Chips 21 October 2015

LoCAL InTERnSHIP Features 7 ALUM SIbLIngS PRESEnT ART

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LUTHER CoLLEgE

“Let the chips fall where they may.”

CHIPS

oCTobER 22, 2015

Serving the Luther College community since 1884.

VoLUME 138, no. 6

Gun policy at Luther Mental Health in discussion Laura proeschoLDt STAFF WRITER

cLub photoshoot. Luther College Shooting Sports Club displays their sporting equipment at Chase the Adventure Hunt and gun Club. Photo courtesy of Shelby Oelschlager jacob warehime STAFF WRITER Luther College does not currently allow students to have firearms on campus. In light of the many recent shootings on college and university campuses across the nation, Luther students and officials have revisited these policies and reassessed their effectiveness. According to the Luther College Student Handbook, firearms are listed as prohibited items as well as being against the anti-violence policy. Director of Campus Safety and Security Bob Harri says this policy extends to vehicles parked on campus as well. The policy also states that all firearms should be stored at the Decorah Police Department.

According to Harri, violations of these policies have been few and far between. “Issues of weapon storage have been very minimal, if there have been any reported occurrences at all,” Harri said. However, this does not mean that campus security is ignoring the issue. “In light of the many tragic events that have taken place on college campuses we continue to focus on prevention as well as response,” Harri said. “Luther has policies and practices in place to identify potential risks and to address them. Campus security agencies have always been concerned about providing a safe environment that is conducive to study.” Gun controL, PAgE 4

Luther class of 1965 gives $1.1 million katie neLson nEWS EdIToR The Class of 1965 presented over $1 million to Luther College over Homecoming Weekend at their alumni dinner and again at halftime of the football game, in honor of their 50th Reunion. The total donation at present is $1,152,084.17, but there will be more funds coming in over the next few months. “They are at 1.1 million, and that is a 24-month campaign, so they will continue to fundraise until May 31, 2016,” Director of Annual Giving Maria Smith (‘95) said. “Homecoming is when we have a chance to present that giant check, and we try to get most of the funding in before that. I would expect this class to do about $50,000-100,000 more.”

Alums can give as they please over the 24-month giving campaign. “When somebody gives a gift to Luther in honor of their reunion, they can give to anything that they’d like,” Smith said. “Some of these donors give to the annual fund, which is unrestricted, budgetrelieving funds that come into the college every year. Some give to a family scholarship, or might give in memory of somebody; others might give to a specific academic department. It really depends on what the donor feels called to give.” According to Director of Development and Principal Gifts Ann Sponberg Peterson, the annual fund is a catch-all fund that is used to relieve the general budget throughout the year. “The annual fund is unrestricted dollars raised…that go right into the budget to help balance and manage

the budget, pay for everything from student scholarship support, utilities and funding to basic operations of the college,” Peterson said. The two funds that received the most donations by the Class of 1965 were the annual fund and the Class of 1965 Endowed Scholarship fund. “The annual fund is going to be spent right away because it goes into the budget,” Peterson said. “But the [scholarship] endowment fund lasts forever.” Karen Chellevold (‘65), along with her husband Larry Chellevold (‘65), acted as Class Agents the last several years, heading a committee in charge of contacting alums to invite them to Homecoming weekend and ask for donations to the class gift. Donation, PAgE 4

During the week of Oct. 4 - 10, the Luther College chapter of Active Minds hung red umbrellas on campus in honor of Mental Health Awareness Week. In addition, increased student demand for mental health support services has prompted Luther College Counseling Service (LCCS) and Student Life to reevaluate current service models. Mental Health Awareness Week takes place each year during the first full week of October with the goal of educating and empowering individuals and reducing stigma associated with mental health challenges. Active Minds’ red umbrella tradition has taken place each October since 2009. According to Active Minds Executive Board Member Jake Porter (‘17), the umbrellas act as a visually striking way to communicate important mental health statistics and facts to the Luther College community. During Mental Health Awareness Week, Active Minds also hosted a tabling event in which students had the opportunity to pose for a picture with a red umbrella and a poster that read, “Stand Against Stigma.” According to Active Minds President Katie Kovacovich (‘16), the photos reached more than 6,000 people on Facebook. According to Faculty Adviser for Active Minds and (LCCS) Counselor Bobbi-Jo Molokken, Mental Health Awareness Week is significant because it encourages students to utilize available on-campus resources. “Helping others identify stigma related to mental health issues is important as it helps to break down barriers for accessing Counseling Service, which may mean a student feels more comfortable with accessing the help they or a friend need to be successful during their time here at Luther,” Molokken said. Consistent with national trends, however, (LCCS) has had difficulty keeping up with increasing student demand for support. According to Director of Counseling Service Meg Hammes, between 11 and 12 percent of Luther Students have utilized LCCS over the past five years, and the number of students seeking counseling is growing.

spreaDinG awareness. The Luther College chapter of Active Minds displayed red umbrellas around campus during Mental Health Awareness Week. Laura Proescholdt / Chips mentaL heaLth, PAgE 4

News

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News editors: ANNA Jeide & KAtie NelsoN

Student Senate allocates funding nathan campbell voluNteer writer Student Senate passed a proposal written by the finance committee for allocating funds to student organizations across campus on Thursday Oct. 8. The total amount requested by student organizations this year was nearly $43,000 in funding. Senate was able to dispense $16,000 among the 47 organizations that applied for funding. Student organization funding comes from the co-curricular activity fee (CAF). The fee of $210 is paid by each student at the beginning of the academic year, unless students choose to opt out of the fee. A portion of the CAF is given to Student Senate where the Finance Committee is responsible for distributing the funds among organizations. The application for funding includes three subsections ranked by importance. The most significant subsection is the continuity category, funds that the organization requires in order to “achieve the core goals and mission of the organization,” according to the application. The next subsections, in order of prominence, are funds for on-campus events and activities and off-campus events/conferences. According to Finance Committee Chair and Senate Treasurer Shari-ann Pan-oy (‘17). The justification behind the ranking of each section can be traced back to the source of the funding itself, the students. The on-campus section is prioritized second because Student Senate

hopes to enable organizations to engage more in the Luther community, according to Panoy. Each organization is required to provide specifics for how they plan to spend the funds requested and must provide proof of how the funding was used at the end of the semester. All funding requests are taken into account by the Finance Committee. Funding allocation can be a difficult process, according to members of Senate, especially given the discrepancy between the requested and available funds. “Because the [total funding requests] weremore than twice our budget, it was really

a struggle for us,” Pan-oy said. This margin has created some discontent among campus organizations. Some organizations were not granted as much as they had hoped for. “The more money that Senate awards us means we can contribute a bigger total to the overall fundraising,” Dance Marathon President Carter Johnson said (‘16). Some discontent came from frustration with the application process. Johnson, believes that Student Senate could improve transparency with their allocations. According to Johnson, Dance Marathon

caF Fund diStribution.

Kathryn Olson / Chips

Decorah organizes all-city read jeSSe anderSon stAFF writer The Decorah Public Library and Luther College social work program are hosting an All-City Read discussion on Atul Gawande’s book, “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters In the End” on Thursday Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m. in Olin 102. This discussion will center on the issues of aging, death and end of life care. According to Decorah Public Library Director Lorraine Borowski (‘70), this is the first time Decorah has done an All-City Read. “’Being Mortal’ tells the stories of individuals and the choices they have to make at the end of their lives, between doing more medical treatment to prolong their life or moving to hospice care and trying to improve the quality of their remaining days,” Director of the Social Work Program and Associate Professor of Social Work Craig Mosher said. “This

is part of our general mission to reach out to the community about issues of social concern. This discussion will include a panel comprised of people specializing in medicine, social work and general geriatric care. Event organizers chose “Being Moral” in an effort to choose a text with relevant themes to the Decorah community. “This book hits a very vital interest in this community,” Pastor at Decorah United Church of Christ Laura Arnold said. “We have lots of folks who are either approaching that phase of life or are in what we call the sandwich generation: taking care of parents and kids but really many folks taking care of aging parents, so it seems like a very timely book to be reading.” Although many are confronted with the reality of death, some find it a difficult issue to discuss. “A large part of our culture is death avoidant,” Arnold said. “We pretend

received an email stating the amount they were granted but without any reasoning or explanation of why that amount was granted. “Senate could do a better job of … telling each organization why they got certain funds and why they didn’t,” Johnson said. Senate members recognize that some organizations may not have received all the funding that they believe they require. “If an organization legitimately felt like they needed more money…we would do everything we could to get them more,” Student Senate representative and SAC president Laura Vestle (‘16) said.

that we are invincible, and rather than be realistic about our mortality we just deny that we’re human beings and we are finite.” There is a trend in medicine to do all that is medically possible for a patient near the end of life. According to Arnold, this is not always the best way to honor someone’s wishes. “There’s this tendency to default to safety, and that leaves us pretty removed and doesn’t necessarily allow folks to exercise autonomy over their lives,” Arnold said. Gawande proposes an alternative to this medically-driven directive in hisnovel. According to Arnold, Gawande’s approach is centered on choices, asking the patient about the quality of life they would like to have as they age, and doing everything medically applicable to honor the patient’s wishes. There will be a follow up discussion on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Decorah Public Library.

Female student sexually assualted on campus anna jeide News editor Luther Emergency Communication sent out a message via email, text message and phone call to Luther students, faculty, staff and others to alert the community of a reported sexual assault on campus On Friday Oct. 9. According to the emergency message, at around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, Campus Security received a report from a female student stating that she had been assaulted by an unknown male assailant in front of Olin Hall at approximately 9:15 p.m. “The woman was able to separate herself from the assailant and get away,” the emergency message read. “At this time the assailant has not been located or identified,” according to the emergency message. The original emergency message contained the subject line, “Armed Intruder on Campus.” A correction message was sent on the morning of Friday, Oct. 9, clarifying that the subject of the message should have read “assault on campus.” The Emergency Communication Team apologized for any “undue stress this caused.” In the message, students were encouraged to take precaution when on campus. Some examples included not walking alone at night, carrying a cell phone and “wearing comfortable clothing that won’t constrict your movement or prevent you from running.” Security also reminded students that they will provide a walking escourt for students if they choose. At this time, no further information has been released about the assailant or the assault.

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Dance classes to fulfill physical education skills requirement FranceS SteVenSon stAFF writer Dance 100: Production Practicum and Dance 130: Contact Improvisation are being offered as physical education skills courses and can be used to fulfill the all-college skills requirement as of fall 2015. Dance major Jennifer Schmidt (‘15) completed her time at Luther by constructing a proposal for Dance 100 and 130 to be added to the list of skills courses over the course of the 2014-2015 academic year. This proposal was finalized and accepted this semester, so the students currently in these classes can receive credit for their work from the physical education department. “I think sometimes it’s hard for different departments to recognize how different courses within different departments work together,” Schmidt said. “It’s exciting to think of the possibility of creating more ways for people to get into the theatre/dance department.” With the help of Professor of Dance Jane Hawley (‘87), Schmidt created the proposal over the course of fall semester 2014. The proposal was a combination of syllabi, other documentation and student and faculty signatures to show support for the proposal. “[Schmidtt] was a delight to work with because she was very, very motivated,” Hawley said. “I think it’s important to have students involved in curriculum changes since they’re the ones in it.” This curriculum change is unique because no student has previously driven a project for curriculum change like Schmidt did. “What’s really exciting for me, and I think the most important thing to communicate, is that this proposal sets a new precedent for doing a curriculum change that has not happened at Luther before,” Schmidt said. Many of the departments at Luther, like the dance and the physical education departments, are disconnected and rarely communicate despite having common goals and curriculum. “The P.E. department and the dance department are very separate at Luther, but there are classes in each that highly complement each other,” Schmidt said. “There are a lot of ways these departments could collaborate that would be really exciting.” Luther’s dance department is unique

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life outside luther Thousands enter Croatia as police reopen Serbia nborder Thousands of people trying to reach the heart of Europe surged across Serbia’s border into Croatia on Monday after authorities eased restrictions that had left them stranded for days in ankle-deep mud and rain. Monday’s surprise move allowed an estimated 3,000 more migrants to enter Croatia bound for its small Alpine neighbor, which also has been struggling to slow the flow of humanity across its frontiers—and faced another wave of trekkers seeking to reach Austria and Germany to the north. New Prime Minister elected in Canada Canadians voted for a sharp change in their government Monday, returning a legendary name for liberals, Justin Trudeau, to the prime minister’s office and resoundingly ending Conservative Stephen Harper’s near-decade in office. Justin Trudeau, the son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, became Canada’s new prime minister after his Liberal Party won a majority of Parliament’s 338 seats. Trudeau’s Liberals had been favored to win the most seats, but few expected the final margin of victory. Clockmaker Ahmed Mohamed visits White House

dancinG For FitneSS. students of the “invitation game Production” rehearse a section of the dance routine. Frances Stevenson / Chips in the way that it teaches somatic dance rather than individual skills or classes like jazz or tap, according to Hawley. “It’s important because we are teaching dance through the body, not through steps and imitating those steps,” Hawley said. “What the student starts to receive is a body– based intelligence. I think it’s a healthy mindset to keep the body in mind no matter where you are no matter what discipline or major you’re in.” According to Schmidt, this type

of dance instruction is beneficial to anyone because it helps the student get more in touch with their body and how it moves, which can be valuable in any profession. “It’s giving people access to their own body, which is with them all the time, and so there are no resources required except the body,” Schmidt said. “These skills are equally applicable depending on your financial situation or what you have access to. There’s so much we learn from the body.”

Ahmed Mohamed, the Texas teenager arrested after a homemade clock he brought to school was mistaken for a bomb, capped a whirlwind month with a visit to the White House on Monday Oct. 19. Ahmed got a personal invitation from President Barack Obama for “Astronomy Night.” The two met and chatted briefly during Monday night’s event. Earlier Monday, Ahmed said he was grateful for the president’s support and said he’s OK with the nickname that so many have given him over the past few weeks—“clock kid.” He said the lesson of his experience is: “Don’t judge a person by the way they look. Always judge them by their heart.” Compiled from www.ap.org

News

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News ediTors: aNNa Jeide & KaTie NeLsoN

Gun control in discussion gun control, Page 1

President of the Shooting Sports Club at Luther Shelby Oelschlager (‘16) has been around guns her whole life. Originally sticking with target shooting, in recent years she has taken up trap shooting and hunting as well. Oelschlager believes there is a fine balance that needs to be struck between being a college student and being someone involved in gun culture. She also said this balance is something that affects the Shooting Sports Club. “Personally, I think the negative stigma related to guns comes partially from a lack of knowledge about them,” Oelschlager says. “I believe that some people are hesitant to join our club because of the lack of knowledge and/or experience about or with guns.”

However, Oelschlager adds, this stigma is one she hopes can be eradicated. “I think educating people about guns and hunting could be beneficial in reducing the stigma,” Oelschlager says. “I want to work to decrease the negative connotations that having or using a gun carries. While guns may seem intimidating, with the proper training and education, they can be rather safe.” This sentiment is echoed by Nils Boyum (‘18), who also grew up around guns and enjoys hunting. “There is definitely a bias,” Boyum says. “I would say there’s a negative stigma that’s not really expressed. I feel there’s a negative stigma against all things gun-related.” However, Boyum does not support policies which completely separate guns from campus life.

On-campus mental health needs grow mental health, Page 1 Within the first few weeks of fall semester, students looking to utilize LCCS had to be put on a waiting list. LCCS continues to have a waiting list currently—an unusual situation, according to Hammes. “A wait list is not standard for LCCS,” Hammes said. “Wait time will vary depending on the student’s need. We work to triage each student as they come in based on the screening information they fill out when they request an appointment. Students who are in high need will be able to have an appointment the same day. Students who report lower level needs may need to wait for a couple of weeks.” Luther College is not the only campus experiencing increased demand for counseling, Hammes said. “Counseling services across higher-education settings are facing very similar issues and addressing them in similar ways,” Hammes said. “A wait list for services can be a very typical thing, depending on the campus. Because each institution is different, with different needs, college counseling centers manage the demand differently.” According to Hammes, LCCS has been working to address increased demand by connecting students to other resources on campus including Residence Life, Campus Ministries, Student Academic Support Center, Health Service and off-campus resources depending on student need. In addition, LCCS is currently in conversation with Student Life to strengthen mental health support services. Dean for Student Life Corey Landstrom says that shortterm changes include increasing hours for LCCS contract counselors and directing students to a recently hired Student Life case manager. In the long-term, Student Life hopes to address students’ emotional preparation for college. Landstrom cited a recent report by the Jed Foundation that stated that 60 percent of college firstyears wished they had had assistance with this aspect of their transition to college. Mental health is a serious concern on college campuses nationwide. A report released by the American College Health Association in spring of 2015 stated that 49.5 percent of college students surveyed reported feelings of hopelessness in the past 12 months. In the same time period, 35.3 percent reported debilitating depression and 57.7 percent indicated that they had experienced overwhelming anxiety. Active Minds’ mission is to create a space for discussion and action with regards to these issues in the Luther College community and students seem to be responding. According to Kovacovich and Porter, meeting attendance has increased threefold this year and membership is rising. Active Minds meets Wednesdays from 8 to 9 p.m. in the Student Organization Suite in the Dahl Centennial Union. Self-help resources and more information about LCCS can be found on their Facebook page: https://www. facebook.com/LutherCollegeCounseling.

“I feel people are blowing things out of proportion saying that we’ve got to be worried,” Boyum said, regarding the effectiveness of Luther’s current policies. Nora Felt (‘17) is on the other end of the spectrum. Unlike Boyum and Oelschlager, Felt did not grow up around guns. She says this definitely affects how she views guns and Luther’s policies on firearms. “I’m someone who has never held a gun, never shot a gun,” Felt says. “There are no guns in my house, so I guess I do have a fear of them, but I think that fear is magnified due to the [recent] shootings.” Felt praises Luther’s current policies. “If [the policies in place] weren’t so strict,” Felt says, “I think I would feel more scared. Especially because I feel that we’re not talking about it enough.” While she does feel Luther’s current

policies are adequate in ensuring safety on campus, Felt says the real solution is communication throughout the larger community. “I think it’s something that we should talk about,” Felt says. “I think conversation is necessary. After a shooting happens, we grieve and we say, ‘poor individual.’ We don’t recognize that it’s a system that maybe needs to be changed.” Harri reaffirms the effectiveness of the policies and says that the best way to ensure the campus remains safe is for all students to be involved. “We are continuously working to keep Luther a safe place,” Harri says. “The policy is very effective if people follow it. We would encourage anyone who is aware of [policy] violations to report them to security.”

50th reunion class presents 1.1 million dollar donation donation, Page 1

“The 50th Reunion is a very special time to get together, get reacquainted with each other and reminisce,” Karen Chellevold said. “It’s always nice when we can give back to the college. Everyone was very excited and happy to have participated [in presenting the check].”

This is the 13th year of organized giving campaigns for the 50 year reunion, and the 4th time the total has been over $1 million. Though the biggest push for donations is during the 50year reunion, smaller donations are also gathered by 10, 25, 35 and 40-year reunions. The total raised thus far by these four classes is $817,144.10.

field of dreams. The Class of 1965 presents a check of $1,152,084.17 to President Carlson at halftime of the Luther Homecoming football game. Photo courtesy of facebook.com/luthercollege

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A&E EDITOR: JENNA NELSON

PAGE 5 OCTOBER 22, 2015

CREATIVITY RUNS IN THE FAMILY. (from left) Brothers Daniel Otte (‘63) and Paul Otte (‘63) discuss their work. The exhibit also incudes pieces by their sister Elsa (Otte) Hammond (‘63). Elizabeth Hurley / Chips

Otte siblings exhibit artwork ELIZABETH HURLEY STAFF WRITER With faces peering and hands hovering inches above the artwork, people studying the Otte siblings’ artwork leaned in close to see the details. Displayed on the second floor of the Center for Faith and Life were illustrations of grasshoppers and insects, oil portraits of children and silk batiks or dyed cloth that shine when held against the light — a variety of artwork, each piece specific to the artist that made it. Consisting of a mix of media, the gallery titled “Triple Vision” displays work by three Otte siblings: Elsa (Otte) Hammond (‘63), Daniel Otte (‘63) and Paul Otte (‘63), making it the first Luther show to have three alum artists. It is also the first time the siblings have displayed their work together. “I find it really fascinating,” Claire Firary (‘17) said of the diversity of art displayed. “Each time you look at [the pieces] you start making more connections. Even if you walk by it three times, there’s always something new to see. You start to string elements together by [the Otte siblings’] relationship, but the pieces are still done by the individuals.” The gallery was unique in terms of art and artists, according to Art Gallery Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Art David Kamm. “It’s really fun and pretty exciting to have three alumni siblings who all happen to create art,” Kamm said. “That’s the first time we’ve ever had that type of show at Luther, and I suspect it might be a long time before we

find it again.” Suggested to Kamm by an Otte family friend, Darrell Hennings, the show originally started with one sibling, but, by the sibling’s suggestion, quickly grew to three. What particularly interested Kamm was the range of work. “Each artist has a bit of range within their work; they aren’t just doing one single thing,” Kamm said. “We see everything from insect specimens depicted naturalistically, to images that are more expressionistic, more impressions of the land or people. The range of media is interesting; we have drawings and paintings and batiks, things that are intended to be illustrations and things that are just personal expression.” The Ottes were drawn to Luther College by family connections, as both their grandfather and father had attended Luther. Each pursued a major in biology, with only Dan minoring in art. Though none of them majored in art, they all took courses from Orvil Running and continued it as a hobby after college. As an etymologist, Daniel Otte found his artistic skills “useful” in his profession, which needed a portrait to go along with his work. “[What an] incredible advantage he had in not having to hire an artist,” Paul Otte said. For Hammond, art has always been a lifelong passion. “It’s always been my true interest,” Hammond said. “It’s wonderfully fulfilling.” A passion for all of them since they were children, art will remain a lifelong hobby for the three siblings. “I’ll probably be doing fabric

THOUGHTFUL OBSERVATION. The Ottes’ mixed-media exhbition incudes oil paintings, silk batiks and illustration work. Elizabeth Hurley / Chips stuff forever,” Paul Otte said. Stopping in the middle of the gallery and studying the work, students felt inspired by personal history. “It’s interesting, but I get this feeling of, ‘stick true to your intentions and where you’re from,’” Firary said. “It inspires me to push what’s close to me, close to my home into my art.” The mixed-media exhibit will be on display from Oct. 16-Dec. 6 in the upper level foyer of the Center for Faith and Life.

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opinion

page 9

managing editor: cameron meyferth

october 22, 2015

Student shares perspective on National Coming Out Day Letter to the Editor Over our fall break, there was a little-known holiday celebrated by an even smaller portion of campus: National Coming Out Day, on Sunday, Oct. 11. This holiday celebrates the open and authentic lives that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people live. Often LGBT persons live in the dark, afraid of being able to share their sexual orientation or gender expression with those around them. This holiday was created to celebrate those who have been able to come out of dark and out of their closets, also encouraging those who can safely live authentic lives to join those of us who have come out. In high school, I always loved this day. It was the one day a year where I could celebrate my difference instead of carefully keeping it to myself. As a member of the Gender and Sexuality Minority (GSM) community I had always felt that I couldn’t reveal my true identity to those around me. In high school, only a few friends knew the true me. This day was the time where I felt that I could be unapologetically myself, but after a couple of years there was a greater need: I wanted to be myself all the time. There was something inside of me that called out to be authentic to who I truly was. But living in Central Minnesota, in a community where Michelle Bachmann had a strong following, I did not feel that I could do this. Instead of embracing this part of me that was so special, I began to feel suffocated by it. When I came to Luther’s campus, I thought I had found my

home. It was an environment where, for the first time, being GSM was not a bad thing but was finally accepted. This quickly blossomed into my being able to come out from the darkness and to live fully and authentically. Luther was my haven of acceptance; no more was I being called homophobic slurs or living in fear of people finding out about me. Even though I did find some refuge from the direct assaults of being GSM, I did discover something new: microaggressions. A microaggression is a form of discrimination, through either intentional or unintentional means, in the form of insults and dismissals. In high school, I did not even pick up on these; I was so happy that people did not hate me that these small things did not even faze me. But as I was accepted more, and I no longer had to worry about losing a friendship over my sexual orientation, I began to see these things more. I experienced being asked when I “chose” to be gay, or to come pick out someone’s outfit, or if, as an athlete, I check out other guys in the locker room. As these things continued, I began to feel that sense of suffocation again. I was becoming resentful toward those who did this to me. The resentment built up until it began to affect the relationships that I had with my heterosexual cisgender (those who identify with their gender identity given at birth) friends. It was not until National Coming Out Day of 2014 that I was able to have a paradigm shift. That National Coming Out Day, someone posted a TED Talk on Facebook about coming out. In the TED Talk by Ash Beckham, she spoke about a similar experience. She, like me, had become angry at the heteronormativity that pervaded her life and the microagressions that she experienced most days. Having a butch hairstyle, she was tired of being asked by small children if she was a boy or girl. One day she had the realization that each and every one of us has to “come out.” Coming out as GSM is the process where we, people of varying sexual orientations and gender expressions, have to tell the world of our variety. I had always thought that this process was unique to the GSM community and also very difficult, but

in Beckham’s talk she spoke about how all people have to come out in some way. She explains that coming out is only a difficult conversation. We as people all have difficult conversations, whether you are breaking up with a partner, a parent is sick or you are a survivor of sexual assault. When I first saw her talk, I was appalled. How could someone of the same GSM community that I belonged to say that all the people who made me feel different were in fact the same? I felt that her comments devalued my experience as a GSM individual. I mean, really, we have to have a day to come out and be who we really are! How streamlined does being GSM have to be? Do we have to come to the point where our own Coming Out Day is no longer for the GSM community? To try to understand her message a little better, I proceeded to watch her video four more times. But as I watched it again and again, and truly thought about it, she was right. We all have these tough conversations in life, and we all have to “come out” about something. What she was saying does not devalue my experience of being GSM but enhances my experience of being a human. I was so lost in my own thoughts and feelings of discrimination that I forgot that we all have these experiences. I mean, sure, my experience of being GSM is different than someone’s experience of being black or someone else’s experience of being a child of a cancer survivor, but the thing is we all have had some sort of experience that has made us stronger, more resilient people. We frequently lose sight of the humanity in all of us. We all have had tough situations happen to us, and we all have struggled. Too often we try to ignore the experiences of others and are quick to judge or make assumptions. If we reach out and get to know one another a little better, we can build more empathy and compassion for all. Just by taking time and passion, we can create a better sense of campus community and Norse pride. Tyler Broadwell (‘16)

Speaking up against Sexual Assault anna jEidE news editor Just before fall break, the Emergency Communication Team sent emails, text messages and phone calls at approximately 1:45 a.m. notifying Luther students, faculty, staff and others that a female student was sexually assaulted on campus. While many of us were either awakened by these alarms or saw them first thing in the morning on our way to class, we pushed those concerns to the back of our minds when we left campus for fall break. I was horrified to learn what had happened to a fellow student. I admit I was relieved to know I could return to the safety of my home and escape the uneasiness I felt knowing that a female student was assaulted on campus. And yet, my own sense of relief at escaping the issue is deeply problematic. Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, “Silence in the face of evil is evil itself; God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”

We don’t want to admit that sexual assault occurs at our polite, Midwest, rural campus, but if we allow ourselves to conveniently ignore crimes of sexual assault, then we are ignoring crimes that demand our attention. The incident from two weeks ago serves as an unfortunate, but crucial reminder that these issues do hit close to home and require a response from us as the students who call this place home. I am afraid that we will remain silent about this incident. Furthermore, I am terrified that our silence would mean we are passive and don’t really feel that this issue affects us. WRONG. This crime requires that we respond in some way. I do not know the details of the event. I do not know who the victim was or what the circumstances were, but that does not matter. Whether the assailant was a student or not should not change how we respond to this crisis. One of our own was assaulted, and that should be enough for us to speak up against sexual assault.

If anyone has not read the Sexual Misconduct Policy, put this newspaper down and read it. If you haven’t read the section about consent, go read it now. We need to discuss consent more openly and thoroughly all year round across all years of students, not just once a year at first-year orientation. As students, we need to educate ourselves about issues of consent and hold each student, faculty, staff member, visitor or “intruder” accountable to these policies, not just because they are law but because we need to play an active role in deciding how we will respect the human dignity of every person on this campus. Policies and protocols have a place, but words on a page can’t prevent sexual assault. I have read the Sexual Misconduct Policy front to back a few times. I am proud to say that I attend a college with such a strong policy that seeks to protect victims of sexual assault. But as a college we need to think more proactively on how to prevent sexual assault, not what steps

to follow once a crime of assault has been committed. I’m not expecting that each student take it upon themselves personally to intervene any time they think sexual assault may occur. I do believe that we can do more to create a culture on campus that allows for open discussion of consent and expects that every member of this community understands the importance of consent and the consequences if consent is not granted. I’ve heard of some students already beginning to take

action. Members of Zeta Tau Psi have offered to escort students on campus this weekend. These are the kinds of actions students should be taking to create a culture that values consent and safety on this campus. This is a visible action that demonstrates our commitment to keeping our community safe. No student, male or female, should feel that they live in fear of assault on our campus. Sexual assault happens here. How will we choose to speak up?

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pAgE 6 ocTobER 22, 2015

FEATURES EdIToR: Abby cARpEnTER

Aynah studies co-ops in WI

mAdIson bound. Members of Aynah traveled to Madison, Wisconsin, to learn about cooperative businesses.

Photo courtesy of Aynah

price included transportation, food and housing rented through Airbnb. The group also attended morning lectures on cooperative business models. In their free time, the students had bonfires, played a special Aynah-version of monopoly called co-opoly and had a cooperative-business-related movie night. Umer Khalique (‘19) only found out about Aynah’s trip to Madison the day they were scheduled to leave. “I actually found out about the trip just a couple of hours before the departure and I ran to my dorm to pack my luggage,” Khalique said. “Then I made sure to show up early so that I could talk with supervisors and prove my full commitment. Since I was also able to prove financial need they made it possible for me to participate by waiving some of the fees.” The students visited many different businesses, a few of which were particularly inspiring to Luther students. Fatimatu Bachiri (‘17) was strongly influenced by the Interpreter’s Cooperative of Madison, which is a simultaneous interpretation program that is used for conferences and offers services in Spanish, Hmong, Portuguese and Russian.

“Interpreter’s Cooperative seemed to have the best atmosphere and team spirit, which made it my favorite,” Bachiri said. Students admired this company for the effort that interpreters would put into doing the court translations. “We were fortunate to meet an interpreter named Carlos who was very passionate about helping those in need, even for free,” Basantes said. The group also visited Community Pharmacy, which is an independent, worker-owned and managed cooperative that offers affordable alternatives to conventional medicine. Since this business is in the process of expanding, they lectured students on scaling worker cooperation. “Pharmacy stores of this kind were definitely something new for me, and it gave me motivation to start thinking about starting similar endeavors in the future, since I am majoring in biology,” Khandaker Muhtasim Utsho (‘16) said. “I was impressed with the fact that literally all the workers had an equal role in running the company. It made me start planning to open a business in my home country of Bangladesh as the whole experience was fulfilling. In four days, I learned a great deal about empowering people and doing community service.” Another co-op business, Four Star Video, is the last surviving video rental store in the Madison area. “The video store was another example of a successful co-op business because even though they just opened a year ago, and most of video streaming is done online, they managed to stay competitive,” Basantes said. “Their library covers more video titles than Netflix, Google+ and Amazon Prime combined while keeping even more affordable prices.” Isthmus Engineering is a firm that builds custom automation equipment for various applications. This company is unique for its commitment to reducing their carbon footprint, supporting charitable causes and operating democratically. “They have a very strong and successful business where you can see the grandiose physical output of their work,” Basantes said. “Even though they kept a lot of their data classified for safety reasons, it’s obvious that they are generating high revenues which they donate to charities. One charity they helped in the past is Working Capital for Community Needs (WCCN), which gives loans to communities in Latin America, which they use to fund their own co-ops.” Bachiri saw the benefit of the trip through an ethical perspective. “For me, it was very interesting because I now see co-ops as the only fair way to conduct business,” Bachiri said. “The fact that co-ops fight unemployment in a very direct way and that they provide security to the community was the main idea that struck me about the Madison trip.”

mAtIjA nIkolIc STAFF WRITER Aynah, a non-profit organization made up of Luther students, traveled to Madison, Wisconsin, over fall break to explore a wide range of cooperative (co-op) businesses. Aynah designs and delivers cooperative education to students through on-campus trainings and experiential learning trips, both in the U.S. and abroad. The organization uses education models (e.g., experiential, service learning, popular education) that highlight the power of collective organizing to solve social, economic and environmental challenges. In the past they have traveled to places such as Ethiopia and Argentina and continue to engage throughout the country and the world. “I like Aynah because they focus on community-based projects, which is really what I am looking on doing after graduation,” Marilyn Basantes (‘16) said. The fee for the four-day field trip was $200, but Aynah provided scholarships to students with financial need. The

gAme on. (From left) Umer Khalique (‘19), Jesus Lucero (‘16), Khandaker Muhtasim Utsho (‘16) and Ellery Wealot play a game of co-opoloy while on their trip to Madison. Photo courtesy of Aynah

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ocTobER 22, 2015

Humane Society of Northeast Iowa boasts new building and internships

cAt tIme. Marlene Jones (‘17) plays with furry friend chantilly at the Humane Society of northeast Iowa in decorah, Iowa. dAnny mAy STAFF WRITER The Humane Society of Northeast Iowa has a new building and is also offering internships. Several Luther students are involved with this program. Humane Society of Northeast Iowa Board President and Professor of Communication Studies Kim Powell said that the building is the first physical presence of the Humane Society in Decorah. Prior to the building’s construction in December 2014, the Humane Society existed for 20 years solely as foster homes. The building holds up to 100 animals and houses only dogs and cats. According to Powell, the building is clean, well lit and features both glass kennels and a “catio.” “It’s a state-of-the-art building,” Powell said. “People that come in [to the Humane Society] are always saying how impressed they are that the animals seem so happy, so that’s been our goal: to keep the animals happy and healthy until we can find them further homes.” According to Powell, the Humane Society also offers internships every semester, in addition to offerings in the summer and in January. These are volunteer internships, and divided into four categories: animal care, social media, direct media and fundraising. Powell explained that the Humane Society is looking for interns with strong writing, communication and

media skills. “I highly recommend [the internships] because you’re getting hands-on experience,” Powell said. “And what you’re doing isn’t just an exercise, it’s actually helping animals find homes and learning different ways to present them to the public.” Student interns explained that the primary focus is to get animals adopted. Some interns update the Humane Society’s blogs, and intern Nora Sell (‘16) recently wrote a piece about the Humane Society for the Luther College newsletter. Sell explained that the category assignments are distributed among the three current interns, and that the internship is an informal but relevant experience. “It’s something different and it’s very local,” Sell said. “It’s definitely a form of marketing and journalism. Even if I don’t pursue this in the future, I think a lot of the skills will be relevant. It’s a good experience, and who doesn’t love working with animals?” The internship does not have set hours, and interns take up projects of their own accord. “You pretty much spend the time you need to get your work done,” Sell said. “We’re still pretty new to it, so we’re still kind of learning.” Alyssa Dutkanych (‘16) is an intern at the Humane Society and works frequently with blog articles on the website. Dutkanych finds the worth she does to be relevant to her major.

“It’s cool, because as a communication studies major, you can delve into so many different things,” Dutkanych said. “Social media is such an upcoming thing because of how much we rely on technology these days. [Social media] is a really good resource now, and more animals can be adopted and find really good homes.” Dutkanych was drawn to the internship by the animals. “Kim Powell asked us in class about

Danny May / Chips the internship,” Dutkanytch said. “I thought it would be really fun because I really love to work with animals; they’re therapeutic. It’s like a small steppingstone toward an actual workplace. We’re able to feel it out. It’s worth the time.” The Humane Society of Northeast Iowa is located on Millennium Road, just outside of Decorah. Any students interested in the internship opportunity can contact Powell at kimpowell@ luther.edu.

meoW. Feline Lisa enjoys some time on the catio.

Danny May / Chips

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A&E EDITOR: JENNA NELSON

Students perform at Open Mic ELYSE GROTHAUS STAFF WRITER Marty’s was filled with a diverse group of Luther students excited to kick off the homecoming festivities with Student Activities Council (SAC) Homecoming’s Open Mic Night on Wednesday, Oct. 7. The event featured more than 20 acts of students showing off artistic talents including singing, dancing and playing instruments. Co-chairs of SAC Homecoming Emily Gehlsen (‘16) and Samantha Phillips (‘17) have been hard at work for months to plan all of the homecoming events, starting with Open Mic Night. “Homecoming is a huge deal here just because Luther has such a strong alumni connection, and it is such a community-based school,” Gehlsen said. “It is really important to have Homecoming and just keep in contact with alumni.” Open Mic Night was the first of many homecoming events. Others include Promo Night, Jazz Night and the Homecoming Parade. Phillips explained that this event is another way to establish Luther as a diverse school filled with athletes and artists alike. “Open Mic Night is important because it’s a great way for people to showcase their musical or artistic talent in a certain way,” Phillips said. “A lot of times homecoming is thought of as a way to celebrate athletics, so I think Open Mic Night is a fun way to kick off the homecoming celebrations in a more artistic way. My favorite part was how rewarding it was seeing it all go so smoothly. We planned for this for months, so just being able to sit there, relax and enjoy the night was so rewarding.” Students came out to support their friends, teammates and the Luther community at Open Mic Night. JJ Schrick (‘19) performed an original song titled “End of Your World” with Caleb Bendull (‘19). Schrick also enjoyed being a part of the crowd at this event. “I love seeing the support that other Luther students have for each other,” Schrick said. “For the parts that I was there, I didn’t hear anybody make fun of other people. Also, just knowing there are so many talented people at this school is crazy.” There were rock bands, a cappella groups, solo dancers and group dance performances. Ben Haerther (‘19) attended Open

RAPPING WITH FRIENDS. (From left) Ashley Kappers (‘16), Phil Hanson (‘16), Elliot Douma (‘19), Sam Thrun (‘16) and Jason Leuthold (‘16) take the stage at Open Mic Night with their Macklemore perfomance. Elyse Grothaus / Chips Mic Night and was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the stage this year. acts in the event. “Events like Open Mic Night are important in building Luther “I didn’t really know what to expect going into Open Mic community because it allows students to express themselves and Night, and it was awesome,” Haerther said. “I was surprised that show what they can do on the stage,” Nguyen said. “Thanks to this it wasn’t all just singing, and then there were even many different opportunity, everybody can explore and understand each other genres of music displayed.” more. Also, support from friends helps to strengthen friendships The winner of the event, Lam Nguyen (‘17), performed a and connect people together.” popping routine, which is a street dancing style closely related More events like Open Mic Night will take place throughout to hip-hop. Nguyen hoped to bring something different and the year as a way to showcase student talent and build the Luther interesting to the show. He had attended previous Open Mic community. These include Fall Fest on Nov. 5 and Brandt Open Nights and was impressed by the event, so he decided to take the Mic Night on Jan. 16.

Norse Abroad: Abbey’s Road ABBEY SYME STUDENT DJ

a few rounds of radio here to get the buttons all figured out. But now that I’ve crossed that bridge, I’m back to the dancing and sing-along joy that I found three years ago at KWLC.

Radio Abroad! I was super bummed to be leaving KWLC for my semester abroad in Volda, Norway, but to my excitement they, too, had a student radio program, and I eagerly signed up. I now have an hour-long show that airs weekly, like KWLC. In the past three years, I’ve gotten very familiar with the sound board in the Union basement, so it took

Norwegian Student Radio While many things are familiar at Volda Student Radio, it can be a little awkward when the DJ ahead of you smiles and says something in Norwegian, and you just smile and laugh before telling him you have no idea what he just said. All shows on Volda Student Radio except for mine are in Norwegian, which makes

it great if you’re learning the language and want something to practice with, but hard if you want to introduce the next show with your horrible American accent. People have been very understanding and helpful as I learn to correctly pronounce names and are welcoming to the radio community, a feature familiar from KWLC. Finding Your Place in Radio I am so happy for the skills I’ve learned at KWLC and how radio has helped me to find my place at a new university on the other side of the world. I can’t wait to return to KWLC this spring, but until then I would love it if you joined me in Norway. You can find Abbey’s Road podcasts (as well as Norweigan shows) on MixCloud at https://www.mixcloud.com/ VoldaStudentradio/playlists/ abbeys-road/.

Photo courtesy of www. mixcloud.com/voldastudentradio

For the best in new independent music, tune in to KWLC Radio Monday through Friday from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. KWLC can be found at 1240AM on the radio dial or online at kwlc.luther.edu.