“We should be all covered here for close, does anyone want to clock out early?”

I learned to remain quiet longer than others when my manager asked this question at the end of slow days with a full staff. Eventually, around the point that protracted courtesy turns to awkwardness, some other student worker would chime in, “Yeah, if no one else wants to, I can go. I have to get to my other job.” The volunteer would pack up their stuff to head out, and I would stay the extra 30 minutes to close up before retreating home to my homework or some social outing.

During my year and half tenure at the University of Minnesota bookstore, I came to be intimately acquainted with the difficulty faced by students with less financial support than myself, the intense workload they endure, and the resourcefulness they display in spite of what seemed to me to be few opportunities for assistance. In sharp contrast to the experience of myself and most in my personal friend group, who have comparably few commitments, many of the students with whom I worked were in constant states of movement, shifting attention from one occupation to another in a manner that would have seemed desultory had it not been, for them, necessary. When I went home at the end of the day to take care of chores or school work, some of my fellow coworkers were out working somewhere else.

I remember one occasion during which — not without some ignorance — I expressed surprise that the kid I was talking to worked three jobs that semester along with his course load. As the conversation proceeded, he told me about being a first generation college student, and that his parents and the scholarships he had applied for and received could only do so much. He told me about handling his own expenses while balancing course work. When I asked him about how he manages to complete school work and pay his way through college, he told me that he did his best, but that academic excellence came second to the necessity of paying for the opportunity to study at all.

There are many benefits to a University job, including a healthy work environment and flexible hours, but I would not recommend them to someone looking for a lucrative position or even, for that matter, to make a decent buck. As of April 7 of this year, the University of Minnesota Office of Human Resources reports that the minimum wage for student jobs was $10.08, and the average wages (depending on job family) range from $11.03-$12.18. Critically, this data reflects student wages systemwide, i.e. the averages of wages across all campuses.

The University’s system-wide minimum wage is in accordance with Minnesota law, which has set the state-wide minimum at $10.08. Because the University system is technically owned and operated by the Minnesota State Government, it is exempt from the Minneapolis Minimum Wage Ordinance. As a result, despite the historic ordinance that is set to incrementally raise the city’s minimum wage to $15/hr by July 1, 2024 (July 1, 2022 for businesses employing over 100 workers), student workers on the Twin Cities campus are paid less than what their own city has deemed equitable.

The current city-wide minimum wage in Minneapolis is $12.50 for small businesses and $14.50 for larger ones. Though it is acknowledged as a state-run public institution, the University functions as a large business in many capacities. Even if it follows Minnesota rules for paying full-time students that work part time (a case which allows businesses to pay 85% of the minimum wage), the Minneapolis students would be deserving of $12.36/hr according to their city, and students in other municipalities would earn as little as $8.57/hr.

The issue, then, is technically not a legal one. The University is allowed to pay students a minimum wage that reflects the state law rather than the city’s law. But the view from the ground is incongruous with the legal justification. The choice to apply the same wage rules broadly like this misses the fact that the populations of different cities and counties have very different experiences. The very fact that both Minneapolis and St. Paul have taken minimum wage into their own hands reflects a need that is specific to their constituency, and that will likewise have specific effects on the economy of their city, further differentiating the experiences of their population from those in another municipality.

Raising this campus’ minimum wage is not going to completely eliminate all of the difficulties faced by some of my former coworkers, but it could certainly help. More pay may mean fewer hours, which in turn means more time freed up for studying, which, as we shouldn’t forget, is supposed to be the reason we come to higher education in the first place.

Of course, more assistance may be needed by certain students in the form of scholarships, financial aid, etc., but asking a campus to comply with the minimum wage ordinance of the city it occupies (even if not legally obligated to do so) seems like a relatively easy decision that acknowledges the lived experiences of the students that not only study here, but who offer their time and effort to the University through work.

I took the job at the bookstore because I wanted to find a kind community and to have some extra spending money in my pocket. I enjoyed my time there quite a bit; the atmosphere is forgiving, generally upbeat and the employees and managers are always friendly. However, when my life got busy, I decided to go on call. I could afford to work by picking up shifts that others had to drop if it meant making sure my academics did not suffer. And this is a crucial difference between myself and many other student workers. Sometimes, academic success is contingent on whether or not your pockets can manage a dropped shift here and there. When you are paid less than your city’s minimum wage, the chances that you can manage this are certainly lower. The Twin Cities campus is not legally bound to follow the Minneapolis Minimum Wage Ordinance, but nor is it bound by law to stay down at the state-wide minimum. It is in the interest of the mental and financial health of the student workers that they are paid what their city has deemed a livable wage, and it should be, in turn, in the interest of the University.

Early last week I finally reached full-immunity against the original COVID-19 strain, and you can’t even imagine how excited I was. I have been researching everything there is to know about this virus on 4chan, and the knowledge that I could now fight it inside my body was game-changing. 

Bears thump Tigers, squash Spartans: Cal remains undefeated

Madeleine Fruman/Staff

The Tigers left no trace, and the Spartans couldn’t scuff the Bears. This is the story of how Cal emerged victorious in both weekend outings with a perfect 6-0 record on the season.

The Bears kicked off their weekend in Stockton, teeing off against the UOP Tigers. Cal handily beat UOP 13-6, led by senior Jack Deely on the offensive end and junior Adrian Weinberg on defense. Deely showed an astonishing six-goal effort while Weinberg held down the cage with 13 saves. Deely and Weinberg were the standout players in a concerted team effort.

While the 13-6 end result of this game suggested it was a fairy tale for Cal, make no mistake: The Bears were still up against some formidable opponents.

“UOP definitely has a unique defensive strategy, which takes away one of our biggest threats, if not biggest, which is our center, so it was a unique experience going up against a full drop. You don’t really see that too often,” said senior attacker Miles O’Brien-Schridde.

Following their UOP win, the Bears came back home to fans in the stands for the first time in nearly two years. Both fans and players of any sport would likely agree that the lack of spectators during games was the biggest adjustment in the sports world throughout the pandemic.

“Surreal. It was awesome,”  O’Brien-Schridde said of playing in front of a crowd. “We obviously play to play the game and compete against the opponents, but it’s a huge plus to have friends, family (and) loved ones in the stands cheering you on. … (It was) everything I remembered it being and more.”

Regardless of which side they are cheering for, fans can now share physical spaces with the athletes and watch the story of a game unfold in real time. While final scores are binary, what actually happens during a game can be much more nuanced. Similar to the UOP final score, the final score against San Jose State suggests Cal did not run into much trouble, but this was not the case.

Cal only had a one-point lead at the half and would’ve been tied had it not been for a timely goal by O’Brien-Schridde with less than a minute left on the clock.

Unfortunately for the Spartans, this was the closest they’d come to victory, as Cal locked in and pulled away in the second half, winning the game 16-9. The Bears were led by O’Brien-Schridde and junior Nikolaos Papanikolaou on the offensive end, each scoring four goals. On the defensive end, Weinberg held down the fort once again with 10 saves.

Executing the right adjustments on the fly is what separates the good teams from the great ones. In that same vein, it’s important for teams to believe in the work they put in.

“We started to focus more on our … defensive tactics. When we started the game, that was what was lacking. We trusted ourselves and we trusted our teammates to control the momentum of the game, set the pace, set the tone and (we) went to work,” O’Brien-Schridde said.

As individually talented as Cal is, its teamwork in and out of the water is what makes them one of the strongest teams in the nation. O’Brien-Schridde was the standout offensive player of the game, but when asked about his performance, he mentioned his teammates before himself.

“I credit my teammates. They made incredible passes. They set everything up for me, and all I had to do was throw to the cage,” O’Brien-Schridde said.

The blue and gold will look to stay undefeated at the Aggie Open where they will rematch against San Jose State and the University of Pacific while also facing off against the UC Davis Aggies and California Baptist University Lancers.

Justin Kim covers men’s basketball and men’s water polo. Contact him at justinkim@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

Welcome back Black Bears! 

On Aug. 27, the University of Maine welcomed the class of 2025 to its campus with a “hearty Maine hello.” An incredible effort has been made by the entire student body and staff to ensure a safe return to campus. UMaine’s new requirement mandating that all students receive the COVID-19 vaccine has served as an important milestone in allowing a safe return to campus, and the indoor mask mandates implemented until Sept. 30 provide additional safety in the transition to in-person classes. 

While these measures account for the physical safety of everyone on campus, it’s also important to consistently acknowledge the mental and emotional challenges faced by students. If you’re apprehensive about this semester, you’re not alone. The Maine Campus wants to share resources and advice to help you succeed academically, socially and mentally here at UMaine.  

Students and teachers are returning to life in-person. This transition may prove challenging for the incoming class, who experienced their last year and a half of education remotely. Taking care of both your mental and physical health is critical throughout college, but is easily neglected in the world of academia. The university understands the hardships faced by incoming students and offers resources and accommodations to alleviate this transition. 

UMaine has recently announced that they are offering the Pass/Fail option for classes again to alleviate stress for students. If students are interested in this option, they should discuss the process with their academic advisor. 

Build relationships with your professors by attending their office hours, and get contact information from your peers to form study groups and stay on top of assignments. They may come in handy the night before an assignment is due. Tutoring is another amazing opportunity to stay ahead in classes and is available through the university’s College Success Program. 

A great place to study at is the Fogler Library. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight, Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to midnight. 

Studying is important, but make sure you’re also prioritizing sleep and eating regularly. Wells, York and Hilltop dining halls are great places to eat. If you’re feeling more adventurous, grab a coffee or some stir-fry at the Bears Den in the Union. 

The Counseling Center, located on campus, is a helpful free resource for students. They offer appointments via Zoom or phone, as well as in person. You can schedule an appointment through their office at (207) 581-1392. 

There are over 100 student-run clubs and organizations on campus. Visit the “Student Organizations List of Active Clubs’‘ on UMaine’s website to explore groups that may interest you. There you’ll find contact information, so don’t hesitate to email club leaders for more information.

It’s important to remember that everyone on campus was in your shoes at one point. Don’t compare your first semester to someone else’s last. Everyone had to struggle to find their place and learn how to succeed, so don’t be too hard on yourselves. 

Lastly, the members of the Maine Campus editorial board have put together some of our own words of advice for you. We hope you carry these with you as you immerse yourself in this exciting, new environment. 

“Nobody is gonna come talk to you, so you have to go talk to them. Even if you have to slip a note under their door. Which I have done!”

“Just put yourself out there. Even though it’s scary. Get out of your comfort zone.”

“Do your research. Go online and see what clubs there are.”

“The biggest thing that I’ve had to learn is to be patient with other people, but also to be patient with yourself.”

“Try and do something fun to do once a week, once a month, however often you want. Finding something fun on campus, and at your comfort level, gives you much-needed stress relief.”

“My first year here, in the beginning, I was homesick. I didn’t have any friends for a while. One day I decided I’d leave my door open. I’d wait for someone to walk by. Someone walked by talking about video games. Now they’re my best friends.”

“Build relationships with your professors.”

Dear class of 2025, we want you to succeed. The Maine Campus staff, your professors, upperclassmen and everyone in between are rooting for you. We know you’ve been through a lot, and we’re here to help. There’s a unique bond that comes with being the first class to return in person after the pandemic, and we all appreciate the special value you bring to this university. We have just as much to learn from you as you do from us, so please say hello!

On Jan. 6, the world watched in horror as a treasonous mob of white supremacists stormed the U.S. Capitol. As President Trump goaded his supporters into fighting a purportedly rigged election, District of Columbia residents like myself evacuated our homes, feared for our lives and dialed loved ones in panic, all while facing the painful irony that the “People’s House” is not our house.

For many of us, Jan. 6 inspired a reckoning with our nation’s deeply rooted racial inequities. We juxtaposed images in our mind of Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck with footage of violent white supremacists waving the Confederate flag while scaling the walls of the Capitol. Yet, even as the House Select Committee investigating the attack convenes, what remains absent from the conversation is the extent to which D.C. — the very region in which the Capitol stands — is symbolic of some of the most acute racial justice issues facing our nation: issues of equity, political representation and access. Affording D.C. due statehood would be a crucial step toward excavating the racial inequities embedded in the Capitol. 

 The Nation’s capital is a historically Black city and to this day, Black residents constitute a plurality in the District, making up 47% of the population. These statistics matter, especially considering that its residents pay more in federal taxes per capita than any state in the nation. As long as D.C. remains without statehood,  residents of the 50 states reap the rewards of the labor of D.C. citizens without giving them a voice in the political process. A nation benefitting from the labor of a majority Black population without providing them the benefits they are due embodies the racial inequities rampant in the States. We cannot fully confront racial inequity in our nation without first admitting what would be the only plurality-Black state into the union. 

The District is home to over 700,000 disenfranchised individuals, a rapidly growing population larger than the predominantly-white states of Vermont and Wyoming. But, while Vermont and Wyoming enjoy two Senators each, the District has no Senator or voting Congressperson. D.C. statehood is an undoubtedly partisan issue for both Democrats and Republicans, but Republican opposition is no more than a thinly veiled attempt at maintaining the fundamental imbalance of the Senate that gives greater voice to white, rural, conservative voters than urban ones.

Without representation, politicians have no reason to care about D.C. residents.  Why should Congress, with each member perpetually angling for reelection, care about a group of unrepresented individuals? We have all heard the tired promises of Congressional hopefuls to “drain the swamp,” blaming Washingtonians who are not even allowed a seat at the political table for the bureaucratic failings of the federal government. Without representation, D.C. residents will forever be relegated to an inferior status of citizen, despite making all the same contributions to the country. If granted statehood, D.C. could furnish its Black plurality with greater voice through their new-found votes and stronger legislative influence in Congress.

The injustices of D.C.’s disenfranchisement stretch far beyond political representation. It is the federal government, not D.C. voters or state legislators, that installs judges to benches in the nation’s capital. It is the U.S. Department of Justice that controls its police forces. Those judges and police officers reinforce racial inequities within the criminal justice system. D.C. also has no say over its National Guard, leaving the city — which January 6 proved to be uniquely vulnerable to domestic terrorism — hamstrung by the very bureaucracy for which it often takes blame. Even amidst a violent insurgency, wherein five Americans died and 140 police officers were injured, calls for military assistance were stymied. If D.C. were a state, the mayor would have had authority to deploy the National Guard, perhaps preventing injuries and deaths.

Furthermore, D.C.’s current status stands in opposition to the intention of the Founders. James Madison set out to enumerate the rights of residents of a federal district in Federalist No. 43 when he wrote that those individuals’ liberties would be determined by a local government “derived from their own suffrages.” Although the D.C. Council is elected by local voters, Congress wields an inordinate amount of power over the municipal government. D.C. was established under a model of Home Rule governance which endows Congress with the ability to grant final approval over legislation and budgets passed by the city council. In 2010, for example, Congress deployed Home Rule to overturn a ban on semiautomatic weapons, usurping local autonomy. The near-categorical denial of political agency to the citizens of D.C. violates the basis of American democracy and exemplifies its capacity to oppress those it is supposed to empower. 

D.C. statehood is long overdue: Admitting what would be the first plurality-Black state to the union is a matter of racial justice. We must stand as a nation inclusive of all, granting to the District’s residents the right to representation, to autonomy and to a just future. 

The University of Utah women’s soccer team opened this week against Brigham Young University. Every Utah fan knows that this is a huge rivalry, and both teams were looking forward to walking away with a win. Unfortunately for both teams the game ended in a 0-0 tie on Sept. 9.

But, Utah fans cannot be too disappointed with the results, as BYU is ranked No. 22 in the nation. Although the team wasn’t able to get the win, it was a huge showing to be able to hold BYU scoreless in a game that went into double overtime.

Utah then was back at home again to face Dixie State. The two teams had only played once before, a 2-1 victory for Utah in double overtime back on Feb. 11. Utah wasn’t looking to go into overtime again, and they were able to get on the board early and take a 3-0 win.

Makayla Christensen got the first goal of the game, scoring in just the 12^th minute from an assist by Courtney Talbot. Utah was able to take seven shots in the first half, but they wouldn’t find the back of the net again until the 42^nd minute when Brooklyn James scored off of an assist by Erin Bridges.

Going into halftime up 2-0 allowed Utah to relax a little and completely take control of the game. They were able to completely dominate on defense, not allowing Dixie State to take a shot in the entire second half.

Talbot scored the third and final goal of the game for Utah in the 61^st minute. Talbot scored off of an assist by McKenna Baillie.

Utah showed that they are the real deal, especially on defense. After holding BYU scoreless, they only allowed Dixie State three shots, and only two shots on target. It has been a huge week for the defense, but the offense also showed their skill today.

The team took 21 shots today against the Trailblazers, with an astounding 12 of them being on target. Utah had a huge advantage in both shots and shots on goal. The team had as many goals as Dixie State’s total shots, making them a very difficult team to keep up with.

Utah controlled the corner kicks as well, taking four, as opposed to Dixie State’s one. The offense was firing on all cylinders, and the only surprise today is that more shots didn’t find the back of the net.

This week has been an indicator of how much potential this Utah team has as they are soon entering a full schedule of Pac-12 teams. Utah’s schedule continues to get tougher as they face teams such as No. 4 UCLA and No. 11 Stanford.

Utah State will be the third game in a row facing in-state opponents for Utah. Utah will play at Utah State on Sept. 16, their final game before facing Pac-12 opponents.

Utah will be on the road for the next two games before returning home on Sept. 30 to face Washington State.

s.overton@dailyutahchronicle.com

@SeanOverton3

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Colorado State University released an email to the campus community Sept. 13 restating its commitment to the First Amendment right to free speech after protestors clashed with preachers on The Plaza last week. In the email, the University said that efforts to protect free speech often come across as protecting offensive and inflammatory speech and […]

The Undergraduate Finance Board continued discussions about use of its budget surplus, which was first revealed in the Board’s public funding disclosure statement released last year.

With the exception of the latter half of the summer semester, student groups in the 2020-21 school year were unable to plan in-person events or meetings, said UFB Chair Akilesh Raman ’22. As a result, student groups requested funding at a lower rate than in prior years, he added.

“COVID was a block of time (when) everything changed, so the amount we were funding was very different and oftentimes lower,” Raman said.

After the University relaxed restrictions on group gatherings during the summer semester, student groups began to request funding once again for in-person events and activities. But as part of the University’s new temporary restrictions implemented Monday, student group activities must take place entirely virtually for the time being.

Over the last year, most of the funding requests were “website hosting costs and basic online maintenance, not really many capital improvements because we weren’t doing any of that and no in-person events, obviously,” said UFB Vice Chair Claire Brown ’22.

In typical years, UFB considers the amount of funding a group received in the previous year when determining how much to allocate to that group in the current year, according to Raman. But due to the unusual funding needs of groups during the pandemic, the Board will use the 2019-20 school year as a baseline when making funding decisions this year.

“We’re very unlikely to fund at a level below” that of the 2019-20 school year, Raman added.

The Board will begin meeting with student groups to go over funding requests for the current semester on Sept. 21.

Apart from beginning to fund in-person events and working on allocations, the Board is also in the process of deciding how to proceed with its budget surplus, which currently totals approximately $1.2 million, according to Raman.

In April 2020, UFB published its historical funding records dating back to 2008-09, which revealed a surplus of unused funds that sat at just over $1 million. The surplus had accumulated over years without the Board’s knowledge, The Herald previously reported.

“We didn’t dip too much into the surplus during COVID just because we wanted to make sure that we were providing an increase in funding to groups when we were back and they’re able to operate in their full capacity,” Raman said.

The Board has discussed utilizing the surplus to increase the baseline funding that is available to student groups independent of additional funding requests.

Depending on their categorization with the Student Activities Office, student groups have access to different amounts of baseline funding. Under the current structure, Category I groups have access to $100 of baseline funding, while Category II and III groups have access to $200, according to Brown.

If the Board were to increase baseline funding for groups, it would “dip pretty decently into the surplus,” she added.

The Board is also discussing using the surplus funds to cover media services for outdoor events this year, which it envisions there will be more of than in prior years due to the decreased risk of viral spread outdoors, Brown said. In previous years, the Board has only funded media services for indoor events.

When making decisions about utilizing the surplus, the Board is hoping to create a long-term spending plan that allows it to increase funding activity without having to increase the student activities fee in the near future. The $286 student activities fee is a part of the annual tuition amount charged to undergraduates and is where UFB derives the majority of its annual budget.

“We don’t want to increase tuition, so we want to make sure that the surplus is something that we spread out over a period of time,” Raman said.

If baseline funding amounts were to increase, it would be “an increased cost forever,” which, if paired with a stagnant student activities fee, would steadily deplete the surplus, he added.

Another change student groups can expect for this upcoming year is the potential for UFB to fund a larger variety of activities.

In March 2020, just before campus was evacuated due to COVID-19, UFB changed the wording of one of its policies to require that funded groups either directly or indirectly benefit the undergraduate student body — a change made in order to better meet the requests of service groups by allowing UFB to fund more service group activities, The Herald previously reported.

Since the change, UFB “hasn’t seen huge volumes of requests from service groups” due to the pandemic, Raman said. But, “we made progress with the wording and hopefully we can actualize that” this year, he added.

All UH classes and activities will close on Monday at 3 p.m. ahead of Tropical Storm Nicholas making landfall.

The announcement came via the UH Alerts service, at 12:42 p.m., and advised the University community to be safe and exercise caution.

The storm is expected to make landfall in Houston between Monday evening, and Tuesday morning.

UH President Renu Khator also advised students to stay safe through a tweet on Monday shortly after the alert went out.

UH will close at 3pm today and will remain closed tomorrow. Heavy rain may cause disruption throughout city including in connectivity. A decision about Wednesday will be made tomorrow afternoon and conveyed via UH Alert. Stay safe.

— Renu Khator (@UHpres) September 13, 2021

More information about operations on Wednesday onwards will be provided on Tuesday night.

news@thedailycougar.com

—
“UH to close ahead of Tropical Storm Nicholas” was originally posted on The Cougar

Dreams came true for Emory’s women’s golf team on Sept. 5 after they became the program’s first team to win a tournament. The Eagles secured their win at the Lynn Schweizer Invitational, which included 10 teams of five golfers each and took place at the Denison Golf Club in Granville, Ohio.

The women’s golf program at Emory University is still new, having launched in fall 2019. Fighting through a pandemic and being in existence for less than two years makes winning a tournament a huge milestone for the Eagles. Head Coach Katie Futcher was hired in 2018 to build the program, and while proud of her team’s accomplishments, she said this is just the beginning. 

“It was so satisfying to watch our players compete and perform well,” Futcher said. “It makes me feel that the program is headed in the right direction, and I’m excited to watch these players pursue their own personal excellence and achieve their goals.” 

Not only did the Eagles make program history with their win, but they also ended with a score of 590 after shooting a school record of 292 over the last 18 holes of the 36-hole competition. The host of the Invitational, Denison University (Ohio), came in second place with a score of 628 (316-312) as Stevenson University (Md.) finished in third place with a score of 646 (323-323). 

Some of the team’s newest additions and those who have barely worn their uniforms led the team to victory. Freshman Ellen Dong and sophomore Irene Wang tied for medalist honors out of the 63 players in the tournament. Dong and Wang each totaled a score of even-par 144 (72-72). Wang distinguished herself by tallying 27 pars, the most of any participant, while Dong was right behind her with 25 pars. 

Freshman Sharon Mun also stood in the spotlight for the Eagles, scoring a 145 (75-70) that tied her for third place out of all competitors. Dong and Mun each tallied four birdies, the most of anyone on their team, while Dong, Mun and Wang all impressively scored one eagle each. 

The rest of the team also fared well, with freshman Heejo Hyun finishing in eighth place while sophomore Mariana Chong concluded the tournament in 11th place. Chong credits the win to the team’s dedication.

“I am very sure that our win was the product of all the hard work and effort that all five of us and the coaches have put in,” Chong said.

With a full season ahead, Futcher sees the team’s first tournament win as a stepping stone to more in the coming months.

“These players have high goals for themselves, and I truly believe the sky’s the limit,” Futcher said. “I’m excited and honored to be a part of their journey.” 

Follow the Eagles during their next competition on Oct. 2-3 when they travel to the Williams College Women’s Golf Championship in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

The Emory women’s golf team following the program’s first tournament win. (Courtesy of Emory Athletics)

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