VOL. 49
NO. 5
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
Lanthorn
GV FOOTBALL OPENS SEASON AGAINST APU TONIGHT, A7
G R A N D VA L L EY
ST U D E NT- R U N P U B L I C AT I O N S / / P R I N T . O N L I N E . M O B I L E / / L A N T H O R N . C O M
LAKERS KICK OFF WITH A REMATCH VS. NO. 13 QUINCY UNIVERSITY
MYTHBUSTERS: IF GV FAILED, WOULD IT HAVE BECOME A PRISON?
see A7
see A3
BOUND HANDS ennifer Knickerbocker was walking to class on Friday, Aug. 29 when she noticed a crowd gathering around the Transformational Link. Knickerbocker and other veteran Grand Valley State University students were not surprised to see the commotion caused by The Campus Ministry USA wielding signs that said “Repent or Perish” and “Fear God and Keep his Commandments.” Knickerbocker stopped to encourage other students to continue moving and avoid antagonizing the group. In return, members of The Campus Ministry USA began to speak to her. “They said, ‘Hey blue hair what’s your problem? The way you treat your body is why you are going to commit suicide and be the next Robin Williams.’ Another student cut in and said she had no right to say those sorts of
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things to me. I walked away,” Knickerbocker said. The Campus Ministries USA, founded by Brother Jed Smock, has been appearing on college campuses in all 50 states for more than 40 years. They have made a five hour long appearance at GVSU every Friday before Labor Day for four years. “We tell students that they must turn away from all sin and follow Jesus Christ who is the only way to salvation,” Smock said. Vice Provost of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Bart Merkle encourages students to ignore the group and continue on their way to class. The university has designated two free speech zones on campus; the Transformational Link on south campus and the Carillon Area Clock Tower by Kirkhof Center. “These are high-traffic areas where the whole sidewalk is designed to be able to move traffic well,” Merkle said. “This enables (the) university to go around them.” Merkle said that as a public
university, GVSU is required by law to abide by the Constitution. In this case, the First Amendment, pertaining to free speech, certainly applies. “That sort of means that people have the freedom to say what they want to, no matter how intolerant, hateful (or) objectionable they may be,” Merkle said. Many students were shocked by the presence of the group on campus. Some responded by playing loud music and yelling back with arguments or taunts. “I was on my way to class, and that was about two hours ago,” said freshman Eric Spohr. “I missed my writing class for this. It caught my attention just how they are trying to catch our’s by saying ridiculous things.” Smock said that he is encouraged by the students’ behavior. “That they trouble themselves to make a sign and come out and protest us tells me SEE PREACHERS ON A2
GVL
BY GABRIELLA PATTI GPATTI@LANTHORN.COM
| GABRIELLA PATTI
GV unable to ban preachers from campus
PREACH IT: Members of The Campus Ministry USA advocate for students to live a life
without sin. Some students responded to the demonstration with their own comments.
GV master’s programs rank 30th in nation BY ALYSSA RETTELLE NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
rand Valley State University was ranked 30th in the nation in the “Best Master’s Universities” category in Washington Monthly’s annual college report for its contribution to the public good. This is up two spots from last year’s report. According to the report, the rankings are based on three criteria: civic engagement, research and social mobility. Gayle Davis, the Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at Grand Valley, is excited about the improved ranking. “It is very gratifying to us to be acknowledged in this most recent way by Washington Monthly, in affirmation of our studentcentered culture and mission,” she said. “We have strategically and judiciously allocated resources to all the specific areas mentioned in the rankings in order to fulfill our commit-
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ment to our students and our community.” downtown likely had something to do with the Corey Anton, a professor at GVSU, has gain in national attention.” taught several different Master’s courses In the future, Anton expects the trend during his 16 years at the uniwill continue. versity and said he has noticed “Many people realize that the improvements over time. they will need a Master’s degree “Many people “Not only has the university to advance in their employment,” itself over the years implementhe said. “Others simply want to realize that ed increasingly rigorous stancontinue to expand their horithey will need dards for graduate faculty, but zons. Grand Valley is a special the graduate student population place and people who come here a master’s seems a bit more robust, more can sense it right away.” degree to international and just more highGVSU ranked first in the napower overall,” he said. tion in the community service advance in their “Because Grand Valley has subcategory, which factors in employment.” grown rather quickly over the last participation and hours served. decade – bringing in amazingly Nazareth College, N.Y., WheeCOREY ANTON talented and productive scholars lock College, Mass., Keuka ColGVSU PROFESSOR – there are more and more people lege, N.Y. and S. Arkansas Unicapable of graduate instruction. versity trailed close behind. Also, there is more interest and demand in the Thomas Haas, president of GVSU, appreciates area. My guess is that some of the new programs Washington Monthly highlighting the school.
“Recognition by Washington Monthly through the criteria used represents our commitment to the communities and the positive outcomes where we serve,” he said. “In fact, one of my watchwords in keeping with our mission is service. Community for us stretches way beyond our campuses. Grand Valley students performed more than one million community service hours last year and the work continues. “They clean up roadways and parks…they work with younger students who are struggling…and they volunteer at food banks and donation sites. I appreciate Washington Monthly magazine highlighting us first in the nation when it comes to community service, and overall rating of 30th in the nation.” Additionally, GVSU took the 11th spot in the service staff, courses and financial aid support subcategory. Lesley University, Mass., Nazareth College, N.Y., Seattle University, Wash., Whitworth University, Wash. and Wheelock College, Mass. took first through fifth respectively.
Faculty governance preps for a busy year
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make recommendations to the ECS by December, said Karen Gipson, the chair of ECS and UAS. “The USETI task force met throughout the summer
and delivered an update to the faculty this fall at each of college startup meetings,” Gipson said. “USETI’s work will definitely be continuing throughout the fall, and fac-
ulty input is encouraged.” Students and faculty at GVSU can also expect to hear continued discussion about the creation of an Ombuds Office on campus,
| ARCHIVE
omorrow will mark the start of another busy year for faculty governance at Grand Valley State University as the Executive Committee of the Senate holds their first meeting of the academic school year. At this time, the ECS will be finalizing their goals for 20142015, which will include business from last year as well as new charges. Revisions to student evaluations were a major topic of discussion last year in faculty governance. In January, the University Academic Senate passed a motion to adopt a universitywide set of questions that all units will be required to use in addition to any internal measures they might want to use. Since then, a task force for Univer-
sal Student Evaluations on Teaching Implementation has been meeting to discuss the best practices for the usage of evaluations. The group is expected to
GVL
BY CARLY SIMPSON ASSOCIATE@LANTHORN.COM
Gipson said. An Ombuds Office would be a place for members of the GVSU community to confidentially discuss complaints, concerns or problems with an impartial “Ombudsman.” The UAS voted in favor of the office during the last academic school year and sent a recommendation to Provost Gayle Davis last spring. “I understand that the Senior Management Team discussed the possibility at one of its meetings over the summer, but we haven’t yet heard whether the Ombuds Office will be approved or not,” Gipson said. Over the summer, the ECS held two retreats to discuss possible new business and charges to each of the standing committees of UAS. Gipson shared some of the topics that were discussed which include, among
NEW BUSINESS: Provost Gayle Davis shares a report with the University Academic Senate during a meeting. Fac-
ulty governance is currently setting their agenda for this year.
NEW PERSPECTIVES Every Week To share your perspective with the Grand Valley Community #Lanthorn
SEE FACULTY ON A2