Thursday, August 27, 2009
www.msureporter.com
Minnesota State University, Mankato
A student for students Former MSSA President Christopher Frederick appointed to Board of Trustees
From script to screen Former MSU student pens spinoff to Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ NICOLE SMITH
editor in chief
DANNIE HIGGINBOTHAM
news editor Graduate student Christopher Frederick has been appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty to the Board of Trustees for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) as the state university student member. With the new position, Frederick will be a part of the decision making process for MnSCU and will help set policies for the system, evaluate academic and admission standards and help decide tuition rates. “It’s exciting,” Frederick said of being named to the board. “It’s definitely an honor and I’m really grateful. Of course there’s a little bit of nerves, but that happens with anything new and exciting.” Frederick thinks he was chosen because of his experience working with universities in the MnSCU system. The
former president of the Minnesota State Student Association and recent chair of the Minnesota State University Student Association, Frederick has worked in the system for years. “I’ve really been able to relate to students on campus and gain insight on how MnSCU operates,” he said. Although he applied for the job in April, Frederick didn’t receive a call for an interview until August. He received the notice of his appointment last week and his title officially came into effect Monday. “It was absolutely nerveracking to wait,” he said. Frederick has an orientation September 8-9 and then will meet with the other board web photo members every other month. He will serve on three committees: multiculturalism and diversity,
Students / page 5
Five years ago, Melissa Brandt had a vision. After re-reading William Shakespeare’s infamous “King Lear,” the Minnesota State alumnus was inspired to pen the untold story of Lear’s youngest daughter, Cordelia. The spin-off idea proved worthy — her script, “Cordelia,” is now in the early stages of becoming a film. An aspiring screenwriter, Brandt frequently attended workshops and submitted work to contests across the country. Although her Shakespeare spin-off was never submitted, she was discovered by Gordy Hoffman, the elder brother of Academy Award-winning Phillip Seymour Hoffman, at his Blue Cat screenplay workshop in Chicago. Hoffman liked her work and voice, so Brandt pitched him a
couple screenplay ideas. “I pitched ‘Cordelia’ and hadn’t even written a word,” she said. “[Hoffman] responded back quickly, requesting a draft as soon as possible, so I wrote like a crazy person for seven or eight weeks.” Hoffman connected her to an agency from London and she eventually signed a contract with Unanimous Pictures in May, launching her script into the pre-production process of film development. “She’s a remarkable writer and she has come up with the incredible conceit,” Hoffman said in an interview with Screen Daily. “You wonder why some fringe theatre group in Tokyo hasn’t already thought of this.” Hoffman has signed on as the director of the project, and according to Screen Daily, Imogen Poots is attached to play Cordelia.
Screen / page 4
Cleaning our act to clean the earth MSU’s Water Resource Center sets its aim on the Minnesota River JOHN FRITZ | staff writer
To clean up the Minnesota River, the state needs to clean up its act. According to the Minnesota River Board, the river is one of the nation’s most polluted. Dr. Shannon Fisher serves as director of the board and of the Water Resource Center at Minnesota State. Despite improvements in the river’s health over recent years, “there’s still a long way to go,” Fisher said. The Water Resource Center plays a large role helping state environmental and conservation agencies determine the condition of the Minnesota. It collects and analyzes data on the
Greater Blue Earth Watershed. The watershed empties into the Minnesota River Basin, which encompasses 15,000 square miles of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota. The center hires both graduate and undergraduate students from a wide range of departments, including biology, civil engineering, city planning, environmental science and geography, to assist in research. “We offer students a unique relationship of academic and practical applications,” Fisher said. “They can get an amazing hands-on experience.”
Clean / page 5
index
illustration by ann reichel• msu reporter
Editorial...................................6 Voices......................................7 Variety....................................19 Sports................................... 23 Classifieds............................ 30
Meryl Streep shines in ‘Julie & Julia’
Part two of the Ecuador series
Soccer preview highlights Leber
Minnesota DWI crack down
See page 20
See page 7
See page 23
See page 11