With award show season currently underway, many are beginning to question the standards on which the awards are given. 

A majority of the Emmy awards were given to more esteemed TV shows. “The Bear” won six out of the nine awards in the comedy category. “Succession” won six of the nine awards in drama, and “Beef” won five of the nine awards in the limited or anthology series category.

This heavy bias towards certain shows raises the question if these awards are chosen on true merit, or if certain qualities of a show or movie make it more likely to win an award.

“Oscar bait,” or “awards bait,” is a common pejorative given to films full of qualities that typically appeal to award shows.

Brad Stiffler, a film professor at the University of Minnesota, said a typical “awards bait” film involves a Hollywood actor either playing an important historical figure or a role that is out of their comfort zone. 

“There is a sense that this is a difficult performance role so they are going to get more points for pulling it off,” Stiffler said.

Another trope that potentially baits awards is the lack of a specific genre. Comedy, horror or noir films rarely, if ever, receive nominations outside of their given category. Instead, award shows often opt for more serious or solemn movies. 

The Golden Globes created a new category this year titled “Award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement,” which gives recognition to movies with a lot of commercial success. The winner of the Box Office Achievement this year was “Barbie,” with other movies nominated being “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.”

“Succession,” “The Bear” and “Beef” also had wide success at the Golden Globes this year in the TV show category. As for motion pictures, “Oppenheimer” was a clear favorite of the judges, with “Poor Things,” “The Holdovers” and “Anatomy of a Fall” also winning some recognition.

The preference for these movies carries over to the Oscar nominations. “Oppenheimer” received 13 nominations, “Poor Things” received 11 and “Killers of the Flower Moon” received nine. 

This has caused many to air their grievances on what they feel got “snubbed.” Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie were not included in the best director or best actress nominations, despite being big names in the industry who were a part of a blockbuster hit. “Asteroid City” is another film with a star-studded cast and unique cinematography that was not nominated for any award this year.

“The Academy likes period pieces and big-budget fantasy films because the effort that goes into the craft is hard to ignore,” said amateur filmmaker Jack Rahill. “A lot of great movies get ignored every year because they’re not so showboaty.”

These criteria for what makes a movie “Oscar-worthy” can have an influence on a director’s creativity. The pressure to follow a predetermined list of award-winning tropes may impede storytelling variation and innovation. 

“I think that there’s always a conflict between money and art, between the blockbuster and niche film and between the comfort movie and the one you have to watch three times just to understand,” said the president of StudioU Eric Patton.

Filmmakers may struggle to balance their need for recognition in the industry with their artistic expression. Although strategic choices can boost the likelihood of receiving recognition, they also bring up significant issues of maintaining artistic integrity while pursuing industry recognition. 

This year’s Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will air on ABC March 10 at 6 p.m. CDT.

Amelious Whyte stepped into his new role as the interim director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) on Jan. 11.

Interviewing over Zoom, Whyte had the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C., behind him as a virtual background, echoing his leadership in CLA’s Dream Initiative in 2023, which celebrated the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington.

Such details are characteristic of Whyte’s dedication to the principles of DEI, both professionally and personally.

“For us to do what we need to do in this space, we need to transform things,” Whyte said. “We need to change how we do things so that it becomes part of the culture. So it’s not something ‘Amelious did,’ and if Amelious is gone, it stops. It just becomes part of the way we operate.”

Whyte said he learned about the new position before going on vacation but did not begin the transition until he returned to work on Jan. 2. Whyte was the former assistant dean of DEI and public engagement for CLA. 

Whyte is succeeding Malinda Lindquist, the former associate dean of DEI for CLA, and hopes to build upon the work of his predecessor.

 Lindquist is responsible for having established the Office of DEI in CLA in 2021. The Office of DEI provides leadership and support in areas of racial equity and justice, including work culture, action plans to narrow student equity gaps and retention of faculty and staff, CLA spokesperson Tessa Eagan said in an email to The Minnesota Daily. 

 DEI plays an important role in CLA as a cornerstone of its roadmap. To advance this, Whyte said he plans on collaborating with and listening to others and finding ways for people not directly involved with DEI to contribute to this work.

When considering his previous work, Whyte mentions his “Points of Pride,” a document that details all of his accomplishments for every role he has held at the University.

“I often will say to people, ‘The U’s been good to me,’ and people will say, ‘Well, you’ve been good to it,’” Whyte said.

Whyte has worked at the University professionally since 1993, beginning as the assistant to the vice president of student affairs, ending up in CLA in 2015.

Despite his previous positions not requiring him to do so, Whyte involved himself in DEI-related committees. He helped create CLA’s Equity Lens Policy Review Committee in 2018 to review all policy in CLA through an equity lens while he was the college’s director of public engagement.

“When I think about my work, even though DEI was not a part of my responsibility, it was how I did my work,” Whyte said. “I’d find ways to make a difference in that space.”

Louis Clark, assistant dean for advancement in CLA, has worked directly with Whyte for five years.

“To a degree, he’s a bit of an institution,” Clark said. “A lot of people will point you in his direction.”

According to Clark, the work at the Office of DEI impacts both a diverse faculty and a diverse student body — 63% of American Indian students and 57% of African American students are enrolled in CLA

“When Dr. Lindquist was hired to lead the team, I thought one of the smartest things that she could do was be able to recruit Dr. Whyte to join the team, and he did,” Clark said. “He’s personified it a lot longer, and now he gets a chance to lead. We’re incredibly lucky.”

Whyte first came to the University of Minnesota in the fall of 1990 and enrolled in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs to pursue his masters degree in public affairs. Later, he went on to get his doctorate degree in organizational leadership and policy development at the College of Education and Human Development 

Darwin Hendel, an associate professor emeritus and Whyte’s doctoral advisor, said Whyte’s education and experiences at the University give him an invaluable foundation for understanding the complexities of a large and diverse research university.

“Amelious has a personality that’s well suited to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds with diverse interests, some of which may not always be consistent with each other,” Hendel said.

Interim Dean of CLA Ann Waltner expressed in an email her gratitude for Whyte’s decision to serve as the interim director and said she is confident he will continue to grow the DEI work that began under his predecessor.

“Dr. Whyte has been a leader in the University of Minnesota community for over two decades,” Waltner continued, “and an integral colleague in CLA’s Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion since the office was created.”

Correction: A previous version of the article misstated an original job title for Whyte. He began as the Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs.

Head football coach P.J. Fleck walked into his toughest challenge in the 2023 season and, although disappointing, the Gophers still finished strong, winning Fleck’s fifth bowl game in just seven years.

Throughout Fleck’s seven seasons, he set impressive standards, having won nine or more games three out of the last four years. This year, he faced one of the toughest schedules in the entire country.

The peak of the season was Fleck’s first victory over bitter rival Iowa at Kinnick Stadium. However, there were various valleys, including multiple late-game losses to Northwestern and Illinois.

“Developmental program” are two words heard around Minneapolis when Fleck speaks to the media. In an injury-riddled season, including crucial players going down at almost every position group, Minnesota was forced to speed up the development of some of its younger players.

Players like Darius Taylor, Maverick Baranowski, Jordan Nubin and Aidan Gousby all stepped into larger roles than intended heading into the year. The underclassmen got their first full season of experience in the Big Ten and look to build on that for next season.

Fleck, during his opening dialogue announcing the class of 2024 on National Signing Day on Dec. 20, 2023, said Minnesota has always been a developmental program during his time in Minneapolis.

“We said from day one we’re always going to be a high school developmental program,” Fleck said.

The sentiment regarding the program’s recruiting still rings true as Fleck announced another massive class of incoming players, highlighted by two players dubbed the best players in their respective states in Koi Perich (Minn.) and Riley Sunram (N.D.).

Fleck makes sure young players develop into stars, whether it is Tyler Nubin, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Jordan Howden or Mohamed Ibrahim. Another name who did not get as much shine for his impactful contributions is center Nathan Boe.

Boe was named a captain for the 2023 season and went on to his sixth season wearing the maroon and gold. Boe said he never imagined he would lead the Gophers out on senior day at Huntington Bank Stadium.

“I can’t thank Coach Fleck enough,” Boe said. “I would have never thought I would have been leading the guys out of the tunnel as a senior. … I think if you stick through something and you grit it out, you’d be shocked at what can happen.”

Boe is a prime example of how the developmental program works. The former Gophers center was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention for his performance in 2023.

In the new era of college football, the transfer portal is now an incredibly useful tool for roster building. According to SportSource, in 2019, just 6.4% of FBS rosters included transfers. As of 2023, that number grew to 20.5%.

Defensive lineman Kyler Baugh transferred to Minnesota after three years at Houston Baptist. Baugh accumulated 41 tackles, including three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in his final season at Minnesota.

Baugh said Fleck is not satisfied with a good season and is always working to improve.

“I just feel like Coach Fleck, he never settles for anything,” Baugh said. “If we have a good season, he wants to have an even better season. So he’s going to work even harder than he did the season before.”

Fleck, in his seven seasons leading the Gophers, has the best winning percentage (.595) of any Minnesota head coach since Bernie Bierman (1950). 

Fleck hit a milestone with his bowl game victory over Bowling Green and became just the fifth coach in program history to hit 50 career wins.

Minnesota is still looking to grow as the Big Ten only becomes more challenging next season with the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.

After losing key players on both sides of the ball, the Gophers will rely on the experience Fleck helped coordinate for the underclassmen this past year going into 2024.

University of Minnesota law professor Richard Painter and former University Regent Michael Hsu encouraged in December the Department of Education to investigate antisemitism at the University following a statement made by the Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies Department (GWSS).

The GWSS statement condemned all forms of state-sponsored terrorism by the Israeli government in Gaza. The department focused on addressing the University directly, emphasizing the urgent need for economic divestment from the settler state, and supporting student and faculty advocates amid potential backlash. 

Even after explicitly stating that opposition to the illegal settlement was in no way antisemitic, the statement still drew criticism. 

Painter said through condemnation of Israel’s war crimes by faculty members, Jewish students would feel intimidated in their academic institutions. 

“This has to do with the abuse of power and the potential future of abuse if this is not addressed,” Painter said.

The pending investigation isn’t a shock. Similar attacks are occurring at 98 other college campuses across the United States, where an outpouring of support for the Free Palestine movement has been met with allegations of antisemitism. These allegations are not only harmful to pro-Palestinian advocacy — they’re simply not true. 

Supporters of the Israeli government have falsely compared antisemitism to anti-Zionism. Zionism operates on the belief that Israel is solely a Jewish state, viewing the occupation as necessary. This ideology has been used to justify the deaths of 25,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7, not even including those who have died during prior decades of violence. 

However, Zionism and Judaism cannot be compared. The belief that these ideologies are interchangeable characterizes Jewish people as a monolith. As many as one in 10 Jewish people support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement — an important percentage to note when falsely equating the religion with the ideology. Equating the actions of a historically oppressive government with a religious group is even more problematic in the context of a violent occupation.  

Emily Chu, a member of the University’s Students for a Democratic Society, said Painter and Hsu’s claims are weak. Especially given the prevalence of groups such as Jewish Voices for Peace protesting for a free Palestine, it becomes clear that claims of antisemitism are intended to demonize the movement. 

“I see the conflation [of pro-Palestinian advocacy] with antisemitism as a way to create a legal, legitimate basis for the repression of pro-Palestinian voices,” Chu said.

Relentless false accusations of antisemitism intended to discredit pro-Palestinian advocacy force activist groups to defend themselves constantly. Students for Justice in Palestine, a multi-chapter group at the University, released a statement with other Big Ten Schools to reject the mischaracterization of their mission as antisemitic. 

These allegations are stalling the progress these organizations work tirelessly for.

“The pro-Palestinian movement has done so much work to heavily regulate and police their image to appear palatable to the media,” Chu said. “There is a double standard in how our activism is treated compared to pro-Israeli voices when they speak their rhetoric.”

Accusations of antisemitism have fostered a culture of silence and fear for Palestinian activist groups. 

These claims are made to paint advocates negatively, forcing them to backtrack on their activism in self-defense, said Ali Abu-Atieh, board member of Students for Justice in Palestine. The rhetoric used by pro-Palestinian groups isn’t antisemitic. The intention is to villainize these movements through false claims. 

According to Painter, the complaint isn’t intended to target student-led advocacy groups but instead to discourage faculty members from making statements he believes violate Title VI. Title VI prohibits discrimination of individuals on the basis of race, color and origin in programs that receive public funding, such as schools. 

Criticisms of the Israeli government are in no way discriminatory towards Jewish students. False claims of antisemitism on every level have become a means of mass gaslighting to curb Palestinian liberation movements. His complaint only reiterates the harmful, baseless rhetoric that defenders of Israel use to wrongfully justify attacks on both Palestinians and the people who fight for them. 

The belief that antisemitism and the Free Palestine movement are synonymous is a dangerous false equivalence. The Department of Education’s investigation is an example of advocacy being silenced under the guise of curbing hate. 

It goes without saying that violence is unacceptable. But focusing on false claims of antisemitism and mislabeling pro-Palestinian activists as endorsers of violence is disingenuous. 

Although the GWSS department was explicit in its intention to solely criticize the actions of the Israeli government, using antisemitism as a red herring to distract from the unfolding genocide in Gaza is becoming increasingly common. 

Two Edina High School students were suspended for three days after using a pro-Palestinian chant. Columbia University suspended two pro-Palestine student groups for “threatening rhetoric and intimidation” during peaceful demonstrations. A Palestinian student was expelled from a Florida high school after his mother posted pro-Palestine content on social media on the grounds of “hateful and incendiary” speech. These false claims suppress students from exercising their freedom of speech and protest. 

Injustice under a different name is still injustice. Using false accusations of antisemitism to silence pro-Palestinian activists isn’t just problematic — it actively puts their lives at risk. In October, a man attempted to attack peaceful protestors with a box cutter outside the Walker Art Center. He then attempted to get in his car and drive straight through the crowd. Other violent attacks on protestors have occurred throughout the nation.

I applaud the GWSS department for using their platform to condemn the violence unfolding in Gaza. Our educators have one unwavering duty: to educate. 

In a world where condemning the gross human rights violations orchestrated by the Israeli government has somehow become controversial, the department demonstrated courage and integrity. It is imperative the University follows suit and meets the department’s demands to protect its students and faculty.

The annual Luxton Fire and Ice Festival returns Saturday, despite the warm weather, allowing Prospect Park residents to reconnect for the new year.

The Fire and Ice Festival takes place at Luxton Park at 112 Williams Ave. SE and features a bonfire, horse-drawn hayrides, music, a book exchange and food and drinks. The festival’s food goes toward the Luxton Learners summer program.

Luxton Park is remodeling to build Spark’d Studio that will include STEM-based activities, according to Luxton Recreation Supervisor Steve Zimmer. This year the festival will include microscopes from the studio along with a Touch Table and face painting. 

The main attraction of the festival is the bonfire made of dried-up holiday trees from the neighborhood. 

Lydia McAnerney, a member of the Prospect Park Environment Committee, said the community aspect and involvement are big attractions for her.

“I’ve lived in Prospect Park for 23 years and, when my kids were younger, we would go as a family,” McAnerney said. “Our Christmas tree would get picked up to be used as part of the festival.”

Zimmer said this year is the first time the temperature is going to be this high and dry, so they are paying attention to fire warnings. He added that if there is a warning, the bonfire will be postponed but the activities will still take place. 

Jean Emmons, senior program manager at Luxton Learners, said that despite the lack of snow, she will still enjoy the bonfire, the night sky and the hayride.

“It’s really fun to go on the hay bale ride,” Emmons said. “It’s silly, you just go around the walking track, but there’s something special about it.”

The festival brings a lot of different people from the neighborhood together to kick off the year, Zimmer said. Emmons said they have not done many community events because of COVID-19.

“There’s other larger get-togethers, but this one just kind of brings people together,” Zimmer said. “A lot of people that come attend the Luxton Learners after-school program and the summer camp, so it’s all like one big happy family almost in a way.” 

The Luxton Learners summer enrichment program is for children from kindergarten to 16 years old, and Emmons provides them with a place where they are accepted, supported and successful. The profits help fund art materials, food and field trips for the children in the program.

They take field trips to places like Tower Hill and Bridal Veil Community Gardens and partner with the Textile Center for classes to try to connect with the community as much as they can, Emmons said.

Emmons added she likes to get children involved with the festival by helping make menus and posters and providing them with a treat and drink at the festival.

According to Emmons, she receives help from students at the University through America Reads or the Community Engaged Learning Program and hopes to see them at the festival. 

“They do so much for us,” Emmons said. “We would not be able to sustain the program without their energy, their time and care for us, so I would love to see that happen.” 

McAnerney said a big draw for people is that the festival is an opportunity to see people that you do not see in the winter.

“You don’t have to do anything, you just come,” McAnerney said. “You come and you see your neighbors and you remember why you’re part of this neighborhood.”

Head coach for Gophers women’s basketball Dawn Plitzuweit announced Monday leading scorer Mara Braun will be out indefinitely after suffering a foot injury against Illinois on Sunday, requiring surgery.

Braun’s injury came early in the fourth quarter after falling on her foot following a jump shot. The sophomore hit her fist on the court while seemingly in pain. She quickly got up, limped to the other end of the court and resumed play.

“The development of Mara’s game on both ends of the court this season has been such a joy to watch, and while we know that this setback is incredibly frustrating, we also know that she will continue to be a great teammate and leader in our program,” Plitzuweit said in her statement.

Junior Maggie Czinano went to sub in for Braun, but Braun waved her off, refusing to leave the court. Czinano eventually checked in for Braun later in the game.

The void left by Braun’s shooting will take a toll on the Gophers as they are knee-deep in conference play. Braun ranks second in the nation in free throw percentage (95%) and fourth in the Big Ten in scoring (17.8 points per game).

Braun’s absence leaves a hole in Plitzuweit’s starting lineup, which she has kept consistent since the first game of the season.

“This is also an opportunity for other players to step up and make things happen on both ends of the court for us,” Plitzuweit said.

The Gophers dropped their last two matches on the road and will return to Williams Arena on Wednesday to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Battle of the Bands, an annual showdown where student bands compete for a chance to perform at Spring Jam in April, kicks off Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. in The Whole Music Club.

The University of Minnesota’s Student Unions & Activities (SUA) is hosting one competition every Friday in February. Each of the four contests will feature four student bands, with the audience voting for their favorite from each night to win a spot in the final round at Spring Jam. The remaining four acts will face off in April until one group is crowned champion.

For many of these bands, competitions like this are about much more than just playing another gig.

Events like Battle of the Bands allow for student music groups to meet and form connections with each other, further strengthening the University’s band community.

Pullstring is an alternative-rock band with Green Day influences that will perform at the second battle on Feb. 9. The band started at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic when music venues started to open back up, according to Alex Fuller, a senior studying psychology at the University.

Fuller, who plays guitar and is the main vocalist and songwriter for Pullstring, said Battle of the Bands provides valuable opportunities for bands to network and support each other.

This is not the first time Pullstring has competed. They performed last spring and went up against the eventual grand champion, Dial Tone, in the preliminary round. Since then, Pullstring has played multiple shows with Dial Tone and connected them with a music studio to record their debut album.

“That’s a whole lot of connections out of that one show,” Fuller said.

Joshua Taylor, a junior studying math who plays saxophone for The Gentlebrass, another group performing, shares this sentiment of a supportive campus band community. He said student bands at the University have been extremely encouraging, and it is common for groups to go to one another’s gigs.

The Gentlebrass, an all-brass band that specializes in covers, is competing in the third battle on Feb. 16. Also second-time Battle of the Bands performers, they progressed all the way to the Spring Jam final round.

While competing at Spring Jam last April, Blake LaBarge, a junior studying music and who plays trombone for The Gentlebrass, said getting to perform with other groups at Battle of the Bands was a great way to expand their network.

“Interacting with the other bands was also very cool because they’re all nice people, they’re all just there, you know, playing music, having fun,” LaBarge said. “It’s just nice to kind of connect and network.”

Not only does Battle of the Bands introduce music groups to each other, but it allows for bands to perform for new audiences and broaden their reach.

Another band performing, this time on Feb. 2, is Emily and The Space Butterflies, an indie pop rock band with Olivia Rodrigo-esque undercurrents that formed last February. As a newer band, they understand the importance of playing gigs that will expose them to new audiences.

Emily Malmgren, a senior music education major who is the namesake of the band, serves as the lead vocalist, songwriter and keyboardist for the group. After seeing the application call for Battle of the Bands, she thought it would be a good idea for the group to try to take part in the event to reach new people.

Henry Rieffer, another senior music education major who plays bass for the band, said Battle of the Bands also provides the opportunity for other genres of music to be featured on a broader scale within the University.

According to Rieffer, the University’s School of Music, along with many colleges across the nation, primarily focuses on classical and jazz and does not offer much space for rock and pop music that Emily and The Space Butterflies concentrates on.

Ultimately, events like Battle of the Bands are important for both the performer and the attendee in increasing access to art on campus, said Jacques Tousignant, a recent music education graduate of the University who plays guitar and trombone in the group.

“You have a place at the U, people your age and people who can easily just come see the show because they’re on campus, fellow students,” Tousignant said. “I think [Battle of the Bands] gives a really good, accessible way for you to play a show for people and get some experience doing that.”

Battle of the Bands starts on Feb. 2 and continues every Friday for the rest of February.

The former mayor of Watson, Minnesota who threatened to open fire at the University of Minnesota in early January was charged on Jan. 17 with two counts of violence and illegal possession of ammunition.

Joseph Mark Rongstad, 41, was arrested late afternoon on Jan. 11 after a several-hour-long standoff, according to the court filing. He has a bail of $1 million with no conditions and will appear in court Feb. 8.

A search of Rongstad’s home left authorities to find several boxes of ammunition and unidentified pills among other items, but no gun. He said he never planned on coming to campus, despite his remarks, according to Rongstad’s case file.

Rongstad made his initial threats to “start killing kids” on the Twin Cities campus via a Facebook post on a landscaping business account. When he was questioned, Rongstad said he was the sole user of the account.

Upon questioning, Rongstatd said when he served as mayor he started getting into “government stuff, such as mind reading, MK Ultra-mind control and shadow government.”

Rongstad was elected mayor of Watson in 2012 and later committed in court in June 2016 for mental illness.

The University’s Public Safety Department asked all employees deemed non-essential to work from home after checking in with their supervisor on Jan. 11 as schools in the region followed lockdown procedures.

Individual schools within the University were invited to communicate with students directly at the discretion of the school’s Dean or leadership team, said University spokesperson Jake Ricker in an email to the Minnesota Daily.

According to a press release from the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the West Central SWAT Team and the FBI were involved in the investigation behind Rongstad’s actions.

BCA’s Director of Communications Howie Padilla said in an email that UMPD led the investigation.

According to Chippewa County court records, Rongstad was most recently convicted of a misdemeanor traffic offense in July 2023 and a felony charge for possession of drugs in June 2023.

The University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management is set to begin renovations to the Carlson building starting in December, with changes including a new name, atrium, auditorium and study spaces.

The blueprints for the Carlson building were drawn in 1995, almost 30 years ago. Now, with their $40 million project called Connecting Carlson, Carlson hopes changes to the building will give their students a competitive edge in the ever-changing business world. 

Steve Henneberry, director of  Strategic and Faculty Communications at Carlson, said while the day-to-day experience will be the same for students, the physical spaces will be different, bringing everyone together. 

“We need a space that’s going to really enhance what we’re doing,” Henneberry said. “What do we absolutely need to get done so that we can maintain a competitive edge and also make sure our faculty and staff and our students are in an environment where that’s going to meet their needs today.”

According to Henneberry, at least 12 donors, consisting of people, families and foundations, donated gifts to a total of $24 million in support of the project with the rest of the $40 million expected to come in the future. Henneberry said they also had to work with University Finance to get money to keep the project moving forward and in time while they continue to fundraise. 

Marilyn Carlson Nelson, the daughter of Curt Carlson, the building’s namesake, is the lead donor for the project. 

Upon completion, the Carlson building will be renamed to Marilyn Carlson Nelson Hall, the first University building named after a female philanthropist, according to Henneberry. 

Theresa Glomb, a professor at Carlson and the department chair of Work and Organizations, said many people are proud to be working in a building named for Carlson Nelson, who is a pillar in the business community. 

“Most people don’t think about the individual a building is named after, and it’s striking how few honor women,” Glomb said. “Naming our building after Marilyn Carlson Nelson will not just be a point of pride for Carlson students, but also a point of optimism that we might have more inclusivity and diversity in naming buildings and spaces on campus.” 

Amy Do, a second-year marketing and entrepreneurial management student at Carlson, said the business world is still male-dominated, so having representation and someone to look up to is really significant. 

“Especially being a businesswoman, I think this is a novel step for us, especially seeing a woman representing us in this big school, this big establishment, so I would express a lot of gratefulness and overall happiness,” Do said. 

As for the project, Do said she is glad the money is coming from sponsors and other sources, not tuition. 

Niko Vasilopoulos, Student Body President of the Carlson School, said the project being funded entirely from the outside is a big deal. 

“I think it’s really cool that we’re able to have the nice resources and facilities that we do because of our alumni,” Vasilopoulos said. 

Vasilopoulos added students are heard when it comes to the project, with more study spaces and experiential learning opportunities. 

“We’re way over capacity,” Vasilopoulos said. “This renovation will help us alleviate some of that crowding. We’ve made it clear that we want some more space, and they’re making it happen.” 

Josh Atilade is a second-year biology major who said he is happy for Carlson. He added he is excited for the future of the business school and what they will be using the money for.

“For me personally, I wouldn’t like it if my business school is kind of lacking,” Atilade said. “I like all of them to kind of be on the same page.” 

Henneberry said with the landscape of business schools across the country, the amenities for students are significantly different. 

“I think it’s looking at the space and seeing that other schools across the U.S. and within the Twin Cities have newer spaces and have amenities that students are responding to,” Henneberry said.

At a launch event held for the project in the fall, Carlson Nelson spoke to the attendees, according to Henneberry. 

“She said, ‘we simply can’t expect our renowned faculty to do the job teaching and innovating for tomorrow’s connecting world in yesterday’s 27-year-old spaces. An analog space in an AI world,’” Henneberry said. 

Glomb said she likes the idea of renovating and refreshing instead of knocking down the building and restarting. 

“With the plans and the goals we have for that space, we hope to invoke an idea, not just of education, but community and collaboration and connectivity,” Glomb said.

This article has been updated.

Hot off the celebrations from last year’s 20th anniversary of “The Room,” a cult-classic film, Greg Sestero, who plays the character Mark in the film, attended a screening of the film at the Coffman Memorial Union Theater on Saturday, providing live commentary and took questions from the audience before the showing.

Sestero’s 2013 memoir “The Disaster Artist,” a book about the making of “The Room” (which has been called “the Citizen Kane of bad movies”), was adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film directed by and starring James Franco in 2017.

Sestero has made feature films of his own in recent years, with his directorial debut “Miracle Valley” premiering at film festivals in 2021 and a UFO movie called “Forbidden Sky” currently in the works.

The Minnesota Daily spoke with Sestero ahead of his appearance at the Coffman Memorial Union Theater on Saturday.

The Minnesota Daily: I saw one interview where you said you had only seen “The Room” about five times yourself. Has that remained true?

Greg Sestero: “So as of last year I had only seen it a few times, but most recently with it being the 20th anniversary I have seen it more times. I will admit that the more I’ve seen it, the more enjoyable it’s become, oddly, especially with the crowd. Because the audiences in the room are so much fun, it’s almost a new experience every time. I realize that it is just a really fun movie, it’s a really fun communal experience.”

Daily: Do you have a favorite part of the movie or a favorite part that the audience always gets a kick out of?

Sestero: “I really enjoy the birthday party. That scene has so much going on and it feels like you’re at a birthday party. You go up on the roof, then you come back, there’s so many nuances that the crowd picks apart. So I’d say that’s definitely one of my favorites.”

Daily: The movie turned 20 years old last year. How has your relationship with the film evolved over time?

Sestero: “I think I’ve come to appreciate ‘The Room’ more over the past couple years, realizing that it’s a movie that brings a lot of people together, makes a lot of people happy. I think that any filmmakers, that’s what they hope their films do – obviously ‘The Room’ is unique in how it does that. But I’ve definitely come to appreciate it, especially seeing crowds around the world that come out to see it.”

Daily: As the movie became a cult classic in the 2000’s, did you have any idea that you might still be attending screenings for it with a bunch of fans 20 years after the fact?

Sestero: “No. Really I didn’t think that anybody would ever see it. So many movies come out every year, huge budgets, Marvels, dramas, you know movie-making has been an ongoing thing now for over 100 years. So especially making ‘The Room,’ being an indie film made with your friend, I never could have expected that, I don’t think anybody could have. But that’s sort of the beauty of cinema and art is you don’t know what’s gonna touch people.”

Daily: Shifting gears slightly, what was it like working with Tommy Wiseau again on his new movie “Big Shark”?

Sestero: “It’s always a fun experience working with Tommy. We made a movie called Best F(r)iends which he acted in, he was really funny and really engaging playing a mortician. With this movie I think he really goes all out and makes something that, again, ironically is very very fun with a crowd.”

Daily: How would you say the audience reaction has been to “Big Shark” versus “The Room”?

Sestero: “Well ‘The Room’ is, you know, it’s such a unique phenomenon in the way people respond to it and engage with it. So I think now, you know, Tommy is obviously very earnest in what he makes and he knows how to make something that the crowd gets excited by. I think it’s just for a different time, different era, I think both movies will play really well together and really give the audience when they leave the theater, they’re going to be feeling like ‘Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything quite like that.” I think that’s what makes these movies unique, they’re not studio-driven, they’re truly coming from one mind whos sees the world in a very different way.”

Daily: You released your directorial debut “Miracle Valley” a couple of years ago, do you have any other creative projects in the works right now?

Sestero: “Yeah, I’m making a UFO abduction movie called ‘Forbidden Sky,’ and I’m gonna be making that later this year. We did a Kickstarter for it to involve the fans for the 20th anniversary and it was really great. A lot of people were excited for it. I’m also working on my Home Alone sequel that I wrote at 12-years-old called ‘Home Alone: Lost in Disney World.’”

Daily: Is it true that John Hughes wrote to you after you sent that screenplay in?

Sestero: “He did. It was a sequel I mailed to his production office in Lake Forest, Illinois. So he was shocked at how far I took it and sent me a really nice letter about how important it is to follow your dreams.”

Daily: Back to “The Room,” there’s the “The Room Returns!” remake starring Bob Odenkirk, the more dramatized version of it. You’re in that playing Chris R., right?

Sestero: “Yeah it was a charity shoot thing that they’re still kind of putting together. It was kind of a one-day thing for charity.”

Daily: What was your reaction when you heard about that concept coming to life?

Sestero: “It’s for a charity called amfAR, they take classic works like ‘Breakfast Club’, or ‘Great Gatsby’ and do a reading of it. So I thought, what a great honor, you know with it being ‘The Room’s’s 20th anniversary, to do something like that with it.”

Daily: What was it like celebrating the 20th anniversary last year for “The Room?”

Sestero: “It was great. I mean, just the support for it, it was screened around the country I think in 600 theaters. So many places around the world were now getting a chance to go. It’s really been a fun, fun journey to see where it started to see where it is now and the generations of people. Like families now, they saw ‘The Room’ when they were in their teens and now they have kids and it’s just a really, really cool full-circle moment.”