Here’s a list of the Minnesota campuses that have reported to me — or to a central office — that they’re closing because of the extreme cold. (Note: I’ll be updating as more news comes in. Please let me know if I’ve missed anything.) Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU): Dakota County Technical College (Rosemount) Read more →
A 20-year-old Crystal man has been arrested in connection with the Nov. 20 beating and robbery of a University of Minnesota foreign student. Myron Jovan Richardson-Rivers of Crystal is charged with aggravated robbery and receiving stolen property. According to the criminal complaint, the student — who was apparently from China — was walking home near Read more →
Six African-American organizations at the University of Minnesota say a recent uptick in crime around campus has heightened concerns that police are racially profiling students and employees. They say the inclusion of suspects’ race in university crime alerts has been problematic. Although the criminals apprehended have not been connected to the U — and have Read more →
During yesterday’s Senate hearing on campus safety, Metropolitan State University public safety director Thomas Maida raised a few eyebrows with his testimony on the challenges of prosecuting crimes on campus: “When we’ve had crimes, and we’ve identified a specific individual, we’ve really struggled with investigations with the police department. We’ve struggled with moving investigations forward Read more →
A University of Minnesota official told state senators today that increased urbanization of the U has prompted officials to rethink security on and around campus. Pam Wheelock, vice president of university services, says increased neighborhood density, fewer single-family households and more absentee landlords have made it tougher to keep students safe. And she said campus Read more →
Two University of Minnesota students have launched an online petition calling for a greater police presence on campus. Prompted by the recent rash of crimes, the petition has gained more than 3,100 signatures. It warns: If steps are not taken immediately, we, the students, will take matters into our own hands. Many of us are Read more →
University of Minnesota students say they’re unnerved by a recent rash of crimes — especially a sexual assault Sunday in which the man appears to have posed as a uniformed officer. The early-morning assault prompted the third crime alert for the university community since the attempted daylight robbery of a student in Anderson Hall on Read more →
Monday’s attempted daylight robbery of a University of Minnesota student follows a rash of robberies that could make crime a bigger concern this fall on campus than in past semesters. But crime statistics suggest the campus is considerably safer than it was at least a decade ago. And Monday’s robbery appears to be an anomaly Read more →
The University of Minnesota is stepping up security following an alleged attempted armed robbery that shut down the West Bank campus for about an hour Monday. In an email to students and faculty, U of M President Eric Kaler referred to a rash of recent robberies and other crimes on and near the Minneapolis campus. Read more →
Slate contributor Emily Yoffe tells MPR’ Daily Circuit how she feels about the backlash she has received after she warned that female students increase their risk of sexual assault when they drink too much: “I remain baffled. My piece made very clear the people responsible for the crimes are the perpetrators, period. However … there Read more →
Alex Friedrich
Mark Zdechlik