By: Barney Klamecki, mechanical engineering professor

After all the recent bad football news, it might be time to pat some good people on the back.

Two weeks ago, I was invited by the McNamara Academic Center to be the honorary football coach for last week’s San Jose State game. Coincidentally, this is the first time in my more than 20 years at the University that there are three football players in one of my classes. I know — bear with me.

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Almost a month into fall semester at the University of Minnesota, as homework increases, so has crime, the Minnesota Daily reported Tuesday. Though this brief increase is notably lower than fall 2013, last week there were at least three burglaries, two robberies and seven cases of theft around campus. With this, we urge students to remain alert — especially during late-night or early-morning walks near campus.

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The Obama administration has announced new restrictions on federally funded universities and labs that research potentially dangerous pathogens.

Designed to prevent bioterrorism or an accidental release of virulent germs, the new regulations target 15 high-risk pathogens.

Scientists whose research involves any of the targeted pathogens are now required to get their employer’s approval and inform the federal government before beginning any experiments. Researchers and institutions that do not comply may lose federal funding.

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The recent NFL controversies concerning alleged drug use, shoplifting, domestic violence and child abuse have led me to question who exactly is inspired by these professional athletes. The answer unfortunately is that young high school teenagers are typically the most influenced by these supposed “role models.”

Indeed, when young people, particularly boys, are bombarded with the message that football is the key to popularity and success, they may be motivated to pursue it as a career.

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The recent NFL controversies concerning alleged drug use, shoplifting, domestic violence and child abuse have led me to question who exactly is inspired by these professional athletes. The answer unfortunately is that young high school teenagers are typically the most influenced by these supposed “role models.”

Indeed, when young people, particularly boys, are bombarded with the message that football is the key to popularity and success, they may be motivated to pursue it as a career.

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By: Brooke Bovee

You walk into a concert with all your friends, excited to see your favorite artist perform. You get to your seats and find that someone is already sitting in them, but you aren’t worried, because your ticket has that seat number. Instead, you realize both tickets have the exact same seat and row number. This happens because of ticket fraud.

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By: Ethan Nelson

Since its opening in June, the Green Line light rail has unexpectedly stopped 13 times in its downtown-to-downtown route.

The longest it has operated without incident is 20 days.

Collisions with cars and pedestrians caused 12 of those pauses in service, and another was the result of mechanical problems.

Some students and riders say they have taken notice of the interruptions, but Metro Transit says they are a natural part of integrating a nearly 11-mile, inter-city transportation system.

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By: John Thomas

Robert Stewart hasn’t been able to vote since 2006, a right he lost because there’s a felony on his record.

But for the past several years, the third-year sociology graduate student has been fighting to regain his voting rights.

“It’s encouraged me to be involved,” he said, “because I have no other way to be involved in the political process, other than through advocacy.”

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By: Parker Lemke

Generating cutting-edge research sometimes means starting from scratch with hiring.

Due to the evolving nature of science fields, the University of Minnesota’s College of Biological Sciences is searching for new faculty members to fill areas of research where the college is lacking.

Known as cluster hiring, the recruitment plan has canvassed academics across the globe in an attempt to fill the new areas. And since the initiative’s start three years ago, department members say the hiring method has proven successful.

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By: Taylor Nachtigal

A bill that would’ve provided students with the option to refinance their federal student loans and potentially lower their interest rates was blocked Tuesday for the second time since its introduction this summer.

Despite a lack of progress on the issue from the federal government, one financial company now allows borrowers the option to refinance their federal loans into private ones. And while the contention in Washington continues, some experts say a higher student voter turnout rate could push lawmakers into action on student loans.

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