She doesn’t fit the stereotype. She’s got a nice body, yes, but not in an overt way. She does not spend time in the tanning bed nor are her boobs made of silicon. She describes herself as shy and nerdy and says she doesn’t like to party.

She pays her way through college by dancing at one of Minneapolis’s most popular strip clubs. But she’s not unintelligent, and she’s not a victim.

The press lately would have us believe that the economy is forcing hordes of intelligent, pure college graduates to turn to stripping. One Associated Press article portrayed strippers as women who could only get through a night by drinking. A woman is quoted, “Once you make an adult film, it never goes away.”

The strip club managers I talked to said that clubs have been hurt just like any other business, and they’ve also seen an increase in applications. “Not even McDonald’s is hiring, so people are trying everything,” says a manager at Schieks.

But no one could point to a huge increase in college graduates wanting to strip. And the dancer I talked to, a third-year Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies major who did not want her name printed, does not see her job as so terrible.

“I think stripping and sex work are a lot more inclusive than a lot of regulated employment,” she says. “Our whole system’s messed up. CEOs get paid more than teachers. It’s a way to live well while we’re all stuck here.”

She originally started because of her major. “I got really sick of sitting in a classroom and discussing and debating these things when everybody in the room had no idea what sex work actually was,” she says. So a year ago, when a friend mentioned how much she liked working at the club, she decided to try it.

“It does get tiring talking to people and trying to fit this fantasy,” she says. But for her the stripping part is not that big of a deal. “Once you’ve worked a few times, taking off your clothes doesn’t even faze you.”

Her job entails maintaining a sort of double life. She said her parents do not know what she does, and she has to be careful about which friends she tells. “I told a friend that I went to high school with,” she says. “And then he told like half of my high school graduating class.”

She doesn’t feel that keeping the two parts of her life separate is always bad, though. “You really have to become this persona at work in order to make money. I would go crazy, personally, if my personas matched,” she says.

“This woman who’s a dancer and a writer—she had this really great quote about being a dancer and not telling anybody. She calls us all ninjas, because we’re everywhere and you never know in what social situation, who’s a sex worker. And we’re such great actresses in both worlds,” she says.

Overall, between the flexible schedule and an average of $300-$500 per night, she does not feel exploited. “There’s the longstanding question of who’s being gypped—is it the dancer or the customer? From my perspective it’s definitely the customer.”

The appeal of Uptown’s Moto-i is that it is actually the first sake brewery outside of Japan. And when you enter, it feels like total coolsville, with stainless-steel-topped tables and little to no art on the walls, letting you focus on the soft light diffused throughout the restaurant. However, what we predict will keep customers coming back is the menu that pairs perfectly with their sakes—creative Japanese-style small plates and snacks, which could be in danger of being overlooked at the prospect of home-brewed sake.

We tried the Premium Sake Sampler—three one-ounce pours of their house-brewed specialties. These included Junmai Nama Genshu, which was the driest of the three, but ended on a sweet note. The second, called Junmai Nama, tasted like honeydew. The third, Junmai Nama Nigori (our server’s favorite), was unfiltered, which gave it a thick, creamy and rice-like flavor.

As for the food, the mysteriously named monkfish liver terrine sounded scary, but was fantastic in the end. It came in creamy discs, fanned along a long white plate, and tasted like a melt-in-your mouth cousin of Ahi tuna (without the raw fish texture). The grated daikon radish with ponzu added a lovely citrus note.

Happily, our server was undeniably learned in the art of hospitality—she was attentive, but not smothering, and took care to clear plates as we were finished with them, staying true to the clean feel of the space. She answered every question we had with humorous personal anecdotes, and provided reassuring encouragement as we ordered, noting that most of what we were getting were her favorites. Her timing with the food, although a little staggered, assured that every item was delivered at its optimal temperature—from the dumplings to the doughnuts.

At the end of the meal, the loyal server swiftly brought forth the Sata Andagi—Japanese-style doughnuts, sticky with sugar and five spice that melted onto the just-out-of-the fryer dessert. They were warm, charming, deeply-colored, gnarly things that reminded us (as the sugar clung to our mouths) of the sweets we ate, carefree, when we were kids.

After two hours of sitting in Moto-i’s cushy booths, we wanted to curl up right there…especially after those damn doughnuts. 

LIGHTNING ROUND:

Quick, opinions! Lightning is dangerous!

Frightening: biting into the incredibly hard tofu in the steamed tofu bun, and thinking I’d accidentally tried the pork bun (Maggie’s a vegetarian!).

Reassuring: the spicy chili mayo that came with our Taro Shoestrings. Because mayo is always delicious, as long as it isn’t Hellman’s.

Disappointing: the absence of water at our table. We must remain hydrated!

Soothing: the lighting boxes overhead—clear panels filled with golden fabric that let the light shine through, with twigs scattered throughout.

Unique: the cone that the Taro Shoestrings came wrapped in was made from a Japanese newspaper (clearly, the Shoestrings were a hit).

Forgettable: shiitake-pea shoot-carrot steamed dumplings. Although they were served piping hot, we couldn’t discern what was what in the slightly mushy filling.

Fluorescent tie-dye hoodies, hemp-necklaces, and uncombed hairs peeking out from knit hats. Mouths babbling gleefully. Friends waving arms that stem from shirts growing cannabis leaves. Not too much flannel to see, only a lad who spells patriotism with his American flag leather jacket. Baja sweatshirts cover curvy bellies that have suffered through many nights of the munchies.

This is a zoom-in of the hundreds of U students who gathered in the Willey Auditorium on Wednesday, March 4, all eager to witness the debate presented by guest speakers Robert Stutman and Steve Hager. Leaders of polar-opposite movements, they intellectualized and sugar-coated their debate over the legalization of marijuana.

Hager, editor of High Times magazine, has been referred to as “the most famous pothead in America.” He began the discussion, passionately phrasing his reasons while Stutman sat grimly as all eyes watched his opponent.

Hager propelled the pro-pot audience with an inspiring rant about the plant’s medicinal promises for cancer. “People can walk, see, feel, because of marijuana,” he says. The health care system “is broken”. The actual care is in decline” while insurance and pharmaceutical companies gain more profit. According to Hager, they fear that marijuana will serve as free medicine that’ll sustain millions of uninsured Americans, but the prevalent prescription drugs alter minds as well. If marijuana were legal, hemp could be used as a green, non-toxic alternative to many petrochemicals that are major contributors to pollution. “It is the easiest commodity on the face of the Earth to produce.”

Imprisonment is another problem. The justice system holds mandatory minimums for possession offenses, while no such requirements are held for assault, theft or rape charges. The “overflowing jails” do little in terms of rehabilitation, Hager vented, and marijuana prisoners “come out with destroyed souls.” As he exited the platform amidst howls of adoration, Bob Stutman was already standing, ready to refute.

Stutman has dealt with New York drug lords since the 1970s. “Nothing is as simple as it sounds,” he began. Attacking the air in front of him with wild hand gestures, he fired his rebuttals: “Most in favor [of the legalization of marijuana] don’t care about its [medicinal] benefits, they only want to be left alone for their recreational use… only two of the 435 chemicals in pot are known to be good, and any doctor that tells you to smoke anything is a fool.” He argued the benefits of a hemp industry by using Canada as an example. After the country legalized hemp in 1999, most production companies went bankrupt within just a few years.

“No one should go to jail for being a drug user,” Stutman articulated. “We have many stupid laws, and terrible public health decisions. How do you justify another legal chemical?” In addition, side effects such as dependence and increased risk of lung disease are long term risks that take years, even decades to come into play. “I think marijuana use should be a non-jailable crime… but people shouldn’t receive medicine based on what the public votes on.”

Questions followed, and each debater was given a chance to answer. Disagreements over factual information created awkward bickering and blatant yells from members of the audience, who were angrily shushed. And after 90 minutes of enthusiastically intense debating, the heated public dismantled with no clear-cut resolution.

The night of Richard Dawkins’ March 4 lecture at the University of Minnesota was quiet. There were no militant Christians with picket signs, no Evangelicals looking for a mass-conversion; even campus’s staple evangelist, Brother Jed, was absent.

Also suspiciously absent were the soul-less, vacant-eyed God-haters that atheists are known to be, as well as the corresponding lightning bolts that God traditionally uses to strike them down.

Dawkins himself appeared to be nothing but a British man, which must have disappointed those eager for the opportunity to look pure evil in the eye.

Dawkins’ lecture, “The Purpose of Purpose,” argued that humans evolved the capacity to develop “neo-purposes” —goals not associated with procreation. He said that these neo-purposes are flexible, so, for example, an instinct for kinship can be subverted into fidelity to the military or a political party or religion.

It’s the religion bit that leaves some people put off. Titles like “The God Delusion” and “The Root of All Evil?” argue that the world would be a better place without religion and that all evidence suggests that there is no God. In both, Dawkins pointedly shoots down anyone willing to argue with him.

For Campus Athiests & Skeptical Humanists (CASH), formed as the United States’ first campus atheist group in 1991, this creates a challenging contradiction. The first goal listed on the group’s web site is “Community – End the isolation experienced by nontheists by fostering a socially and intellectually engaging community.” So is such a polarizing figure a good representative for a group that wants to end isolation?

Least accepted minority
According to a 2006 study by the sociology department’s American Mosaic Project, atheists are the least accepted minority in the country – beating Muslims, gays and conservative Christians.
CASH board members Lauren Hayden, Kalyn Williams and Ryan Schmidt said they’ve been confronted with a number of stereotypes about what it means to be an atheist.

“They’ll be like, ‘Oh, so that means that you hate god.’ Or that you think religious people should be put to death or that religion should be abolished,” says Schmidt.

“‘You eat babies!’” Williams added. “I love getting the question, ‘Where do you get your morals from?’”

“I try to turn that around on them,” Schmidt says. “I’m like, ‘Really? So the only reason you choose to be good to people is because it told you to be good and that’s it?’”

Stereotypes like those make fostering understanding particularly important to the group. Besides events, CASH promotes this goal through working with other groups who may not have similar views, including Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ).

Antagonistic atheists
Atheists aren’t exactly known for being meek bystanders, though.

The U of M’s own PZ Myers, an associate professor of biology at the Morris campus and the faculty advisor for CASH, writes the well-known blog Pharyngula, in which he combines science tidbits with witty diatribes about the foolishness of religion.

In July 2008, he punctured a Eucharist, the Catholic representation of Christ’s body, with a rusty nail, posting a picture of the mutilated cracker jumbled with a page of the Quran, a page of “The God delusion,” a banana peel and some coffee grounds. The act was followed by death threats and a demand from the Catholic League that Myers be fired.

CASH advertising director Hannah Holdt was not amused, “I think he crossed a line and it turned into mockery,” she says.

“I think as an atheist the worst thing you can do is antagonize people,” Hayden says. But she did not go so far as to condemn Dawkins or Myers. “While his approach alienates a lot of people, I think it can give strength and inspiration to atheists who are struggling to find their place.”

“What people like me and Dawkins are accomplishing is that it is making people aware that there’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Myers says. “For years the standard policy has been sit down and shut up.”

Puncturing pomposity
Roll model or polarizer, no one can argue that Dawkins knows how to fill a room. CASH sold 3,100 tickets, making the event one of the largest ever planned by a student group.

The last time Dawkins was in town, Myers was forcibly removed from the premier of the pro-intelligent design movie “Expelled!” at the Mall of America. The irony of the title did not go unnoticed, nor did the fact that the person next to him in line –Dawkins – was not removed.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it!” Dawkins says. “He has a great sense of humor. I enjoy puncturing pomposity and offending where there is no real offense to be taken.”

Politics may be an old man’s game, but that doesn’t mean that younger candidates are automatically down for the count when it comes to political elections. After all, one of the big political platforms every election season is how politicians can get more so-called “young people,” involved. Yet often enough, college students that participate in the political process by running for election lose out to an older, more experienced candidate. While this isn’t always the case, it happens enough times to make one wonder: What’s the viability of a student candidate?

“We need a younger generation in politics,” says Ole Hovde, a college student and former candidate for a state representative seat. “We don’t have the younger generation at all in Minnesota politics or U.S. politics. People go out and vote but they aren’t active. They’re not out there fighting for what they believed in.”

Ole Hovde knew what he was getting into when he decided to run against Phyllis Khan for state representative of district 59B in Jan. 2008. The Republican candidate knew that he wanted to see for himself if he could represent the University of Minnesota and the surrounding area instead of Khan, a democrat, who has represented 59B for more than 37 years and who he believes is “anti-student” because of her opposition to tuition freezes and the construction of a football field at De La Salle High School. While interning at the state capital, Hovde found out who Khan was and became “deeply disturbed,” by her positions on issues concerning student issues.

After consulting with Republican politicians around the state, Hovde decided to run with the blessings of the state Republican Party. Hovde is not your average Republican, however. His support of gay rights and abortion sets his issue beliefs apart from the majority of Republicans in the state, which may have helped his campaign around campus.

It was tough, he said, to get volunteers to help his campaign. He had to put less focus on the three small businesses he owns, as well as his classes in order to run his campaign in an “extremely Democratic district.” He had help from his campaign manager and two volunteers, who formed the basis of his campaign efforts.

Hovde loved debating Khan and Independent candidate Ron Lischeid in the week before the election. It was the only debate for state representative to occur, and most of the crowd supported Hovde. Hovde wasn’t as lucky after Nov. 4, 2008, however. He only captured 25 percent of the district, whereas Khan captured almost 67 percent. Surprisingly, he fared better than any Republican candidate for any political office.

While some may have discounted his campaign because of his status as a college student, Hovde never felt as though he had an unfair advantage because of his age. He chalks up his loss to his party affiliation in a Democratic district. That’s why he’ll run again in 2010. “I think I proved to the people who voted for me that I have the skills and the knowledge to be their legislator,” Hovde says.
Curt Baker, a third-year marketing and political science major, may not agree with Hovde’s politics but he agrees with the idea that a younger generation should be representing communities in political office. While he’s entertained the idea of running for a political office, he hasn’t yet decided whether he wants to pursue other goals first.

“I just am awed by the fact that I as a 21-year-old am able to have a measurable impact on how this country is run,” Baker says.

Baker joined the Obama campaign because he wanted to be a part of the change in the U.S., and because Obama’s campaign was geared towards including everyone in the political process, it felt like the best option. His hard work lead to his promotion as president of Students for Barack Obama after the previous president left the country to study abroad. At the DNC, Baker sat in the second row, where he said he was within arm’s reach of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate Democratic Leader, respectively. The crowning moment, at least for Baker, came on election night. Not only did Obama carry 80 percent of the district, but voter turnout was even larger than what Baker and his group had expected.

“Seeing our efforts result in making Barack Obama President was definitely the proudest moment of my life,” Baker says.

Last November is a stark contrast to the Democratic student effort now, with Charles Carlson’s recent fall from grace plastered all over University and Twin Cities news. Carlson was, until a few weeks ago, running for the Minneapolis Ward 2 City Council seat currently occupied by Cam Gordon, a Green Party candidate who’s running for reelection. Carlson, who was a delegate for Minnesota during the DNC, recently resigned after a Minnesota Daily investigation revealed he had falsified much of the history he had presented to the public.

Carlson had what seemed to be an ideal background for politics: he claimed he grew up in England, went to Princeton, officiated tennis at the Beijing Olympics, worked for a Minneapolis architectural firm, and is a staunch supporter of GLBT rights, as he is openly homosexual. Such qualifications, combined with his previous experience in politics as a DFL delegate made him look like a force to be reckoned with. Yet within a day of the Daily’s story on Carlson’s campaign, people began questioning Carlson’s background. An anonymous person posted a comment on the article online, claiming they had known Carlson from Northfield High School, where he supposedly left due to mental health concerns. A quick search by local grassroots journalists Twin City Scene within a day of the Daily article revealed Rice County human services officials had tried to have Carlson committed in 2004, before the case was dropped. Now Carlson may face a lawsuit from his former campaign contributors who want to get their money back.

Whether the Carlson debacle will negatively impact future student candidates from the U remains to be seen. However, there’s nothing that says a future student candidate can’t run and win political office. It’s not unheard of in places like Johnston, Iowa, where a 20-year-old Drake student won a school board seat. After all, if the qualifications are there, winning an election is within a young person’s grasp.

Minneapolis is known for its skyline. It’s the silver city, the minne-apple. Minnesota’s outsized number of major corporations have built, demolished and rebuilt the city five times over. Historic preservation has long been overlooked.

Even though Minneapolis’ Heritage Preservation Commission was formed in 1972, many “lesser” buildings have since seen the wrecking ball. Block upon block of downtown Minneapolis lies empty, full of cars by day and empty by the night. The North Loop and St. Anthony Falls feature the only large swaths of old Minneapolis.

The Essay (Note: Click on photo for info)

The North Loop Warehouse historic district is at the epicenter of historic Minneapolis, yet a large part of the district is only on the National Register of Historic Places. The city is now in the process of adding the area that stretches from a half-block east of Washington to as far west as north 5th street and from 2nd avenue in the south to 10th avenue in the north. This will add additional barriers to unnecessary demolition.

This important move will preserve an important piece of our city’s history. But this must not be the end. We must continue to preserve important buildings, no matter how old or new. This photo essay explores the North Loop and other downtown building now under protection thanks in large part to the Heritage Preservation Commission.

After an extraordinary lunch at the new(ish) Thai restaurant Sen Yai Sen Lek, in Northeast Minneapolis, we decided to give the place another enthusiastic shot a week later. Our conversation afterwards went as follows:

Maggie: Let’s talk Sen Yai Sen Lek. Bad news first:

Emily: Well, after trying two phenomenal dishes the first time we ate here, we tried two mediocre ones.

Maggie: Mediocre?! I sent mine back. It promised “yellow bean soy sauce” and the server (she was the mediocre one) insulted me by plopping down whatever their mistranslation added up to: hot brown puddle, rancid tofu, crispy vegetables and a scarily gelatinous giant brain of a noodle hiding under it all… I didn’t want to look for it.

Emily: And the spring rolls were very light…like rolled-up tissues. Although they tasted fresh and had a pleasant crunch, the most prominent flavors were scallion and wonton wrapper.
Not impressive.

Maggie: Also, the tamarind sauce for the rolls was way too sweet. They had issues with sweet things that day.

Emily: Yeah. Although, it is nice that their sodas are cane sugar sweetened (Boylan brand). Good for ze body.

Maggie: And, thankfully, I was able to replace the scary first thing I ordered with our favorite (Khao Soi) from the first time we were there.

Emily: Our lunch looked up after that. The waitress even remembered to bring that quartet of spices with your second dish. I think that is one of the most unique features of the restaurant.

Maggie: Right. They try to achieve the four thai flavors: sweet (cane sugar), sour (sliced jalapenos in vinegar), hot (crushed dried red peppers), and salty (thai chilies in fish sauce). This isn’t the kind of place that asks what spice level you want your dish prepared. You do it yourself, and that’s probably my favorite part.

Emily: Mine too. That and THE DESSERT.

Maggie: Ohhhh man.

Emily: No mystery textures — remember how pretty those slivers of mango looked, fanned out on the plate? Combined with a bite of nutty, creamy sticky rice, it was a really simple way to end a less-than-all star meal. So, overall…

Maggie: Beware: the Rad Naa Neua (the pool of shiny brownness) and the Po Pia sad (boring fresh spring rolls).

Emily: And dishes that don’t match their ingredient list on the menu. Actually, this “worst” list doesn’t look that bad after all. Probably because there are so many things that give Sen Yai Sen Lek potential…

Maggie: Because our first time eating there was so fantastic, we want it to do well so badly and it does have potential. The service is pretty ok, and when you get a good dish, it’s really good. And the space is gorgeous. Warm and colorful.

Emily: True. They also pay attention to their community.

Maggie: Right. They get all their proteins locally (save tofu), have recyclable takeout containers, and they make your leftovers into compost if you want.

Emily: And they use free-range hormone-free chicken!

Maggie: So for all you chicken lovers… STOP ON BY SEN YAI!

Emily: You disgust me

Maggie: I disgust myself more.

Once upon a time, the movies were something magical. Lines like “Here’s looking at you, kid” were written into the collective unconscious and a few soft-focus close-ups gave us the most beautiful women in the world. Shown with newsreels and serials, a movie was a real experience, glowing from the screen in places with gilt arches and thick carpets. They were called “movie palaces” then, and they had names like the Paramount and the Alhambra.

Now, of course, it’s a grim shuffle from blowing half a day’s wages at the ticket counter to shelling out the other half for a Large Mega Combo at the concession stand. Coke and Verizon will bombard you with ads for a few minutes, and then you can sit back and watch the previews for future regurgitations of explosions, boobs and gay jokes. Or you can skip the hassle and just download movies without leaving your bed.

The wonder of cinema’s golden age has undeniably been lost. But here in the Twin Cities, a simple bus ride away in Columbia Heights, at least a hint of it can be recaptured. The Heights Theatre looks small and unassuming from the outside despite the tall, glittering sign that proclaims its name. Inside the auditorium, however, chandeliers twinkle, richly colored curtains drape the walls and ornate columns frame the screen.

My first visit to the Heights Theatre came last May when I saw a screening of an original 70mm print of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Before entering the auditorium, I eagerly examined lobby artifacts like an Italian Gone With the Wind poster, a painting of Greta Garbo and a grand piano. While the other customers and I waited for the movie to begin, the floor in front of the screen suddenly opened up, and a Wurlitzer organ slowly rose into the auditorium as the man in front of it cheerfully played “Bicycle Built for Two.” Owner Tom Letness then introduced the film by offering the audience yet another rare opportunity: archive footage of a 1968 BBC interview with 2001 star Keir Dullea.

Besides old movies, including more obscure studio-era films as well as classics like Casablanca, the Heights also shows new releases. Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire has been playing there for several weeks.

The Heights was originally built in 1926 and was originally used for neighborhood plays and vaudeville acts. The place has been through fires and tornadoes in the last eight decades and, in 1933, a bomb was set off in front of the Heights as a result of a labor dispute between projectionist unions. By the time Letness and Dave Holmgren bought the building in 1998, the theater was rundown and struggling, showing last-run films at discount prices.

Under the new ownership, the building’s metal façade was removed to reveal the original brick storefront, and the windows and roof were replaced. A new sign, replicating the original from the 1930s, was hung in front. Inside, remodeling work over the years was stripped away to reveal the original orchestra pit and ornamentation around the screen. The antique chandeliers that now hang from the ceiling were some of the many auditorium fixtures bought by or donated to the theater from other classic cinemas or local buildings. Letness also replaced the screen and installed a new sound system and projectors.

Even if you’re not a film geek, the pleasure of seeing a film in style should not be missed. The Heights is currently showing a noir series that includes The Blue Dahlia and The Glass Key on March 9 (a double feature for just $8) and Phantom Lady on March 16.

The University of Minnesota announced on Feb. 9 that the graduate school would undergo a reorganization, effective fall of 2010. According to the U, the reorganization is a way to cut costs. With the current economic woes the country is facing and the state’s higher education budget cuts, it may seem like a good idea to cut costs wherever possible. Especially if, as the University claims, this reorganization will not negatively affectthe quality or prestige of graduate programs in any way.
The way things are done currently, graduate programs are run through the freestanding Graduate School. All graduate degree programs report directly to the Graduate School.

Under the new system, however The Graduate School will be disbanded, and a new Office of Graduate Education will be constructed. This new office will mirror the Office of Undergraduate Education and will fall under the control of the Provost’s office. The Vice Provost and the Dean of Graduate Education will be responsible for the oversight of the graduate programs and will report directly to the Provost. According to the plan sent to President Bruininks on Feb.9, this new structure will allow for better communication and help the University toward its goal of being a top-three public research institution. Other universities that have a similar structure include Stanford, MIT, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago.

According to the plan, titled “Restructuring the Oversight and Support of Graduate Education to Enhance Excellence,” the Graduate School employs 50 full-time employees and runs on a budget of $4.5 million.

The memo sent to Bruininks explains that the responsibilities are unequally divided within the school and that some fall on the shoulders of many different departments. For example, responsibility for admitting students is given to both the Graduate School and the individual degree programs. Thus, a student seeking admission has to file applications with the school and with the degree program.

This new plan is said to benefit graduate students, graduate programs and the University. Students should see reduced costs and more funding due to the reallocation of funds, programs will enjoy more control and personal responsibility, and the University will benefit from the increased prestige and fewer budget constraints. At the same time, this places a much larger burden on the individual programs. Without the aid of the graduate office, individual programs are now forced to take on a number of duties that they may not have the personnel or know how to adequately complete. While the University claims that none of the University’s 150 graduate majors will be lost in the change, it is a claim that can only be verified in time. Furthermore, it has the potential to reduce the amount of applicants that are screened and, thus, accepted. The Graduate School, with over 10,000 students, is second only to the College of Liberal Arts.

The plan has also come with its share of controversies. On Feb. 13, a group of Regent’s professors sent an e-mail to the Board of Regents, urging postponement of the changes. According to their complaint, graduate students and professors were not consulted adequately before the plan was finalized and there was not enough transparency in the decision making process. By Feb. 19, 23 professors had signed the petition—16 current professors and seven retired. The title of Regent’s Professor is the highest honor a professor can receive, and there are 27 current professors total. This incident illustrates the crux of the debate: not whether or nor the structure is effective, but whether or not the University is ready and able to make such a change at this time. The sudden nature of the change caught many by surprise, increasing apprehension among critics.

The Board of Regent’s, however, will not take action. According to them, the University’s announcement was just that, an announcement. Since no programs will be ended, no action is required, explained Board Chair Patricia Simmons in an e-mailed response. She also said that Bruininks and Senior Vice Provost Tom Sullivan would be contacting the Regent’s Professors directly.

This reorganization comes after that of both the Medical School and the Academic Health Center.

Don’t think that, just because you’re a student, the failing economy and shaky housing market have nothing to do with you. If you’re planning on moving out of that “cozy” little dorm room of yours anytime during the next few years, you might want to hear this.

Certain areas surrounding the University of Minnesota are known by students for renting cheap, shitty and under-managed units. The growing enrollment at the U has and will continue to put pressure on the neighborhoods surrounding campus, namely Marcy-Holmes, Southeast Como, West Bank and Prospect Park.

With the added stress of the struggling U.S. economy, off-campus housing at the university has hit a breaking point. Attention was called to this ongoing problem after legislation in May 2006 provided funding for the Minnesota Gopher football stadium. The bill called for an assessment of the “impact of the university on the surrounding community and the relationship of the community to the university.”

A report was released a year later by the Home Ownership Preservation Program that outlined the major housing issues facing the southeast neighborhood. Some of the main objectives were to attract more permanent residents to the area, to avoid poor management by landlords and perhaps to avoid unruly college student behavior.

According to a report published by the HOPP in 2007, “224 single family homes have been converted to rental,” of which “156 were located in the SE Como neighborhood.”

With the problems laid out and published, the University District Alliance was formed in 2008. Its vision, according to its Web site, is to “become an environment rich in culture, creativity, community, and human capital and serve as a premier asset to the cities.”

Violent crimes saw an estimated 28 percent increase in the SE neighborhoods near the U in 2006, and in Minneapolis as a whole, violent crimes have been on the rise since 2001 although recent reports suggest the opposite.

Still, students are feeling more vulnerable, as are longtime residents whose main concern is normally irresponsible and excessive drinking by college students.

Change is coming with help from local business members, university students and some of your very own neighbors, who all make up the University District Alliance.

For those of you living in the Como area, the proposed changes include adding housing density to the 15th Avenue area across from Van Cleve Park and options for seniors who want to stay in the neighborhood. In the Cedar-Riverside area, according the 2007-2009 Alliance progress report, “Planning and design is underway for Cedar Avenue streetscape improvement which will improve safety and appearance of the West Bank cultural and arts district.”

The Alliance sees a lot of potential in the Marcy-Holmes and Prospect Park neighborhoods. The progress report would like to see “higher density” in both areas, including high-rise student housing in Marcy-Holmes.

Of the next steps in the Alliance’s plans, the most relevant is probably the one that addresses “unique issues of zoning, development regulation, regulatory services and public safety.”

From shivering cold winters to rats and bugs, off-campus student housing has it all. With the initiatives set in writing and the funding appropriated, the Alliance seems optimistic for the future of the university area.