PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH 40° LOW 27°
U OF M
MINNEAPOLIS
ST PAUL
TUESDAY
APRIL 2, 2013
STUDENT LIFE
U names dean candidates The candidates are up for vice provost for student affairs, aka the dean of students.
recess appointment as of Monday, were announced that day. The four candidates — who currently fulfill similar roles at colleges across the country — will speak at public forums April 8-12. The vice provost for student affairs and dean of students oversees the Office for Student Affairs and is primarily responsible for the University’s student services. Many student programming initiatives, like Student Unions and Activities and the Department of Recreational Sports, fall under the vice pro-
BY CALI OWINGS AND T YLER GIESEKE cowings@mndaily.com tgieseke@mndaily.com
Candidates to replace Vice Provost for Student Affairs Jerry Rinehart, who is on a
vost’s umbrella. Rinehart will continue to work through late May, although not full time, said Amelious Whyte, assistant dean of student affairs. An exact date is not set for Rinehart’s retirement, he said, but the reduced appointment is meant to be a transition into full retirement. u See STUDENT AFFAIRS Page 4 Three U students are on the search committee for Rinehart’s replacement.
INTERSTATE 35W BRIDGE COLLAPSE
Bridge relics could find home at U
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT MNDAILY.COM
RESEARCH
Congress cuts poli-sci research Federal funding for political science research was partly eliminated in March. BY REBECCA HARRINGTON rharrington@mndaily.com
At a time when research funding is hard to come by, political science researchers will find it even harder. The U.S. Congress passed an amendment to the budget bill banning the National Science Foundation from funding political science research unless it’s focused on national security or the economy. Because the NSF is the largest funder of political science research, many believe the amendment could have a serious effect on the discipline nationwide. The agency funds about $11 million in political science research per year, according to the journal Science. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., sponsored the bipartisan amendment in the Senate along with Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Mark Begich, D-Alaska. u See RESEARCH Page 3 The University’s political science department received $270,000 in research funding for FY12.
LEGISLATURE
Outstate intern program stalls at Capitol again Despite bipartisan support over two years, a bill to incentivize internships outside the metro area continues to stall. MARK VANCLEAVE, DAILY
Dozens of pieces of wreckage from the old Interstate 35W bridge lie in storage Monday at a MnDOT facility in Oakdale, Minn. The bridge collapsed during rush hour Aug. 1, 2007, killing 13 people and injuring 145 more.
A bill would allow survivors and some institutions to keep pieces of the collapsed Interstate 35W bridge. BY JANICE BITTERS jbitters@mndaily.com
sits in storage facilities in the east metro and could soon be distributed to
Six years ago, the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed over the Mississippi River.
serve as reminders to one of the worst bridge collapses in state history. A bill working its way through the
Thirteen people died and about 100
state Legislature would allow those af-
were injured while steel and concrete
fected by the collapse and those hop-
beams lay strewn about the river and
ing to learn from it — like university
its banks.
engineering departments — to keep a
Now, what remains of the bridge
piece of the bridge.
State legislators have pushed for two years to fund an internship program that would get students working in outstate Minnesota, but various factors continue to stop them. Backed by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and Republican legislators have introduced bills that would give a tax credit to outstate businesses for giving paid internships to and mentoring students. Students would also receive academic credit. Legislators and businesses say the workforce in greater Minnesota cities is aging, and that new, younger employees are needed to rejuvenate the area. “Greater Minnesota cities really want students to know that there are really great u See GREATER MINN. Page 4 Current and former legislators say there’s still potential for the bill in future sessions.
u See BRIDGE Page 12
CRIME
BY JESSICA LEE jlee@mndaily.com
FOOTBALL
Wells fills void by moving to cornerback
U area sees bundle of burglaries
Junior Derrick Wells was a top Also, two men were assaulted defensive performer for the Gophers at safety last season. near Van Cleve Park early BY NATE GOTLIEB Saturday morning.
BY JAKE STARK jstark@mndaily.com
POLICE
ngotlieb@mndaily.com
Civil engineering senior Michael Kronzer never thought someone would break into his home while he was there. But that’s exactly what happened to him and his roommates early Saturday. Kronzer and his roommates were in their kitchen just after midnight Saturday when one of his roommates found three men carr ying a TV out of the house, he said. The men dropped the TV and fled after
Derrick Wells was arguably the Gophers’ best safety last season. Now, he’s in a position to be the team’s best cornerback. “He could start at safety, corner,” head coach Jerr y Kill said. “He could probably come over and play wide receiver and start.” Wells, a 6-foot, 206-pound junior with tattooed biceps and dreadlocks flowing out of his helmet, is making the switch from safety back to cornerback. Though Kill has indicated Wells may alternate between the positions, Wells has practiced with the corners this spring. “The big thing is just getting back
u See BURGLARIES Page 4 Four other houses were burglarized near campus, according to reports.
u See WELLS Page 8 Wells bulked up after a quiet freshman season and was the Gophers’ third-leading tackler in 2012.
REPORT
CAMPUS & METRO
Mpls. lags behind in bike corrals The city currently has one corral but hopes to increase that number. u See PAGE 3
A&E
Big ‘Gulp:’ new book gets in your guts Mary Roach’s new book “Gulp” navigates the entrails of the human body from mouth to ass in her voyage down the alimentary canal. u See PAGE 6
AMANDA SNYDER, DAILY
Minnesota defensive back Derrick Wells goes through drills during a spring football practice Saturday at the Bierman Field Athletic Building. EDITORIALS & OPINIONS
SPORTS
The University should continue to be weary of threats as higher education moves online.
Minnesota has yet to announce a replacement for Smith as their men’s basketball coach.
Being cautious about online security u See PAGE 7
Tubby Smith agrees to terms with Texas Tech u See PAGE 8
VOLUME 114 ISSUE 94