SPIN Theatre presents Lysistrata
A&E 5
Team Trivia takes Decorah
FEATURES 6
LUTHER COLLEGE
“Let the chips fall where they may.”
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MAY 1, 2014
Serving the Luther College community since 1884.
VOLUME 136, NO. 22
ORDER UP. Nathan Tritt prepares stir fry at the exhibition line. ANNA JEIDE STAFF WRITER In response to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many corporations are reevaluating how they will offer health care to full time employees. Sodexo is one of many businesses undergoing changes to comply with ACA. According to Sodexo’s website, the new criteria to be considered a full time employee requires an individual to work an average of 30 hours or more per week for 52 weeks, a total of 1,560 hours per year. According to Vice President for Finance and Administration Diane Tacke, at least three Dining Services
Walker Nyenhuis / Chips
employees at Luther are losing their health care benefits through Sodexo as a result of this new definition. According to their website, “[Sodexo] made this decision to ensure compliance with the requirements of the ACA and to maintain our competitiveness in the market.” ACA now mandates that any employee working 30 hours per week be considered full time, and employers must provide health care. Employers can still offer health care benefits to employees who work fewer than 30 hours per week, but doing so could raise expenses for the corporation. “Right now somebody could work 25 hours a week and you could still offer them health care benefits, but the problem is that in 2018 there will be a Cadillac tax,” Tacke
said. According to Obamacarefacts.com, “Starting in 2018, the new health care law imposes a 40 percent excise tax on the portion of most employer-sponsored health coverage (this excludes dental and vision) that exceed $10,200 a year and $27,500 for families.” Federal calculations determine which corporations will be subject to the “Cadillac tax.” According to Tacke, Sodexo is one of many corporations across the nation that could be affected by the tax. “Many organizations are moving to 30 hours because they SODEXO, PAGE 4
Cabinet amends early arrival policy KATIE WOLTER STAFF WRITER On Friday, April 25, the Luther student body received an email from Vice President and Dean for Student Life Corey Landstrom and Vice President for Administration and Finance Diane Tacke regarding the early arrival policy, as approved by the President’s Cabinet. According to the email, the number of students arriving before their approved dates has increased in recent years. Preceding the fall semester, 1,000 students arrived early to campus. The new policy states that early arrival approvals must be made by a Luther College vice president or a designee. Students will only be permitted to arrive early if it is determined that their presence is needed for New Student Orientation or fall semester opening. Elements of the early arrival policy will stay the same. Athletes will be approved to return early for
preseason training. The policy also still applies to international students, as travel convenience is not included within the parameters for requesting an early arrival. “The numbers of students who have arrived prior to the official opening date has increased in the past several years,” Landstrom said. “The challenges associated with the early arrival of students is that the campus is not yet running at the level [it does] when classes are in session.” Because the campus is not fully functional, students are discouraged to arrive before their approved dates due to possible health and safety risks. Counseling Service and Health Service are not available for
students until classes start. Also, early arrival of students hinders Facilities Services and their efforts to prepare buildings for the fall semester. Student Life recognizes that there may be further extenuating circumstances for students that may cause them to need an earlier arrival date. A student who does not fit the early arrival criteria and has not been approved to arrive early can submit a written request. Students must submit written requests five business days before the desired move-in date. Residence Life will review and approve these requests if they are deemed appropriate. However, these
“The challenges associated with the early arrival of students is that the campus is not yet running at the level [it does] when classes are in session.” - Corey Landstrom
EARLY ARRIVAL POLICY, PAGE 4
NEWS
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NEWS EDITORS: WALKER NYENHUIS & BRITA MOORE
Spring Fling serves community HANNAH BUTLER STAFF WRITER About 50 students volunteered in Decorah and neighboring areas on April 26. They performed household and outdoor chores for area residents as part of Spring Fling, a service day organized through College Ministries. Luther student Andrea Carpenter (‘16) participated in Spring Fling, driving students to volunteer locations as far as 10 minutes away from Decorah. “It is amazing to realize how spending only a few hours raking or cleaning can really make a difference in the community,” Carpenter said. “Everyone was very appreciative of the work we did.” Deacon of Community Action Makayla Marinack (‘16) organized the event with help from Campus Pastor Mike Blair, who sees Spring Fling as an opportunity for students to volunteer as well as experience connections outside of Luther’s campus. “What I would hope for students participating in it is that they get a deep sense of connection to the people around
them, their peers on campus that they serve with, but also to the community,” Blair said. Throughout the year, College Ministries coordinates a variety of service opportunities for Luther students, including the Spring and Fall Flings, both of which occur every year. “The Fall and Spring Flings are some core ways of having service in the community,” Blair said. According to Marinack, these events attract different campus organizations. “I think a lot of Luther students look for service opportunities, and that takes on many different forms,” Marinack said. “A lot of the students that have shown a lot of interest are fraternities, sororities, outreach groups, sports teams and just the general Luther student body.” According to Blair, Luther’s Spring Fling is about 30 years old, and while the event itself has remained unchanged, the collected donations are sent to different organizations every year. Marinack explained that the residents who receive volunteer help do not have to pay money to participate in Spring Fling, but contributions are welcome.
SPRING CLEANING. Luther students volunteered at homes in the Decorah area on April 26. Photo courtesy of Jenny Bonnell “I wouldn’t say it’s a fundraiser,” Marinack said. “It’s more of a service day and if they would like to donate we have a place for their funds to go.” Funds are usually split between a local and an international cause. This year residents had the opportunity to donate to the U-Visa system at the Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center and
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Syria refugee program. There will be one major volunteer opportunity before the end of the year. Singers in Service, another service program at Luther, is working to target Luther’s choir students and gain volunteers for the Humane Society’s Annual Pet Expo on May 10.
E-cigarettes banned on campus SAM MOLZAHN STAFF WRITER Luther College has been a smoke-free campus for several years, and the tobacco and smoking policy has recently been updated with a ban on the use of electronic cigarettes ( e-cigarettes). “The change made to the policy was to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes on campus similar to cigarettes and other products,” Vice President and Dean for Student Life Corey Landstrom said. “The change will be similar to the smoking policy: individuals found smoking on campus will be asked to discontinue the use. Students may be cited for a violation.” Part of the policy was to be in accordance with the Iowa Smokefree Air Act passed in 2008, but also with the wellness of Luther’s community in mind. “The impact of the use of e-cigarettes are unknown on the health of the user or others in the vicinity,”
Landstrom said. “Additionally, the use of e-cigarettes could cause a disruption in certain environments, such as a classroom or performance space.” Director of the Nena Amundson Lifetime Wellness Program Greg Lonning (‘83) was at Luther during the transition into a smoke-free campus and sees the benefits and drawbacks with e-cigarettes. “If you take something like the e-cigarette, if that is something that can help [a smoker] quit [smoking] then I’m all for it,” Lonning said. “I just don’t think it should be allowed on campus. The reason I say that is, when we went to the smoke-free campus, I watched the smokers and they reduced the number of cigarettes they were smoking. I saw it as a good thing. I think we’ll be going backwards if we allow e-cigarettes in these non-smoking environments.” Some students disagree with the policy and are upset about the ban. “There’s no tobacco in an [e-cigarette] so banning
them under the tobacco policy is stupid,” Chris Wagner (‘14) said. “I quit smoking and this new change to the tobacco policy makes me want to start smoking again because I can’t use an [e-cigarette] as an alternative.” Other students question the actual reason for the updated policy. “They’re banning [e-cigarettes] but they’re not banning [chewing tobacco], despite the fact that [chewing tobacco] is proven to be more detrimental to health than [e-cigarettes],” Nate Hansen (‘14) said. “It seems like this policy is more about controlling the perception of students at Luther than about students’ health.” The ban on e-cigarettes is in effect at Luther, but that might not be the end of the conversation. “[Recently], it was announced the FDA will be regulating e-cigarettes,” Landstrom said. “Clearly, this is an issue that is going to continue to garner attention and action.”
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NEWS EDITORS: WALKER NYENHUIS & BRITA MOORE THURSDAY
Seven-Day Forecast
MAY 1, 2014 FRIDAY
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R N H Q Q R Q 37/45
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Raising funds with polar plunge
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Life Outside Luther U.S., E.U. hit Russia with sanctions over Ukraine The United States and its European allies hit more than two dozen Russian government officials, executives and companies with new sanctions Monday as punishment for their country’s actions in Ukraine, yet the penalties stopped short of targeting Russia’s broader economy and it remained unclear if they would work. In Moscow, there was relief that the sanctions were not as far-ranging as feared. The measures, including asset freezes and visa bans, affect people close to the Kremlin, and Western leaders hope those hurt by the sanctions will pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to limit his reach in Ukraine and de-escalate the crisis there.
TAKING THE PLUNGE. (From left) Tyler Rinken (‘14) and Keaton Palo (‘14) took a creative approach to their polar plunge video to support 6-month-old Landon Shaw. Photo courtesy of Tyler Rinken ABBY CARPENTER STAFF WRITER The Luther College football coaches all jumped in the water together. Assistant Professor of Music Andrew Last (‘97) jumped in while wearing a dress shirt and tie. Ben Harney’s (‘15) grandmother exclaimed, “I’ll be! Son of a gun!” as Harney submerged. These are just a few of the Luther community members taking the Polar Plunge for Landon. On Facebook, there are videos of thousands of people around the world jumping in cold water for six-monthold baby Landon Shaw, including many students and faculty at Luther. Shaw is from Tarkio, Mo., and is suffering from a rare form of cancer that affects the kidneys, liver, lungs and brain. He has been through four surgeries and chemotherapy. As of the last update of the Facebook page, his parents said they hoped to bring him home soon. To help raise money for Shaw, people are jumping in the nearest rivers/ponds/lakes and nominating others to do the same, after his family started a Facebook page March 30 to raise awareness about his illness. Tyler Rinken (‘14) saw the plunge as an opportunity to be creative. In his video, he and Keaton Palo (‘14) walk towards the water to the beat of the song “Gangsta’s Paradise,” as editedin explosions burst all around. “We wanted to do something that was unique,” Rinken said. “There’s thousands of people posting cell phone videos on Facebook, and we wanted to set the bar higher.” Rinken plans on donating $15 to the cause and hopes to see
other plungers remember to donate, too. “I hope people keep their word that they’re going to donate,” Rinken said. “It’s going to a good cause, and every little bit helps.” Kadie Smith (‘15), an RA in Brandt, also participated in the plunge. “This was not intended to be a floor activity, but I was nominated by two of my residents, so I nominated the remainder of my floor,” Smith said. “If the three people I nominated do the plunge, all of Brandt Third Center will have plunged for baby Landon.” Many of the plungers appear to be very shocked and cold after they dunk in the water. Smith was no exception. “I pretty much forgot how to swim,” Smith said. “It was rather embarrassing. After I got out, my toes were painfully numb, but the rest of my body was really warm. It probably wasn’t a good sign, but I think I’ll bounce back.” As the weather warms up, Luther students continue to take the plunge as Shaw continues to fight cancer.
15 die in Arkansas tornado A half-mile-wide tornado carved an 80-mile path of destruction through the suburbs of Little Rock, Ark., on the evening of April 27, killing at least 15 people, flattening rows of homes, shredding cars along a highway and demolishing a brand-new school before it even had a chance to open. Officials said the death toll could have been worse if residents hadn’t piled into underground storm shelters and fortified safe rooms after listening to forecasts on TV and radio, getting cell phone alerts and hearing sirens in their neighborhoods. Deaths reported in South from severe weather Officials say up to seven deaths are being reported from a severe weather system blowing through the South. City of Athens, Ala., spokeswoman Holly Hollman says Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakeley has reported two deaths at a mobile home park west of that city April 28. According to Limestone County Commissioner Bill Latimer, four people are dead in his district southeast of Athens. Indiana cat, missing for 5 years, reunited with owner A cat that went missing five years ago has been reunited with its owner in Indiana thanks to an implanted microchip. The 10-year-old cat, Charlie, reportedly showed up at an animal control center April 28. Compiled from: www.ap.org
NEWS
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NEWS EDITORS: WALKER NYENHUIS & BRITA MOORE
Employees Phi Beta Kappa welcomes lose benefits inductees from 2014 class SODEXO, PAGE 1
will be offering, by 2018, a Cadillac plan,” Tacke said. Sodexo has provided resources online for their employees to determine their eligibility for benefits, known as exchanges, through the local and federal Insurance Marketplace. Shane Smith (‘15) is a student manager in the cafeteria and has witnessed the impact this change has had upon Sodexo employees at Luther. “It’s hard [to qualify as a full-time employee] if you’re only allowed to work 35 hours per week and you’re not working over the summer, Christmas break and all of the breaks the college takes,” Smith said. Employees who lost their full-time status also lost access to paid vacation time and sick leave, but Sodexo has made compensations to help remedy these loses. “The Sodexo employees who lost their vacation and sick leave due to working less than 1,560 hours in a year received an equivalent increase in pay to compensate for the loss of vacation and sick leave,” Tacke said. “In addition, these employees are still eligible to participate in Sodexo’s retirement plan.” Even with these compensations, Smith says that some employees are searching for work elsewhere. “Most employees are looking for other jobs because they can’t sustain themselves with just this job, because if they want health benefits now they have to go find [them] themselves,” Smith said. “What Sodexo is doing isn’t okay. It has a direct effect on the Luther student employees, too, because if we’re constantly losing chefs we can’t keep up.” Though Luther College is a separate institution from Sodexo and does not determine Sodexo’s decisions, administrators recognize that some employees are in difficult positions and are trying to assist in the transition. “It’s a tough situation,” Tacke said. “Sodexo is a separate corporation, so Luther and the Cabinet can’t control their systems. What we can do is figure out who this is happening to and if there might be something else we can do as a partner to do things differently.”
Upcoming Events Thursday, May 1 Cantorei/Luther Ringers 7:30 p.m., Noble Recital Concert Hall Alumni Externship 7:30 p.m., Olin 102 Program Information Session Friday, May 2 Baseball vs. University of 1 p.m., Home Dubuque Dance Performance: 7:30 p.m., Jewel Theatre Highway 57 Norsemen/Aurora Concert 7:30 p.m., CFL Main Hall Saturday, May 3 Baseball vs. University of 1 p.m., Home Dubuque Dance Performance: 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Highway 57 Jewel Theatre Monday, May 5 Spring Planting: Tips and 12:15 p.m., Valders 362 Considerations Baseball vs. Hamline 2:30 p.m., Home University Wednesday, May 7 Resume and Cover Letter 7 p.m., Olin 213 Workshop Information from luther.edu/events
INDUCTED. The Eta of Iowa Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa inducted select members of the senior class on Sunday, April 27. Photo courtesy of Luther College Photo Bureau 2014 Inductees Caitlyn Anderson – French, History Jessa Anderson-Reitz – English Jamison Ash – Environmental Studies Ingrid Baudler – Political Science, English Bradley Beale – Music Hans Becklin – History Ellen Behrens – Biology Katie Berner – Management Nicole Billips – Art Nathan Converse – Political Science Meggie DeJong – Music Kelsey Engbrecht – Communication Studies Angela Gallagher – Social Work Daniel Gallagher – Music Grace Gast – Mathematics, Chemistry Logan Grado – Chemistry, Physics Alexander Greiner – Chemistry Chloe Gumpert – Biology Isaac Hitz Graff – Spanish, Philosophy Charles Hoeft – Music, English Jenna Hoge – Individualized Interdisciplinary: Persuasion and Social Change Samuel Jones – Music Hannah Josephson – Music Andrea Keuper – Music Madeline Kofoed – Spanish, Biology Callie Mabry – History, Environmental Studies Mary Maiden Mueller – English
Elizabeth Martens – Music Maia Mastel – Anthropology Kristina Moburg – Psychology, Biology Joseph Novak – Physics Katrina Okerstrom – Biology, Psychology Calla Olson – Music, Biology Kimberly Osberg – Music Beth Ostlie – Mathematics/Statistics, Psychology Andrew Peter – Political Science Michael Peterson – Religion Margaret Pierson – Physical Education, Religion Lucas Reitz – Biology Rebecca Rudquist – English Jenny Rustad – Mathematics Andrew Ruud – Spanish, History Christina Scharmer – Mathematics/Statistics, Psychology Nathan Schmidt – English, History Rebekah Schulz – Biology Rachel Selvig – History, Anthropology Kelsey Smith – Music Angela Stancato – English Lisa Stippich – Anthropology Andrew Streck – Mathematics/Statistics, Poltical Science Grace Swanson – Women and Gender Studies, Psychology Katherine Switzer – Mathematics, Economics Amanda Take – Elementary Education Kayla Uphoff – Biology Laura Weiner – Psychology, Mathematics Allison Wright – Spanish, Biology
Student Life addresses reasons for new early arrival policy EARLY ARRIVAL POLICY, PAGE 1 requests will require an early arrival fee that will be charged to the student’s account. “We do suggest that students review the policy and if they believe they are supposed to be arriving early that they discuss the plan with their program director, supervisor or other college official,” Landstrom said. Rising numbers of students arriving early in not unique to Luther. According to Landstrom, it is a challenge other colleges are facing as well.
“Luther is not alone in responding to this challenge,” Landstrom said. “Our ACM peers and some other ELCA and Iowa colleges have also experienced this challenge ... It was similar at my previous institution, where we found we had over 50 percent of the students on campus prior to opening.” The Cabinet encourages students to be aware of the changes in order to avoid fines. All information regarding the new early arrival policy can be found on the Luther website, and any questions regarding the policy can be directed to Corey Landstrom at landco01@luther.edu.
“The numbers of students who
opening date has increased in the past several years.” - Corey Landstrom
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A&E EDITOR: MAGGIE STEINBERG
MAY 1, 2014
Sex, Sparta and SPIN
UNCONVENTIONAL. From left, Zora Hurst (‘17), Miriam Harries (‘16), Abbey Syme (‘16), Alyssa Dutkanych (‘16), Kaitlin Thune (‘16) and Joy Okeke (‘17) play the ladies of Sparta and Athens who join together in an unusual plot to force their husbands to sign a peace treaty to end the war. Jenna Nelson / Chips
SPIN Theatre performs Greek sex comedy “Lysistrata.” JENNA NELSON STAFF WRITER The student–led theater company, SPIN Theatre, performed the Greek Sex comedy “Lysistrata” on April 25–26. The show marked their rebirth as a club at Luther College. SPIN Theatre House Manager and Treasurer Maggie Sulentic (‘16) directed the spring production of “Lysistrata.” The play was written by Greek playwright Aristophanes around 400 BCE, a time of turmoil and war between Athens and
Sparta, and contains themes of conflict, sex and women’s rights. “When this was written it was absolutely unheard of for women to flex their muscles the way they do in the show,” Sultenic said. “While they’re not necessarily using political know-how, they are using sex to get where they want to go. It was still an unbelievably revolutionary idea in theater and in thought at the time, for women to have any power over men.” “Lysistrata,” though politically and socially charged, is considered the world’s oldest sex comedy. SPIN board member Tim Komatsu (‘15) thinks the show appealed to a variety of audiences. “It’s got something for a lot of different groups, which is why we wanted to do it,” Komatsu said. “There’s a strong feminist message, a political discussion that can
TENSIONS RISE. Josh Harper (‘16) and Tim Komatsu (‘15) play men from Sparta and Athens who conspire to make a peace treaty so they can reunite with their wives. Jenna Nelson / Chips
STRENGTH THROUGH SEXUALITY. The character Lysistrata, played by Emily Ebertz (‘15), comes up with the plan to unite the women of Sparta and Athens in order to bring an end to the war. Jenna Nelson / Chips
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occur and for everyone else there are penis jokes.” The production of Lysistrata is only the beginning for this newly resurrected campus club. SPIN Theatre welcomes students of all majors in the fall. Last semester, the group organized a One Act Festival. “We want the group to be able to give opportunities to students that they’re not able to get in the major, or they feel if they don’t want as much of a commitment as the major but still want to be involved in high–quality shows,” Komatsu said. Generally, the group is focused around traditional theater pieces. “We do classics, we do famous pieces,” Sultenic said. “Often whatever we’re reading about in theater history that day.” The student-run aspect of the SPIN Theatre Company grants the student facilitators opportunities for growth and experimentation with theater. “We’re running kind of lone wolf here, for a lot of us the first time ever,” Sulentic said. “For the majors, it’s a learning experience, and we hope that for the members of SPIN it’s just a lot of fun and a great theatrical experience.” Audience member and theatre/dance major David Mendez (‘14) appreciates the student freedoms in SPIN Theatre’s production of “Lysistrata.” “Coming from a theatre/dance background, it was nice to see the lack of boundaries,” Mendez said. “With conservative theater, you expect [the administration] to censor some things, but ‘Lysistrata’ was full of penises and naked women, and I like that they took risks.” In the future, SPIN Theatre students hope to see growth in the theater community on campus. “We want to do more shows, bigger things and get as many people involved in theater as we can,” Sulentic said. SPIN Theatre will be holding auditions for next year’s One Act Festival on April 30–May 1. Students interested can email spin@luther.edu for more information about SPIN and their future involvement on campus.
BTQ talent show “a real success” Performances at the Beta Theta Omega (BTQ) talent show on April 26 featured singing, poetry and a marriage proposal. SPENCER HODGE STAFF WRITER Luther College’s women’s leadership organization, Beta Theta Omega (BTQ), held the second annual BTQ Talent Show last Saturday in the CFL. About 100 students attended and saw 16 performances while supporting two locally–motivated charities of BTQ’s choosing. BTQ sold tickets for the performance for $3 in the beginning of week and for $5 at the door to generate revenue for donation. “Part of the funds will go to the Sylvia ‘Gift’ Nabukeera Scholarship,” President of BTQ Sims said. “Basically the scholarship is meant to fund a girl from rural Africa who wants to come to Luther. The process is otherwise tough and super expensive so we set up an account in her name to pool money.” Sylvia Nabukeera (‘10) was a previous BTQ president who was killed after her graduation from Luther upon returning to her home in Kenya. “The other part of our proceeds will also go to a child that was met by Luther students in Guatemala this past spring break,” Sims said. “We’re hoping the money will help him as well.” Those participating were the BTQ Sisters, Orchesis, Strangz, Entisar Kedir (‘17), Lam Nguyen (‘17), Ryan Castelaz (‘15), Oskar Wallén (‘17), Marfi Manuel (‘15), Berta Antonieta Tilman Pereira (‘16), Martin Pena-Rodriguez (‘14), Katie Stremel (‘14), Chansouda Lor (‘16), Natalie Sims (‘14), Vocal Jazz, Whistle Choir, Blake Potthoff (‘14) and Eklipse. The participants in the talent show displayed many talents and surprises. Castelaz and Wallén performed a voice duet and guitar cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” for their act. “[‘Superstition’] has always been a jam of mine,” Wallén said. “I played it with Ryan the other week and then we decided, ‘Let’s do this.’” Wallén thought they made their cover different and more personal than the original. “The scatting is what really makes it fun for me,” Wallén said. “Things become more jazzy and less funk. That’s a lot of our style, too.” Kedir recited Alysia Harris’ poem “Cab Rides and the Morning After” with a piano accompaniment by Philani Mkhwanazi (‘17). The poem is a first–person narrative of a BTQ TALENT SHOW, PAGE 8
“SPIN” of SPIN Theatre is not an acronym.
FEATURES
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FEATURES EDITOR: CASEY DELIMA
Team Trivia: The right answer for your Monday nights Luther students Alisa Schultz (‘14) and Brett Condon (‘15) start a student-run team trivia in Decorah. MADDY KOFED STAFF WRITER Life for some Luther students consists of two mutually exclusive parts: homework on weekdays, and lighting the town on fire on weekends. However, an entrepreneurial group of Luther students has started a bar trivia business that provides some variety for students who want to mix up the weekday routine. Luther student Alisa Schultz (‘14) came up with the idea after attending trivia nights at a bar near her home in Apple Valley, Minn. “I thought we have to have trivia at Luther because I wanted to create something that Luther students could do for fun besides the usual getting intoxicated,” Schultz said. Schultz recruited her cousin Brett Condon (‘15) and the two arranged to hold “Decorah Team
Trivia” at the former Willis Brew Pub on College Drive on Monday nights, and started the first week of fall semester. They arranged for the former owner to pay them $40 for the night, provide a $20 prize to the winning team and award a free appetizer for the group with the best team name. The two created a diverse set of trivia questions ahead of time and worked out a system in which one person was in charge of playing music and recording points for teams and the other was the master of ceremony. The duo were pleasantly surprised to find that their business was profitable from the get-go. But they soon faced their first big challenge when Willis’ closed. “We had trivia right before fall break, and it was the highest turnout we’ve ever had. Then the next day when we went to pick up our payment, [the owner] was not there and there was a for sale sign on Willis’,” Schultz said. Within a week of the Willis’ debacle, Schultz and Condon arranged to hold Decorah Team Trivia at the Haymarket on Monday nights, where they have been ever since. This venue has been successful in drawing a few consistent teams of Luther students and people who live in town as well.
“It’s a great way of mixing up how you spend time with your friends,” Andrew Stork (‘14), a loyal patron of Decorah Team Trivia at the Haymarket, said. “It’s a fun environment, and trivia is a good way to test yourself a little bit and see what knowledge you’ve accumulated over the years. It’s a great way to go outside of obligations or stresses you have during the school week.” The cousins recruited John Dahl (‘15) onto their team in January and began holding trivia at Smiley’s on the River on Thursday nights
in addition to Monday nights at Haymarket in order to provide a venue that was more convenient for Luther students. The trivia trio no longer holds trivia at Smiley’s on the River due to lack of functionality of the venue for a trivia setting, but Condon plans to talk with the new owner of Willis’ about arranging to hold trivia there next year. Condon and Dahl, who will run the business next year, are also considering expanding to Calmar and Cresco. Schultz and Condon saw the fruits of their hard work in mid-
April, when they won a Daryl and Audrey Erdman Prize. The prize honors Luther students who create, develop and manage a successful entrepreneurial enterprise. They were given the runner-up scholarship of $2500. Decorah Team Trivia is currently held every Monday from 7:30-9:15 p.m. at the Haymarket and is free to play. The winning team receives a $20 prize, and the team with the best team name (decided upon by a bartender) wins a free appetizer. However, all patrons win a chance to show off their useless knowledge.
NAME OF THE GAME. Alisa Schultz (‘14) and Brett Condon (‘15) act as masters of ceremony at Team Trivia on April 28. Bjorn Myhre / Chips
College Ministries hosts Seder dinner ZORA HURST STAFF WRITER
Last Thursday, April 24, the Office for Campus Ministries held a model Seder in Peace Dining. Seder marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday Passover, a tradition dating back to Israel’s enslavement in Egypt. The Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorates the faithfulness of Hashem, the Unchanging. Many students attended the Seder at Peace dining. Brandon Marino (‘17) was one of them. “I didn’t really know what to expect,” Marino said. “[Seder] was much more subdued than Kwanzaa. But I like how the past and the future bookended the dinner.” Passover doesn’t call for garishly colored adornments. Tables were draped in simple tablecloths, with a few dishes in their centers and two candles that would traditionally be lit by the mother of the household. Seeing as the model Seder was attended by students, each table elected their own ‘mother’ to carry out the matriarchal duties. A few booklets of the Haggadah made their way around the tables as well. The Hebrew word meaning story, the Haggadah ritual puts the components of the Jewish faith in Seder in order. Each component of the Seder dinner has symbolic meaning. While it remains uneaten, the shank bone of lamb (or in Luther’s case, chicken), according to the Haggadah, “is used
as a reminder of the lamb offered on Passover at the Temple in Jerusalem two thousand years ago. It also recalls that God passed over the houses of the Hebrew people in Egypt.” Also on the table are the beytza (roasted egg), maror (bitter herbs), haroset (a mixture of chopped apples, cinnamon, nuts and wine), karpas (a piece of parsley or celery), meimelach (salt water) and three pieces of matzot (unleavened bread, like an unsalted cracker). These items represent, respectively, the roasted egg offered at Jerusalem’s Temple, the hardship of slavery, the mortar used by Hebrew slaves to hold bricks together during their forced labor in Egypt, spring and Hashem’s faithfulness to provide, the bitterness of slavery and the three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Associate Professor of Religion Karla Suomala, after reciting the Kiddush, the blessing over the wine, reminds the Seder participants, “This isn’t communion, this isn’t ‘shots for Jesus.’” Four entire cups of wine must be consumed during the seder meal, representing Hashem’s liberation, deliverance, redemption and acceptance of the Hebrews (Exodus 6:6-7). No worries about intoxication and religious observance colliding in disastrous ways: Luther’s model seder was conducted with grape juice, not alcohol. The Maggid recounts the entire passover story, familiar to those who’ve read the Old Testament. It begins with Israel’s bondage to the Egyptians and concludes with the ten
plagues. Next, the Seder observers commit Urehatz by washing one another’s hands, and then consume the items already on the table. The meal that follows is simple but filling— roasted chicken, baked potatoes, green beans and for dessert, meringues. Interestingly, the Maggid and the Barekh (grace after the passover meal) require compassion, not superiority from the Jews to the Egyptians. We can see parallels between Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchkai’s commentary in Shemos, the Hebrew text of Exodus, and revolutions the world over. “Pesach [Passover] is the inaugural festival of the Jewish people, because it marked their emergence as a nation,” Yitzchkai writes. “This nationhood was not based on revolution, triumph in battle, conquest of a land or any of the normal manifestations of national pride and struggle for independence. Rather, the people had fallen to the lowest depths of degradation,
spiritual and physical.” Concluding with the remembrance of the Holocaust and the opening of the door to receive Elijah the Prophet, should he decide to drop by, Neertza leaves the Seder participants with these thoughts: all have the right to freedom, and everyone must dedicate themselves to liberating our fellow men politically, socially, economically and spiritually. As a Jewish student on campus, Sam Weinberg (‘15) was disappointed to be unable to attend the Seder dinner, but he enjoys spending the holiday with his family and celebrating his culture. “Passover for me is a time where I get the chance to join my family and friends and celebrate the history of our religion and culture,” Weinberg said. “It is a celebration of what the Jewish people have overcome, not just escaping the slavery in Egypt but overcoming any and all oppression we have faced. It allows us to appreciate the freedom we are blessed with.”
“[Passover] is a celebration of what the Jewish people have overcome, not just escaping the slavery in Egypt but overcoming any and all oppression we have faced. It allows us to appreciate the freedom we are blessed with.” - Sam Weinberg (‘15)
FEATURES
PAGE 7
FEATURES EDITOR: CASEY DELIMA
MAY 1, 2014
Luther students participate in Sexual Assault Awareness Month Luther hosts events such as Denim Day for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. MATT HELM STAFF WRITER In 1992 an 18-year-old girl was raped in Rome by her 45-year-old driving instructor according to the New York Times archives. The assailant was convicted of rape but was acquitted because the judge determined that the victim’s jeans were so tight that she would have had to help take them off, and the charges were dropped. Because of this case, women and men on Luther’s campus and all over the world donned denim on Wednesday, April 24 in the name of spreading awareness about sexual assault. Denim Day is one event put on by the Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Education (SAAPE) organization as a part of the ongoing Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). “People are uncomfortable talking about sexual assault and they don’t know how to define it,” Ylvisaker Hall Director and SAAM representative Sarah Stadie (‘11) said. “People see it as a joke. It is brushed aside. We are trying to start a conversation about education and healthy relationships. It’s through those conversations that people learn.” SAAPE is in its second year at Luther and hopes to grow by working with other groups on
campus. “With kind of a smaller budget and smaller group, we are doing a lot of tabling and handing out ‘Got Consent?’ buttons and condom packets with information to really push safe and healthy relationships,” Stadie said. “Promoting healthy relationships is our theme this year nationally.” Victims of sexual assault can find support from Residence Life, College Ministries, Counseling Service and the Diversity Center. “This is a safe zone where people can share their experiences judgment free,” Diversity Center Administrative Assistant Jake Dyer said. “We are trying to get away from the ‘blame the victim’ mentality. It doesn’t matter what you were wearing. You can’t blame the victim.” Executive Director of the Diversity Center Sheila Radford-Hill was involved in refreshing Luther’s sexual assault policy. “As the director of the Diversity Center, periodically people will come and talk about sexual assault with me,” Radford-Hill said. “Last year I had a couple of conversations, and I was trying to help students file a complaint. I read the policy very carefully and tried to follow it. I didn’t quite understand it very well. There were a lot of questions. I came to the conclusion that the policy should be changed.” The new policy falls in line with the Campus Save Act, which requires every college that receives federal funding to provide training and resources to promote sexual assault education for students, faculty and staff. Sexual assault awareness is now incorporated into the Fitness and Wellness course. “One of the things we’ve been doing is taking opportunities here on campus that we can turn into a broader support for stopping violence
ROCKING THE DENIM. Sam Raiche (‘15) models his denim on Denim Day to bring awareness for sexual assault. Abby Carpenter / Chips against women,” Radford-Hill said. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, one in four women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. “People always ask me, ‘we don’t have that problem here, do we?’ and the answer to that question is, ‘I’m really not sure,’” Radford-Hill said. “Not every sexual assault is reported. Women have a very hard time coming forward.” SAAPE program hopes to start a conversation
about healthy relationships. “I think sex is very difficult for some people to talk about,” Radford-Hill said. “It is difficult to talk about healthy relationships if you don’t talk about sex. Sex is a part of life, and frankly it’s a fun part. But we need to be informed. We want to make the campus safer and make people more aware about what a healthy relationship is so they can go after it and have a good time of it!”
Student organizes event for Love Your Melon ABBY CARPENTER STAFF WRITER Allison Dippel (‘16), a college ambassador for Love Your Melon, is organizing an event to take place on May 2 at the Mayo Clinic Children’s Hospital in Rochester to hand out hats and spend time with children battling cancer. “The main goal of our event is to bring smiles to the faces of kids
HATS FOR A CAUSE Rochester, Minn.
undergoing cancer treatment,” Dippel said. Love Your Melon is a non-profit organization that evolved from an entrepreneurship class at the University of St. Thomas, and has a similar business plan as TOMS; for every hat bought on their website they donate one to a child with cancer. Dippel saw that the organization was looking for 25 college ambassadors
across the United States and quickly applied. “It is such an amazing organization, and I feel the individuals involved are truly making a difference in the world,” Dippel said. Dippel and a group of volunteers have been planning and working hard to make the day extra special. “Love Your Melon decided to go with a superhero theme for the year
so I am working on putting together a superhero bootcamp for the kids,” Dippel said. “These kids are already superheroes; they have strength and bravery well beyond their years, so I would love to give them the credit they deserve.” At the event, Dippel and a group of volunteers will hand out 60 hats to kids–some while dressed as superheroes. Dippel has also
Abby Carpenter / Chips
planned several tasks for the kids to complete including designing their own superhero mask, showing their best superhero muscles and smile and taking the superhero pledge promising to always help others, among other activities. Dippel was careful in her planning to make the activities doable for all ability levels. “After these tasks are complete each kid will receive an official superhero certificate with their name on it,” Dippel said. “For kids that are not interested in participating in the bootcamp we have some crafts to do as well.” Tayler Jenks (‘16), a volunteer for the event, is looking forward to to spending the day with the kids. “I am excited to see the children’s faces when we give them the hats and the cards that we made for them,” Jenks said. “I’m excited to have the chance to show the kids that they are our heroes.” Dippel is also looking for a few more volunteers. “I am looking for anyone who would like to dress up as a superhero for the day!” Dippel said. “So far I have an Ironman, Superman and Batman costume on loan. You can also help our mission by going to www.loveyourmelon.com and purchasing a hat!”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 8 MAY 1, 2014
A&E EDITOR: MAGGIE STEINBERG
Death brings life to opera ANNA JEIDE STAFF WRITER Repentance and romance, money and manipulation guide the lives of characters in “Suor Angelica” and “Gianni Schicchi,” two one–act operas by Giacomo Puccini. The Luther College opera department will perform these two one-acts in the annual spring opera production. These operas come from “Il Trittico,” a larger work comprised of three one-act operas. “Suor Angelica” is set in the late 18th century and tells the tale of a young woman, Angelica, who is sent away to become a nun in a convent when her family discovers that she has had a child out of wedlock. Throughout the story, Angelica must grapple with countless obstacles, including the death of her son and abandonment by her family. The title role of Sister Angelica is double-cast and will be played by Brittney Leemon (‘14) and Andrea Keuper (‘14). This all-female cast brings Angelica’s story to life as she experiences shame, guilt, anger, depression and finally, redemption and forgiveness. “‘Sister Angelica’ is a very powerful story of love and redemption,” Artistic Director and Associate Professor of Music Andrew Whitfield said. “There’s something timeless about it.” “Gianni Schicchi” comes after “Suor Angelica” in the larger work. Originally set in medieval Florence, this performance is set in post–World War II Italy, near the time of the opera’s premiere in 1918. “Schicchi” opens with a scene of the Donati family mourning the death of their wealthy cousin, Buoso. Sophia Huang (‘14) plays one of the many family members who hopes to inherit the late Buoso’s wealth. “They’re pretending to be sad but they’re actually excited,” Huang said. “Then they hear a rumor that he left all the money to the friars. This hour is basically about their scheming to get their money back.” Gianni Schicchi is a poor farmer who is recruited by the family to evade the law and win back Buoso’s inheritance. The role of Schicchi is also double-cast and will be performed by Evan Mitchell (‘14) and David Geist (‘14). “[Schicchi] knows how to get through the legal system,”
TALES OF LOVE AND FAMILY. Cast members fall into character as they rehearse for the spring opera from Giacomo Puccini’s “Il Trittico.” Zachary Stottler / Photo Bureau Mitchell said. “He’s loose, and you can’t get hold of him. He always has something up his sleeve.” More than 50 students, including singers, instrumentalists and stage managers, have been rehearsing these operas all semester. Some have been practicing individually since the fall. “It’s certainly a dedication of time and energy,” Head of Opera and Professor of Music Edwin Andereck said. “You have to have the caliber of students to perform. I think we are very fortunate at Luther that we can double-cast major roles … [and] have a fully staged, costumed opera every spring.” This year the Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Professor of Music Daniel Baldwin, will be accompanying the performance. Mitchell encourages students to come, even if they have
BTQ hosts talent show BTQ TALENT SHOW, PAGE 5
MARRY ME. Blake Potthoff (‘14) performed Dierks Bentley’s song “My Last Name” and proposed to Megan McDermott (‘14) on stage. Photo courtesy of Samantha Bechtel
not seen opera before. “If there is someone who wants to get into opera, you can get into a story of anything by Puccini,” Mitchell said. “The story is that the bonds between family tell an important part of who you are. That’s important whether it’s 800 years ago or now.” For Whitfield, opera is an opportunity to experience stories on a new level. “I want people to be excited about he possibility of story-telling through this medium,” Whitfield said. “Sister Angelica is love and redemption. In Gianni Schicchi, in the end, love triumphs. Those are things we can relate to and want to see played out on stage.” Performances are May 9–10 in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the Ticket Office for $15 or free with CAF.
woman adhering to her Christian faith among the pressures of youthful parties and sex. “[Alysia] is my favorite poet,” Kedir said. “She writes about conviction so a lot of religious people relate to it. She just goes with her words. I like it a lot.” Potthoff was the last participant of the show and ended his cover of Dierks Bentley’s song “My Last Name” with a marriage proposal to his girlfriend Megan McDermott (‘14). During the performance, McDermott was invited to the stage to sit next to Potthoff.
“This is originally meant to be a proposal song,” Potthoff said. “The last part of the song goes, ‘Darling, if you’re wondering why I got you here tonight, I want to be your husband, I want you to be my wife. I ain’t got much to give you, but what I’ve got means everything. It’s my last name.’” After finishing his song he turned his guitar to reveal the words “Marry Me?” on its backside. “Things worked out really well,” Potthoff said. “It went by like a blur
though. Every time I’ve seen her hand since I’ve just thought, ‘This is really happening!’ There aren’t words to describe it. I’m just really happy.” The show was full of entertainment and raised funds for BTQ’s charities. Those who would like to see the show next year can count on a third show. “BTQ will definitely host the show again,” Sims said. “It was a real success.”
“Things worked out really well … There aren’t words to describe it. I’m just really happy.” - Blake Potthoff (‘14)
OPINION
PAGE 9
MANAGING EDITOR: JAYNE COLE
MAY 1, 2014
SHOC hosts Custodian Appreciation Day Letter to the Editor For many, college is a new and sometimes trying experience. Leaving home to live on your own in a new setting with new people can seem daunting. However, lucky seniors aside, we’re actually far from living on our own with the support of Residence Life and other staff who work hard to ensure a seamless transition from home to college. One of the most overlooked and underappreciated core components of this transition team (it really is a team) is the custodial staff. Since moving out, I’ve really come to appreciate
how my parents kept a pretty clean home. Sure, I was responsible for my room and picking up after myself, but my parents always keep an organized and clean living space. That hasn’t changed since coming to Luther. Thanks to the work of the custodial staff, an important piece of home has followed me and we are all able to live, work and study in a clean and conducive environment. With more than a dozen buildings ranging from science labs, residence halls, food service areas and studying spaces, keeping a clean, orderly and functioning campus that serves thousands of students and staff is a challenging task. The custodian staff does so day in and day out, often with little recognition. In fact, the nature of the job requires being out of sight and working long and odd hours in order to clean without affecting the daily use of the buildings. It’s unfortunate that an essential aspect of the campus whose hard work allows the college to fulfill its mission does not get the recognition they deserve. To this end, Students Helping Our Community (SHOC) is hosting a Custodian Appreciation Day
“One of the most overlooked and underappreciated core components of this transition team is the custodial staff.” - Sam Ward (‘15)
Custodian Appreciation Day Thursday, May 1 CFA Attrium 9:40-10:50 a.m. on Thursday, May 1 in the CFA atrium 9:40-10:50 a.m. We’ll be celebrating the work of our custodians by inviting them to a party in their honor. We invite all students, faculty and staff to attend, partake in complimentary food and drink and share your appreciation for the custodians. By now, you might have noticed SHOC volunteers tabling outside the CAF gathering signatures for a thank you card. We hope you had an opportunity to sign your name and look forward to seeing everyone during shadow block this Thursday. While we don’t presume this will give back everything they deserve, we hope it’ll be a step in the right direction for greater awareness, acknowledgment and appreciation of the hard work the custodian staff does in making Luther a little more like home for all of us. - Sam Ward (‘15)
Students research knitting traditions Letter to the Editor Two Luther College students, Anna Burke (‘15) and Peter Storvick (‘14), have been doing their part to revive Norwegian knitting traditions and will give a presentation on their research at the Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center on Sunday, May 4 at 2:00 p.m. in the museum’s Amdal-Odland Heritage Center. Burke and Storvick have been researching patterns, techniques and the technology of Norwegian knitting through the Scandinavian Studies program at Luther. During their presentation, they will talk about knitting in Norway from the perspectives of history, culture and technology. They will include information about the visual differences of styles and patterns
around Norway, as well as technological changes over time. They will also reveal the connection between knitting and Norwegian national identity. Burke and Storvick also knit sweaters based on their research. They will share the sweaters and how their knitting projects developed. Burke comes from a farm near Postville, Iowa, where her family raises sheep for meat and wool production and learned to knit when she was in elementary school. Burke is a biology major. Storvick, of Woodbury, Minn., will graduate in May with a major in statistics and minors in Scandinavian studies and economics. He began knitting late in high school and took a more serious interest in it during his first years at Luther College. Through 24,000 objects and 12 historic buildings, the Vesterheim, shares the most comprehensive collection of Norwegian-American artifacts in the world. This treasure is also a center for folkart education, offering a wide variety of classes in authentic Norwegian folk art every year. For more information on the museum’s exhibitions, classes, events, membership opportunities and ways to donate, check Vesterheim’s website at Vesterheim.org, call (563)382-9681, or write to
FANA-STYLE SWEATER. This style was used as inspiration for Anna Burke’s (‘15) hand-knit sweater. Photograph courtesy of the Vesterheim Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, 502 W. Water St., P.O. Box 379, Decorah, IA, 52101-0379. -Becky Idstrom Vesterheim Museum
OPINION
PAGE 10 MAY 1, 2014
MANAGING EDITOR: JAYNE COLE
Luther College Chips Chips is a student publication of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The paper is designed, composed edited and managed entirely by Luther students. It is published weekly during the academic year, excluding the month of January. The opinion section is designed to provide a forum for Chips, its staff members and the Luther community. Opinions expressed in articles, editorials and columns do not necessarily represent the views of the Chips staff. The author is solely responsible for opinions expressed in Chips commentary. Chips will not accept submitted articles or campus announcements. Submissions for letters to the editor should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document to chipsedt@ luther.edu with Letter to the Editor as a subject line. Letters to the Editor are subject to editing without changing the meaning of the letter. Authors will not be notified of changes prior to publishing. Letters must be signed, 300-400 words and submitted before Sunday at 5:00 p.m. the week before production. Publication of all letters is at the discretion of the editor. Contact Chips: Phone: 563-387-1044 Fax: 563-387-2072 Email: chipsedt@luther.edu Advertising: chipsads@luther.edu Website: lutherchips.com Facebook: facebook.com/LutherChips Twitter: @LutherChips Spring 2014 Staff Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: News Editors:
Ingrid Baudler Jayne Cole Walker Nyenhuis Brita Moore Features Editor: Casey DeLima A&E Editor: Maggie Steinberg Sports Editor: Julia Joseph Staff Writers: Meredith Bruster Hannah Butler Abby Carpenter Hannah Garry Matt Helm Spencer Hodge Elizabeth Hurley Zora Hurst Anna Jeide Nils Johnson Maddy Kofoed Luke Manderfeld Sam Molzahn Bailey Mulholland Jenna Nelson Katie Wolter Head Copy Editor: Cameron Meyferth Copy Editors: Emily Crowe Bethany Seavers Templeton Ad Representative: Lauren Meintsma Ad Accountant: Sam Matheson Photography Coordinator: Casey DeLima Photographers: Abby Carpenter Bjorn Myhre Design Technician: Bjorn Myhre Web Manager: Isaac Davis Social Media Director: Alex Catena Circulation Manager: Tess Wilson Adviser: David Faldet
ABΨ hosts fun run Letter to the Editor Attention Luther College, We want YOU and your organization to come have a BLAST in the 5K Fun Run hosted by the Decorah Fire Department! Come have fun running or walking to some awesome music while having buckets of color thrown at you! Date: Saturday, May 3 Registration Cost: $30 + Fun T-Shirt included!!!! ($5 discount when you sign up in groups of 10 or more!) Time: 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. for pre-registration, race starts at 11:00 a.m. and the All Race Color Throw is at 1:00 p.m. Race Headquarters: Winneshiek County Fairgrounds near Dana Lansing Building Distance: 5k where everyone is a winner Registration forms and money can be turned in at the Decorah Fire Department or to members of the Alpha Beta Psi sorority (ABΨ) on Luther College campus. ABΨ will be tabling outside the caf on weekdays from 11:00am-1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
DFD FUN RUN. ABΨ is hosting a fun run complete with buckets of color thrown in your face on May 3. Photo courtesy of ABΨ We would love for you and your team to come and have fun to raise money for the Decorah Fire Department and Luther’s Alpha Beta Psi Cystic Fibrosis research fund. Hope to see you there! -The Ladies of Alpha Beta Psi Written by Meghan Owens (‘15)
Senate clarifies proposal process A Sit-Down with Senate GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS CONSTITUENTS: We, as the Student Senate, are using our column this week for a rather mundane topic: to clarify the specific process through which a proposal moves through the Student Senate here at Luther, in order to empower you with the knowledge of how to affect positive change at the college we all love! Here is how an idea can be passed by the Student Senate and become official Luther policy. Idea I. Someone on Student Senate comes up with an idea. Student feedback II. The idea gets assigned to a standing committee within Senate and is crafted into a formal proposal. At this stage, committee members fully vet the proposal through conversations with stakeholders throughout the Luther community, research of best practices at other institutions, and solicitation of feedback from the student body. Full Senate III. Once a proposal is completed and passed in committee, it comes before the full Senate for a vote. Campus Life Committee IV. If a proposal passes the full Senate, it gets passed along to the appropriate campus committee, made up of faculty, staff and students, typically the Campus Life Committee. College Cabinet V. If it passes the appropriate campus committee, then it goes to what is called the College Cabinet, which is the
president of the college and the Vice-Presidents. President VI. The Cabinet may or may not vote on the proposal. The president decides what the Cabinet votes upon. The president also can veto any vote of the Cabinet. Board of Regents VII. The president, and only the president, then decides if the proposal should come up to the Board of Regents. Sometimes proposals are just tabled by the president. Sometimes the president just enacts proposals without seeking or obtaining Board approval. Standing Board committee VIII. If the president decides that a proposal should come up to the Board, it can take one of two paths. One path is to get assigned to a standing Board committee, and the other is for a proposal to come to the full Board directly. If it takes the former path, that committee (made up of faculty, staff, students, and Regents) will discuss the proposal, and decide whether or not to bring a resolution to the whole Board. If that happens, the full Board will then vote on the resolution. Institutional Planning and Board Affairs IX. If a proposal takes the latter path and comes directly before the full Board, the matter is typically (but not always) something that the president believes that the Board should discuss in Executive Session only. Executive Session includes only Board members and the President; no students, faculty or administrators are present. Full Board X. It is worth noting that there is one standing committee of the Board that is Regents only – that’s the Institutional Planning and Board Affairs committee. Sometimes proposals are brought by the president to that committee, and they either just die there, or make their way to the full Board. If a proposal dies in IPBA, the full Board usually never hears about it, whereas the full board is notified of any action taken by other standing committees. So if you have an idea, bring it our way! Although change happens slowly, we greatly appreciate your input and enjoy working on behalf of the Student Body! -Paul Esker (‘14)
SPORTS
PAGE 11
MAY 1, 2014
SPORTS EDITOR: JULIA JOSEPH
Marketing athletic experience HANNAH GARRY STAFF WRITER A lecture about how to market athletic experience to future employers was given by Assistant Director of Experiential Learning Dan Marlow (‘88) on April 16. Marlow said the idea for the lecture was inspired, in part, by a comment made by a Luther alum who came back to campus as a representative at a career fair. The alum told Marlow the student athletes he saw were not as prepared for the career fair as other students. “It was an anecdotal statement that really got me thinking about advantages and disadvantages that athletes have at career fairs and when considering their careers,” Marlow said. At the lecture Marlow encouraged students to bring professional clothing to wear to career fairs and to get their resume reviewed by the Career Center beforehand. “Approach any potential employer in a confident manner, look them in the eye, introduce yourself and give them a firm handshake,” Marlow said to attending students. More than 30 students, many of them athletes, attended the presentation in Olin 201. Marlow made it clear, however, that his advice was not only applicable to athletes. “I think anyone involved in extra-curricular activities has an opportunity to show off their communication and leadership skills,” Marlow said. Marlow suggested that the student athletes put their time as part of a team on a resume as experience and showed an example of how one might write it. He noted that balancing as many as 30 hours a week of practice and competition with a work-study and a full course load demonstrates time management skills. Scott Mittman (‘14) attended the seminar to learn how to include his time spent on the cross-country
DROPPING KNOWLEDGE. Dan Marlow (‘88) speaks to students about how to market themselves for future jobs. Hannah Garry / Chips and track & field team in future career opportunities. “I felt like this was something I should include on my resume but had no idea how I should go about doing that,” Mittman said. Marlow encouraged athletes to highlight their attitude when talking to employers, remembering a student athlete whose job search was successful due to his refusal to give up. He thought athletes could especially highlight their resilience. “There are no guarantees in athletics; you may not ever get a lot of playing time despite all your effort; you may prepare at a high level but still lose a contest; you may have to battle injuries and other things that are out of your control,” Marlow said. “The ability to
overcome obstacles could be transferred to the work environment.” The biggest mistake Marlow said he sees people making is not allowing enough time to perform a job or internship search. Marlow compared it to doing independent research for credit in terms of time commitment and reward. “Students that commit time throughout the year to the search for a job or internship usually end up with some good opportunities,” Marlow said. Marlow encourages anyone who wants to use their athletic or extra-curricular experience more to their advantage to bring their resume to the Career Center.
Norse of the Week JULIA JOSEPH SPORTS EDITOR Olivia Heitz (‘16) was involved in both of Luther’s wins against Winona State on April 18. Heitz won her singles match seeded at number six, and had a doubles victory with partner Jenna Myers (‘16). At the IIAC Automatic Qualifier on April 26, Heitz helped get the team to the championship match with a straight set victory. Heitz and Myers also had an 8-6 victory at number three doubles. The tennis team ended their season with an overall record of 15-8. Chips: What was the highlight of the season? Heitz: Our spring break trip to Orlando because we went undefeated. It was a really fun time hanging out with the girls. It was really exciting to go undefeated and it helped boost our record going 5-0. What originally made you start playing tennis? I didn’t decide to start playing tennis for Luther until the week before I came here. I had talked to the coach when I came to visit and was considering it. I thought it would be a good way to meet new people when I came in and
GAME TIME. Olivia Heitz (‘16) last season in the teams match vs. St. Benedict. Photo Courtesy of Luther sports. stay in shape over the years. I played tennis throughout highschool and I love playing so I figured it would be a perfect. Do you like singles or doubles more? Doubles. I like playing with a partner because it’s fun to cheer each other on and boost each other’s confidence. If
you get down it’s easier for the other person to help you get back up. I had a lot of fun playing with Jenna this year. I think we were a really good match. She really helped me improve a lot and stay focused during our matches. What’s the best and worst part of
playing outside? The best part is the sun. It’s fun to be outside and enjoy the elements. It’s nice getting a tan, too. But if it’s a windy day it’s a challenge for both sides of the court. It makes things really interesting. Which professional tennis player would you want to play against? I think I’d want to play against Roger Federer just to say I’ve done it. If I got any points I’d be really excited just to say I got a point against him. How does your team help get each other ready before competition? We always have a meal before we leave. Just talking it through and giving positive feedback to each other. It’s helpful to be all together in the same place. Before a match starts we always have a huddle and give little bits of encouragement. What was the most fun match to play this season? The Wartburg one at Automatic Qualifiers this past weekend. We were all very motivated to get past that. We were determined to play Coe and we beat Wartburg solidly. We all went out there strong from start to finish. What’s the best advice to get before a match? Be tough in the head. Mentality is a huge part of tennis. I’d say it’s a half mental, half physical sport. You can’t let yourself get down. Going in strong and staying positive throughout the match is important. What’s your favorite pump-up song? I get more pumped up by oldies jams. Our song of the season was “Dark Horse.” We had a lot of jam sessions in the vans to that song.
SPORTS
PAGE 12
SPORTS EDITOR: JULIA JOSEPH
MAY 1, 2014
Golf currently third in IIAC tournament
Weekly Standings Men’s Tennis Coe Wartburg Luther Central Buena Vista Simpson Dubuque Loras
IIAC 7-0 6-1 5-2 4-3 3-4 2-5 1-6 0-7
Overall 22-7 10-8 21-6 12-8 5-12 7-12 2-14 1-13
Recent Scores
April 26 @ Pella, Iowa vs. Simpson W 9-0 April 23 vs. University of Dubuque W 9-0
Upcoming Schedule
READING THE GREEN. Elliot Horst (‘16) preparing to putt at the Eau Claire tournament last season. Photo courtesy of Luther Sports LUKE MANDERFELD STAFF WRITER The Luther College Men’s Golf team started the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) tournament on April 25-26. After playing two rounds, the team currently sits in third place behind the University of Dubuque and Central College. It was the first weekend of the twoweekend tournament. On the par 72 Finkbine Golf Course, Elliot Horst (‘16) shot 147 and Tobias Kohl (‘14) shot 151 to lead the pack for the Norse, sitting in fourth and sixth place respectively. Andrew Peter (‘14) sits in a four-way tie for 11th place shooting 154 over the weekend. Peter Kephart (‘17) and Britt Vander-Linden (‘17) are in a four-way tie for 22nd, shooting 160. The tournament is a big one for the Norse because the winner gets an automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships in Greensboro, N.C. They have a big task ahead of them, with some tough competition topping off the leaderboard. “There are really good contenders this year [in the tournament],” Head Men’s Golf Coach Scott Fjelstul (‘83) said. “[Luther], along
with Dubuque and Central, have really separated ourselves from the rest of the conference this year. But I really love our chances in the tournament, I’m really excited.” Central College is the defending champion and is currently in second place, but Luther feels like they can make a great run at the title. “Coach [Fjelstul] always says that we have to knock off the defending champions,” Peter said. “We have the mentality that we are going to win this thing, that we are bringing the best five players of any team there. We need a good solid effort of consistency through the lineup to win, but we definitely believe this is our year.” It has been a tough season with the inconsistent weather to start the year. It has caused the team to delay the year and practice inside, which is hard to do when everyone is itching to get outside. But the team has stayed very driven throughout the season. “We had to overcome a lot of bad weather this year, but I believe that made the team more mentally tough,” Fjelstul said. “We stayed mentally focused, we worked very hard to improve our game and it has paid off.” The key players for the Norse are the two seniors,
CORRECTION: The April 17 issue of Chips quotes Vice President for Development Keith Christensen (‘80) in the article titled “New stadium proposed.” Christensen wishes to clarify his quote. “Some have raised concerns, but this project has been donor-driven to a higher goal,” Christensen said. “It is also part of plans to update the stadiums for recruitment purposes. The majority of our annual development efforts to raise funds for the college focus on student and academic needs. There are a number of academic equipment, endowment and current-funded projects that are clearly on our “radar” for potential donor interest, and there are some major projects in the future. However there are not any major academic buildings currently in the goals for shortterm funding initiatives.”
Kohl and Peter. Kohl has been playing well this season and won his fourth AllAmerican conference title this year. . Kohl averaged 74.1 strokes this year, second behind Peter. Peter has averaged 73.5 strokes and also won Iowa AllConference this year. He is hoping to help lead the team to a title run. “It is just like any other golf tournament, hoping I shoot
well and everyone else can, too,” Peter said. “We all hope this week is where we can all catch good games at the same time.” Peter is coming off of a second place finish at the Grand View University Viking Classic Tournament, where he shot 136. Luther will look to finish strong on the final weekend of the tournament. It will be played at Dubuque Golf and
May 2-3 IIAC Team Championships location TBA
Women’s Tennis Coe Luther Wartburg Central Loras Buena Vista Simpson Dubuque
IIAC 7-0 6-1 5-2 4-3 3-4 2-5 1-6 0-7
Overall 19-5 14-8 11-7 11-6 4-10 6-11 1-16 4-15
Recent Scores
April 26 @ Cedar Rapids Automatic Qualifier runner-up April 18 @ Winona, Minn. vs. Winona State L 2-7
Baseball
Buena Vista Wartburg Central Loras Simpson Coe Luther Dubuque
IIAC 18-6 17-7 15-9 13-11 11-15 10-16 7-17 7-17
Recent Scores
Overall 29-7 23-13 23-12 17-17 19-19 14-21 14-21 12-24
April 26 @ Cedar Rapids, Iowa vs. Coe L 6-7, L 15-23 April 25 @ Cedar Rapids, Iowa vs. Coe L 8-9, W 4-2
Upcoming Schedule
May 2-3 vs. University of Dubuque 1 p.m. May 5 vs. Hamline University 2:30 p.m.
PLAY ON. Tobias Kohl (‘14) during his round at the Eau Claire tournament last season. Photo courtesy of Luther Sports
Softball
#9 Coe #10 Luther #14 Central Simpson Dubuque Buena Vista Wartburg Loras
IIAC 11-3 10-4 10-4 10-4 8-6 5-9 1-13 1-13
Overall 33-6 27-6 30-8 25-13 21-13 13-19 17-19 14-22
Recent Scores
April 26 @ Storm Lake, Iowa vs. Buena Vista W 8-0, W 4-3 April 22 vs. Loras W 9-0, W 11-3
Upcoming Schedule
May 1-3 @ Cedar Rapids, Iowa IIAC Tournament