November 13, 2013

Page 1

CAMPUS & METRO

FOOTBALL

The employee made a citizen’s arrest and issued a warning.

Former defensive player Bobby Bell was recently honored in N.C.

U Bookstores employee catches shoplifter

Gophers legend helped change football

u See PAGE 3

u See PAGE 7

SUNNY/WIND HIGH 44° LOW 31°

U OF M

MEN’S BASKETBALL

CAMPUS & METRO

Gophers cruise to 84-58 win over Montana

U group pushes for new buying policy

Andre Hollins had 24 points to lead the Gophers in the rout.

STAND wants the U to avoid minerals used in certain tech products.

u See PAGE 7

MINNEAPOLIS

ST PAUL

WEDNESDAY

u See PAGE 12

NOVEMBER 13, 2013

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT MNDAILY.COM

PUBLIC SAFETY

Students could be left out of toxin tests Como property owners must agree to have their buildings tested. BY KIA FARHANG mfarhang@mndaily.com

Some of ficials are concerned University of Minnesota students in the Southeast Como neighborhood may not know their homes could contain dangerous levels of a chemical solvent linked to birth defects and certain cancers. After soil vapors in the neighborhood tested higher than normal for trichloroethylene, or TCE, officials are asking property owners for permission to test their homes — a process that may require help from tenants. But despite the neighborhood’s proximity to the University and its abundance of rental housing,

only a few of about 80 residents at a public meeting T uesday were students. Another meeting was held in the evening. “We would want students to know, because we’re going to need their cooperation, too,” said Tom Forsythe, vice president for global communications at General Mills. The company disposed of TCE on its former site in the neighborhood for 15 years as par t of its chemical research efforts. Proper ty owners, not renters, must agree to let General Mills’ contractors into their homes to test for the chemical, but renters may be one of the best resources available to officials because they know how to reach their landlords. Property owners signed approximately 30 access u See COMO Page 3 It may be possible for the city to require owners to allow tests.

TECHNOLOGY

Last employees switch to Gmail About 18,000 AHC employees had to wait due to patient privacy concerns. BY KATELYN FAULKS kfaulks@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota is almost done transfer ring its last employees from Gophermail to Gmail, a relief for many staff members. In 2011, the University adopted Gmail for employee and student use, but patient privacy concerns forced thousands of Academic Health Center employees to forgo the switch. Before, Google wouldn’t sign the contract requiring them to comply with the

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which sets security standards to protect patient data. Last September, Google of fered to sign a Business Associate Agreement showing its compliance with HIPAA regulations. University Vice President and Chief Information Officer Scott Studham said transferring the accounts from the University’s control to Google’s outside ser vers won’t pose privacy problems. “The BAA was the only roadblock for us moving the health care component … to Google,” he said. “[It was] just a legal matter — u See GMAIL Page 3 The initial switch to Gmail saved the University $3 million.

AMANDA SNYDER, DAILY

The Dinkytown area is experiencing drastic changes, including the construction of two new apartment complexes. The property owners, though often behind the scenes, are some of the most powerful players in shaping the change. BY MARION RENAULT AND NICOLAS HALLETT mrenault@mndaily.com nhallett@mndaily.com

W

hen University of Minnesota students retur ned to campus this fall, half a block of Dinkytown was gone. That site will house a six-stor y apar tment complex next year. Across the street, another student housing project is already under construction. Doran Companies has proposed yet another development in the heart of Dinkytown. As the neighborhood faces some of the most drastic changes in its histor y, the community is divided over preser ving character or restoring

Property Page 4

COURTS

NEIGHBORHOODS

Parents fight K-8 school relocation Marcy Open School was slated to move because of student overcrowding.

Brenny suit comes to trial The former women’s golf coach alleges she was discriminated against.

BY ALLISON KRONBERG akronberg@mndaily.com

Of ficials have abandoned a proposal to move the K-8, 715-student Marcy Open School to another building after a heated and emotional emergency meeting last Tuesday. Now, staff and parents are considering alternative solutions to the school’s overcrowding problem. “We have great staf f, we have great teachers, we have a great principal and we have a great building, and I want to be here until eighth grade,” said Marcy Open fifth grader Beatrice Kennedy-Logan, addressing the crowd last week. Her statement ended the meeting with passionate applause. Minneapolis schools Associate Superintendent Michael Thomas said a growing student body is a challenge for the school. “We’re at about 70 students over capacity right now, which could be two more classrooms,” said Marcy Open School Prin-

vitality. But heated discussions have often left out those with the most tangible power — the people who actually own the land. Often faceless and sometimes entire states away, these proper ty owners ultimately decide which tenants fill the area’s storefronts and who can buy Dinkytown real estate. More than half of Dinkytown proper ty owners sur veyed by the Minnesota Daily said they’ve been approached by a developer interested in their land. Of Dinkytown’s 25 proper ty owners, eight declined to participate in this stor y or didn’t respond to repeated inter view requests.

BY NATE GOTLIEB ngotlieb@mndaily.com,

HOLLY PETERSON, DAILY

Alix Herzing reads a letter to the Minneapolis Public School Board during a board meeting at the John B. Davis Education and Service Center. Herzing, the mother of a first grader at the school, thanked Associate Superintendent Michael Thomas for canceling his proposal to move Marcy Open School. cipal Donna Andrews, “but our building is drews said. not ver y big, so there are no classrooms Parents were first notified of the meeting left.” The building, located at 415 Fifth Ave. u See MARCY OPEN Page 12 SE, also lacks staff parking and its design University of Minnesota education isn’t up to current district standards, Anstudents volunteer at the school.

Former University of Minnesota women’s golf coach Katie Brenny’s lawsuit against the University of Minnesota Board of Regents came to trial last week, nearly three years after she filed the suit. Brenny sued the regents and former Director of Golf John Harris in January 2011, alleging that Harris kept her from coaching after discovering she was a lesbian. Former University General Counsel Mark Rotenberg disputed the claims after the suit was filed. Rotenberg told the Daily in December 2010 he hoped to settle the case without litigation. The trial started last Monday. Harris offered Brenny the job of associate head coach in August 2010, according u See BRENNY Page 7 The complaint said Harris took away coaching duties after discovering Brenny is a lesbian.

VOLUME 115 ISSUE 42


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.