPD is the only department the City Council does not have policy control over. The council oversees the Minneapolis Fire Department and Public Works Department.

The measure is under review by a 15-member Police Department Charter Amendment Task Force.

Their findings are due to the City Council no later than Jan. 2.

Gordon initially planned for the measure to be on the November ballot for Minneapolis voters, but it was delayed after the task force required more time to study the plan.

SanCartier said the charter amendment’s potential impact is still uncertain among council members.

“When they sent [the measure] to the charter commission it was still left very gray,” SanCartier said.

Still, the amendment prompts a needed public safety discussion in CedarRiverside and throughout the city, he said.

“It’s an important discussion and we’re having that discussion,” Warsame said. “Now, the main thing is just waiting for what the charter commission says.”

8 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2018

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

COLUMN

Will America be able to recover from its stumble?

Jon Meacham’s lecture at the U brought up our country’s frought history with justice and progress.

I

s aw Pulitzer Prizewinning historian Jon Meacham give a lecture at Northrup Auditorium this month, as part of the Humphrey School’s Distinguished Carlson Lecture JONATHAN ABABIY series. It was a columnist packed house.

The median age easily cleared 40 or 50 years old. I came a little late, so I had to sit high up on the fourth floor in those seats that make you feel like you’re watching whatever is on stage from a helicopter.

Meacham has the intellect of a man who has spent many nights in the depths

of some library parsing through dusty old books and documents, but also the charisma of a man who has spent a lot of time with a president or two. A Southern white, AngloSaxon protestant — and the first actual Episcopalian I’ve ever seen in person and not read about in a history book. Meacham’s talk balanced humorous historical anecdotes with a deeply sobering look back into American history.

What was so deeply sobering is that our current treacherous era of Donald Trump — racial intolerance, alternative facts and immigrant children in cages — is perfectly in line with much of American history.

Meacham reminded us that for four long years, Joseph McCarthy seized the nation’s attention with his phantom communists and incessant lies. The demagogue and rabid segregationist George Wallace was a credible and dangerous presidential candidate at one point.

But, as Meacham reminded the audience, the American public eventually saw through McCarthy’s lies. Wallace won five states in the 1968 election, but major politicians of both parties took up

anti-segregation. Not without some stumbles, the good side of America eventually prevailed. Meacham painted a picture of American history that was full of many steps back, but ultimately followed by taking larger steps forward.

It’s a comforting vision of American history and very nice to think the good will prevail, especially in our current time. As Mecham told MinnPost, “So, progress is possible. The lesson of history is that there are very few great leaps forward without a corresponding leap back.”

Yet, our seas still rise. Hurricanes will ravish our coasts with greater intensity every year. Larger and larger wildfires reset our Western landscape every summer. Pretty much anyone will agree that America is taking a step back right now. But will the step forward that Meacham reassures us America will take ever come?

Meacham’s blind spot are these leaps back. He never mentions who bears the brunt of these detours in America’s supposedly inevitable march toward progress.

As a man born into and living in immense privilege, his aerial view of American

history too easily glosses over immense suffering. When America finally does the right thing, Meacham seems to ignore what’s still left to work on. Electing a black president was a step in the right direction for America, but it didn’t really put a dent in racism. Jamar Clark and Laquan McDonald can attest to that.

To borrow from the writings of Philip Roth, Meacham too easily paints an American pastoral. What we really have on our hands is the “indigenous American berserk,” or what The New Republic book reviewer Robert Boyers described as Roth’s fundamental American spirit: “a propensity to violence, conspiracy and irrationality.” It ebbs and flows and we often forget or ignore it because it does not touch our lives. But it always remains under the surface of American life, and all signs are pointing toward it being here to stay. What’s surprising about it is that it surprises us.

Jonathan Ababiy welcomes comments at jababiy@mndaily.com.

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL

Parties should prioritize govt. transparency

Reviewing the University’s sickness policy

Both parties have been unable to pass legislation that offers citizens robust transparency.

As students become ill, limits with the U’s sick policy become burdens on the student body.

If Republicans and Democrats want a quick win-win at new divided government this year, they should pass a legislative process reform law that brings back the long tradition of transparent government in Minnesota.

So far, we’re encouraged by the enthusiasm for the idea from the DFL. with longtime reform advocate Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, holding open and public hearings on the issue Tuesday and Wednesday.

Pelowski opened the meeting to new members of the Legislature, interested parties and the public.

Students get sick.

With over almost 50,000 students populating on the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus, you are bound to catch some sort of virus or bug. Typically, these minor illnesses don’t require a visit to Boynton Health.

They can get better with a brief search of symptoms, a few days of rest or the use overthe-counter medication.

The university’s absence policy allows students to miss a day of class without any documentation to prove they were seen by a doctor. This policy is not understood by all professors. Some still require some form of proof by a medical professional that you were legitimately sick and could not make it to class.

The policy guarantees a legitimate excuse for a single-episode medical absence. Sending students to clinics to obtain documentation is often a waste of resources and exposes others to your germs, which can spread sickness.

Most of these issues can be avoided by simply staying home, emailing your professor and prioritizing your health — but are nevertheless not covered as an excused absence.

There needs to be more trust between students and faculty. After college, when most students enter the “real world,” employers don’t require some form of documentation to prove every illness. If college is supposed to get us ready for the real world, students should be trusted to hold themselves accountable.

It may be inevitable that some students abuse the policy, frequently convey illness as an excuse and have regularly low attendance. Professors should not ignore this behavior, but instead attempt to address it case by case. There may be extenuating circumstances affecting the student and their intent may not be to abuse the policy, but rather that medical attention was not necessary.

Administration at the University have realized the absurdity around requiring students to have documentation for every single missed absence due to illness, and have tried to combat this issue by implementing the one-class exemption policy. But the next step is to ensure the policy is followed and enforced, with professors and faculty are sticking by the rules put in place.

Students are adults and should be treated as such. We should trust students enough to hold themselves accountable and be honest with their professors. Students are committing their time and money by attending the University. More students continue to be inhibited by strict or unenforced sick-policies that become detrimental to their health, both mental and physical, as well as the health of our entire student body. We believe this needs to change.

For too long the people of Minnesota have been secondary concerns in this war of procedures that, make no mistake, often bore the public but have great importance for how representative democracy works.

Robert McGrady welcomes comments at rmcgrady@mndaily.com.

Testimony from the National Association of State Legislatures was scheduled for the Tuesday meeting and a review of past reform measures was scheduled for Wednesday. We see the urgency in this issue as a sign the new administration of Governorelect Tim Walz will consider this a top, if not first, priority.

It’s telling that Pelowski has to bring back a report from 2007, when he was last chair of the committee commissioned to deal with this issue. So much has been talked about by both parties for so long that it should be a top priority.

The legislative process needs reform.

There was no better example of that last year when Republicans offered the megamega bills covering almost every issue imaginable to Gov. Mark Dayton, who rightly vetoed the attempted blackmailing of the legislative process.

One can find examples every year of latenight, backroom dealing where bills never see the light of day until they’re voted on in the 11th hour. At one point, it was difficult for legislators to have even a few hours to review bills.

The reform agendas have been proposed.

Unfortunately, they have been proposed by the minority party in years when it looked good politically. But when the minority become the majority, these proposals often fell by the wayside.

And, it was politically expedient. Why would the party in control of both houses, or even one house, need reform? It could run things just they way it wanted. That would be easier.

For too long the people of Minnesota have been secondary concerns in this war of procedures that, make no mistake, often bore the public but have great importance for how representative democracy works.

There is nothing more important than transparency in government. Who leads in this effort will be telling.

The way forward is simple. Pass reform that allows for adequate review of bills and allows the public to see late versions with a chance to weigh in. This isn’t rocket science.

It’s good government.

This editorial was originally published in the Mankato Free Press.

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

COLUMN

The extent of evangelism An American died while he was trying to preach to the private, prehistoric North Sentinelese.

B

etween the afternoon of November 16 and the morning of November 17, a 26-yearold American citizen named John Chau was murdered and allegedly burUMA VENKATA ied in the sand columnist on North Sentinel Island in India. The murder was committed by the isolated, prehistoric tribe that lives there, outside the reach of the modern world. North Sentinel lies south of the Andaman Islands of India, which by proxy is responsible for North Sentinel too. This means India’s police are in charge of the response to the Chau murder.

Chau came to preach the word of God to the North Sentinelese. But it is and was illegal under Indian law, even long before Chau’s arrival, to contact or disturb the North Sentinelese tribe. They are not friendly to outsiders, and more importantly, physical exposure to the bacterial cocktail of modern humanity spells inevitable disaster for isolated people like the North Sentinelese. On the other hand, it is similarly illegal to commit murder. Maybe the North Sentinelese should declare residency in some American state with stand-yourground laws. (That is a joke.)

However, there is a real reason why the North Sentinelese should not be held accountable for Chau’s death. The North Sentinelese are not part of our society; they actively and consistently refuse to be. Therefore, they have never consented to, however implicitly, our protections, rules, customs or culture. We, on the other hand, absolutely do give that consent by living and participating in the modern world, even though we never really think we do.

Chau was absolutely aware of the illegality of his plan. He bribed local fishermen to smuggle him to and from the island; after his death, they were arrested. What’s most important, though, is what we know about Chau’s last few days.

When he arrived on the island, he set himself up in a cove. He waited for tribe members to appear and when they didn’t, he sought them on the beach. From there, they chased him with arrows. He shouted and retreated. He stayed on the island daily, returning during the nights. Through his diary he called the island, “Satan’s last stronghold,” and asked what could make the residents so hostile.

When he tried to speak to them, he shouted in Xhosa, which is a language from South Africa. What South Africa has to do with an island between India and Myanmar, I have no idea, other than centuries-old, small-minded denigration of all dark-colored people to the same thing. Chau also knew nothing, like the rest of us, about the religious beliefs of the North Sentinelese. But he was convinced that without him they were damned because they were not Christian. I don’t know what convinced him of this — mabye self-aggrandizement or religious brainwashing — but Chau’s attitude was merely destructive colonial history repeating itself.

I am not a theologian. The intricacies of theological philosophy are fascinating, and I’ve been hearing about deeper and more significant meanings as my life has gone on. But I don’t think I’ll ever be convinced the existence or extent of any god, even the Abrahamic one, will warrant or merit risking the lives of one of the purest human forms this world has the good fortune to preserve. That sounds pretty antithetical to God, anyway. The ethics of evangelism alone are a whole new issue — but this is beyond just spreading the Gospel. This is closer to the level of smallpox blankets. We should be past that point by now.

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.

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9

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2018

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (11/29): Communication profits this year.

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

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

Written by Nancy Black

Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is a 7 — Don’t push yourself too hard. Demand for your attention may be high. Make time to strengthen foundational structures.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 6 — Complete projects, and clean up. Avoid travel or fuss.

Keep a low profile. Nostalgic reflection reminds you how far you’ve come. Plan what’s next.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 7 — Romance competes with miscommunication or mistakes for your attention. Postpone and delegate.

Family comes first. Patience and humor help.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 7 — Group efforts get farther than solo. Get feedback from your community. Don’t believe everything you hear, though. Take it with a grain of salt.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is a 6 — Take care of practical and pragmatic details at home.

Make repairs to support structures. Stay patient with miscommunications.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — Work definitely takes priority. Someone important is paying attention. Resolve breakdowns without losing your cool.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — Help others see the big picture. Distractions and disruptions abound. Silly disagreements waste time if you indulge them.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is an 8 — Make travel or educational plans. Keep your objective in mind. Check reservations, and schedule carefully. Tempers may be short.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — The profit potential is high despite obstacles, delays or misunderstandings. New developments could change the assignment.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is an 8 — Join forces with another for funding. Changes necessitate budget revisions. Anticipate a disagreement, and avoid financial discussions.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is a 9 — As you gain strength, you gain options. Let go of a preconception, and keep your attitude positive.

Stick to practical solutions and follow rules.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 7 — An obstacle challenges your partnership. Proceed with caution. It’s not a good time to gamble.

Avoid arguments. Listen without interrupting.

Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved

IN THE

KNOW a podcast by

mn DAILY

Breaking Down the U’s News

SUDOKU

DR. DATE Dr. Date,

I’ve always been confident in my looks. Sure, I might not have the ideal Victoria’s Secret-model body, but I’m happy with who I am. I’ve been dating my girlfriend for over a year and thought she felt the same until recently.

When we first talked about our exes a few months into dating, I stalked them on social media and noticed she had a type: Instagram influencer. Her exflings are all super toned models with long blonde hair and a smile sponsored by some online-only braces company.

One of them even has almost 100,000 followers. Needless to say, that’s not me at all, but she reassured me and said those things don’t matter to her anymore.

Last week, I was feeling very insecure and turned to my girlfriend for some help. I asked her why she loved me considering the models she used to date. She said, “Just because you’re not as hot as them doesn’t mean I don’t love you as much.” Ouch. Ever since that comment, I’ve been torturing myself by looking at her exes and seeing how much better they look. It has really affected my self-confidence. How do I tell her how much she hurt me?

—Not a FitTea Girl

Dear Not a FitTea Girl,

A classic case of foot-in-mouth syndrome. I doubt your girlfriend was trying to be cruel, but you need to tell her how much something like that affects you. She’s not a mindreader. So explain to her that while her comment was probably not meant to be malicious, it was still hurtful and brought up bad memories.

Your girlfriend may have had one type in the past, but people can be attracted to a variety of types. Overall, it’s about chemistry and connection, not just what you look like or post on Instagram.

Be rest assured that your girlfriend still loves you, but is sometimes just clueless. While you’re at it, watch out for Instagram ads — does Sugar Bear Hair actually work?

— Doctor Date

Dr. Date,

I’ve learned the hard way that nothing complicates a relationship more than a kid — or in my case, a cat. My boyfriend and I adopted a cat named “Coco” a year into our relationship. She’s cuddly, playful, rarely scratches the furniture and poses when I take photos of her.

Plus, she can always sense when I’m sad and cuddles next to me as I fall asleep. Basically, she’s perfect, and I love her more than my boyfriend.

That last part isn’t a joke — my boyfriend and I are on the verge of breaking up. But he paid for Coco when we first adopted her, so I’m worried if I move out, I’ll never see her again. She and I bonded way more than she did with my boyfriend, and I’m scared he’ll use her against me when we’re dividing everything up.

He and I may have been together for four years, but Coco and I are destined to spend a lifetime together. How can I convince him to let me take her?

—Let Sleeping Cats Lie

Dear Concerned Boyfriend,

Why can’t we print pictures in Dr. Date? Please send some in ASAP. Cat photos aside, the length of your relationship with your boyfriend may be an advantage here. After four years together, I’m sure neither of you wants this to turn ugly. As long as you can sit down and have a civil conversation about Coco, there’s a way to make this work. Be prepared to give up some things he may want when you move out and see if he’ll acknowledge you have more of a bond than he does. You can offer to pay back all the money he spent and take her with you, as long as there are visiting hours. If he still doesn’t budge, there’s always catnapping.

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

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

Last issue’s solution

11/29/18

— Doctor Date

Want advice from the love doctor?

Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily. com

© 2018 Michael Mepham. Distributed

by Tribune Media Services.

All rights reserved.

10

Thursday, November 29, 2018

International students challenged by complex visa process, political climate

JASMIN KEMP, DAILY

Economics and political science major Sophronia Cheung poses for a photo on Tuesday, Nov. 27 at Coffman Union.

Logistical and legal challenges impede students seeking University jobs.

BY HELEN SABROWSKY hsabrowsky@mndaily.com

Due to the complicated process of obtaining work visas and the nation’s political climate, some international students say securing jobs is becoming increasingly difficult.

The University of Minnesota has seen a consistent, high demand for career services tailored to the needs of

international students. To combat difficulties international students face, student groups are stepping up to educate students and the broader community.

“It’s a very complicated process … you go through one step and there’s another obstacle that comes up,” said Sophronia Cheung, a sophomore from Hong Kong studying economics and political science.

Cheung serves as a facilitator for the International Student Advisory Board, which is currently working on a career initiative for international students, she said. She said they want to create a web series, presentation and guidebook

for international students before the career fair.

“The problem we find in terms of international student careers is that they don’t really know the types of visas, regulations [and] the logistics and legal stuff that they have to go through,” Cheung said.

The group also plans on reaching out to employers who attend the career fairs to provide additional education on the benefits of hiring international students.

While attending school and after graduation, international students are eligible for Optional Practical Training, a temporary employment program directly related to a

student’s major area of study.

After the 12 months of OPT has been used by an individual, there is a cost to employers, said Jane Sitter, an International Career Consultant at the University.

Sitter, who is part of the Office of Student Affairs, is the second person to hold the role of International Career Consultant. The position was created in 2015 after the University realized international students could benefit from individualized support.

In addition to assisting international students, Sitter counsels local employers on how they can employ international students and University

faculty on how they can better support these students.

Sitter said costs associated with sponsoring international students along with a lack of policy understanding contributes to employers’ hesitancy in hiring international students. The University combats this by assisting employers in filling out paperwork and providing guidance on legal regulations.

“That’s a lot of times the missing piece, is that employers don’t understand the process,” she said.

After international students have used their OPT, they must apply for working visas, which international student Stanley Chow described as “notoriously hard to get.”

Chow said the visa lottery system prioritizes people in STEM fields. “For us, it’s very apparent that the government is only looking for STEM students in particular. And for students like me, who are not in the STEM field, I feel a little bit left behind and overlooked,” he said.

The complex legal process for obtaining visas is further complicated by the lottery system, Cheung said.

“I have heard from a lot of people, my friends, who are not getting hired because of the political climate right now.

And also because the lottery system is harder,” she said. “So even if they are employed by their employers, they might not get the lottery. And no matter their experiences, they might just get deported back to their home country.”

And returning to their home country is not always the best option for an international student, Cheung said, as an education from an American university is valued differently in each country.

“A lot of my friends have talked about just giving up and moving back to their home countries or moving to Canada or Europe because they see it as more unwelcoming to stay here,” Cheung said.

“A lot of my friends have talked about just giving up and moving back to their home countries or moving to Canada or Europe because they see it as more unwelcoming to stay here.”

SOPHRONIA CHEUNG sophomore from Hong Kong

In addition to going through the complicated process of securing a visa, students must navigate a changing political climate. While Chow said the University community and state have been welcoming, the election of U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a change in the values of the country. “[Trump] would be a great symbol of such change in the philosophy of the U.S. as a nation because we used to consider the U.S. an immigrant state where people come from … all over the world,” he said. “But since [Trump] was elected, that means there is a significant amount of people who deviate from that belief and at the very least it kind of worries me.”

When deciding where to attend college, Cheung said she was drawn to the University’s academics, financial aid and welcoming atmosphere.

While her post-graduation career prospects weren’t a deciding factor, she said they remained on the back of her mind.

“It was definitely something I thought of. Originally, I wanted to study in the states because it’s easier to get a job,” she said. “But now that I see it, actually living here and hearing stories from people, it might not be the case.”