CAMPUS & METRO
FOOTBALL
VOLLEYBALL
A U study could lead to better treatments for degenerative brain diseases.
Minnesota improved to 3-0 with a 29-12 win over Western Illinois.
The Gophers beat Louisville but lost to No. 19 Kentucky.
Researchers use old drug in a new way u See PAGE 4
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U OF M
Student health plan adds more benefits, costs The changes are in accordance with the Affordable Care Act. BY T YLER GIESEKE tgieseke@mndaily.com
Star ting this fall, the University of Minnesota’s Student Health Benefit Plan provides more coverage to keep pace with health care reform, but it also costs more for students. An increase of about 5 percent brings the total price tag to $999 per semester. The updated plan expands coverage for contraception and routine doctor’s visits, among other changes. This increase will buy coverage that matches some of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act. The University’s plan is self-insured, meaning the ACA doesn’t regulate it, said Susann Jackson, student health benefits director. Still, she said, the University wanted to match
some of the benefits the legislation requires. “We want to be doing the same things for our students as the Affordable Care Act,” Jackson said. Before the changes, the plan covered 80 percent of eligible contraception and preventive care costs, like regular eye exams. The updated plan will cover all eligible costs for these ser vices, Jackson said. The updated student plan also removes the $3 million lifetime cap on coverage, so students can spend as much insurance money as they need. It also increases the dependent age limit from 19 to 26, so students’ children will be covered longer. L ynn Blewett, a University health policy professor, said the changes follow a trend for plans similar to the University’s. “A lot of self-insured plans are following some of the provisions of the
Minnesota drops first match of season u See PAGE 10
u See PAGE 9
MINNEAPOLIS
HEALTH CARE
Gophers led by strong O-line
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SEPTEMBER 16, 2013
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ADMINISTRATION
Kaler: U will cut $90M Administrative costs would be cut $15 million per year for six years. BY MEGHAN HOLDEN mholden@mndaily.com
University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler announced a plan Friday to cut
administrative costs by $90 million over six years, despite outside reports saying the institution’s spending is on track with its peers. According to recent findings by University-hired consulting firms, the institution’s spending is within reasonable levels. But at this week’s Board of Regents meeting, Kaler proposed a
plan cutting $15 million a year in administrative costs. The cuts would begin this fiscal year and continue for five more, he said. “I think it’s time to be more ambitious than we ever have been,” Kaler said to the board. University Chief Financial Of ficer Richard Pfutzenreuter said he hopes the
bulk of the cuts will come u See REGENTS Page 3 The cuts match recommendations from the state Legislature. RELATED CONTENT Regents also discussed the upcoming bonding bill. u See Page 3
FOOTBALL
Kill has fourth game-day seizure
u See HEALTH Page 14 Most international students are required to enroll in the plan.
ENVIRONMENT
U investigates sudden slew of bee deaths Researchers from the U’s Bee Lab suspect pesticides are responsible. BY HAILEY COLWELL hcolwell@mndaily.com
Thousands of Minneapolis honey bees began dying of f late last week due to apparent pesticide poisoning. The University of Minnesota Bee Lab and the Minnesota Depar tment of Agriculture are conducting tests to verify whether pesticides were the actual cause. Minneapolis resident Mark Lucas noticed the bees he and his family keeps in their back yard behaving strangely Wednesday night, shaking on the edge of the hive and falling to the ground. “They just come spilling out of the hive like they’re drunk,” he said. Lucas’ hive was one of at least three hit in the
Kenwood neighborhood, nor th of Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. The MDA took samples from hives Friday to test for pesticide contamination. Pesticide is suspected because of the way the bees died, said Becky Masterman, co-coordinator of the University’s Bee Squad, a division of the Bee Lab that educates and mentors local beekeepers. Beekeepers suspect that a pesticide was used in the area and bees brought it back to their colonies after pollination. “This was in no way on our radar,” Master man said, because the colonies were known to be healthy. One of the Bee Squad’s colonies was also af fected by the incident, said Bee Squad co-coordinator Jody Gerdts. The Bee Lab is conducting its own tests in hopes of u See BEES Page 5 Researchers hope to warn local beekeepers earlier than the MDA.
AMANDA SNYDER, DAILY
Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill watches on the sidelines in the first half against Western Illinois on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium. Kill had a seizure at halftime and was taken to a nearby hospital.
The Gophers’ AD didn’t address Kill’s health Saturday, but he will this week. BY SAM GORDON sgordon@mndaily.com
The first time Jer r y Kill had a seizure during a game, all of TCF Bank Stadium stood still. But when the University of Minnesota head football coach had a seizure on the sideline during Saturday’s
BRIDGET BENNETT, DAILY
halftime in the Gophers’ 29-12 win over Wester n Illinois. Medical staf f immediately tended to him on the sideline during the marching band’s halftime performance. Kill was car ted of f the field and transpor ted to a nearby hospital where he rested comfor tably Saturday afternoon, according to a prepared statement by Chris Werle, associate athletics director for strategic communications. Gophers athletic direc-
tor Norwood Teague didn’t speak to the media after the game. University athletics officials said Teague will address Kill’s situation Monday. Kill, a cancer sur vivor, has battled epilepsy for years. His seizures are nothing new for fans, his assistant coaches and his players, who have all developed a u See SEIZURE Page 9 Kill has said he intends to keep coaching despite his epilepsy.
HIGHER ED
SYRIA
U speaks out against CBS, CFANS merger details still unclear Syria intervention Students protested and faculty held a roundtable discussion last week. BY ALEXA BILLADEAU abilladeau@mndaily.com
Bee Squad coordinator Becky Masterman checks on a hive in Minneapolis’ Kenwood neighborhood Sunday. Masterman said the increased number of dead bees in Kenwood is a recent issue.
game against Western Illinois University, the marching band didn’t even stop playing. The seizure was his fourth on a game day during his tenure with the University, including one during his first home game in September 2011. Kill has also had several seizures away from the gridiron. But Saturday’s episode has sparked questions about whether he should keep coaching. Kill, 52, collapsed at
As global leaders continue to weigh action in Syria, University of Minnesota professors and students are adding their voices to the debate. This week, discussion shifted from militar y action to diplomacy as Russia and the U.S. agreed to a plan to strip Syria of its chemical weapons. But militar y inter vention is not off the table. Despite uncer tainty about the U.S.’s course of action, University community members vocally oppose inter vening on the countr y’s three-year
civil war. Nearly 100 community members, including University students, attended a protest on the cor ner of Hiawatha Avenue and Lake Street on Saturday to speak out against U.S. militar y inter vention in Syria. “It’s an excuse for the U.S. to do something that advances its geopolitical and economic interests,” said University American studies graduate student Matt Boynton, who attended the protest. “It’s not about the human rights of the Syrian people.” Boynton is a member of the Students for a Democratic Society ’s University chapter, which has participated in three anti-war protests this month. u See SYRIA Page 4 A U student from Syria said she opposes U.S. intervention.
Administrators say faculty and staff positions likely won’t be cut. BY ROY AKER raker@mndaily.com
After the possibility of a new University of Minnesota college was announced last week, administrators say faculty and staf f positions likely wouldn’t be affected by the change. According to administrators, the new college, which would combine the College of Biological Sciences and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, would cut one dean position but wouldn’t eliminate faculty and staff members currently working in the colleges. A release from the Office of Academic Affairs and Provost said “it’s too early
to tell” how faculty and staff positions will be af fected, but the office expects no immediate impact on current employees. CBS Dean Robert Elde said the possible new college is an “economizing strategy” and is aimed at better serving students. “Given the number of depar tments, people and students we ser ve, we can’t see any substantive reduction in workforce that would accompany this…” he said. Elde plans to retire next summer. CFANS Dean Allen Levine stepped down in August and was replaced by interim Dean Brian Buhr. In fiscal year 2012, Elde made $231,600 and Levine made $226,060, according to salar y data collected in u See MERGER Page 5 Some are concerned about the U’s investment in agriculture.
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