University of Minnesota Archives

Colleges Move to Arm Officers in Response to Inner-City Crime After Previous Calls to Defund the Police

May 29, 2023 Admin

Two inner-city colleges are arming their on-campus police officers in an effort to crack down on increased crime three years after activists called for departments across the country to be defunded.

George Washington University (GWU), located in Washington D.C., announced it will allow some officers to carry firearms while on duty after typically relying on other armed police departments, while Portland State University (PSU), located in, reversed a 2021 policy that restricted officer’s ability to arm themselves. The decisions come three years after activists across the country took to the streets in 2020 demanding policing reform, including calls to defund departments, which sources tell the Daily Caller News Foundation will better prepare officers to deal with emergency situations when they occur.

University of Minnesota Scrubs Information on Racially Segregated Event After Federal Complaint

May 23, 2023May 22, 2023 Admin

The University of Minnesota recently held an event just for “BIPOC students” considering grad school, prompting a complaint to be filed with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights alleging racial discrimination.

As the feds review the complaint’s merits, the university scrubbed the event page and wiped information about the gathering from its website.

University of Minnesota Report: Evidence Doesn’t Support Claims of Ranked Choice Voting Advocates

April 2, 2023April 1, 2023 Admin

There is little evidence to support the claims of ranked choice voting (RCV) advocates, according to a new report from the University of Minnesota.

Professor Larry Jacobs and PhD candidate Penny Thomas with the Humphrey School of Public Affairs said they have “carefully reviewed the track record” of RCV and it “fails to support four of the advocates’ promises for improvements over today’s system.”

University of Minnesota to Host Author of ‘The 1619 Project’

November 23, 2022November 22, 2022 Admin

The University of Minnesota has announced an event with Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of the The 1619 Project, a journalistic endeavor that “aims to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.”

On the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 6, Jones will be participating in a “moderated discussion” with Kyndell Harkness, a photographer and assistant managing editor of diversity and community at the Star Tribune. The event, free and open to the public, is hosted by U of M’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

University of Minnesota Professors Call Abortion Restrictions an ‘Assault on Racial Equity’

September 13, 2022September 12, 2022 Minnesota Sun Staff

Two professors and one graduate researcher at the University of Minnesota have called the Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson — which overturned the constitutional right to an abortion — a “direct assault on efforts to improve racial equity in health care.”

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, the article, titled “Abortion Access as a Racial Justice Issue,” argues that lawmakers and health care workers ought to treat restrictions on legal abortion as “fundamentally a racial justice issue,” the Star Tribune first reported.

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, University of Minnesota Ask Businesses to Report Food Sourcing Practices

September 6, 2022 The Center Square

A Minnesota Department of Agriculture and University of Minnesota partnership is surveying state businesses that source, distribute or serve food.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program grant funds the three-year Statewide Cooperative Partnership for Local and Regional Markets, which designed the survey.

Medical Students Take ‘Anti-Racism’ Oath at University of Minnesota

September 3, 2022September 2, 2022 Admin

University of Minnesota Medical School students took an oath to “promote a culture of anti-racism” during an Aug. 19 white coat ceremony.

White coats, the students said, are themselves a “symbol of power, prestige, and dominance.” Therefore, students will “strive to reclaim their identity as a symbol of responsibility, humility, and loving kindness.”

University of Minnesota Police ‘Maxed Out’ on Patrols as Campus Move-In Nears

August 28, 2022August 28, 2022 Admin

University of Minnesota Police Squad Car

University of Minnesota Police Chief Matt Clark told a Wednesday night campus safety forum that his patrols are “maxed out” in response to continued campus-area safety concerns as well as off-campus violent crime incidents.

Clark’s comments were part of a 90-minute panel discussion and Q&A hosted by the University of Minnesota’s newly-formed Strategic Safety Advisory Committee. Several students, parents, and community members were present in the live audience, and the forum was also broadcast live on YouTube.

University of Minnesota President Leaves Public Safety Meeting After 10 Minutes

July 14, 2022July 13, 2022 Minnesota Sun Staff

University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel Zoomed into an in-person public safety forum Monday night and left after just 10 minutes, angering some parents who fear for their children’s safety.

The university has seen a 45 percent increase in violent crime since 2019.

‘Nobody’s Listening’: Parents Outraged by Rise in Crime at University of Minnesota

June 25, 2022June 24, 2022 Admin

Crime is out of control at the University of Minnesota and parents are tired of the finger-pointing.

Many attended a community meeting Tuesday night at the Van Cleve Recreation Center but were disappointed with the outcome.

‘Gopher Equity Project’ Targets First-Year Students with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Discussions, Books, Podcasts

March 28, 2022March 27, 2022 Admin

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities has sponsored a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) project tailored to first-year students.

The Gopher Equity Project is a “campus-wide collaboration” that incorporates DEI as an “online module for all undergraduate students” with “follow-up discussions in first-year courses or campus-wide Discussion Groups, and a website with additional resources.”

All undergraduate students are offered and encouraged to take trainings that teach “concepts about equity, power, privilege, oppression, and identity.” In order to transition to UMN’s campus, “first-year students take the online training” and “will have follow-up conversations in their first-year college courses.”

The University of Minnesota Admits the COVID-19 Vaccine Doesn’t Stop Transmission, Will ‘Probably’ Mandate Boosters Anyway

January 18, 2022January 17, 2022 Minnesota Sun Staff

The University of Minnesota admitted in an email to its student body that the COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t prevent transmission of the virus — yet the school says it will “probably” require more boosters for its students.

Public Health Officer Jakub Tolar sent an email to the student body answering some frequently asked questions about the virus earlier this month.

“I’m vaccinated, does that mean I can’t get COVID-19?” one question reads. “No,” the school responds, stressing that omicron remains “easily transmissible” even among the university’s fully-vaccinated population.

Transgender Ideology Threatens Future of Sports, Warns Former University of Minnesota Swimmer

January 12, 2022January 11, 2022 Admin

A former member of the women’s swimming and diving team at the University of Minnesota has sounded the alarm against the inclusion of biological men in women’s athletics.

On Dec. 19, Jenna Stocker published an article in National Review that called transgender athletes an “affront to the fairness of sports.”

“Nothing has threatened the future of sports more than transgender integration,” she said.

University of Minnesota Professor Says Critical Race Theory Is Not ‘Revolutionary Enough’

November 29, 2021November 28, 2021 Admin

A University of Minnesota professor thinks the only problem with critical race theory is that “it’s not revolutionary enough.”

According to political science professor August Nimtz, CRT is “rooted in the frustrations of African American civil rights lawyers who more than seven decades ago had sought to employ the country’s legal system to redress racial discrimination.”

University of Minnesota Tells Students to Check the Race of Authors They Cite

November 17, 2021November 16, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Libraries, the peer review process, algorithms and data are all racist, according to the University of Minnesota.

The university maintains a research guide that “shares racist research systems and practices, followed by resources for mitigating those problematic systems and practices,” Campus Reform first reported. This guide alleges that virtually every academic resource is racist but that students can overcome institutional racism by abandoning traditional academic standards.

Google Is Racist, Says University of Minnesota Research Guide

November 15, 2021November 14, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Two librarians at the University of Minnesota recently published a research guide claiming, among other things, that statistics and search algorithms like Google’s are racist.

The guide “was developed in response to librarians fielding multiple requests from UMN researchers looking to incorporate anti-racism into their research practices,” according to the university website.

University of Minnesota Beats First Amendment Challenge to ‘Heckler’s Veto’ Against Ben Shapiro Event

October 18, 2021October 17, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Sixteen minutes after learning that a University of Minnesota student group booked conservative commentator Ben Shapiro to speak at its main campus in Minneapolis, then-president Eric Kaler declared, “I do not want this in the middle of campus.”

All he knew at that point, four months before the February 2018 event, was that Shapiro was “a right wing speaker and he made some appearances on other campuses.”

Citing security needs, the university ended up putting Shapiro in a venue on its St. Paul campus, far from student housing. Demand far exceeded capacity, and a regent accused the university of passing over a larger venue on the main campus that was easier to secure.

University of Minnesota Sees 38 Percent Drop in Crime After Increased Police Presence

September 27, 2021September 26, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Police officer on University of Minnesota campus handing out donuts

The Minneapolis neighborhood where the University of Minnesota is located has seen a notable crime drop after increasing its police presence.

According to The Minnesota Daily, the total number of “property and violent crimes” in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood has fallen from a peak of 129 in May to 80 in August — a 38 percent decrease.

As previously reported by both The Daily and The College Fix, Marcy-Holmes residents became particularly concerned about the level of crime following a June 19 shooting that injured three U of M students.

University of Minnesota Hosts ‘What You Need to Know About Trump Supporters’

September 6, 2021 Hayley Feland

The University of Minnesota (UMN) is hosting an event titled “What You Need to Know About Trump Supporters.” According to an event description posted on the University of Minnesota website, the event will be presented by a former Yale University professor and Democrat pollster, Stanley Greenberg. The description says, “Pollster Stan Greenberg shares his research regarding Trump voters and how the trends he finds will influence future U.S. elections.”

University of Minnesota Hosts ‘What You Need to Know About Trump Supporters’

September 6, 2021September 5, 2021 Hayley Feland

Minnesota Governor Walz to Require COVID Vaccine for Government Employees

August 13, 2021August 12, 2021 Hayley Feland

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that the COVID vaccine will be required for government employees in Minnesota. If employees choose not to be vaccinated and get an exemption, they will need to undergo weekly COVID testing. The State of Minnesota is the second largest business to require employees to be vaccinated, with over 40,000 employees, second to Mayo Clinic.

University of Minnesota Will Require Student Vaccination If FDA Approved

August 11, 2021August 10, 2021 Hayley Feland

The University of Minnesota announced that they will require the COVID vaccine for students if the vaccine is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved. As long as the plan to mandate the vaccine is approved by the Board, the University has said that they will offer some exemptions, the email from University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel said. The vaccine will not be required for faculty or staff.

University of Minnesota Professor Opposes School Hiring Police ‘in the City of George Floyd Uprising’

August 9, 2021August 8, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

A professor at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is pushing back against the school’s decision to hire more police officers.

Nate Mills, a professor of English, criticized the school in a tweet saying “In consistency with the city of Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota has decided, in the city of the George Floyd Uprising and continued racist police violence, that it too needs *more* police officers.”

In consistency with the city of Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota has decided, in the city of the George Floyd Uprising and continued racist police violence, that it too needs *more* police officers: pic.twitter.com/WANoIeaY5S— Nate Mills (@frozenagitation) July 23, 2021

University of Minnesota Faculty Pushing for Mandatory COVID Vaccinations

August 7, 2021August 6, 2021 Hayley Feland

More than 500 University of Minnesota faculty, staff, students, and alumni signed a letter asking the university to mandate the COVID vaccine for the 2021 school year as cases continue to rise. According to WCCO, a statement released by The University of Minnesota chapter of the American Association of University Professors says that there is “broad frustration and deep anger among faculty at Twin Cities that has been building over the summer about the unsafe reopening policies put forward by the administration.”

University of Minnesota Website Scrubs Reference to China Origin for COVID after Bias Complain

July 26, 2021July 25, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Person in green protective gear in lab with safety glasses and mask on

The University of Minnesota system’s Bias Response and Referral Network asked students to report suspected bias “related to the COVID-19 outbreak.”

As a result, it appears that the School of Public Health removed a reference to COVID-19’s origin in China.

The College Fix filed a public records request with the University of Minnesota system for all COVID bias reports for the past year. This is the first response to the request.

Hamline University Will Require COVID Vaccine for 2021 School Year

July 18, 2021July 29, 2021 Hayley Feland

Hamline University announced that they will be requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID before classes commence in the fall. The University’s President Fayneese Miller said, “We want, and need, to be together as a community. We value a sense of community at Hamline and all that entails, but to return to what we value and who we are, mandating a COVID-19 vaccine is necessary.” The announcement was made on Thursday with the expectation that students will be fully vaccinated before returning to campus in August.

University of Minnesota Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity Receiving $300,000 to Research Maternal Care Racial Inequity

July 8, 2021July 7, 2021 Hayley Feland

The University of Minnesota’s Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity will be getting $300,000 to research maternal care inequities. The funding was given to the center in the newly passed Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act.

University of Minnesota Labor Union Demands University of Minnesota Police Be Disarmed

June 24, 2021June 23, 2021 Hayley Feland

The University of Minnesota’s UMN AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, demanded that the University of Minnesota disarm their police force and create a Civilian Police Accountability Council.

The negotiations started this month between the University of Minnesota’s management team and four unions represented by AFSCME.

University of Minnesota Reports 10 Robberies in Five Days, Students Continue to Call for Defunding Police

May 14, 2021May 13, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

The University of Minnesota reported this week that 10 robberies occurred within five days around the Dinkytown and Stadium Village areas.

On May 10, the university publicized information on the robberies using its “Safe-U Advisory” service, which disseminates safety notifications to students and staff.

‘Make Their Lives Hell:’ University of Minnesota Student Leader Wages War Against Campus Police

May 4, 2021May 3, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

During an online meeting, a member of the Minnesota Student Association Executive Board directed others to waste police resources in retaliation for perceived injustices.

“Make their lives hell. Annoy the shit out of them,” Lauren Meyers said during a Zoom meeting. “Like, use up their resources, make their officers show up to something.”

Insurance Company Drops $5 Million for University of Minnesota’s Anti-Racist Health Center

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

The University of Minnesota is mobilizing a $5 million donation to launch an antiracist health center.

According to a February 24 announcement from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health, the “Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity” is dedicated to “addressing and uprooting structural racism’s impact on health and healthcare.”

The center will “develop education and training on structural racism and health inequities,” “foster authentic community engagement to address the root causes of racial health inequities and drive action,” “change the narrative about race and racism to one that does not hold up whiteness as the ideal standard for human beings,” and “serve as a trusted resource on issues related to racism and health equity.”

University of Minnesota Pays Former Obama Task Force Member $25k Per Month for ‘Consulting’

March 15, 2021March 14, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

The University of Minnesota paid a consulting firm headed by a former Obama task force member $25,000 per month for a “comprehensive review” of the school’s police force, according to documents obtained exclusively by Campus Reform.

Cedric Alexander’s consulting firm, CL Alexander Consulting, was hired by the University of Minnesota on August 12, 2020, after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

According to a university spokesperson, the contract was in effect until early February, meaning that the University of Minnesota spent at least $134,000 on the police review.

University of Minnesota Pays Former Obama Task Force Member $25k Per Month for ‘Consulting’

March 15, 2021March 14, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Cedric Alexander’s consulting firm, CL Alexander Consulting, was hired by the University of Minnesota on August 12, 2020, after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

According to a university spokesperson, the contract was in effect until early February, meaning that the University of Minnesota spent at least $134,000 on the police review.

Over 90 Percent of Minnesota University’s Top Faculty Donations Went to Democrats, Study Finds

December 14, 2020December 13, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Data from the Federal Election Commission show that 90.8 percent of the top 100 donations to political candidates and committees from University of Minnesota employees and affiliates went to Democrats, according to a recent report by Minnesota Business Daily.

The analysis found that UMN employees and affiliates donated $201,383 to political candidates and committees. Of that amount, $182,919 went to Democrats. Another $11,125 went to the Minnesota Democratic Farmer Labor Party.

University of Minnesota Lecture Features 12 Step Recovery Program for Whiteness

October 15, 2020October 14, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

The University of Minnesota’s School of Social Work hosted a virtual lecture recently that aimed to teach white people about their white supremacy and how to counteract it by using a “12 step” program mirrored after the one used by people in Alcoholics Anonymous.

University of Minnesota Will Cut Only Men’s Sports Due to COVID Financial Strains, Cites Title IX

September 12, 2020September 11, 2020 Corinne Murdock

The University of Minnesota (UMN) announced Thursday that it will cut four men’s sports due to pandemic-induced financial strains. Men’s indoor/outdoor track and field, gymnastics, and tennis will be cut after the 2020-21 competition season.
Comparatively, the women’s indoor/outdoor track and field, gymnastics, and tennis lost more money than the men’s teams: $4.8 million versus $3.4 million. Other women’s sports cost the school more. Women’s basketball, gymnastics, hockey, swim and dive, and volleyball alone totaled about $14 million in the red.

500 Twin Cities Healthcare Workers Test Negative for COVID-19

August 7, 2020August 6, 2020 Corinne Murdock

The University of Minnesota released a report Thursday in which all 500 Twin Cities healthcare workers tested in their study were negative for COVID-19. Their test subjects were the healthcare workers who have been tending to patients for months.

Considering the recent surge of cases, this is good news for the frontlines.

Students See Spike in Reported Violent Crime After University of Minnesota Cuts Ties with Minneapolis Police Department

July 30, 2020July 29, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Students saw an increase in reported violence just weeks after the University of Minnesota announced that it would cut ties with the Minneapolis Police Department after the death of George Floyd.

In the weeks following the University of Minnesota’s announcement that it would cut ties with the Minneapolis Police Department, students received multiple systemwide public safety alert messages, telling them to be cautious on and near campus due to various reported violent crimes. This is a substantial increase in safety notifications for Minnesota students, given that prior to the announcement, only seven such announcements with only two emergencies were made in a six month period.

University of Minnesota and Its Law School Announce George Floyd Memorial Scholarships

June 18, 2020June 17, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Several schools across the nation have launched memorial scholarships in honor of George Floyd, including the University of Minnesota and its law school.

The University of Minnesota Law School announced the creation of a George Floyd Memorial Scholarship in Law on Monday.

U of M, Minneapolis Schools and Others Cut Ties with Police Department

June 6, 2020June 5, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Several institutions plan to cut ties with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) in response to the alleged murder of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while in police custody on Memorial Day.

University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel informed students last week that the school will no longer contract with the MPD for large events, like football games and concerts, or specialized law enforcement services, such as K-9 explosive detection units.

University of Minnesota Students File Civil Rights Complaint Against School Alleging Misuse of Student Fees

May 14, 2020May 13, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Two students filed a civil rights complaint against the University of Minnesota for misuse of student fees and “worship[ing] the great god of political correctness.” Along with a student group called Viewpoint Neutrality Now!, students Evan Smith and Isaac Smith claim student fees being used to fund nine cultural centers in Coffman Union with subsidized space is unconstitutional, reported the Minnesota Daily.

Viewpoint Neutrality Now! is not officially recognized as a campus organization at UMN, but it is an association of students who pay student fees and “support and advocate for viewpoint neutrality and other reforms.” The students say that the current system has offered “preferential treatment” to nine cultural groups receiving student fees in that they are offered free lounge space in the student union.

Minnesota Spent $62,000 to Develop COVID-19 Model

May 1, 2020April 30, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

A recently released document reveals that the state of Minnesota spent $62,000 to develop its controversial COVID-19 model.

Walz Says Minnesota Can Now Perform 20,000 COVID-19 Tests Per Day, Most in the Nation

April 23, 2020April 22, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday that Minnesota now has the capacity to test as many as 20,000 residents per day for COVID-19.

Gov. Walz Faces Backlash Over Controversial COVID-19 Model

April 11, 2020April 10, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called a press conference Friday afternoon to discuss the modeling the state is using in its coronavirus response, but faced harsh criticism for closing the briefing to the public.

Doctor in Minnesota Senate Warns That Reaction to Coronavirus Could Be More Dangerous Than Virus Itself

March 25, 2020March 24, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

A doctor in the Minnesota Senate warned leaders Monday that the reaction to the coronavirus pandemic could be more harmful than the virus itself.

Sen. Scott Jensen (R-Chaska), a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School and founder of Catalyst Medical Clinic, said that the disruption to everyday routines could have devastating consequences for people with underlying medical conditions.

“Scaring people to death isn’t helping us. We are going to in short order, if not already now, have supply chains get interrupted and some of these are critical supply chains. We need to be careful,” Jensen said in a video posted to Facebook.