By: Connor Nikolic

Last week, TMZ released a conversation between Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and his girlfriend V. Stiviano. An unknown third party recorded the conversation.

On the tape, Sterling said he was OK with Stiviano being around and talking to black men but that she should not bring any black men to basketball games or publicly associate herself with black men on social media. Sterling’s comment was in response to a photo that Stiviano had posted on Instagram with Lakers great Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

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Dr. Date,

I’m a 22-year-old woman who just graduated college. I’m moving away in a month, but I think I’ve just met the love of my life. The thing is, he’s a successful photographer/drug dealer who’s 33 years old. Should I give up my career ambitions and indulge in a life of passion or stick with the straight and narrow?

—Anonymous

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By: Anne Millerbernd

Shivering in huddled groups as the sun set on the Northrop Plaza on Friday, more than 50 half-naked University of Minnesota students prepared to run a mile and a half around campus for charity.

Many of the students on the plaza were attending their first Undie Run, an increasingly popular philanthropy event nationwide, to raise money for the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota.

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By: Allison Kronberg

In the U.S., people of color live, on average, in more polluted neighborhoods than whites, according to new University of Minnesota research.

Researchers say thousands of deaths could be prevented each year if the racial disparity is reduced.

The University study, released earlier this month, found that non-whites are more likely to live in areas with higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, which increases the risk of respiratory illness, heart disease and other diseases. The pollutant comes mostly from vehicle exhaust and power plants.

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By: Jeff Hargarten

As Congress considers sweeping patent reform, research universities across the country are raising objections.

The push for reform comes in response to the increased activities of “patent trolls,” firms that amass patents to make money from intellectual property infringement lawsuits and licensing deals. Congress is aiming to level the playing field, promote transparency and take the teeth out of frivolous patent suits.

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By: Taylor Nachtigal

When Will Dammann’s mother needed multiple surgeries, the costs were so high that his family nearly lost their house and car to pay for them.

To keep that from happening, the University of Minnesota human resources and marketing freshman took money out of his college fund.

“Living in your house is much more important than anything you wanted,” he said.

Dammann was one of six University and high school students who attended a college affordability roundtable with Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., at Coffman Union on Friday.

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By: Meara Cummings

City officials were on hand as community members discussed ways to make the University of Minnesota area more livable Thursday.

At a forum hosted by the University District Alliance and Minneapolis Regulatory Services, residents and one student hashed out longtime issues, like absentee landlords and upkeep, and new ones, like preserving the area’s reputation after last week’s riot in Dinkytown.

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By: Laura Pickrell, University student

In our fairytale-ridden culture, we grow up surrounded by stories in which men are burdened by the responsibility to protect and women are the auspicious recipients of their bravery. But these representations produce negative beliefs about the role of women, and they are a catalyst for sexual violence. While gender-based violence affects women of all ages, it disproportionately affects college-age girls.

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By: Guest column: Ehren Minkema, MSA student group representative

When a student group dubs itself the voice of University of Minnesota students in conversation with the school and government, it’s important that the voice is credible. Through the lack of research and passivity regarding issues brought up in the Minnesota Student Association’s forum, MSA is losing its credibility as a reliable and trustworthy student voice.

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At the University of California-Santa Barbara, students have advised teachers to excuse students from class if they feel course material might cause them emotional or psychological distress.

The Santa Barbara student senate passed a resolution that advises professors to preface lectures with “trigger warnings” that would warn students of any material that could potentially result in feelings of discomfort or stress. It’s important to note that the resolution is only advisory.

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