November 12, 2018

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FOOTBALL

GREEK LIFE

U seeks dismissal of football lawsuit

Fraternities roll out hard alcohol ban

The motion responds to a suit alleging an assault investigation discriminated against players.

BY MADELINE DENINGER mdeninger@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota has motioned to dismiss a lawsuit filed by former and current Gophers football players.

The lawsuit, filed in June, states the school unfairly targeted the nine football players, all of whom are black, in its 2016

investigation into an alleged sexual assault on the basis of their sex and race.

“Because of Plaintiffs’ gender, and to support an archaic assumption that male football players had a propensity for sexual misconduct against women, the [University’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action] investigators deprived Plaintiffs of the fair and impartial investigation to which they were entitled under the U.S. Constitution and University policies and procedures,” the lawsuit reads.

The lawsuit also alleges the University approached similar cases involving white

individuals differently.

Ten players were suspended for their involvement in the alleged September 2016 sexual assault. Following an investigation by the EOAA and a hearing by the University’s Student Sexual Misconduct Subcommittee, four of the players were expelled and two were given one-year suspensions. After appealing to the Provost, one of those players was able to lift his suspension.

The University’s motion to dismiss the case, filed Friday, states the school acted u See LAWSUIT Page 3

CAMPUS LIFE

A changing trans experience

With the ban newly in place, many fraternities are still working out its enforcement.

BY JORDAN WILLAUER jwillauer@mndaily.com

Fraternities at the University of Minnesota are still figuring out how to implement a hard-alcohol ban that just went into effect.

The North American Interfraternity Conference’s ban, announced in August, was in response to recent hazing and deaths from over-consumption related to hard alcohol, according to the NIC’s website.

Although fraternities are not required to implement the ban until next September, University of Minnesota fraternities wanted to get an early start. Their governance set the University’s hard-alcohol ban for Oct. 31.

Billy Langer, president of the University Interfraternity Council that oversees most fraternities at the University, said the ban’s enforcement will differ by fraternity.

“I think the ban has teeth, people know that if it gets violated, they’re going to get punished,” he said. If a violation is reported to the IFC, Langer said the whole fraternity chapter could be punished.

Austen Cashman, president of Sigma Phi Epsilon, said they have a three-step u See ALCOHOL Page 3

ADMINISTRATION

Vetting concerns loom over search for new UMN president Critics have questioned the transparency and rigor of the presidential screening process.

COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY

Former University of Minnesota student Luna Brekke marches across campus in support of transgender rights on Thursday, Nov. 8.

Students and faculty discuss a challenging campus climate for transgender students.

BY J.D. DUGGAN jduggan@mndaily.com

Before classes start for the school year, Andy, a senior at the University of Minnesota, emails their professors to ensure their name and pronouns are respected. But this isn’t always effective.

“Every time I introduce myself, because of how politicized my identity is and how polarizing it is — immediately, in everyone’s mind, politics and religion [are] brought up,” said Andy, who preferred to not be identified by their last name to avoid being outed to their family.

Andy identifies as nonbinary — one of many identities within the transgender community.

Growing discussions over a proposed gender pronoun policy at the University reflects a national conversation about transgender rights. A federal memo by the Trump Administration obtained by The New York Times seeks to define gender as a biological characteristic determined at birth, erasing federal recognition of the transgender identity.

COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY

Haruka Yukioka, relations manager of the Queer Student Cultural Center, displays their “they/them” pronoun pin in Coffman Union on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

Controversy comes to UMN

During this year’s Paint the Bridge event — where several student groups painted sections of the Washington Avenue Bridge — College Republicans painted, “The proposed pronoun policy mocks real social issues.”

Shortly after the event, “Queer power” had

been spray-painted over the panel.

The panel referred to the University’s proposed pronoun policy, “Equity and Access: Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Names and Pronouns,” which is u See TRANSGENDER Page 3

BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com

The search for the next University of Minnesota president has raised questions regarding the candidate vetting process amid larger concerns about a lack of transparency.

Some faculty and transparency advocates say they’re concerned about plans to vet candidates in light of the University’s shaky history hiring high-ranking officials.

The University says there will be rigorous vetting of candidates, but officials admit it can be difficult to catch every red flag.

The University’s screening process for top positions involves a balance between transparency and protecting the confidentiality of candidates. But critics argue limited transparency can worsen an already complicated screening process.

During the University’s presidential search, more in-depth vetting, such as reaching out to former employers and coworkers, will likely occur later in the selection process.

“It is standard hiring practice for positions of this type to verify credentials, contact references, review credit history and conduct civil, criminal and DMV background checks at the appropriate time in the hiring process — either when candidates provide consent or when candidates are announced publicly as finalists,” the Office of the Board of Regents said in a emailed statement to the Minnesota Daily.

The regents’ office did not provide any u See VETTING Page 3

HOUSING

New University campaign to address students’ off-campus housing rights “Rent Smart” aims to educate students about renters’ rights and landlord responsibilities.

BY MICHELLE GRIFFITH mgriffith@mndaily.com

University of Minnesota graduate student Uyen Pham’s landlord rarely replies to her messages regarding maintenance problems. She pays rent through the Venmo app and has not signed a lease.

The situation made Pham feel stressed, so she decided to seek legal help at Student Legal Service.

SLS launched the “Rent Smart” campaign late October to inform students about their rights as tenants and of landlord’s housing responsibilities. An uptick in the number of complaints from students concerning their landlords or leases prompted SLS to start the campaign. Approximately 77 percent of students at the University live off campus, according to U.S. News and World Report.

“Most students don’t know their [tenant]

rights, but that’s what you expect — they’re first-time renters,” said Bill Dane, a senior staff attorney at SLS. “That’s why they’re particularly vulnerable.”

Last week, the campaign held workshops in four University dorms to inform students about the basics of renting, signing leases and renters’ rights. It saw approximately 30 to 40 students in each dorm, with Middlebrook Hall having the highest attendance at around 70 students, said Brianna Hanson, SLS Board of Directors member.

This Monday through Friday, SLS is holding group lease review sessions to examine the leases of popular high-rise apartments near campus.

One of the most common housing complaints SLS receives concerns inadequate housing conditions, Dane said. Many of the complaints involve landlords not keeping the property up to standard, he said.

“It’s not legal per se to do that,” Dane said. “The reason [landlords] are able to get away with it in a lot of circumstances is that run-down properties … [have] cheaper rent,” u See RENTING Page 3

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HAILEE SCHEIVELBEIN, DAILY

VOLUME 119 ISSUE 21

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COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY

Daniel Palmer marches across the University of Minnesota campus with a transgender flag on Thursday, Nov. 8. Members and allies of the transgender community marched across campus in support of transgender rights.

U to remain in energy efficiency program Following criticism, UMN will stay in a state program that pushes conservation.

BY EMMA DILL edill@mndaily.com

Amid public criticism from environmental groups and the City of Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota will remain in a statewide energy efficiency program.

On Wednesday, the University withdrew a petition that would have partially exempted it from paying into the Conservation Improvement Program.

Now, the University will continue paying the program part of the costs of natural gas use on the Minneapolis campus.

The University’s Board of Regents had filed a petition on Oct. 1 to opt out of the payment. If the the school had withdrawn from the program, it would have been the largest public institution in Minnesota to do so, experts say.

CIP charges participants a fee along with their utility costs from companies like Xcel Energy and funnels it into rebates that encourage energy efficiency. The rebates allow customers to buy discounted LED light bulbs, low-flow showerheads and efficient heating and cooling systems. The University used a $2 million CIP rebate last year to help convert an outdated heating plant into a more efficient steam power plant.

Days after the filing, e n v i ro n m e n t a l g ro u p s around the state began drafting a statement criticizing the University’s decision. The efforts, lead by the Center for Energy and Environment, saw a total of eight organizations sign the joint comment by Nov. 1. The City of Minneapolis has also criticized the move.

Ward 2 City Council member Cam Gordon worried the University’s withdrawal from CIP would set a bad example for other large institutions.

Over the past five years, the University has paid

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 this story misspelled Jen Aulwes’ name.

The DFL’s effort to mobilize young voters played a role in their success in retaining the Senate and other offices in the state, said Jen Aulwes from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

JANE BORSTAD, DAILY

approximately $3.22 million into the program and received about $2.95 million in rebates. The initial filing argued that several financial pressures prevented the University from reaping the program’s benefits.

“In these times of austere budgets, stagnant state funding, public concern about student debt, competitive forces on tuition and a general pressure at all levels to reduce the costs of higher education, continued participation in the CenterPoint CIP program does not make fiscal sense for the University,” the initial filing read.

Gabriel Chan, an assistant professor of science, technology and env i ro n m e n t a l p o l i c y a t the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, said the University’s initial statement was too narrowly focused.

“It seems like the University’s position is … very internally focused, it’s a bottom line perspective when really this program is supposed to be about helping

the entire utility, all of the customers,” Chan said.

Low-income utility customers, like students, would have been most impacted by the University’s withdrawal, said Joseph Pereira, the regulatory director at the Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota and a joint commenter.

“It’s probably not uncommon to hear about folks in Dinkytown that in the winter pay $300 for heating because their house is leaky, there’s a lot of people there, people moving in and out all the time,” Pereira said.

Around campus, news of the University’s petition to withdraw from CIP has received little attention.

“It was kind of under the radar for a few weeks,” said Jacob Herbers, a graduate student in the science, technology and environmental policy program at the University’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Before the University withdrew their petition, Herbers planned to raise awareness of the CIP withdrawal using social media.

He also hoped to start a student petition opposing the move.

The University’s most recent filing suggests they had planned to invest money saved from CIP into other energy-efficient systems on campus.

“We recognize that many partners, both internal and external, need additional consultation as to our efforts and what meaningful change in CIP is needed to accommodate our combined cost containment efforts and ongoing commitment to energy sustainability,” Jerome Malmquist, director of University energy management, said in the new statement.

Center for Energy and the Environment President Chris Duffrin said the organization is pleased with the University’s decision to withdraw their petition. He said CEE plans to work with the University to determine a path forward.

In the future, Herbers said he would like to see more transparency in University decisions and an

TIMELINE OF UMN’S C.I.P. OPT OUT PETITION OCT. 1 The University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents files a petition to opt out of the Conservation

Improvement Program, citing financial pressures.

Days later, environmental groups begin drafting a statement condemning on the University’s decision.

NOV. 1 Eight organizations, fronted by the Center for Energy and the Environment, have signed the statement.

City of Minneapolis officials

also criticize the UMN’s move.

NOV. 7 The University withdraws the petition.

opportunity for input from the campus community.

“I really think we need moving forward is more of a space for dialogue between various stakeholders including professors, students, administration and community groups on how the University can best balance its energy conservation efforts,” Herbers said.

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Monday, November 12, 2018

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Transgender u from Page 1

expected to be implemented in fall 2019. The policy allows University members to specify a name or gender that is different from their legal documents. The policy states it aims to protect gender identity and expression from harassment and discrimination.

In a tweet sent shortly after the vandalism incident, College Republicans said the spray-painted message was an attack on their First Amendment rights. College Republicans declined to comment or be interviewed for the story.

Many transgender students say they feel personally attacked by the panel. “[College Republicans] are saying this is something inherent about your humanity … that is detrimental to society,” said Jimmy Cooper, a gender-nonconforming University freshman. “[This] is … not true, and it’s also just mean ... many of us see things like this on a daily basis.”

In response to the panel’s message and the memo, students organized a march across the Washington Avenue Bridge on Thursday.

Directly after the march, Yukioka spoke to the crowd of approximately 60 people and criticized the University’s response to College Republicans’ panel.

Transgender students and others sent a statement to the University Board of Regents after the march. It stated they felt the federal memo and College Republicans’ panel were an attack against them. They also said the panel is inconsistent with the University’s current nondiscrimination policy.

Haruka Yukioka, Queer Student Cultural Center relations manager and a nonbinary student, said systemic changes are initiated by current events, like the federal memo.

“It is hurtful when you hear these things from an administration. It’s difficult

COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY

Jimmy Cooper, center, plays the ukulele during a transgender rights protest show on Tuesday, Oct. 30 in the law in front of Coffman Union. Cooper put together the show and took donations for the Trans Justice Funding Project.

right now to know that you’re being mocked, or that your existence doesn’t matter. That’s a hard reality to deal with,” Yukioka said.

Andy said they didn’t expect the University to take steps to enforce guidelines regarding pronouns. “[The University] is attempting to balance being a … government institution that can’t limit freedom of speech with a mission statement that includes … equity and diversity,” Andy said. “I appreciate that that is a difficult balance to strike.”

Campus experiences differ for transgender students

The transgender student population faces unique barriers regarding health,

well-being and safety. Many transgender University students say the incorrect use of pronouns, or misgendering, is part of their everyday experience.

“I’ve been misgendered by nearly every professor that I’ve had,” said University student Lyd Mor, who said they changed their name in the University database system years ago.

“I’ve had one … use me as a teaching tool in a GLBT department [and] out me in front of the entire class.”

Transgender and gender nonconforming students feel less comfortable and safe than their peers at the University of Minnesota, according to data from the 2018 Student Experience in the Research

University survey of 7,948 undergraduates.

Nationwide, transgender students experience depression and anxiety at higher rates than cisgender students, those who identify with the sex assigned to them at birth, according to a national student experience report by Rutgers University.

One-fourth of transspectrum students reported suicidal thoughts in the past year, according to the Rutgers study of more than 6,600 trans-spectrum students in the United States.

Aren Aizura, a professor in the Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies department, said he’s heard from students having difficulties with care surrounding

transitioning and mental health services at Boynton Health.

Students echoed Aizura’s concerns. When seeking general care, especially mental health services, Cooper said assumptions from health providers are often unfairly tied to gender identity.

“I … think that Boynton actually has really good intentions,” Aizura said. “They have done a lot of work over the last five years to make their trans health care provisions much better.”

Coralie Pederson, a nurse on Boynton’s transgender health team, said the clinic holds multiple training sessions on inclusive care. She has seen a

major transformation in her five years at the clinic for providing a welcoming and inclusive environment.

“The importance is to provide … access and welcoming and inclusive care,” Pederson said. “We’re making, hopefully, all of those things better so [transgender students] can be healthier, so that they can succeed.”

Aizura said a long-term effort is underway for accommodating transgender students.

“I think that the campus climate is one of the better campuses to be trans at … in the United States,” Aizura said. “But there’s a really long way to go.

It’s really about a lot of detailed things.”

Vetting

of occupational therapy and a University senator, who questioned McDavis about vetting at the meeting, said the firm’s answer did not satisfy her.

She said the #MeToo Movement underscores the importance of vetting candidates applying for the University’s top position.

“In our current society, vetting is extremely important,” she said. “I think there’s a history of universities making bad choices and not using the vetting system process.”

In the past several years, high-profile resignations at the University, including the 2015 resignation of Athletic Director Norwood Teague, have raised concerns about the screening process for high-level officials.

“Our approach to vetting job candidates at all levels of the organization probably has become more comprehensive,” said University spokesperson Chuck Tombarge. “It’s safe to say previous experiences have helped the University refine that research to make sure we’re doing it comprehensively and fully.”

However, he said it can be difficult to find every potential issue.

“In some cases, accusations against someone at previous institutions may not necessarily be public information,” Tombarge said.

“While the searches we do hopefully turn up any red flags early before we hire anyone, it’s not 100 percent.”

Higher education offi-

cials say privacy helps ensure the best candidates will apply to positions without jeopardizing their current jobs. Under the Minnesota Data Practices Act, the names of applicants are not public until candidates are named as finalists.

But the University often oversteps its bounds in protecting candidates’ privacy, said Marshall Tanick, a constitutional and employment law attorney, who has criticized the hiring process of top University officials.

Tanick said limited transparency, especially protecting the names of finalists during the search, can negatively impact vetting.

Opening the process — publicly naming multiple finalists sooner — allows people to come forward and raise possible concerns about candidates, he said.

“Transparency increases the likelihood of good vetting,” he said.

For Shore, it’s important to ensure people have the chance to come forward if there are red flags.

“People need to have the opportunity to tell their truth,” she said. “If we don’t even know who’s applying, we may not even have that opportunity.”

Shore said those involved in the search process are not doing enough to promote transparency — and she’s worried that approach will hurt vetting.

“We don’t know how they’re vetting,” she said.

“We don’t know what the process is.”

for students under student service fees, and it receives about 50 complaints a week from students, Dane said.

Dane said he’s worked for SLS for 33 years. Many of the student complaints he said he’s seen this fall semester concern poor housing conditions noticed at move-in.

“The codes that the city maintains ... those are minimum standards,” Dane said. “[The city is] not trying to set a standard that’s impossible for a landlord to meet.

It’s a standard that a landlord should be able to meet without a whole lot of concern.”

Katy Willmus, a sophomore studying journalism, said she’s heard stories about her friends’ off-campus

difficult housing experiences, especially problems with getting out of leases and finding a subtenant. Wilmus said she plans to continue living in University housing so she doesn’t have to deal with the stress of leasing a property.

Dane advises students who are having trouble with their living conditions or landlord to call the city’s inspection department.

“The threat of having inspections come can sometimes get a landlord there immediately,” Dane said.

Landlords often do not want inspectors to view a property, because the inspectors will often find more problems on top of the one they were initially called to inspect, he added.

u from Page 1

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Kinesiology senior Jared Antilla watches over the crowd from a balcony at the Sssdude-Fest Block Party on Saturday, April 22, 2017. “I haven’t seen anything like this in three years,” Antilla said. “All the homemade parties get broken up.”

Alcohol u from Page 1

policy involving fines, being barred from social events and potential expulsion.

“It’s not on the IFC to police it,” Cashman said. “It’s really on the people within the fraternity houses.”

Max Hurst, president of Delta Kappa Epsilon, said his fraternity is using a “see something, say something” policy. Enforcement of the ban is mainly the responsibility of the fraternities’ executive board and violations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

“We haven’t created a direct rule yet — we haven’t really needed to, but that’s something we’re looking into,” Hurst said.

Hurst said punishment for first violation would likely be a fine. For continued offenses, being barred

Lawsuit u from Page 1

appropriately in its investigation and did not base its decision on the race or sex of the players.

“This process did indeed ‘discriminate,’ but not on the grounds of gender or race as Plaintiffs allege. Instead, the process discriminated

from social events, being a sober monitor and possible suspension are likely punishments.

“As soon as you step on our property, you should not have hard alcohol,” Hurst said. The fraternity now has a trash can by their front door during parties for attendants to throw away their hard alcohol before entering.

“We’re not letting anyone chug it at the door. …

We tell them to leave, we don’t want that there,” Hurst said.

Jeremy Doman, president of Sigma Alpha Mu, said the fraternity has a zero-tolerance policy for bringing hard alcohol into the house, but has not yet had any offenses.

“We’d throw away that person’s hard alcohol, put them on social probation and if that would happen again we’d kick them off

the fraternity,” Doman said.

Doman said his fraternity did not have a culture of excessive drinking before, so enforcing the ban has not been difficult. “From all my experience since I’ve been a freshmen … [Sigma Alpha Mu] is not this crazy ‘80s movie that everyone thinks it is. … We do a great job in philanthropy, we’re not crazy partiers.”

Hurst said the ban was the first step towards a bigger conversation. “I think a conversation needs to be made about changing the culture of alcohol usage in our community,” he said.

“It’s important to help people understand the impact hard alcohol has and how prevalent it is on campus,” Doman said. “Because r egar dles s of your affiliation with any kind of organization, there’s definitely a hard alcohol drinking problem.”

among the student-athletes, not against them, by carefully determining who had violated the Student Conduct Code and who had not. The five student-athletes found responsible for sexual misconduct were sanctioned for one reason and one reason only: their conduct on the morning of September 2, 2016. It had nothing to do with their gender. It had

nothing to do with their race,” the memo reads.

The memo also argues the nine players’ allegations of defamation and emotional distress can’t be supported.

It states the statements University President Eric Kaler made regarding the investigation were in response to public interest and did not make any claims or assertions.

additional information about when or how that process is expected to take place.

Regent Abdul Omari, chair of the presidential search advisory committee, was not available for comment.

Some of the responsibilities for vetting applicants — including reaching out to contacts about individual candidates — fall on Omari and AGB Search, the firm selected by the regents to help recruit candidates, according to the board office’s statement. However, it is unclear how those responsibilities will be split. Members of the search committee won’t take part in this type of vetting until later in the process, the regents’ office said.

Rod McDavis, the managing principal of AGB Search, laid out the firm’s plans for vetting at a University Senate meeting last month.

“We’re going to utilize a lot of technology,” McDavis said at the meeting. He said the firm will conduct a LexisNexis search, scan social media and Google search candidates.

“But most importantly, we talk to people,” he said at the meeting. “Not only do we talk to people who are on the reference list, but we talk to people who are off the reference list.”

McDavis and other members of AGB Search did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Leann Shore, a professor

Renting u from Page 1

Dane said. He added that low rent is often a student’s top priority, so students are often content with substandard conditions.

According to a Minnesota statute, landlords are required “to maintain the premises in compliance with the applicable health and safety laws of the state, and of the local units of government where the premises are located during the term of the lease.”

SLS chooses a different legal issue pertaining to students to highlight in its annual campaign. The services SLS provides are covered

4

Monday, November 12, 2018

Under City amendment, 911 calls can’t be used to evict The policy reforms how Minneapolis has handled rental housing complaints.

BY ISABELLA MURRAY imurray@mndaily.com

T o p r e v e n t w ro n g ful evictions, the City of Minneapolis is changing its housing policy to make conflict resolution easier for landlords and tenants.

On Nov. 2, the full City Council approved a policy reforming how the City handles complaints about disruptive conduct in rental housing. The new amendments would prevent certain 911 calls to a property from leading to an eviction. The policy also implements a panel to review such incidents.

Complaints could previously include 911 calls, reporting domestic violence,

domestic abuse, a healthrelated emergency or other similar responses.

The new amendments state a violation of the City’s tenant conduct ordinance cannot stem from these calls.

“No one should have to choose between receiving emergency responder assistance and having a safe place to live,” said Ward 11 City Council member Jeremy Schroeder, who worked on the portion of the ordinance related to 911 calls.

Noisy assembly, including 911 calls regarding parties, was also previously a qualifying incident for a conduct violation.

“Students are a prime example of folks who just want to have fun and have a party, and the next thing you know is that you didn’t even know you were flagged, you didn’t know that it qualified, and get evicted,” said Ward

4 City Council member Phillipe Cunningham.

Ward 3 City Council member Steve Fletcher said he has heard anecdotal cases of renters hesitating to call 911 over the years because of this ordinance.

“Imagine you’re at a party and someone overdoses.

We want you to call 911 to get that person help. If someone on the lease thinks they might get evicted and wants to find some other way and a tragedy happens, that’s a really bad outcome,” Fletcher said. “What we want is for everyone to feel safe calling 911 in emergencies and for landlords to have the flexibility to respond appropriately to situations happening in their properties.”

Before the amendments were implemented, community members were made aware of 911 calls in the neighborhood. Now, when a MPD crime prevention

specialist determines an incident at a rental property requires City intervention, a letter is only sent to the landlord and the tenant.

Additionally, a new interdisciplinary panel will review the issues and help determine an approach that encourages landlords and tenants to resolve problems.

Cunningham said the panel will convene with the health department along with attorneys, community advocates and landlords.

The group will review qualifying cases to construct an intervention plan for tenants and landlords. If either party fails to comply with the plan, the City will move to further enforcement.

“This is the first time a conduct on licensed premises ordinance is being used as an on-ramp to services and support rather than an onramp to being criminalized,” Cunningham said.

Ilhan Omar and GOP panelists break down the midterm results Panelists from both parties agreed the Trump White House drove voters to polls.

BY TIFFANY BUI tbui@mndaily.com

Fresh off her victory in the midterm election, Congresswoman-elect Ilhan Omar met with Republicans at a University of Minnesota panel to unpack Tuesday’s results.

With all Minnesota precinct results in, the DFL has gained control of the state House of Representatives, while the Republicans have retained a majority in the Senate. Democrats also took control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Omar was joined Wednesday by DFL and Republican panelists at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs to process Tuesday night’s conclusions and what they mean for future Minnesota politics.

“I think the message really was [that] we do not like to be pushed around. Americans wanted to say we decide what kind of country we are and how we operate,” Omar said. “There was a clear rejection of the politics of fear and rejection.”

Panelists on both sides of the aisle were quick to agree the midterms were a triumph for Minnesotan Democrats, who they said voted largely in response to U.S. President Donald Trump.

“It was a rejection of Washington, and our candidates paid all the way down the ticket,” said Ben Golnik, executive director of the the Minnesota House Republican Caucus.

Denise Cardinal, executive director of the Democratic political action committee WIN Minnesota, said suburban and young voters’ political enthusiasm helped spur the state’s uptick in voter turnout.

“Suburban voters aren’t

sitting at home anymore … the suburbs have changed; they’ve become bluer,” said Cardinal.

Although the Democrats’ triumph in the state House is politically significant, former 2nd Congressional District Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn. said this shift is not surprising for a midterm.

“The outcome was about what’d you expect for a midterm. ... It was not the blue tsunami that we had heard about,” said Weber. “But given the high levels of turnout, the president motivated both sides. But the Democrats won.”

The two Republican panelists took different tacks in identifying where their party fell short.

Golnik said state House Republicans were unseated by voters who were unhappy with Trump, rather than the local politicians themselves.

“I think a lot of [the candidates] are victim of what

happens nationally,” said Golnik.

Weber said the party lacks a clear agenda and needs to focus on the growing population of suburban voters.

“Republicans are doing well on a burning platform,” said Weber. “It’s great that Northern Minnesota is more Republican, when it used to be very Democratic ... but it’s a declining percentage of the state’s population. So if they don’t become competitive in the suburbs, it does not go over well in the long term.”

Democrats are looking ahead to 2020, reflecting back on the most recent presidential election to inform their next moves, said Cardinal.

“Listen, 2020, that’s a lifetime,” said Cardinal.

“What I can say is, I think Democrats are learning their lessons. In 2016, there’s been a lot of internal analysis … looking about what we are for.”

Cedar-Riverside leaders urge youth funding despite cuts Local leaders said they hope to expand after-school youth programming.

BY EMMA DILL edill@mndaily.com

As City budgets are finalized for next year, leaders in Cedar-Riverside say they will advocate for funding to solve a persistent lack youth programming in the neighborhood.

Local leaders and youth attended a meeting Saturday to discuss solutions to a shortage of after-school and youthfocused spaces and programs.

Young people in Cedar-Riverside often end up standing outside when local spaces are not available, attendees said, and the onset of cold weather has added urgency to the discussion.

The community’s Brian Coyle Center is a primary provider of such programming.

The center, which only serves youth under the age of 18, scaled back programming after a large portion of its funding from United Way was cut in 2016. Since then, few alternative programs have developed in the neighborhood.

“In the past week, we’ve been talking to the youth in the neighborhood about what’s the biggest problem affecting them and the most common answer that we got from them is that they don’t have a safe place to relax and have a normal conversation with people that they trust,” said Adan Ali, a member of the newly-formed neighborhood youth board.

A lack of available community spaces makes new programming difficult, local leaders said. Ward 6 City Council member Abdi Warsame suggested using local mosques for youth programming.

“The main problem [in] this neighborhood is always lack of space,” said Warsame.

“We’ve always had to be creative in managing the space we have.”

Even with available neighborhood spaces, local leaders said long-term funding is critical to making programming successful.

“Unless we develop a base funding — from the state, from institutions, from the City, from the county — we’re

“[Local youth] don’t have a safe place to relax and have a normal conversation with people that they trust.”

ADAN ALI neighborhood youth board member

going to be sitting here all over again,” said Mohamud Noor, the newly-elected state representative of House District 60B. Noor told attendees that he would advocate for funding from the state when he joins the state legislature next session. Noor also suggested closing the defunct West Bank Community Coalition and developing a new neighborhood organization to secure City funding.

With Mayor Jacob Frey’s proposed budget headed to a City Council vote by December, Warsame said he would advocate for funding at a City level.

“We are in the budget process right now, and I will try to get some support for them this year,” he said.

AK Hassan, District 3 Park Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board commissioner, said he hopes to bring youth programming to nearby Currie Park by next year.

The park board is in the early stages of developing a second recreation center in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood and a potential addition to the Brian Coyle Center.

Noor said the youth and others in the community need to participate in discussions surrounding that development.

“We want to be sitting at that table and making sure that it meets the needs of the people that are going to be served. So, we want to make sure that conversation is taking place today rather than tomorrow,” Noor said.

Although local leaders did not lay out concrete plans for funding, Ali said the discussions were a step in the right direction.

“At the end of the day, I’m tired of all this talk. All this talking is not helping the kids … somebody has to step up,” he said.

U looks to include global studies courses in liberal education requirements The U is considering its Grand Challenge Courses in a liberal education redesign.

BY MEGAN PALMER mpalmer@mndaily.com

Some global issues courses at the University of Minnesota may become liberal education requirem e n t s a f t e r s e e in g a n enrollment increase.

Grand Challenge Curriculum courses were created in 2014 by President Eric Kaler as part of his strategic plan. Some of the courses currently fulfill a liberal

education requirement. A redesign committee is looking at making GCC courses mandatory and part of the required liberal education requirements. The committee is still in its early stages, with no timeline for when this new requirement will be rolled out.

Each GCC course focuses on a global issue, such as climate change or world hunger, and is co-taught by multiple professors across departments. The program has grown since its creation.

Total enrollment in GCC courses has ballooned from 107 students in fall 2015 to 247 students enrolled in

spring 2018, according to Bob McMaster, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education.

The program has expanded course offerings, growing from five classes offered per semester and now offers eight. McMaster said the good reception from students is what is propelling program growth.

“The feedback we get from students that have taken these courses is phenomenal,” McMaster said.

The GCC courses were originally created through a grant given to the University by the Bush Foundation, McMaster said. Dan

Philippon, an associate professor in the English department and instructor of a GCC course on sustainability, was involved in the planning of the program.

“It is an important experiment that the University is undertaking,” Philippon said. “The challenges that the courses present extend far beyond that of employment [for students].”

Philippon said that including GCC courses in the liberal education requirements would promote the importance of studying global issues to students. “[It would] signal to students how valuable we

think they are,” Philippon said.

Kelly Shanahan, a political science junior, is currently enrolled in a GCC course that focuses on socioeconomic divides in the United States. She said through the course she has allowed her to meet diverse people.

“We’ve been introduced to professors from numerous different fields. … It’s important to me because when you choose your major you tend to become secluded to a single group on campus,” Shanahan said.

McMaster said that the University will emphasize

“The feedback we get from students that have taken these courses is phenomenal.”

BOB MCMASTER vice provost and dean of undergraduate education

its GCC courses moving forward.

“We really want these Grand Challenge Courses to be the best courses taught to undergraduates at the University,” he said.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2018

MN DAILY

5

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

FOOTBALL

Blake Cashman leads defensive rebirth The Gophers held the Boilermakers to just 10 points in Saturday’s victory.

BY PAUL HODOWANIC phodowanic@mndaily.com

What a difference a week can make.

Last week the Gophers gave up 646 yards and 55 points on defense against Illinois, allowing nine plays over 20 yards.This week against Purdue, who beat ranked opponents in two of the last three weeks, the Minnesota defense shut down the Boilermakers, giving up 233 yards and 10 points with the longest play from scrimmage only going for 17 yards.

The Boilermakers came into the game with the fourth best offense in the Big Ten but were unable to convert one third down the entire game, finishing 0-12.

“We didn’t change our defense ... the defense works.

But we got back to us,” said head coach P.J. Fleck. “What’s killed us in the past is explosive plays, I don’t think there were any explosive plays tonight — zero.”

The turnaround comes six days after the team fired defensive coordinator Robb Smith and replaced him with defensive line coach Joe Rossi. Rossi and Fleck hoped to instill a sound, simple and fast defense in the last three games of the year.

“This was a very emotional, draining week for a lot of us,” said Fleck regarding the coaching change. “I thought Joe Rossi called a tremendous game ... I thought [he] handled [the coaching change] with a ton integrity, character and professionalism.”

The defensive energy came from senior linebacker Blake Cashman, who set the tone early on a critical fourth down play in the second quarter.

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Blake Cashman, center, heads toward the bench during the game against Purdue on Saturday, Nov. 10 at TCF Bank Stadium.

On fourth-and-one at its own 34-yard line down, Purdue lined up to go for it. The Boilermakers quarterback David Blough ran it to the right and Cashman burst through the line and tackled Blough for a loss, giving the Gophers optimal field position. The Gophers were able to get a field goal to extend the lead to 13-3.

“He’s on the cover of the game day program for a reason,” said Fleck.

Cashman rebounded quickly from last week finishing with a team-high nine tackles, 0.5 sacks and a forced fumble which he

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

recovered and took 40 yards for a touchdown.

“It started with the guys up front ... I just sat there for the quarterback and he came,” said Cashman. “He tried to stiff arm me and I hit his arm down and I saw there was an opportunity to go for the ball and so I seized that moment.”

The touchdown gave the Gophers the momentum to start the second half, extending the lead to 20-3, and that was all the team needed to finish off the Boilermakers.

Cashman is a semi-finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which honors the most

outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on. The senior has a team high 81 total tackles this season.

The Gophers rebounded from giving up 430 yards rushing to Illinois, giving up 88 yards on 30 carries.

“I thought we did a great job stopping the run. ... I’m just really proud of our team’s response as a whole,” Fleck said.

The Gophers will look to show this performance wasn’t a fluke as they take on Big Ten West-leading Northwestern next week at TCF Bank Stadium with an opportunity to

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

VS MINNESOTA 41

PURDUE 10 WHEN: 2:35 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: TCF Bank Stadium

become bowl-eligible.

“We’ve seen that we can play at such a high level, but we also see we can lay a goose egg and get blown out by teams,” said Cashman. “It was a great win, they have a

phenomenal offense, defense as well. We are gonna come in tomorrow and hit the reset button ... and continue to prepare at a high level so we’re ready come Saturday for Northwestern.”

SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

SOCCER

Gophers win first game under new coach Whalen Minnesota got a victory over New Hampshire in the season opener.

BY BABATUNDE JINADU bjinadu@mndaily.com

The second Lindsay Whalen era of Gophers women’s basketball got off to a strong start Friday night.

Minnesota pulled out a 7047 win over New Hampshire in front of a sold-out crowd at Williams Arena. It was Whalen’s highly-anticipated first game as head coach and her first time in the Barn as a member of the Gophers in 14 years.

It took the home team a few moments to become comfortable playing in that environment.

“I was nervous.” said senior Annalese Lamke. “It was really exciting just to run up that tunnel and see the stands full because that was kind of the first time that we’ve seen that. I had my chest pounding a little bit to see that many people in the stands, but it was easy as soon as the ball tipped.”

Once settled, it became evident that the energy of Minnesota’s new man-to-man defense can live up to the hype of the crowd that came to watch it.

“I wasn’t really nervous at all,” said senior Kenisha Bell.

“I was more excited that we got more people to come out.

We’ve been working hard, so we were able to show people what we’ve been doing all summer…. I just thought it was pretty cool that we actually got a lot of people out here.”

Coming off of a 19-win season, the Wildcats hung with the Gophers in the first half. The score was 16-11 in favor of Minnesota after the first quarter; however, the Gophers shut out the Wildcats for nearly five minutes to begin the second quarter, and the Minnesota

lead stretched to 11 points by halftime.

Taiye Bello dropped a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds in the opener. Meanwhile, Lamke was a force in the paint, scoring 21 points on 75 percent shooting.

“She’s the first one in the gym and she’s one of our hardest workers and leader on the team. For her to be putting the time in, to have a night like this is special,” said Whalen about Lamke’s effort. “I think tonight she showed, when she has poise in there and she’s patient, she’s able to make finishes and take contact.”

In the second half of the game, Minnesota continued to use the crowd to their advantage. Neither team shot exceptionally well in the game but the Gophers had all of the momentum from start-to-finish, and a record 14,625 screaming fans were a large reason for that.

After three quarters the lead had expanded to 48-29 in favor of Minnesota. The Gophers continued to build up the lead from 19 at the end of three quarters to 23 points as the game finished 70-47.

On the court after the game, Whalen addressed the stadium as fans walked out.

“As a player it was the greatest honor to play in front of crowds like this when I played here, and so I’m just thankful that our players got to experience this tonight,” Whalen said.

“These players work so hard, our coaches work so hard, every day…. We’re going to do everything we can to make the entire state of Minnesota proud of our program by how hard we work and how we play ... we’ll see you next weekend.”

Minnesota’s next home game is on Nov. 17, but before that they will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to take on the Xavier Musketeers on Nov. 14.

JACK RODGERS, DAILY

Midfielder Megan Gray fights for the ball at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 16. The Gophers defeated Northwestern 2-0.

Minnesota advances in NCAAs The Gophers beat Auburn 2-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

BY ERIK NELSON enelson2@mndaily.com

The Gophers’ motto under head coach Stefanie Golan is “Take the Stairs.”

Minnesota climbed another step toward its goal of winning the program’s first NCAA championship.

Minnesota (12-8-2) defeated Auburn (12-6-2) 2-0 on Friday in Auburn, Alabama in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Gophers will play in the second round of the tournament for the first time since 2015.

It was the first postseason road victory in Minnesota history.

Defender and co-captain Emily Peterson scored the winning goal in the 61st

minute. It was Peterson’s first collegiate goal.

“To get on the end of that and feel it go off my foot was a great feeling,” Peterson said. “Right as I hit it, I knew it was going in the goal.”

Goalkeeper Maddie Nielsen won her 12th match of the season and earned her fourth consecutive shutout.

Nielsen has not allowed a goal this postseason.

Forward April Bockin said Minnesota’s defense and Nielsen’s goalkeeping are reasons why the team is winning matches in November.

“Our back line doesn’t get quite enough credit,” Bockin said. “We’ve had four straight shutouts. They have played phenomenally not only on the defensive side, but they’re helping us with the attack and getting us going there.”

Bockin assisted on both Minnesota goals. She is now third all-time in program

history with 27 career assists.

Midfielder Megan Gray added an insurance goal for the Gophers in the 80th minute off a corner kick. Both Minnesota goals came off set pieces. Peterson and Gray are the first two Minnesota players other than Bockin to score this postseason.

Golan said Minnesota practices both offensive and defensive set pieces constantly.

“Those are some critical moments that can decide [matches],” Golan said. “We were able to make the most of a couple of those.”

Gray said she feels excited to play soccer deeper into November.

“These last few weeks have been surreal with all the wins,” Gray said. “To know that the seniors get to continue their careers for the Gophers is exciting. We’re all fighting for them and

WOMEN’S SOCCER RESULTS

FRIDAY Minnesota Auburn

1 0 0

2 2 0

FINAL 2 0

SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

fighting for each other.”

Minnesota will play No. 4 UCLA (15-3-1) in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Friday at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Los Angeles. The match begins at 9:30 p.m.

Golan said the Gophers will have time to prepare for Friday’s match and catch up on schoolwork. “[The players] understand the importance of controlling the things they can control,” she said. “We’ve been on the road four weekends in a row.

They’ve got to stay on top of their studies. As strong a performance that we’re putting on the field ... they do just as well in the classroom.”

6

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2018

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

MUSIC

Review: 15 years, but still no shadows on Brother Ali’s light

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Brother Ali performs at First Avenue on Thursday, Nov. 9 in Minneapolis.

On Thursday, the Twin Cities MC celebrated the 15th anniversary of his debut album.

BY SAMIR FERDOWSI sferdowsi@mndaily.com

Fifteen years ago, Brother Ali composed “Shadows on the Sun,” sparking a musical revolution in the 612.

Celebrating this achievement in local hip-hop, Ali and Rhymesayer heir deM atlaS awed the crowd with the raw rap renditions Minneapolis residents know well.

Performing the entirety of

his album at the ever-iconic First Avenue, Ali proved once again that he is indeed a star of the north.

“It’s humbling to see someone of his caliber come on stage after you,” deM atlaS said. “I just released my first album, and he’s celebrating 15 years of his — I hope I can do this like he does for 15 more.”

Spitting a majority of his set from his newest album, “Bad Actress,” deM atlaS grooved with an energy that permeated through the crowd. He jumped, ran and boogied through the entirety of his performance.

A modern day James Brown, Atlas had the crowd fired up and seething with energy, ready for the OG to take the stand.

After a seemingly endless DJ set — not due to lack of skill, but because of the crowd’s growing anticipation — the stage was cleared and the “Ali, Ali,” chants started.

Without need of a DJ prompt, hands waved side to side and cheers split the purple haze that enveloped the crowd.

Then, the preacher himself strolled on stage.

The DJ put needle to vinyl, the iconic murmurs of

“Shadows on the Sun” came out of the overhanging speakers and all that mattered was Ali and the mic.

“I love being from Minnesota, everyone,” Ali said, four songs into his set. “We don’t need permission to do what we love doing and we’re going to keep doing that for love.”

There are poets, preachers, teachers and scholars — and then there’s Brother Ali, who encompasses all four. These words are just a sliver of the beautiful truth he spoke on and off-track throughout the night. Any Minnesotan would be proud

to have Ali representing their state on stage.

The Twin Cities truly were the central theme of the night, attesting to Ali’s passion for his home. With Minneapolis’ Last Word spinning tracks behind him and the most special of guest appearances by Atmosphere’s own, Slug, the crowd was treated well in the main room.

For all of this hometown clout, Ali has stayed humble as ever. On stage in a beanie, denim jacket and flannel, he looked more like a lumberjack than a worldclass rapper.

This is the essence and

beauty of the MC and “Shadows on the Sun” itself: there are no gimmicks or extra pizazz to keep listeners hooked.

Ali raps with passion that is fueled by honesty.

With each consonant emphasized during every song performed, listeners felt the humble but steel-strong man’s words pounded into their frames.

The venue was fitting, the music was stellar and the only desire the crowd was left with was the want for more. When’s the next one coming out, Brother?

Grade: A

ART

The White Page gallery celebrates five prolific years The White Page gallery is a space for young artists to get name recognition.

BY LIV MARTIN omartin@mndaily.com

On Saturday night, friends gathered at The White Page gallery on Cedar Avenue to celebrate a milestone.

“Five years!” yelled Andy Delany, throwing both arms into the air.

“Five years!” yelled back Alanah Luger-Guillaume and Kate Sheldon, smiling ear to ear.

Delany and his wife Lauren Flynn have known about The White Page gallery since it opened in 2013.

In 2014, the couple was part of The White Page’s residency program. That was back when the gallery space was on 42nd Avenue.

The nonprofit gallery, studio space and residency program was the brain child of LugerGuillaume, Sheldon, Rebecca Spangenthal and Alexis Stiteler. Stiteler has since moved on to focus on solo projects, but the other three still operate the gallery.

It was a coincidence they ended up in Minneapolis.

Luger-Guillaume and Sheldon both attended Alfred University in western New York. Spangenthal, 28, went to the Pratt Institute in New York City, but her childhood best friend went to Alfred and connected her with LugerGuillaume and Sheldon.

The artists, fresh out

SYD STRATMAN, DAILY

Andy Sturdevant, member of The White Page’s board, calls out bingo numbers at the gallery’s five-year anniversary and fundraiser party. o f u n d e r g r a d , d e c i d e d comes next,” Sheldon said. just know more people now gigantic heap of found mathey needed a studio space Today, the gallery’s and more people know us. terials that nearly reached for themselves and their residency program is still More people can apply … up to the ceiling. friends. in full effect. Artists, both people we don’t [know] perThis summer, Linda “We really didn’t have a local and from out of state, sonally, which is part of the Moncada converted the different format to model come to learn and work in aim we were going for.” gallery into a sea green ourselves after. We weren’t Minneapolis for roughly Through a friend, they dream space. The floor setting out to make money six weeks at a time, produc- were led to their current was painted a celadon hue or become a commercial ing a show at the gallery by location: a large space with with a dizzying white line gallery. We were making the end of their residency. high ceilings, white walls spiraling from the corners it exactly what we would “Starting out, we were and an attached garage of the space to the center. want,” Luger-Guillaume reaching within the pool for extra studio space Small objects with red acsaid. of people that we had con- and storage. cents were placed around “We just wanted to help nections to. A lot of them For the past five years, the room. people like us who were were the same age as us t h e g a l l e r y h a s b e e n Oakley Tapola created sort of in this awkward gap but that’s changed since transformed by different a trippy yellow and white after you have a BFA but we’ve gotten older,” Luger- residents. In 2017, artist wallpaper for her exhibiyou don’t really know what Guillaume said. “And we Gudrun Lock created a tion, which served as the

background for her surrealist paintings.

Saturday, the space looked like the “fresh sheet of paper” the gallery promises to provide each resident artist with upon their arrival.

Friends of the three founders and past resident artists filtered in to celebrate The White Page’s fifth anniversary with copious amounts of LaCroix, a live DJ, a raffle give-away and a playlist with hits by Madonna and Drake.

“It’s a light nautic a l t h e m e , ” s a id A n d y Sturdevant, a member of The White Page’s board and artist resources director at Springboard for the Arts. Sturdevant was dressed in a ship captain’s outfit, completed by his bushy ginger beard.

Sturdevant was the party’s unofficial captain, manning the raffle giveaway table. He became a board member when the gallery became a nonprofit two years ago, but he has known the co-founders since they created a Kickstarter back in 2013 for The White Page.

“They’re all brilliant.

They’re all so sharp and have such a clear vision for what they want to do, and [they have] a remarkable ability to follow through with that vision,” he said. “Being on the board doesn’t involve a lot of the artistic direction — and it doesn’t need to. You just know that every time you come to a show here, you’ll see something really fascinating.”

7

Monday, November 12, 2018

Minneapolis prioritizes energy efficiency Inclusive financing may curb high costs of improving energy efficiency in homes.

BY TIFFANY BUI tbui@mndaily.com

Although insulation may not be the first thing on students’ minds when they look for an off-campus house, the City of Minneapolis has made affording insulation and other energy efficiency measures a priority.

Using a method that has never been implemented in Minnesota, the City is hoping to lower energy bills by making energy-efficient home installations affordable to all residents. A

parallel effort at the University of Minnesota Energy Transition Lab is set to begin research on the financing model’s feasibility for the state by the end of November.

The method, called inclusive financing, will allow renters to make improvements that keep their houses warmer in the winter without high upfront installation costs.

“We’ve seen this in other communities really be a game changer for who can access energy efficiency and local green energy,” said Timothy DenHerderThomas, board member of the local nonprofit Community Power, who has been working to get the model approved by the City.

Currently, only prop-

erty owners are able to make energy efficiency improvements, with a small percentage actually following through after they’re deemed eligible for such measures, said DenHerderThomas. Landlords have little incentive to pay for the expensive installations since renters foot the cost of energy bills.

“That’s not enough to get us to the climate goals that we have, [or] the energy affordability goals that we have,” said DenHerderThomas.

Under inclusive financing, upfront installation costs are subsidized by a third party and eventually paid by the consumer through their energy bill. Participants will see lower utility costs as a

result of the reduced energy consumption.

“As long as they have a bill, and as long as they have paid that bill … students would be able to take advantage of this without taking out a personal loan,” said Kim Havey, director of sustainability at the City of Minneapolis.

The Clean Energy Partnership board, a collaboration between the City, Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy, approved the measure to be included in their 2020 outline of clean energy initiatives on Thursday.

The model has been adopted by utility companies in Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Arkansas and California. Research hosted by the University Energy

Transition Lab will evaluate the model’s financial feasibility in Minnesota. “[Students] need to know that the fastest, cheapest and cleanest way to reduce carbon emissions is with energy efficiency,” said Ellen Anderson, director of the University Energy Transition Lab. “It’s not the shiny object that renewable energy is, but it needs to be the beginning of any kind of energy solution.”

Although the City does not consider renewable energy measures like solar panels to be energy efficient, the study will explore the possibility of including them in the program.

Areas around the University campus used, on average, about 15 percent more

natural gas in 2017 than the rest of the city, according to CenterPoint Energy.

Older homes that lack insulation can be costly to heat, said Bill Dane, a Student Legal Service lawyer.

The densely-populated areas of Marcy-Holmes and Prospect Park are among the oldest neighborhoods in Minneapolis.

“It’ll vary a lot from property to property. In some of the large old houses, it’s not unusual to see heating bills that are going to exceed $200 or sometimes get near the $300 range for just that month,” Dane said. “Depending on how many people you’re dividing that among, it can be a real challenge to gather up those extra funds to pay it.”

U graduate student starts a cooking club on campus The club president tapped into the U’s subreddit to get the club off the ground.

BY JORDAN WILLAUER jwillauer@mndaily.com

How did the new Minnesota Cooking Club come to exist on campus? The answer involves a love of food, the social networking website Reddit and a persistent University of Minnesota graduate student who wanted to create a space for people who like to eat.

Justin Wiese tried starting a cooking club at the University last year, but was unable to find enough members. Student Unions and Activities’ policy requires that groups have at least five members. Despite the setback, Wiese was undeterred.

“I really wanted to create the club … I didn’t have anybody who enjoyed cooking as much as me around. I just like talking about food,” Wiese said.

On his second attempt, Wiese discovered Reddit was the key to getting the club off the ground. Using the University’s page, Wiese found five officers to start the club.

Now with nine members, the group is off the ground and cooking.

The club meets and cooks meals for two hours almost every week in the student kitchen on the second floor of Coffman Union.

On Wednesday, two new students came to the meeting after hearing about the club on Reddit.

“I don’t know how to cook,” said senior Melinda Hong, one of the new students at the meeting. “That’s why I’m here.”

Most other participants had also learned about the event from Wiese’s posts on Reddit, where he details what the club will make in the upcoming week, inviting anyone who sees the post to attend.

“It definitely seems like Reddit is a growing trend for recruiting members,” said

“I really wanted to create the club …

I didn’t have anybody who enjoyed cooking as much as me around. I just like talking about food.”

JUSTIN WIESE University graduate student

JERUSA NYAKUNDI, DAILY

Members of the University’s Minnesota Cooking Club gather outside the kitchen in Coffman Union to enjoy the meal they just prepared together.

Patrick Haught, a student activities advisor. Haught said an entire discussion on the University’s Reddit page is devoted to student groups.

Although SUA does not officially have anything to do

with the discussion, Haught said he is glad to see it active.

At the Cooking Club’s Wednesday meeting, attendees’ cooking skills varied.

“I like cooking, but I’m bad at it,” said sophomore

Joe Peterson, laughing as he signed a liability waiver before he could start cooking.

On Wednesday, Cuban sandwiches were on the menu. Made with Nordic cheese, roasted pork,

pickles, mustard and bread, the sandwiches were toasted and ready to eat in an hour and a half.

“It’s my last year,” Wiese said as he scrubbed fried cheese off a pan after the meeting. “I’d like to see the club continue. It’d be cool to come back in, like, five years ... and see that the club is still active and they’re still teaching students how to make easy dishes, learning new cooking techniques and meeting people that like to cook.”

8 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2018

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

COLUMN

The ‘year of the woman’ cannot end after the midterm elections

More woman than ever will be sworn into Congress in 2019; we can’t lose this momentum.

S

ince election night, recounts and missing ballot boxes in Florida and Arizona have been dominating the news cycle.

A midterm headline that ELLEN SCHNEIDER should receive columnist more attention; an incredible amount of women are being elected.

The 2018 midterms have also been dubbed the “Year of the Woman 2.0” after record numbers of women ran and were elected to Congress. At least 99 women are expected to take the oath in January and the number may grow, as a number of outstanding races that have not yet been called.

America is patting itself on the back for electing so many women to Congress, which include some firsts that should have happened long ago, such as the first Muslim and Native American women elected to Congress. I can only think, why is this just happening now? Every year should be the year of the woman.

The United States lags far behind in descriptive representation. Our Congress

has never remotely reflected the demographics of the U.S. In fact, the U.S. is ranked 104th in the world for women in national parliaments, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union. This is embarrassingly low, especially considering our democracy was one of the first. We should be electing a number of women that is proportional to the population.

Descriptive representation is a must.

For too long, women’s interests have not been adequately represented because there weren’t enough women in positions of power to represent them. I firmly believe that in order for our government to work for people aside from white, straight men, there needs to be representation of different backgrounds, ethnicities and genders.

The country was crafted, built and continues to be dominated by straight, white men.

Society will continue to disproportionately reflect the needs of and be advantageous to these men until women and minorities are given the same opportunities and representation.

I realize that many people believe substantive representation to be of greater importance than descriptive representation.

Substantive representation encompasses politicians whose policies reflect the interest of people other than themselves, even if they themselves do not mirror those people.

I do believe this is important, and that on some level, our representatives over the years have achieved that.

It is undeniable that someone similar to their constituents can better represent them. Empathy is incredibly difficult. I do

I firmly believe that in order for our government to work for people aside from white, straight men, there needs to be people of different backgrounds, ethnicities and genders.

not believe we can fully put ourselves in the shoes of others and understand their struggles, their triumphs or passions. Men will never be able to comprehensively represent women because they are not women.

This is an incredibly important stepping stone toward a more directly representative Congress. However, the work is not over.

There are still far more women in the population than there are in positions of power, and we need to continue to elect women at a higher rate. This momentum cannot be lost when the political climate is calmer, or we as women feel less threatened by those in power. We need to continue electing women at a high rate so that society mirrors women’s needs the same way it has for men.

Ellen Schneider welcomes comments at eschneider@mndaily.com.

EDITORIAL

Everyone can cheer our latest election

Results of the midterm elections were positive for those of us who value checks and balances.

Ah, gridlock, glorious gridlock. The political pendulum swung with another Election Day, and on Tuesday, checks on single-party power were the big winners in St. Paul and Washington, D.C. Balance found a stronger place in the halls of our capitols.

While no one wants complete government gridlock, many of us certainly are able to cheer victories on Election Day that strengthened the ability to limit the extreme agendas of both Republicans and Democrats. For the vast majority of us in the political middle, Tuesday was a good day. And those on the right and left wings were offered plenty to gloat about, too.

“Call it the Oprah Election: You get a win! And you get a win!” was how Michael Graham, political editor of NH Journal and a CBS News contributor, put it in a piece for InsideSources.com. He titled his piece “The Wave that Wasn’t.”

“It’s a true ‘al a carte’ menu of election results,” he wrote.

Indeed, in D.C., Democrats won control of the House after the House, Senate, and presidency had all been held by Republicans. And the Republicans, meanwhile,

were able to fortify their hold on the U.S. Senate.

In Minnesota, in the 8th Congressional District, the GOP celebrated St. Louis County Commissioner and former Duluth Police officer Pete Stauber’s victory, only the second time in more than 70 years a Republican was picked as its representative.

Also in the 8th, DFLers celebrated with others statewide after their party held onto a pair of U.S. Senate seats, the governor’s office, and the attorney general’s office.

The DFL also flipped the Minnesota House, providing a counter and a balance to the Republican-dominated state Senate.

Duluth-area residents in support of and in opposition to more taxpayer dollars for the school district also were both left with the ability to be happy. Voters Tuesday renewed a retiring levy from 2013 and approved raising their property taxes by about $104 a year per every $150,000 house. The increased taxation moves Duluth closer to the statewide average for taxpayer support for public education.

The new revenue is to be used to hire more teachers and bring down class sizes. But voters also rejected a second tax increase for technology upgrades, providing red meat to district residents, too, who are still stinging from the Red Plan or are skeptical of the School Board and superintendent.

Increasingly bipartisan governing

bodies left in the wake of Tuesday’s voting only amplifies the need for our elected representatives to work together for the good of all ahead of the wishes of political parties. It’s what the vast majority of us in the middle want and we call can demand.

More of this please: “Now is a time to come together and move forward for the good of the state we love,” as U.S. Senate candidate Karin Housley said in a concession statement late Tuesday.

And less of this: “Don’t play nice. Don’t ‘extend a hand across the aisle.’ Don’t compromise,” as indie rocker Mikel Jollett tweeted to victorious Democrats.

“America’s politics ... were divided before (President Donald) Trump and before (President) Barack Obama, for that matter,” Graham wrote. “The American people have some fundamental disagreements on big issues.”

But because such disagreements, especially when accompanied by cooperation and civility, can be balancing and can provide the checks on government our Founding Fathers knew we’d need in order to maintain tempered, responsible government, an election result like Tuesday’s can be cheered by all.

This editorial was originally published in the Duluth News Tribune.

COLUMN

Millenial pandering can be effective, so long as it actually feels authentic Brands can successfully connect with younger generations if they try to speak their language.

O

n Nov. 1 , the offic i a l Burger King account tweeted the following exchange: “him: it’s only a month / waifu: ………..” followed by the sobbing PALMER HAASCH em o ji. I ha d columnist to reread the tweet a few times before I realized Burger King had ostensibly tweeted about No-Nut November. I have some feelings about it: confusion, resignation and awestruck rapture. In that particular order.

For those who aren’t familiar, No-Nut November is a meme that riffs off other November campaigns like “No-Shave November.”

No-Nut November isn’t supposed to bring awareness to any particular cause, but is rather centered about the valiant effort of … not nutting (or, in more particular terms, not orgasming). Understanding the exchange requires a particular kind of internet fluency that hinges upon comprehension of the word “waifu,” which is a typically sexualized term thrown around in anime communities in references to characters that viewers claim as their wife (think full-size anime body pillows). This begs the following question: how

the hell does this make any sense? Or, more particularly: What does Burger King gain from making a joke catering to a very specific audience?

Brands and public figures attempting to cater to the millennial and Generation Z audience is nothing new. One of the most salient recent examples is a disastrous Hillary Clinton tweet circa 2015, which read, “How does your student loan debt make you feel? Tell us in 3 emojis or less.” It was a blatant attempt to cater to social-media entrenched millennials that inadvertently trivialized a major millennial issue. On a similar note was Clinton’s iconic, “I don’t know who created Pokémon Go, but I’d try to figure out how to have them Pokémon Go to the polls.”

On the other hand, millennial pandering done right can bring a solid amount of clout to a brand. Several weeks ago, Steak-umm posted a surprisingly meta rant on Twitter, beginning with the question, “Why are so many young people flocking to brands on social media for love, guidance and attention?”

It proceeded to explore the particular kind of loneliness that arises from social media immersion and simultaneous dread of the future. The thread received nearly 13,000 retweets and significant media attention.

I didn’t even know what Steak-umm was.

It sounded like the kind of noncommittal answer you’d get when asking an underpaid employee at an inexpensive restaurant what kind of meat they have on the menu.

Now, not only do I know what Steak-umm is, but, admittedly, I also feel a kind of kinship with the brand itself. Minimally, the millennial social media manager has managed to strike a chord with me, and frankly, it makes

Those with meme-based internet fluency are quick to recognize and call out those who don’t “get it,” but the payoff for successful attempts to be relatable is high.

me more likely to give the product a second thought.

Other brands have also managed to rise to social media notoriety through apparent millennial pandering: Denny’s is famous for absurdly hilarious Tumblr posts (one reads, “*tips waitress* m’bacon”), and MoonPie tweets with a consistent kind of bleak humor that never fails to get me. I won’t pretend that pandering to millennial and Generation Z audiences doesn’t work, but it will only be successful when it feels authentic. Those with meme-based internet fluency are quick to recognize and call out those who don’t “get it,” but the payoff for successful attempts to be relatable is high. I, for one, will never forget Burger King using the word waifu in a tweet. Never.

Palmer Haasch welcomes comments at phaasch@mndaily.com.

EDITORIAL

Involvement in the CIP should be a guarantee The CIP allows businesses to become more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Early last week, the University of Minnesota recently pulled out of — and then entered back into — the Conservation Improvement Program (CIP), a statewide energy efficiency program. While the program is effective for the University campus, it’s alarming that the University considered not continuing with the program in the first place.

The CIP helps businesses use electricity and natural gas more efficiently, but the program also charges users a fee in addition to their utility costs and channels it into a rebate.

This rebate has allowed the University to convert an outdated heating plant into a more systematic steam power plant with a steep price of $2 million — a cost that was rebated by the CIP. However, on Oct. 1, the Board of Regents filed a petition to opt out of the program and the payment.

Over the past five years, the CIP has cost the University approximately $300,000 to become more energy efficient, an ultimately low price for the outcome received. However, the University has claimed that several financial pressures prevented them from securing the benefits, a claim that contradicts the low amount of total spending on the program.

Amid withdrawal, the University received criticism from eight environmental groups around the state and the City of Minneapolis.

The efforts ultimately led the University to opt back into the program, a move that will fundamentally benefit the community.

While the withdrawal received little attention around campus, students would have been most affected by the withdrawal, said Joseph Pereira, the regulatory director at the Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota. For example, students pay more for heating due to living conditions, and the CIP may help minimize such costs.

It’s alarming to see the University mistakenly pull out of a program that has helped transform energy consumption on campus.

Programs like the CIP are something that the University could see more of. With thousands of students utilizing hundreds of buildings every day, even small steps made to create a more energy efficient University can become giant leaps in the grand scheme of conservation.

Eventually, the University must realize that energy efficient programs are favorable to the community, and opting out of such programs is only internally beneficial.

Ultimately, the University needs to opt into more programs like CIP. The University has a responsibility to work with the legislature to institute more efficiency and green energy programs, such as investing in renewable energy and banning single-use plastics. Environmental responsibility should not reserved to the individual, academic institutions or local government, but rather humanity as a whole. Only as a collective can we truly combat negative environmental effects that have been caused by humankind, and the University should be doing its part.

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

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

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2018

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (11/12): 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.

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

Written by Nancy Black

Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is an 8 — Tackle new professional territory. Advance to the next level. Don’t show unfinished work yet. Polish your presentation before sharing.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 7 — Domestic renovation requires sorting through old stuff.

Diminish the clutter level and uncover forgotten surprises. Give away unnecessary things.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is an 8 — Explorations can dig up some dirt. You may need to sift through a lot of soil to get to the hidden gold. Clean up later.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 7 — Gather information. Summarize and distill.

Contribute to a larger conversation. You may need to make a mess to get the job done.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is a 9 — Generate positive cash flow with support from your partner. Delegate what you can. Visualize getting what you want. Provide leadership and value.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 9 — Keep doing what’s working. Income rises with dedication and focus. Divert some into savings, and keep accounts current.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is an 8 — The value of a collaborative project seems hidden.

Contribute and build with an open mind. Invite participation.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 9 — Switch power tactics. Take time for yourself.

Make a personal change. Get advice and make your own decisions. Get cozy and comfortable.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is a 7 — Maintain your physical practices and routines. Avoid accidents, illness or injury. Nurture your health and wellness.

Reduce stress with hot water. Stretch and rest.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 6 — Easy does it. Wait for a better time to launch. Plan your moves instead. Listen and review. Adjust and refine. Tap into a secret energy source.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Practice your arts and talents. The act of creation could get messy. Avoid risk or expense. Beauty lies hidden within, until you reveal your vision.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is an 8 — Pull together with your team. Good planning now increases ease later. Adjust deadlines and milestones as needed.

IN THE

KNOW a podcast by

mn DAILY

Breaking Down the U’s News

DR. DATE Dear Dr. Date,

As I’m sure everyone knows, the midterm elections were last week. I’m very active in politics and had been canvassing for my candidate and asking everyone if they planned on voting. I was thrilled when voter turnout was so high and my party was successful across the country.

My girlfriend, however, was not. Every time I slipped a pamphlet under someone’s door or asked a cashier if they had voted yet, she sighed and rolled her eyes. I thought she was annoyed I was doing this in public.

But the reason wasn’t that simple. After the elections, my girlfriend texted me, “We need to talk.” She told me she’s the opposite of me politically and has been growing angrier the more I talk about politics. She is apparently active on certain subreddits, some of which have urged her to end our relationship.

She said if I don’t stop being so vocal about my political views (aka sit down and shut up), she will break up with me! I love my girlfriend, but I’m not sure we can overcome this. What do I do?

—Donkey v. Elephant

Dear Donkey v. Elephant,

Hey, at least you got people to vote, right?

And this could potentially be worked out. Couples have certainly overcome political differences before, but only if both parties agree to respect each other’s ideas — not tell the other to shut up. The fact that she’s giving you an ultimatum on something you may be able to work out is not great. Not to mention she’s listening to internet strangers rather than discussing it with you. If you want to save the relationship, tell her you’re more than willing to hear her arguments as long as she agrees to hear yours.

However, I question how well you will work together long-term. If you both have major differences backing your political views, you should probably reconsider the relationship.

Either way, the country is split almost 50/50

politically. There’s always more Democrat and Republican fish in the sea.

—Dr. Date

Dear Dr. Date,

It’s that time of year again — group projects are being assigned in almost every class I have. They’re all terrible and I’m currently trying to wrangle all my group members.

Anyway, there’s one person who sticks out. As soon as we were assigned together, she started sketching out a week-by-week plan of what we needed to have done to finish on time. When she suggested spending at least five days editing our final project, I knew I was in love. Excessive planners unite!

I’m dying to ask her out. The problem is, the class we’re in together is super tough, and I really need a good grade on the project to pass. I’m worried if I ask her out, she’ll either say no and make it awkward, or say yes and we won’t be focused on our work. Cuffing season is in full swing and I’m in a hurry to go out before she’s not single, but seriously, I’m below a “C” grade in this class. What do I do?

—Failing in Love

Dear Failing in Love,

Aww, modern romance. Is there anything better than a partner who’s great in bed and also great in study groups?

If she’s as much of a planner as you seem to think she is, I’m sure she would have similar concerns. If you decide to ask her out, tell her you don’t want this to get in the way of your project, no matter what. If she says “no,” barrel down on the solo work and remember the semester is almost over. If she says “yes,” make sure you plan for business and pleasure, if you know what I mean. Just make sure you keep the two separate — no one wants to hear vocabulary terms in bed.

—Dr. Date

Want advice from the love doctor?

Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com

SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved

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

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

Last issue’s solution

11/12/18

© 2018 Michael Mepham. Distributed

by Tribune Media Services.

All rights reserved.

10

Monday, November 12, 2018

Legal issues threaten CBD coffee shop

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Owner of Wally’s and Hideaway, Wally Sakallah, stands in the doorway of the space that was to be Cosmic Bean Dispensary. Construction is currently underway inside the building.

The Cosmic Bean Dispensery faces pressure from the City’s Health Dept.

BY IMANI CRUZEN icruzen@mndaily.com

After announcing plans to open last month, a Dinkytown coffee shop selling CBD-infused drinks has been met with legal pushback.

Hideaway and Wally’s Falafel and Hummus owner Wally Sakallah originally planned for his newest business, Cosmic Bean

Dispensary, to sell drinks and food infused with CBD oil. But this would be a “critical violation” of the Minneapolis Health Department food codes, said Daniel Huff, environmental health director with the health department.

A critical violation means adding the product to food or drinks could directly make someone ill. Until CBD oil is FDA-approved or generally recognized as safe, business owners can’t add it to food or drinks.

“But that’s the way that we ensure that anything that’s being added to people’s

food, research has shown that it’s not going to have a negative impact,” Huff said.

“And we’re not saying that CBD is unsafe, but we don’t have the evidence to show that it is safe.”

Sakallah is working with the health department to find alternative business models. While Sakallah can’t sell CBD in the drinks, he can sell it separately, Huff said, which is what Sakallah plans to do.

“Are you making coffee with CBD in it? No, we’re not,” Sakallah said. “We’re not making coffee with the CBD. But we’re selling CBD,

and we’re selling coffee.”

Sakallah’s plans to put CBD in food items are also up in the air as he works with the health department.

“Any business person that comes to us, [we] always try to figure out best solutions for them,” Huff said. “It’s more challenging for the business owner and more challenging for us when there’s something new, right? And CBD is new for us right now.”

Huff said Sakallah will be able to open his business, but he will need to run his plans by the health department so it can ensure they meet all

regulations set by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the FDA and the Minnesota Department of Health.

“This whole CBD thing is a very complicated issue from a legal standpoint,” said Margaret Wiatrowski, an industrial hemp program coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

The regulations set by various departments, like the Minneapolis Health Department, might be different from those set by the FDA. There can be a disconnect between what is agreed on.

Cannabis is considered

a medicine under state law, Wiatrowski said, and can only be sold by the Minnesota Department of Health’s medical cannabis program.

This differs from what Minneapolis Health Department officials have said. The Minneapolis Health Department told Sakallah he can sell the oil separately.

“And you’ll probably get a different answer from every single person that you call,” Wiatrowski said. “And that’s just how it is right now because it’s such a new thing and the laws and the regulatory agencies haven’t really caught up.”