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EARLY WEEK MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020
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STATE GOVT.
Student govt. pushes medical amnesty bill for third session The bill would expand protections for victims and reporters of sexual assault across the state. BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com
Demonstrators stand the Minneapolis American Indian Center before the march. The event was held to honor missing and murdered Indigenous women, as well as to raise awareness of other issues in the community. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)
March to boost MMIW visibility draws hundreds The annual missing and murdered Indigenous women march is part of a national effort.
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MENTAL HEALTH
President Gabel lays out plans to tackle mental health on campus
BY JASMINE SNOW jsnow@mndaily.com
Rita Janelle Papakee was last seen Jan. 16, 2015, but her family refused to let her name be forgotten at a march on Friday alongside hundreds of others. Janelle Papakee is only one of the thousands of Indigenous women who have gone missing or have been murdered. Marchers — including community organizers and Minnesota politicians — braved the cold to show their support for Janelle Papakee and other women like her. Events on Friday began at 11 a.m. inside the Minneapolis American Indian Center, where marchers and supporters packed themselves inside to hear from various speakers and performers. Rep. Mary Kunesh-Podein, DFL-New Brighton; North Dakota State Representative Ruth Buffalo; Gov. Tim Waltz; Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Sanders Institute founder Jane Sanders spoke at the event. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also dedicated the day to the missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) cause. “We have an epidemic of missing/murdered Indigenous women
After years of trying to push a medical amnesty bill through the Legislature, the Minnesota Student Association is hoping the third time’s the charm. The student organization is looking to expand protections from drug or underage alcohol consumption charges to include victims and reporters of sexual assault. Though the bill, introduced in the House on Tuesday, has not received a hearing in either chamber since its first session in 2018, MSA and legislators hope committee leadership will help move the bill forward this session. “I think it’s really important that we protect the victims,” said public safety committee Vice Chair Rep. Heather Edelson, DFL-Edina, the bill’s chief author. “Sometimes penalties and punishment will stop people from report-
ing, and we would rather report and have accurate numbers and make sure that we’re catching bad actors.” Current Minnesota statute enacted in 2013 provides immunity from prosecution for underage drinking and minor drug offenses to individuals who call 911 to report a medical emergency or safety concern. It was later expanded to include reporters of drug-related overdoses. While the medical amnesty bill failed to receive a hearing the last two sessions, MSA Government and Legislative Affairs State Coordinator Sam Parmekar said having the vice chair of the committee author the bill and bipartisan support improves its chances. Committee vice chairs are able to set bill hearings. Sen. Kari Dziedzic, DFL-Minneapolis, author of the Senate companion bill, said last year’s focus on the state budget caused the bill to take a back seat. But the prevalence of sexual assault and recent media coverage has helped propel the conversation about the
Still in its infancy, the initiative is searching for areas in which the U can improve its care. BY HANA IKRAMUDDIN hikramuddin@mndaily.com
Above, attendee Kennedy German observes the proceedings at the Minneapolis American Indian Center on Friday, Feb. 14. Below, commemorative signs rest against the stage. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)
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CRIME
At last week’s University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting, President Joan Gabel took time to discuss her ongoing initiative to address student mental health. Still in its early stages, the initiative aims to review and highlight the University’s current mental health resources for students and establish where improvement can be made. Gabel will continue to review the resources over the next few months and will present her findings at a later regents meeting. The discussion also covered current mental health statistics on the University’s system campuses. This data will be used to inform future initiatives and the next steps forward. According to the 2018 College Health Student Survey, each of the University system campuses has seen an uptick in the amount of mental illness diagnoses, with depression and anxiety being the
main perpetrators. Cost is still a major barrier to those seeking support. “Student mental health is a critical topic,” Gabel said at the meeting. “This attribute affects our students’ ability to progress, to achieve and, in the worst case, is a question of life or death.” However, some of the stigma around mental illnesses has gone down, said Carl Anderson, the assistant vice provost and director of Boynton Health, at the meeting. With a decrease in stigma, access to treatment has improved, he said. Anderson also noted the increasing demand for student mental health services, particularly on the Crookston campus. “Several years ago, I used to say that we are seeing unprecedented increases in mental health patient volumes. Now I have to say the annual increases have set a precedent,” Anderson said at the meeting. He emphasized that similar concerns are being seen throughout the country. The scan also intended to provide insight into the mental health resources on campus that are currently offered. u See MENTAL HEALTH Page 3
BUSINESS
Death reported City council vote stalls development at Dinkytown McDonald’s site in Como on Sat. The city council laid out Plans submitted to the city in December originally included a to-
A man in his 30s died due to injuries received near Van Cleve Park. BY J.D. DUGGAN jduggan@mndaily.com
A suspected murder in the Southeast Como neighborhood is under investigation. Officers from the Minneapolis Police Department were greeted by a “chaotic scene” Saturday at 6:05 a.m. on the 900 block of 15th Avenue Southeast, near Van Cleve Park, according to an MPD report. A white male in his 30’s was found in an apartment with a wound of unknown origins. He died later at Hennepin County Medical Center. Zara Jo Case, 35, was involved in the incident and was taken to a detox center. She was later booked into Hennepin County Adult Detention on Probable Cause Murder. Police have not yet released the victim’s identity.
three options for the proposed development moving forward.
BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com With a Minneapolis City Council vote on Friday, plans for largescale development at the site of Dinkytown McDonald’s have effectively been stalled. The CA Ventures proposed development, in partnership with ESG Architecture and Design, hit a snag late last week when the city council upheld an earlier ruling to deny developer requests to get around city planning guidelines. The path forward remains unclear for the development team, which has limited options for its next steps, city staff said. “We’ve carried through on our promises here in Minneapolis,” said Ryan Sadowy, senior director for development at CA Ventures, at a public hearing on Feb. 6. “We’re very sincere about this project …
Courtesy of the City of Minneapolis
and the positive impacts it can have across the platform.” The project with up to 25 stories, also proposed at the site of Dinkytown Wine and Spirits and other businesses, was first announced to the community last summer. After some concerns about its scale, the development team has met with community members and city
staff to rework the plan, including a reduction in the proposed building’s height down to 10 stories. “I think people generally want something that’s more consistent with what they’ve had in their plans and maybe something that isn’t quite so big or dense right in that block,” said Ward 2 City Council member Cam Gordon.
tal of 329 units with 885 bedrooms, 23,000 square feet of commercial space at a reduced rate, public space and enhanced bus stops. If the project moves forward, McDonald’s would also return to the first floor of the building, according to city documents. After hearing the proposal in December, the city’s planning commission denied its aspects relating to proposed density, while others were approved. The development sought an appeal to the denials, citing sufficient community benefit. Another appeal was also brought forward by Marcy-Holmes resident Cordelia Pierson for the approval of the development height and lack of minimum required parking spaces. “We set boundaries, and in this day and age, boundaries are extremely important,” Pierson said at the Feb. 6 hearing. “The signal you will send is that we will require u See DEVELOPMENT Page 3 VOLUME 120 ISSUE 39
Daily Review
2 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
CAMPUS EVENTS CALENDAR MONDAY
CLA Art Fair Spring 2020
12:30 - 4:30 p.m. at Coffman Union Check out student artwork and enjoy free cookies at this bi-annual event.
TUESDAY
This Free North Viewing
5 - 7:30 p.m. at Northrup Auditorium The TPT documentary explores Black history at the U and its effects.
WEDNESDAY
Gloria Steinem
THURSDAY
“Parasite” Movie Night
6 p.m. at the Carlson Family Stage 5 - 8 p.m. at Moos 2-520 The feminist, activist and co-founder of This collaborative screening is hosted Ms. magazine will talk with Kerri Miller. by KID and K-Talk, with free popcorn.
Stadium Village to continue growth Redevelopment will transform the eastern part of the University campus. BY CAITLIN ANDERSON canderson@mndaily.com
A plan to redevelop much of Stadium Village was approved by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents on Friday. The East Gateway Project, a redevelopment venture sought by the University of Minnesota Foundation, would dramatically change the look of the eastern portion of campus. The regents approved a resolution to move forward with the project, including transferring control of land from the University to UMF. The plan was met with support from some regents, while others questioned its implications for the campus. “Today we move from vision to action with a plan to help transform the east edge of campus, creating a world-class gateway fitting of this world-class University,” said UMF president Kathy Schmidlkofer at the meeting. “And we are ready.” As part of the resolution approved at the meeting, the University would also acquire UMF-owned land, including property near M Health Fairview, which is proposed to become part of
The Board of Regents meet about the East Gateway Project Resolution, on Friday, Feb. 14. The Board of Regents holds a meeting each month. (Emily Urfer / Minnesota Daily)
the University’s future clinical campus. The East Gateway Project will encompass buildings that currently house the Minneapolis Fire Station 19, Stub and Herb’s, Raising Cane’s and others. The project is the product of a partnership, called Visus, between the UMF subsidiary, the University of Minnesota Foundation of Real Estate Advisors, and the developer Marquette, LLC. The project envisions increased public areas, more green space, improved transit infrastructure and added commercial and residential
uses, according to meeting documents. “This doorstep is in need of a new identity,” Schmidlkofer said. “We saw the challenge, and we embraced this opportunity.” In December, UMF presented early renderings and project details to the regents, causing concern over how new development could replace — and possibly not return — affordable student housing. But other regents at Friday’s meeting said the project is a promising vision for the eastern portion of campus.
“I’m struck by the fact that we need what this project and its vision will deliver,” said Regent David McMillan at the meeting. “We need space for innovation … and engagement.” Regents Darrin Rosha, Michael Hsu and Randy Simonson voted no to the project proposal. Dissenting voices cited concerns over losing both the University’s autonomy of the land, which allows the school to bypass some city planning requirements, and the regents’ oversight of the property. “That members of the board would divest
themselves of the ability to defend … to protect and pursue the University’s interest is quite stunning,” Rosha said in an interview with the Minnesota Daily. Following the approval, the UMF will direct and fund the project’s design and completion. A special committee, containing both members of the UMF and regent-appointed members, will have the authority to recommend final concept plans, accompanying transactions, selection of developers and leasing terms to UMF approval. In exchange, the UMF will provide regular reports to the regents, according to the Friday meeting’s docket. Rosha put forth an amendment that included holding on to some regent control over decision-making in the land use, but it was voted down. “I’m concerned about the process that this was taken,” said Hsu during the meeting. “I’m not opposed to a project — I’m opposed to what I’ve heard about this project.” The project was proposed in four phases, starting across from TCF Bank Stadium. Development will span up to 20 years. UMF expects to have conversations with the city in the spring.
J.D. Duggan contributed to this report.
Electric scooters cue accessibility concerns
The DSCC, the U and a scooter company recently discussed changes. BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com
Within the first years of electric scooter rentals being introduced to Minneapolis streets, concerns have been raised in the city and on the University of Minnesota campus about accessibility for people with disabilities. Members of the Disabled Student Cultural Center met with a representative from Spin, an electric scooter company, earlier this month to discuss ways to improve accessibility on campus sidewalks, where scooters are often parked. The group also met with representatives from the University’s Parking and Transportation Services. Minneapolis advocates say scooters have violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. Ondrew Tillotson, DSCC president, said he had heard many different examples of scenarios when scooters made an area inaccessible.
The student group met with representatives from PTS to discuss this topic earlier this academic year. “We met with the student disability group to discuss their concerns with an eye to determining future operations,” PTS Alternative Transportation Manager Steve Sanders said in emailed statement. Tillotson said Sanders was receptive to the group’s concerns and helped connect them with Spin, as well as Lime, another scooter company. “The meeting I had with [the] DSCC was incredibly productive and valuable. Their feedback will help inform the program we develop with the University moving forward,” Spin Senior Operations Manager Max Paletz said in an emailed statement to the Minnesota Daily. In his statement, Paletz said the meeting was an opportunity to discuss with the student group how Spin is addressing concerns about accessibility on other campuses through things like parking racks to keep scooters organized.
“He wasn’t just willing to listen, which is wonderful. He also, like, gave us solid answers for how these problems are going to be fixed,” Tillotson said. The University’s contracts with scooter companies for the upcoming year are still undetermined, Sanders said in his email. Concerns about accessibility have been echoed in greater Minneapolis over recent months as well. Minneapolis advocate Noah McCourt is in the midst of a lawsuit with the city, alleging ADA and state antidiscrimination law violations. Scooters make city sidewalks less accessible, and the city needs to take initiative and address the issues with scooters, McCourt said. “It really is, I think, a challenge of regulation,” he said. McCourt said when someone gets injured by an e-scooter, it is difficult to determine who is liable. Rider registration would help with this, he said. “If you don’t know who the individual rider is … who’s going to be held responsible for that?”
BY NATALIE CIERZAN ncierzan@mndaily.com
A new analysis revealed Minnesota’s financial aid disparities for non-white students and made recommendations for what policymakers can do to address the issue. The report was released last month by the Minnesota Education Equity Partnership, referred to as MnEEP, to help reduce racial disparities in college completion. For non-white students, the consequences of these disparities range from limited enrollment choices to a larger financial burden. The report recommends policy changes to reduce these disparities, including improving financial aid options for non-white students.
“If you don’t have enough resources to focus on what you’re doing in college, you end up having to work,” said Nicola Alexander, a contributor to the report and a University of Minnesota professor in organizational leadership, policy and development. “If you work, then that takes even more time away from you being in college, and this intensifies some of the challenges that folks face.” The report aims to support students during college so that they can be successful, she said. The research was commissioned by the Joyce Foundation, which focuses on reforming public policies and systems in the Great Lakes area. One limitation to reducing these disparities is the trend of declining state funding for higher education while tuition rates increase. The recommended policy changes are centered on the state level because many of the changes aren’t
in institutions’ control, Alexander said. “The focus of the grant was really about, well, what is it that the broader structural system has, and what can be changed in that broad structure that will … have an impact on many of the institutions that are facing the constraints?” she said. Leiataua Jon Peterson, the program consultant at MnEEP, said it was important that the research employed a racial equity lens. MnEEP is a racial justice and education non-profit that uses this approach to work on policy and research projects. “It’s important that people of color and [American Indian and/or Indigenous] students be at the table and have a voice, and it’s important for the state,” he said. MnEEP is aiming to create a strong support system involving community members and partners to advocate for changes in higher
Vol. 120 No. 39
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He is pushing forward legislation that would provide more regulation of the scooters and prohibit parking them on sidewalks except in designated areas. McCourt has a hearing related to his lawsuit in the coming months, he said. Title II of the ADA says cities have an obligation to keep sidewalks clear, said ADA Director for the Minnesota Council on Disability David Fenley. However, McCourt’s lawsuit will likely shed light on
how scooters specifically should be handled and whose obligation it is to keep them cleared off of sidewalks, he said. It is important for individuals to understand that it is not always possible for people with disabilities to simply go around parked scooters, Fenley said. “People need to understand that folks use these sidewalks,” he said. “Someone might not be able to get to the bus or someone might not be able to get to work.”
MN report addresses student racial gaps The report aims to support students in college with new recommendations.
Monday, February 17, 2020
education, Peterson said. “We want to see more students of color and American Indian students in Minnesota have access to complete college,” said Jennifer Godinez, the MnEEP associate director. The University should reflect on how the higher education finance system
could be improved, she said. “The intention to contact MnEEP and be a part of the movement is really the next step,” he said. “ … I’m hoping that this article will stimulate ongoing discussion and that the U of M reaches out to us and wants to engage in the work,” Peterson said.
Illustration by Hailee Schievelbein / MN Daily
A previous version of “Faculty, staff express concern with new campus security measures” misstated Ian Ringgenberg’s title. He is an adviser in the University Honors Program. 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. The Minnesota Daily is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future. The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations. The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 10,000 issues biweekly. All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste. U.S. Postal Service: 351–480.
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March u from Page 1
and girls and Two-Spirit community members and it has to stop,” Flanagan said in an interview with the Minnesota Daily. “That’s why we’re here: to make sure that our Native women are seen, heard and valued.” According to a 2018 report, only 116 of the 5,712 reported cases of missing and/or murdered
Amnesty u from Page 1
bill, she said. “Sometimes it takes a few years for people to really realize [that] we need to make changes and hearing stories from the people that it’s impacted helps,” Dziedzic said. “So hopefully we can do something this year.” The University of Minnesota Police Department adopted medical amnesty in 2018. The City of Minneapolis followed suit in January 2019 after the Minnesota Attorney General’s office recommended law enforcement agencies
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developers to honor those boundaries.” Prior to review of the appeals, the development team made changes to their application, including the shape of the building. Owners of the project could change their minds, which is why the project needs to move forward promptly, Sadowy said.
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While the University provides clinical services, such as individual and group therapy, the system is continuously implementing non-clinical options to support students in a variety of ways. These can include courses on stress and access to support animals. The University has also included mental health activities and considerations in Welcome Week and student orientation programs. There
Indigenous women and girls were logged in the DOJ database in 2016. This number is believed to be much higher due to the number of unreported cases. University of Minnesota graduate Cristine Davidson, an organizer with the Native American Sexual Assault Coalition, said that the march was really about “creating visibility” for MMIW and breaking down misconceptions.
“I think we’re often portrayed as a vulnerable population or, you know, there’s a lot of stereotypes around poverty and addiction. And while that obviously happens in our community, we’re also very strong and resilient,” Davidson said. Davidson also pointed out that while the event focused on Indigenous women, “all Black and brown bodies” can be subject to the same kind of targeting behind the MMIW crisis.
statewide implement the policy. Parmekar said while perpetrators of sexual assault often prey on intoxicated individuals on college campuses, the bill is an effort to extend protections to everyone across the state. “I think fundamentally we all believe that we want to send a message to folks that it’s more important that we’re prosecuting a sexual assault than charging people with consumption,” Parmekar said. “We want to prioritize seeking justice for that assault.” Despite widespread support, Edelson said some county attorneys have expressed
the potential legislation may prevent their offices from prosecuting crimes the way they see fit. “I think the misunderstanding about this legislation is [that] if you look at two issues, one where sexual violence occurred [and] one where they’re maybe doing bad drugs,” Edelson said, “which one is more egregious and which one … is in the vested interest of public safety for the long term?” The bill will need to receive a hearing in the House by the March 14 deadline before potentially being heard in the Senate public safety committee by April 3.
Representatives from the development team declined to provide further comment to the Minnesota Daily at the time of publishing. City staff laid out three paths forward for the project, but the direction the development will go remains unclear. Options include either changing elements of the plan, including scaling back the application’s zoning variances 10 percent or resubmitting the same plan in a year, said Lindsey Silas,
the city planning staff member assigned to the project. Otherwise, the project could be scrapped altogether, she said. Irv Hershkovitz, owner of Dinkytown Wine and Spirits, said the process has been long, but he is still supportive of the project. “I chose [these developers] because I thought they were a very good fit; they know the college area,” he said. “I just didn’t think it would be this hard to get it done.”
has also been a focus on training faculty and staff. The University is also looking to expand their non-clinical programs and increase resources for disabled students. “Student groups … are doing a lot of work around this, so I would just advocate for finding ways to support that,” said Regent Mike Kenyanya at the meeting, who noted that peers can often be best suited for helping one another. While there are clear areas of improvement, the initiative does not have a clear step forward, said Gabel.
Gabel also intends to represent the University at a mental health summit in St. Paul in May to show support for the Minnesota state colleges’ attempts to tackle the mental health crises. “I believe one of the greatest obligations is to continue to connect with students where they are,” Anderson said. “Underrepresented groups … have traditionally been underserved, and as a system, we must address this issue by improving our cultural competencies and overcoming our implicit bias.”
Online classes cost the same as in-person at UMN, according to state report The report comes after state assesses the cost-benefit of online education. BY YVES DE JESUS yjesus@mndaily.com
After some lawmakers raised questions about the cost-benefit of online classes, a University of Minnesota report found they cost about as much as classroom-based courses. The 10-page report, presented at last week’s Board of Regents meeting, studied the difference in cost between online courses and inperson courses. The report was mandated by the Legislature last session as part of a broader exploration into cheaper alternatives to offset the rising costs of higher education across the state. Senate higher education committee member Sen. Gregory Clausen, DFL-Apple Valley, said he had heard concerns at the Capitol about the cost of online classes. Though according to the report, three of the most popular online programs at the University cost the same per credit as its in-person counterpart. The Carlson School of Management online MBA program was around $100 cheaper than the in-person option. “... there were some accusations that there were some examples where their courses were $400 to $500 more online than taking that same course in a classroom,” Clausen said, who sits on the Senate’s higher education committee. “Overall I think they did a nice job of laying out this, and after seeing the University report, I don’t have really great concerns.”
illustration by Sarah Mai / Minnesota daily
Faculty training and 24/7 online support add to the cost of online courses. Some University colleges also have student fees to help cover these costs, according to the report. “I do understand that there are actual costs that you pay when offering something online that you don’t have when you’re offering just the regular classroom experience,” said House higher education Vice Chair Rep. Laurie Pryor, DFL-Minnetonka. Regent Thomas Anderson said he’s unsure if online education could ever cut costs, but he said it may bring in more revenue by increasing the number of available seats in existing classes. “If you’re already teaching it and there are [now] additional students watching it and then participating with sending their papers via email, you get that revenue with virtually no expense,” Anderson said. Nearly 11 percent of graduate enrollment system-wide is online, compared to around 8 percent of undergraduate enrollment. Lee-Ann Breuch, chair
of the University’s Writing Studies department, said enrollment in online education is popular with full-time professionals in graduate school because they need flexibility with their busy schedules. Breuch said the Master of Science in Scientific and Technical Communication program saw increased enrollment when it went fullyonline for the first time last fall. “We’ve known this because they told us, they told us through the years,” Breuch said. “So as we began offering more and more online classes, we noticed that that was becoming more popular.” Moving forward, Clausen said he plans to hold hearings to discuss potential further expansion into online education with the Senate’s higher ed committee. “I’m hopeful that we’ll have hearing days where we invite the [the Minnesota State system and the University] in and they go through the report with us and respond to questions that committee members might have,” he said.
The march itself flooded the streets of Minneapolis a little after noon, led by school-aged children. Organizers said having young people lead was important for the future of the movement. Chrissy Pettit, a member of the White Earth Family, and Minneapolis American Indian Center employee Angela Richards, said that they were marching to support MMIW and survivors of
sexual violence. “I know people that have been sexually assaulted so I stand in their voices,” Pettit said. “These are our sisters and we need to speak up. … We need to support those that have been hurt, those [who] are missing and those that may face situations.” Richards — like many other marchers — donned a red handprint painted across her mouth, a common motif within the movement.
“It symbolizes silencing,” Richards said. “This has been going on for a long time … and not a lot of people are talking about it, so in a way, it symbolizes silencing what’s happening.” Organizers said that while progress has been made to confront the issue, including the formation of a state task force in 2019, but more work still needs to be done. “We deserve to be protected,” Flanagan said.
Sophomore Riley Fletcher, left, and Senior Natasha Sohni, right, lie on the ground as part of UMN Climate Strike’s die-in at Coffman Union calling for a divestment from fossil fuels at the University of Minnesota. (Jack Rodgers / Minnesota Daily)
Students stage ‘die-in’ for climate change advocacy at Coffman Union Minnesota Youth Climate Strike at UMN protesters laid on the ground. BY JIANG LI jli2@mndaily.com
Approximately 30 to 40 University of Minnesota students staged a “die-in” Thursday on the floors of Coffman Union to raise awareness about the effects of climate change. Minnesota Youth Climate Strike at UMN organized the protest, many bearing posters shaped like tombstones with phrases like “RIP - THE GREAT BARRIER REEF.” The protesters also called for the University to be transparent about whether it invests in the fossil fuel industry Students laid scattered on the first floor, catching the attention of many who walked by. The die-in lasted about 15 minutes. The demonstration was part of a nationwide campaign, sweeping almost 60 campuses across the U.S. “We thought it would be really powerful to join that movement and harness the
moment that other schools have,” said the University senior Savannah Wery, who is one of the co-leaders of the group. “I think it was good to kind of like get our name out there and get divestment out there as a concept.” Kendra Wendt, a University sophomore who witnessed the protest, said she thought the group’s message was important. “I thought it was really cool that they just laid there and you have to see it while walking through or studying,” Wendt said. “It reinforces ... that yeah, it is the problem that we have to fix now,” After the die-in, students then moved to Bruininks Hall, where the group’s leaders ran a teaching session on divestment. During the meeting, students created Valentine’s Day cards to be delivered to the Board of Regents Friday in an effort to persuade the board members to “break up” with fossil fuels. The UMN Climate Strike met with President Joan Gabel late last year to advocate for the University’s divestment from fos-
sil fuels. They plan to meet with Gabel’s staff sometime next week to discuss the University declaring a climate emergency. University senior Sydney Murray, who is one of the co-leads of UMN Climate Strike, said she thinks the University should not invest in the fossil fuel industry and is looking for the University to disclose its investments. “We have no idea how much money they invest for fossil fuel right now,” said University junior Katherine Sehnid, another co-lead of the group. “We deserve to know that as students.” The student group plans to meet with University administrators throughout the semester to advocate for divestment. “Even though Minnesota has experienced some parts of climate change like extreme temperature, we still do have a lot of privilege,” Sehnid said. “Most of us are not on the front lines. … So, it is important for us to use the privilege and use our voices as students to try and make change happen for communities that are still struggling.”
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ENTERTAINMENT
So, you want to be
on ‘Love Island’? Left, an attendee poses for a photo with Love Island USA props at an open casting call for the show’s second season at Surly Brewing Company on Saturday, Feb. 15. Middle, auditionee Mimi Ewuakye poses with her call number. Right, Love Island Narrator Matthew Hoffman and Season One Winner Elizabeth Weber share audition tips. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)
Season two of “Love Island USA” will air May 21 on CBS. BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com
Although the mood of Valentine’s Day began to subside for many after Friday night, there were still a few who were out looking for love on Saturday at Surly Brewing Company. Upon walking into the brewery, you were greeted with two options — grab a beer or audition for season two of “Love Island USA.” People in baby pink shirts guided you up the stairs, where “Love Island” backdrops were set up on one side of the room and a table of water bottles sat at the opposite end. Going into the casting
call, I thought I would be among hundreds of tall, beautiful people looking for a two-month, all expenses paid vacation in Fiji. What I walked into was not quite as glamorous. About 50 people showed up within the first hour of the event — a handful of them just there because their friends watched the show. It was obvious who came to be cast and who came just for the novelty. “I was watching the UK version of the show the other day and I thought, ‘I want to be on ‘Love Island,’’” said Mimi Ewuakye, a junior at the University of Minnesota studying retail merchandising. “When I saw a picture of the casting call, my friends were all like ‘You’re on your own.’” Women in full-face
makeup and faux fur jackets played with their hair while frat bros giggled to their friends as they waited to begin registration. The staff working the casting call were the most eager to be there. They herded the participants toward the “Love Island” backdrop for press photos and urged any spectators to sign up for an audition. I was approached by a staffer every few minutes, urged to sign up because this could be my chance to find true love. Knowing the track record of the various versions of the show, I replied with a quick “no.” Some were persistent. I’m not sure if it was desperation because of a low turnout or boredom, but it seemed as though they were trying hard to get rid
I was watching the UK version of the show the other day and I thought, ‘I want to be on ‘Love Island.’” MIMI EWUAKYE University retail and merchandising junior
Underground Update: World’s got a Lil Crush
MUSIC
of the 600 water bottles ordered for auditioners. Once registered, they hand you a number and off you go into the next room. At this point, you get two minutes to answer five questions about your past relationships, your ideal romantic partner, what makes you a good candidate, and my personal favorite: what your closest friends will tell them about your dating history. One man told the camera, “My friends would say that I’m seeing a different person every week, but I see that as an opportunity to get to know people.” Good save. It’s sort of impossible to imagine that the producers of the show are able to pick the perfect candidates after watching only two minutes of video. I’m sure there’s a method to the madness, but
watching people anxiously shuffle their feet and insert “um’s” into their scripted responses made it highly doubtful. Through it all, season one winner Elizabeth Weber watched participants put their love lives on the line. “The thing about ‘Love Island’ is that it’s real,” Weber said. “All of the drama is so stripped from it because they go after real people that are truly there looking for connections, wanting to make friends and are out there for the adventure.” Whether this rings true or not is up to participants and, ultimately, viewers. However, it was worth a shot for those eager to win $100,000 and maybe, just maybe, find true love in the process.
DIGITAL
UMD game developer launches ‘Hyperdot’ McGregor released the arcade action game in an Xbox partnership. BY FRANKIE CARLSON fcarlson@mndaily.com
Minneapolis musician Lil Crush refuses to be put in a box as he takes over the music world. BY ALEX STRANGMAN astrangman@mndaily.com
Deep bass flooded the control room of studio A at RiverRock Studios in Northeast Minneapolis. It wasn’t Chance the Rapper, the Script or Soul Asylum, all of whom have recorded at this studio. This session was dedicated to rising star Lil Crush. Born and raised in South Minneapolis, 19-year-old musician Matthew Beachy, known to his fans as Lil Crush, is putting the finishing touches on his sophomore album, “Crusciendo,” which he hopes to release later this year. A recent signee of WEON Records, Crush says his goal is to take the world of music by storm within the next decade. Crush says he first fell in love with performing at the tender age of five, performing Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” for friends and family at his mom’s birthday party. “My whole family ate it up,” he said. “They loved it… That feeling… I never got a high as good as that since then. So, I just kept going with it.” Crush cites Eminem as one of the rappers that influenced him growing up, along with
New Orleans MC Lil Wayne. However, as he grew older, he transitioned away from rap and experimented with rock and punk, going so far as to create a punk band with four of his friends called “Cabin10,” which has since disbanded. Still adamant about pursuing a career in music, Crush began dropping music on SoundCloud back in 2018, culminating with his debut album, “Worlds Got a Lil Crush,” which he released later that same year. Since then Crush has gone on to put out multiple EPs, such as “Rockstar From The 612,” a nod to his hometown of Minneapolis, as well as a host of singles. On his earlier projects, Crush utilized a more “traditional” alternative rap sound, drawing influence from artists like Lil Uzi Vert and Juice WRLD. Yet on his more recent releases, Crush can be heard making use of his wide vocal range, singing his way through almost every track. He’s not a rapper, and he’ll be quick to correct anyone who tries to box him in as such. Crush is an artist, still experimenting with numerous sounds as he works to perfect his craft. He says he’s worked with EDM DJs, made Spanish language dominated tracks and one day even hopes to produce music with an orchestra. According to fellow Minneapolis artist, LostInLeon,
Crush’s versatility and desire to work with new and different sounds is a reflection of his drive as an artist. “If you want to engineer for Crush, he’s a lot like Young Thug, where it’s on his time. You gotta work, work, work and fast… When he’s got something on his mind it’s like go mode. You just gotta keep recording,” he said. This drive is further encapsulated by Crush’s ambitious plans for 2020. Following the release of “Crusciendo,” Crush says he plans to do a run of college radio stations, followed by a few local shows and then a tour. He’s also secured sets at both SXSW in Austin, Texas and E.S.T. Fest in Butler, Ohio. Crush has also started scheduled releases on social media he calls “Taco Tuesdays,” where he plans to release a new song every Tuesday for the rest of the year on both SoundCloud and MyMy Music. In addition to his solo offerings, Crush is also working on music with LostInLeon under the moniker “LUV MOB.” The name is fitting for an artist like Crush, who says love is a central theme in all of his music. “Me, myself... I’m kind of a heartbroke kid, and I’m all about love in every form. Whether it’s the bad kind or the good kind… Love is an everyday thing. It’s something we can’t live without.”
Artist Lil Crush poses for a portrait at RiverRock Studios on Monday Feb 10. Lil Crush goes on “Me, Myself, I’m kind of a heartbroken kid, and I’m all about love in every form. Whether it’s the bad kind or the good kind.” (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)
After years of work on his very own arcade-style action game, 26-year-old Charles McGregor is thrilled to share “HyperDot” with the world. Since learning coding from his father at a young age, McGregor has constantly looked for ways to incorporate his passion for game design into his schoolwork. “I would try and find a way to shoehorn video games into whatever projects I had,” he said. He designed and programmed games for his class assignments from elementary school well into his time as an undergrad at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Though he took pride in his work, McGregor never expected to see what began as a simple demo made for a research project in college on the front page of the Xbox Games Store. “HyperDot” is a simple yet addictive minimalist arcade game with one rule: dodge everything. The player controls a colorful ball within a circular and attempts to evade geometric enemies that fly in every direction. The game is presented with a unique aesthetic and every level comes with a new palette of colors, lights and shapes. McGregor’s original class demo now contains a variety of modes and settings. “HyperDot” features a 100-level campaign and multiplayer mode as well as a custom level editor. McGregor has been the sole developer behind the project. He operates under his independent game studio, Tribe Games, of which he remains the only member. “HyperDot”’s programming, artwork and music have all been under his control. During his three and a half years of work on
“HyperDot,” McGregor has been partnered with the local independent video game label, GLITCH. GLITCH began as a student group at the University of Minnesota. In 2010, the group started out by hosting events and workshops with the intention of connecting creators and insiders within the gaming industry. Like McGregor, many of the founders at GLITCH began by looking for ways to merge academics with gaming. “We figured out what we wanted to do with our studies outside the classroom,” said Evva Karr, GLITCH’s co-founder and CEO. For Karr, that meant making time to pursue her passion for gaming. As “HyperDot”’s publishing partner, GLITCH has assisted in business development while also providing assistance on the technical end. GLITCH’s co-founder and director of insights Nic VanMeerten has assisted in balancing the level of challenge within the game, as well as conducting accessibility research. Part of VanMeerten’s contribution to the project has been “making sure that the features [McGregor] made resonate with a lot of people,” he said. Thanks to GLITCH, McGregor’s game has had a successful release. Along with availability on the Xbox store, HyperDot is being featured in a unique partnership with the Xbox adaptive controller. “It’s one of our first big investments as an organization, and Charles was the right person for us at the right time,” Karr said. McGregor is still in disbelief about seeing his game appear on a major console. He is excited to be able to continue his partnership with GLITCH and go on to tackle new projects that he has in mind. “I have a lot of ideas for other games moving forward,” McGregor said. “... the games that I’ve had dreams of making since I was a kid.”
5
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020
MN DAILY
MNDAILY.COM
Editorials & Opinions
Fox, Carlson and the 2020 election Fox has evolved from a conservative spin-zone into also functioning as an arm of the government.
I
nvesting countless Nick Scheffler hours following policolumnist tics as a journalism student over the last four years has validated my concerns on the motivations of corporate
media. Cable news networks such as MSNBC, CNN and Fox are, as Rolling Stone journalist Matt Taibbi says in his book “Hate Inc.,” “a twisted wing of the entertainment business.” A good example of these networks acting as a provider of entertainment, rather than news, was the CNN debate last January. Specifically, the hot-mic’d, post-debate moment when Elizabeth Warren confronted Bernie Sanders on “calling her a liar” after he vehemently denied her allegations of sexism. It was as produced as Hannah Ann “accidentally” drinking Kelsey’s champagne in this season of The Bachelor. Since Trump’s win in 2016, Fox has evolved from a conservative spin-zone into a conservative spin-zone also functioning as an arm of the government. Trump has campaigned alongside the network’s most popular commentator Sean Hannity, has appointed Fox employees to high-level positions in his administration and is dependent on the network in pushing his policies while simultaneously praising him for doing a good job. It’s funny how Fox, a network composed of those whose ideology traditionally supports small government for fears of authoritarianism, is actively equipping the Trump administration with the power and influence of the most-watched cable news network in
the country. However, there seems to be a dull diamond in the rough. Fox News host and man-who-stillsleeps-with-a-night-light Tucker Carlson has been surprising me lately with his commentary on Bernie Sanders. While other networks like CNN and MSNBC are still grappling with the reality that he is the Democratic front-runner, Carlson is warning Republicans of being overconfident heading into a national election where Bernie is the Democratic nominee. Why? Because Carlson recognizes that campaigning on a populist agenda, running on issues which benefit the “people ‘’ rather than the “elite,” is a vital reason why Trump won the 2016 election. Carlson holds many economic populist beliefs. He often criticizes America for being a corporatocracy and advocates for the middle and lower class on economic issues. The most prominent issue in this election: debt. On one episode of his show, he discusses how the old Democratic Socialist’s policies on medical and student debt relief could be the ticket for victory next November. He says, “Improve peoples’ lives and they will vote for you. Period.” In one segment, Carlson tries to explain why socialism is popular on college campuses. He asserts that students aren’t cheerleaders for
capitalism because it’s a system that’s resulted in student debt rising to $1.4 trillion nationwide and the average student graduating with a little over $37,000 in debt. Not only is this a major hindrance on someone just graduating college, but a colossal lobbying effort by lenders has made it impossible to declare bankruptcy on these loans. They follow you for the rest of your life. And if you suddenly croak from choking on one of those huge Gobstoppers, the debt passes on to your family members. It seems like a punishment for a crime — the crime of seeking an education. While I disagree with the majority of Carlson’s utterances, I respect him for going against the status quo of the corporate media and doing better coverage than many other partisan hacks on the issues that truly matter in the upcoming election. But unfortunately for Tucker, he will forever be the person who Jon Stewart murdered by words on his own show.
Nick Scheffler welcomes comments at nscheffler@mndaily.com.
Swipe right on online safety Dating services need to take preventative action against violence both inside and out of the app.
A
t long last, Match Sidney Clarke Group, owner of columnist Tinder, Hinge, Match.com and OkCupid uploaded a new line of safety mechanisms to pair with their services
last month. Once downloaded, the new program called Noonlight offers users the option to program dates onto a calendar and share that schedule — and location — with friends. Emergency assistance, which is activated by hitting a panic button, comes complete with current location tracking. Finally, face recognition tech will compare selfies taken by users in real-time to the photos in their profile to eliminate catfishing. Although its safety policy statement might put users at ease by proclaiming the belief that “any incident of misconduct or criminal behavior is one too many,” other companies have been using similar safety technology for years. For example, Uber has been using location tracking since 2018 and is now developing technology that uses ultrasound waves to make sure that riders have boarded the correct vehicle.Bumble, a Silicon Valley startup founded primarily by women, has been using facial recognition and location services since 2016. As safety continues to be a primary concern for dating app users. Since its launch, some Tinder users have been victim to harassment and assault. In 2014, a woman from New Zealand fell from a 12th floor balcony while allegedly
attempting to escape the aggressive advances of her Tinder date. In 2016, a man in Mexico City literally dissolved his Tinder date’s body in hydrochloric acid after her refusal to have sex with him. The stories go on. Until recently, the company has been operating as if in-app safety is their only responsibility. In 2017, Tinder launched a “Menprovement Initiative,” which allowed users to digitally ‘splash a cocktail’ in the face of a poor-mannered conversationalist. The update was well-intentioned, and, ok, a little bit funny, but also seriously undermined the gravity of online harassment. Instead of treating unsolicited pictures and aggression with a ‘no tolerance policy’ as promised, Tinder suggested that victims actually consider reeducating violators a matter of their own responsibility. After a case of harassment or assault is reported, Tinder removes the violator from the site and every related platform and informs the proper authorities. Additionally, they employ a council composed of members from Me Too, RAINN and other programs against exploitation. Before the recent update, Tinder relied on programming to screen for suspicious profiles, hackers and potentially disturbing
messages, but the line for protection of its users ended in-app, and the company took little to no responsibility for occurrences between users in person. In its defense, Tinder pioneered the question “What are you looking for?” with the intent of receiving a legitimate response. This revolutionary advance has allowed for more effective communication between partners and the beginning of destigmatizing casual relationships. Its recent efforts to improve safety outside of the app’s code has been a step in the right direction. But despite these changes, it would still appear that a majority of users feel inclined to rely on their intuition when it comes to safety — which could be why over 70% of college-age users have never actually met up with one of their matches. The institution itself has stated that safety is one of their top priorities, but they could be doing more to ensure the safety of its users.
Sidney Clarke welcomes comments at sclarke@mndaily.com.
Hedge fund-owned MediaNews Group hijacks 11 Minnesota papers Bad news: news is going to get bad.
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ewspaper pubCaroline Skoog lisher and classic columnist Disney villain MediaNews Group, known by its trade name as Digital First Media, has acquired the assets of 11 local papers in a string of southern Minnesota suburbs. The publisher, controlled by the hedge fund Alden Global Capital, purchased the papers from Big Fish Works in a shifty transaction earlier this month. Terms were not disclosed.
Dr. Date,
I’ve never been shy about my sex life, so when my friends and I decided to take the Rice Purity test (a quiz that gives you a score based on how much you’ve done in the bedroom), I went ahead and showed everyone my results — including my boyfriend. The test only gives you a number and doesn’t show what you checked off, so I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal, especially because my score was fairly average. However, when my boyfriend saw my score, he told me it was much higher than he expected, so I retook it in front of him to show him what I’ve done. I thought it was going to turn into a slut-shaming thing, but instead, he told me we should check some of the more “risque” things off the list. I was interested ... until he elaborated. By risque, he means crazy! He was talking orgies, having sex in public, joining the mile high club, you name it. He’s already made plans to complete the “paid for a sexual act” option and
MediaNews Group (MNG) has a reputation for accumulating struggling local papers, ransacking its resources and staff, outsourcing work to other countries, undermining the information brought to these communities and walking away with millions of dollars. It’s the third largest newspaper publisher in the country. They’re everywhere. Like Taco Bell. MNG cares about quality newsrooms the way Taco Bell cares about quality food. They also own St. Paul’s Pioneer Press, although many of the paper’s employees are actively soliciting new, local ownership. MNG has slashed tons of jobs at The Pioneer Press since purchasing it many years ago, narrowing the newsroom down from 260 journalists to 50. All the while, MNG pocketed $10 million at a 13% profit margin from the paper in 2017. They use the struggles of modern journalism and reader habits to justify these unsustainable layoffs and then pocket a cartoonish amount of money from our community. Fifty journalists is bad news, but we wouldn’t ever read about it because it wouldn’t get reported. You can’t complain that journalism is dying when you’re the one killing it. This estranged hedge fund filters community-specific news from thousands of miles away while burning away jobs of members of the community. These are people’s livelihoods; this is our news, our stories that are being
gambled. MNG is effectively a media consolidation factory. Through that lens, they’re very good at what they do. We see their lens a lot, too, because of their monopoly on information outlets. There are alternative news outlets for some areas but not all. Pioneer Press is certainly not the Twin Cities’ only newspaper, but pretty much all of the mainstream news outlets are top-down ownership. Glen Taylor, a Minnesota billionaire, owns The Star Tribune, as well as City Pages and the Timberwolves and Lynx basketball teams. I don’t want to diminish Taylor or the paper, but I will say that I don’t think I have much in common with the guy. There’s nothing about him that makes me think we have any shared experiences, and so it’s hard to imagine we would find the same stories valuable. The Star Tribune is a reputable source — I appreciate their work, and they’re not owned by a hedge fund. But it’s dangerous to have information and money swimming in the same country club pool. It’s not all hopeless. As more local media outlets converge with wealthy institutions and individuals, alternative media outlets grow more important. Citizen journalism and media organizations that don’t have any corporate or government stakeholders provide neighborhood coverage unmitigated by financial interests. For instance, Unicorn Riot, a nonprofit
won’t elaborate. Now I’m worried the next time I walk into his room, someone else will be in there to join! I’ve told him I’m uncomfortable with this, but he said I need to try new things. What should I do?
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.
–More Pure Than I Thought
Dear More Pure Than I Thought,
Look, trying out new fantasies is great and all, but this is getting a little insane. Seriously, bestiality and incest are also on the Rice Purity test... Hopefully that’s a little too extreme, but communication and consent are especially important in the bedroom. If he wants to try something new, you both need to come to a conclusion about it together, instead of him finding open orgies on Craigslist. If he is still forcing you into this, he is not someone you want to waste your time with — there may not be a “broke up with someone who didn’t respect me” on the test, but it’s a personal achievement!
–Dr. Date
Dr. Date is a satirical advice column dissecting real-world situations. Want advice from the love doctor? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com
EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.
letters@mndaily.com Fax: (612) 435-5865 Phone: (612) 435-1578 Letters and columns to the editor 2221 University Ave. SE Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414
media alternative, utilizes a horizontal structure, meaning administrative directives are “executed in a bottom-up model which is then conducted by individual staff members, in accordance with the direction of our general staff,” as reported by their website. Unicorn Riot’s decentralized arrangement prevents crooked intentions from debasing their content; staff members must arrive at a general consensus before decisions get made, whereas major news outlets are at the will of corporate stakeholders or just an individual CEO. Free from corporate strings, the organization is able to fully and truthfully document social and environmental issues, often literally reporting from the picket lines. The rapid consolidation of media seems imminent, but luckily, independent sources work to fill the story gaps between civilians and aristocrats. There’s only so much action we can take to stop monopolistic hedge funds from advancing; at least we can investigate the news we observe. Above all, we need to fight local journalism and reclaim our community stories. And if you have the funds, consider buying one or 12 of the Minnesota newspapers owned by MediaNews Group. Caroline Skoog welcomes comments at cskoog@mndaily.com.
THE EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPARTMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEWSROOM
6
Sports
SCOREBOARD FEB 13
Women’s Basketball Minnesota: 76 Ohio State: 99
Women’s Tennis
BY AJ CONDON acondon@mndaily.com
Minnesota: 7 Drake University: 0
Softball
Minnesota: 7 Florida State: 6
Men’s Hockey
Minnesota: 3 (win in SO) Notre Dame: 3
Women’s Tennis Minnesota: 7 South Dakota: 0
Baseball
Minnesota: 12 Oregon: 10
FEB 15
Men’s Tennis
Minnesota: 7 UC Santa Barbara: 0
Baseball
Minnesota: 6 Pepperdine: 8
Men’s Gymnastics Minnesota: 2nd place
Softball
Minnesota: 1 Virginia Tech: 2
Men’s Hockey Minnesota: 2 Notre Dame: 1
Wrestling
Minnesota: 6 Iowa: 35
FEB 16
Softball
Minnesota: 10 Missouri: 1
Men’s Basketball Minnesota: 55 Iowa: 58
UPCOMING FEB 17
Women’s Golf
It should come as no surprise that halfway through the regular season, the Gophers’ women’s gymnastics team boasts the secondbest balance beam unit in the country. After all, they have a former national champion leading the group. Geralen Stack-Eaton won the 2012 NCAA balance beam championship as a member of Alabama. Now, eight years later, she has proved an integral part of the No. 8-ranked Gophers as an assistant coach. “She was a very strong competitor and was amazing on beam,” said senior Ivy Lu. “I think we really learn from the way she did it back in college. It’s pretty fun to learn from her.” It appears her teaching is paying off. Along with leading one of the top beam groups in the country, the event has been by far the Gophers’ best of the four this season. Under Stack-Eaton’s tutelage, Minnesota had its best beam performance in program history — a 49.700 during the Rutgers quad meet on Jan. 18 — which was also the best of any single event by the Gophers this season. During her time competing at Alabama, Stack-Eaton was a part of back-to-back national championship teams in
Minnesota picked up a top-five win over Florida State on February 14.
Baseball
The Gophers softball team picked up another pair of wins over the weekend in the ESPN St. Pete Clearwater Invitational, a four-game series against some of the top teams in the country.
@ Michigan State 6 p.m.
FEB 19
Swim & Dive
Big Ten Championships Feb. 19 - 22
Men’s Basketball vs. Indiana 8 p.m.
Source: Gophers Athletics. Times and scores accurate as of time of publication.
2011 and 2012 and was named NCAA Division I Gymnast of the Year. Along with her beam title, she also won the NCAA Floor Exercise Championship in 2011. But for Stack-Eaton, it isn’t just about performing in the meets. It takes a lot of steps to get there, especially now performing in front of thousands of fans, something she’s works hard to get the gymnasts comfortable with. “I thrived under the pressure [when I competed] so I really loved it,” Stack-Eaton said. “I’m trying to teach these guys that pressure is a
good thing, and not everyone gets to have pressure cause that means you’re really good. It’s something we talk to them about and say to them ‘have fun with the pressure.’” For one of the Gophers’ top gymnastics, junior Lexy Ramler, she’s done just that. “Success doesn’t come overnight. [Stack-Eaton] has just had the experience of being an athlete and competing in those high pressure environments,”Ramler said. “That’s what she’s able to bring. Having that specific experience and bringing that confidence onto us.”
Ramler’s sentiment was echoed across the Gopher roster. “I think she has really allowed me to grow as a gymnast and see my potential. It has really allowed me to figure out how to be confident with myself,” said redshirt senior Mary Korlin-Downs. “Getting out there in front of thousands of people and doing what you do in the gym, you really have to find that inner confidence.” Minnesota’s confidence is shining through on the beam and on every other event. After dropping their season
opening meet against Denver, the Gophers have won four straight meets, routinely setting new program records every weekend. Now, with the Big Ten Championships just over a month away, the message from Stack-Eaton is simple. Maintain it. “We just want to continue to finish strong and be consistent and not fall off on beam [rankings] for the rest of the season,” Stack-Eaton said. “Going into bigger meets, I’m really believing in them that they’re gonna have the confidence to pull through.”
Gophers softball splits weekend series in Clearwater BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com
Women’s Basketball
Asssistant coach Geralen Stack-Eaton, a two-time NCAA champion, has used her expertise to bring the Gophers balance beam unit to second best in the country. (Courtesy of University of Minnesota Athletics)
SOFTBALL
Moon Golf Invitational Feb. 17 - 18 vs. Arizona noon
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020
Beam champion leads Gophers
Softball
Minnesota: 0 Oklahoma State: 2
MN DAILY
WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS
National champion Geralen Stack-Eaton heads one of the top balance beam units.
FEB 14
MNDAILY.COM
Gophers fall to OSU, beat FSU Friday The Gophers dropped their first game of the series against No. 16 Oklahoma State 2-0 in a defensive battle. After two scoreless innings, Oklahoma State hit a deep shot to left in the top of the third that was nearly snagged by outfielder Natalie DenHartog but dropped over the fence for a two-run home run. Pitcher Amber Fiser closed out the inning preventing any more damage, and she finished the game for Minnesota without allowing
another run, striking out 12 along the way. However, the Gophers couldn’t produce on the offensive end. While Minnesota matched Oklahoma State’s four hits, it couldn’t get on the scoreboard. With one last chance in the bottom of the seventh, the Gophers offensive struggles continued. Three consecutive ground outs closed out the game as the Gophers fell in their first ranked contest of the season. A few hours later, Minnesota returned to the field for another ranked contest against No. 5 Florida State, this time securing a 7-6 victory. Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh, the Gophers battled to keep their hopes alive. Infielder MaKenna Partain hit a leadoff double to left-center. Shortstop Carlie Brandt brought her home for the game-tying run with a triple to the left. DenHartog reached for the Gophers by way of intentional walk and later advanced to second, putting runners on second and third. Infielder Emily Hansen
reached on a fielder’s choice as Brandt was thrown out at home. DenHartog also got thrown out at home as infielder Katelyn Kemmetmueller reached on a fielder’s choice. With one more chance, the Gophers finally cashed in. Catcher Sydney Strelow stepped up to the plate and connected, hitting a walkoff single and bringing in the game-winning run for Minnesota. Strelow also hit a two-run home run in the second, giving the Gophers their first runs of the day. “I was trying to keep calm. I’ve been in big moments before and I knew my team had my back behind me,” Strelow said. “I was looking for an outside pitch and that’s what I got and I drove it.” Pitcher Autumn Pease pitched six innings over two stints in the game, allowing only three hits and striking out six. Controversial call costs Minnesota Saturday The Gophers dropped a 2-1 contest to Virginia Tech in their second close defensive
battle of the weekend. Trailing 2-0 in the fifth, outfielder Brooke Vander Heide reached on a single to center. After advancing to second, Partain hit a deep fly to center. Vander Heide appeared to tag up and crossed home plate, but was called for leaving early. Still trailing 2-0, the Gophers finally got on the board in the sixth. DenHartog reached with a double and Hansen brought her home with a single up the middle. The Gophers offense stalled the rest of the way as Virginia Tech held on to their one-run advantage. Fiser struck out 11 in six innings, allowing eight hits on the day. Gophers top Missouri Sunday After falling to No. 19 Missouri a week earlier, the Gophers bounced back with a 10-1 win to split the weekend series 2-2. Scoreless through three innings, the Gophers exploded in the fourth. DenHartog and Hansen both reached on
singles and Kemmetmueller walked to load the bases. Strelow continued her big weekend with an RBI single and designated player Josey White brought in two more runs off a double. Outfielder Kianna Jones added a sacrifice fly to bring in another as the Gophers took a 5-0 lead. It was redemption following a 7-4 loss to Missouri last weekend. “I think we were much more prepared for Missouri this time and we just had a totally different mindset going into this game,” Partain said. The Gophers added five more runs in the sixth and seventh innings to secure the run rule victory over Missouri. “We had some great wins. Florida State, a great comeback there and obviously putting a really good, complete game together today on championship Sunday,” head coach Jamie Trachsel said. “That was a big deal, responded really well from yesterday and we did a lot of good things, and we have some things we need to work on.”
WRESTLING
Close losses lead to blowout of Minnesota in Iowa Minnesota held a brief lead at 6-4, but couldn’t gain a point after that. BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com
Despite early success, the Gophers’ wrestling team dropped their second straight dual, falling to No. 1 Iowa 35-6, who clinched the Big Ten title with the win over Minnesota. Opening the dual at 184 pounds, senior Owen Webster gave the Gophers early momentum. He landed a takedown in the first and scored off an escape in the third en route to a 3-2 decision over Cash Wilcke. After Webster was able to give the Gophers a 3-0 lead, 197-pound Hunter Ritter tried to follow suit but couldn’t upset his top-5 opponent. He lost in a 13-4 decision and Iowa took the dual lead, 4-3. The most anticipated match of the night followed at heavyweight, a
Gophers Sophomore Gable Steveson grapples with his opponent at Maturi Pavilion on Sunday, Feb. 9. The Gophers lost to Penn State 31-10. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)
top-three matchup between No. 1 Gable Steveson and No. 3 Tony Cassioppi. Steveson handed Cassioppi his second loss of the season to stay undefeated at 11-0. Steveson landed
two takedowns in the first and another in the third, taking the 7-5 decision in an exciting matchup that handed back the lead to the Gophers. “[Steveson] looks really comfortable from the
standpoint of getting the win. He was never threatened to lose,” said head coach Brandon Eggum. “His goal is to become the best wrestler he can be, so we talked a little bit about wrestling a
little tighter than you need to right now. ... [Cassioppi]’s a top-ranked kid in the country, but Gable’s I still think a level or two above that kid.” The Gophers lead didn’t last long and the momentum completely flipped back in Iowa’s favor. Minnesota took a forfeit at 125 pounds and junior Boo Dryden took a technical fall at 133 pounds. In another top-5 matchup at 141 pounds, senior Mitch McKee nearly upset No. 3 Max Murin, forcing the match to sudden victory but Murin secured the 6-4 decision with a takedown. The Gophers lost another tight match at 149 pounds. No. 2 Pat Lugo landed the only takedown of the match in the first period and that was enough to secure the 3-2 decision over redshirt freshman Brayton Lee. The close battles continued at 157 pounds, where redshirt freshman Ryan Thomas nearly notched an upset of his own over No. 4 Kaleb Young, forcing yet another match into sudden
victory. Young was able to get an escape in the second tiebreak to get the 5-4 decision. With the win, Iowa jumped out to a 24-6 advantage and clinched the dual. “You’d like to win those ones. You win those three tight ones, you turn it around and win five against the No. 1 team in the country,” Eggum said. “Those matches are three matches we need to turn around and we need to turn them around at the Big Ten [Championships].” Iowa earned two more victories to close it out, getting a technical fall and a pin at 165 and 174 pounds. The Gophers will look to bounce back as they close out their regular season against Nebraska on Feb. 21. “The guys are doing a good job. It’s not an easy spot to wrestle in and I thought it really didn’t affect them overall,” Eggum said. “There’s little adjustments different guys need to make, but fortunately there not things that aren’t fixable.”
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020
MN DAILY
Sports
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
Late scoring drought dooms Gophers 58-55
Guard Marcus Carr drives the ball through defenders at Williams Arena on Sunday, Jan. 26. The Gophers lost to the Michigan State Spartans 70-52. (Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)
Minnesota did not score a point in the game’s final 5:25. BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com
With 5:25 remaining, Minnesota found itself in position to secure a muchneeded victory in front of a sold-out home crowd. Instead, a late offensive slump proved costly as victory slipped away from the Gophers. Heading into the game, all eyes were on the matchup at center between the Big Ten’s two leading scorers, sophomore Daniel Oturu and Iowa junior Luka Garza. Those two ultimately led the game in scoring, but it was Garza’s team that made the plays when it
needed to as Minnesota (1212, 6-8 Big Ten) fell 58-55 to No. 21 Iowa (18-8, 9-6 Big Ten). “They made some big plays at the end there,” said head coach Richard Pitino. “Obviously, our guys did not down the end of the stretch. Too many turnovers, too many mental lapses when we needed to step up there.” To open the game, Iowa ran its offense through Garza, feeding him in the paint as he scored the game’s first eight points. In response, Minnesota switched Oturu on to Garza in an attempt to slow him down as the Gophers quickly fell behind 10-2. “Garza is so dominant,” Pitino said. “Whenever you have Garza on the court he’s going to give you
a chance.” Although Minnesota managed to prevent Iowa from pulling further ahead, they still needed a spark trailing 21-14 with 7:27 to go in the half. That opportunity came when Garza picked up his second personal foul with 5:23 remaining in the first half, sending him to the bench for the remainder of the half. Without Garza, Iowa struggled to score and momentum shifted to the Gophers. In the final 6:12 of the half, Minnesota scored 14 consecutive points as a part of a 16-5 run to head into intermission with a 5-point lead. With 14:38 remaining, an Oturu jumper gave Minnesota its largest lead of the game, 41-33. A 7-0
CROSSWORD
Iowa run tightened the contests before redshirt sophomore Marcus Carr ended a four minute scoreless drought with a 3-pointer. Back within striking distance, Iowa tied the game at 47-47 before a 45-second flurry of scoring restored Minnesota’s eight-point advantage. The quick 8-0 run was powered by consecutive threes from sophomore Gabe Kalscheur and redshirt junior Payton Willis. “We were happy, we were encouraging each other,” Kalscheur said. “Shots were falling and we had momentum.” The burst of offense then disappeared as suddenly as it came. The Gophers did not score another point for the remaining 5:25, turning the ball
SUDOKU
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2/17/20
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. © 2020 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
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over five times. Iowa ended the game on an 11-0 run, taking their first lead of the half from the free throw line with 1:15 to play. With 3.8 seconds left, Oturu had a chance to tie the game at the line, but the front-end of his one-and-one rattled out, sinking Minnesota’s chances. “It wasn’t on [Oturu] at all,” Carr said. “I know sometimes it comes down to one shot, one free throw. But at the end of the day, we shouldn’t have been in that position.” Oturu did finish as the Gophers’ leading scorer with 15 points. Kalscheur and Carr also scored in double-digits with 12 and 10 points respectively. Carr also had eight rebounds and six assists.
For Iowa, Garza scored a game-high 24 points despite playing only 28 minutes while battling foul trouble. Senior Ryan Kriener was the only other Hawkeye in double digits, scoring 10 points. Now down to the season’s final six games, Minnesota must rebound with a victory to remain in contention for the NCAA Tournament. The Gophers’ next chance to do so will come at home on Wednesday, Feb. 19 against Indiana. “There was some devastation,” Pitino said. “And that’s good, you have to hate losing. But tomorrow we get back to work, we still have six regular season games and we’re back in our building on Wednesday.”
8
'Amplified' voices take the stage
Monday, February 17, 2020
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Left, models showing Designer Ian Harris’ work walk the runway at the Amplified fashion show at Rapson Hall on Saturday, Feb. 15. Right, a model showing Designer Warda Moosa’s work walks the runway. The show featured designs by University of Minnesota apparel design seniors. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)
The College of Design’s annual fashion show took place on Saturday.
different picture of Somalia and serve as a source of cultural pride to other Somalis.
BY FARRAH MINA fmina@mndaily.com
Maxine Britt’s senior collection is made for all genders. Britt, who uses both they/them and she/her pronouns, crafted genderneutral designs that center the needs of transgender, non-binary and gender nonconforming communities. “I think that it’s really important to represent that group in fashion because fashion is so gendered as men’s or women’s right now,” they said. “That’s really harmful for a lot of people.” People view genderneutral fashion as a more masculine way of dressing, she said. But it can be more than wearing basics like jeans and t-shirts. “I want with my lines to open people’s eyes to the fact that anyone can wear a dress, anyone can wear pink – those things shouldn’t be seen as so feminine. People should be a lot more open to expressing themselves however they see fit.”
The University of Minnesota’s College of Design hosted its annual senior showcase Saturday, which highlighted a variety of unique voices and communities not often represented in fashion. The fashion show, called “Amplified,” placed a focus on the diversity of the senior class and their communities. It featured collections from a range of voices and backgrounds, including sustainable design, gender neutral fashion, modest apparel and plus-size clothing. 1 SOMALI BAAN AHAY (I AM SOMALI) by Warda Moosa
Warda Moosa sought out to challenge commonly held perceptions of Somalia with her designs. “Somali Baan Ahay” translates to “I am Somali” and is a collection of modest apparel inspired by Somalia’s nomadic lifestyle. Moosa’s designs – featuring hijabs, turbans and dresses in rich hues of red, blue and orange – pay homage to her culture and heritage. In her collection, Moosa wanted to showcase the arts and culture of Somalia. But finding depictions of her country online that were not images of war, terror and poverty was difficult, she said. “It’s the first time ever that I have taken the time t o ex p l ore m y cul ture besides what I see in the media,” she said. “It was really hard because at first there was nothing that was positive that was on the media and online.” Mossa said she hopes her collection can paint a
2 Mxtape by Maxine Britt
3 Reduce, Reuse, and Restyle by Andrea Dunrud
When Andrea Dunrud was a freshman, she worked at Forever 21 for one day. Her passion for sustainable design did not align with the ethics of the fastfashion company. “I realized after walking in there that I just cannot participate in this,” she said. “The numbers about sustainability are truly staggering.” Dunrud’s senior collection showcased designs exclusively made from thrifted and reused clothing and textiles, from white t-shirts to prom dresses to vintage wool skirts. Her collection saved 42 garments and textiles from likely ending up in a landfill, she said
“Realistically, we don’t really need to make new clothes,” Dunrud said. “We have enough clothes in the world.” The United States threw away almost 12 million tons of textiles in 2015, most of which ended up in landfills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Most of the clothes in Dunrud’s own closet are thrifted. She said she hopes her designs will inspire people to look at their closets more sustainably.
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Ian Harris described his designs as a love letter and a thank-you letter to the Twin Cities “fat” community. Harris wants people to know that fat is not a bad word and seeks to empower that community. Harris’ collection was showcased by a range of plus-sized bodies. His models, taking the runway to Lizzo, wore bright shades of orange and pink, donned in sparkles and tulle. “While plus sizes have come a long way, there’s still so much that needs to be done, and that’s what really shaped my perspective as a designer,” Harris said. The inspiration for Harris’ designs come from one of his icons, Miss Piggy. It was from her numbers in “The Great Muppet Caper” that she became an icon for Harris and, as he later discovered, for the broader fat community, he said. “We saw ourselves in her and how bold and unabashed she was … like, ‘Yeah, I’m a pig. I’m fat, but I’m amazing.’” In past showcases, many of the collections tended to feature white, thin models, Harris said. “While it is how the fashion industry works, I think we’re showing where the fashion industry is heading.”
Models showing Designer Maxine Britt’s work, left, and Designer Andrea Dunrud’s work, right, walk the runway at the Amplified fashion show at Rapson Hall on Saturday, Feb. 15. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)