Jerry Rinehart, the Vice Provost for Student Affairs, asserted in his response to a Minnesota Daily editorial this: “Your statement, however, that the working group members are primarily ‘University public health officials’ is blatantly false. You owe your readers better and more accurate research.” For the record, here are the public health officials on the workgroup that The Minnesota Daily editorial referenced: Terry Bock, Academic Health Center Karen Chapin, Health Programs Marie Gabrielson, Student Health Advisory Committee (which concocted the idea of an outdoor smoking ban) Heather Horton, Student Health Advisory Committee Joe Jameson, Benefits Advisory Committee Craig Moody, Environmental Health Safety Here are the other members: Jerry Rinehart, Vice Provost for Student Affairs Etty DeVeaux Westgaard, Office of the Vice President for University Services Katherine Himes, Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Amelious Whyte, Office for Student Affairs HereâÄôs how the ProvostâÄôs office defines the workgroup: âÄúThe work group has representation from a broad range of Twin Cities campus offices and groups, including the Benefits Advisory Committee, Provost’s Office, Office for Student Affairs, Academic Health Center, Environmental Health and Safety, University Services, and the Student Health Advisory Committee. The work group consulted with Boynton Health Service as part of this process.âÄù The Minnesota Daily Editorial Board received information about the workgroup in MondayâÄôs presentation. Craig Moody, a workgroup member, told the Editorial Board that the above-mentioned officials are all on the workgroupâÄîand nobody else. Moreover, the groups of the aforementioned officials are all represented in the ProvostâÄôs definition of the workgroup. The evidence is clear and unless Rinehart can show otherwiseâÄîa task at which he has already failedâÄîThe Minnesota Daily Editorial Board stands by its assertion that the workgroup is represented by primarily public health officials. RinehartâÄôs allegation that The Minnesota Daily Editorial BoardâÄôs research is inaccurate, therefore, is âÄúblatantly false.âÄù As of publication time of this column, RinehartâÄîalong with anyone else in his office working with him on the outdoor smoking ban reportâÄîcould not be reached for comment.