ARTS ALUmS RETURN
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DANCINg FOR THE KIDS featureS 6
WOmEN’S TENNIS
SpOrtS 12
LUTHER COLLEgE
“Let the chips fall where they may.”
CHIPS
APRIL 7, 2016
VOLUmE 138, NO. 19
Search announced for dean of Institutional equity and Inclusion
Luther College President Paula J. Carlson announced that a new cabinet position, called the Dean of Institutional Equity and Inclusion, is being created. The search advisory committee comprised of students, faculty and staff will define the position and search for the new dean. The goal is for the dean to start between this summer and this fall. The creation of this position came as a presidential decision, but according to Kraus, other staff and memebers of the Board of Regents were consulted in
the process. Although the job description for the new dean has yet to be specifically defined, Carlson offered a general overview of what the responsibilities of the new dean will be. “As a key leader of the college and member of the president’s cabinet, the new dean will work with Student Life, Academic Affairs, Human Resources [and other programs]… across campus to help promote a culture of inclusion,” Carlson said. The search committee is comprised of faculty members Anita Carrasco, Mike Johnson, Thomas Johnson and Ron Ferguson, staff members Matt
Students report thefts in Legends ana lÓpez STAFF WRITER
Bills, Sophia Brown, Aaron Hafner, Corey Landstrom, Chivonne Marlow and Terry Sparkes, and students Luigi Enriquez (‘17) and Sukeji Jeffrey (‘17). Kevin Kraus will serve as the committee chair. The committee will first collaborate with Carlson to create a job description and post it nationwide. They will then evaluate and recommend candidates to Carlson, who will hire the new dean. Carlson explained that part of her decision to create the new positon was based on recommendations from the Diversity Review Committee.
A series of thefts have been reported in Legends between March 7 and March 17. During the week prior to spring break, cash was stolen from the patron storage cubicles or “cubbies” in Legends. As Campus Safety and Security continues to investigate the events, staff at Legends cautions students and reinforces vigilance through their student workers. Legends Center Director Cam Schuknecht explained that the thefts started a week before spring break, all very close to one another. For the most part, all that was stolen was money. The last theft reported in Legends (before the recent thefts) was February. Legends student worker Kole Ruud (‘18) was working when two of the thefts were reported. “Two [thefts] happened the night that I was working, and two happened earlier in the day,” Ruud said. “One of the kids just brought up to me that he thought that somebody stole money out of his wallet and not even 15 minutes later, a second guy came up and said that money was stolen out of his wallet, too.” Ruud filed incident reports, which consists of a detailed explanation of the incidents that then are submitted to Campus Safety and Security. Ruud also explained that security visited Legends the next day to discuss ways to better protect the items in the cubbies. As a first response to these events, Schuknecht decided to put signs around the cubicles warning students about the recent thefts and advising them to not leave money in the cubicles as a precautionary measure. According to Schuknecht, it is hard to determine the exact number of thefts, given that there are different ways of reporting theft.
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The new dean will oversee the Diversity Center, including events such as the Ethnic Arts Festival. Megan Oliver / Photo Bureau karl badger STAFF WRITER
Serving the Luther College community since 1884.
Kate Harding delivers lecture on sexual assault and rape culture jana mueller STAFF WRITER
Kate Harding, author of the book “Asking For It: The Alarming Cause of Rape Culture and What We Can Do About It,” lectured on sexual assault and rape culture in Valders 206 on Wednesday, March 30. As a survivor of sexual assault, Harding wrote the book hoping to provide an insight into how sexual assault is a problem on every campus and throughout the country. In her book, she argues that our country cares about perpetrators more than the victims of sexual assault. “In my eyes, rape culture is defined as this: a culture that supports the needs of rapists, more than the needs of the victims,” Harding said. Harding’s lecture focused on dispelling common rape myths
that are used to undermine the victims’ experience. The myths she listed were: she asked for it, it wasn’t really rape, he didn’t mean to, she wanted it, she lied, rape is a trivial event and rape is a deviant event. Harding stressed ways for communities as a whole to go beyond these myths to create a healing environment for those victims. “We can reject victim blaming and slut-shaming, objectification and toxic masculinity,” Harding said. “We can reject heteronormativity, think about drinking on campus and practice enthusiastic consent. And lastly, we can practice bystander intervention for before, during and after an attack. As a community, we need to be aware of the victim’s needs first, and as a culture, we are not doing that right now.” hardIng, PAgE 4
Kate Harding reads from her book “Asking For It” at her lecture. Annie Goodroad / Photo Bureau
NEWS
PAGE 2 APRIL 7, 2016
NEWS EDITORS: KATIE NELSON & JACOB WAREHIME
Lawnmowers to be replaced with sheep
Upcoming Events
Thursday, April 7 Gallery Show “Little Author Portraits” Mark Hoffman, Paintings “The Little Show” Gallery Opening and Reception Center Stage Series: American Spiritual Ensemble
7:00 a.m., Center for Faith and Life 9:40 a.m., Center for Faith and Life, 2nd floor Gallery 7:30 p.m., Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Friday, April 8 Chapel: American Spiritual 10:30 a.m Center for Faith Ensemble and Life, Main Hall Gerhard Marcks Lecture: Dr. 5:30 p.m., Center for the Arts, Julia Andrews Wigley-Fleming Gallery Dance and Theatre Senior 7:30 p.m., Storre Theater Projects Saturday, April 9 Men’s Track and Field 12:00 p.m., Home Norse Relays
Dance and Theatre Senior 1:30p.m, 7:00 pm., Storre Projects Theater Panic! at the Disco with 7:30 p.m., Regents Center LOLO Sunday, April 10 Sunday Worship Service 10:00 a.m., Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall Dance and Theatre Senior 1:30 p.m., Storre Theater Projects: Tia Stenson, “How to Make an Angel” Focus
9:00 pm., Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Monday, April 11 4:00 p.m., Valders 262 Physics Colloquium: Charlotte Christensen Gallery Closing, Illuminate: All day, Gregerson Gallery, Abbey Syme (frames, Center for the Arts canvas, paper, gels, plexiglass)
The grass around Luther’s solar panel fields will be maintained with grazing sheep beginning in spring 2017 Emma Schlabach / Chips EMMA SCHLABACH STAFF WRITER Luther’s Sustainability Council has approved a proposal for sheep to graze the solar panel fields beginning in spring 2017. The sheep, which would be used in place of lawn mowers, are an attempt to develop a sustainable approach to maintaining Luther’s campus. Assistant Director for the Center for Sustainable Communities Maren Beard (‘08) gave details of the proposal. “The proposal is to have half a dozen sheep graze in one of the fenced in solar areas,” Beard said.
“If we can maintain that lawn in a different way, it’s going to be really beneficial to the college.” Beard said that the proposal would provide multiple benefits to the college, including educating more students on the importance of Luther’s sustainability efforts. She also added that the process of putting the proposal in motion could take some time. “We want to make sure we are going about this right and that we have all of the right permission and that it is going to be a sustainable project over time,” Beard said. The specifics of when the sheep will be brought in are still being
Tuesday, April 12 Cathedral Homecoming 7:30 p.m., Center for Faith Concert and Life, Main Hall
Wednesday, April 13 Panel Discussion and 7:00 p.m., Valders Hall of Documentary Showing: The Science, Room 206 Hunting Ground Collegium Musicum Concert 7:30 p.m., Center for Faith and Life, Recital Hall Information from luther.edu/events
Annika Vande Krol (‘19) tends to her goats in an April Fool’s video put out by Sustainability. Photo courtesy of Luther Sustainability
discussed due to the necessity of following all of the city’s and state’s zoning laws. Parker Beard (‘16), a Luther gardener and active in sustainability efforts, shared his opinion on the proposal. “I think it’s a great idea,” Parker said. “Underneath the solar panels it is kind of hard to mow anyway.” Although there are many benefits to having sheep grazing the solar fields, there are valid concerns with the plan as well. “I know there has been a little bit of concern with protecting the wiring between solar panels and the ground because the animals could chew on the wires,” Parker said. “But that will be taken care of before animals are put in there.” Another concern is about the animals’ safety due to the solar fields’ proximity to Highway 52. However, Parker said that won’t be much of an issue either. “Even if the sheep get out of their little fence we will have them in, there’s an exterior fence to keep them off the road and keep them safe,” Parker said. Many students on campus have doubted the validity of this proposal due to an April Fool’s video featuring Maren Beard on the Luther College Facebook page. However, Parker Beard confirmed that this proposal is something that is, in fact, being implemented. “I saw [the video] and thought it was real and also kind of ridiculous to have [sheep] grazing on campus to replace mowers,” Beard said. “But I also knew that they were planning to do part of it on the solar panel [fields].” In addition, rumors have circulated that there would be a work-study position as campus shepherd. However, Beard stressed that there will most likely not be one person singularly caring for the sheep.
NEWS
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NEWS EDITORS: KATIE NELSON & JACOB WAREHIME THURSDAY
Seven-Day Forecast
APRIL 7, 2016 FRIDAY
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R N B R H H H 46/31
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Neuroscience major under consideration
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Life Outside Luther: Election Update
JORAM MUTENGE STAFF WRITER
A new neuroscience major is scheduled to be introduced at Luther College. Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Kevin Kraus said that the proposal for the major is still in the approval process. “This week, [the proposal] went to the three faculty division meetings: humanities, social sciences and science,” Kraus said. “The proposal still needs to go through the academic committee for further discussions and evaluation of its merits.” Professor of Biology Scott Carlson, Assistant Professor of Biology Stephanie J.B. Fretham (‘05) and Professor of Psychology Kristy Gould are the three faculty members spearheading the proposal. Because of the shortage of faculty who specialize in neuroscience, the proposal for the major was delayed. Carlson said that most faculty members in the biology department were specialized in areas other than neuroscience. However, the arrival of Fretham, who holds a doctorate in neuroscience, made it possible for the proposal to be presented to the administration. “We needed to have a faculty member who has the appropriate level of training,” Carlson said. Like many other majors at Luther College, neuroscience, if introduced, will be interdisciplinary. “Neuroscience will be a mixture of both biology and psychology, but that might expand as we go along,” Carlson said. Fretham also clarified that the introduction of
TUESDAY WEDNESDAY
JACOB WAREHIME NEWS EDITOR Primaries and caucuses have been taking place across the country since the first caucus took place in Iowa on Feb. 1. Since this time, Democrats and Republicans have been gaining delegates state by state. The total counts are as follows: Pledged democratic elegates: Hillary Clinton - 1,712 Bernie Sanders - 1,011 Dropped out: Martin O’Malley, Lincoln Chafee, Lawrence Lessig, Jim Webb Republican delegates: Donald Trump - 737 Ted Cruz - 481 John Kasich - 143 Dropped out: Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, Jim Glimore, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Scott Walker Bernie Sanders set to win Nevada caucus after inital loss
Michael Hagstrom (‘17) at work during microscopy lab. A neuroscience major would draw from multiple courses such microscopy. Michael Hagstrom / Photo Bureau neuroscience is not going to result in the creation of a new department. “We are not trying to create a new department. We’re just combining courses from biology and courses from psychology,” Fretham said. Carlson said that neuroscience is going to bring many benefits to Luther students, should it be introduced. “[The neuroscience major] would allow them to gain a major in an area they want to study with an intensive focus on that particular area,” Carlson said. “The formal framework of the course
will be great preparation for graduate or medical school.” Tiwonge Tabitha Chirwa (‘19) said she felt there is a need for more options in the biology field. “Although I would not take [neuroscience], I think introducing it will increase the number of options for biology majors,” Chirwa said. I will be glad to see it introduced.” Yancy Castro (‘18) echoed this sentiment, stressing the significance of a Neuroscience major in a college. “Psychology teaches you about the brain, its behavior and all aspects of human experience,” Castro said. “But it doesn’t really teach you the science behind it, like neuroscience.” Carlson and Fretham said that they have received good feedback from the college for their proposal and are now waiting to hear from the academic committee. However, Kraus said that he is positive the proposal will go through.
Although Bernie Sanders initially lost the Nevada caucus race to Hillary Clinton on Saturday he is now projected to win the contest after many delegates who were elected in February failed to show up at county level events on Saturday. According to the Las Vegas Sun, in places like Clark County, less than half of the roughly 9,000 delegates who were selected during Nevada’s February 20th caucus were in attendance on Saturday. Clinton originally won the caucuses with 53 percent of the delegates. However, after Saturday’s results, she now holds 45 percent of the total to Sanders’ 55. As it currently stands, Nevada will send 2,124 Sanders-supporting delegates and 1,722 Clinton-supporting Upcoming primaries and caucuses: Date
State
Type
Apr 5
Wisconsin
Open primary
Apr 9
Wyoming
Closed caucus
Apr 19 New York
Closed primary
News
PAge 4 APriL 7, 2016
News editors: KAtie NeLsoN & JAcob wArehiMe
New dean position announced deaN, PAge 1 The review committee was comprised of faculty, staff and two external reviewers. It completed its work in the fall of 2014 and recommended creating a cabinetlevel positon to address the issues of equity and inclusion. “I wasn’t surprised to get that recommendation,” Carlson said. “It’s a structure that I’m familiar with from my previous experiences in higher education … I know [it] can work very well, to have this person who has … a voice for questions for issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, and have that voice be a cabinet member.” Interim Director of the Diversity Center Wintlett Taylor-Browne was pleased with the announcement, and hopes that the new dean can unify Luther’s organizational efforts to increase equity and inclusion. “I would expect that the dean would be talking to us in the Diversity Center [and other campus programs],” Taylor-Browne said. “We need to have some sort of coherence so we see how we best work to [increase inclusion and equity]. At the moment it’s siloed, and the new dean could help us make it into a
manageable structural core.” Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Kevin Kraus, a member of the Diversity Review Committee and chair of the Search Advisory Committee, noted that the new dean can promote awareness of issues like diversity, equity and inclusion to students. “I think this is going to be a person who can reach out and talk with students about the importance of accepting and working with peers that come from a different background,” Kraus said. “I think there’s a lot of students who want that … and maybe others who haven’t really thought about it as much. It’ll be the process of raising the consciousness of the student body around these issues.” While the new dean could use a variety of methods to address equity and inclusion, Taylor-Browne pointed out a potential obstacle that the new dean could face. “[Issues could arise with] resistance and defensiveness,” Taylor-Browne said. “Especially from members of the community who feel that Luther is perfectly fine the way it is and that change is not necessary.” Kraus also expressed concerns over resentment
toward such changes, but feels that Luther has been a relatively welcoming environment. “I hope the community welcomes whoever this is,” Kraus said. “When I look around at other schools, the biggest issues have come from incidents of insensitivity, bias and outright racism that have led to real anger, mistrust and resentment. I don’t think we’ve had a lot of that here … but you just don’t know what the future holds.” Although the possibility of resentment exists, Carlson felt that Luther has a foundation for promoting equity and inclusion. “This new dean will be building on the legacy that [Former Executive Director of the Diversity Center Sheila-Radford Hill] and the Diversity Center have been committed to for all these years,” Carlson said. Because of this legacy, Carlson is optimistic that Luther will be an appealing environment for a new dean. “We trust that it will be a compelling, attractive position,” Carlson said. “We as a college are committed to these goals, and there’s a good foundation here … that will give someone a very good opportunity to come and join us and help us … promote a culture of inclusion on campus.”
Kate Harding Students deal with speaks about thefts in Legends sexual assault hardiNg, PAge 1
Associate Director of Human Resources, Title IX Coordinator and adviser for Norse Against Sexual Assault (NASA) Matthew Bills believed the lecture was helpful for the Luther climate. Billy Jeide (‘18) thought Harding had good arguments. “The myths were good to go over, because, in reality, it’s never the victim’s fault,” Jeide said. “I thought that the lecture was a fantastic way for us to think about the process of our changing culture,” Bills said. “The last time we had a speaker that came and spoke about this topic, it did not go over well with the students. I think inviting Kate Harding here to speak was a great way to advance this conversation here at Luther, and I am really proud of that.” Brigid Burke (‘18) also appreciated the way the lecture spoke openly about the traumas of sexual assault. “My personal experiences with this have completely changed my life,” NASA member Burke said. “Until you actually have to cope and deal with this type of trauma you never really know what it is like to go through that.” Burke has also used Harding’s book as a way to cope and heal with her personal experiences, and highly recommends it to anyone who has not read it yet. “I have read lots of books on this topic in the past year or so, and I think that it is the best current book on rape culture in the U.S.,” Burke said. “It really has a wide variety of examples and aspects that go into play. For me, no other book compares.” Attendees like NASA member Hannah Butler appreciated the conversational and personal nature of Harding’s lecture. “Harding did great presenting her credibility to the audience and she did great with her repoire and connections with the audience,” Butler said. Butler was also pleased to see so many students, faculty and staff in attendance. “Several of us NASA members were thrilled to see so many people there and that so many people cared and came to listen to such an important issue,” Butler said. Jeide especially related to Harding’s examples about media and pop culture. “For me personally, as someone who watches “Game of Thrones,” I was really surprised rewatching that [rape] scene because in all honesty, you don’t notice that during the show,” Jeide said. “Media is the last thing people are willing to give up because it’s a guilty pleasure, but in reality, it influences the way we process issues of sexual assault a lot more that I thought.” Future events connected with Sexual Assault Awareness Month are a screening of “The Hunting Ground” on Wednesday, April 13 and Bystander Intervention Training on Wednesday, April 20.
Vicky Agromayor (‘19) puts items in a Legends cubbie beneath signs reading “Please do not keep money in the cubbies area. Many recent thefts.” Ana López / Chips theft, PAge 1 “That’s a little tough to say because some of those I haven’t been notified [but] maybe security has been notified,” Schuknecht said. “Some of them have notified me and not security or vice versa.” In concerns to measures to prevent theft in Legends, Schuknecht said that vigilance and presence of the student workers around the cubbies will increase. There is also a mirror from where the cubbies are visible for the student workers at the desk. According to Ruud, some of these measures have already been implemented. “Every time we make a round — because we have to make a round every 15 minutes — we have to walk in the back of [Legends] Center to make sure there is no nonsense going on,” Ruud said. Brittany Engstrom (‘17) had items stolen before spring break and believes that a possible way to prevent thefts would be to replace cubbies with something that can be locked in order to deter theft. “The cubbies are a good idea, but maybe turn
them into lockers so people can lock their stuff up,” Engstrom said. “People do need to carry their wallets around with them.” Engstrom found that cash was missing from her wallet after working out in the facilities around 4:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon. According to Legends staff, the thefts happened at different times throughout the day. Campus Safety and Security has also released a notice of the incidents, which is available at the Legends Center desk and by the cubbies, explaining further details. They are investigating the incidents. If something is stolen in Legends, one can go to one of the student workers in Legends and they will fill a form that will go to security and the Legends staff. Anyone can also report any theft, anywhere, directly to security. According to Director of Campus Safety and Security Bob Harri, thefts can be reported by calling Safety and Security at (563)-387-2111 to speak with a security officer. He mentioned that crimes can also be reported to the Decorah Police by calling (563)-382-3667.
Arts & EntErtAinMEnt A&E Editor: JEnnA nElson
pAgE 5 April 7, 2016
Alums present revised senior works lily kime stAFF WritEr
Two Luther alums, theatre major Michael Ehrecke (‘15) and women and gender studies major Marley Crossland (‘15), presented their reworked senior projects for small crowd in Storre Theater on Wednesday, March 30. They also held a discussion group with students in Studio One in the CFA on the following evening. This event was arranged by Professor of Dance Jane Hawley (‘87) and Catherine Lewis (‘16) through a pilot program run by the Career Center. This program encourages faculty and students to reach out to alumns and invite them to come back to work with current students. Ehrecke and Crossland were invited back as a part of a series in order to give Lewis and other students an opportunity to demonstrate the Movement Fundamentals curriculum, an aspect of the dance program that is meant to teach individuals that dance can be found in everything and can be used in a variety of fields and types of work. “I thought if current students can hear it from students that recently graduated, rather than from me, they’re going to believe it,” Hawley said. “They’re going to believe it more. They’re going to go, ‘I can do that.’” Ehrecke presented his project first in the evening. Through his piece, “Boy, or the (mis)education of musing,” Ehrecke told his own coming out story through multiple lenses. By the end of the piece, the audience had heard Ehrecke speak from the point of view of himself as a
child, a first-year college student and a story-teller looking back at all of these experiences with a more complete understanding. Through this piece, Ehrecke shared a great deal of his own life and history, which inspired a much different feeling when compared with more objective forms of art. “It’s risky,” Ehrecke said. “Writing tends to be a lonely process, and it can get really lonely when you’re only writing about yourself.” Following Ehrecke’s performance, Crossland shared an excerpt from her senior project, which she has been spending time on, altering and making changes to since graduation in order to meet her expectations. According to Crossland, she has been focusing more on her poetry, which has inspired her to make some adjustments when it comes to both physical and verbal presentation. Initially, Crossland was inspired by “The Vagina Monologues” when she began creating her project. Although she found “The Vagina Monologues” to be attracting attention to needed areas, she thought more could be done; there was still more to say on topics that concerned the LGBTQ community. “My junior year was a big time of development for me, intellectually,” Crossland said. “I took Gender and Art. I did an art project, and I thought about how varied identity can be, how it can’t really be fixed to these boxes of ‘just gay’ or ‘just straight’.” Ehrecke and Crossland both participated in a discussion panel related to their projects and the ideas behind
“i feel like the two big things we learned [at the workshop] were using self as a source, so our past experience and our physical bodies create art, as well as practicing our creating.” - James Mueller (‘16)
Back on Stage. Marley Crossland (‘15) and Michael Ehrecke (‘15) present their revisted senior projects in storre theatre. Lily Kime / Chips them on Thursday, March 31. During this event, everyone present participated in a dialogue that focused on shame, its causes and different ways in which it is expressed. After sharing personal
exploring Shame. taylor Berg (‘16) and professor of dance Jane Hawley (‘87) participate in the “sculptures” workshop activity inspired by words associated with shame. Lily Kime / Chips
examples of how they have felt shame, everyone worked together to create a list of 49 words that they thought of when they thought of shame. Following the creation of the list, the workshop attendees formed pairs to partake in an activity called “Sculptures” that used select words from the list. Ehrecke picked a word from the list and challenged each pair to represent that word using only their bodies. In each pair, one individual would be sculpting the clay, or the individual, that was representing the word. Afterwards, everyone discussed what they perceived the meaning of the sculpture to be. After being both the sculptor and clay, James Mueller (‘16) learned a valuable lesson from the experience as a whole. “I feel like the two big things we learned [at the workshop] were using self as a source, so our past experiences and our physical bodies create art, as well as practicing our creating,” Mueller said. Ehrecke and Crossland gave current students insight on how to utilize the Movement Fundamentals curriculum in a variety of ways. Not only that, but they also shared personal experiences with students and advice for everyday life. One piece of advice comes directly from Ehrecke’s presentation. “Lesson One: You can always be happy. Lesson Two: Boys never cross their legs. Lesson Three: There are some things that you just don’t tell Mama,” said Ehreke.
Features
page 6 april 7, 2016
Features editor: erika storvick
Students party with purpose
LCDM hosts third annual charity event
for thE kiDS. dancers gather together in front of the stage after dancing for 12 hours straight. Matija Nikolic staFF Writer & Erika Storvick Features editor During the third annual Luther College Dance Marathon (LCDM) on Saturday, April 2, students fundraised a total of $53,094. During the 12-hourlong event, participants danced and led activities to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The April 2 event represented the conclusion to a year’s worth of fundraising. During the 12 hours of dancing alone, donors gave over $15,000. This year’s fundraising total of $53,094 was short of the original goal of $65,000, but organizers are still pleased with their success. “Generally we just support children through these tough times by saying, ‘Hey, we are a group of people who support you,’” Co-Vice President Mileah Gumpert (‘17) said. “Keep fighting, we are going to dance for you.” Many people participated in the event, including 430 dancers, several a capella
groups and many family speakers who shared their stories. Student participants who signed up beforehand were organized into teams led by “morale captains,” who took turns leading and coordinating different dances. These activities and dances changed every hour. The event also featured a basketball tournament, yoga school, “Family feuds,” theme hours (Hawaiian, Purple and Norse) and an area with inflatables where children could play. This year’s event was different from previous years because the organizers focused on providing more interesting activities rather than advertising and educating people about what Dance Marathon stands for. Dance Marathon is a nation-wide philanthropic organization that raises money to support local children’s hospitals. Luther’s chapter specifically raises money for the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. One hundred percent of all donations go to support the sick children and their families in numerous ways, ranging from hospital parking passes for the families to therapeutic treatments.
DaNciNg for a cauSE. eklipse performs as part of dance Marathon. Annie Goodroad / Photo Bureau
“When you are sick and spend months in a hospital, you really lose on a lot of your childhood, and it can be hard for the families, as there are many costs that are not covered by the insurance,” President of Luther’s 2016 Dance Marathon Carter Johnson (‘16) said. “We try to help reduce some of those hardships and make treatments more comfortable for children and more affordable for families as a whole.” According to the morale captains, this event is all about building community. By partnering with local families and hospitals, the organization establishes close ties within the community and helps children going through rough times, not just through the financial aspect but also through helping raise their spirits. Some students who have participated in this event before are now involved in leading Luther’s Dance Marathon event. “Ever since I was in high school I always wanted to do this. After stepping up from being a logistics coordinator, I became a vice-president this year,” Miranda Gumpert (‘17) said. Luther’s program differs quite a bit from other programs because of its
Photo courtesy of Michael Hagstrom location in a smaller community, yet some participants believe this benefits families by getting them more support, including the help from local businesses. More students are able to engage with the families that Dance Marathon sponsors as well. “University of Iowa works with more than a hundred families while we work with just five, so we are able to tailor the event,” Johnson said. Looking to next year, Johnson explained that the organization has been trying to raise donation goals each year and will always continue to focus on supporting local hospitals. “Luther proceeds have always gone to University of Iowa, and it will always stay that way,” Johnson said. After recovering from 12 hours on their feet, some students are already looking ahead to next year. “Hearing the stories of some of the kids we are helping was probably the best part of the whole thing,” Jessica Morrill (‘17) said. “Hearing all the things they have overcome with the help of their community and people like us dancing and raising money, makes them truly an inspiration.”
voluNtEEriNg hEr tiME. cora egherman (‘19) helps check dancers in at the big event. Annie Goodraod / Photo Bureau
Features
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Features editor: erika storvick
april 7, 2016
Paul hosts last Song Jam before retiring
oNE laSt jaM. Jessica paul accompanies student singers at song Jam on Monday, april 4. ElySE grothauS staFF Writer Professor of Music Jessica Paul led Song Jam on Monday, April 4 in the Center for Faith and Learning (CFL) Recital Hall one final time before retiring this spring. This is the ninth consecutive time that Paul has organized the Song Jam program during her 30-year career at Luther. The goal of this program is to celebrate female composers. Paul works as a vocal coach and collaborative pianist at Luther. Song Jam features her own research on female composers in all languages and across all eras. Paul hopes that these performances, which have occurred every semester for the past nine years, are learning experiences for both the performers and audience members. “My whole professional life, I have been given the music to play,” Paul said. “For my first sabbatical at Luther, I started to look into music by women composers, and my second sabbatical was the same except I concentrated on American composers. I had all of this music and nowhere to go with it, so I decided to invent this seminar where I recruit students and faculty to play the music that I choose.” The students who perform in Song Jam are from Paul’s own studio. She chooses the music, yet their preparation for the performance is mostly individual work. Marie Sauze (‘18) prepared a French piece for Song Jam. This is Sauze’s first semester working with Paul, and she says she has learned so much from Paul’s perspective, both as a vocalist and accompanist. “I am in Song Jam, but I am also in Vocal Coaching and Accompanying with her, so she has taught me a lot about collaborating between the pianist and the singer,” Sauze said. “She understands and knows both
singers and pianists very well, and she is the one who connects the singers to their accompanists.” Paul is retiring at the end of this year and will be missed according to both faculty and students. Alumni Guest Lecturer in Music Jill Phillips (‘10) participated as a faculty member in Song Jam for the second time this semester. She also performed in Song Jam as a student at Luther and has spent a significant amount of time working with Paul. “Jessica has been an incredible mentor for me, both when I was a student and now as a faculty member,” Phillips said. “She has many years of experience with the repertoire and the way the music field works. She has always encouraged creative exploration of music, both in interpretation and performance.” According to Associate Professor of Music and College Organist Gregory Peterson (‘83), Song Jam is just one example of the legacy that Paul has left on Luther College. She has been an active member in the music department and the college as a whole during the past 30 years through advising, performing and
teaching. According to Peterson, her spirit and love of music will always be remembered. “Jessica Paul leaves a huge legacy,” Peterson said. “First of all, she has an enormous talent as a collaborative pianist, and that is enhanced by her training as a vocal coach. Her legacy lives on in the students that she has trained to be collaborative pianists and vocalists. You also really miss somebody like her who has fully immersed themselves in the institution for a long time.” After retirement, Paul has a bucket list that is mostly music-driven. She is excited to keep learning and improving as a musician, but she will miss the Luther community and will visit in the future. “It is a wonderful community here, and the students are very respectful and they want to learn and do the right thing,” Paul said. “They are also all different, which has brought me pretty far as a teacher. My colleagues are also wonderful people who care very much about what they do. I don’t plan to miss that because I will probably plant myself in this environment as much as I can.”
Elyse Grothaus / Chips
SEt to rEtirE. Jessica paul leaves this spring after a 30-year career at luther. Elyse Grothaus / Chips
ARTS & EnTERTAInMEnT
pAgE 8 ApRIl 7, 2016
A&E EDIToR: JEnnA nElSon
center stage presents ase
singing with sPirit. A group of American Spiritual Ensemble touring vocalists gather for a photo. There are over 100 vocalists on the complete ASE roster. Photo courtesy of Americanspiritualensemble.com laura Proescholdt STAFF WRITER Vocal group American Spiritual Ensemble (ASE) will perform the final Center Stage Series event of the year in the Center for Faith and Life (CFL) on Thursday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. According to ASE manager Peggy Stamps, the mission of ASE “is to keep the American Negro Spiritual alive.” ASE’s performance on April 7 will include a selection of spirituals in addition to several Broadway and opera
pieces. Founded in 1995 by University of Kentucky Director of Opera Dr. Everett McCorvey, ASE has a roster of over 100 professional vocalists and musicians and tours with about 20 of them at one time. According to Stamps, McCorvey grew up singing spirituals in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, where he witnessed firsthand as a child the role of spirituals in the civil rights movement. McCorvey formed ASE with the goal of educating people in the U.S. and around the
globe about the historical significance of spirituals. According to Stamps, though spirituals are often confused with gospel music, the two genres are distinct. The spiritual developed as a mode of communication and emotional healing among African-American slaves in the late 18th century. Based on Biblical stories, the song lyrics allowed slaves to communicate in code. For example, the song “Wade in the Water” warned escaping slaves to stay in the water to hide their scent from slave masters’ dogs.
Music with a history. ASE’s Dr. Everett McCorvey conducts the ensemble during a performance. Photo courtesy of Johnathon Palmer
Spirituals, according to Stamps, are uniquely American and eventually evolved into gospel music, jazz, blues and pop. Stamps emphasizes that the influence of spirituals extends beyond the AfricanAmerican population. “This is American history,” Stamps said. “This is the history of our music—the groups that have developed and the jazz and the blues and the pop. This is a part of our history, so we don’t look at it as just African-American history. We want to help the world and the country understand where this music came from.” Stamps sees spirituals as a hopeful sign because they remind her that beauty can appear even in dark times. “When I hear them I always think of the pain of a time in our country where things were very ugly,” Stamps said. “This purity rose out of that ... like the rose or the little flower that will grow up out of the concrete.” According to Performing Arts Committee (PAC) President Sheri Schwert (‘17),
ASE will take part in several other activities on campus on April 6 and 7, including vocal workshops with Aurora, Norsemen, Gospel Choir, Cathedral Choir and Collegiate Chorale. ASE will also speak to students in the course “The Civil Rights Movement” taught by Assistant Professor of Africana Studies and History Lauren Anderson. PAC Vice President Grant Holsinger (‘17) encourages Luther students to see ASE’s show to broaden their horizons and learn something new. “[ASE] is bringing something that we don’t get a whole lot here in Lutheran Norwegian America,” Holsinger said. “It’s something that I feel like a lot of students would benefit from … because it’s not just songs—it’s also prayers, hopes and dreams.” ASE’s visit to Luther is part of a residency with Minnesota Public Radio that includes stops at several other liberal arts schools including Concordia College in Moorehead, Minnesota and Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
OPINION
PAGE 9
MANAGING EDITOR: STEVE PETERSON
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 2016 Staff Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: News Editors:
Anna Jeide Steve Peterson Katie Nelson Jacob Warehime Features Editor: Erika Storvick A&E Editor: Jenna Nelson Sports Editor: Danny May Staff Writers: Karl Badger Elizabeth Bonin Elyse Grothaus Lily Kime Sidney Larsen Ana López Katrina Meyer Jana Mueller Joram Mutenge Matija Nikolic Laura Proescholdt Emma Schlabach Head Copy Editor: Cameron Meyferth Copy Editors: Bethany Seavers Templeton Olivia Benson Ad Representatives: Alex Brandt Jesse Anderson Ad Accountant: Tyler Hovey Layout and Design Technician: Cameron Meyferth Photography Coordinator: Katie Nelson Photographer: Steve Peterson Web Manager: Michael Vann Social Media Director: Nora Sell Distribution Manager: Elizabeth Hurley Adviser: Laura Fuller
APRIL 7, 2016
“Good Job,” a big athletic detriment
DANNY MAY SPORTS EDITOR
My high school cross country coach was an oldfashioned hard-ass. He believed in some unconventional practices, like training the body to consistently run on very little water (“getting used to being dehydrated”) and watching photography documentaries for motivational fuel. But he also believed in simple, hard work, and accordingly in earning success. He was usually not an affirming person, but when he was, it meant a lot. He didn’t just toss around a “nice run,” or “you look great!” or “good job.” But when he did, it was meaningful—when you finished a race, and he was standing there, wincing in the sunlight with his stopwatch in hand, and he placed a hand on your back and said “good job,” you believed him, and you knew you deserved it. “Good job” has lost the empowerment that it is originally intended to have. Participation in or mere completion of an activity warrants athletes’ supporters and peers alike to dish out the phrase. Play in a game where your team lost by 25 points? Good job. Finish
a race in a time not even close to your personal best? Good job. Although there is merit in completing tasks such as these—running races and competing in games requires effort—I’d rather not live in a culture that glorifies participation. Gratifying and rewarding people for doing what they’re expected to do is counterproductive; people lose sight of what they set out to accomplish. People should be expected to play hard in games and to finish the races that they start. Although encouragement is beneficial, we should not promote an aura of positivity around every completed activity regardless of its outcome. “Good job” should be reserved for, well, good performances. It’s generally accepted that losing is not good, nor is running slower than one is capable of. If you tell me “good job” after I run 25 seconds slower than my personal best time in a race, and then you tell me the same thing after I run a new personal best, the logic is quite contradictory, robbing “good job” of its significance. There needs to be a distinction between a “good job” and a bad one. Now, “good job” indicates acknowledgment of someone doing something. Since not every athletic performance is the very best that an athlete can give, saying, “good job” regardless of whether the performance was good or not undermines the significance of an actually good performance, resultantly complicating the athlete’s perception of a good performance. When athletes do not perform as well as they should, telling them “good job” instills in them a sort of complacency. As they internalize what about their performance was “good,” they find ways to tell themselves that they did good enough. Instead, after a performance is completed, the focus should be placed on what needs to be improved. If people do something that is worthy of the praise “good job,” then use it, but let us be mindful to use the phrase genuinely, not as a thoughtless remark.
“Although encouragement is beneficial, we should not promote an aura of positivity around every completed activity, regardless of its outcome.” -Danny May (‘17)
So, this is adulthood?
KATIE NELSON NEWS EDITOR
I am a 22 year-old second semester senior, which pretty much means I am expected to start making real decisions for myself such as finding an apartment and paying rent for it, finding a “big girl” job, and doing my own laundry instead of bringing it home to my mom over break. The general consensus feeling among us second semester seniors right now is that of fear and insecurity. We are constantly asking
ourselves, “What are we doing with our lives?” “Am I prepared for life after Luther?” “Am I a real adult?” The answer to that last question seems to be the most nebulous for us. How are we defining adulthood to ourselves? Did we begin calling ourselves adults when we turned 18? When we went off to college? When a life-altering event hit us? When we turned 21? Will it take until after I graduate to be ushered into the world of adulthood? If only these were enduring questions our Paideia courses had investigated. The question of my own adulthood has haunted me for several years, and now as I prepare to enter “the real world,” I feel like I’m thinking about it constantly. But perhaps it’s time to change my perception about how I look at adulthood. Perhaps the questions should stop being, “When am I going to become an adult?” and become “How can I try and just make life work for me?” Instead of wondering whether or not
we perceive ourselves as or appear to others to be adults, maybe we should make sure we’re doing things like paying our bills on time, or making goals for the future to put us in the jobs or grad schools we’re dreaming of, or saving for few extra dollars every month for that trip abroad we’ve always wanted to go on. At some point, maybe, just maybe, these little things will add up and we will realize we’ve been acting like adults after all. If not, always keep the consolation in mind that I for one (and I’m sure this is not something isolated to my life) have had countless professors, friends’ parents, or grandmothers tell me they’re not even sure they’re adults yet. As we move out into the big, scary, real, “adult” world, perhaps it’s time to stop letting our perceptions of what an adult is and how we are supposed to act as one keep us from moving forward on our paths. Then – who knows – maybe someday we’ll even become adults.
oPInIon
PAGe 10 APRIl 7, 2015
mAnAGInG edIToR: STeve PeTeRSon
Professor Green responds to student on civil discourse Letter to the Editor On March 17, Sam English (‘17) wrote a letter to Chips in which he criticized the campus conversation about Islamophobia. Let me begin by thanking Sam for weighing in on this difficult conversation. In fact, I reached out to Sam after reading his letter, and the two of us had a stimulating one-onone conversation. We both agreed that building relationships and engaging in face-toface dialogue are essential in helping people move beyond bigotry. We also agreed that haphazardly throwing around the word “bigot” is not helpful in dismantling Islamophobia. In light of Luther’s growing interest in discerning the best ways to model civil discourse, let me also take this opportunity to respond to three elements of Sam’s letter that I found most disappointing (and I did share these concerns with Sam in person). First, I am disappointed that Sam quotes me out of context. In chapel on December 7, he cites me as saying: “There are people out there who do intend harm.” He insinuates twice that I’m referring to people at Luther who might express negative views of Islam. Not true. The context for this quote was a tweet from that morning aimed at one of my colleagues. The tweet stated my colleague deserved to be killed for standing in solidarity with Muslims. I prefaced my comments in chapel by calling attention to that tweet. I
reminded the audience that there are some people in the larger public who really do intend to harm Muslims and those who stand in solidarity with them. The chapel comments were also made in the midst of an upsurge in antiMuslim hate crimes in the aftermath of Paris and San Bernardino. Muslims were being singled out and targeted for violence and discrimination. Context matters. I want to remind Sam and all members of our community that with civil disagreement comes the responsibility not to misrepresent the positions of the people with whom you are disagreeing. I don’t mind people disagreeing with me and doing so publicly. But please make sure that you are disagreeing with a position that I actually hold. I will promise to do the same for you. Second, it is unfortunate that Sam is so dismissive of speeches and petitions that call for solidarity with Muslim students. He feels they are ineffective endeavors at best and manifestations of selfrighteousness at worst. By this logic, Martin Luther King Jr. was an out-oftouch, self-righteous troublemaker who wasted his career writing letters and preaching sermons instead of “doing” anything. I encourage Sam to reconsider the power of words to shape
our reality and to inspire us to act on the better impulses in our nature. This power is one of the reasons why King continues to be an inspiration for so many of us. Finally, I am disappointed that Sam’s letter pays little, if any, attention to the people who actually experience the most egregious effects of Islamophobia. In reading Sam’s letter, one might conclude that our primary focus should be on the feelings of those in the white, non-Muslim majority who fear or even hate Muslims, not on the Muslims who are on the receiving end of this fear and hatred. Sam even goes so far as to argue “the issue of Islamophobia is not some grand fight against oppression and evil.” I could not disagree more. Islamophobia is a systemic prejudice that has horrific implications for Muslims or those perceived to be Muslims (i.e. Arabs, Sikhs, etc.). Islamophobia is about oppression in every sense of the word. The systemic nature of Islamophobia in the post9/11 era has produced registration programs, surveillance and profiling by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, detentions and deportations. Islamophobia takes on more violent forms as well, including hate crimes, murders and torture. Islamophobia also emanates from
Islamophobia is a systematic prejudice that has horrific implications for Muslims or those percieved to be Muslims (i.e. Arabs, Sikhs, etc.). Islamophobia is about oppresision in every sense of the word.” - Todd Green
mainstream media and its narrow framing of Muslims as prone to violence and terrorism. It arises from powerful politicians and presidential candidates who propose bans on all Muslims entering the U.S., registration programs for Muslim citizens and the patrolling of Muslim neighborhoods. Whatever else the fight against Islamophobia is, it’s definitely a “grand fight against oppression.” Those of us in the white, non-Muslim majority of this country must avoid the trap of thinking that we are somehow being neglected or victimized whenever attention is given to the injustices that racial and religious minorities face in our nation. We must also be careful not to underestimate the systemic oppression others encounter simply because it’s not part of our lived experience. We have every reason to be proud of taking a stand against bigotry and making our voices heard. Colleges and universities from coast to coast have used our statement on Islamophobia as a model to create their own statements, and organizations such as the Interfaith Youth Core now promote our statement as an example of how to affirm the values of diversity and inclusivity on college campuses. Luther College is increasingly viewed as a leader on how to model responsible, civil conversations on religious inclusivity. Instead of shying away from this responsibility, let’s make it the centerpiece of who we are and who we want to become. Signed, Todd Green Associate Professor of Religion
Student points out harmful speech, urges community to abandon use Letter to the Editor While I was sitting in the cafeteria eating dinner a few weeks ago, I heard an individual at the table behind me say something that broke my heart. “You retard!” While these two short words may not have seemed significant to their friends that they were joking around with, this expression was highly significant to me. Having two close friends in my high school graduating class who have mental disabilities, I find use of the “R-word,” no matter the intentions,
to be appalling. David always had the biggest smile on his face that I looked forward to seeing each and every day as he passed me in the hallway. Hope’s spontaneous hugs were the perfect way to turn a bad day around. These two bright and caring people and others like them don’t deserve to be degraded by your flippant use of hurtful words. On one of my last days of my senior year I stood with Hope in the hallway as she witnessed one of her peers call another person a “retard.” Her response will stick with me forever. With slumped shoulders she turned to me and simply said, “That hurts me.” I kick myself to this day for not taking a stand and letting the individual know that their words were unacceptable.
The “R-word” is not something to joke about. Such language demeans some of the most incredible people that I have ever met. I mean this not to be a lecture but to be a simple message. While some may claim that the “R-word” is just a substitute for “silly” or “stupid,” unfortunately that is not the case. For many in this world, the use of the “R-word” isn’t just derogatory; it’s downright hurtful. With this, I propose a challenge to the Luther community; drop the use of the R-word. It’s more than just a word. It is a classification that belittles and labels people who don’t deserve the disrespect.
“The ‘R-word’ is not something to joke about. Such language demeans some of the most incredible people I have ever met.” -Anna Phearman (‘19)
Signed, Anna Phearman (‘19)
SPOrTS
PAge 11
APrIL 7, 2015
SPOrTS eDITOr: DANNy MAy
NCAA Division I transfer Van Anrooy wins national title, completes career at Luther
Drew Van Anrooy (‘16) wrestles in the Alumni Meet on November 8, 2014. Sidney LarSen STAff WrITer Two-time All-American wrestler Drew Van Anrooy (‘16) captured the national title in the 141-pound weight class at the NCAA Division III National Wrestling Championships at 141 pounds on Saturday, March 12, bringing his collegiate wrestling career to an end. Van Anrooy felt that winning the national title was the perfect end to his tenure as a Norse wrestler. “I’m definitely really happy,” Van Anrooy said. “I couldn’t have ended my competitive collegiate career better than I did. I’m just incredibly happy and feel blessed to be able to call myself a national champion for the rest of my life.” Van Anrooy finished as national runner-up in the same weight class in 2015. Headed into this year’s national championships, he was able to keep his composure and bring home the title. “I think last year I was a little more nervous going into [the title match], and that made me be a little more conservative when I was wrestling,” Van Anrooy said. “This [match] was the last time I was ever going to compete, so I thought I should just try to have fun— and it worked out for me.” Head Wrestling Coach Dave Mitchell explained that Van Anrooy’s attitude and
competitive spirit set him apart from other wrestlers, which ultimately contributed to his success on the national scene. “He’s a great competitor,” Mitchell said. “He’s fun to be around, and he can manage the pressure well enough. When the whistle blew, he was going to compete really hard. If somebody was going to beat him, it was going to take somebody good.” According to Mitchell, Van Anrooy has been a valuable asset to the wrestling team. “[His performances have been] pretty amazing, really,” Mitchell said. “He ended up with 50 wins and three losses in his career over two years, which is the best winning percentage we’ve ever had. It’s really impressive.” Van Anrooy brought his talents from Oregon, where he previously attended Oregon State University. After two years of wrestling for the Beavers, in which he placed third at the Pac-12 tournament, he transferred to Luther. Van Anrooy explained that he wanted to be able to wrestle and study, while also having more of a social life, but was unable to find that at Oregon State. “After years of wrestling, I wanted to have a better balance to my life,” Van Anrooy said. “I felt like wrestling was my whole life and everything I focused on, with school too, but I wasn’t able to get involved
in anything else, really.” Van Anrooy is not the first member of his family to wrestle for a Division III, liberal arts college. He credits his dad’s experiences with college wrestling as one of the factors that swayed him toward Luther. “My dad had previously wrestled Division III at a liberal arts college like Luther and he really liked it, so that’s why I decided to go that route,” Van Anrooy said. Wartburg College was also in consideration for Van Anrooy, but he did not think that he would find the balance he was looking for with the Knights. “I felt, when I went on my visit there, [that] they had the mentality towards a [Division] I program, where wrestling was the main focus,” Van Anrooy said. “I wanted a different feel—I felt that Luther had [the] balance that I was looking for in my life.” The Luther wrestling program was ecstatic to gain both Drew and his younger brother, Reed Van Anrooy (‘17) from Oregon State. Mitchell has fond memories from when he found out the brothers chose Luther. “I remember I got a phone call from Reed, ” Mitchell said. “He said, ‘I think we’re going to come to Luther,’ and I just started screaming.” According to Drew Van Anrooy, the wrestling program’s coaching staff,
Michael Hagstrom / Photo Bureau
2016 NCAA Division III National Champion Drew Van Anrooy. Photo courtesy of Luther College Photo Bureau including Mitchell, had a big impact on his career. “They helped make wrestling fun again.” Drew Van Anrooy said. “It just felt like I could really trust the whole coaching staff, and that was a big part of [the decision to transfer].” Before graduation, Drew Van Anrooy hopes to be able to give back by devoting some of his time to help his teammates improve. “I might help teach
[wrestling] technique and help the young kids along before I leave,” Drew Van Anrooy said. “I would definitely like to do that and give back to the Luther program with all they’ve done for me.” After he graduates, Drew Van Anrooy plans to take a year off before attending medical school. He hopes to coach wrestling some time in the future, whether it be children or collegiate athletes.
SPORTS
PAGE 12
SPORTS EDITOR: DANNY MAY
APRIL 7, 2016
Women’s tennis team works through early season injuries
Weekly Standings
Softball
#7 Luther Coe Simpson #20 Central Buena Vista Loras Wartburg Dubuque
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Recent Scores
Overall 23-1 16-2 21-4 14-8 11-10 9-9 8-14 7-15
Mar. 29 @ St. Mary’s (doubleheader), W 5-1, W 4-1 Apr. 3 vs. UW-SP (doubleheader), W 10-0, W 8-0
Upcoming Schedule
Apr. 8 @ Dubuque (doubleheader), 3:00 PM
Baseball
The Luther women’s tennis team huddles up before a home meet against UW-Oshkosh. KATRINA MEYER STAFF WRITER The Luther women’s tennis team began its spring season on Feb. 27, losing four straight matches before winning its last three. The Norse have lost their number-one and numbertwo players to injury this spring. Jenna Myers (‘16) and Maggie Helms (‘16) both suffered injuries that have kept them out of the spring line-up, which has shaken up the roster for the remaining players. Younger players have all had to adjust to playing in higher positions in the team lineup. According to Myers, the injuries have been challenging. “The girls are having kind of a tough spring,” Myers said. “Our top two players are out with injuries, so that makes it really hard on everybody because everybody has to get bumped up a few spots.” Adapting to the injuries requires looking toward the future. Hailey Johnson (‘16) explained that spring season prepares the Norse for the Iowa Conference NCAA Division III automatic qualifier at the end of the month. “[We play] a lot of Division II teams,” Johnson said. “So it’s a lot harder of a season than the fall.” The Norse traveled to Florida over spring break to compete in four matches. After losing their first two matches, they closed out
their trip with two straight victories before traveling back to the Midwest and defeating the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 5-4 in Winona, Minnesota, on Friday, April 1. Madisen Crow (‘17) described how the team has adapted to the adversity. “The injuries we’ve had have really shaken up the makeup of our team and our lineup,” Crow said. “But as spring season has gone on, all of the girls have gotten more comfortable in new positions and new doubles pairings.”
Crow explained that the team has improved on a match-to-match basis. “We’re in the busiest part of our season now, coming off of spring break,” Crow said. “[We] have matches every weekend from here on out. As a team we keep playing better, even in our tough matches.” As the spring season continues, the team looks toward the automatic qualifier (AQ) tournament for nationals, according to Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach Adam Strand (‘04). The tournament will
Will Heller / Photo Bureau take place April 29-30 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “We just want to continue to see our players grow, embrace the roles they’re in [and] continue improving,” Strand said. “[We want to] try to pick up some wins along the way and gear up for that AQ tournament at the end.” The team has five more matches before it competes at the Iowa Conference NCAA Division III automatic qualifier. Next, they will face Lake Forest College on Saturday, April 9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Buena Vista Wartburg Coe Luther Central Dubuque Simpson Loras
IIAC 4-0 4-0 4-2 2-2 2-2 1-3 1-5 0-4
Overall 13-3 11-5 8-6 13-3 4-9 8-8 4-13 6-8
Recent Scores
Apr. 2 @ Pella (doubleheader), W 8-1, L 17-20 Apr. 3 @ Pella (doubleheader), W 3-1, L 7-8
Upcoming Schedule
Apr. 8 @ Loras (doubleheader), 3:30 PM
Men’s Tennis #37 Coe Buena Vista Wartburg Luther Loras Central Simpson Dubuque
IIAC 3-0 1-0 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-2 0-2
Overall 16-2 2-10 8-10 11-8 5-4 5-6 9-6 2-11
Recent Scores
Apr. 1 @ UW-Eau Claire, L 2-7 Apr. 3 @ UW-La Crosse, L 3-6
Upcoming Schedule
Apr. 9 vs. Buena Vista, 9:00 AM
Women’s Tennis Coe Luther Central Wartburg Simpson Loras Dubuque Buena Vista
IIAC 7-0 6-1 5-2 4-3 3-4 2-5 1-6 0-7
Overall 11-7 11-5 9-3 7-13 5-8 4-11 1-13 0-10-1
Recent Scores
Mar. 23 @ Elmhurts (in Orlando, Fla.), W 7-2 Apr. 1 @ UW-Eau Claire (in Winona, Minn.), W 5-4
Upcoming Schedule
Apr. 9 @ Lake Forest (in Cedar Rapids, Iowa), 1:00 PM
(From left) Lauren Welch (‘17) and Olivia Heitz (‘16) during a fall match. Ashley Veeser / Photo Bureau