David Vasquez accepts new call
FEATURES 6
LUTHER COLLEGE
“Let the chips fall where they may.”
CHIPS
Serving the Luther College
Enrollment goal not achieved for 2014-2015
Renovations proposed for Main and Regents MAIN 4.0. renovations are completed, Main will be almost twice the size, with an improved exterior. Abby Carpenter/ Chips EMILY CROWE STAFF WRITER President Carlson announced the formation of two committees dedicatedto the process of renovating Main and the Regents Center in her State of the College Address on August 28, 2014. The renovations to Main will include updates to both the inside and outside of the building. “We will renovate the existing 50,000 square feet of the Main Building and add on up to 30,000 square feet,” Senior Accountant Andrew Bailey (‘08) said. The renovations to the Regents Center will be more expansive and spread out within the next 15 years. “We have continued to make improvements in areas but it is somewhat disjointed,” Vice President for Finance and Administration
Diane Tacke said. “I think we need to find a plan that will bring [the lower campus] all together. We have a great deal of differed maintenance: the basketball court, the bleachers, the scoreboards, the north gym ... I could go on and on.” Both renovation projects are focused on improving spaces where liberal arts learning takes place. “The core curriculum on campus is taught in Main,” Tacke said. “The building speaks to the academic quality of the college and right now our facilities aren’t speaking to our academic quality.” The Regents Center is also an
important element of the liberal arts education. “The Regents Center is an academic building; it’s very busy with c l a s s r o o m s ,” Tacke said. “There is a Latin saying in the Regents Center, ‘Mens sana in corpore sano,’ which means ‘healthy mind, healthy body.’ Students who are involved in a healthy body routine are academically stronger than those who are not.” The committees sent out Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to a variety of architects who will then send back
“We will renovate the existing 50,000 square feet of the Main Building and add on up to 30,000 square feet.” - Andrew Bailey (‘08)
RENOVATIONS, PAGE 4
MAKEDA BARKLEY STAFF WRITER In the 2014-15 school year, Luther has experienced a drop in first-year enrollment that may affect off-campus housing approval in the upcoming school years. Around 550 students enrolled as first years this year, and the addition of transfer students brings new enrollment up to 596 students, according to Vice President for Enrollment Management Scot Schaeffer. This class is significantly smaller than the average Luther College class, which could have a number of effects on student life. In Oct. 2013, an initiative called Project 700 was put into action by members of the administration in an attempt to increase enrollment for the fall of 2014. The basis of Project 700 was to take necessary steps to try to have 700 new students for the upcoming school year. “We came up with a series of things that we put into place that would hopefully help us reach that 700 goal,” Schaeffer said. “And we are going to carry some of those things over to this year.” Although first-year enrollment was more than 70 students lower than the year prior, the Project 700 team feels that this may simply be a coincidental combination of circumstances. Prior to this year, enrollment at Luther had been steadily climbing. “The last time we had a smaller class than we would have liked was in 2008 [and] their retention was the best we’d seen in many years,” Dean of Students Kevin Kraus said. “Is it a pattern that when you have a smaller class, more of them choose to stay? I don’t know. It’s something we’ll look at.” Luther is in the same region as 525 other colleges, and declining high school graduation rates have left the vast majority of these institutions
ENROLLMENT, PAGE 2
Bazylevych receives Nena Amundson award MAGGIE STEINBERG STAFF WRITER This year’s Opening Convocation kicked off the school year with the academic procession of professors, the class of 2018, a guest lecture and the awarding of the Nena Amundson Distinguished Professorship. The event took place on Thursday, Sept. 4 in the Center for Faith and Life. The Nena Amundson Distinguished Professorship award, which was presented to Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Women and Gender Studies Maryna Bazylevych, is given every two years. The Nena Amundson Distinguished Professorship honors Luther alum Nena Amundson (‘56), who taught physical education and coached women’s athletics
throughout her life. “Maryna’s Amundson project centers on Health and Wellness of Reproductive Women in Contemporary Ukraine,” Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Kevin Kraus announced. “Her project will contribute to anthropological scholarship that investigates social construction of risk and reproductive vulnerability.” After receiving the award, Bazylevych reflected on the impact the Amundson Professorship would have. “I always knew, even before I accepted the job at Luther, that I would apply for it,” Bazylevych said. “It was an important part of the job description that attracted me here, that there are these kinds of opportunities to research with students and to advance my own research agenda.”
BAZYLEVYCH, PAGE 4
BAZYLEVYCH AWARDED. Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean Kevin Kraus presents Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Women and Gender Studies Maryna Bazylevych with the Nena Amundson Distinguished Professorship. Zachary Stottler / Photo Bureau
NEWS
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NEWS EDITORS: ANNA JEIDE & MARGARET YAPP
Evidence suggests presence of valuable metals in Decorah area ABBY CARPENTER STAFF WRITER Although no immediate plans have been made, there may be deep mineral mining in Decorah’s future. Last year the U.S. Geological Survey measured gravity anomalies and magnetic anomalies of Northeastern Iowa and found possible evidence of valuable minerals an estimated 2000 feet below the surface. The study was originally conducted due to the geological similarities between Northeastern Iowa and the Duluth complex, which is home to one of the largest mines in the world for elements like nickel, copper and platinum. Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Chemistry Laura Peterson explains the uncertainty of what potentially lies below. “The key thing is that no one knows for sure what’s down there yet, so no one can say whether there are these metals or there aren’t,” Peterson said. In order to discover what elements are beneath Decorah, someone would have to drill down and take samples. So far no arrangements have been made to do this. Peterson describes the conditions for why such valuable minerals could be in the area. “These would be metals that came out of a magma that was cooling in this area around a billion years ago,” Peterson said. “In order to form the metals that people would want to mine, there would have needed to be sulfur in the surrounding rocks that then combined with those elements in the magma to make what are called sulfide minerals.” Sulfur, along with other aspects of mining, could lead to environmental issues for the Decorah community.
“When it’s exposed to air and rain water, sulfide reacts to form sulfuric acid,” Peterson said. “So one of the potential problems from this type of mining is that you would have acidic waters that run off of the mining site into local bodies of water.” Volunteer Coordinator at the Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center Julie Fischer is against the mining. “I would not like to see it happen,” Fischer said. “Simply because of the disruption, the environmental hazards and also the detriment to our roads and bridges.” Co-President of the Luther Environmental Concerns Organization (ECO) Marlene Weikle (‘16) agrees that the mining would be destructive for Decorah. “Before mining would even begin, large areas of land would need to be cleared,” Weikle said. “Farms and forests would turn to infrastructure, which is very hard to undo, leaving many habitats fragmented.” Although there are negative aspects to mining in Decorah, Peterson points out the value of the mine. “It’s easy to say that we shouldn’t mine it, because it’s our backyard, and we appreciate the scenic beauty of this area,” Peterson said. “But on the other hand, I think we have to look a little bit harder at the things we use in our daily lives. These metals aren’t going to some abstract purpose, they’re common for cell phones and computer chips and things that we are increasingly consuming and relying on. I do think we have to own up to that at some point.” There are no immediate plans to mine, especially since it is not known what kind of deposit is beneath the surface, but the residents are already thinking about how a mine could impact the future of Decorah.
GEOLOGY OF IOWA. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there may be minerals worth mining in northeast Iowa. Photos Courtesy of Dean Thompson
Low enrollment may affect off-campus housing ENROLLMENT, PAGE 1 clambering to keep up enrollment rates. As part of Project 700, Luther has started looking elsewhere in the U.S. for potential students. “We suspect we are going
to have to look at other areas, as well as do what we can to further penetrate the market in our four-state region,” Schaeffer said. “All the other private colleges are in the same boat as we are, and we’re all looking for good students.”
Schaeffer stressed that a high retention of students next year could help numbers from slipping further and possibly even help bring them back up. If enrollment does not start to climb again next year, oncampus and off-campus housing
will be affected. “Off-campus housing is based off of shortage of housing on campus and lower enrollment would mean less need for that,” Assistant Dean for Student Life and Director of Residence Life Kris Franzen said. “Our
expectations of students is clear, unless there is a [housing] shortage you are expected to live on campus.” The impacts of smaller enrollment are already being felt on-campus. One previously firstyear floor in Olson has been converted to upperclassmen doubles. “The idea is that all students have a full first year experience of living with other first years for their first-year at Luther,” Franzen said. “We created doubles in Brandt so that the freshmen in Olson could have the full experience in Olson.” Despite the threat of declining enrollment and decreased offcampus living, administrators are hopeful that retention efforts will prove successful. “Luther is a good place to stay at for four years … we want kids to know that their future after Luther will be bright.” Kraus said.
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NEWS EDITORS: ANNA JEIDE & MARGARET YAPP THURSDAY
Seven-Day Forecast
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Rethinking recycling ALISON VUOLO STAFF WRITER In a new recycling initiative, Brandt Hall residents were provided a “Tiny Trash” recycling bin for the 2014-2015 academic year. It comes with two bins: one large blue bin for recycling and one small black bin for trash. The purpose behind the bin is to educate students on proportions according to Assistant Director of Center for Sustainable Communities Stratis Giannakouros who has been involved with the proposal and installation of this program. “We need a big recycling container and a little trash bin, and not the reverse,” Giannakouros said. “This [bin] reflects the proportions of how your waste should look.” Giannakouros hopes that by implementing this program in a firstyear residence hall, students will form lasting habits and how they think about trash. Currently, 75 percent of Luther College waste is recyclable. The program aims to reduce that number by providing bins and education about recycling in TINY TRASH. RA Jessica Skjonsby (‘17) uses the new Winneshiek County. recycling recepticle in Brandt Hall. Alison Vuolo/Chips The program began last year with a research project done in an environmental studies class, Environmental Decision bins, as well as stickers for the bins. The the county. Making. Bekah Schulz (‘14) and Callie sticker on the trash bin reads, “Landfill,” RA and Sustainability Educator Mabry (‘14) conducted surveys and trash and “There is no such place as away.” for Brandt Hall Jessica Skjonsby (‘17) audits in Brandt Hall. Their findings The recycling sticker lists the materials participated in the trial run of the revealed found much of the trash was that can and cannot be recycled in program last year. recyclable and developed a trial program Winneshiek County. “I personally love it,” Skjonsby said. “It’s for the recycling bin with a small Cargill Energy and Waste Fellow Jamie so much easier to know what is and is not trash can, using Stallman (‘14) has recyclable.” cardboard boxes. heading the Brandt resident Corinn Schmieg (‘18) “It’s so much easier been The funding program since appreciates the educational aspect. for this program to know what is and this summer. “I never really recycled much before,” included a $900 is not recyclable .” He worked with Schmieg said. “Now I think about things grant from the the RAs and hall more as I throw them away.” Luther College - Jessica Skjonsby (‘17) directors prior to Giannakouros and Stallman will be Sustainability first-year arrival involved in conducting more surveys and Grant fund and to educate them audits throughout the year. If successful, $1,000 from the Winneshiek County on how to use the bins,and provide the program will be extended to other Solid Waste Agency. The money was background information for additional first year dorms next year, including used to supply each room with two recycling and waste disposal programs in Ylvisaker and Olson Halls.
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Life Outside Luther Ukraine’s leader rallies for unity in key city Seeking to rally national unity, President Petro Poroshenko visited a southeastern port Monday that has been assaulted for days by Russian-backed separatists and declared the city would remain a part of Ukraine. “We will do everything to ensure there is peace, but we will also brace ourselves for the defense of our country,” Poroshenko told metal workers at a plant that was within the range of the rebels’ rockets. Liberia will see thousands of new Ebola cases The United States and Britain will send medical equipment and military personnel to help contain West Africa’s Ebola outbreak, as the World Health Organization warned Monday that many thousands of new infections are expected in Liberia in the coming weeks. The current Ebola outbreak is the largest on record. It has spread from Guinea to Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria and Senegal and killed more than 2,000 people. An “exponential increase” in new cases is expected in the hardest-hit countries in coming weeks, the U.N. health agency warned. Pound sinks as Scottish independence race tightens Britain’s main political leaders scrambled Monday to offer Scotland greater autonomy in a last-minute bid to stave off independence as the pound sank on opinion polls, suggesting separatists are gaining ground and may even be in the lead. A Yes vote in next week’s referendum would end Scotland’s 307-year-old union with England and plunge Britain into uncharted constitutional and economic waters. Man dies of suspected shark attack in Australia A man was killed Tuesday in an apparent shark attack at the popular tourist destination of Byron Bay on the Australian east coast, officials said. An emergency phone call to the Ambulance Service was made Tuesday morning to report that the man, aged in his 40s, “had a very serious bite to his leg suspected to be from a shark,” Ambulance spokeswoman Jackie Levett said.
More than 12,000 foreigners from 74 countries have gone to fight with rebels in Syria, 60 to 70 percent from other Middle Eastern countries and about 20 to 25 percent from Western nations, a leading expert on terrorism said Monday. Peter Neumann, who directs the International Center for the Study of Radicalization at King’s College London, said the Syrian conflict has sparked the most significant mobilization of foreign fighters since the 1980s war in Afghanistan against the Soviet occupation, where up to 20,000 foreigners participated over the course of a decade. “THERE IS NO SUCH PLACE AS AWAY.” Based on a study conducted in Spring 2014, over 75 percent of Alison Vuolo / Chips
Compiled from: www.ap.org
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NEWS EDITORS: ANNA JEIDE & MARGARET YAPP
Renovations to satisfy students and sustainability RENOVATIONS, PAGE 1 visual representations of their ideas for the projects. “We hope to secure donor funding for a large portion of the project,” Bailey said. “We need to have our vision on paper that we can then use to get a community of donors excited about the project.” Despite the $10-12 million budget, the renovations will not affect student tuition, according to committee members. “The budget for the project will come from a combination of gifts from donors and other debt that the college is retiring,” Associate Professor of Religion and Main Building Committee Member Sean Burke said. “In other words, we have paid off some other building projects so now we will take on some new debt for this project. Capital projects aren’t financed out of student tuition.” Although the exact timeline for the Main renovation is currently unknown, it is likely that current students will not see the changes. “First-year students might see at least the crane on campus,” Tacke said. “I’m hopeful that we will see it sooner than that, but I don’t know right now.” The layout of the building has been a main topic of discussion in the committee meetings. “We tested the committee by asking them what they think are the students’ top priorities and then asking students, and we aren’t even close,” Tacke said. “We’ve made changes because of that. We think that faculty and student gathering spaces are really important and we don’t have that in Main, but we might be missing other things. So yes, we need student input on this.” The committee discussed the practicality of tearing down Main and building it from scratch only briefly. “That’s just not the sustainable thing to do,” Tacke said. “I think there are some good bones left in Main.”
MAIN BUILDING GETS AN UPGRADE. Committees have been formed to focus on the renovation of both Main Building and Regents Center. Renovations are expected to begin within the next few years. Abby Carpenter / Chips
The renovations will proceed similarly to the recent Valders and Union renovations. “It’s about retooling the spaces to improve student experience,” Bailey said. The appearance of the outside of Main will also be taken into account, according to Burke. “The building is a visual representation of Luther College,” Bailey said. “We don’t want to just make the inside look really nice and have anyone who drives by not even know anything happened. We want to do something that’s noticeable and that shows the investment we made.” The building will also be built to meet current sustainability standards.
“Although we won’t actually go for the certificate, the building will be designed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards,” Burke said. The decision to not apply for certification boils down to money. “Getting the certification can be an expense that we don’t need to add at this point,” Tacke said. Committee members hope to focus on what is best for students. “As a former student and someone who has close ties to Luther outside of my specific job, I’m glad that people at the top of the institution are future focused with the
Bazylevych to research Ukrainian health resources Upcoming Events
BAZYLEVYCH IN CLASS. Bazylevych teaches classes in both the Anthropology and Women and Gender Studies departments, specializing in medical anthropology. Photo courtesy of luther.edu
BAZYLEVYCH, PAGE 1 The award provides a faculty stipend of $5,000 and a student stipend of $2,500 on top of the $2,500 award for research expenses. “Professor Bazylevych succeeds prior Amundson professors Betty Hoff, Nancy Barry, Lea Pickard, Wanda Deifelt, Karla Suomala, and Angela Kueny,” Kraus said. Bazylevych primarily researches medical anthropology, a field of study that focuses on the cultural aspects of health and illness. In graduate school, she focused on post-Socialist countries and researched the gendered aspects of medical professionals in Eastern Europe, mostly in her native Ukraine. “In Ukraine, 70 percent of the doctors are women,” Bazylevych said. “I was trying to figure out why that was, because it’s very different from the United States. They don’t get paid nearly as much [in Ukraine], but it’s a job
that carries a lot of prestige and social status.” Once at Luther, Bazylevych entered a proposal for furthering her research. This time, she plans on studying the consumers of health resources in Ukraine, and she needs a Luther student to help her with this research. “This fall, I’m looking for a student who would be really interested in this topic,” Bazylevych said. The student would help with research preparation and travel to Ukraine for two weeks at the beginning of summer 2015. The following year would be spent analyzing the data and presenting it to the Luther community. “Men and women experience health in different ways,” Bazylevych said. “I think it would be interesting for the Luther community to know how young people make health decisions in similar situations.” Any Luther students interested in applying for the research position should email Bazylevych at bazyma01@ luther.edu for more information and an application.
“ Men and women experience health in different ways. I think it would be interesting for the Luther community to know how young people make health decisions in similar situations. ” -Maryna Bazylevych
Thursday, September 11 Reason 201 9:40 a.m., Olin 102 Zotero Workshop 7:40 p.m., Preus Library, Hovde Friday, September 12 TEP Induction Ceremony 7 p.m., Center for Faith and Life, Recital Hall Guest Artist Performance: 7:30 p.m., Center for the Typhoid Fever Arts, Studio II Faculty Artist Series: Karen 7:30 p.m., Jenson-Noble Kanakis, Voice Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall Saturday, September 13 Men’s Tennis - Alumni 10:30 a.m., Home Match Women’s and Men’s Cross 11:20 a.m. and 11:50 a.m., Country - 43rd Annual Home All-American Invitational Women’s Soccer, against 2:00 p.m., Home Macalester College Center Stage Series: The 7:30 p.m., Center for Faith Intergalactic Nemesis and Life, Main Hall Sunday, September 14 Sunday Worship Service 10:00 a.m., Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall Faculty Artist Series: 4:00 p.m., Noble Recital Muraski Duo, Cello/Piano Hall, Jenson-Noble Hall of Music Men’s Soccer, against 4:30 p.m., Home Macalester College Monday, September 15 Luther Sustainability Class: 12:15 p.m., Luther College, Saving Seeds Location TBD Tuesday, September 16 Lecture: Kristin A. 7:00 p.m., Center for Faith Swanson, Professor of and Life, Recital Hall Religion
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A&E EDITOR: DYLAN HINTON
PAGE 5 SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
Invasion from Zygon! Live-action graphic novel “Intergalactic Nemesis: Target Earth” touches down in the CFL. LAURA HAYES STAFF WRITER The year is 1933, and deep in the Carpathain Mountains of Eastern Europe three truth seekers sit around a fire discussing rumors of strange creatures and the details of an international pelt smuggling ring. One pulls a map out of his pocket, but before he can speak, an assassin bursts through the door and kills him. A strange man with glasses rushes in and distracts the assassin, giving the other two enough time to escape. This scene marks the first installment of “The Intergalactic Nemesis: Target Earth,” the live-action graphic novel that follows the story of Molly Sloan, Timmy Mendez and Ben Wilcott as they travel to the planet Zygon. According to the production’s synopsis, the purpose of these travels are to “defeat a terrible threat to the very future of humanity: an invading force of sludge-monsters from the planet Zygon!”
LIVE-ACTION COMIC THEATRE. The production features both actors and animation. Photo courtesy of intergalacticnemesis.com
“I was seven years old when ‘Star Wars’ came out in the movie theaters,” Intergalactic Nemesis writer, producer and director Jason Nuelander said. “And I was 11 when ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ came out. Those two movies are a big influence on the story. Much of this project is tapping into my inner 12-year-old.” The production initially began as a radio show, but in 2009 Neulander was invited to debut the show at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin, Texas. There, Neulander and his team found the 2,400-seat center too large for an intimate radio show and began to develop comics to be projected to correspond with the production. “We premiered in September 2010 and haven’t looked back,” Neulander said. The show is described as a live-action graphic novel, or a combination of audio and visual elements. According to the show’s website they “take the comic-book artwork, remove the word balloons, and project it panel-by-panel on a huge screen while three actors voice all the characters, one Foley Artist creates hundreds of sound effects, and a pianist performs the cinematic score.” This stacking of performance mediums is a complicated yet essential element of the show, intended to engage the actors and the audience. “It becomes fully immersive—your imagination is animating all of the images, turning comic book images into real people,” Neulander said. “It becomes this live-action experience that’s like watching a $200,000,000 movie.” This performance marks the beginning of the Center Stage Series’ 2014-15 season. Each year the Center Stage Series brings performers to Luther that fall under the categories of dance, theater and music. “The Center Stage tries to bring things every year that are out of the box,” Director of Campus Programming Tanya Gertz said. “The Center Stage is committed to highquality art. I think it’s important for students to see that art is ever changing.” Students and staff have high hopes for the performance that combines visual, audio, and animated elements. “You should come see Intergalactic Nemesis because it is a show that will drag you in,” Performing Arts Committee
FROM STUDIO TO STAGE. “Target Earth” has evolved from a radio show to a theatrical production. Photocourtesyofintergalacticnemesis.com
Publicity co-chair Sarah Brandt said (‘15). “It’s a fantastical, bold story that is huge on stage.” “The Intergalactic Nemesis: Target Earth” will be performed at Luther College in the Center for Faith and Life on Saturday Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available on tickets.luther.edu and will be sold on Sept. 9-11 from 5:007:00pm outside the cafeteria.
Luther’s Coastal Cabins release EP SPENCER HODGE STAFF WRITER
Luther-based indie folk duo Coastal Cabins released a self-titled EP on Friday August 8. Members Jack Ross (‘17) and Robert Marston (‘17) have received recognition on the Coastal Cabins Facebook fan page, regional college campus radio stations, MPR’s The Current and Minneapolis’ City Pages blog. Ross and Marston have played together for a few years at their home in Minneapolis, but this release is the first time they have shared their music with an audience. “We started playing and writing music together around the time of our sophomore year in high school,” Ross said. “Since then, we had been writing things pretty sporadically until about the last year here at Luther, when we decided that it was time to actually create something tangible of our music. That’s when Coastal Cabins really began.” The EP includes five tracks: “Beach,” “In a Glass Dream,” “Fourth Street,” “North Country” and the EP’s single, “We Were Young.” Ross recorded most of the EP with guitar, piano, bass, drum and electronic synthesizers inside his Brandt residence hall last year or his home studio in Minneapolis. Ross also featured guest musicians in his instrumentations from Luther, including Adjunct Faculty in Music Jon Ailabouni (‘10) and Avery Mossman (‘17). “I basically just invited them over to my house and I was like, ‘Hey it’d be sweet if you wanted to play on this and record it’ and they were cool with it,” Ross said. “Avery actually recorded his tenor saxaphone at his house. I set him up with the backing track we had for ‘We Were Young’; he recorded it and then emailed it to me.” Coastal Cabins also approaches their lyric writing collaboratively. “If we have a song written down instrumentally, it’s time to sit down and write some lyrics,” Marston said. “Both of us pull
STUDYING SOUND: Robert Marston (‘17) and Jack Ross (‘17) rehearse their accoustic set after class. Spencer Hodges / CHIPS out our phones and our notebooks and we share our ideas old stuff, too.” Ross shared his experience working on the lyrics for the single “We Were Young.” “As cheesy as it sounds, I had written the first lines of the song the week before leaving for my freshman year of college,” Ross said. “For me, it is about leaving home and venturing out to something brand new and totally unexplored.” Marston thought contributing to Ross’ lyrics was easier to do because of their shared transition to college. “We clicked pretty quick on the lyrics,” Marston said. “After Jack had written the first verse of the song it took a day and a half until it was finished. I felt like we shared the same experience and could relate easy on the topic. We had both just left home and big things were happening in our lives.” The duo hopes to perform acoustic sets of their EP within the next couple months in Decorah and to release a full
length album in May of 2015. The Coastal Cabins EP is available for listening either on a free digital download via their Facebook page “facebook. com/coastalcabinsmusic.”
Listen to the band’s music by going to https:// soundcloud.com/coastal-cabins or by scanning this qr code with your smart device.
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FEATURES EDITOR: CASEY DELIMA
Pastor Vásquez says farewell
ASH WEDNESDAY. Pastor Vásquez annoints Madison Norell (‘15) with ash during the Ash Wednesday service on March 5, 2014.
College Ministries says goodbye to Campus Pastor David Vásquez. KATIE NELSON STAFF WRITER As students, faculty and staff return to campus and greet one another once again, there is one person to whom the community will say goodbye to. After 13 years, Campus Pastor David Vásquez will leave Luther College at the end of the fall 2014 semester to become president of the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif. “We are all so excited for him,” College Ministries Council President Makayla Marinack (‘16) said. “We’re sad and are going to miss him, but I think it is a great opportunity for him and for his family. He has a lot of vision and I think he would do excellent as the president of a seminary.” The Pacific School of Religion Presidential Search Committee had the same thoughts. “They felt given what experiences I have and where I’ve served that the connection, particularly here [with] our office that does both on- and off-campus ministry, that that kind of connecting faith, learning and advocacy work really attracted them, and they thought it would be a good match,” Vásquez said. The Pacific School of Religion is a 148-year-old seminary school with a progressive vision. “In each generation they have really identified what the issues are that need attention from the church and to
continually be reinventing or responding to the needs of the church and society,” Vásquez said. “And right now that’s part of what they’re seeking to do again.” Vásquez is known for working in this progressive style, with changes in higher education and his nationally recognized work with immigration, specifically at the time of the 2008 immigration raid in Postville, Iowa. While Vásquez and his family are excited for the new opportunity, it is also hard for them to leave. “There weren’t many things that we would leave Luther for,” Vásquez’s wife and Professor of Religion Karla Suomala said. “It has really become home for us.” However, Vásquez and his family will be taking many memories of Luther and the community with them. Some of his favorite memories include annual events like Dorian festivals, Christmas at Luther, the Ash Wednesday service and the Celebrate Community Dance. “Four hundred people doing a circle dance to a local contradance — it’s just wild,” Vásquez said. “And seeing it happen on a beautiful evening, overlooking the valley, it’s just a beautiful, beautiful sense of this place.” Vásquez will also miss Chapel and the Luther faith community. “I have just incredible appreciation for the faith conversation here,” Vásquez said. “In a year we get to hear about a hundred people’s deep, serious thoughts about what they think about life and faith, and they manage to get it into eight minutes. It’s sort of like our version of TEDTalks. The gift of being able to be part of that conversation has been huge for me.” Not only has Luther left a mark on Vasquez, but Vásquez
has also left his mark in return. “What he’s brought here [has] profoundly shaped students for 13 years now, and we hear that from so many alums that they’ve been so shaped by that and that’s going to continue to ripple,” Campus Pastor Amy Larson (‘96) said. “And the things that he’s raised at the college, that’s going to continue to be shaping us even as we honor him and bless him and look to the future.” This influence is felt with many students Vásquez has worked
Aaron Zauner / Photo Bureau
with during his time at Luther. “It was really cool to see his own passion and his ministry work and to try to kind of live out his example as someone who also aspires to go into the ministry,” Marinack said. Students like Ben Warner (‘15) will miss working with Vásquez. Any students, staff, or community members wishing to say goodbye to Vásquez may join the open house reception on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in the CFL lobby.
“He has a lot of vision and I think he would do excellent as the president of a seminary.” -Makayla Marinack (‘16)
SHARING THE PEACE. Pastor Vásquez met with members of the congregation after the Walk to Church service on Sunday, Sept. 7. Katie Nelson / Chips
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FEATURES EDITOR: CASEY DELIMA
SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
Chips examines tenure at Luther JENNIFER JANSEN STAFF WRITER Luther professors and educators everywhere strive to be hired into a tenured position, a secure position that increases in salary and authority. Tenured positions provide security and stability for the institution and the individual. However, positions such as these are limited by the administration, and there are drawbacks to contracting an educator in this manner. Each faculty member at Luther College has a contract. These contracts include the details of their employment, one of which detail is tenure. Assistant Professor of English Andrew Hageman, a third-year tenure-track professor, describes the tenure evaluation, an ongoing process for him as a two-step process with three main parts. “[Tenure track] means there are two main steps of evaluation,” Hageman said. “In your third year, you do a third year evaluation. You put together all of your syllabi from all the classes you’ve taught; you put together all the stuff you’ve published— the kind of scholarship and research you’ve done; you put together a list of what
you contribute to Luther as a community. So there are three things: teaching, scholarship and community.” The next evaluation comes at year six with the purpose of completing preparations for tenure. Teaching, scholarship and community are yet again evaluated. The entire process takes 12 years. Reviewing faculty performance for promotion and tenure is an effort by the Appointment, Tenure and Promotion Committee, as well as the president, cabinet and academic dean. The members of this committee have completed the tenure process and are voted onto the committee by other faculty. Two members of this committee are Professor of Dance Jane Hawley (‘87) and Professor of Biology Jodi Enos-Berlage. “You’re just reading and learning about disciplines beyond your own, in-depth.” Hawley said. Enos-Berlage described the importance of the evaluation process. “This is someone’s pitch to be promoted or keep their job,” Enos-Berlage said. “There are substantial repercussions for whatever decisions are made.” Tenure and non-tenure
positions come with advantages and disadvantages. Hawley and Enos-Berlage agreed the biggest draw for an individual to tenure is job security. “[Job security] is the benefit to the individual,” Enos-Berlage said. “The institution also has a benefit in this person staying here and [their] commitment to the institution.” Hawley added that sometimes this commitment isn’t always an advantage, however. “People can get locked in to their job security, to their own way of thinking and you can’t move them out,” Hawley said. Non-tenure positions are typically one- or two-year positions that provide few or no benefits and are paid less. This means that non-tenure positions save the college money, bring in new faculty regularly and fill temporary positions from a professor on sabbatical or in a period of transition. The faculty handbook states, “Luther College seeks to attract and retain a distinctive faculty, expert in their respective disciplines and committed to undergraduate education in a Christian context.” If retention is a priority, non-tenured positions make less sense in the long term.
“It’s complicated,” Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Kevin Kraus said. “You’re going to get the strongest candidates if it’s referred to as tenure track because it’s seen as having more stability long term … on the other hand you kind of have to protect the institution a little bit, too, because it’s harder to discontinue somebody that’s been tenured … if there was a financial downturn.” This balance between providing stability for a
committed and talented faculty while being cost effective requires strategic planning when deciding whether or not to fill positions as tenure track. “So there are certain programs that tend to attract high school students,” Kraus said. “You want a high percentage of tenure-track faculty there, and the other thing you need to think of [is] what kind of an institution you want to be or are [and] what your history is as a liberal arts college.”
Graphic by Bjorn Myhre
Luther students practice meditation RACHEL WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER As was part of a kick-off event for the silent meditation program on campus on Sept. 2, Buddhist Priest Shoken Winecoff from the local Ryumonji Monastery gave a presentation about meditation, both how to do it and the benefits of the practice. Silent Meditation has been an activity offered to Luther students and faculty
for six years. It is a group that meets to perform a thirty minute seated meditation from the Zen Buddhist Tradition. “I’m happy to start this semester of silent meditation,” Professor Emeritus Lee Zook said. “It’s a good program to offer to Luther students and have a place to offer meditation and explore the practice.” The class is led by one of four different leaders each week. The leaders are Associate Professor of Reigion Scott
Hurley, Professor of Religion Gereon Kopf, Zook and Winecoff. “People that come have an interest in meditation, Buddhism or Zen Buddhism in particular,” Zook said. Though the practice comes from Buddhist traditions, participants do not have to be Buddhist in order to attend. According to Zook, the silent meditation practice is mainly an introduction. “Some Zen Buddhism may be talked
HALF-LOTUS. Students and faculty gather to practice silent meditation on Tuesday, Sept 9.
Rachel Williams / Chips
about, but it’s not the main point,” Zook said. A class starts with each participant sitting on the floor or a cushion in a position known as full lotus or half lotus. The ring of a bell starts and ends the meditation session. Benefits that come from meditating regularly include increased concentration and focus. “Students find meditation helpful spiritually and psychologically as a mindfulness practice,” Kopf said. “It gives students strength to go back to study as well.” The leader for that week then guides the class to relax and begin to focus on their breath. All other thoughts and concerns of the day are to be ignored during the meditation. “It’s actually really challenging to turn off your brain and not think,” Alex Lohrbach (‘15) said. Lohrbach practices mediation regularly after learning about it through an Active Minds training session led by Zook last year. “Meditation can also help in being present and not caught up in past events or future planning,” Lohrbach explained. “It can feel that the four years here at Luther are only about the future, but you have to soak up present experiences as well.” Silent Meditation for students and faculty takes place on Tuesday evenings at 5:15 p.m. in the Melanchthon Interfaith Room of the CFL.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 8 SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
A&E EDITOR: DYLAN HINTON
New waves for KWLC
VOICES AND VIBES: Carl Bates (‘15) and Peter Jarzyna (‘15) are bringing KWLC Radio to more students through social media.
College radio station increases presence online and on campus. MATT HELM STAFF WRITER The Luther College student-run and commercial free radio station KWLC plans to get more students tuning in this year through the use of social media and increased visibility on campus. “I think the biggest thing we are planning on doing differently this year is setting a very specific goal for the station,” Station Manager Carl Bates (‘15) said. “We want KWLC to have an active presence on campus. We want the student body to listen to us and see the station as a source to discover new music.” Peter Jarzyna (‘15) will function as the Program Director for KWLC, a position that
was created this year. “In the past the leader of KWLC has been the Station Manager and for a long time we have wanted that split up into two different roles because it entails so much work and not everything gets the attention it deserves,” Jarzyna said. “Carl handles more of the managerial side of the job and I am going to be working closely with our on air staff helping them develop their radio presence and honing in on quality.” Luke Stennes (‘15) is taking on the job of Social Media Director in order to spread the word about KWLC on the internet. “In the past there has been zero online presence for KWLC,” Stennes said. “We are planning on posting links to music news, updates and reviews on our Twitter and Tumblr. Our overarching goal with social media is to make the station more known among students.” KWLC will be streaming in Marty’s Wednesday and Friday nights as a part of the effort to expose students to the station. “KWLC is on the cutting edge of what
music is about right now,” Bates said. “We receive 40-plus CDs every week that our music directors go through and select to add. This is music that a lot of times isn’t even officially released yet and is stuff we want to share.” This semester marks long-time General Manager of KWLC Jennifer Cantine’s last before retirement, and she says she is impressed with the direction the station is heading this year. “I just really like Luther College students, they are just so cool,” Cantine said. “The time has come for me to retire and for the radio station to have some new ideas come in, and I know that the station is in good hands with this year’s student staff. They are just really passionate about good radio.” KWLC streams online and on air Monday through Friday from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. For more information, “like” KWLC Radio on Facebook and follow @kwlc on Twitter and kwlc.tumblr.com.
Matt Helm / Chips
LOGO MOJO. KWLC Radio unveiled a new logo in early Sept.
SAC Spotlight howls with The Mowgli’s NOAH LANGHOLZ STAFF WRITER
&
DYLAN HINTON A&E EDITOR Independent music took the spotlight in the Center for Faith and Life on Saturday, Sept. 6 as Los Angeles band The Mowgli’s treated the audience to an hour and a half of folk rock. The concert was put on by SAC Spotlight as a part of an initiative to broaden the organization’s scope. “SAC Spotlight … chose The Mowgli’s because we’re doing a little ‘re-imaging,’” SAC Spotlight co-chair Emma Hartmann
A PLAYFUL PERFORMANCE. The Mowgli’s play to a standing crowd in the CFL. Imsouchivy (G.V.) Suos / Photo Bureau
(‘15) said. “We would like to reach a broader audience among Luther students and we’re going about this by bringing in bigger names and co-sponsoring with a variety of groups on campus.” The Mowgli’s were selected by SAC in part because of their reputation for putting on a lively and upbeat show. “I was expecting a peppy, up-tempo band and they didn’t disappoint,” Ryan Readinger ( ‘15) said. The group’s performance resume ranges from musical festivals such as Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo to being on the soundtrack of the Disney film “Earth to Echo.” This spirit of fun and adventure is fundamental to the band’s performance philosophy, music and even the reasoning behind the group’s name. “The spirit of the character, Rudyard Kipling’s Mowgli of ‘The Jungle Book’ is just a kind of child of the woods,” Mowgli’s singer and percussionist Katie Earl said. “There’s something very free about him that we always loved.” The concert posed a unique challenge for SAC Spotlight members, with a limited time frame between the start of the school year and the performance. The committee in charge of the event had only five days to assemble and work out the details of the show. “The event went fantastically and Luther students came through,” Hartmann said. “We have a great group of first-years along with some returning members we knew we could count on.” SAC Spotlight will host a wide variety of events throughout the academic year, partnering with several Luther organizations
including the Diversity Center. The next event the organization sponsors will be the Evansons Mentalist Mind Reading Duo on Friday Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. in Marty’s.
HOWLING FOR LUTHER. Singer Katie Earl delivers an energetic performance. Imsouchivy (G.V.) Suos / Photo Bureau
OPINION
PAGE 9
MANAGING EDITOR: SARAH KING
SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
Time to burst your bubble ZORA HURST PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR During this first week of classes (or, as I’ve begun to call it, The Great Syllabus Recitation), a professor of mine seemed unsurprised when no one in my class had read the news recently enough to know the state of the world at large. That kinda stung. I mean, it’s true. It can be easy to go a few days without seeking out knowledge, especially the kind that is constantly being fleshed out and investigated and refined.
The New York Times isn’t like Netflix, or even YouTube – no handy ‘watch later’ button, no rewind. No pause. At the same time, I know I purposely avoid the news when it seems that nothing happening on this planet is good or fair. Which is almost always. Especially in the light of Ferguson, when the dialogue about police brutality and militarized law enforcement is more important now than it ever was but continues to be ignored by the public at large. Especially in the light of Robin Williams’ suicide, an abrupt ending to a life that brought so many young people our age (and, of course, our parents) such joy and laughter. I’m entering my early twenties; I’m meant to be illusioned about life, with stars in my eyes and rose-colored glasses perched crookedly on my smiling face. I deserve some willful ignorance in the shape of bliss, don’t I? And that’s why they call it the Luther bubble. It’s not hard to see this teeny tiny cluster in the bluffs as a
retreat from the rest of the world. Driving down two-lane roads through farmland makes it hard to do anything else but it takes a certain courage to keep reading, to not just pluck the comics and the Style Guide (on Thursdays) and look for new recipes, new watches, new ways to be happy. Terrible things happen on this blue marble spinning in space, and many of them happen under those magic colors: red, white and blue. It is foolish to pretend otherwise, even if it does keep your heart a bit more buoyant. We must relearn object permanence, being reminded that just because we aren’t experiencing injustice firsthand, the injustice doesn’t cease. Patterns of violence and cruelty continue to unfold. We cannot find the thread of joy by pretending all other spools are empty. We must draw upon a Light outside ourselves while acknowledging that there is darkness. We’ve got to burst the bubble.
“...that’s why they call it the Luther bubble. It’s not hard to see this teeny tiny cluster in the bluffs as a retreat from the rest of the world.” - Zora Hurst (‘17)
The cost of skipping class SARAH KING MANAGING EDITOR It’s a Monday morning. No, it’s a gorgeous Friday afternoon and the sun is tantalizing. Maybe it’s the morning after your best friend’s 21st birthday. Actually, it’s the day after your first biology quiz. Or maybe it’s none of these days. Whether it’s stress, exhaustion, boredom or sheer laziness, every person will experience days at one point or another in his or her college career where the thought crosses one’s mind – “I think I will skip class today.” For some people the decision of whether or not to attend class is a daily struggle. For others, it happens less often. Regardless of where you fit on the spectrum, we all should consider the real cost of skipping class. Fact: according to the Luther
College Financial Aid tuition and fees webpage, tuition for the 201415 academic year is $38,170. Fact: most students take 16 credits each semester, making up a total of 32 credits each academic year. This breaks down to four 4-credit classes each semester, or eight classes each year. Students are not charged extra for J-term classes, so when you throw that in, students take (or could take) 9 classes each year. You may be wondering why I am telling you such basic and obvious facts. I’ll tell you why! It’s because you really wanted to know that every time you miss a class, you throw out $106. Now if that doesn’t motivate you to get off your bum and get to class, I don’t know what will! Now I know I have said “you”
this entire time, but, dear reader, I really should use “we.” I am not trying to give the impression that I have perfect attendance. It has been far from it. We are all human. Just to make sure you understand where the $106 comes from, here is how it all breaks down: Each class (of nine) at Luther costs $4,241.11. With an estimated 40 hours of class for each class per semester, each individual class hour costs something close to $106.03. Hooray for math! Take a moment, though, and really think about how much money that is. One hundred and six dollars, and three cents. I know that makes me pause and think, “What a waste.” As my marketing professor, Don Jones, has told us in class – which I have been attending, just
so you know – our generation is one of contradictions. We talk about composting and recycling in the tweets we send out on our precious-metal-containing smart phones, which we change out yearly whenever the next iPhone or Google phone is announced. We all have decided to come to a liberal arts college knowing we would have to take classes in many different disciplines, yet many will wake up in the a.m. to the sound of a fog horn, hit the snooze, rollover and sleep through class without so much as a pang of regret later. Perhaps it is because we grew up with the rise of social media, but it seems that our generation is caught between caring and contributing. We will “like” a post about sustainability or criticize volun-tourism and fight back and forth passionately on a comment
feed, yet we do not actually do something. We never have to be consistent. Our actions don’t have to speak anymore. Our clicks are not all that we have left, but they certainly seem to be. Out on the internet, things do not seem real, and we all think we can get away with playing the caring philanthropist by posting our ALS ice bucket challenges and then the next morning rolling over to hit snooze, all the while throwing away $106 for a “Wasted Wednesday” or “Thirsty Thursday” the night before. It is common knowledge that college students skip out. Senioritis and beautiful days all get to each of us. However, next time, I know I am going to remember the cost of skipping class. I don’t think hitting snooze is worth $106. Do you?
OPINION
PAGE 10 SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
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 Fall 2014 Staff Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: News Editors:
Walker Nyenhuis Sarah King Anna Jeide Margaret Yapp Features Editor: Casey DeLima A&E Editor: Dylan Hinton Sports Editor: Julia Joseph Staff Writers: Makeda Barkley Abby Carpenter Emily Crowe Laura Hayes Matt Helm Spencer Hodge Jenn Jansen Nils Johnson Jenna Nelson Katie Nelson Maggie Steinberg Erika Storvick Bailey Mulholland Alison Vuolo Rachel Williams Head Copy Editor: Katie Hale Copy Editors: Cameron Meyferth Bethany Seavers Templeton Ad Representative: Alex Brandt Sam Ward Ad Accountant: Tyler Hovey Photography Coordinator: Casey DeLima Photographers: Abby Carpenter Bjorn Myhre Design Technician: Bjorn Myhre Web Manager: Isaac Davis Social Media Coordinator: Alex Catena Promotions Director: Zora Hurst Distribution Manager: Elizabeth Hurley Adviser: David Faldet
MANAGING EDITOR: SARAH KING
The new “f-bomb” LAURA HAYES STAFF WRITER The summer before my senior year in high school, my English teacher instructed us to choose and analyze a work of literature for a social issue. I walked into Barnes and Noble clutching a piece of paper with “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin and my sister following several paces behind me to begin to do research. The sales associate led me to the corner of the store where they kept their books on feminism. While I looked through the books, pulling books off of the single shelf devoted to this issue, I noticed that my sister was standing off to the side, eyeing the books like they were a contagious disease. “Are you okay?” I had asked. She wrung her hands together. “Do you mind if I sit in the car? I’m not comfortable with all of… this.” Feminism is often regarded with this mixture of disgust and mistrust. Even the word “feminism” is often demonized to the point that it feels like a swear word. From Facebook pages to Tumblr accounts to our very own Luther College Confessions page, voices have come out against feminists. These people give a wide variety of explanations on why they disagree with this movement. For example, the “Women Against Feminism” blog on Tumblr displays photos of mostly women who give lists of the reasons why they are not feminists. One photo shows a woman holding a sign in front of her face that states, “I don’t need feminism because: The word ‘feminism’ is not ‘just about equality,’ it relies on the assumption that women have it worse. I think women have it better.”
Another photo says, “I don’t need feminism because I believe in equality not entitlements and supremacy.” This blog has close to 1,800 posts that date back to July 2013 stating why these people do not believe in feminism. In some ways, feminism has become the new “f-bomb.” When people begin to talk about this social issue, they become uncomfortable because they believe that feminists are misandrists, or haters of men. These people argue that they believe in equality of the sexes, not women becoming better than men. Ironically, the definition (according to dictionary. com) of feminism is: “feminism [fem-uh-niz-uh m] noun - the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.” In the simplest form, feminism wants women and those who do not fit into the male/female binary to be given the same opportunities as men. However, there is a long way to go for men and women to be given equal opportunities. Forbes, a magazine dedicated to business and financial information, published an article by Meghan Casserly entitled “The Geography of the Gender Pay Gap: Women’s Earnings by State” that published the mean earnings of women in comparison to men in each state. According to Casserly, women, on average, earned $0.77 to a man’s $1.00. In some states, like Wyoming and West Virginia, the mean dipped below this average at $0.64 and $0.70 respectively. Women not only make significantly less than men, but they also occupy a small margin of powerful jobs. Raewyn Connell notes in her book “Gender: In World Perspective” that, “of the 500 giant international corporations listed in Fortune magazine’s ‘Global 500’ in 2007, just 10 had a woman CEO.” So what? Anti-feminists often argue that women may not want these high-level positions. That’s true. Not all women want to be the first woman president or own her own business, but are we to disregard the systematic practices in place that prevent the women who do want these positions from succeeding? Feminism isn’t about demeaning a woman who wants to be a wife and have kids; feminism is about giving women the choice to do what they want with their lives. More importantly, feminism is about not being ashamed to go into a store and buy a book about equality.
“...feminism has become the new ‘f-bomb.’ When people begin to talk about this social issue, they become uncomfortable because they believe that feminists are misandrists, or haters of men. These people argue that they believe in equality of the sexes, not women becoming better than men. ” - Laura Hayes (‘15)
Coming Home
KATIE HALE HEAD COPY EDITOR Driving back to Decorah after spending seven months away was a bizarre experience.
As I came to the four-way stop where Highway 52 and Highway 9 meet and saw the stone sign welcoming me to Decorah, I was struck with the strange feeling that it didn’t feel like it had been since the middle of January. Turning into campus, driving by the union, seeing my friends—it felt like hours had passed, not months. There are little things, however, that shatter this illusion: inside jokes that I’m no longer a part of; recitals, concerts or other events that I missed; people I recognize but can’t figure out why. All of my classes in Main feel strangely light because we have white boards instead of black boards. I told my friends I
thought it was awesome that there are hand sanitizer dispensers by the practice rooms, and they said, “Those aren’t even remotely new. Where have you been?” “France!” I know it’s not a big thing, and other people have it worse—one of my housemates was in Nottingham last year and pointed out that half of the school is comprised of complete strangers to her. And while there are some strange things about coming back, the fact that I don’t feel like a stranger on campus is a comforting thought to me. I guess it doesn’t matter how long you’re away, as long as you have a place to call home.
SPORTS
PAGE 11
SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
SPORTS EDITOR: JULIA JOSEPH
Teams take advantage of pre-season
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.
Casey DeLima / Chips
ERIKA STORVICK STAFF WRITER As classes at Luther start up once again, students and faculty can look forward to the return of sporting events as well. Athletes have been on campus since August 16, practicing and preparing for the beginning of the athletic season. “It is pretty intense, but it really whips you into shape,” thirdyear women’s tennis player Olivia Heitz (‘16) said. Pre-season training can be very challenging for athletes. Many of the teams practice twice a day in addition to outside workouts, meetings and team-building activities. “We are basically with our team 24/7,” Heitz said. Pre-season training looks different for every team on campus. The men’s cross country team goes out to Colorado for a week of altitude training while the women’s team also trains off campus. Cross country pre-season training ends with “prologue,” a time trial designed to finalize their team roster.
Norse of the Week JULIA JOSEPH SPORTS EDITOR
Many of the other teams remain on campus for their training, such as tennis, soccer, golf, women’s volleyball and men’s football. All of these teams have a rigorous schedule filled with practice twice a day, team bonding activities and meetings. Coaches understand that training can be exhausting for athletes, so many try hard to make it fun. “We want to make sure we break up the monotony of practice,” Head Football Coach Aaron Hafner said. “In between all that work, we’re creating a fun environment.” This period of intense training before school is helpful for both athletes and the coaching staff. Starting mid-August allows teams to focus solely on training without the distractions of school. Pre-season training also provides teams with the opportunity to build community and get to know incoming team members. “The team puts a lot of stress on community,” men’s cross country runner Billy Jeide (‘18) said. “You get on campus and
have and the new players. What is the best way you get pumped up? Usually I listen to music. Russ is also pretty good at giving speeches so he always pumps us up. What is the best advice he gives you guys? That every day matters and is important.
you just have an instant group of friends.” As athletes arrive on campus early, they rely on Residence Life and the Cafeteria for housing and meals. Arriving before the rest of the student body helps logistically as it streamlines the move-in process. “I haven’t had a busy move-in day for four years,” Alex Hain (‘15) said. Hain has arrived early for football camp every year. Working together to run training develops a strong relationship between the college and its athletic programs. “Camp actually brings and draws our community together,” Hafner said. Working with Residence Life is important for preseason training. Preseason training ends when school starts, although many teams start to compete before then. “Everyone loves pre-season,” men’s cross country runner Tyler Broadwell (‘16) said. “It’s a really chill time. You feel like a professional runner. You don’t have school; all you do is run.”
We want to send a message to the other teams in our conference and region. What is your go-to song right now? I listen to country music. It’s not really pump up but I listen to upbeat country songs. I also rediscovered the song “Bossy.” What is your favorite part about being a defender? I like the pressure knowing that you’re
Erin Wilson (‘14) is a captain on the women’s soccer team and has played her entire college career. Wilson is a defender and has scored one goal in two of the four games the team has had this season. Chips: What has been the best part about being on the soccer team all four years at Luther? Wilson: The people. All of my best friends are on the soccer team. Getting to hang out with them for two hours every day and playing the sport you love. What’s your favorite part about being captain? We’re in charge of off-season. But you have people that need advice or logistics questions. [Head women’s soccer coach] Russ [Schouweiler] describes being captain as being the bridge between the players and the coaches so I like that opportunity. What has been the biggest challenge for the team so far this year? We're pretty young and we’ve had a couple of injuries. Putting all the pieces together with the returning players we do
MOVING UP THE FIELD. Erin Wilson (‘14) sends the ball up to her teammates Michael Hagstrom / Photo Burea
the last person before they get a free shot on goal. I also like taking the ball from people. If you could pick any professional soccer player to play with, who would you pick? I would say Messi. He’s so good. There’s no one in the world that can do what he can do, and he seems nice. If you had to play another position, what would you play? Forward. Definitely, it’s always fun. What’s the best part about being a senior? I can boss people around because they’re scared of me. What game are you most looking forward to this season? Probably the Dubuque game. We lost to them in the conference tournament the past two years. We have a little vendetta against them, but they are a good team. Beating a team that you lost to two years in a row would be great.
SPORTS
PAGE 12
SPORTS EDITOR: JULIA JOSEPH
SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
Weekly Standings
Luther takes home opener STANDING TALL.Luther won the home opener against Presentation College on Sept. 6. Will Heller / Photo Bureau BAILEY MULHOLLAND STAFF WRITER The Norse football team set sail on a successful voyage this past Saturday afternoon, capturing a 35-33 victory over Presentation College in their season opener at Carlson Stadium. This was Luthers first opening win since 2006. Although only three incoming firstyears started the game, nearly half of the team this year consists of first-years. The influx of newcomers is proving beneficial to all players according to the coaching staff. “We basically doubled our football team with incoming first-years for a number of reasons,” Head Football Coach Aaron Hafner said. “We want to increase our roster size which allows us to develop our young athletes, [teaching them] our offensive and defensive schemes, developing them in the weight room and not putting so much pressure on our first-years by letting them get used to Luther, academics and just being a college student.” This year will be Hafner’s second season coaching the Norse. He and his coaching staff have recently instituted a mentorship program between upper and underclassmen, in which each firstyear has an assigned upperclassman to
go to with any questions or concerns. “[The program] has been very positive with the newcomers and helped them get acclimated with college life, [but] has also given the upperclassmen ownership of the team and an opportunity to provide some positive leadership,” Hafner said. Running back Alex Hain (‘15) agrees that mentorship has been advantageous to the entire team. “It’s different than any team I’ve been a part of,” Hain said. “The level of competition is a lot better, the returners are helping the newcomers learn their positions and the newcomers are pushing the returners to get better, so all around the practices are a lot more intense.” According to Hain, competition can foster camaraderie as well. “When we lift together we try to pull the first-years into our groups and share the work ethic with them,” Hain said. First-year players are grateful for the guidance both on and off the field. “It’s nice to have that one senior you can turn to who’ll give you answers to questions if you have them,” quarterback Bryce Pierce (‘18) said. “But even though you’re set with one mentor, the team as a whole has been very inviting and accepting of the freshmen class.”
“We’re focusing on being more physical this year, taking it to them instead of waiting for the punch,” - Mitch Van Epps (‘18)
Mitch Van Epps (‘18) was one of the first-years who had an opportunity to play on Saturday, fulfilling a role in the team’s current strategy. “We’re focusing on being more physical this year, taking it to them instead of waiting for the punch,” Van Epps said. “On the defensive line I make sure I play on their side of the ball and just cause as much chaos as I can.” Hafner is pleased with the work of his team thus far from returners and newcomers alike. “We just want to see a big improvement from year one to year two in the program we’ve developed,” Hafner said. “Our kids are more comfortable this year and we feel like that’s going to lead to more success. Just looking forward to the season I think we’re going to be very competitive every Saturday afternoon.”
Women’s Tennis IIAC 2-0 2-0 1-0 1-1 0-0 0-1 0-2 0-2
Luther Loras Coe Simpson Central Wartburg Dubuque Buena Vista
Recent Scores
Overall 5-0 2-3 4-0 3-2 2-0 1-2 1-2 0-3
Sept 6 vs. Grinnell College W 6-3
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 14 @ Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 2 p.m.
Football
Central Loras Luther Simpson #15 Wartburg Buena Vista Coe Dubuque
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 1-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-1 0-1 0-1
Recent Scores
Sept. 6 vs. Presentation College W 35-33
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 13 @ St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn. 1 p.m.
Men’s Tennis Buena Vista Central Coe Dubuque Loras Luther Simpson Wartburg
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 13 vs. Alumni 10:30 a.m.
Volleyball
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
#20 Coe Wartburg Central Simpson Luther Loras Buena Vista Dubuque
Overall 8-1 7-1 7-2 4-2 5-3 4-5 4-6 1-8
Recent Scores
Sept. 6 @ Arden Hills, Minn. W 3-0
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 13-14 @ Grinnell, Iowa ACM Tournament All Day
Men’s Soccer
NORSE PRIDE. JJ Sirios (‘14) celebrates during the game against Presentation. BrePierce/PhotoBureau
Luther Buena Vista #2 Loras #11 Wartburg Simpson Dubuque Coe Central
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 4-0 2-0-1 4-1 3-1 3-2 1-2-1 1-3 1-4
Recent Scores
Sept. 6 @ Waldorf College, Forest City, Iowa W 1-0
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 14 vs. Macalester College 4:30 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
Dubuque Luther Buena Vista Wartburg Loras Central Coe Simpson
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 6-0 4-0 3-0-1 2-1-1 3-2 2-2 1-3 0-3
Recent Scores
Sept. 7 vs. UW-Stevens Point W 6-2
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 13 vs. Macalester College 2 p.m.
STAYING STRONG.
Aaron Lurth / Photo Bureau