A tale of two coaches Sports. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2013 THE INDEPENDENT DAILY NEWSPAPER FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COMMUNITY SINCE 1868 DAILYIOWAN.COM 50¢ Tree farmers worried Latino Studies pushed Some University of Iowa faculty and students are pushing for a Latino Studies minor; the UI is the only Big Ten school without one. By REBecca MORIN [email protected] After a cluster hiring initiative to start a Latino Studies program in 2006 stalled — a push by Universi- ty of Iowa faculty and students has blossomed once again. “When I contacted [Omar Vale- rio-Jimenez, a University of Iowa as- sociate professor of history] we tried to figure out a way to make [a Latino Studies program] happen,” said UI doctoral candidate Carla Gonzalez. “The faculty could write a proposal, but it would need both faculty sup- port and student support.” Valerio-Jimenez is working on a proposal for a Latino Studies minor with Claire Fox, a UI associate pro- fessor in English and Spanish and The Barnes Tree Farm, located just outside Iowa City, is shown on Sept. 11, 2012. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo) Portuguese, which they hope to sub- mit by spring 2014. Officials are worried about the future of Iowa’s Christmas-tree business. If the proposal is approved, Vale- rio-Jimenez said he hopes the minor By MEGAN SANCHEZ tree. Although farmers said they had a trees, it wipes away seedlings, which will be available by the fall of 2014. [email protected] fine season this year, there is concern means trees that would be old in five to Students are also creating aware- these memories will fade along with the 10 years do not exist. ness about the proposal. The Friday after Thanksgiving, fam- Christmas-tree businesses. Michael Bauer, owner of Timber Gonzalez said she conducted a ilies bundled in scarves and mittens In the past two years, many Iowa Creek in the Davenport area, said last survey throughout the semester and grabbed an axe and some twine in farmers have experienced drought. search for the perfect live Christmas While this does not affect this year’s SEE TREES, 3 SEE latino, 3 Hancher work remains on schedule Special By MEGAN DEPPE [email protected] needs The construction of the University of Iowa’s new Hancher is on schedule and well underway, with expec- examined tations for the shape of the building to be completed in By GABRiella DUNN the spring of 2014. [email protected] The completion of the new Hancher is estimat- A public forum about the future ed for the fall of 2016. The of one special-needs program in the original Hancher was heav- Iowa City School District fostered ily damaged in the 2008 discussion about how the program flood. should be structured for coming Rod Lehnertz, the di- years. rector of planning, design, The Transitional Services Center and construction for UI Fa- helps special-education students de- cilities Management, the velop independence in a community structure is “on its way out atmosphere through a four-year-plus of the ground, but there is high-school program. much more growing to go.” The Transition Services Work Lehnertz said concrete Group began meeting in April in an has been poured and is effort to unite parents, community approximately 50 percent members, educators and School Dis- complete. The concrete Construction of the new Hancher is seen on Monday. Construction is expected to be completed in the spring of 2016. trict staff toward making recommen- shell of the auditorium has (The Daily Iowan/Joshua Housing) dations for improvement of the Tran- been completed as well, and sition Services program. the full building should be- the Hancher staff is ready old building come down,” process and the design of gin to take a real shape in for the new building to Swanson said. “I said my the building, which made Go to the spring. reach completion. goodbyes a long time ago.” him feel like “it’s going Hancher Executive Di- “We love seeing the new He said he felt a lot of ef- DAILYIowan.COM rector Chuck Swanson said building come up and the fort went into the planning SEE HANCHER, 3 FOR THE REST OF THE STORY WEATHER DAILY IOWAN TV ON THE WEB INDEX HIGH LOW • SCAN THIS CODE CHECK DAILYIOWAN.COM FOR HOURLY OPINIONS 4 45 34 • GO TO DAILYIOWAN.COM UPDATES AND ONLINE EXCLUSIVES. FOLLOW CLASSIFIED 11 • WATCH UITV AT 9 P.M. @THEDAILYIOWAN ON TWITTER AND LIKE US DAILY BREAK 9 Cloudy, breezy, 40% chance of rain. Boring. But then, the weath- SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE CONTENT. SPORTS 12 er is coming from Nebraska. 2 NEWS THE DAILY IOWAN DAILYIOWAN.COM TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2013 CHRISTMAS SEASON ROARS TO LIFE The Daily Iowan Volume 145 Issue 104 BREAKING NEWS STAFF Phone: (319) 335-6063 Publisher 335-5788 Email: [email protected] William Casey Fax: 335-6297 Editor-in-Chief 335-6030 Kristen East CORRECTIONS Managing Editors 335-5855 Call: 335-6030 Josh Bolander Policy: The Daily Iowan strives for ac- Dora Grote curacy and fairness in the reporting Metro Editors 335-6063 of news. If a report is wrong or mis- Lauren Coffey leading, a request for a correction or Brent Griffiths a clarification may be made. 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Classifed Ads/Circulation Manager Send address changes to: The Daily Juli Krause 335-5784 Iowan, 100 Adler Journalism Build- Advertising Manager 335-5193 ing, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-2004 Renee Manders Production Manager 335-5789 LGBTQ option seen as welcoming A dvertising Sales Staff Heidi Owen Bev Mrstik 335-5792 Cathy Witt 335-5794 By LILY ABROMEIT “The whole purpose what kind of environment “By asking the optional [email protected] … was to provide an in- they are offering,” Smith question, the UI is able to formational link,” said said. “It is really import- make sure transgender A year has passed since Michael Barron, the UI ant that every aspect of students have the services the University of Iowa assistant provost for en- the LGBT community … and programs in order to became the first school rollment management are always included in the be successful academical- in the nation to show and executive director of conversation, and I think ly,” he said. “At the end of support for the LGBT Admissions. that’s what the university the day, it’s about making community during the He said many more stu- is doing.” sure students have the admission application dents identified with the UI junior Heidi Aude opportunities … to come process. LGBT community —468 said offering these option- out if they want to.” Students are now able students during the fall al questions recognizes a Windmeyer said he to identify as transgen- 2013 semester. group of students who do predicts there will be an dered, and officials said These numbers do not not always get the recog- increase in the next five the UI’s leadership in include older students nition they deserve. to10 years in campuses providing this opportuni- who were not given the “Transgendered people including optional ques- ty is spreading a strong option of identifying on aren’t recognized every- tions similar to the UI’s message, both locally and their applications. Addi- where, and it’s good the model. to other campuses. tionally, Barron said some University of Iowa is get- Smith also said he “It sends a really pro- students may have opted ting ahead of the curve,” thinks the UI’s example found and welcoming mes- out of identifying for vari- she said. “It says the UI will lead to other univer- sage,” said Matty Smith, ous reasons. is open and accepting, sities increasing efforts communications director Smith said this could be probably more accepting toward effective conver- at One Iowa. “It certainly the case if students do not than other universities, sations and inclusion on sends the right message to feel it is necessary or do and I think it says they campus. people in the community not feel comfortable iden- care about their students, “The UI is heading in who are looking for a place tifying as transgendered. especially minorities that the right direction and TRUNK SHOW to feel welcome.” He said the UI’s sup- don’t get represented ev- … being in the Iowa City The optional question port could lead to more erywhere else.” area, which is such an DEC.