By: Haley Hansen

University of Minnesota officials can’t stop the Washington Redskins from playing at TCF Bank Stadium  next month, but administrators are using the team’s presence on campus as an educational opportunity.

The team name has stirred controversy on campus, as some students and school leaders say it is derogatory and offensive to the state’s large Native American population.

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By: Blair Emerson

Just a week before the Board of Regents will vote to approve University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler’s 2016-17 biennial budget request, the Minnesota Daily sat down with him on Friday for its monthly Kickin’ it with Kaler interview.

The president discussed his intentions to roll out the institution’s strategic plan, educational events the University will offer the week before the Washington Redskins play on campus, and his experience taking the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

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By: Jim Million, University alumnus

I must admit that I very often see Gov. Mark Dayton as a man of basic good intentions without the intellectual tools to effectively govern; instead, he is governed by close corporate and political handlers who prepare his messages and roll him out to the podium. Many do not see this image, but they may have partisan and/or financial investments in most outcomes. I do not.

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Worldwide populations of mammals, birds and other vertebrates have fallen by an average of 52 percent in the past 40 years, according to the Living Planet Index report recently released by the World Wildlife Fund.

Many forms of human activity are responsible for the alarming rate of animal decline. Habitat depletion, overexploitation, pollution, invasive species and other problems all contribute to the loss. Climate change is both a cause and a result of species and habitat loss.

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The University of Minnesota is revoking its new season ticket bundling policy, which required students who wanted hockey or basketball season passes to also purchase the less-popular football package.

The athletics department claimed its new bundling policy was a way to reward fans, saying in a statement that the packaging deal aimed to “make it possible for our most engaged students to attend the sporting events they desired at a discounted price.”

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By: Kevin Karner

Without any hesitation, Erik Sundberg knew exactly what it meant to be a red or blue state.

The University of Minnesota electrical engineering freshman naturally associates colors with liberal and conservative ideals, like most people.

This connotation, although common, may seem like a long-established part of the American political lexicon, but analyzing designs and colors that identify campaigns is a relatively new concept.

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By: Kaylee Kruschke

Since mid-August, an uncommon respiratory illness has sent almost 450 wheezing patients to hospitals across most of the country — including at least 11 cases at the University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital.

Enterovirus D68 made its presence known in the state in mid-September when labs at the University and the Minnesota Department of Health discovered the virus in patient samples.

The exact number of cases across the state is unknown, as many go unreported, said Jayne Griffith, senior epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health.

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By: Ethan Nelson

Minneapolis may soon equate vaping with smoking.

Ward 2 City Councilman Cam Gordon has plans to introduce an amendment to the citywide smoking ban code on Friday. This would essentially classify the use of e-cigarettes as smoking, banning them in places like restaurants and bars.

Gordon and health experts say the change would be in line with other local tobacco bans and would prevent young people from developing nicotine addictions.

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By: David Nelson

After producing some of the NCAA’s most dominant football teams season after season, the Big Ten isn’t the intimidating power it once was.

Gophers fans witnessed this firsthand Saturday as they watched Minnesota manhandle a Michigan team that normally puts a wallop on the Gophers.

It’s difficult to determine whether the Gophers improved their play on Saturday or whether their point total was simply a reflection of just how decrepit the Wolverines are this season.

Michigan has defeated Minnesota by an average of 33 points in their last five contests.

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By: Aidan Coleman

Despite humid weather, the Gophers performed well at the Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday.

Minnesota finished third overall, led by a strong performance from redshirt junior Aaron Bartnik.

Bartnik, who was the Gophers’ top finisher at both the Griak and the UC Riverside Invitational, said he was happy to be running well.

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