December 1, 2014

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UNION PUSH SEEKS STUDENT SUPPORT PAGE 3 SUNNY HIGH 9° LOW 3°

U OF M

MINNEAPOLIS

ST PAUL

MONDAY

DECEMBER 1, 2014

FOOTBALL

Gophers can’t claim Axe

THE SEIU IS MOVING ALONG WITH FACULTY UNIONIZATION EFFORTS.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT MNDAILY.COM

REGENTS

Selection process reformed The process of deciding the U’s governing body has been criticized for being political. BY BLAIR EMERSON bemerson@mndaily.com

Minnesota lost its shot at the Big Ten title game when it fell to Wisconsin 34-24.

Criticism surrounding the process for choosing the University of Minnesota’s regents has prompted reform, as some state and school officials say it’s loaded with unnecessary political pressure. During the early months of next year, a public council and state legislators will determine who will occupy five of the dozen seats on the University’s Board of Regents. But because the selection process has been arguably over-politicized in the past, some legislators will get involved early in the regent selection process in an attempt to ease the decision-making process later on and decrease the amount of campaigning for candidates. Now, some state lawmakers will sit on the group that chooses regent candidates. That change, some school and state officials say, is vital because politics shouldn’t interfere with who governs the University’s five campuses — especially considering the board’s number of vacancies in the upcoming election. u See SEATS Page 12

BY JACK SATZINGER jsatzinger@mndaily.com

MADISON, Wis. — Just over 15 minutes into Minnesota’s game at Wisconsin on Saturday, the Gophers had built up a 14-point lead. The Big Ten West was theirs, and it looked like the Gophers would rip Paul Bunyan’s Axe out of the Badgers’ grip for the first time since 2003. But Minnesota’s offense sputtered in the contest’s final three quarters as Wisconsin won 34-24. “We were right there. This was a game that could actually get us to a Big Ten championship,” senior safety Cedric Thompson said. Senior running back David Cobb, improbably playing on an injured left hamstring, rushed for 95 first-half yards to break Laurence Maroney’s single-season program rushing record. “The first half was just playing with juice — playing with energy,” Cobb said. u See FOOTBALL Page 5

CRIME

Basketball player faces two felonies Daquein McNeil was charged with counts of domestic and third-degree assault last week. BRIDGET BENNETT, DAILY

Top: Wisconsin linebacker Marcus Trotter raises Paul Bunyan’s Axe in celebration of the Badgers’ victory over the Gophers at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday in Madison, Wis. Bottom: Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner avoids a tackle and dives into the end zone to score Minnesota’s last touchdown of the game on Saturday. The Gophers lost 34-24.

which was allocated up to $50 million, is part of the Emerging Pandemic Threats 2 program for United States Agency for International Development. Researchers will leave to launch the program in Bangkok on Monday, eventually moving to other locations. While there, they’ll train foreign universities to teach their medical staff how to work with animals and humans in the medical field, said organizational leadership, policy and development professor David Chapman. “We need to help the countries prepare better coursework,” he said.

A University of Minnesota basketball player is suspended from the team as he faces assault charges. Sophomore guard Daquein McNeil strangled his girlfriend of 10 months and then beat her with a belt, according to a complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court. He was charged Wednesday with one felony count of third-degree assault and a felony count of domestic assault by strangulation. McNeil faces up to eight years in prison and a $15,000 fine if convicted on both charges. McNeil remained in the Hennepin County Jail on Sunday evening. Bail was set at $75,000, and his first court appearance was scheduled for Dec. 1. He is suspended from all team activities until the case is resolved. “This athletics depar tment remains committed to its values of respect for others and respect for the greater community,” athletics director Norwood Teague said in

u See PARTNERSHIP Page 3

u See CHARGES Page 3

HEALTH

Researchers trek the globe to fight pandemics A group of scientists from the University and Tufts plan to study how diseases are spread. BY KELSEY CHRISTENSEN kchristensen@mndaily.com

Pandemics are always a threat, but sometimes their reality doesn’t sink in until there is a new outbreak. This year’s Ebola crisis, the virus’s largest outbreak ever, is just the latest example. But now, an interdisciplinar y team of medical professionals from the University of Minnesota and Tufts University is hoping

to address infectious disease outbreaks both before and after they have begun. “There are other diseases we do not know about yet, and the question is, ‘How can we stop the transference?’ ” said veterinary population medicines professor John Deen, who is helping lead the effort. Over the course of five years, students and faculty from the College of Veterinary Medicine, the School of Public Health, the School of Nursing and the Medical School — along with representatives from Tufts — will travel around the world as international partners with universities in Southeast Asia and Africa. The One Health Workforce ef for t,

BY CHRISTOPHER AADLAND caadland@mndaily.com

STUDENT LIFE

A different Thanksgiving The campus Students’ Co-op held a feast of unconventional holiday foods on Saturday. BY BARRY LY TTON blytton@mndaily.com

While many University of Minnesota students flocked home to eat turkey over the long weekend, 15 people gathered Saturday evening at the Students’ Co-op for another Thanksgiving feast. In the co-op’s basement, the group celebrated the American tradition with a buffet of unconventional holiday foods that included pancakes, noodles and hummus. And while duck replaced the customary turkey, the residents also incorporated Thanksgiving standbys like stuffing, corn and lefse. At the end of the meal, each attendee cleaned his or her own dish. For the group of cooperative residents

who equally own their University Avenue Southeast home, bringing together alumni and friends for a celebration centered on sharing was inherent to the house’s culture. “It fulfills a family gathering role,” said Nels Shafer, a biology, society, and environment senior and fifth-year co-op resident. Attendees of the holiday event circled a large wooden table on Saturday, seated in everything from rolling office chairs to bar stools. A room away, the kitchen’s steel counter and its culinary spread sat waiting. “It’s festive, but completely removed from commercialization,” said Shafer, who supplied hummus, pretzel chips and sampled pomegranate seeds. Food aside, Schafer said he most enjoyed the night’s company. “This is just one way for us to get together,” u See MEAL Page 12

CORA NELSON, DAILY

A student serves herself food at the Students’ Co-op Thanksgiving meal Saturday. The co-op’s residents, along with friends and house alumni, celebrated the 10th annual potluck event.

VOLUME 116 ISSUE 51


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