Breaking from her party’s traditional platform, state Sen. Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka, proposed a bill last Thursday that would eliminate teacher tenure in Minnesota.

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The passage of California’s “yes means yes” law in September altered the definition of sexual consent in the state. Now, it may lead to a change of policy at the University of Minnesota.

California law defines consent as “affirmative, conscious, voluntary agreement.” Many states and universities currently define consent through the absence of disagreement, rather than the presence of agreement.

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By: J. Woods Halley; Professor, Physics and Astronomy

I have just learned that, as part of a major suite of changes in the PeopleSoft system, which the University of Minnesota uses for many administrative tasks, the Course Guide, currently available to students at OneStop on the University web page, is slated to be eliminated in January. As far as I know, there have been no faculty or student consultations about this significantly damaging decision.

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We would like to extend our congratulations toward President Emeritus Robert Bruininks, whose name will gloss the Science Teaching and Student Services building when it is renamed Robert H. Bruininks Hall. With his decades of service to the University, this honor is well-deserved. 

By: Mary Pat Fitzpatrick, University alumna

It is easy to become overwhelmed by the weight of a tragedy. Even in the most painful of situations, it’s important to recognize that soul-saving gratitude may arise. I recently attended the funeral of a dear friend, Ann Connelly. Over 12 years ago, she was given a grave and heartbreaking prognosis.

During his tribute to his sister, Ann’s brother John took time to sincerely thank the health care professionals that cared for Ann, specifically Dr. Edward Greeno and his staff at the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Clinic.

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By: Jasper Johnson

Though still in its infancy, President Barack Obama’s proposal for two free years of community college for qualified students seems to show serious promise for educational reform. Hopefully, it will set a precedent for an even more ambitious overhaul of the college system.

Community and technical colleges offer an excellent return on investment — they can lift up students from poverty. For that precise reason, they warrant a position as a focal point of government spending.

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By: Ronald Dixon

One of the most pressing issues facing Minnesota is its crumbling infrastructure. In fact, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2013 Infrastructure Report Card, Minnesota has 1,086 structurally deficient bridges, while another 427 are “functionally obsolete.” Meanwhile, 11 percent of all major roads in the state are in poor condition, costing Minnesota motorists over $1.2 billion in repair costs per year, or $396.25 for every driver.

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By: Haley Madderom

In full daylight, the plaza in front of the Civil Engineering Building looked like a sectioned-off junkyard.

But on Friday evening, the unrecognizable mess of cords and cables disappeared, and the campus tradition lit up the space at the kickoff event for the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering Winter Light Show.

With the push of a button, members of the student group Tesla Works set off two miles of sequenced lights, hypnotizing a crowd of about 200 people.

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By: Haley Hansen

University of Minnesota student leaders are urging faculty members to administer midsemester course evaluations starting next semester.

The Minnesota Student Association and the Student Senate voted last week to send a letter to department heads and college deans asking them to encourage their faculty members to use the evaluations.

Student Senate Chair Valkyrie Jensen said the groups aren’t asking for midsemester evaluations to be mandatory, but professors should utilize them because they can benefit faculty members and students.

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By: Morgan Wolfe

In an area saturated with luxury apartments and new development, a proposed citywide property tax increase has some property owners in University of Minnesota neighborhoods worried that they’ll need to increase their rental rates.

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